Comments on: Independent 7,545 / Morph

By: Graham Pellen

Graham Pellen — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:36:41 +0000

A slightly pedantic point. 22D is RAMS< + M – male sheep coming up against male – rather than M + RAMS<.

By: RatkojaRiku

RatkojaRiku — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:07:10 +0000

Thanks “Stella Heath” for the feedback on homophone versus homonym – I’ll bear that in mind for future blogs.

I don’t know what Morph would say, but, technically speaking, ROD would appear to work for 27 as well as RID, although the latter is surely the more obvious answer.

I was interested to read that fellow solvers had found this puzzle easier than I had, which just goes to show, once again, than crossword-solving is a highly individual affair.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:00:09 +0000

Surprised that no-one has commented that had the clue for 1ac read “Cable” instead of “Clegg” it would (serendipitously) have been spot-on for topicality!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:17:03 +0000

Many thanks, RatkojaRiku, for another very comprehensive and interesting blog.

I usually like Morph’s puzzles, and I liked this one. It fell into place steadily with some wit and inventiveness along the way. I smiled at COMPROMISED: seems like the Lib Dems have taken a bit of a beating in the Indy crossword recently … no political agenda here, obviously. I also enjoyed solving ADVENT CALENDAR, BESIDE THE POINT, and – from the wordplay – CHADOR, which I didn’t know.

Robes for Kimonos? ‘Japanese robes’ might have been a help, but probably too obvious. ‘Ruth’ for ‘remorse’ I have come across before, but couldn’t remember it.

Like Jack @ no 8, I too had ROD, and I think it works too: RODDING is what you do to clear a drain, which is a passage for water.

Fine puzzle, fine blog. Mr Rooney will be 13ac on Sunday afternoon. We hope.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:47:25 +0000

Thanks for the so comprehensive blog, RatkojaRiku, and to Morph for an excellent puzzle, a little on the easy side of average Indy difficulty for me. A lot of clues to admire, I particularly liked CHADOR, MASSAGE, PER CAPITA and CHILEAN. Yes, Mordred (comment 6), MANUMISSION was good too, but one of WR’s quieter outings will be hoped for in his next game – at Old Trafford on 26 Dec, weather permitting of course.

By: Stella Heath

Stella Heath — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:21:54 +0000

Thanks for an excellent blog, RatkojaRiku, I needed your explanations for one or two parsings.

Just a small quibble: a homonym is a word which has two different meanings, like ‘lie’, while a homophone is a word which sounds the same as another, but is spelt differently, like ‘flower’/'flour’.

By: Jack Aubrey

Jack Aubrey — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:11:28 +0000

Must be subconsciously worried about my drains freezing….. I was convinced that 27ac was ROD (ie “clear passage” using rods) and “most of the way” – ro(a)d. Perhaps I’d best just go and check the outflow……

By: Mordred

Mordred — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:46:55 +0000

Whoops! I meant 28 not 18 as a favourite.

By: Mordred

Mordred — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:45:52 +0000

Fortunately I still use pen and paper, so I had the advantage of the full clue at 9Ac. This led me straight to 13 which was then an easy solve. Nevertheless there was much to entertain and tax in a wonderful, beautifully clued, puzzle. 13, 17 & 18 were my favourites; I am speculating that nmsindy probably liked 28.

By: scchua

scchua — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:35:53 +0000

Thanks RatkojaRiku for the blog – first time I’ve come across your blog, and you’re to be complimented for its comprehensiveness. And thanks to Morph for an entertaining puzzle.

I was going the ask the same question about 9A APROPOS, with that “unlike” suspended in mid-sentence, and thanks to Scrunge for clearing it up.

Favourites were 23A MOUNTIE, with its indirect definition and its slightly spicy surface reading, 28A MANUMISSION, conjuring images of Rooney being freed from his (lucrative) slavery, and 7D PER CAPITA.