Comments on: Independent on Sunday 1153: Poins. Heart to heart

By: jetdoc

jetdoc — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 06:44:22 +0000

Pennes, you are right that 5d should really have been ‘not as much’. I got the answer first and worked back to the wordplay, so failed to spot this.

By: flashling

flashling — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:48:07 +0000

Having been to Scotland quite recently and have several friends from Edinburgh, the name Tynecastle was hardly obscure to me, still it’s a horses for courses thing I guess. Was a little surprised to see heart appear twice crossing each other, a tad unusual here.

By: pennes

pennes — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:42:21 +0000

Re 5 dn. There are those who would point out that “not as many” is fewer , not less (which means not as much). I suppose I must be one of them, as I pursued this line at first.

By: Harvey Hawley

Harvey Hawley — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:29:43 +0000

I doubt that many people have The Boys’ Book of Scottish Football Grounds on their shelves, even if they managed to work out that 24s’ required a capital letter and had ever heard of the soccer team. I certainly haven’t.

By: jetdoc

jetdoc — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:24:08 +0000

I admit that I thought it a bit obscure at first. But the wordplay and checking letters make it guessable, and most people have heard of Hearts as a football club, so I didn’t find it unacceptable in a weekend puzzle (when people are more likely have access to reference).

By: Harvey Hawley

Harvey Hawley — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:33:08 +0000

TYNECASTLE wins the unnecessary obscurity for the first quarter of 2012 prize.