Comments on: Independent 7355/Anax

By: eimi

eimi — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:17:25 +0000

Thanks for the link to David Brent reading Betjeman (re 18D), John. Poetry analysis was never like that at school.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 14 May 2010 21:20:33 +0000

Not that long between 888, when the Norse hit the regions surrounding Neustria, 931, when they took Neustria itself, and 1066 when they crossed the Channel to rout the (extremely knackered) Anglo-Saxon army at Hastings. Were they all that French?

I think you’ll also find that Slough gets a rough time prior to 1937, at about 1678 when the lout Bunyan has a go. If you don’t mind your entendres doubled, that is.

Bons appetits.

By: scarpia

scarpia — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:52:30 +0000

À la perchoine – don’t worry Gaufrid this is not an obscenity!

By: scarpia

scarpia — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:43:54 +0000

Kathryn’s Dad.
I’ll be the first to sign.I am from the’Norman Isles’(a local,not a tax dodger) and our true language(Guernésiais) is a version of Norman French.I must confess,to my shame,that the only words/phrases that I know are obscenities!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 14 May 2010 07:33:46 +0000

Since you mention it, scarpia, I’m grateful for 1066 for two reasons. Firstly I make a living out of teaching French to big people; secondly, the influence of French on the English tongue for the subsequent three centuries or so means we have an incredibly rich language which provides plenty of ammunition for anax and his colleagues. Without that, we’d now be speaking something closer to Dutch. Which wouldn’t be as much fun for cryptic crosswords! So I think I’ll start a petition at no 10 for a posthumous pardon for William the Conqueror. Smiley Dave’s not got much else to occupy him at the moment, has he?

By: scarpia

scarpia — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:25:24 +0000

K’s D
As an outsider I would think it highly unlikely that Simpsons fans could be of any use to Great Britain!
And as for the French – have you forgotten 1066?

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:16:58 +0000

Bonsoir

Got about half of the puzzle this morning and had to give in – this was a toughie! Haven’t been able to get to the blog before now (earning a living rather than faffing about on 225 has been priority today). But of the ones I solved, there were some clues I enjoyed (LOSE ONES TONGUE and METHUSALAH).

So my contribution today will be to expose the nina for all those lurkers who are too shy to ask, and which no-one has explicitly spelled out, although IanN14 has given you the elements you need.

FRENCH = CHEESE EATING SURRENDER MONKEYS

Simpsons fans, where are you now your country needs you? Gordon Brown, where are you now … no, perhaps not.

And if we had some tutting earlier in the week about clues based on Chinese phonemics, then are the French easy game all of a sudden?

I think we should be told.

Good puzzle, anax, and thank you for blogging, John.

By: scarpia

scarpia — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:13:24 +0000

Thanks John.
Tough,but very enjoyable.Too many excellent clues to pick favourites.11 across was quite gettable without completely knowing the Biblical reference.I read 3 down as, if something is held it could be described as being therein.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:03:59 +0000

Great stuff as always from Anax.

I hope that the decision to move the puzzle down the right hand side of the inside back page of the paper ain’t permanent. There’s no easy way of folding it!

By: Bazza

Bazza — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:40:47 +0000

Enjoyable but tough in places. I seem to recall mentioning the NINA on another ‘blog and Anax swearing that one day he would do it (but perhaps I shouldn’t mention such self regarding nonsense!). Thanks for the ‘heads up’ Prolixic and hats off to Anax for 12a if not more.