Comments on: Independent 7,619/Radian

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:24:46 +0000

Their police station is just called ‘Unstable’.

By: Polly

Polly — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:30:02 +0000

Unst has appeared before (sometime in the past six months or so), but I can’t remember which setter used it. I do however remember spending a good deal of time trying to force Uist to fit the wordplay in the clue before googling Unst, which wasn’t in my Times atlas.

By: ele

ele — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:48:51 +0000

To Wil Ransome @22 re 8ac, the reference must be to joints in brickwork or stonework which are pointed with mortar. Took me a bit of time to realize that. Agree about your point c.

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:29:04 +0000

Mrs Lovett was Sweeney Todd’s accomplice.

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:23:52 +0000

Incredibly hard I thought, and it didn’t even occur to me that it was about Red Nose Day (I saw the perimeter words but assumed it was something from a song and therefore dismissed it from my mind). Some good clues, but:

a) In 8ac presumably joints often are pointed. What on earth does this mean?

b) 9ac has an extra word (‘typically’). I thought that in a hidden clue you weren’t allowed such things.

c) In 10ac I’d be interested if anyone could come up with a sentence where ‘before’ and ‘prior’ are interchangeable. Certainly ‘before’ = ‘prior to’, but surely ‘prior’ is equivalent to ‘previous’.

d) 12ac seems wrong to me, because the definition is presumably ‘high-pitched yells’, yet ‘yells’ is needed in the wordplay. Is it meant to be an &lit. where the whole clue is the definition? If so, then a pretty weak definition I think.

e) Nobody has told us who Mrs Lovett is in 18ac.

By: richard l

richard l — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:33:12 +0000

NealH
Ear tags are identity tags worn by cattle. Therefore the reference is to 22 down.

By: NealH

NealH — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:18:43 +0000

I’m glad other people found this tough. I got there in the end, although I initially put Uist for 24 down and was saved by the Reveal button. One thing I still don’t follow is the reference to 22 in 20. Since there are two 22s, I assume it’s not a reference to clue 22 (although that was one of the things which slowed me up in this puzzle because it convinced me that 22A must be some sort of sailor, as I had an idea in my mind of sailors wearing earrings).

By: ele

ele — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:46:41 +0000

Very tough but did just about get there in the end with the help of the nina and the theme, and some of the clues are very clever. Thanks Radian and thanks to Ali for the blog. Took ages to get 17ac snout, which was one of the last in, and like K’s D couldn’t even then see what the def. meant so thanks Paul A @6 too. Nearly got caught with Uist/Unst as well, but fortunately had heard of Unst – it sounds wonderful. 19c Nose cone was one of the first ones in, but I then wasted much time trying to relate that and 16ac noel to 17ac.

By: Radian

Radian — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:31:07 +0000

As well as the best decorated bus shelter Unst also boasts the most northerly post office in the UK. I spent a windy week there a long time ago with nothing to do but birdwatch and drink, both of which activities may explain my red nose.

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:51:30 +0000

I got the perimeter message from a few letters, PLUM, BIKINI and and POOH-POOH, the wording of 26ac and realising what day it was. Very enjoyable.