Comments on: Azed 2114/regression

By: John Young

John Young — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:13:05 +0000

Thanks for the blog.

In 19 Ac Cardinals are titled ‘His Eminence’ also abbreviated as ‘HE’

If you’ve been watching Boardwalk Empire, Johnny Torrio has featured regularly.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:40:49 +0000

Thanks all
I rated this towards the more difficult end of the Azed spectrum.
I was particularly held up by the SW corner.
Last in was 22ac which I also admired the most.
I agree with PB @8 ref: ‘an’ in 24d.
I wonder just how obscure a proper name can be and remain acceptable (33ac). There are presumably some which are unique to a single person!

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 14:59:45 +0000

Thanks Azed and ilancaron.

24dn: I think this is L(AN)ATE: AN = obsolete word for “if” so “if once”.

By: bridgesong

bridgesong — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 14:35:30 +0000

Norman and Bob: yes, I was referring to the surface which seemed ungrammatical at first sight, but I do see now that it could be read differently. Thanks.

By: Bob Sharkey

Bob Sharkey — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:04:08 +0000

Re 18D I think Bridgesong was referring to the surface which I read as being ‘.. has post .. ‘. Azed relies on this ambiguity from time to time. It took me a while to suppress my doubts.

By: Norman Hall

Norman Hall — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:19:02 +0000

re 18d

I was happy with the cluing of 18d.
An apostle is someone who is (who’s) POST (position) in ALE (a festival)

By: Norman Hall

Norman Hall — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:13:50 +0000

Thanks Ilan

re 24 dn

Garden Tiger caterpillars (in particular) are often called ‘woolly bears’, which is in Chambers.
They used to be very common, but are getting alarmingly scarce.

As an entomologist, I wouldn’t describe such caterpillars as ‘lanate’, even though their ‘wool’ is composed of long hairs…
…but with the final question mark I have no quibbles with the clue.

By: bridgesong

bridgesong — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 09:40:18 +0000

Thanks for explaining some of the answers whose explanations eluded me. Am I alone in thinking that 18 down “One championing cause who’s position in age-old festival” seems to have slipped through whatever system Azed uses for proof-reading?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 08:55:46 +0000

Thanks for the blog Ilan. In 28d – yes, limp = [h]alt, as in “the halt and the lane”. Chambers gives halt = “to be lame, to limp (archaic)” and “n. a limp (archaic)”

By: Bob Sharkey

Bob Sharkey — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 07:26:41 +0000

Thanks, Ilan. ROBEABLE is pea-b(rain) in role. Like you, we who followed the Vietnam War closely will all remember TET.