Comments on: Independent 7,353 by Radian

By: Mike Laws

Mike Laws — Wed, 12 May 2010 01:23:35 +0000

I think “politically correct” is an oxymoron.

By: scarpia

scarpia — Tue, 11 May 2010 23:11:50 +0000

Eimi
I wasn’t offended,just being poltically collect.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:33:09 +0000

I riked it.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:41:08 +0000

Draig @ no 5: I understand your comment, but it’s a fine line sometimes between inventive wordplay and giving offence, I suppose. Personally I’m okay with this type of clue. We recently had somewhere ‘at for the cockney pronunciation of ‘hat’, which for me falls into the same category.

And there’s also been discussion about use of native American tribe names as clueing devices, as well as ‘eskimo’. And ‘Ian’ for Scotsman?

Who’d be a setter/editor? Me, I’m happy to be a humble solver.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:21:46 +0000

Pleasing puzzle, which I completed fairly quickly once I’d seen the perimeter entries. Only later thought of the bridge connection, I think there’s a bit of an overlap being the crossword and bridge worlds, though I’ve never played the game myself and know virtually nothing about it.

By: eimi

eimi — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:54:24 +0000

I was a bit concerned that people might be offended by 25 Across, so I sought some expert opinions. It is known that the Chinese phonemic system means L and R appear the same, but I don’t think it’s a racist observation, any more than clues based on Cockney, or even Sean Connery’s or Jonathan Ross’s, pronunciatons. Nevertheless, I’m sorry if any solvers were offended.

By: draig

draig — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:39:31 +0000

can’t believe they have an answer which has mildy racist overtones 25ac

By: pat

pat — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:04:23 +0000

3 D RACEME

Never heard of this. But no problems with the rest of the puzzle.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:51:43 +0000

You’re right, KD. I took “see” to denote the final EYE, but on another look, it’s clearly part of the def.

Whether I come from South of Watford could fill a small blog post in itself – the jury’s still out on that one

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:29:38 +0000

Thank you, Simon. Glad someone else found the top half hard – didn’t think I’d manage it but got there in the end apart from SPARKS, where I didn’t know the definition. Several clues needed explaining, though.

The surface in 5dn to clue HARE is exceptional, imho. ARCANA came up in yesterday’s Punk – for such an obscure word, how spooky is that? In 11ac, I took the ‘sailor’s ok’ to be Aye Aye, as in ‘Aye Aye, Cap’n’

What a super puzzle. Did I spot the nina? What do you think?

If LUM is new to you, Simon, you must come from south of Watford …

Thanks again for a helpful blog.