Comments on: Independent 7,702 / Anax

By: RatkojaRiku

RatkojaRiku — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:24:19 +0000

@Allan_C – I too was held up in the NE corner by precisely the same two clues as you.

@anax – thanks for explaining the backdrop to the discrepancy between 18a in the two versions of the puzzle – I rather suspected something along those lines. For what it’s worth, I rather liked RAZE for FELL!

Hope Saturday was a success – I hope to be able to attend a get-together myself one day!

By: rodders

rodders — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:52:38 +0000

Sorry Anax but 18 across was guesswork and not logic for the hard copy clue.
As you admit you either know it or you don’t and as you also admit ” shaky ground “.

No problem though – I enjoyed the puzzle – just don’t live easy with entering answers which I know are correct but don’t know why !!

Just me I guess – some don’t care as long as they complete !

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:20:18 +0000

Doing the dead tree version I got 18a at once. “Damsel” and “distressed” put me in mind of stories of knights errant etc and then I re-read “distressed” as “dis-tressed” and guessed at RAPUNZEL which I put it in tentatively and was pleased to find the intersecting down answers fitting in.

Held up on the NE corner till the pennies dropped for POACH and TAP UP.

By: ele

ele — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:54:31 +0000

Another Anax I was able to finish – made my day. Liked 17ac and 14ac very much esp. as they gave lots of useful letters early on. Thanks to RatkojaRiku for the blog. Agree that the paper version of 18ac just had to be guessed. It was almost the last one in as I didn’t trust my initial guess.

By: Roger Powell

Roger Powell — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:29:53 +0000

Only my second post here, but this solve was particularly enjoyable. I’ve only just finished – blame Wimbledon. Great clues. Hard enough to be a challenge but not so hard as to be frustrating.

By: anax

anax — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:50:13 +0000

Hi all
Tremendous blog RatkojaRiku – huge thanks for your efforts.

The different clues for RAPUNZEL didn’t surprise me too much. It was edited before publication but the print/online versions are evidently taken care of by different departments, so it was just a failure to pass on information. The online version was the original, later changed because we weren’t absolutely sure of the strength of the link between RAZE and FELL. Unfortunately the answer letters aren’t too friendly and I resorted to the CD. For those familiar with the story (that intro alone tells you I was slightly concerned about using it as a reference) the witch cuts short Rapunzel’s hair after she accidentally reveals that she’s been visited by the prince – hence ‘somewhat distressed’ and ‘betrayal of prince’. You either know it or you don’t, which is shaky ground so I’m actually glad two versions of the clue were available.

Looking forward to meeting you folks on Saturday!

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:24:34 +0000

Good puzzle, indeed.
As I found quite a few answers in the first 10 minutes, I thought there must be something wrong today (anax, y’know).
ANCHORMAN, MOSS, ODOUR and some more.

RAPUNZEL stumped me in the end. I used the paper version and I had no idea what this was all about. Nmsindy tells me it’s a cryptic definition – well, see, there you are … [BTW, what happened/wentwrong here?]

This puzzle didn’t strike me as the hardest of anaxs (or is it anaxes?), but nice it was.

Liked 21d (REMIX) as I always like clues involving (pop) music.

And lenny @7: “Anaxs used to take me several days but now I find I can do them quite quickly. I wonder why it is that I am still hopeless at Lorosos”
My answer would be: “I think because Loroso is even better”.

Favourite clue: the WEDDING CEREMONY at 17ac.

Finally, credits to you RatkojaRiku – you’ve done an admirable job!

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:48:30 +0000

And thanks, RatkojaRiku, for the so comprehensive blog! And Anax for the puzzle of course.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:46:23 +0000

I think it’s A cryptic definition (rodders at #11) with ‘distressed’ referring to hair ie tresses. Little to add to all the other comments on this excellent puzzle. WEDDING CEREMONY was my favourite too, closely followed by JAMAICA and REMIX.

By: rodders

rodders — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:13:44 +0000

I also had damsel somewhat distressed after betrayal of prince for 18 across.

Cam someone ( anyone ) explain how you get ” RAPUNZEL ”
out of that clue – thanks !