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Conference thebay::joyoflex

Title:The Joy of Lex
Notice:A Notes File even your grammar could love
Moderator:THEBAY::SYSTEM
Created:Fri Feb 28 1986
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1192
Total number of notes:42769

1038.0. "Clever Crossword Clues" by FSOA::BERICSON (MRO1-1/L87 DTN 297-3200) Thu Apr 01 1993 14:09

    Fellow wordies.. who must also include some crossword advocates.. how
    about compling a list of clever clues
    
    Pertaining to a large white bear   "POLOROID"
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1038.1a poor effort, I may say so, on my behalf...AUSSIE::WHORLOWBushies do it for FREE!Thu Apr 01 1993 22:3514
    
    G'day,
    
     ahem, should that not read 'Polaroid'?
                                    ^
    
    
    friend from Mars... father
    
    hero from the calendar..... jason
    
    
    derek
    
1038.2oooopsFSOA::BERICSONMRO1-1/L87 DTN 297-3200Fri Apr 02 1993 07:575
    Ooooops.. the whole reason I took up crosswords is that I'm dyslexic..
    and never learned to spell... and I can't spell check in notes... can
    I? ... probably has to do with the whole facination with words.
    
    boB
1038.3VMSMKT::KENAHThere are no mistakes in Love...Fri Apr 02 1993 09:505
    Spell checking in notes -- if you're using the default TPU editor
    in character cell mode, then you can simply hit the DO key and
    type "spell" at the Command: prompt.  Don't know about DECwindows.
    
    					andrew
1038.4European clue...CHEFS::BUXTONRTue Sep 07 1993 14:5514
    I recently heard on a radio programme a conversation about a certain
    crossword clue between two crossword compilers in a pub....
    
    The clue was: Fruit associated with onions (12)
    
    The answer was: Blackberries
    
    The argument/discussion ranged around the fairness of the clue, the
    process of solving etc. and deecided, as far as I can remember that it
    was a kosher (pukka) clue/answer....
    
    What does the team think?
    
    Bucko...
1038.5MU::PORTER550 user not localTue Sep 07 1993 20:2217
    Oh, that's easy (when you have tyhe answer and all you have
    to do is to figure out the logic involved :-).  And I don't even 
    understand how to do cryptic crosswords.
    
    The classic image of a Frenchman is a geezer on a bicycle
    with a string of onions around his neck, wearing a stripy
    shirt and a black beret.
    
    So, I got to the answer just by free-associating on "onions",
    and as soon as my brain said "Frenchman", I had it.
    
    I must admit I was initially misled by thinking that "associate"
    was one of those crossword code-words which indicated some
    particular lexical processing to be performed, probably on
    a synonym for onions.
    
    
1038.6"Clueless in the GMA" writes...DRDAN::KALIKOWSupplely ChainedTue Sep 07 1993 20:2912
    ... that he knows he's missing out on some putatively clever or at
    least enlightening translinguistic pun, but can't divine it for the
    life of him.  He writes further that he firmly intends to defenestrate
    himself, or rather defen�trate himself, should the divine not
    intervene.
    
    Your kind assistance is solicited.
    
    Thanking you in advance, he is (or rather was)
    
    Clueless.
    
1038.7RAGMOP::T_PARMENTERThe cake of libertyWed Sep 08 1993 06:419
    re: "fruit associated with onions"
    
    This is a package not worth the unwrapping.
    
    And my image of a Frenchman does not include the bicycle or the onions,
    although he does have a long loaf of bread under his arm.
    
    Rather than judging this an unethical clue, perhaps it is a stupid
    clue.
1038.8KAOFS::S_BROOKDENVER A Long WayWed Sep 08 1993 07:156
In Britain, it is VERY common for French onion sellers to be seen cycling
the roads peddling onions hung about their person and their bike ... and
clad in grey and wearing a black beret.  They have done this for years and
years ...  So, as a stereotype for a Frenchman, it's not *so* wrong.

Stuart
1038.9FOS appears on lots of US restaurant menusMYCRFT::PARODIJohn H. Parodi DTN 381-1640Wed Sep 08 1993 09:307
    
    
    So, why do they call it French Onion Soup? Which part of this item
    makes it French? (the extreme amount of salt? the kilogram of cheese?
    the soggy piece of bread?)
    
    JP
1038.10HLDE01::STEENWINKELA witty saying proves nothingThu Sep 09 1993 01:5414
    My first association is always: French .eqs. garlic
    
    On the original clue, I think it's rather farfetched, if not outright
    silly.
    
    As a side note, with what we call 'crosswords' the description is
    nearly always a single word (sometimes two) and the solution is to find
    the correct synonym. Crosswords in which the description is a sentence
    as per .0, that needs to be analysed, mangled, stomped upon, picked
    apart and bounced on the trampoline of one's imagination are called
    'cryptogram'
                                                        
                                                  - Rik -
    
1038.11Words mean just what I want them to... (HD)KERNEL::MORRISWhich universe did you dial?Thu Sep 09 1993 04:5812
    re -1
    
    Rik,
    
    > Crosswords in which the description is a sentence as per .0, that needs
    > to be analysed, mangled, stomped upon, picked apart and bounced on the
    > trampoline of one's imagination are called 'cryptogram'
    
    Actually, I call them crosswords :o)
    
    Jon
    
1038.12generous offerHLDE01::STEENWINKELA witty saying proves nothingThu Sep 09 1993 06:1610
    re:.-1
    
    It wasn't very clear from my note that I was talking about the Dutch
    interpretation of 'crosswords'.
    
    And you may call them anything you like, I wasn't going to order a
    flottilla up the Thames for this :-)

                                                  - Stoneshop -
    
1038.13Garlic = French???RUMOR::WOOKPC::leeWook, like "Book" with a "W"Fri Sep 10 1993 13:177
Re: garlic

That's funny. I always associate garlic with Italians or Koreans. FWIW, Korea 
used to be known as the "Land of the Garlic-eaters". I think the reference is 
from China.

Wook (neither Italian nor French)
1038.14PASTIS::MONAHANhumanity is a trojan horseSat Sep 11 1993 04:5910
    	It varies with different parts of France, but in this area the
    traditional Friday dish is a�oli. The common recipe starts off with
    "take one clove of garlic per person, or more to taste" and some
    versions suggest 3 cloves per person.
    
    	The garlic is used to make a rather ferocious mayonnaise which is
    eaten with plain boiled fish and vegetables. The sauce burns your
    tongue, and you are still sweating garlic on Monday morning. If you
    have a partner, then make sure that either both of you or neither of
    you eat a�oli on Friday.