Comments on: Independent 6987 by Merlin

By: Peter Biddlecombe

Peter Biddlecombe — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:46:11 +0000

Can’t quite decide whether the theme is just Cockney Rhyming Slang, or London. Probably just CRS, but for London we have omnibus, growler=hansom cab, and Love Actually (set in London). Less obviously, ‘umber and ‘ull pronounciations in 13, and Seb Coe (i/c London Olympics 2012) in 16.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:02:51 +0000

Yes indeed – and BUTCHER’S HOOK so beautifully observed.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:17:17 +0000

Nice satisfying puzzle from a setter we’ve not seen for a bit (and we had a few long-time-no-see setters last week). Great stuff!

By: mhl

mhl — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:57:58 +0000

BUTCHER’S HOOK was very good, I thought

A very enjoyable puzzle, although I was thrown by 9 down. It’s a lovely clue, and should have been quite solvable anyway, but the sense of “high” to mean “drunk” is rather the opposite of its modern usage, which misled me. Also, the checked letters in BRAHMS suggested “arches” very strongly.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:37:50 +0000

I also found this very tough. I thought I too thought this was very tough. I thought BEAUTY CONTESTS was excellent. LOVE ACTUALLY raised a smile too.

By: rayfolwell

rayfolwell — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:24:35 +0000

In 12a there were 3 sets of 3 dashes (the mysteries of the Internet are converting these to 3 long dashes)

By: rayfolwell

rayfolwell — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:20:52 +0000

There is a minor rhyming slang here at 9D , 11 & 12 A.

The dashes in 12A are actually — — — , which confused me ( I was trying to bring Morse Code into it !)

By: Mick h

Mick h — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:15:26 +0000

12Ac’s actually very nice (if you like that kind of thing, as I do). You have to complete the sentence: Sonny showed not fear, BUT CHER SHOOK…

By: Geoff Moss

Geoff Moss — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:14:09 +0000

12a ‘Sonny showed no fear’ BUT CHER SHOOK – a reference to Sonny and Cher.