Comments on: Independent 7,682/Anax

By: dram

dram — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:37:43 +0000

Well the crossword beat me hands down but I thoroughly enjoyed the write-up and reading the solution – what a marvellous piece of work, Anax. As well as 18d I really enjoyed 7d and the misdirection in 8d.

By: Ali

Ali — Tue, 31 May 2011 22:37:11 +0000

Thanks to all for the pointers and to Anax for the extra titbits of info. I’m not a Top Gear regular, but on the occasions I’ve seen it, Gambon, Chicago and Hammerhead always seem to get a mention, so the words must be lodged together in my brain somewhere. I had to Google to get the rest of them!

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:06:09 +0000

Did three crosswords today (ánd had to work again too … ) and how different they were. A friendly, clinically good Times puzzle, a terrific punkish Paul effort and a cleverly constructed Anax that was indeed the most challenging of the three (from a cryptic POV).
I don’t do enough Anax puzzles to know whether this one was hard or not (on the Scale of Anax), but I managed to solve it within a reasonable timespan.

My favourites today were 12ac (CROONER), the effective 27ac (BYE), the Shepherdish VITREOUS (4d), 7d’s STARDUST and the perfect 8d (PLAYTHING).
Did I say that these were my favourites?
Well, let’s add some more.
The Fanta-stic 18d and the combi 16d/19d.
Not sure whether Burt Bacharach would like this characterisation though .

Quite a lot of good clues, don’t you think so?
Well, that’s what happens when the crossword is a good one.

By: flashling

flashling — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:25:25 +0000

I wonder if anyone saw test + track? Not being a petrolhead – I don’t even drive – I missed the theme + the missing L. Ho hum, thanks to Anax for the puzzle and Ali for the blog pointing out the theme.

By: Gnomethang

Gnomethang — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:18:36 +0000

@Tokyocolin #13
You are entirely correct! – It was in such teensy letters that I missed it!. Thanks to you and to Ali for the ‘blog!

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:31:02 +0000

I have heard from Anax that there is another twist in this puzzle, quote:

“Given the twisty-turny nature of the TG test track, the grid features TEST and TRACK as unbroken letter chains which can be read from the 2nd T of CHATTEL and the final T of SCHUBERT. Ooh, tortured!”

By: Tokyocolin

Tokyocolin — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:49:12 +0000

Thanks Ali. I am another who is always apprehensive about an Anax puzzle. I managed to complete this one but found it a bit of a slog.

I don’t know anything about Top Gear so was oblivious to any theme. I am not sure if Tango is a sugary drink or Fanta is a dance.

I did enjoy the Russian clues and the shoo burt homonym.

To Gnomethang – I use 2Across on the iPhone for the puzzles and the mobile site for 15sqd. I can see the blogger name but no numbers on the comments. What are you using?

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:23:55 +0000

I enjoyed this too tho I would not have known the theme in a million years, but the puzzle was fully solvable without it which was good. Maybe it’s just as well WILLSON was not in there because I’d never have believed that! Found it a little less difficult that some Anax puzzles of the past. My favourite clues were CUT OFF, VITREOUS, STARDUST and WILSON. I also read HYENA as Caretman does at #10. Thanks Anax and Ali.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:49:07 +0000

Like Wanderer, I find Anax usually at the top end of (or more often, beyond) my solving ability, but I managed this one today in reasonable time; if I can get a foothold in his puzzles, I can then give myself a reasonable chance of finishing.

I liked SWEETEN, BACHARACH and WILSON today; the misspelling of the last, and the theme, passed me by completely. In Orwell’s 1984, Winston’s greatest fear – of rats – was exploited in Room 101. My equivalent would be to be forced to watch reruns of Top Gear. Having my face chewed off by starving rodents would be a pleasure in comparison.

Most enjoyable puzzle, thank you to both setter and blogger.

By: caretman

caretman — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:48:28 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Ali, and congratulations on finding the theme. And thanks to Anax for dropping by as well.

I parsed 23d a little differently, with ‘He grabs the tail of any climbing’ meaning to reverse ANY to give YNA, and then to stick the tail of that into HE, giving H(Y)ENA, with the definition then being ‘animal’.