Comments on: Independent 7429 – Saturday Prize Puzzle (7 August 2010) by Bannsider

By: Duggie

Duggie — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:03:45 +0000

Another challenging corker from the recently ennobled Lord Bannside. In the COED the derivation of DIDDLY-SQUAT is fundamentally quite interesting.

By: Polly

Polly — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:59:39 +0000

After gazing at this one in despair for two days, on and off, I wondered idly whether 21 across could possibly be the simple anagram suggested by the clue. Knowing the word ‘apn(o)ea’ helped, and after that the rest fell into place in record time (for me vis-à-vis Bannsider, that is). 14 across has to be one of the best crossword clues of all time, and I found 8 down laugh-out-loud ingenious when I parsed the wordplay.

By: Richard Heald

Richard Heald — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:30:49 +0000

Another hugely entertaining offering from Bannsider full of original touches (especially ‘squat’ for 0 which I’m surprised is not in the latest Chambers) and of course that superb VINCE CABLE & lit.

Incidentally, 1Dn is not just a cryptic definition. The wordplay is IT’S YOUR FUN ERA + L, the defn simply ‘warning’.

By: Bannsider

Bannsider — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:21:07 +0000

Just a small point(as I shelter from the Cheltenham rain before venturing out!):
IT’S YOUR FUNERAL isn’t a cryptic definition – it parses as “IT’S YOUR FUN ERA + L”.

There wasn’t really an intention at the start to use TV catchphrases – it just sort of happened. I don’t think BEAM ME UP SCOTTY strictly speaking is a catchphrase, as it never was actually said by Kirk in Star trek, but has come to used facetiously to mean “get me out of here!”.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:13:48 +0000

Yes, a great puzzle. Bannsider can be daunting at first, but one gets there in the end. I agree with Duncan about DYSPNEIC. (BTW older editions of Chambers spell it ‘dyspnoeic’ but the later ones have both spellings).
Re comments earlier this week about the frequency with which long phrases crop up, I DON’T BELIEVE IT occurred not so long ago if I remember rightly. Not complaining – just thought I’d mention it.

By: jmac

jmac — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 07:48:33 +0000

Another great puzzle from Bannsider. Thought VINCE CABLE had a brilliant surface reading. Thanks Duncan for explaining DODGE and EXACTS which I found tricky to parse and having seen your clear deconstruction of these clues I now feel like 9 across. Agree with Beermagnet about SPEEDO, although when referred to without a noun (i.e. trunks) it is normally found in the plural.

By: beermagnet

beermagnet — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 00:10:20 +0000

19D This going in too deep stays up (6) SPEEDO

SPEEDO is a brand name of tight swimming trunks and by extension a style of same. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedo_(suit_style)
If you dive in a pool with these on, they stay on, others … well, haven’t we all been there.