Comments on: Independent on Sunday 1,096 by Quixote

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 23:27:33 +0000

Thanks Simon.
Quality puzzle,as usual,from Quixote.Nothing unfamiliar for me,Toscanini was one of the most famous conductors in his day and many of his recordings are still available.He was the Maestro in charge of World premieres of many famous works including Puccini’s La Boheme and Barber’s Adagio for Strings.
Favourite clue for me,17 down.

By: rodders

rodders — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 19:17:13 +0000

Funny how we all differ – I invariably find Quixote very easy, as I do Phi.

BUT…………yesterdays prize puzzle I am really having problems with – after an hour I am at about 50 % !!!

By: jmac

jmac — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:15:25 +0000

This presented a stiffer challenge than I anticipated (more so than the Scorpion Saturday prize puzzle), but was good fun and, as is the case with the top setters, the less familiar solutions (DELTONA and EXARCH) were easily deduced from the impeccable cluing.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:26:23 +0000

Thank you, Simon.

I very rarely buy the IoS, but did last week and was pleased to tackle this puzzle after reading the paper. I found the same obscure(ish) words as others, but was able to get them from the clear clueing and some crossing letters. I liked EASTERN, a regular solution clued in a clever way; and AU NATUREL raised a smile.

By: Tokyo Colin

Tokyo Colin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:42:35 +0000

Thanks Simon. Interesting how perceptions of difficulty vary. I gave up on yesterday’s Scorpion with all its obscure (to me) references while others, including scchua, found it easier than the weekday puzzles. Whereas I found this one very easy. The only word I didn’t know (11ac) was obvious from the wordplay. Favourite clue would be 1ac, bringing back memories of Sid James (he was famous in Australia too, 40+ years ago.) But most pleasure was from 21dn. From the word play I started with PA-TEP-A and discarded it, then PA-TAC-A and wondered about the meaning of the Macau currency unit for a moment, then pondered PA-GOD-A and almost moved on before it hit me.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:59:36 +0000

Whoops – thanks, scchua. I’ve corrected 17d and modified 5d to reflect your more plausible parsing.

By: scchua

scchua — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:54:02 +0000

Thanks Simon, for the blog, and Quixote for another enjoyable puzzle.

The obscure-to-me clues which were obtained from the wordplay and then confirmed in the dicts were CITHARA and EXARCH, but, being of a different generation, perhaps, I easily discerned ARTURO TOSCANINI.

Re 5D DETRIMENT – I have an alternate reading: ED< + I M in ("river") TRENT.

Favourites were 1A DISABLED, a nostalgic reference to SID James, one of the pioneers of the Carry On series, 15D AU NATUREL and 23D TIFFS.

Btw I think you meant 17D CATTINESS and not CAITHNESS.