Comments on: Independent 8080 / Monk

By: Monk

Monk — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 11:45:25 +0000

Just back from 2 weeks electronically-disconnected holiday, so belated thanks to all bloggers for positive comments and especially to Duncan for a breathtakingly meticulous blog and accurate clue analysis. As an amateur woodworker, I learnt 1ac RABBET as a pre-teenager: is woodwork still taught at school?!

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:03:11 +0000

Been too busy playing the tourist the last few days to look at the crossword, but I’m now relaxing before the flight home tomorrow. Not that this was relaxing. I found it quite hard and, of course, didn’t spot the nina. Alas, I required the “check” button to tell me whether it was “sprang” or “sprung” at 12ac.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:12:22 +0000

We struggled with this one and despite looking (we always do with Monk) all we could see was Mercury. Some tricky clues but as ever, when the penny dropped they were all fair.

Thanks Duncan for the blog and Monk for the entertainment.

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:50:22 +0000

Mot?? arrgh!

By: flashling

flashling — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:49:50 +0000

Not come across rabbet before and didn’t get it mot sure I would without cheating, pity, thanks Monk and Duncan. Was caught in two minds with sprang/sprung but luckily guessed correctly.

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:39:08 +0000

Yes, this was a fine puzzle in the Monk style which I did not find exceptionally difficult. I did not see the Nina until I had completed the puzzle. Favourite clues SPRANG, BLESS YOU, GUERNSEYS. Many thanks, Monk, and Duncan for another excellent blog.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:44:12 +0000

Well I suppose it depends on what you think the “right level of difficulty” is… The last couple were very hard for me. It was only by spotting the Nina that I was able finally to imagine there might be a word “rabbet” for 1a, and correct my sprung to sprang at 12a. If he’d used Rabbit instead this would have been fairly easy by Monk’s high standards, but as it was… Nevertheless, another admirable puzzle from a master. Thanks for the beautifully presented blog.

By: rowland

rowland — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:39:15 +0000

There’s a regularity about the ‘obscuring’ for sure, 1212121 where all the twos are missed. Clever stuff that I found hard throughout, but hung in there. Loved old Freddie to bits as well, so a nice remonder.

Thanks Dunc and Monkan!

By: aztobesed

aztobesed — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 11:27:44 +0000

Thank you Duncan and Monk.

I got the ‘heads up’ on the Guardian site from malc95 that there was a nina and finally spotted it in the middle of the grid. I then wasted a good deal of wiki-time trying to figure out why the Mercury space programme was being celebrated. Chuck Yeager (7d) and Tomahawk missiles came into my fantasy. (You, sir, are no William Occam…)

I got in a tangle with haar. I don’t really understand the clue’s instruction but I’ll keep working at it.

By: malc95

malc95 — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 09:30:41 +0000

Thanks Monk for a real toughie, & Duncan for making it all clear.

25a – I think Hewas Water is in Cornwall – it’s Haweswater in the Lakes.