Comments on: Independent 7,961 / Phi

By: Graham Pellen

Graham Pellen — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:54:56 +0000

1D is abandoning the “an” in TALISM[an], not just the “a”.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:19:08 +0000

I’m a little late to the party, but on recycling day I note that there is a small Nina here after all. The word MIDDLE is in the unchecked squares across, appropriately the middle of the grid.

Perhaps a knowing reference to 6ac?

By: Phi

Phi — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:30:56 +0000

Yes, clues like GASH won't come along too often, but the chance to drop the definition into the middle of the clue was too much to resist. The other key issue is whether to give you 'gale' and 'hale' en clair or to define one (as I did here - defining both is certainly a step too far). I have a vague feeling I might have had GASH in another puzzle recently and so was on the lookout for a different treatment.

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:51:04 +0000

I, too, was fooled by the top left corner. Filled it in quickly and then had to do something else. When I returned, nothing else was easy. GASH I couldn’t see, and also, oddly, EDGEHILL, which is hardly obscure.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:12:58 +0000

Phew! Started this rather late and we were hoping for an early night but no such luck. Thanks for the parsing of 6a – definitely a step too far, especially at this time of night.
We felt that a number of clues were just a bit too convoluted but in the end a reasonable challenge. We were also spooked by the coincidence of 7d as referred to by K’sD.
Thanks RR and Phi.

By: RatkojaRiku

RatkojaRiku — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:29:18 +0000

Thanks to Thomas99 et al for the explanation of 6 – I would never have got there on my own! The blog will be amended accordingly.

Thanks to nmsindy for the point on “ll” in 7

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:08:25 +0000

Thanks for the blog, RR, and Phi for the puzzle. Yes, it took me quite a while to see GASH – a very tricky clue type which, as others have mentioned, Azed uses once in a while, though I’ve seen it in daily cryptics too. Thanks for explaining DARLING – I got it from the v friendly wordplay but did not get beyond that. In 7D, I don’t think you need the X2; ll (ie two lower case Ls) is an abbrev for lines (of verse).

By: MikeC

MikeC — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:48:47 +0000

Thanks RR and Phi, also Thomas. I’m with K’s D re GASH – a bit of a stinker (which of course eluded me!).

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:03:11 +0000

Appreciate you explaining GASH, Thomas. That is possibly a clue for Phi to leave to one of his more difficult offerings elsewhere, I fancy.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:53:13 +0000

I too found the SE the hardest to crack: PEEP-TOE is a new one for me, and I took ages to see TABBY. TARN was well-clued for a short word.

The difficulty level made me look for a theme or nina, but I can’t see anything. But for those that have done the puzzle in Another Place today, there is a scary coincidence.

Thanks to setter and blogger.