Comments on: Independent 8078 / Tyrus

By: Tyrus

Tyrus — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 19:57:58 +0000

Many thanks to Bertandjoyce for the excellent blog and to others for their comments.

Don’t know that much about the programme myself beyond the catchphrase. I assume it’s tongue-in-cheek but, then again, a lot of cookery shows do seem fairly pretentious.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:57:41 +0000

As I said, I too loved the Teacher's clue, not least because it reminded me of the hilarious [but weren't they all?] episode of 'Yes Minister' ['The Moral Dimension'] where they went off to Qumran, an oil sheikdom where alcohol was banned, so they set uo a "security communications room", to which they were severally summoned, at intervals, to receive messages from Mr Haig ['the one with the dimples'], Mr John[nie] Walker [from the Scotch Office], Mr Smirnoff, from the Soviet Embassy, the VAT man 're your 69 returns' and 'a delegation of Teachers'. Sir Humphrey concluded: 'I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the minister has had almost as many urgent messages as he can take.'

By: Tramp

Tramp — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:12:06 +0000

I loved this. I didn’t find it any harder than your typical Tyrus puzzle and I know next to nothing about the theme. I’d echo nmsindy’s comments in that long anagrams, when they are well done, are fun; but like Cream Eggs, I wouldn’t want one every day. I would say that 7,17a,16a is superb and is Bunthornesque in the way the surface paints a scene that goes with the solution. Admittedly, I know nothing about cooking but from the few snippets I’ve seen of the show I reckon Greg Wallace talks rubbish — this added to the clue for me. Too many good clues to mention but I did love 24d and its use of “Teacher’s”.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:18:36 +0000

My knowledge of this TV programme, though I’d vaguely heard of it, is pretty much nil. Nonetheless I did manage to solve the puzzle from the clues, while having to verify the long quote existed. I’d agree I’d not like to tackle 30-odd letter anagrams every day, but, their occasional inclusion, like here, can add to the variety of puzzles on offer. In practice I find I usually begin to see the answer to the long anagrams more with the help of crossing letters than from the anagram “fodder” which would then confirm it.

Yes, it was a hard puzzle, but again I think this gives variety in the puzzle series with Tyrus being up there among the harder Indy setters. Many thanks, Tyrus, and B&J for an excellent blog.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:21:18 +0000

Thanks David@8 – blog corrected. Well spotted!

By: David Carslake

David Carslake — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:03:17 +0000

The explanation for 2D doesn’t explain the first T. I interpreted it as “in one Olympic venue” being AT LA, and ANT ‘stops’ (plugs) it.

By: rowland

rowland — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:25:48 +0000

Agree with you K’s D. Another slog to add to The Guardian’s one today, and I’d never heard of the long anagram (which I cheated on). Currently trying the FT to see if any different.

Rowly.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:15:36 +0000

Yes, Allan, I too was one trying to shoehorn MA into the Salem clue.

By: allan_c

allan_c — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:06:24 +0000

Didn’t quite finish this; not having ever watched 28 (or similar programmes) I couldn’t get 25, and only worked out 8/14/5 from crossing letters. I thought about CACK for 7a right at the start but left it as I only knew the word in the expression ‘cack-handed’ meaning clumsy, awkward or, more specifically, left-handed.
Nice misdirection in 6, too, suggesting Massachusets rather than Oregon as the Salem in question

By: Eileen

Eileen — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:38:40 +0000

Thanks for the blog, B and J.

I’m with you re the programme: that irritating claim in the introduction to every show is enough to make anyone stop watching.

I didn’t realise that the presenter’s name had a double G at the end, so didn’t fully understand the clue for 25ac, and I couldn’t see the wordplay in 12ac, so particular thanks for those.

The Tiger Woods joke has been around for a while but, as you say, it was beautifully clued here. I also particularly liked the smooth surfaces in 15ac and 24dn and the reference to the Salem witches in 6dn.

[I was feeling grumpy over the inexplicable error in the Guardian puzzle, so special thanks to Tyrus for an enjoyable puzzle, which put a smile back on my face. ]