Comments on: Independent 6734 by Phi

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:38:10 +0000

Thanks, Phi, for an excellent puzzle as normal and, Colin, you were perfectly right. From a solver’s point of view, the key was – esp for a daily puzzle – that the clue could be solved unambiguously even if you did not know the reference, as I didn’t.

By: Phi

Phi — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:39:54 +0000

As a longstanding member of the Malcolm Arnold Society, I know who I meant. I think I’ve heard some reference to family links to Samuel, but none to David.

If you’re not careful, I’ll use the other two prominent British symphonists born in Northampton in the early years of the 20th century, one of whom isn’t even in Chambers Crossword Lists (which I greatly prefer to the Dictionary). Can’t help feeling there should be a fightback against these obscure pop groups that keep creeping in…

I was going to say that if it’s a funny-looking grid, there’s probably a Nina, but there isn’t. What I think Testy is referring to is the fact that the rotational symmetry looks a bit odd (that lump of black top left). I wonder what a mirror reversal of this grid would look like – much better, I’d guess.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:15:18 +0000

MICROCLIMATE – corrected now, I must have been thinking cryptic to put ‘ad’ next to ‘commercial’. Will defer to you guys re the composers. I’d looked in Chambers Crossword dict to seek verification but no Arnold’s mentioned there. I’ve looked in Bradford’s now and it’s there but it does not say who…

By: Testy

Testy — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:32:34 +0000

I agree that 4D was the tricky one here and that “At heart” was not very good as a definition (as Nmsindy pointed out it means “in existence” not “at heart”).

I had guessed that the answer was IN ESSE but thought that the “At heart” was part of the wordplay giving IN ESSENCE and I was left looking for some way to subtract the NCE and for a definition. I think your explanation is more likely and that the definition appears to simply be wrong (at least according to the on-line dictionaries I currently have access to).

Otherwise a good puzzle (bit of a funny looking grid though!)

P.S. MICROCLIMATE is (it commercial)*

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:03:25 +0000

Hmm, I didn’t consider David Arnold despite living in his home town of Luton for four years. His collaboration with Bjork was excellent. Maybe I should replace the “undoubtedly” with “probably”.

By: Ali

Ali — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:36:35 +0000

Funnily enough, when I solved 16A, I thought of David Arnold, he of the recent Bond film scores and the excellent Play Dead collaboration with Bjork!

Anyhow, a nice puzzle, with faultless clueing as ever from Phi. 8D was very nice. I needed a bit of help with 4D though.

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:44:10 +0000

16ac There reference is undoubtedly to Sir Malcolm Arnold, one of Britain’s most significant 20th century composers.