Comments on: Independent 7740 – Saturday 6 August 2011 – Tyrus

By: PaulG

PaulG — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:21:09 +0000

Outstanding puzzle – indeed a ‘labour of love’ by Tyrus, as noted above. And a superbly clear blog from Duncan.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:08:06 +0000

Another win today, I understand, old bean. Most entertaining, as is your puzzle. Championship new boys Southampton too (who went down almost as heavily as The Dons, due also to the most appalling mismanagement) added a second victory to their tally at the expense of Barnsley.

By: Tyrus

Tyrus — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:05:56 +0000

Thanks to all for their comments and for tolerating the rather parochial theme. I tried to give fairly straightforward clues to compensate.

An excellent and very thorough blog, Duncan, which is much appreciated. Thanks also to nmsindy for explaining the ‘not in the wider interests’reference at 12A.

By: superkiwigirl

superkiwigirl — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:55:54 +0000

P:S: maybe “club being moved” could be made into a more acceptable definition of FRANCHISE by adding the word “perhaps” (it is after all only one example, and a pretty technical one at that, of what is meant by this word in my view). And it’s not as if every case where a club is moved will result in a FRANCHISE- if, say, Spurs had been successful in their bid to take over the Olympic Stadium I doubt that this would have led to one.

By: superkiwigirl

superkiwigirl — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:25:28 +0000

Many thanks for the terrific blog, Duncan – I really struggled with this today, and came here in need of your explanations for the parsing of several solutions.

Having read the blog I now see what a clever technical feat this puzzle represents, but I’m afraid that I’m with Sidey @ 1 here (did someone mention the word “marmite” ?) I’m disappointed to have missed the Nina, though, as I’ve been trying to train myself to spot these – no excuse perhaps, given that a theme was clearly sign posted by the cross referencing of WIMBLEDON and DIE OFF which I couldn’t understand.

Some very good clues (I particularly liked ROAD SIGN, MIRACLE , GIRL and SOUL – 4 letter words are often the hardest to crack I find) but I’m still unhappy about the definition of FRANCHISE, notwithstanding the blog and hounddogs’s amplification @ 3 (thanks anyway, hounddog, I’ll think about this further and maybe the penny will drop).

Thanks finally to Tyrus for providing me with such a challenge this morning. And good luck with the match today!

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 10:17:27 +0000

Being interested in football, I saw the theme here all right. Some cracking clues too. I think ‘the wider interests of football’ in 12A refers to the justification given for allowing the club to move to Milton Keynes by the official panel that decided it. The success of Wimbledon supporters in forming a new club and getting back into the League will, I hope, mean something like that will never happen again. A Milton Keynes club should have had to climb up thro the Leagues in the same way (and would have been able to, I’m sure). Thanks Tyrus and Duncan.

By: Jake

Jake — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:41:41 +0000

Polly,

I’m glad I’m not the only one! I do often half-ass my way through tougher puzzles, without—often purposely—approaching the clues zealously, as Duncan has here for full understanding.

This, (my) way I and lots of other solvers would agree that I’m missing out on the brilliance of the construction. Oh well, only I lose by solving this way. Still. Again good stuff Tyrus. And Duncan for leaving no stone unturned.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:27:08 +0000

Well!!

I’ve just commented on the Guardian thread that it’s a good job I wasn’t blogging last week’s Paul puzzle, because I wouldn’t have had the background knowledge to make it more interesting. I would have been an absolutely total dead loss with this one – I’m wondering how on earth I managed to solve it, without knowing one scrap of the stuff that holds it together! [I'm mightily comforted by the fact that such a clever chap as Tramp missed it, too.] What a labour of love, indeed! And it’s surely the sign of a really good puzzle that I thought it was a good puzzle while being totally unaware of what was going on. [It goes without saying that I didn't see the Nina, either.]

I’m full of admiration for Duncan’s encyclopaedic knowledge, too. Many thanks for the blog and for revealing the depths of the cleverness of the puzzle. [I do hope you were interested in the theme!]

By: duncanshiell

duncanshiell — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:19:57 +0000

Thanks for the comments on the blog.

There’s no doubt that sporting puzzles (football and cricket especially) tend to polarise opinion. I must admit I groan inwardly when I see a puzzle based on films.

Pity AFC Wimbledon lost their first league game.

By: Tramp

Tramp — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:03:08 +0000

A superb puzzle. I loved the puzzle but failed to spot the message!! Very clever stuff.