Comments on: Independent 7358 by Tees

By: scarpia

scarpia — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:58:50 +0000

I enjoyed this a lot.Thought there was some very crafty clueing with a few tricks I’d not come across before – cycling(considered ‘eisor’ as the answer for a while);full backs sent off/Lazio – misdirected me to thinking of some soccer reference.6 down was very well disguised and 11 + 27 across were brilliant clues!

By: Tees

Tees — Mon, 17 May 2010 18:54:47 +0000

Most kind, all. Many thanks, esp for the excellent blog.

By: Mick Hodgkin

Mick Hodgkin — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:58:38 +0000

Walruss, one Morph clue to FOCACCIA was indeed:
“Australian quits UN food body over what’s said (in book) to be in the rye bread”
(see blog attached)
http://fifteensquared.net/2008/09/15/independent-no-6838-by-morph/

By: walruss

walruss — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:48:15 +0000

Perhaps there is a clue for FOCACCIA involving young Mr. Caulfield, Eimi! Had time to do this one today as well as Rufus in the Guardian, and struck by the stylistic differences. I thought bothe were very good puzzles, but I think I prefer the more involved tricks of Tees. Favourite clue, for the image conjured, was MELTON MOWBRAY.

By: flashling

flashling — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:18:29 +0000

confused myself for a while on laminar, kept seeing lamia as the monster and r. Laughed at feet of clay which I liked.

By: eimi

eimi — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:17:46 +0000

I thought ‘for catcher’ was an Italian bread.

Sorry about that.

I thought this was Tees on top form, AT LONG LAST and MELTON MOWBRAY being my favourites.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:13:07 +0000

Found this a mixture of quite easy and quite hard, with REFEREE being my last answer. V minor point on PIASTRE, I think it’s (rats)* in PIE. Re query on the homophone I think CATCH would mean to hear.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:11:59 +0000

Thank you, Eileen, another one to put in the solving memory bank. Is there no end to these setters’ wiles?

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:59:12 +0000

I thought this was rather less tricky than usual for Tees but no less enjoyable for that. I liked 13, 20 and 30ac and 15 and 21dn particularly – and the reference to our local delicacy in 9dn!

Re 13ac: K’s D, I didn’t quite catch what you said – but loved the reminder of ‘the History Boys’!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:42:43 +0000

Thanks for blogging, Neal. Very sound and entertaining puzzle: got quite a few on my first run through, but then struggled before finishing the last ones, especially OCTAL despite having all the crossing letters.

I know what you mean about ERNE – for me, ADIT and EWER also fall into that category. And thanks for explaining about Oxfords.

Mick, your reminder about The History Boys quote made me smile – Kathryn and I have watched it about a million times but still laugh at that bit. My own personal favourite quote from it is Posner’s self-effacing description of his religion, his size, his sexual orientation and his place of birth. Probably best not to share it here, but aficionados of the film will know which bit I’m referring to. An Alan Bennett-themed puzzle sometime soon would get my vote.

Liked WHISTLE and PROMISING in particular, but can’t see why ‘for catcher’ is a homophone indicator in 13ac if someone could oblige.