Comments on: Independent 7450 by DAC

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:15:52 +0000

If anyone’s still reading this so late in the day after the crossword appeared, regarding abbreviations the latest editions of Collins and Chambers don’t have separate lists of abbreviations – they’re all in the main body of the dictionary.

By: walruss

walruss — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:28:07 +0000

I have seen a sage-thrasher before, but that was, I admit, in a crossword-puzzle!! I hope you continue with the Indy’s puzzles Lenny, as they’re very good.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:01:52 +0000

Oh dear, I didn’t realise anybody read this blog so late at night. Thanks for all the comments. One reason I started to do the Indy crossword was because I suspected it might have a different set of ground rules from the others so, in that sense, it has been a useful learning experience. Thanks to Gaufrid for pointing out that all the abbreviations I complained about are in Collins. I must confess that they seemed so unlikely that I only bothered to check for their non-existence in Chambers.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:07:02 +0000

I was puzzled by 8d but THRASHER was about all it could be. So I googled ‘thrasher’ and ‘singer’ and came up with at least three possibilities, viz:
Willie Thrasher, Inuit singer; Joe Neil Thrasher jr, American country music singer; USS Thrasher, named after the thrasher, a thrush-like bird known as a singer and mimic.
Indy crosswords aren’t just for pleasure and relaxation – they’re educational!

By: Paul B

Paul B — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:57:01 +0000

Salt and pepper, too. But all the best abbrevs have their place in a list in Chambers, Collins, SOED or all three – and that’s just my preference.

Lenny can upmake his own mind as to what he finds acceptable, but he can at least rest assured that there is excellent method in what may appear, at first sight, to be Indy madness.

By: Stella

Stella — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:43:27 +0000

Hi Eimi,

Or as large or small by anyone who buys clothes. I think trousers need more specific definition if you want to be able to do them up, and don’t want them round your buttocks – ie. if you’re not of the hip-hop persuasion

To tell the truth, Lenny, I’ve never seen ‘s’ for satisfactory; I only ever got ticks, crosses, G or (occasionally) VG

By: eimi

eimi — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:45:43 +0000

Lenny seems remarkably well informed about what the other broadsheet editors allow, but which dictionary is the dictionary? Gaufrid is correct – they are all in Collins, but radical is also in COED, so I assume THE dictionary must be Chambers. Mike Laws wrote an interesting filler in the IQ recently about abbreviations. Some are just common sense and not in any dictionary, such as S or L for short and long, which will be recognised by anyone who buys their own trousers.

By: flashling

flashling — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:36:56 +0000

@Lenny we’re not having a go at you, stick around we’re trying to help honest! Please keep coming back, the more minds the merrier and we (I) do make mistakes from time to time. Talking of time I’ve had a long day so I’m out of here.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:21:48 +0000

Hi Lenny at no 6. I remember making a comment a while ago about S for satisfactory. It’s not in any of my dictionaries either, but seems to be accepted crosswordese, from the comments teachers used to put on your work: VG (very good) G (good) S (satisfactory) … and so on. Still not convinced, but G to hear from you on the blog anyway.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Lenny
I should add that Eimi, the Indy crossword editor, favours Collins.