Comments on: Azed 2000

By: Don Manley

Don Manley — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:21:59 +0000

Do visit the and lit website to get a flavour of the AZ 2000 celebrations. Also, younger solvers, get started on this puzzle every week, so that the next generation has some decent clue-writers!

By: Bob Sharkey

Bob Sharkey — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:43:40 +0000

Regarding the difficulty of defining TWO THOUSAND, and the eagerly awaited slip, the phrase ‘of their own devising’ in the competition rules allows the possibility that some entrants might offer something other than a standard cryptic clue.

By: JohnT

JohnT — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:03:16 +0000

Mike Laws isn’t quite correct – Azed has had few non-Chambers competition words. WINNIE-THE-POOH, RUDOLPH THE REINDEER and CHRISTMAS PRESENT spring to mind, as well as ONE THOUSAND.

By: Handel

Handel — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 10:09:09 +0000

Spent three to four hours over this, partly because I didn’t have C (online OED instead) or Bradfords, but mainly because I didn’t have L who generally works out all the ones I can’t! Still, got there in the end. I was glad that this wasn’t a real three-chilli puzzle, as it’s hard to fit such things into the working week. The perimeter clue was perhaps a bit too obvious given the context, but enjoyable nevertheless. Needless to say, the lunch in Oxford was also most enjoyable, good to put a few faces to some familiar names, including JC himself!

By: The trafites

The trafites — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 08:38:32 +0000

Oh, I forgot to mention. Once I finished, and had the phrase, I suddenly thought I had a ‘Listener’ moment – completed the puzzle, got the phrase, but couldn’t get the final last step of cracking the clue!

I was convinced for a while that the second word of the competition word was ‘PRESENT’ due to the last word ‘here’ in the phrase, but luckily after a night’s sleep found the anagram after a few seconds of of drinking my first cup of tea in the morning (strange how that often happens?).

Nick

By: The trafites

The trafites — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 08:31:46 +0000

I found this rather easier than I expected for a ‘special’ prize puzzle, but good, nonetheless.

Also I too struggled to parse 2dn, and the way I thought turned out to be correct as above – but I knew it had to have a ‘Z’ removed as I guessed the first word around the perimeter was ‘AZED’, so I had no issues with the alternative spelling.

32ac was my last solve, being a word I had never heard of.

TWO THOUSAND is difficult word[s] to clue, so I think my entry will be in the pile of ‘unmentionables’ again

I was in Oxford with my wife for the lunch, very nice day indeed, and a pleasure to meet Azed and the rest.

By: Mike Laws

Mike Laws — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 02:28:23 +0000

Solvable over a couple of Sunday p.m. pints with minor aid from Chambers (1998) – ideal for the occasion.

Worth noting that Azed No. 2000 was in fact Crowther/Observer 2001 – a Gong puzzle featured in the intercalatory series of four in memory of Ximenes before Azed No. 1.

Also I think it’s the first time the specified competition clue-word hasn’t been in Chambers as such. It’ll be fascinating to see how competitors define it.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:13:03 +0000

Thanks Peter for this thorough analysis. As you say, the puzzle wasn’t as difficult as might have been expected, though I had to do a fair bit of hunting to find some of the answers. I guessed what the clue phrase was going to be before I even started on the puzzle, so it was just a case of verifying that the perimeter clue fitted it. Finding a good, or even adequate, clue of my own was, however, rather more of a struggle.

And the lunch in Oxford was very enjoyable too!