Comments on: Guardian Prize 25,292 / Bonxie

By: Biggles A

Biggles A — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 21:57:43 +0000

Thanks again NeilW. I did revisit and appreciate your patience with me but I think Eileen’s advice is sound.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 15:16:54 +0000

Hi NeilW

I don’t want to labour this [and it seems you don't, either. ].

Certainly your phrase works but, as I suggested in the blog, ‘virtuous’ means ‘having [not has] many virtues’. ‘Has many virtues’ = ‘IS virtuous’.

But let’s leave it there, shall we? No one else seemed to mind!

By: NeilW

NeilW — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:08:49 +0000

Hi Biggles A – I don’t suppose you’ll revisit this, but imagine the phrase, “He is a virtuous man.” I don’t think one would understand this to mean, “He has a single virtue” but rather that he has quite a few, from which one may arrive, reasonably, at “many”.

Eileen, I can’t quite understand your objection to the grammar. Surely, using the phrase above, the virtuous man… has many virtues?

Sorry – just filling time between the F1 race and the Liverpool game!

By: Biggles A

Biggles A — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:28:48 +0000

Thanks NeilW and Eileen. I knew the OED has CHASTE as a synonym but I wasn’t sure just how many virtues, if any, that might encompass. Still a bit doubtful I think.

By: tupu

tupu — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:57:35 +0000

Further re knout

Nowt is of course a variant of nought (when pronounced as in drought as opposed to as in fought).

I am reminded of the well known ‘Tyke’ injunction ‘If tha’ ever does owt for nowt, allus make sure tha does it for tha sen’.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 06:43:40 +0000

Hi Biggles

And I apologise for not addressing your query.

As I indicated, I wasn’t entirely happy with this clue, because the grammar seems wrong. I think your unease is perhaps with the ‘many’ virtues. Collins gives ‘exercising self-restraint’, and, I suppose, thus avoiding a number of vices, ergo having many virtues!

By: NeilW

NeilW — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 02:05:52 +0000

Hi Biggles A

At the time, CONTINENT concerned me too but Chambers gave, under “adjective”, meaning 4: Virtuous. It seemed fair enough to me…

By: Biggles A

Biggles A — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:36:11 +0000

I’m a bit surprised that nobody has educated me on the relevance of CONTINENT to MANY VIRTUES.

I have to confess that the theme had eluded me but I now acknowledge the “wit” involved. Thanks tupu. I wonder why ZERO wasn’t worked in there somewhere.

It was churlish of me not to express my appreciation Eileen, I apologise.

By: tupu

tupu — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:31:34 +0000

ps
Bonxie has apparently been setting for the Guardian since 2004. We have had one puzzle each month this year, and there were eight last year.

By: Ian

Ian — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:28:14 +0000

Thanks for an outstanding job Eileen. Your comprehensive annotations are a real tour de force.

I would like to congratulate Bonxie for providing us with a classic crossword puzzle. Definitely a case of something about nothing.

Top marks for stretching the theme its limit. A rewarding solve were it not for the fact that I erred with 19 dn by inserting AUSTEN and leaning it there. Very poor on my part.

Many commendable clues on display. Surely none better than NIXON. LINNET & NADAL also top drawer.

Solving time 1 hr 48 m with one error.

I couldn’t see Cynical having inserted it into the grid. Many thanks for the explanation