Comments on: Independent 7836 by Nimrod (Saturday Prize Puzzle 26 November 2011)

By: flashling

flashling — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:36:37 +0000

Did this on the way to S&B on the train to Derby, first spot was THE RAMS – Derby Co. and was alerted to the Derby connection, then it was pretty much plain sailing (yeah right!), OK 1d I made up but it was right. Took about an hour which is quick for a Nimrod for me. Thanks JohnH / Nimrod & MC_R &K’sD for the afternoon after.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:50:19 +0000

I took over two days to sort this one out and was left with three to get, which considering what I know about football teams nicknames and local derby rivals could be fitted on a small pin with room left over was, I thought, pretty good going. Assuming that Nimrod had prepared this for the Derby gathering did help me get started. Thanks to him for the education and mc_rapper67 for the helpful blog.

By: mc_rapper67

mc_rapper67 — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:21:25 +0000

Thanks for all the comments – nice observation from Allan C on the two halves! – and kathryn’s dad at #2 must be right about the link to the S&B get-together in Derby, which helps to give it some context. I didn’t make that one, but I am hoping to go to my first S&B next time there is one in London.

(I should also have pointed out that the previous Derby-related Nimrod puzzle (7686) was published to coincide with the week of the big race at Epsom – so some equally impressive forward planning/scheduling there…)

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:22:39 +0000

This was a cracking puzzle construction – many thanks Nimrod and mc_rapper67 for the excellent blog. Blades/Owls was what gave the theme to me with the Bristol pair being the last, having suspected for a while that Wolves and the Baggies might appear. V tough puzzle too. And those who like to do crosswords to learn something new will now know a lot of nicknames of football clubs they may not have known before…

By: Cumbrian

Cumbrian — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:45:29 +0000

Many thanks for the comprehensive blog which cleared up a number of questions. CHEETAH at 6 was my first one in, followed by Z-BED at 25 and a tentative CITIZENS at 24. When I got 5 and 20 I had a heart-sinking moment; justified, I’m afraid as the final solution required specialised knowledge which I don’t possess (apart from SPURS and GUNNERS). That left 17 clues, of which two (17 and 20) didn’t cross with any of the football nicknames. I particularly liked 17. 1, 13 and 21 were new words to me; I’ll try and keep SCUGS in mind next time I hop over the border!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 10:26:38 +0000

I don’t usually do the Saturday Indy, but I had a crack at this one. Couldn’t finish it, despite getting the theme quite early on and having a passing interest in football. From what I know, Nimrod’s football allegiance lies about 100 miles due south of Pride Park in North London. I fancy THE RAMS got a mention, together with the DERBY theme, because this puzzle appeared on the Saturday of our Sloggers and Betters get-together in Derby, at which Nimrod was present.

Or it could just be coincidence, of course …

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 09:01:12 +0000

Rather daunting to start with but once the theme emerged it was (almost) plain sailing. GERS/BHOYS was the last pair in – there aren’t many words beginning BH___ – and I lmost admitted defeat until I thought of a Celtic connection and Google turned up the names.

Football is sometimes said to be a game of two halves and this was almost a grid of two halves, only linked by the linked(!) pair 3a/28.

Just wondering if 16a was originally meant to be one half of another local derby with ‘Forest’ (Nottingham) the other half but in the end Nimrod couldn’t fit it in.