Comments on: Independent 7941 / Crosophile

By: JollySwagman

JollySwagman — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:55:01 +0000

@AC #14 – yes thanks – Actually I think Rx is the usual abbreviation, because they used to but a cross through the tail of the R – but I’m still not wild – because it’s two jumps to get there without indicating that Latin is required – in a world of “In paris …” etc.

But it seems to have become accepted convention.

By: pennes

pennes — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:29:03 +0000

Only grumble was that I had stablegirl rather than stablelass and don’t see where the clue directs to one or the other. i didn’t quite finish this, but I wish I’d got nimby which was a great clue even if it turns out to be not wholly correct

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:54:35 +0000

Thanks to Crosophile for a pleasant workout and to Duncan for a comprehensive blog.

JS@1: R as abbreviation for latin ‘recipe’ (= take, as Duncan explains) used to be printed on prescription forms. It was originally the start of instructions to the pharmacist – in the days when they actually made up medicines instead of being pill counters – as to what to put into “the linctus” or “the mixture” as medicine bottles used to be enigmatically labelled.

By: Crosophile

Crosophile — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:49:11 +0000

Sorry, Polly. I used to be a maths teacher but I’ve now retired!
I’ll direct Geoff to your kind comment @10.

By: Polly

Polly — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:33:54 +0000

No wonder I couldn’t find it. I got SKALLY SKAREKROW but the letter count is 6,9 not 5,9!

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:31:53 +0000

Thanks, Crosophile, and Duncan – some excellent clues here in a puzzle that was not too difficult overall eg STABLELASS. And I never knew until today, Duncan, that someone could have a filial relation with a daughter, but dicts confirm that indeed you can.

By: Polly

Polly — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:30:05 +0000

Well I never: a reference to a superb composer who for years brightened up the Manchester University music department and countless family gatherings. Although I knew Crosophile’s real name, Poole is common enough for the connection to have eluded me.

Sorry folks – this isn’t the place for personal messages, but I felt CP should know that he’d struck a chord with one reader at least. (I’m still looking for the hidden character, though…)

By: duncanshiell

duncanshiell — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:17:03 +0000

I’ve just pulled into a campsite at Hawes in North Yorkshire and have been amazed to get a mobile broadband signal and read the comments on the blog. Thanks. There’s definitely plenty of SPRING SUNSHINE here.

Crosophile @ 6 – Thanks for the info – I now detect SKALLY SKAREKROW (a variant on the title of your brother’s John & Peter’s Whistling Book: English Music for the Recorder and Piano) running diagonally up and left from the the second last S of STABLELASS up to the top row and then west using the first 4 letters of 1 Across. Definitely a hidden phrase for the family!

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:16:13 +0000

Many thanks Crosophile. I enjoyed the puzzle anyway but the secret theme adds to the fun. I finally found him (it?) – well hidden!

By: Crosophile

Crosophile — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:54:35 +0000

Marvellous short story, Duncan, which raised a few smiles. And you weren’t far off in detecting a hidden theme.
If you google spring breezes sunshine hailstones clouds, you might well come up with a character (5,9) lurking in the grid – especially if you include my brother ‘Geoffrey Poole’ in the search…

Sorry about the nimBUY; I’ve been mispronouncing it all my life, though probably not on a daily basis!