Comments on: Independent on Sunday 1,187 by Noz

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:59:08 +0000

Just looking in out of curiosity. There indeed appears to be no Z anywhere in this puzzle (except in the setter’s monicker). I could not find a J in the grid, but there is one in the clue to 20ac. However, we decided some time ago that pangrammatic clue sets are generally of little interest.

By: Simon Harris

Simon Harris — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:18:36 +0000

Aha, as in “No Z”…the theme of a recent Inquisitor puzzle if I’m not mistaken.

By: John H

John H — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:08:59 +0000

I could be wrong, but my guess is that Noz is a familiar setter who currently abides in New Zealand.

By: allan_c

allan_c — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:26:59 +0000

Well, it was google to the rescue for most of the 5s in 9,29, although I got CRISPARKLE from crossing letters and the anagram fodder, only needing to confirm it from google. Despite that I found it a pleasant solve with nothing too taxing. Thanks, Noz and Simon.

K’s D @ 2: Where answers are proper names Andy’s Anagram solver (http://www.ssynth.co.uk/~gay/anagram.html) and Andy’s word finder (http://www.ssynth.co.uk/~gay/wordfinder.html) both have a limited range of proper names. Generally real ones, of course, so not much use for characters in fiction.

By: jmac

jmac — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 17:20:56 +0000

Well I’m not too familiar with minor characters from Dickens’ work, but the fact is that Noz clued these in a very clear way and with the help of crossing letters and a little bit of guess work, everything fell into place. For me, this is the mark of a very good setter. Thank you Noz, and also Simon.

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:29:12 +0000

Well, I do like reading Dickens, but only a book every couple of years or so as they take so long, but I didn’t know any of these reverend gentlemen. Mind you, the only book mentioned here that I’ve read is Bleak House and I can’t remember Mr Chadband. Got these answers with websearches.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 12:16:42 +0000

For me too it was a bit of an investigoogle too far, and I never did find Crisparkle. Thanks to Simon for explaining it all and to Noz.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 11:45:05 +0000

I too ran out of enthusiasm for searching for obscure CD characters and gave up with a couple left. The problem with proper names as answers is that if you can’t see the wordplay then you’ve got no second chance.

I know it’s the bicentenary of his birth, and I remember some pleasing themed puzzles earlier in the year, but for me this was just an obscure theme too far, I’m afraid.

Thanks to Simon, and to Noz, whoever you are.

By: Cumbrian

Cumbrian — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 11:04:19 +0000

Many thanks for the blog.

I really couldn’t be bothered to search for obscure Dickens characters, especially as I’ve managed to avoid Dickens on the advice of my favourite English teacher of many many years ago, so I left the six down clues unsolved. That gave me a bit of head scratching with the NE corner, but DEFROCK and COSTELLO came after a coffee break.
Hence I’m happy to have completed, and enjoyed, the part of the puzzle I thought worth tackling; as for the rest, I think I’ll refrain from further comment.