Comments on: Independent 8218 / Phi

By: Raich

Raich — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 23:14:16 +0000

Thought that in ROMAN it might be Roman = a novel (in French) so not translated into Italian.

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:53:14 +0000

We’re not really happy about the explanation for 21d. We wrote it but wondered if it could possibly be linked to ROMANCE as a form of novel but we can’t make the rest of the clue work.

Anyway, enjoyed the pangram so thanks to Phi. Thanks also to Duncan for the blog.

By: flashling

flashling — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:04:34 +0000

Hi lizard search for IdotheI

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:32:45 +0000

It’s ‘Play pin the tail on the donkey a little bit more?’ My first one in, cheers to lizard.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:30:39 +0000

Hi lizard. I’m just about to settle down with the i puzzle for today and a glass of red to see how far I get with Nimrod (not very far, if history repeats itself).

But ADDEND is a verb meaning to add one number to another, so that’s most likely the explanation. Probably the same root as ADDENDUM.

Hope that helps.

By: NealH

NealH — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:27:19 +0000

If you give us the exact clue, I’m sure someone can elaborate.

By: lizard

lizard — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:07:12 +0000

Anyone done the “i” today? The old blog doesn’t show the answer for 24/10, and “add end” isn’t a phrase I know for “a little bit more”!

By: Phi

Phi — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:02:13 +0000

I maintain a list of ‘interesting’ words to fill grids, and this puzzle used four or five off that list. SCOFFLAW wasn’t one of them, and was the only entry I thought verging on the obscure. WAZZOCK went in because of a UK political story on the BBC, though I can’t now recall which wazzock was calling which other wazzock a wazzock. BISQUE as a sporting term I know from Quiller-Couch’s weird and wonderful Famous Ballad of the Jubilee Cup (which I recommend as a fine piece of comic verse; try here: http://rickcreation.com/rickwalton/folktale/wells129.htm).

And I was quite pleased to find a shoe that was also an accent!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:37:16 +0000

Thanks, Duncan. This was one where spotting the possiblity of a pangram did help with the final half-dozen or so. BELOW THE SALT, RAMJET and WOOMERA were all new to me but I got them finally with a few crossers and the wordplay. SCOFFLAW I’d also never heard of and was never going to get without a wordsearch, I’m afraid.

I too liked PUT A SOCK IN IT, once I’d twigged the meaning of ‘brogue’. WAZZOCK I’d never heard before I came to live in Derbyshire, but it’s quite common around here, so not too much trouble with that one.

I guess the FELL definition is as in the phrase ONE FELL SWOOP?

And finally, I guess ZEELAND is a nod to Phi’s adopted country, since the original name given to it by the Dutch settlers was NIEUWE ZEELAND, the ‘new land next to the sea’.

Some interesting words in this one; thank you to Phi (who is probably excited about the cosmic events today …)

By: duncanshiell

duncanshiell — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:44:03 +0000

Yes – it’s a fair cop by all those who spotted that I have used the definition of NEUTRON rather than NEUTRINO at 11 across.

I think it’s also a fair cop on my not picking up on the additional definition of ‘brogue’ as an accent at 15 across. With that addition, the clue is obviously much better than I first thought – sorry!

Thanks to all who pointed out my sins and omissions.