Comments on: Independent 6742 – Eimi / Bank Holiday Fun

By: Miranda

Miranda — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:16:38 +0000

I’m always about a week behind but get there in the end (nearly) – many thanks again. I got confused with your cats and dogs in 10a though, the clue asks for a cartoon cat (Tom) inside a cartoon dog (Pluto) so all seems well, doesn’t it?

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:46:07 +0000

I’m involved in a discussion on rec.puzzles.crosswords about 18ac. Which I think is a superb clue, especially given the indirection in the rhyming slang. eimi has been accused (in his role as editor) of shredding the rule book. I’m not sure what rule book has actually been shredded. There seems to be an inability to see the difference between word play leading to the grid answer and an indirect definition of the answer.

I’m happy to see indirection in either the definition or the word play as long as it is fair. And this clue is much fairer than many cryptic definitions I have come across.

By: Michod

Michod — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:26:22 +0000

I needed the Nina to finish the last few clues, and still couldn’t see the 1ac-18ac link. But ‘London derriere’ as a definition for ARIS is a beaut. I hadn’t come across ARIS, which according to Chambers is itself indirect rhyming slang: ‘Aristotle = bottle; bottle and glass = arse’… ending up perversely with almost the word you first thought of!

By: eimi

eimi — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:03:45 +0000

A volunteer has kindly offered to be my guinea pig for future puzzles.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Mon, 26 May 2008 12:58:13 +0000

Schweizer Day today?

RONIN is not a remake. It purports to reference the story of the Forty-Seven Ronin, in which the samurai of some geezer forced to commit seppuku (after a public row with a court official) plot to avenge his death.

Great film (screenplay by Mamet) with a great MacGuffin, but I don’t quite follow the links as (a) the protagonist is actually the only one of the team who isn’t a mercenary (he’s straight CIA), and (b) in contrast with team members the 47, while also leaderless, were still loyal to their deceased master.

Sorry, but there isn’t much on telly.

By: eimi

eimi — Mon, 26 May 2008 12:12:29 +0000

Thanks Tilsit. Wikipedia says (Walter) Savage Landor was born in Warwick, so I think they’re both English poets. I was aware of the (I) Pagliacci debate, but most sources (including Collins) seem to refer to it as I have, even if it is incorrectly. Re: “cartoon dog” somehow sneaking from my fingers when my brain thought of “cartoon cat,” mea culpa. That’s one of the problems of self-editing. Test solvers apply here.

Re: the Nina. Indirect clues such as 18 Across are frowned upon, so I thought I’d make the most of the Nina.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 26 May 2008 11:36:47 +0000

I understood that, Tilsit, thanks, and would not have known it otherwise! It was just that the definition ‘English poet’ referred to Matthew Arnold, I thought.

By: tilsit

tilsit — Mon, 26 May 2008 11:18:12 +0000

Nmsindy

I was referring to (Walter) Savage Landor who was a US poet.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 26 May 2008 10:59:27 +0000

Thanks for all those explanations, Tilsit, quite a few of which I did not see, though I did solve the puzzle correctly. An example of a Nina forcing harder words into the grid.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 26 May 2008 10:53:54 +0000

There’s a Nina, which helped me. Thought ARNOLD was English poet, Matthew, I think.