Comments on: Independent 7984 / Klingsor

By: Narbiebell

Narbiebell — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:39:23 +0000

Lovely puzzle, especially the lorry-driving theme to 27a. I’ve only ever understood ‘up the pole’ as pregnant. Perhaps that’s a regional thing. Chemistry let me down with ‘halite’ and biology with ‘eruct’ but ‘erupt’ sounded much more plausible. Thanks for the explanations.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:16:03 +0000

Oh dear – all is forgiven Klingsor! For the first time for ages we have not managed to complete the Indy cryptic and really needed 225 for help. Thanks Duncan we really needed your detailed blog tonight.
If only we had been more awake tonight – it is after 11pm – we might have noticed the nina which would have helped with our last two answers 18d and 18ac!!
Yes, 225 is definitely the nina!

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:48:56 +0000

As usual, I totally missed the Nina, which would have helped, as I thought about “squared” for 18d and couldn’t see why. Couldn’t get 18ac either. Never heard of a panel saw, either, and at first guessed it might be “bench saw” but then I got 17dn. No idea if there is such a thing, but it sounded plausible. Did like the complexity of 1ac and the surface of 3dn.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:18:46 +0000

This was an excellent puzzle, which I found about normal in terms of Indy difficulty – favourites SQUARED (my last answer), INSOMNIAC, FORGET. Thomas99 at#3, the Indy puzzles are available not just on the day – but can be accessed using Crossword Solver and the Indy link using the date of the puzzle – I think it’s been explained on this site a few times how to do that so a search might get it if you were not familiar with it – if that does not work I’d be happy to set it out. Thanks Klingsor and Duncan.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:16:44 +0000

Nice neat handwriting which always signifies a fairly straightforward solve – you can tell when I have struggled as Tippex can be very much in evidence. I did enjoy this one, particularly the splendid 1a. Thanks to setter and blogger

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:09:48 +0000

Dulce et decorum est, pro duo centum et viginti quinque mori …

Sorry, my medication kicks in soon, so I will leave you alone for the afternoon.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:52:40 +0000

UP THE POLE was frequently used in our household, referring in the main to the activities of yours truly. Maybe Simeon Stylites has something to do with it, but I really don’t know. 37 years is one hell of a long time, and I have wondered as to whether or not he would have been comparatively younger, on descending, due to relativistic effects.

As to the Nina, are GU people really that ruffled about 15^2′s decorum? If so I should have thought that to be something of a red rag to a bull! But then it can, of course, be something of a trial here if you want to talk about technique for example, or grammar, on a Guardian thread. No connection though, I’m almost sure.

By: Polly

Polly — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:45 +0000

Many thanks, KD: I missed that one, as the prize puzzle normally keeps me occupied on and off for several days. I really am trying to fit in Anax’s Tuesday ones round the weekday puzzle page; it’s a losing battle, and I live in perpetual hope that we’ll eventually see him once again on a Saturday. (Incidentally, it was the word wheel that recently introduced me to ‘gluon’.)

Make no mistake, I’m not ashamed to be something of an anorak. It was practically a job requirement in my working life…

By: Conrad Cork

Conrad Cork — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:52:51 +0000

Up the Pole was a 40′s radio comedy starring Jimmy Jewel and Ben Warriss, along with Claude Dampier. I suppose everyone here is too young to remember.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:09:06 +0000

Hi Polly, and thank you. No, it wasn’t that one, but the Anax puzzle you mention has a link to the one I was thinking about, which is here:

http://fifteensquared.net/2011/02/10/independent-7588-by-anax/

And don’t self-deprecate, by the way. Anorak is good (sometimes).