Comments on: Independent 7430 by Phi

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:57:26 +0000

Well spotted Testy.
Definitely too many examples to be a coincidence.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:52:50 +0000

Great spot, Testy! That’s there all right, quite subtle, and it’s not that I did not look for a Nina. That maybe explains why the puzzle was a little harder than usual from Phi.

By: Testy

Testy — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:05:28 +0000

I missed this one yesterday but was there a zodiac theme to it? I can see:
CAPRIC…ORN
CAN…CER
LE…O
LIB…RA
TAU…RUS
AR…IES
…

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 07:39:24 +0000

Double-take here too at it being Phi again. Wonder what might be coming on Friday, but as it’ll be Friday 13th…..

By: flashling

flashling — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:45:03 +0000

Had a problem not spotting the plural in meat eaters and entering carnivore and spent too long wondering why cassis couldn’t be right. Still as has been said phi on monday what the heck is going on? Me to blog tomorrow, I’ll try to get it up asap but if work is pressing it might be a little late.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:53:30 +0000

Nice start to the week. I’m also now very curious to find out what’s lined up for Friday the 13th, not least as I’m scheduled to blog that day…

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:04:41 +0000

Thanks Neal.
Most surprised to see Phi on a Monday – what’s Eimi got lined up for Friday I wonder?
The usual high standard puzzle,everything fairly clued and as quite often with Phi,a recently coined word or phrase – IMAGINEER.He seems to have a knack of picking up these things – I’ll always remember DRACULA SNEEZE!
Didn’t know the NZ river but as said above,easily gettable from the wordplay.
The G’n'T in 26 across is very difficult to make out(and does appear to be gibberish) in the online version,but is a lot plainer in the inky.
Favourite clues CAPRICE,CAN DO,IN ONE,BLURT and OP CIT.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:36:42 +0000

Thanks for the blog, NealH. Excellent puzzle, a little harder than usual from Phi, I thought. I’d not heard of IMAGINEER but the wordplay was v straightforward, it is the Concise OED with the theme park reference mentioned by Colin. I esp liked CAN-DO, AMMO, PATSIES, CASSIS. Great clueing as always from Phi. That NZ river – again with straightforward wordplay – is in Collins.

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:22:40 +0000

IMAGINEER is in the latest Chambers. It’s definition makes specific reference to a Disney theme park role.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:19:25 +0000

Cheers, Neal.

I also had a bit of a double take when I saw it was Phi, but I’m always happy to tackle his puzzles and I found lots to like in this one. CAPRICE, CAN DO, OP CIT all hit the spot for me.

I stared at 26ac for a while, too. I think G’n'T might have made it clearer.