Comments on: Independent 8152 / Klingsor

By: Graham Pellen

Graham Pellen — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:01:01 +0000

26A A googly is still a googly if bowled by a right-handed purveyor to a left-handed batsman. A googly is a googly.

By: Klingsor

Klingsor — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:48:49 +0000

The parsing of 12 down is TRIP (using definition of run in Chambers) + anag W (abbrev WITH) THIS round C.

Belated thanks to all those who commented.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:28:29 +0000

Er … yep!

By: Lurchio

Lurchio — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:05:55 +0000

Er .. but 12D is not an anagram of R THIS WITH C – too much H and not enough P …

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:45:48 +0000

He is a rebellious old duke-magician, I shouldn’t wonder.

By: Wil Ransome

Wil Ransome — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 23:43:42 +0000

Klingsor’s puzzles are always good and this was no exception. How Duncan sees it as something good for beginners I’m not sure, because it struck me as pretty hard. Lots of clues that are easy enough to understand when you’ve got the answer, but are difficult to solve (at least for me), like 20ac SWASHBUCKLING.

I know that Klingsor makes a big effort to be, to use a word that is not popular in some circles, Ximenean in his clues. How then is it that he has used a grid that offends so much? 13ac and 18ac are of the dreaded 2-out-of-5-checked type.

By: Rorschach

Rorschach — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:09:48 +0000

Another brilliant offering from Klingsor.

Thanks both!

By: Paul B

Paul B — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 19:01:49 +0000

The UP thing is, as Pelham says, utterly incomprehensible in terms of logic (and God woot there are plenty of logical terms, especially at logic schools), but at least the convention has led to a new breed of reversal indication with attendant compilerly tomfoolery. IIRC Times maestro Mark Goodliffe, whose opinion surely merits consideration, is not a fan of grid geometry leaking into the clue text.

Not sure re 26: if it’s enough to lead to the answer it ought to be classed &lit, I suppose.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:58:18 +0000

Indeed, Duncan – easy if you know it is the story … And being a cricket fan, GOOGLIES should have gone in without too much thinking.

On reflection, don’t know why I couldn’t finish this one. It wasn’t for lack of enthusiasm, because I always look forward to a Klingsor puzzle. Just not in the zone today, perhaps.

By: duncanshiell

duncanshiell — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:56:53 +0000

Ah! – I seem to be in a minority of one over the beginner friendliness of this puzzle. I suppose it just illustrates the old axiom that it’s on;y easy if you know the answer!

Both SCRIMSHAW and LIPPIZANER were familiar to me and KILLIECRANKIE is not that far way from where I live.

My main reason for suggesting beginner friendliness though was the nature of the wordplay constructions which tended to focus on variants of additive or reductive components.