Comments on: Independent 7900/Monk

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:17:42 +0000

Thanks NMS. So yay, I would push for the ellipsis, per #12 & #14.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:02:24 +0000

Re Paul B at #14, the puzzles can still be seen on Crossword Solver, once one knows what day to enter (09 Feb for this). The clue was “Apparatus for gripping inside snout?”

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:50:57 +0000

Indeed NMS, but a cigarette holder, while it may be widely used in the Barlinnie, can also be used for non-porridge snout. I can’t remember what the clue is now though, having bunged the crossword after solving!

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:29:00 +0000

I thought ‘inside’ might have referred to snout as prison slang for a cigarette.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:01:52 +0000

Yes, that’s what it looks like, but there’s a subtle ellipsis. Work along the lines of ‘inside IS the snout, and you’re there.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:37:31 +0000

We came to this late after preparing the blog for tomorrow. Typical toughie for a Thursday. 7d had us beat but got it from the definition so thanks to everyone. We really didn’t like 22a. The clue seemed over contrived, a cigarette holder is outside not inside the snout! However, it didn’t spoil a good puzzle from Monk.
Thanks John and Monk.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:18:03 +0000

Belatedly checking in, but great stuff – thanks John and Monk.

I found this very hard, but persisted (fortified by my local’s own home brew) and got there in the end, much to my satisfaction.

To my mind, a classic Thursday Indy.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:53:48 +0000

So should I.

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:35:06 +0000

@Monk I know you didn’t intend that and didn’t mean to imply you did, quite a few grids have been know to accidentally contain unintended entries like that, it’s just unfortunate. Bah, I should stop making light hearted comments.

By: Monk

Monk — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:18:07 +0000

Thanks to all for blog and comments. To Flashling @ 6: crude Ninas are simply not my style, so profuse apologies for any offence caused by the entirely accidental configuration. To clarify, my note to Eimi for this puzzle was "Pangram using unobscure vocabulary and only 22 lights (average word length of 9.18)", so John's (sorry about the cryp defs!) first para. is spot-on.