Comments on: Independent 8,014 / Nestor

By: Discounts

Discounts — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:14:58 +0000

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By: Lenny

Lenny — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 20:07:19 +0000

I finished this without aids but I needed RR’s parsing to explain Teddy, Kensington Gore and Teletubby. The Po clue tends to confirm my impression that setting is a lonely profession and that long days of setting fiendish clues are often made bearable by watching short blasts of children’s television.

Super stuff Nestor, and well blogged RR.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:30:13 +0000

A tricky one but pleased to finish it without resorting to too much electronic assistance in confirming entries.

Thanks to RR for your parsing of 3d – we loved the definition but couldn’t get the word play.

Thams to Nestor for the puzzle.

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:54:43 +0000

A struggle, but I did complete it with minimal help – e-searches for 16dn and 23dn. Helped that I knew of Cartier-Bresson and Day-Lewis, indeed the latter was the first in – first name that came to mind when I saw “Poet Laureate” in the clue. Didn’t help that I thought it was spelled “tellytubby” and nearly gave up on that being the answer, and even when I’d found the correct spelling, I couldn’t parse it, along with quite a few others.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:32:08 +0000

This was an absolutely brilliant puzzle and I was v pleased to get to the end of it without having to consult anything and it took quite a while but I enjoyed all the time spent at it. This setter is very innovative and original. There were quite a few meanings I did not know eg HALF-PINT, SCADS, but the bulletproof wordplay got me there. Nor did I know the names of the TELETUBBIES so that was my last answer. So many good clues, hard to pick the best out, but, if I’d to choose four, they would be HALF-PINT, CHIN, INTERMENT, and FERTILITY DRUGS (esp for the definition).

Thanks, Nestor, and RR for the incredibly detailed and precise blog which I needed in a couple of cases to get full understanding.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:01:15 +0000

Many thanks, RatkojaRiku. I’ll say I finished this, but I won’t say I solved it, because the check button and online stuff were to the fore. Pretty much above my level, I’m afraid.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:23:42 +0000

Very nice, although I did have to go and get a couple of letters online in order to finish it off. A right proper brain-stretcher if ever there was one. Thanks to Nestor and well done to RR for sorting it all out.

By: Allan_C

Allan_C — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:14:05 +0000

A nice one from Nestor, though I got several answers without being able to parse them fully, so thanks, RR, for the helpful blog.

A further twist to 18d is that Andrew Motion is no longer active as Poet Laureate since the appointment is no longer for life – though of course he’s still with us.

Quite a few candidates for COD, but I think it has to be HALF-PINT if only because I saw it straight away.

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:44:11 +0000

Took the day off to watch Ascot and gave this my best shot for 45 mins -by which time I had solved 8d & 9d.

Gave up and got the online solution. Even then couldn’t parse well over half of them.

I felt a bit like a horse that has been running in sellers trying to compete in the Gold Cup.

Well blogged sir!

By: Conrad Cork

Conrad Cork — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:43:49 +0000

Fantastic stuff. Thanks for the exemplary blog RatkojaRiku .