Comments on: Independent 7,816/Nimrod

By: eimi

eimi — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:30:41 +0000

Oops pasted in wrong blog – meant for Phi’s Friday puzzle

By: eimi

eimi — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:30:03 +0000

It’s not exactly a literal Allan, but a cut-and-paste error and the i clue bears no relation to the answer. To reiterate, for those that haven’t read yesterday’s blog, the Indy online crossword is back but has a different url: http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/puzzles/crosswords/?crosswordType=cryptic

By: eimi

eimi — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:28:23 +0000

Good news. The Indy web site appears to be fixed. Here’s the new link:
http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/puzzles/crosswords/?crosswordType=cryptic

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:52:57 +0000

cor guv bannsider and nimrod in the same week without help. Didn’t realise eimi hated us bloggers so much. I found this hard but it could well have been the hangover from celebrating getting a new job. Will have to see how that affects my ability to do the blog. Cheers Ali well done sir.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:46:52 +0000

It’s a terrible shame that so many people will have missed this puzzle because of the Indy’s online problems. I went out (in pouring rain) and actually bought a newspaper, as I believe the phrase is. I only hope the Indy spend my pound on fixing the site!

Loads of wonderful misdirection here – pre-16 time etc. Not sure which is my favourite clue, possibly 20a. Or maybe 5d now I come to think about it – it’s slightly chilling, in an almost film noir way.

By: Quixote

Quixote — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:25:04 +0000

I zapped through this one on a 3-mile bus journey plus one session of Countdown without any reference books. Lots of long anagrams with accurate definitions combined in a grid with familiar short words helped. Is it me or is Nimrod getting easier?

By: Stella Heath

Stella Heath — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:17:24 +0000

Hi Ali, I’m glad to see I’m not the only one having trouble accessing the Indy on line. The puzzle I finally managed to download today was nº1134 by Glowworm, though the date is today’s ;(

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:59:42 +0000

It was a particularly tricky Nimrod, well I thought so but with the help of a friend I did get to the end. Thanks to Nimrod for the brain-stretching and Ali for the blog.

By: John H

John H — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:02:29 +0000

Thanks Ali. Just wandering past, so:

5 THA(w)
7/13 ref is to age not clue no.
19 IN STIL(l) = carrying (one’s) bat, i.e. not yet out
21 refers to the birthright story involving Esau, his twin and a mess of pottage.

Hope that helps.

Nimrod

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:01:32 +0000

Hi Ali

Re 19dn, “carrying bat” at cricket is IN STIL[L].