Guardian 23813

[snoozy]

Araucaria's Limerick

I am struggling with the limerick - can anyone tell me please if it is a true a limerick (if there is such a definition)? "Got a mouthful of pips" seems more like a middle line rather than the final line.

Many thanks.

[kayakamina]

It is a limerick plus a long anagram. To start you look from 3d There was an old man of..... I found that once i had 22a (hint bagatelle) the rest was easy.

[kayakamina]

I have just read your post again and I think you may have misread the instructions. The last line is typical of a limerick...'And threw himself into the sea'

[stromselkie]

the last line of the limerick was missing in my paper but was on the web page.

[kayakamina]

I didn't know that as i get mine on line. Sorry Snoozy and thanks for that Stromselkie K

[snoozy]

Thanks Kayakamina.

I have 3dn and 7dn and the start of 1dn and 22ac but couldn't square these with the ending given in the instructions. If there is a traditional 8/9 beat ending then I can go back to work on it.

Thanks
Snoozy

[snoozy]

Thanks Stromselkie, the last line is missing from my paper too. The Grauniad strikes again!

Snoozy

[dzug]

So that's what was wrong. I'd finished it without that knowledge, so it wasn't too critical, and had sort of assumed that the last line was a virtual repeat of the first as is often the case with limericks (that <insert random adjective> old man of <repeat placename>) and didn't really 'count.'

Is it a 'real' limerick or one Araucaria made up for the puzzle?

[Argee2]

I have just read your posts - that explains why the ending didn't make sense. Dzug, I have skimmed through the Complete Works of Edward Lear and cannot find it (but there are a lot!) so I think it is one that Araucaria has made up. Very clever.

[Rambler]

Aagh! This is all fascinating, but I'm stuck on where the old man came from - all I've got is -o---a- ('cos I haven't got 20a yet either). Somebody please put me out of my misery.

[Dalek]

Its Torquay
and seaquake