Comments on: Inquisitor 1206 – Gallic Wisdom by Kruger

By: Kruger

Kruger — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:33:14 +0000

My thanks to Hihoba for an excellent blog and to those who have taken the trouble to comment.

By: HolyGhost

HolyGhost — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:57:18 +0000

For some time, the Ring of Kerry circuit, mainly along the Kerry Way, has been on my list of long-distance paths in the British Isles that I'd like to tackle. Should I do so, I should clearly check out Killarney, nmsindy, and a JARVEY to boot.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:03:31 +0000

While in an absolutely ideal world, every clue would have to be solved and understood to complete a puzzle, I think there will be exceptions such as this excellent puzzle. I doubt if I would have been able to solve it without that phrase being given, in view of the overall level of difficulty esp considering the clued answers were being completely replaced by another rather than by eg some manipulation of their letters.

This device in a puzzle always gives (me anyway) welcome confirmation that the solution is correct. Also without it, some other way would have had to be found to deal with the JACKAROO/JACKEROO issue, remembering that the clue did not lead to that word.

I’d also agree with HolyGhost that while it was hard, it was not fearsomely so as he puts it. Should he ever visit Killarney, the word JARVEY would no longer seem so strange.

By: Hi of hihoba

Hi of hihoba — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:43:23 +0000

I do agree with HolyGhost that it is annoying when the grid can be completed and submitted without a full understanding of the puzzle. This is not too common, but also occurred in 1202, where understanding the final anagram (which was brilliant) was not essential. Perhaps this is something the editor could bear in mind?

By: HolyGhost

HolyGhost — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:54:21 +0000

Quite tough, but not fearsomely so. (Some clues/answers/entries overstretched my vocabulary somewhat, esp. SHROFF, JARVEY, and a few others.) The dam broke when I tumbled to PLUMBER and CHEMIST, intersecting.

I always find it a bit irritating when one can complete the grid perfectly without solving all the clues – as I did here with 2 or 3 of the specials. But I plugged away, and got there a mercifully short time later.

But I like a challenge, so thank you Kruger for the puzzle (and Hihoba for the blog).
(As to Hi’s “Is this better or worse?” – no better for me, but then I was satisfied with my answers anyway.)

By: Ron Williams

Ron Williams — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:29:38 +0000

Tough but very enjoyable.
Gallic Wisdom had me looking for a “Norman” theme for a while!

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:04:39 +0000

Thanks, Hihoba, and Kruger. I entirely agree with you that this was a very hard puzzle indeed. Also that the clueing was top drawer and scrupulously fair. The breakthrough was seeing MECHANIC fit in the ‘motors’ one. The French phrase is in the foreign phrases section at the back of Chambers. I then was able to work out some of the ‘métiers’ from the answers I had but will have to admit I finished the puzzle using the phrase given in the preamble and did not actually solve every single clue so thanks for your explanations of those.

By: John Lowe

John Lowe — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:01:18 +0000

Thanks for this.

I finished the grid and submitted it without ever managing to solve the clue for 1 across – the list of unchecked letters made JARVEY the necessary answer to be inserted.

It was difficult, but satisfying to finish (or at least to fill in all the squares).