Comments on: Independent 7,552/Anax

By: John H

John H — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:39:55 +0000

re #15 above….

Thirty!!! I will have to do 29 more copies of the PRIZE puzzle I’m bringing, with an appropriate prize….

By: dram

dram — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:58:04 +0000

Well I must admit I gave up after getting just 8 or 10 answers but have thoroughly enjoyed reading the blog and seeing the solution. And had I had my wits about me, I did have enough letters to spot the Nina. After al it’s the stinging sensation in the forehead that’s so addictive.

Many thanks for the blog Ali and to Anax for a superbly crafted crossword (if rather too hard in my book!)

By: BertandJoyce

BertandJoyce — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:19:59 +0000

We had to resort to a bit of cheating at the end but enjoyed the challenge. As soon as we saw the grid we were on the lookout for a nina but didn’t spot the references to the theme throughout the clues until later. An excellent puzzle – thanks to Anax and also to Ali and the rest of the bloggers for the explanations!

Anax – are we still looking for the other references to partridges or were they lost in translation?!

By: eimi

eimi — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:56:27 +0000

I’m afraid that wasn’t really an option this year, with Christmas Day falling on a Saturday, hence no Christmas Saturday, and the next is New Year’s Day.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:26:17 +0000

What a contrast to yesterday! Finished Dac in under 20 minutes with no assistance whatever, but today….
I doubt I’d have managed it witout spotting the nina fairly early on and even then I was struggling; electronic help was not much good – it didn’t have ‘inarable’ or ‘allodial’ in its word list so a bit of hunting in Chambers and Collins was needed. Didn’t help that I was looking for something with ‘nag’ in it for 16dn. And having finished it I then needed the blog to understand some of the wordplay.
With respect, this would have been more appropriate as a Saturday puzzle.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:22:38 +0000

Hi Anax
Is this why this puzzle has not been publicised on your website as others have been?

Please put us out of our misery regarding the other two ‘partridges’. Perhaps the original/replaced clues to 9ac and 2dn would help?

By: anax

anax — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:17:53 +0000

Thanks Flashling, from a setter to can now sit at the base of said tree as the ‘never gets it quite right’ Alan.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:17:27 +0000

I still have no idea what’s going on/gone on with the puzzle and its dropped letters, but spending two tranches of Indy crossword fees on festive booze is in itself reckless, Anax. I’ve enjoyed your crosswords this year and look forward to more in 2011, and of course to meeting you at the Derby get-together. We now have more than 30 coming! Never realised that Derby was so popular …

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:05:31 +0000

So partridge in pear-tree then. A very merry new year then Anax.

By: anax

anax — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:56:36 +0000

Oh dear. Now I really am depressed.

OK friends, look – it matters not a jot to the solving of the puzzle, but the clue at 9a was edited before publication. The original version had a wordplay device whereby an initial ‘I’ was removed from a word, but it was a bit dodgy so it was re-written. Somehow (being a silly unobservant git may have played its part) I replaced it with the same idea but requiring the removal of a G. This was NOT a mistake by the ed – it was entirely of my doing.

The good news, however, is that yesterday I spent about £70 stocking up on festive booze. I am now going to console myself recklessly.