http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070107023252AAQ6eQQ

To make a better comparison than the Macbeth/Dickens one above, this would be exactly like calling Macbeth a novel in a clue.

Having to think while writing in an answer “well I guess the setter and editor have no idea what this word means” is a bit frustrating in a WORD puzzle.

Otherwise, I agree this was a moderately easy puzzle, although I usually do pretty well with Paul’s offerings. Loved CENTIGRAM, and AFRAID NOT reminded me of an old joke I don’t remember, but it involves something about a piece of string walking into a bar.

Thanks as always for the blog, Peter, and of course for the generally enjoyable puzzle, Paul!

But just because many people wouldn’t have spotted the error doesn’t mean it’s any less of an error. Biololgically speaking, it would have been less of an error to have clued, say, ‘tigrish’ as ‘like a fish’ as tigers and fish are at least in the same phyla as each other and thus more closely related than clams are to crustaceans.

As Wolfie says, it’s proper Two Cultures syndrome, this one. An error of this magnitude relating to an arty subject would have been absolutely howled down, but when it’s a science error, those who have been irritated by it are pedants or bores.

I didn’t notice how easy it was (although I was expecting Paul to tax me more)

I wasn’t appalled by the terrible confusion of mollusc and crustacean. (actually didn’t notice!)

I didn’t count the clues or lights.

Am I a bad person?

Several laugh out loud moments though.

Thanks Paul and PeterO

I am surprised that a setter of Paul’s status should have used a scientific term without ensuring that he knew what it meant and equally surprised that the crossword editor did not intervene to spare the setter’s blushes. If an equivalent error had been made in, say, the authorship of a novel it would have been greeted with howls of protest and derision. But, as I have commented before on this site, the ‘Two Cultures’ still prevail in the intellectual life of this country.

Apart from this, I enjoyed the crossword! Thanks Peter O for the blog.

I initially tried to make a ‘prawny/brawny’ homophone work for 15ac before getting ‘clammy’ and realising that ‘crustacean’ must actually be referring to a totally different type of animal!