Comments on: Independent on Sunday 1158/Poins

By: Wanderer

Wanderer — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:02:18 +0000

Thanks for clearing up a = about. A new one on me.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:22:20 +0000

In Chambers full-on, a = about, but you do wonder about the extent to which just about anything can be used if nothing else fits. And Poins was quite Frenchified today. They’re socialists over there now, you know.

On so-called ‘multi-part’ clues, I can’t see why Pierre has a problem. Charades are the mainstay of many a puzzle, it seems to me, and potentially far more entertaining than a bunch of anagrams and dds. Although there were indeed some dds today.

Oh I dunno. I can’t make any sense at all, can I? Time for bed, and lots of it. I hope you all had a jolly good weekend.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:53:53 +0000

I think 7 is A (about) + GAIN (to reach) = AGAIN (further)

Merci Pierre pour le blog!!

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:44:27 +0000

Wanderer, I think it’s spiritual as in seeing the light.

I thought I understood how 7 worked, but now I’m not sure.

By: Wanderer

Wanderer — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:37:23 +0000

Thank you for the elucidations, Pierre. Like you I found this harder than usual for a Sunday, and I was also unable to parse FOUNDLING (thanks Dormouse).

At 30, I resisted putting in FLIGHT for ages because I couldn’t (and can’t) see the significance of ‘spiritual’ in the clue. And I fear I still don’t really understand how 7, AGAIN, works. At 29, I thought the line may have been our old friend EL, the elevated railway, and tried to invent a President McKinnel… couldn’t justify the second N, of course.

Ticks for 13, DILETTANTE and 23, ESPADRILLE.

Many thanks to Poins.

By: Pierre

Pierre — Sun, 06 May 2012 07:31:44 +0000

Thanks, both. Should have seen NOW AND THEN, but I’d still have been looking at FOUNDLING this time next week without Dormouse’s elucidation.

By: flashling

flashling — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:53:59 +0000

Good spots Dormouse, TY. Cheers Pierre, I doubt any blogger even gaufrid has a perfect record.

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:41:39 +0000

17d – “Moneypenny dumped”, I think means (P)OUND inside FLING for launch.

A simpler explanation of 13ac is (TALENT)* + T inside DIE, homophone for DYE.

By: flashling

flashling — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:36:24 +0000

Hi Pierre, re 14 referring to = ON rev = NO + (WHEN +T(unisia))* around AND (with) – not fully got the other yet.