Comments on: Independent / 8030 Scorpion

By: redddevil

redddevil — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:45:25 +0000

Got 11a straight away but it got me nowhere

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:01:56 +0000

Got the theme very quickly, so much so I was convinced I was wrong. It was only then getting 24ac that assured me I was right the first time.

But then I found it a bit of a struggle and 2dn and 22dn both eluded me. I’d never heard of a “grey hawk” and couldn’t find it in Chambers. There does seem to be a bird called a “grayback” but I couldn’t fit that in with the rest of the clue.

Did like 9dn.

By: NealH

NealH — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:21:35 +0000

I got a bit held up when I convinced myself that 21 down might be emerge, even though it didn’t make much sense as a definition. That’s the problem with state abbreviations – it’s basically any two letters and ME for Maine seemed every bit as good as NY. Other than that, I enjoyed this one and didn’t have a lot of quibbles, except that I’d never heard of bull’s eye as a type of window and didn’t easily find it in any dictionaries. I got 7 across immediately, which helped, but it was still tricky to think of all the different short words for horse that could possibly be used in the answers.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:39:58 +0000

Well, at least it’s not an adjectival phrase defining a noun, like wot you get in some other dailies. Occasionally.

Good puzzle I think, with a tricky thematic device handled very well.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:50:21 +0000

Having never touched the stuff in or out of hospital, we take your point dialrib@1 about ‘can be addictive’ and stand corrected – apologies to Scorpion!

Thanks to crypticsue and K’s D for their congratulations – we hardly ever celebrate – mostly forgetting when it is – but last year’s was fairly memorable in more ways than one! We don’t think we will be tempting providence this year by booking another expensive celebratory event!

K’sD – we would normally take your point about including setter’s names but we felt that the definition was so obvious on this occasion that it was OK.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:26:39 +0000

Thanks for a fine blog.

I prefer this kind of theme, where you’re not just looking for ‘five of x’ or ‘six of y’. The gateway clue was straightforward, which I appreciated, and thereafter it was good fun to think a bit laterally about the ‘horse’ meanings.

I liked SCHWA – it’s that funny unstressed sound at the end of words like ‘father’ (unless you’re rhotic, and let’s not go there …) And LEGEND was good too.

I have mentioned it before, so at the risk of boring people, I think it’s unfair to include other setters’ names in clues. Everyone who blogs here knows that PHI gives us the Friday puzzle, but I’m guessing that for most of the Indy solving population, the setter’s name means nothing (sorry, boys and girls).

Happy Anniversary, both, and to continue the theme, don’t get too frisky tonight …

Thanks to Scorpion.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:48:18 +0000

Happy Anniversary B&J. I found this one quite tough going in places but got there in the end. Thanks to you and Scorpion too.

By: dialrib

dialrib — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:13:56 +0000

Thanks Bertandjoyce, and Scorpion.

‘Can be addictive’ seems fine to me. While it can be highly addictive it is frequently administered in hospitals without leading to addiction (I have had it several times and not felt any cravings).

I had more of a problem with ‘see’ as a noun (26a) and yen as a verb (or pine as a noun) (15d) – their obscurity seeming almost unfair. But I love learning new words and meanings and enjoyed the crossword a lot.