Comments on: Independent 7579 by Crosophile

By: ele

ele — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:51:38 +0000

Thanks for the help. I got most of it except got sent completely down the wrong track with 6 down which I worked out as PESTO (pest as a bit of TEMPEST and O). As a longtime Indie xword solver (or try to) but only recently come across this blog, thank you all so much for the helpful and entertaining comments.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:36:30 +0000

This took quite a bit of working out, but if Crosophile becomes a regular setter no doubt one will get used to his/her style. Thanks, nms, for the blog – there were quite a few entries where I didn’t follow the wordplay, but all is clear now.

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:32:36 +0000

Thanks NMS.
I thought this was a super puzzle,some of the definitions I thought were brilliant,9 and 25 across in particular.I also entered GAMINE at first and spent a few minutes trying to make the wordplay fit before the penny dropped.
Hadn’t come across the NU abbreviation before,nor PI = PRIG but will remember them for future reference.
Favourite clue for me,13 across.

By: flashling

flashling — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:28:42 +0000

Fantastic debut for Crosophile and thanks NMS. Another struggle here but good fun and several ah-ha moments, again last in was racehorses – very nice misdirection to hide the definition.

Do wonder if this is a blogger turned setter.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:35:08 +0000

I also put “gamine” in for 6 across, but got the rest after quite a bit of effort all told. A good puzzle, and just right for a Monday.

By: Quixote

Quixote — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:05:43 +0000

Welcome to a new colleague. I particularly liked RACEHORSES and a nice hidden clue for INGOT. A promising start.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:53:55 +0000

This was quite a quick solve, perhaps too quick as I am also a member of the Gamine club. Other than that I had a few problems with parts of speech. I did not know Pi or Swathe as nouns. Presumably Gusto is also a noun and the preceding to is filler. I also thought that Arose rather than Arisen should be the synonym for Happened but, since Happened is both past tense and past participle I suppose it is OK.

By: walruss

walruss — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:48:42 +0000

Yes, a pleasanr run-out from the new boy or girl. I am sure the confidence will grow, but a very good start in any case.

By: rodders

rodders — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:10:41 +0000

As said above we are all different. My last answer was also ARISEN. Solving time 40 minutes so not the most difficult !

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:04:44 +0000

I found this very enjoyable. Welcome, Crosophile, and thanks, nmsindy, for the blog.

I, too, admired the misdirection in RACEHORSES, MISAPPREHENSION – brilliant double use of ‘barking’ – and ‘playing possum’ in MARSUPIAL.

I also thought 6ac was ‘gamine’ – G[ang] + AMINE / A MINE??