Comments on: Independent 7615 by Glow-Worm

By: NealH

NealH — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:18:53 +0000

One of the other definitions of obovate is given as “inversely ovate”. I suppose it’s effectively an upside-down egg shape.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 07:01:10 +0000

Not my favourite. Couldn’t figure out the ‘one on one’ references for ages, and then failed on 16a having hastily put ‘alec’ instead of ‘alex’ in 5d.
Also got ‘obovate’ in 6d but didn’t quite follow the clue as Chambers defined it as ‘egg-shaped in outline with the narrow end next to the base’. Does that make it inverted? Depends which Lilliputian party you support, I suppose.

By: ele

ele — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:31:02 +0000

Found this very difficult to get into compared with any of last week’s and not just because of a complete lack of knowledge or interest in football teams. Sir Alex was the breakthrough – welled up from the subconscious somehow as I even failed to grasp the significance of 1ac straight away. Also failed to get Beckham of all people – forgot he played for MU in the dim and distant past! But thanks to Glow-worm for a challenging puzzle with lots of good clues otherwise. And many thanks to NealH for confirming 25ac NILE, which I agree is not the clearest of wordplays.

By: AndyB

AndyB — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:25:13 +0000

Loved this. I thought we were looking at some fairly formal I/a/an etc variants at first. Got into the theme via progress in the north east which gave three letters of Fergie’s Alex. I enjoyed 15 for its mass deletions; 22; and 16.

By: flashling

flashling — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:57:30 +0000

I think of certain bloggers who will be less than delighted the theme but to each his own. My first 1 on a 1 was Rio which has a few possibilities as far as links go. Last was Cantwell who I had to look up as I didn’t know him.

As Quixote hasn’t posted here, please check his comment on my most recent IOS blog for some sad news.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:36:58 +0000

I thought this was excellent, the theme put together very cleverly. Though interested in football, did not see the theme for ages. Some excellent clues. Re SOY, just another nuance, I thought it was s = singular for b in boy ie lad’s block = head (first letter).
I think Noel Cantwell was captain when Man Utd won the FA Cup in 1963 which was the first trophy for the post-Munich team of Law, Best, Charlton etc that finally won the European Cup in 1968. He played for Ireland in both football and cricket, later went into management.
Thanks, NealH, for the blog and Glow-worm for the puzzle.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:38:14 +0000

I quite enjoyed solving this, once I had ‘got’ the theme and it did help having No2 son who is a MU fan home for the weekend.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:15:36 +0000

Oh dear. I can hear a few rants being prepared.

I quite liked it, more for the non-themed clues, several of which were inventive. I liked SIXPENCE and GLOBALLY in particular. Once the theme became apparent, if you are interested in football it was just a question of ‘what fits?’ for the players’ names.

If you were being picky, you could say that for 10ac, goalkeepers in the modern game seldom wear number one any more.

Thanks for the blog, Neal.

By: NealH

NealH — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:55:30 +0000

Thanks. I’ve corrected 15a.

By: scchua

scchua — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:37:55 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Neal, and Glowworm for an interesting puzzle.

Favourites were 17D CHARLTON, first of the ManU’s that I got, 22A GAUCHE and 16A SIXPENCE. I think there’s a typo in 15A HEROIC, it’s [st]OIC[is m] with “st” and “is” and “m” taken out. 16D SOY could also be read as “block” = “head”, ie. “knocking off” [b]OY’s head.