Comments on: Independent 7855 by Anax

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:58:34 +0000

Thanks Anax. We really thought it may be an all-nighter after last time! All enjoyable but we now have to go hunting on the internet to find out what DC was ranting on about as we didn’t understand your comments above!
Still, we’ll leave that until tomorrow and get an earlier night than we expected!
Thanks as well to nmsindy. Happy Christmas to you and Anax.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:22:14 +0000

Yes, mhl at #15,the maths meanings for AFFINE are the main ones as I discovered when drafting the blog. But the other meaning (which was used in the puzzle) is very much there too.

Unfortunately I did not get to meet everyone at Derby – there were simply so many there. Next time, let’s hope.

By: mhl

mhl — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:14:41 +0000

Thanks for the post, nmsindy, and sorry that I didn’t manage to say hello in Derby. Thanks to Anax for a most enjoyable puzzle.

I was very happy to finish this one under “exam conditions”, with a few guesses which turned out to be right. It’s always slightly disappointing to subsequently go to fifteensquared and find that everyone apparently found it on the easy side ;) I do hope that Anax isn’t discouraged by that from producing more puzzles of this difficulty and quality!

I was interested to hear that AFFINE means “related by marriage”, since I come across the word a lot in its mathematical sense and never knew it had another meaning. (In geometry, an affine transformation is one that preserves all straight lines.)

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:18:01 +0000

Thanks for the blog, nms.

As for most others, my quickest Anax solve ever [I had to look up DIOPTRIC, too]: as K’s D says, it should give those new to his puzzles encouragement to carry on.

As enjoyable as ever, though; I especially liked the excellent anagrams at 15ac and 1/12dn.

Hi Jan

I think you’ll find the Sunday Times one equally agreeable. It was a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon by the fire. [I don't go in for Azeds. ]

Many thanks for both of them, Anax!

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:01:47 +0000

I’ve finished an Anax crossword – on my own – using the dictionary only once (DIOPTRIC) !!! Thank you Anax.

Thanks for the blog nms, I needed confirmation of SKYFALL.

If anyone can get a copy now, the Christmas crossword in yesterday’s Sunday Times is an Anax compilation under his real name. I haven’t looked at it yet having spent most of the day trying to interpret the instructions for the AZED!

By: Quixote

Quixote — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:53:25 +0000

Ah — the gentler side of my colleague!

By: eimi

eimi — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:37:35 +0000

You could try the Beelzebub PDF Simon has posted.

Flashling @9 – as if! Not until after Christmas anyway.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:05:08 +0000

Very straightforward from Anax, though I got into the theme rather indirectly after realising that 25a had to be ‘forever’ thus giving me 9 as well. And after a nice easy Rufus in another newspaper, what am I going to do with the rest of the day? (I’m saving Mass in the i for later.)

By: flashling

flashling — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:11:55 +0000

Aye K’sD I saw Anax and feared a bruising but felt slightly disappointed, no doubt we’ve got nimrod bannsider and tyrus to come.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:41:34 +0000

Having chewed on previous puzzles from Anax that have given me severe indigestion and have meant leaving half the food on the plate unfinished, flashling, I personally was delighted today to have something puréed but tasty this morning!