Comments on: Independent on Sunday 1139/Raich

By: Raich

Raich — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:44:31 +0000

Many thanks, Pierre, for the blog and to all for their comments. Keep sticking with it, Bamberger – speaking for myself it was quite a long time from when I started solving puzzles before I actually completed a full one. I think practice is the key. BTW, in RENNES the res comes from residence with housing the containment indicator. Interesting about RAISE CAIN – it’s pretty well-known and in all the main dicts, but its derivation is not really explained in them.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:10:27 +0000

For a possible explanation of the phrase “raise Cain” see http://www.word-detective.com/2008/12/18/raising-cain/

By: Cumbrian

Cumbrian — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:59:17 +0000

Thanks for the blog and the puzzle. I never knew that “tile” was slang for hat, although there weren’t many options other than SHATTER for 21d. A bit of research led me to the (once) famous song “Where did you get that hat?” where “tile” appears in the chorus:

“Where did you get that hat? Where did you get that tile?
Isn’t it a nobby one, and just the proper style?
I should like to have one Just the same as that!”
Where’er I go, they shout “Hello! Where did you get that hat?”
(To be followed with a rousing cry of “Oi!!”)

I got held up on 16a RENNES, which seemed to be a notch further up the difficulty scale than the rest of the clues. Probably just me being slow, though.

By: Pierre

Pierre — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:34:32 +0000

Morning Bamberger

But you finished most of it, and I guess when everyone starts out with cryptics there are puzzles where you can’t quite get the last few. For me, it was in part a process of getting familiar with words that weren’t in my active vocabulary (like CREE, RES and TILE, for example) but that crop up regularly because they’re useful letter combinations for setters.

Anyway, thanks for commenting and bon courage!

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:58:19 +0000

Failed on
1a Simply too hard for me
16a Never having heard of rennes doesn’t help but res = housing I would never have got.
2d Again just hard for me
3d I must remember cree-didn’t know it
21d You could have given me the answer a week ago and I wouldn’t have been able to explain it.Tile =hat -well I never.

Generally my standard (ie not experienced) but with those twists that prevent full completion.
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By: flashling

flashling — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:05:26 +0000

Found this very easy less than 10 mins, not a complaint Niall I just seem to get your clues quickly. Thanks for the fine blog Pierre.