Comments on: Independent 7,439 by Tees

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:11:01 +0000

It took me ages to work out how RENEWABLE ENERGY (16ac) worked, and suspected a mistake from Tees because the number of letters was wrong. But of course he didn’t make the mistake: it was in the blog, Simon, I think ‘by’ should be included to make it up to 15, and I missed that eco-source just gave e. Didn’t like WASTE, although it’s just about OK I suppose. Is effort the same as attainment (5dn)? On the other hand very much liked some of these clues, such as 16ac already mentioned, and EMPTY WORDS, MANNERIST and ANTIPHON.

I know it’s common usage, but how does one justify ‘reversible’ when what is meant is ‘reversed’ — 22ac? Reversible suggests to me that it is palindromic.

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:59:18 +0000

Thanks Simon.
Excellent puzzle from Tees.
Took me a little while to get going but once a few answers were in place the rest followed without too much of a struggle.
RATIO made me laugh. (BTW isn’t there usually a complaint from mathematicians that it doesn’t mean relationship).
Didn’t know VIRAGO as a heroic woman only as ‘ill-tempered/shrewish’.Might be useful as a back handed compliment!
Didn’t know who DEBORAH was but quite gettable from the excellent wordplay.
Top clues for me 1 and 14 down.

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:57:57 +0000

Also Short-list I thought Short was labour not liberal Nice clue though.

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:23:24 +0000

Struggled on 5d last one in. Saw strain fiting at the start and wasted ages trying to think of a word to fit. I liked the heavenly bit for reversed a good twist I’d not seen before.

Me to blog tomorrow. Hope it’s a Phi I can understand.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:07:51 +0000

First this: at times [on this site] Tees is a bit critical about fellow setters when it comes to precision and/or sloppiness, and perhaps some people don’t like that. While I do understand that, there is the other side of me that likes his flamboyance. Because? Well, because Mr B is completely true to his principles in his own crosswords – in the end you can’t fault him.
So, a Rover or a Tees today? Tees.

We ended our Search in the NE today, filling in NEIGH and THEL – only understanding part of it [so thanks, Chambers and SH].
We needed the blog for the explanation of SHORT-LIST, and were a bit uncomfortable with the ‘maybe’ in the clue.
We thought ‘in’ was superfluous in 21ac, and had a ‘discussion’ on 23ac (COAL TIT):
me: “AT IT is ‘up to some criminal behaviour’ ”
she: “usually AT IT means ‘having sex with someone’ ”
me: “that’s criminal … !”

Great puzzle, Paul.
Favourites?
Hard to decide – probably, 6d (ANTIPHON) and 17d (WATERLOO)

By: Tees

Tees — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:55:51 +0000

Think you guys and gals got it bang-on today (except maybe the clue for DART, which was intended as a 3D with dressmaker’s fold, belt and zip as the defs).

Many thanks for great blog and, as mentioned, perceptive comments.

Cheers
Tees.

By: Myrvin

Myrvin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:34:14 +0000

NAY: the OED has “Used as an introductory word, without any direct negation.”. And one of the citations is interesting, especially for those who’ve done the Guardian today: “1960 J. BARTH Sot-Weed Factor III. xix. 760 Stir thy stumps, there, Nicholas me ladnay, what is’t, now? “

By: Myrvin

Myrvin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:26:07 +0000

WASTE: Chambers has: ” rejected, superfluous; uncultivated, and at most sparsely inhabited; desolate; lying unused; unproductive; devastated, ruinous (obsolete); in a devastated condition (as in lay waste); empty, unoccupied; useless, vain (obsolete).”
So it’s in the list.

By: mhl

mhl — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:15:55 +0000

Thanks for the post, Simon. I thought this was very enjoyable – lots of excellent clues, with nice touches like “ascending to heaven”…

I wasn’t sure about “Unproductive” for WASTE – is there a better example than “waste ground” / “unproductive ground”? I’m sure I’m missing something.

By: jmac

jmac — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:43:14 +0000

Re 3. Thanks Simon – that makes sense.