Comments on: Independent 7128 by Nimrod

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:04:53 +0000

Yes. Didn’t see all the other comments until after I’d posted mine (and then felt a bit stupid!)
Spent all day struggling with this puzzle and stumbled across Fifteensquared while desperately searching for a solution. Was so grateful to find your answers and explanations I didn’t notice the comments underneath!
Don’t normally try the Independent so was very relieved to see that this was a particularly difficult one.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:47:07 +0000

A bit back on the thread, Andy, but Colin says that too in comment 2 – I thought the box might be a telephone box but guess that was chosen to help to give a good surface reading.

I’d never have thought of that so great to have it all explained!

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:33:52 +0000

For 1/2 Down I think the “box 16″ reference may be peak rate sounds like “p crate” with p being the 16th letter of the alphabet?

By: Jim T

Jim T — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:43:43 +0000

Can’t agree at all with comment 12. I found this an extremely enjoyable puzzle.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:39:40 +0000

… and 17/7 took ages. I hadn’t got 8 and I was trying to think of the name of a wine. then realised 17 could only be “nights in” and googled for that phrase – and up came not only “nights in white satin” but also “Moody Blues”. Ever felt like kicking yourself?

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:30:39 +0000

From the clue, “it might be said”, so say “P crate”

Yes, a tough puzzle but NOT bereft of humour -what about “wildfire” and “nearby”?

By: Uncle Yap

Uncle Yap — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:36:22 +0000

Can someone please fully parse 1/2Down. From Colin’s comments, 16th letter is P and box is crate. So how do they lead to PEAK RATE?

I tackle the daily Indy one day late and today this followed Araucaria and again Nimrod paled by comparison. Yes, it is hard and challenging and that’s that. Apart from the 5D Spooner clue, the whole puzzle was bereft of any sense of humour, naughtiness, amusing surface and other aspects that entertains or causes one to stop and let off a giggle, snicker, chortle or guffaw.

Very challenging but not at all entertaining nor amusing.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:41:23 +0000

I thought that clue (17/7) was entirely sound. I saw it as “8′s most famous” (definition of NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN) with the rest being the wordplay with “most unusual” indicating the anagram. The misleading context and misdirection of the whole surface reading is, I think, a normal part of the game and adds to the appeal of puzzles. This one misled me for ages before light dawned!

By: NealH

NealH — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:51:22 +0000

I managed to finish it with the aid of a couple of word searches for microbrewery and wildfire (I was convinced the latter was a disease of trees). I found 17/7 a bit offputting because it included “his” as a reference to 8 whereas 8 appeared to be a group of people (a music group, as it turned out) rather than a single person. This made me slightly doubt whether I’d interpreted 8 correctly. Although the “his” is part of the fodder, I still think it should match the subject to which it refers.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:19:00 +0000

Oh dear, this was rather humbling and easily my worst performance since starting the Indy in earnest 18 months ago.

4 clues in after my 45 minute journey to work, and no more after another 30 mins at lunch!

I couldn’t piece the long anagram together and did myself no favours by assuming the wrong fodder for the MOODY BLUES anagram. I also knew that 17/7 had to be an anagram (of a song) and had the right letters, but was never going to get it without first getting the group (they’re well before my time, but I am aware of them/the song and I’ve no problem with seeing them in a puzzle. We had Arctic Monkeys and Super Furry Animals a few weeks back, so fair’s fair!)

That aside, there were some very difficult clues here and I feel slightly less guilty about having given up now that I’ve seen the answers. I doubt a couple more hours would have made much difference!

Kudos to all who managed to finish this one.