Comments on: Independent 7871 by Phi

By: Phi

Phi — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:20:16 +0000

I don’t generally approve of double unches myself, but I found this filled grid when searching through some old files. None of the doubles occurred at the beginning/end of words (which is very unhelpful, particularly the former – I suspect I wouldn’t have even deigned to fill such a grid), and the vocab seemed fine, so I went ahead and clued it, as it seemed a pity to waste it! There’s something appealing about this four-way pattern with its mix of black squares in odd and even rows and columns.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:58:19 +0000

We didn’t start this until late and when we saw it was Phi, we thought we may have to finish it this morning! Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Can’t decide whether the extra glasses of wine helped the solve or if it was an easier Phi.

Favourite clue and last one in was 2d!

Thanks flashling and Phi.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:59:18 +0000

Wot, no Epiphany theme this year? (Still my favourite Indy puzzle ever.)

Very clearly clued, leading to a pretty quick finish for me this morning. NOOKIE my favourite too.

I never even noticed the double unches. Thanks to flashling for blogging.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:01:35 +0000

Pleasing puzzle, not too hard, thanks Phi and flashling. BTW, I’d see no problem in principle with “double unches” – I think all that matters is the total number of unches in the answer.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:56:20 +0000

Oops, typing fingers in a twist: “‘university’ and be ‘uni’” should read “‘university’ can be ‘uni’”

By: NealH

NealH — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:54:27 +0000

A fairly gentle first Phi of the year. I thought 2 down was very clever and amusing.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:53:48 +0000

Flashling, I think you’re right about the absence of nina or theme – just a pleasant straightforward Friday offering from Phi.

Thanks for the explanation of 15a – I’d temporarily forgotten ‘university’ and be ‘uni’ as well as ‘u’ and couldn’t work out where the N and I came from.

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:53:46 +0000

Thanks Phi for a pleasant puzzle and flashling for the blog. I cannot see a Nina or theme either.

Our tolerance for “double unches” (pairs of consecutive unchecked letters) seems to have been tested by a few recent puzzles in this paper – we are up to twelve in this grid. To my mind, they are undesirable, but nowhere near as bad as lights with less than 50% cross-checking, of which there are none in this puzzle.