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BobbyC, I didn/' think this was a 'terrible crossword' or an 'absolute stinker', but I have to say I didn't enjoy it much! I didn't mind the hard work involved, but I certainly wasn't on the setter's wavelength.

Having seen the parsing for 49 A, I now think it's a neat, rather clever clue.

It was a slog Malone, but as you imply, not unfair.

I realise I typed terrible crossword when I meant terrible crossword clue.

That said, it was not my favourite. Less fun than most and the usual Times jumbo smattering of obscurity for those who like searching in books.

I stand by what I said about 49a. Clever, clever? No, terrible.

Presumably you feel “Gegs (9,4)” is a terrible clue because the answer contains the anagrind. It’s generally considered an Araucaria classic, even though it even lacks the definition that 49a has. These reverse anagram clues do crop up from time to time, and I know they split the room. I don’t mind them, as it happens, though they require a slightly different mindset to solve

As it happens, I like the gegs clue. The 49a not so much. It splits the room as you say.

Why, well my bet is that most people needed lots of letters before they could get the picture and then get the pun.

Not so much bingo! wow that is clever (as with gegs) but "oh, now I got the clue I see the smart joke". The setter thinking what a clever, clever smarty pants I am to think of that a dreaming of crossword history. I just groaned.

My point is that you could be faced with no letters and get the scrambled idea just by thinking hard but I think very few could do the same with our mad greek. I didn't.

Opinions may vary but that's mine.

Very fair point. Hats off to those who got 49a without any crossers. I actually don’t like Gegs, because of the lack of a definition. A step too far for me!

Appreciate the reply.

Riddle me these

Cartoon scare? (3,5,5)
Comic... and? (9,3)

See, if a crossword pigmy like myself can take 5 mins to come up with two clues with anagram and indicator in the title of some film, book or whatever then I see that as pretty limp setting technique. I beg to differ on gegs. I could sit for a lifetime and never come up with gegs.

Apologies for the off topic.

I assume it’s (The) Wacky Races (5,5) and Desperate Dan, but I don’t see the point you’re making. Apologies, I’m tired, I’ll reread in the morning

Point was that gegs to me is actually clever whereas the others (49a included) are not much more than jokes that are simple to come up with but a bugger to get. We could have Desperately Seeking Susan, Dumb and Dumberer, Ivan the Terrible, Bad Santa and so many more.

For gegs, I agree on the lack of definition although you could possibly argue that it is there.

Anyway, people are doing the Times jumbo not discussing the merits of it so I'll leave my views here.

The "Gegs?" clue ws quoted in one of the Inspector Morse books - can't remember which one. I think it was also on "Drop the dead donkey".