Comments on: Independent 7,433/Nimrod

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:11:00 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Ali. This was tough, but I got there in the end. I think there was a mini-theme with the answers in top and bottom rows both meaning the same thing.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:05:13 +0000

Thanks to all for the pointers on the clues (and my spelling!). Glad I wasn’t the only one who found this tough going.

I too have never seen the numbers device used in 23A and 28A. I’ll keep an eye out for in future!

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:19:24 +0000

Thanks Ali.
I found this tough – but what a super puzzle!
Managed to complete but without understanding 18 across(thanks Gaufrid).
Nimrod/Enigmatist must be the most inventive setter around,some of his clues are just sheer genius.
The device used in 23 across is new to me(and very devious) but works very well.
16 across must be a contender for funniest clue of the year.BTW Stella – I thought you might have known it from G and S.It is sung by the chorus in act 2 of The Grand Duke(Opoponax eloia).
2 down was clever as the answer could just have easily been Verdi rather than the lesser known Monte,who is best known for his wonderfully exuberant Czardas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkeWj9ykXPw&feature=related
Other favourites were 28 across,9 down and the superb 14 across.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 22:04:42 +0000

Too hard for me, falling some way short of Ali’s 60% despite maybe a couple of hours of enjoyment-free plodding. I’m also not sure I see a place for puzzles like this on a weekday.

I have my own suspicions about tomorrow; almost certainly someone towards the other end of the alphabet, I’d have thought.

By: Myrvin

Myrvin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:56:30 +0000

Not for me. Too many weirdo words for a weekday.

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:39:41 +0000

Although I see a Yaffle is also a type of green woodpecker. Thanks KD always on hand with bad puns – helps for crossword solving too.

Too bl****y right I’m glad I didn’t get this one, might have been a rather later post. Unlucky 12th for Ali.

As for tomorrow? Suspect it’s Eimi – he’d never pull rank for a special would he?

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:07:07 +0000

flashling, your link to Bagpuss has finally explained 14ac; I thank you and rest my case about obscurities (I liked the mice, personally).

Your grouse pun is rubbish, but funny. I guess you’re glad that Nimrod today wasn’t your first appearance in public as a blogger?

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:27:54 +0000

Thought of Yaffle for 14ac after thinking of this: http://www.smallfilms.co.uk/bagpuss/people.htm#Yaffle

I’ll get the hang of links one day. Failed with a few to go. Supposedly the “glorious” twelth today so I suppose they expected a few grouses about the crossword.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:33:54 +0000

Thanks, Ali. I didn’t fare [sic!] much better than you, having to give up with just over half done after a struggle. Nimrod’s clearly at the difficult end of the daily cryptic, which I don’t mind at all; I’d rather get half of a difficult but well-constructed puzzle than complete one that’s easy but full of holes. But for me, this one had just a few too many obscurities, especially the clueing and the answer for 16ac. And of course the inclusion of The Magpies didn’t improve my mood …

Friday 13th tomorrow then after an odd batting order this week. Hmmm …

By: Stella Heath

Stella Heath — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:48:32 +0000

Thanks, Gaufrid and jmac. The explanations make for a much better clue than I first thought. That’s the beauty of crosswords – the things you learn by doing them!