Comments on: Independent Saturday Prize Puzzle 7501 by Phi – Saturday 30 October 2010

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:21:11 +0000

As for Richard and Lenny, I got Gaudeamus Igitur from the Brahms association. I remember it well as the overture was one of the set works when I did O-Level music (that shows my age!) The complete song with English translation can be found at http://www.newfoundations.com/Gaudeamus.html

By: Lenny

Lenny — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:43:33 +0000

Very easy for me with Gaudeamus Igitur being first in thanks to the Brahms association noted by Richard. Many answers went in on definition without worrying about the wordplay. Hardest was Vegeburger because I did not know how to spell it. I would have gone for veggieburger which I note is the second choice in Chambers. Thanks to Duncan for explaining Bargain-basement.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:42:19 +0000

Thank you, Duncan, for the very comprehensive blog. I don’t always get the Indy on Saturday, but picked it up last week and was pleased to find an offering from Phi after he was put on the bench while Anax’s apples took over the Friday 7,500 slot.

Lovely puzzle; not too hard for a prize, with my favourite clues VEGEBURGERS and COCKTAIL BAR. GAUDEAMUS IGITUR was my last in. I twigged it must be Latin and just remembered it from somewhere when I had all the crossing letters, vaguely also recalling the Xmas carol Gaudete, Gaudete.

Thanks to Phi.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 10:14:37 +0000

Gaudeamus igitur is familiar to me as one of the German university drinking songs which features in Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture. It sometimes crops up these days in degree day ceremonies.

By: beermagnet

beermagnet — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:19:55 +0000

I know nothing about Mario Lanza, but GAUDEAMUS IGITUR was accessible to me from the Tom Lehrer song - Bright College Days, which also refers to Gin & It (6 parts gin to 1 part Vermouth) so I wonder if Phi had that in mind across the grid. In a similar manner to Duncan this probably shows my age.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:02:31 +0000

Nice puzzle, not too difficult, thanks, Phi, and thanks for the blog, Duncan. I agree with you about BARGAIN BASEMENT.

By: scchua

scchua — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 04:16:11 +0000

Thanks Duncan for the blog, and Phi for an enjoyable puzzle.

Guess I’m getting used to Phi’s style that this didn’t seem so difficult as the usual prize puzzle, but this by no means takes credit away from Phi for a neatly constructed puzzle.

Favourites were 1D COCKTAIL BAR with its surface reading evoking a “no pets allowed” drinking place, 4A GAUDEAMUS IGITUR, familiar to me from “The Student Prince” and Mario Lanza, but never paid attention to the spelling, which had to be teased out from the anagram fodder, and 18D UNTAMED, again another excellent surface reading – of the US President and human rights issues.