Comments on: Independent 7,664 / Punk

By: RatkojaRiku

RatkojaRiku — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:06:35 +0000

Thanks for pointing out my mistake at 19, although I grew up hearing toodle-do more often than toodle-oo, the former doubtless being a mispronunciation of the latter. Thanks to NealH for showing me that I’m not the only one!! The blog has been corrected accordingly.

What’s more, I don’t think that I’d ever seen either form in writing, while toodle-pip appears quite often in crosswords. Nevertheless, like Mustyx, I did think “LED” for “sign” was stretching things a bit …

Anyway, I am pleased that this slip on the part of the humble blogger attracted less attention overall from those posting than the sheer brilliance of Punk’s puzzle, a “crossword to treasure” as Sil van den Hoek so aptly put it.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:08:17 +0000

Punk and The Carpenters – what an unlikely pair …
Hated their music virtually – loved the puzzle though.
And because I found 9d right away and because I knew all these Carpenters songs, a lot of the grid was filled rather quickly.
So, (even) for me a rather easy crossword.
But, for reasons given by many above, one of the best Punks I have solved so far.
I know, Mr H’s priority is Paul, but this one was sheer excellence (too).

Of course, 5d, 7d and 19d are the Gems of the Day, but simpler clues like the ones for STATUE, HERE or EGG BEATER are also very well written.

Brilliant stuff and a crossword to treasure.

By: scchua

scchua — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:34:00 +0000

Thanks RatkojaRiku and Pink fo a superb puzzle.

Got to this late after having a bug with my FT blog today, but glad I didn’t miss it. Once the theme was cracked it became plain sailing. Held back for a while as I tried to fit in GOES IN into the anagram for 9D (Doh to me too, flashling). But was saved by BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO, the enumeration and the crossing R in the first word helping me. Also by coincidence I had in my FT blog ONE WAY TICKET, another Neil Sedaka original fresh in my mind, so the association was easy to make.

All were tremendous clues, and especially liked th cryptic definitions for SEPTIC and LOCUST.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:58:53 +0000

7d really is very clever – turning a song title almost directly into a cryptic clue!

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:15:30 +0000

Kathryn’s Dad – Virgilius sets the Sunday Telegraph Prize Cryptic every week.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:32:57 +0000

Hi Paul A at no 6. Strictly speaking, you’re right, but there’s a significant overlap in spoken French between voici and voilà. Tu cherches ton stylo? Le voilà. Are you looking for your pen? Here it is. So I think Punk is fine with that surface.

There was a very enjoyable Virgilius in the Indy i today, sadly the only chance we get to see him on this side these days.

By: flashling

flashling — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:13:32 +0000

Apart from trying to make an anagram of (CHAPTER GOES IN) (D’oh!)to begin with this went OK once I saw what PunK was up to, some very clever stuff using the answers as cryptic clues to other answers. Agree with the UY for toodle-oo.

Other than that, welcome back after your unfortuate absense last week.

By: Mustyx

Mustyx — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:08:52 +0000

No such word as toodle-do – Uncle Yap is right as always. I’ve seen LED clued as ‘light’, ‘indicator’ and even ‘tell-tale’. I think ‘sign’ may be stretching things a bit far.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Tue, 10 May 2011 15:15:24 +0000

I think it must be Toodle-oo for 19d (with Uncle Yap’s parsing – the sign is Leo). I don’t think toodle-do exists, does it?

I agree it was an enjoyable puzzle even if like me you found the band was a bit of a mystery until the very end.

By: Ian

Ian — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:15:21 +0000

Thanks to RatkojaRiku and Punk respectively.

A brilliantly constructed grid crammed with memorable references to a bygone era.

Too many clues to highlight but without question was 7dn.

Three superb puzzles today. Brummie, this and Virgilius in the i.