Comments on: Independent 7350/Phi

By: scarpia

scarpia — Sun, 09 May 2010 22:59:49 +0000

Mike @15 – you’re quite right,of course – apologies!
It was late when I posted that comment – a pretty poor excuse I know,but it’s the only one I’ve got!

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:50:09 +0000

Or as a first language, in some cases. Ahem.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:33:57 +0000

If you’re still here, Paul B, yes, you have got that. A good way to remember is to think about ADVISE AND ADVICE. You advise someone to do something (verb); you give someone advice (noun). The ‘s’ and ‘c’ pattern is the same in practise and practice, but it’s harder for folk because unlike advice/advise, the pronunciation is the same. Similarly, the TV licensing authority sends you your TV licence. Goodness knows how people learning English as a second language ever get to grips with this kind of stuff (but they do).

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:09:31 +0000

Apparently PRACTICE, the noun, is derived from PRACTISE, the verb. So, I would practise law at my law practice. Have I got that?

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:53:00 +0000

I suppose the discovery of any new word or phrase is fascinating, but should we be discovering these in a daily crossword puzzle? I am not sure. A grid full of such items would shurely get panned on these threads.

As for practice/ practise, I am also not sure. Is there an easy way to know when and when not to deploy the latter?

By: Mike Laws

Mike Laws — Sat, 08 May 2010 01:12:36 +0000

Er – “unguessable”

By: Mike Laws

Mike Laws — Sat, 08 May 2010 01:10:36 +0000

Er – “practise” please, scarpia

“Dracula sneeze” – not ungeussable from cross-checks, and a fascinating discovery, for my money.

By: scarpia

scarpia — Fri, 07 May 2010 23:16:08 +0000

Another great puzzle from the always excellent Phi.It’s been a good day for crosswords -Phi,a wonderful Puck in the Guardian and a very pleasant Falcon in the F.T.
I am now going to practice my Dracula sneeze!

By: Richard Heald

Richard Heald — Fri, 07 May 2010 22:52:12 +0000

Nice puzzle but, like John, I’m at a loss as to how the DRACULA SNEEZE clue is meant to work. Obviously ‘count’ refers to Dracula but is it also doing double duty as part of the definition, or is the definition simply ‘Action restricting germ’? And why ‘surprisingly’? Would Phi care to enlighten us?

By: Phi

Phi — Fri, 07 May 2010 19:49:40 +0000

I keep an eye on various word websites and early each year there’s a little rush of (in this case) ‘Words of 2009′. DRACULA SNEEZE (which I had to double check too) was an American winner, arising out of the swine flu pan(dem)ic, and, as it’s something I occasionally do anyway, in it went – it’s a lovely coinage, though I doubt it’ll catch on. SOCIAL ANXIETY was an Australian winner, which may say something about them across the ditch.

I don’t think the election had even been announced when I gridded this, so 1 27 was purely coincidental.

Paul