Comments on: Independent 6314 by Punk – lots of invention

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Thu, 11 Jan 2007 18:49:52 +0000

Yes – agree The Times isn’t always ‘Ximenean’.

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nmsindy — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:59:51 +0000

I was not aware of the Paul clue, and am delighted to hear from Eimi that, as Punk, he will appear often in the Indy. I think a little licence can be allowed. The dictionaries say a train is something pulled by e.g, a locomotive. But if you were standing on a platform waiting for your train and a loco went by on its own, I think most would think of it and probably refer to it as a train.

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neildubya — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:47:06 +0000

But if you say “locomotive” to most people, they’ll probably think “train”, even if that’s not how the dictionary defines it. I think it’s a fair clue because once you’ve hit upon LOCO, you know it has to be the right answer.

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petebiddlecombe — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:05:33 +0000

Paul/Punk is very inventive but sometimes goes a step or two too far for me in his Guardian persona. An example is the “Potty train” clue for LOCO, cited by Sandy Balfour as one of his all-time favourites – I’m pretty sure this is a Paul clue from about four years ago. For me it fails because, however much you’d like it to be, a loco is not a train. “Toyish” today was new to me, but on checking Chambers I have to admit it works.

The Times may not allow “indeed” but I’m sure strict Ximeneans could find you a few Times clues a week to wonder about. There’s a clue in today’s puzzle using a technique guaranteed to irritate me, and there was a bit of “clue to a clue” yesterday – more on the other channel… On the other hand there are strict Ximeneans on the Times team so some puzzles are 100% Ximenean, as much as we can ever agree exactly what that means.

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eimi — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:54:24 +0000

I agree absolutely that Paul/Punk is fair, and that is more important to me than Ximenean purity, as I’ve said before, and wonderfully inventive, which is why he’ll be appearing regularly in the Independent in future.

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ilancaron — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:54:08 +0000

A student philosopher?

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Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:37:39 +0000

PS If anyone knows, please say what a THINKLER is.

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Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:36:20 +0000

Paul not Ximenean? Well, not strictly I suppose, but I really must insist that he is among the fairest of them all over at Grauniad. If anything, he is a delightful anomaly – the best of both X & A worlds, and among the most inventive cruciverbal thinklers I’ve ever seen.

As well as being an Indyist he’s also in the Times, and you can’t get away with too many ‘in-deedisms’ on that pro-Xim panel.

Btw, I can see why a CONVENIENCE = a wc that’s handy.

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Quixote — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:34:14 +0000

There are two views on the water clue (only one sane one, of course!)and much else besides, but no sane person (not even this arch-Ximenean) should want to abandon link words. By the way, if anyone finds a good bookshop (as defined above) do please let me know.

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nmsindy — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:55:17 +0000

Yes, that makes it clearer. Indeed, in reviewing that 1 Jan puzzle, I commented on that very point re WC Handy. I’d be found in the X school, but think ‘HIJKLMNO’ is fine. Also, some, particularly in the advanced crossword world, like to avoid link words altogether. I think they’re fine and give extra scope for misdirection and enjoyment.