Comments on: Independent 7,701/Dac

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 06:49:34 +0000

Started well, with 1a, 4a, 8a going in straightaway, but then took a while with the SE corner needing wordfinder assistance. Appropriate that PSEUD should be in a corner?

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:48:41 +0000

I just posted but for some reason it got lost.

Had to look up Lot/Loiret. Otherwise easier than usual I thought, not that I was all that fast (23 minutes).

‘Stop’ is used in 17ac (Form of intervention to stop cold} to mean ‘going round’, rather than ‘filling’ as in stopping a tooth. Where is there a simple sentence that uses ‘stop’ in this way?

By: ele

ele — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:15:37 +0000

This definitely seemed harder than the usual Dac and in the absence of references I didn’t get 6d – plumping for the mythical departement of Loisel as there is one called oise I think. Poodles was the last one in and I liked 4d and 23ac. Not being great on deducing things from wordplay alone I like double defs and cryptic defs. Thanks to Ali for the blog and Dac for another enjoyable puzzle.

By: otter

otter — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:18:45 +0000

Thanks for the blog. This is the first time I’ve tried an Indy crossword online (didn’t realise until now that they were available) and the first time for a couple of years that I’ve tried one at all. I’m not in good form at the moment, but even so was quite surprise how tough I found this. Struggled on quite a few clues, ended up putting guesses in to a few, and gave up completely on 6d, LOIRET.

Glad to find there’s another set of crossies I’ll be able to tackle each day.

By: walruss

walruss — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:25:04 +0000

Me too, ‘steering wheels’ a corker. A good solid Dac this one I think, and ‘hears eg Rongo’ my favourite for today.

By: flashling

flashling — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:15:34 +0000

Didn’t get Loriet as did this on the train with no reference books or internet to help.

Liked the steering wheels device.

Thanks Ali and Dac

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:52:06 +0000

Loiret’s certainly pretty tough for a normal weekday cryptic. I was helped by the fact that I used to stay in an incredibly cheap hotel in the centre of Paris called Grand Hotel du Loiret – it’s still there, but they made the disastrous mistake of refurbishing it, so it isn’t cheap any more. It’s a good clue though – he must have thought it was worth the (i.e. our) pain, as he could easily have had “loiter” instead.

By: caretman

caretman — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:34:34 +0000

I’m among those who found this not especially hard; maybe I was just on Dac’s wavelength. My only hangup came in the northwest corner, needing RIGADOON to crack SALADIN and then POODLES, my last three in. My favorite clue was 8a, both from the use of ‘fan’ as an anagrind and from finding a Ringo in George Harrison.

By: NealH

NealH — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:51:02 +0000

I don’t think anyone has mentioned that your anagram in 1 across should be prude*.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:44:16 +0000

Many thanks, Ali. Like you, I found this a bit more difficult than the usual Wednesday Dac, and had to come here for your explanations for two or three. I too was reduced to finding a list of French départements for LOIRET. But an enjoyable and well-clued puzzle nonetheless.