Comments on: Enigmatic Variations No.1003 – Identity Crisis by 1ac or 44ac

By: Mister Sting

Mister Sting — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:33:19 +0000

Thanks to Ernie (you’re quite right), and sorry it took rather a long time to fix these in the blog proper.

By: Ernie

Ernie — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:00:09 +0000

Thanks for your blog, Mr Sting

I didn’t have 2D as a double definition.

Rather as hall (clear space) being a homophone of haul and archaic (it used to be said).

By: Mister Sting

Mister Sting — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:13:28 +0000

Thanks, commenters all. I am happy to have these cleared up.

Tony: Chambers has ‘I’ as a variant of ‘aye’. Admittedly, it’s not one you’re likely to find outside of Chambers.

By: Tony

Tony — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:18:53 +0000

Thanks, Mr S. I don’t see how “I” can mean “yes” in the third definition of Ifor. I know it sounds the same as “aye” but there’s no indicator of a pun in the clue, is there?

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:08:06 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Mister Sting.

For 14ac, I think you need A=ante=before.

For 39ac, according to Chambers ‘priest’ can mean ‘to ordain as priest’.

By: mc_rapper67

mc_rapper67 — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:03:35 +0000

Nice work, Mister Sting, and an enjoyable puzzle from Ifor. It took me a while, but was particularly satisfying when I finally found RAMSHACKLE and OVERRASH in the ‘wordsearch’.

I think in 39A ‘Priest’ is used as a verb: to ‘priest’ someone can be to ordain them?

In 14A, the A of ELIA is ‘before’ – from Chambers: ‘a’ can be ‘ante’, Latin for before?

By: Dave Hennings

Dave Hennings — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:01:31 +0000

A good blog, Mr S, and a fine offering from Ifor. He is a relatively new setter whose puzzles I have found inventive and enjoyable. I think I can clear up your doubts about two clues. In 14ac, the final A is the abbreviation for ante (L), before. 39ac, which took me some time to work out, isn't an &lit if you just take 'priest' as a verb.