Comments on: Independent 7440 by Phi

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:39:58 +0000

Allan_c@13.

Thanks. For some reasson I had decided that indication was “mark” – especially with the crossing a and k. In my haste, I didn’t even notice in the answer that the second part was back. Which makes me realise now that it wasn’t a very clever question! Thanks!

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:13:08 +0000

Alan@12 ‘Back’ is the reversal indicator. Actually this clue had me stumped for quite a while trying to be too clever as I was trying to fit in ‘des’ (German for ‘of the’) rather than ‘der’. btw Redback is in Chambers under ‘red’.

‘Clutha’ last week, ‘Redback’ this week. Always look out for the antipodean with Phi!

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:27:07 +0000

Many thanks for the blog. Just one question still bothering me, although as no-one has mentioned it, there must be something really obvious I’m missing! In the clue for 6d (Indication of the German spider?), which part of the clue tells me that “der” should be reversed?

Thanks again

By: flashling

flashling — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:18:57 +0000

Well I’ve done two of these now, constructive criticism would be appreciated to help improve the service. Be gentle but all advice welcome.

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:07:38 +0000

Thanks flashling.
Usual high standard puzzle from Phi.Nice variety of clue types and a few smiles.Like Kathryn’s Dad @3,although easy to solve 21 across made me smile.
I’m surprised to learn that CONFLAB is not in Chambers,being the form I’m familiar with.
26 down I got from remembering the Bible story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_man_and_Lazarus
and also from Vaughan Williams beautiful “Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus” based on an old folk tune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ4bx4r1VeQ
11 across is a brilliant anagram,also liked 6 across and 6 down.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:07:47 +0000

flashling, don’t take a small number of comments as an indication of the quality of the puzzle or of your blog. Because imho the Indy crosswords are much more consistent than those in Another Place, then once half a dozen people have said how well constructed it was and what their favourite clues were, then ’nuff said and we all go off to do something else, leaving those that want some anonymous help to visit the blog.

But talking of Another Place today … Chuffing Nora, as they say round here.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:06:09 +0000

The wordplay led v clearly (and amusingly) to CONFLAB so I was confident enough, tho the word was not familiar to me at all. I banished the heretical thought that Phi and/or the editor could have put a non-existent word into the puzzle. It’s in the Oxford Dictionary of English with an indication that it is a 19th century invention. Thanks for the blog, flashling.

By: flashling

flashling — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:24:57 +0000

Thanks all @mhl I always thought it was confab rather than flab @kd well I smiled too when I got it, but I doubt I’d have got it as a stand alone clue. @Colin I expect Phi was quite pleased with that poisoned chalice anagram, never been skiing but I see your point! Not many comments but I expect it’s partly down to everyone complaining about the Grauniad…

By: mhl

mhl — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:57:30 +0000

Thanks for the post, flashling. This was a typically excellent Phi puzzle, I thought, and good to remind myself that I still can solve some crosswords after doing very badly at the Pasquale puzzle today :) CONFLAB confuses me – I always thought the word was CONFAB, and that seems to be the only one that Chambers has…

By: scchua

scchua — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:59:16 +0000

Thanks Flashling.
Quite a straightforward one to end the week. (I get the crossword only online, and more often than not, there is a glitch which causes the Saturday prize, not even the previous week’s puzzle, not to be posted, even though I’ve pointed it out to the editor. So it is the end of the week for me.)

“Nabob” was made famous by the then VP of the USA, Spiro Agnew in a phrase of remarkable alliteration: “…nattering nabobs of negativism…”, not to mention others of his viz. “pusillanimous pussyfooters” and “vicars of vacillation” and “the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.”

Happy solving to all!