Comments on: Independent 6350 / Virgilius Curate’s Egg

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petebiddlecombe — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 20:04:35 +0000

Liaison: it’s a thickening for soups or sauces, such a cream or egg yolks. And you’re exactly right about right.

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Wil Ransome — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 19:15:55 +0000

I never did see why part of sauce = liaison, in 9A. Please could someone explain?

In 13D, right = title in the sense of right of ownership, I think.

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eimi — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:54:47 +0000

I thought this was a good puzzle and “straightforward” was a hint – ironic, in a week in which Dac has a theme, that the king of the themes doesn’t, but it serves to remind that there’s more to Virgilius than clever grid gimmicks – he’s a very fine setter and this grid would pass the most rigorous scrutiny for fairness.

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petebiddlecombe — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 21:48:52 +0000

Satisfied customer here – not the usual bucketfuls of theme, but SPLIT INFINITVE and DEFINITE ARTICLE made a nice pair. Had the opposite solving experience – easily sub-5 even with a quick flap over ALARM BELL rather than CALL. Maybe my Times background paid off – BG has been a setter for all but a few of my 20+ years of Times solving, and his period as editor was my quickest spell of solving.

1A: Strictly, “Frank” is the def and ” ‘s ” = “is” is a link to the wordplay.
10A: more than just a CD – “In the minority?” and “Yes indeed” are both defs.
8D: Surely a charade of sure = definite, thing = article ?

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nmsindy — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:45:54 +0000

I think you’re right about STRAIGHTFORWARD i.e. no theme. INTERVENTIONIST is, I finally worked out, TER(m) in INVENTION (“creative act”) + ITS*. READE is Charles Reade – clever clue, that.