Comments on: Independent on Sunday 1110, by Crosophile http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/ Never knowingly undersolved. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:05:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Allan_C http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/#comment-160076 Allan_C Sun, 29 May 2011 21:43:47 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=30138#comment-160076 “Ta’en” is quite old usage. Found in Shakespeare as in “Let me be ta’en, let me be put to death” (Romeo & Juliet, III, v).

]]> By: Crosophile http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/#comment-160075 Crosophile Sun, 29 May 2011 21:40:09 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=30138#comment-160075 Many thanks, jetdoc.
Just to clarify with 23d (ELDER), ‘chestnut’ was only meant to refer to it being a bit of a hackneyed clue (attempting to freshen it with a slightly self-referential spin!).

]]> By: jetdoc http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/#comment-160052 jetdoc Sun, 29 May 2011 11:51:20 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=30138#comment-160052 Chambers, rather unhelpfully, just gives ‘a contraction of taken’. This was the last one for me too — answer fairly obvious from defiition and checking letters, but wordplay quite tricky.

]]> By: superkiwigirl http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/#comment-160051 superkiwigirl Sun, 29 May 2011 11:47:36 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=30138#comment-160051 Thanks jetdoc for the helpful blog and Crosphile for an enjoyable puzzle.

After a quick romp through the Everyman this morning I came to this one with hopes of a dividend for all of the practice that I’ve been putting in lately. I struggled towards the end however, and like Bamberger finished off in the SW, with APRON as the penultimate and NEAT my last one. As soon as I read the parsing I couldn’t believe how I had missed it – “back” and “contract” are clear enough, I just didn’t think about losing a middle letter to produce such a phrase (is it Scots/northern dialect?) .

Favorite clues were HARDLINER (learned in the process of “lin” as crossword speak) and MATRIARCH. APRON is really good too I think.

Onwards and upwards as they say!

]]> By: nmsindy http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/#comment-160045 nmsindy Sun, 29 May 2011 08:59:45 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=30138#comment-160045 I enjoyed this puzzle a lot. I think ‘under contract’ means TAKEN (seized) is contracted ie shortened to TA’EN. Thanks Crosophile and Jetdoc.

]]> By: Bamberger http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/05/29/independent-on-sunday-1110-by-crosophile/#comment-160042 Bamberger Sun, 29 May 2011 08:14:16 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=30138#comment-160042 The NW was fully completed, bits of the NE were solved but the SW was completely blank and only had 13d/26a in the SE.
I’m afraid I still don’t get 20a. I know that neat =ordered but can’t see where does ta’en comes from and the significance of (under contract).

19a Never heard of monstera
19d This must be one of the few times that the … genuinely refers back to the previous clue.

Bit above my ability level e.g 16d have to spot match=marriage , spot air=demeanour and do some reversing.

]]>