Comments on Crossword Unclued: Thoughts On Connectors

Tractor operator does firmware development out of ...

2009-08-02T23:15:12.987+05:30

Tractor operator does firmware development out of Wisconsin (6)

Neyartha's parsing was:
Tractor operator - definition
does - Connector
Firmware - Anagram fodder
development - Anagrind
yields FARMERWI
out of - Deletion indicator
Wisconsin - WI gets deleted
yields FARMER{-wi}*

When this clue was published we were all caught up so much with the definition and indicator, we didn't give thought to the connector. It didn't bother because it was easy to ignore.

Yet it is one of those connectors that don't logically connect the definition and wordplay in the cryptic reading. FARMER is an outcome of "firmware development out of WI", the "does" doesn't fit.

You put, what I mean, precisely. And as for: .... ...

2009-07-31T19:41:26.987+05:30

You put, what I mean, precisely.
And as for:
.... does [fodder] develeopemnt...
I don't see any problem, 'does' doesn't appear to be a connector and fodder is very well identified.

Am learning and improving I guess :) Thanks to THCS and your blog! Now while attempting to solve THC, word play isn't so much limitation as it used to be earlier. (Though I still get stuck with word play in quite a few clues. Am just comparing myself now and myself a couple of months ago).

On the THC community, I remember Neyartha had step...

2009-07-31T15:38:53.036+05:30

On the THC community, I remember Neyartha had stepped in and clarified the use of this indicator.

"X out of Y", as in, "printer out of ink", implies "Y is deleted from X". Makes sense.

Well in today's THC, Gridmann used 'withou...

2009-07-31T14:45:34.644+05:30

Well in today's THC, Gridmann used 'without' in the meaning 'out of...'

Considering the reverse, 'out of WI' in Neyathra's clue, does indicate 'lacking WI'.

Thanks for your comments on the clues. Very intere...

2009-07-24T00:48:39.328+05:30

Thanks for your comments on the clues. Very interesting to hear different views. I'll post mine later, I hope more readers will come along and have their say.

About Outliers: I found it engaging, provocative at times. Much like Gladwell's earlier work. There are some critical reviews on Amazon about the book with the "unoriginal" tag being tossed around in plenty. I have not read too much in the genre so I cannot say, many of the ideas were new to me and gave me food for thought.

I think Gladwell has a nice way with words and he picks great examples to support his theories. Even if I didn't end up entirely agreeing with all he said, time reading was time well-spent.

Let's keep further discussion about the book away from the blog :) Email? My id is towards the end of the FAQ page.

Emotion attains a different range (5) Looking at t...

2009-07-22T18:23:14.454+05:30

Emotion attains a different range (5)
Looking at the clue, it appears that the definition is not simply 'Emotion'
and so &lit, as already mentioned by Maddy.

New slates smashed? But that’s known to me already! (5,4)
To me 'but' doesn't look like unwanted connector, agree with Vasi sir.

Tractor operator does firmware development out of Wisconsin (6)
Here 'does' is not a connector but part of anagrind and fodder can be clearly identified.
But out of WI doesn't indicate subtraction.

New slates smashed? But that’s known to me already...

2009-07-20T22:24:45.209+05:30

New slates smashed? But that’s known to me already! (5,4)

I believe that 'but' here does have a role to play. You have to imagine that a speaker mockingly repeats three words that he has just heard someone say and with a 'you're telling me!' attitude adds the rest of the sentence.

Thanks shuchi for the post. It was insightful, as ...

2009-07-20T21:04:45.819+05:30

Thanks shuchi for the post. It was insightful, as your posts always are. It also reinforced most of my opinions about the issue. It's always reassuring when one's views are endorsed by an expert ( now, now...you need not get unduly modest and claim that you are no expert:) ).
Regarding the clues you have quoted, I dont find anything glaringly wrong with the connectors used. BUt then, that maybe because you have given the setters' name and i am subconciously prejudiced courtesy their proven track record. Incidentally, Gladwell, whom you have quoted, talks a lot about prejudices and the 'Halo effect' in 'Blink'. May be my reaction would have been different if you had quoted a similar clue with NJ's byline :) . I see this somewhat reverse Halo effect happening these days, where relatively fair clues of NJ ( yes there are some...) which would have passed muster under other setters' bylines are sometimes maligned and overanalysed by solvers. ( *DISCLAIMER* Iam not endorsing NJ nor am I by any stretch of imagination her fan, Shuchi would know better :) ). Coming back to the clues....

THC 9564 (Gridman): Emotion attains a different range (5) ANGER - This looks perfectly OK.I may be wrong but the clue gets a semi &lit feel due to the connector.

THC 9536 (Gridman): New slates smashed?But that’s known to me already! (5,4) STALE NEWS - Didnt like the clue but straightforward enough to ignore the somewhat misleading 'but'.It doesnt add to the clue though...

THC 9547 (Neyartha): Tractor operator does firmware development out of Wisconsin (6) - FARMER - I remember, this particular clue was stripped bare on THC orkut community, with clarifications coming straight from the horse's mouth. Though i still have my issues about the clue, the connector is not one of them.

To summarise,I think Aristotle was talking about crossword clues when he said "The whole is more than the sum of it's parts" :)

N.B - It is interesting that Malcolm Gladwell also talks about connectors in 'The Tipping Point', though in a different context. According to him connectors are people who "link us up with the world",People with extraordinary communication and social networking skills who form a part of the working 20 % in 'The law of the few'. Though, both his earlier books made for good reading, at times I found his writings a bit contrived and not as original as say in books of similar genre like Freakonomics, writings of Taleb, Alvin Tofler etc. I am yet to read Outliers. Do you recommend it??