Comments on: Independent 8,205 / Nestor

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:12:51 +0000

After a late start last night we had to leave this one until this morning – rather too many electronic searches were needed we’re afraid to admit. We should have checked SHRIEK in the dictionary as we did consider it being the exclamation mark. We couldn’t sort out SANCTUS – we saw it as a possibility but it was the last clue and we gave up without bothering to check the definition and checked 225 instead!

We would agree that it was tougher than usual – some very clever clues but also some really tricky ones which may have made it more suitable for a Saturday prize.

Still, more brain cells kept alive a bit longer so thanks Nestor. Well done RR for the blog. We’re glad it wasn’t our turn!

By: Dormouse

Dormouse — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:02:57 +0000

Failed on 14 & 17ac, but I see now that’s because I managed to spell 12dn as “beaurocracy” which looks odd now that I’ve typed it, but not when looking at it in the grid.

Certainly in computing in the seventies we used to refer to an exclamation mark as a shriek. This took me back.

27ac was such a nice clue, I’m surprised I’ve never seen it before. (Or maybe I have. Memory and spelling going.)

I’m sure there’s a joke about not being able to see 6ac.

By: Raich

Raich — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:37:52 +0000

NealH at #8 – my guess is that the setter did intend in 1D to suggest ‘blue’ = ‘pornographic’ in the surface reading of the clue.

By: Flashling

Flashling — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:28:11 +0000

Feel a bit bruised by this. Well done RR this was beyond me.

By: NealH

NealH — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:20:10 +0000

This rather fell apart for me when I put stoner for 14, thinking the I referred to 1 across and the pot referred to drugs. It didn’t quite make sense, but unfortunately there was just enough there to make me think it might be right. My usual lack of classical knowledge meant I had no chance with 1 down, even after getting the “ode on” – unfortunately I took “blue” in its pornography sense and thought the answer must be some sort of rude limerick. 17 just looked too much like a DD for me to consider that it might be anything else.

By: MikeC

MikeC — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:47:23 +0000

Thanks RR and Nestor. Enjoyed this, mostly, but found it unusually hard. Only failed on one (I had “eta” instead of ERA) but there were quite a few where I couldn’t really explain how/why the answer was correct.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:46:59 +0000

Thanks, RR. I’ve got a lot on today, so if I may be forgiven for not sticking to the rules of the blog and explaining myself: too hard for a daily cryptic.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:56:49 +0000

This was as tough as expected and enjoyable. Thanks for the blog.

Chambers confirms that “shriek” is slang for exclamation mark. I didn’t know that and was trying to make 19a work as an &lit. Now I think about it it does seem very vaguely familiar.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:20:44 +0000

Definitely challenging as one would expect from Nestor but very enjoyable. The penny drop moment at 14a was quite something. Never heard of 26a but the wordplay was so clear that all I had to do was check in the BRB that I wasn’t making it up.

Thanks to RR and Nestor too.

By: NeilW

NeilW — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:53:31 +0000

Yes, a device I don’t think I’ve seen before.