Comments on: Independent 8128 / Scorpion

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:40:53 +0000

It seems there has been something wrong today, Dormouse, and this may explain the low number of posts. When I tried to get in a few hours ago I couldn’t — the site was down in some way.

Extremely difficult I thought, although once one had the answer it was all clear enough. Gore Vidal escaped me — the only thing I could fit in was role model — I thought the motorbikes were Masseys or something like that, mass = service.

All right Dac perhaps should be widely known to the general public, but the fact is he isn’t and I also thought 21dn a bit unfair.

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:31:26 +0000

Well, I got just two clues all day.

However, when I tried to post a few minutes ago, the post failed, which maybe another reason there are so few posts today.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:17:42 +0000

We struggled with this over coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. We then went out for the evening and have only just finished it. Can’t quite see why we struggled although some of the definitions were rather vague – Gore Vidal for “man across pond” needed quite a few checking letters.

Where is everyone just lately? We think it’s time for a few more lurkers to expose themselves!

Thanks Duncan for all your efforts and Scorpion for the challenge.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:49:27 +0000

Not many comments. Maybe everyone’s still struggling. I finished this in two lengthy sessions, with a long pause for thought in-between. It was very satisfying to finish it but only in a masochistic sort of way. On the whole, I think I prefer Scorpion’s more cuddly friend Aardvark. I finished with the Enrique/Square-leg Umpire intersection. I found the abbreviations difficult. In these two answers we had EN, S, PI and R. I made things more difficult for myself by thinking of all sorts of French vegetables: Pomme, Pois, Navet… without thinking of the obvious.

Good challenge, Scorpion. Excellent blog Duncan.

By: allan_c

allan_c — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:23:27 +0000

Good challenging stuff that required a bit of wordfinder help and then the blog to understand the clue fully. But the only one I’d take exception to is 21d which requires a knowledge of setters’ pseudonyms; fine for the regulars but mystifying for any newbies – a topic which has arisen on this site before.

Some great clues elsewhere though, such as DRAG RACER and PSYCHO.

Thanks, Duncan, for another comprehensive blog.