Comments on: Independent 7981 by Quixote

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:43:06 +0000

Thanks Quixote for an enjoyable puzzle and nms for the blog.

Neal@7 re 22ac: You are right that Reader would be more appropriate as indicating a senior academic title, but in my experience the form used is invariably Reader “in” something, not “of”. Of course, READER IN MUSIC would fit but for the checked letters.

Pelham Barton, Reader in Mathematical Modelling, Health Economics Unit, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham

By: NealH

NealH — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:50:10 +0000

The solving wasn’t helped by writing “Reader of Music” for 22. I would contend this makes sense than “Doctor of Music” – it’s perfectly possible to be a doctor of music without working in an academic institution, just as you could be a doctor of philosophy and work in a bank.

By: Jean

Jean — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:19:47 +0000

Fun – a little too easy perhaps. Hardest clue answer for me was ‘celeste’.

By: Quixote

Quixote — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:18:30 +0000

Thanks everyone. I do like it when solvers tell me they work out the answer from the subsidiary definiton — seeing the SI and the definition coming together plausibly has always been the greatest joy as a solver and a setter. By te way, I very rarely listen to music when I set — for me it’s too much of a distraction.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:38:02 +0000

Thanks, nms.

Yes, this one fell out nicely once I’d made a start. I was pleased to get RHENISH from the wordplay, although I vaguely recognised it afterwards. And HYMENOPTEROUS was a good anagram. I guessed the OPTER bit from other related words like LEPIDOPTERA, then the crossing letters and the rest of the anagram fodder got me there. I thought BREATHE was a clever clue.

I know, Dormouse, with LA BOHEME – you wait ages, then two come along at once …

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:19:15 +0000

Got through this very quickly. 3dn I knew the term “hymenoptera” and I realised from crossing letters it was something to do with that. Then a matter of working out the anagram to see what part of speech it was.

Not only did we have “La Boheme” on Friday, just as I entered it in the grid my e-mail pinged with an advert for a new production of that opera.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:11:50 +0000

Tks, Paul A, blog corrected.

By: Paul A

Paul A — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:37:42 +0000

21d a typo – should be SMYRNA