Comments on: Independent 7518/Phi

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:10:44 +0000

Nice puzzle from my colleague(s). Either, I’m sure, could have ample reason to be pleased with it.

By: flashling

flashling — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:11:23 +0000

Well after yesterday that seemed to just drop straight in. Didn’t occur to me to count the lives alas, but thanks for the blog and thanks to Phi (aka DAC) for setting it.

By: Stella

Stella — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:15:49 +0000

A good, entertaining puzzle.

Thanks Phi and John

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:22:48 +0000

Excellent puzzle, I spotted the LIVES (guess most would) but not the other subtlety – that was really good, thanks Ian N14 and Phi of course. Quite pleased to work out correctly two completely unknown words (to me) from the wordplay – 19A and 1D. Thanks for the blog, John.

By: walruss

walruss — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:09:21 +0000

A telling slip, with ‘the usual excellent crossword from Dac’. Ha ha!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:30:01 +0000

Thanks, Ian, I knew you’d come to our rescue.

I was bigging you up, by the way, rather than suggesting you had cat-like tendencies to sleep too much.

By: IanN14

IanN14 — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:17:40 +0000

Oy, K’sD.
I heard that. I’ve been awake for ages (but I’ve only just got round to doing the crossword).

I think it might be something to do with CATs (centre column) having 9 LIVES?

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:50:06 +0000

Morning John. Thanks for the early blog – suits me today. (I think you’ll find the puzzle is by Phi and not by Dac, though!)

A lovely Friday crossword from our Antipodean-based setter, as always. A steady solve, with everything clearly clued and a nice variety of devices. SATANISM is as you say very clever, and I also liked BEER and NOTARY.

I took STARRY-EYED to be STAR [R(YE)Y] ED where the YE is aboard the railway, so I think it’s the usual use of ‘aboard’.

I will be the third to say that I couldn’t see beyond lots of repetitions of ‘live’. IanN14 will spot it for us when he wakes up.

By: scchua

scchua — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:21:59 +0000

Thanks John for the blog, and Phi for another (p)hi-gh quality puzzle.

I think 26A REVIEWER is: R(=king) + E..R(=Queen) around/about [VIE(=contend) + WE(=our side)].

Favourites were 7A STOCKIST, with its fresh meaning to “standard”, 8D CHICKEN-LIVERED, and 14D STARRY-EYED.

I too spotted the many “live”s on completing the right half first, but can’t detect anything more from the completed grid, unless it’s refering to something topical.