Comments on: Independent 7,995 / Crosophile

By: RatkojaRiku

RatkojaRiku — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:38:46 +0000

On the etc in 14, I assumed like hounddog that the idea of the “etc” was that the tortoise’s diet comprised more than merely lettuce.

I agree with Wil Ransome about the homophone indicator in 9 and “excused” it on grounds of topicality. I also wondered if I had actually incorrectly parsed the clue, but since no one has commented on this, I am assuming that my interpretation of it was the same as everyone else’s and, by extension, the one that the setter had in mind.

By: hounddog

hounddog — Thu, 31 May 2012 07:13:14 +0000

I didn’t think it was particularly tricky, I got all but three clues during 45 minutes or so before lunch at Lord’s with at least half my attention on the cricket. The final three fell into place when I had another look before tea.

Surely the ‘etc’ in 14ac reflects the fact that a tortoise that ate only lettuce would be an unhealthy tortoise and they need to eat other things as well.

I thought the ‘phone-hacking’ clue was excellently topical once the penny had dropped (it was the first of my final three and got me going again).

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:12:58 +0000

Well not many comments – is that because people are struggling with it? We thought it was harder than average but then wondered why because all of the clueing was fair and there were no odd words that needed a dictionary. Perhaps it was just one of those days but then we obviously weren’t alone.
Thanks RR and Crosophile for a good workout.

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Wed, 30 May 2012 22:10:53 +0000

‘On phone-hacking’ as a homophone indicator? Seems pretty far-out to me. Otherwise a good crossword, but I agree that ‘etc’ seems superfluous in 14ac.

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Wed, 30 May 2012 21:30:31 +0000

I guess this was a happy medium after the first two this week: Monday solving by about two o’clock, yesterday failing to finish, today got the last two clues (5 & 8) about half an hour ago, albeit with a little electronic help.

10ac, I guessed LEAR was going to be in there somewhere – it’s the only business jet I’ve heard of – and once I got enough checking letters I could see “clearance” would fit, and I could follow the wordplay, just couldn’t work out why it meant “vacation”.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:51:58 +0000

This was hard but I do enjoy my monthly tussle with Crosophile. I’m beginning to learn his little ways. The subtraction anagram in Insouciant, the substitution in Clearance, ence as essentially acquired dishonestly, the use of barred crossword terms such as Cess.

Part of the problem was that I solved this after a long sunny walk near Kenilworth Castle and fell asleep twice during the process (the solve, that is, not the walk). I also learned that the castle had been slighted. I look forward to meeting that term in some future solve.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:25:58 +0000

Harder than your average bear or Crosphile this morning but thank you to him and blogger too.

By: linxit

linxit — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:09:07 +0000

First Crosophile puzzle for me, as I’ve only just started solving the Indy this week (apart from very occasional one-offs)!

I found it fairly straightforward, although a couple went in without full understanding at the time (23, 28) and like the blogger CESSPOOL was my last one in, although I got CLEARANCE and FEARLESS without any trouble.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Wed, 30 May 2012 08:43:01 +0000

Well, perhaps I wasn’t being smarter than your average bear this morning, but this was harder than your average Crosophile, I’d say. I had a niggle with 14ac: not sure what the ‘etc’ adds to the clue for TORTOISE.

Otherwise all seemed fair, and I did like RANGE and FEARLESS. And any puzzle that reminds me of the excellent cover for Rum, Sodomy and the Lash by The Pogues and allows me to come out and say that Laa-Laa is my favourite Tellytubby gets my vote.