Comments on: Azed 2089

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:34:14 +0000

I only got round to this one today. A nice idea, so thanks Azed and John.

1dn: This is either CCL in [(mates)* rock] or (mates)* + CCL in rock: I prefer the latter but there is not much to choose between them.

By: John

John — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 22:18:09 +0000

Yes of course it’s CATHOLI(CC)OS. I knew all along that Azed would prove to be correct. But it does seem that a mistake has been found, one that escaped me but shouldn’t have: Omaha is indeed not a state.

As G.L. Heard points out in his Mephisto blog on Times for the Times, everyone involved with the Mephisto either as a setter or as a blogger is mentioned in the slip this month. So look out for ROCKET as a Mephisto answer some time soon. In my opinion Don Manley’s ‘Carpet here is beginning to look grotty? You could get cork tiles’ (comp. anag. less l) is as good as any of the quoted clues.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 13:55:20 +0000

Azed’s not the first to have made that error (slopes off in shame).

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 13:00:57 +0000

I too was surprised I didn’t think about ‘Omaha’ not being a state… as when I solved the clue, no second thought at all.

8dn took some time to parse correctly, as ‘leats’ and ‘leets’ are the same.

Nick

By: sidey

sidey — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 12:04:19 +0000

There was a bit of a run on those Medieval numerals a few years ago. I think most setters avoid them, thankfully.

By: claire

claire — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 10:08:04 +0000

Norman – re E and K – both are given in Chambers as the notation for 250 in Medieval Roman numerals – I never knew that before. Aren’t dictionaries wonderful?

By: Norman Hall

Norman Hall — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:56:55 +0000

Why does Matthew say “now I know that 250 can mean E or K”?

By: Norman Hall

Norman Hall — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:50:03 +0000

I missed Claire’s point about Omaha.

Omaha is no more a State in America than Navan is a county in Ireland (ref. Azed 2082 26dn)

Omaha in Nebraska.

Well spotted.

By: Norman Hall

Norman Hall — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:32:12 +0000

I also had 12d as catholiCCos.
The first of the consecutive Cs is from Catholic, the second from *(casco)

By: claire

claire — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 09:24:08 +0000

Really enjoyed this, but can anyone explain 29a? I solved it fairly easily, but then had doubts because ‘Omaha’ is not an American State. Have I missed something?