Comments on: Independent 7423 (Sat 31-Jul) Nestor

By: beermagnet

beermagnet — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:56:35 +0000

I wasn’t really suggesting compilers deliberately choose long phrases that have been used before.
I know compilers indulge in a fair amount of underhand skulduggery, but I wasn’t accusing them of this one.
My badly worded thesis in the preamble was that it is more than just coincidence that odd phrases like BAD HAIR DAY crop up more than once. Some occur a hell of a lot more often than just by chance.
I suspect that the reason lies in the phrases themselves.

BAD HAIR DAY is a quirky metaphor that might raise a smile in itself, especially among people who’ve never heard it before, thus ideal for an inclusion in a puzzle.

There’s probably a different reason for HOTEL CALIFORNIA. It is a solid 15 letter name that even someone totally ignorant of late twentieth century west coast soft rock has probably heard of. So it may be judged as within most solvers knowledge.

Nevertheless, I would find it difficult to predict what longish phrases might end up in this “surprisingly seen recently” category. Anyway, what does it matter as long as the clues are fun.

By the way – I used EXTRA as the prime example of an oft seen answer having seen it at the top of the list in mhl’s excellent crossy stats page: random/guardian-crossword-trivia

By: Bannsider

Bannsider — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:49:40 +0000

I’m astounded anyone would think that setters deliberately repeat long phrases – why would they do that? I think you may safely put any repetition down to coincidence. And it is in fact amazing how often such coincidences occur – or seem to.

By: petebiddlecombe

petebiddlecombe — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:37:42 +0000

Only did this puzzle today, much more quickly than I expected for a Nestor puzzle, but I seem to remember one or two quite easy Telegraph Toughies from him (as Notabilis).

I don’t think there’s enough repetition of old material to grumble about here – there were quite a few answers which seemed like rare visitors to crossword grids to me.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 12:57:45 +0000

Thank you beermagnet. Lots to entertain us here, I thought. I remember seeing BAD HAIR DAY before too, but still liked the clue; 7ac was nicely topical; and KIDULT was good too.

Not too tricky, this one – unlike today’s …

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 10:24:20 +0000

Thanks for the blog, beermagnet. Very enjoyable puzzle, which, like you, I found on the easy side, in fact my quickest Nestor solve this year. Favourite clues, HITCHED and BAD HAIR DAY.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 06:13:34 +0000

A bit of a theme with tub-thumpers, exhibitionists and Stockhausen, maybe?