Independent 11,742 by Filbert

19 comments on “Independent 11,742 by Filbert”

1. Thanks Flibert and Quirister!
   Enjoyable puzzle! Neat blog!
   Liked TIDE LOCK, ANNULUS and NIL particularly.

   AFRAID SO
   The def lacks something?

2. KVa @1, I agree 1a isn’t strictly quite right. Both phrases have the sense of “I’m sorry to say this” but you couldn’t use them interchangeably in the same sentence. I like it, though, and I think it’s close enough to get the meaning.

3. Nho clean sheets in that sense and found an ANNULUS online. I liked FACIAL (thought ‘laic’ synonymous with ‘layman’ so unprofessional) and PEANUTS (simple wordplay with a lovely definition). Also a tick for AS WELL and ‘mushroom’ as a verb. Thanks Quirister for a superb blog and thanks Filbert for the entertainment.

4. In reference to 1a, I felt that if someone said “Did you really do that?”, you might reply “Afraid so” or “With regret” or am I pushing it?

5. I didn’t mind the def in 1a primarily because I thought the clue was so good and very clear and ‘Afro’ for ‘curly hair’ was droll. I was thinking singular rather than plural. Don’t see the Afro all that much these days. Maybe Tracy Chapman had an Afro.

6. A real contrast from yesterday’s bruiser. I agree with comments regarding 1A – definitely doable but hard to justify without a fair amount of wiggle room. Loved DREAMS. I think Peanuts as strip is nearly at its Use By Date

   Thanks Filbert and Quirister

7. Sofamore @3: my point is that “unprofessional” and “non-professional” are used slightly differently. I’m a non-professional cook because I don’t get paid for doing it; an unprofessional cook would be one doing a paid job and doing it badly (bringing the profession into disrepute, if you like). I think “laic” can mean non-professional but not unprofessional. However, I now see that Collins online accepts “unprofessional” in both senses, so maybe I’m being too picky.

8. I take your point Quirister. There is a difference between unscrupulous / unprincipled and untrained / inexpert and they are all given as definitions for unprofessional in my humble online dictionary. Maybe Filbert is tapping into that ambiguity.

9. I remember reading Tortilla Flat which was maybe one of Steinbeck’s earliest
   Fine puzzle and blog.
   Thanks all.

10. Almost perfect, but surely the indef.article at start of 14D should have been omitted for the Indie’s usual tightness? Thanks Filbert and Quirister.

11. Fast Car

12. Tatrasman @10

    EPISCOPAL – can mean of or relating to a bishop, so “a bishop’s….” could be EPISCOPAL? That’s how I’m reading it.

    All went in reasonably smoothly for me doing a Filbert. Under an hour, which I know is 10 crosswords worth for many.

    Didn’t know ALB, and was wondering whether an errant LP had slipped in somehow for pound. I knew in reality it wouldn’t be wrong so left it until I had the B and it couldn’t be anything else.

    Thanks to Filbert for the puzzle and Quirister for the usual tip top blog.

13. …Gabrielle’s original version of 22a Dreams starts off with a sample of 2d Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car. It had to be 5d omitted for copyright reasons.
    Thanks F&Q.

14. I remember once trying to recall the name of the person who sang Fast Car. I eventually remembered her first name, Tracy, but ended up googling her surname. This was a bit embarrassing since her surname is the same as mine. Sheesh!

15. FACIAL
    Quirister@7
    The setter is not at fault if an entry is found in one of the recognised dictionaries.
    That said, I see your point.
    Sofamore@8
    Agree.
    Hovis@4
    AFRAID SO
    am I pushing it?
    AFRAID SO 🙂
    (I certainly share the appreciation expressed by everyone for this clue notwithstanding
    my nit-picking).

16. The word play for DREAMS made me think of Things Can Only Get Better, which seemed timely. I convinced myself that donut was American slang for friend, so had Banally (flatly) for ANNULUS for a while. Thanks, both.

17. Happy to be reminded of Tracy Chapman’s 2d when my brain clicked into gear. Less so with the reminder of the 11ds.
    Couldn’t see where P-A-U-S was taking me until I started putting plausible letters between the P and A to see what it looked like.
    Needed all the crossers to get CEILING ROSE. Lots of them in the house where I grew up, but I don’t think I’ve seen one for years.
    Thanks Filbert and Quirister. (And FrankieG@13 for the interesting musical fact.)

18. Lots to like.. ceiling roses are a favourite period feature, sadly often ripped out with no regard for the intricacy of the design.. sacrilege! Tracy was the first thing that came to mind on solving 2d, I didn’t quibble either 1ac or 6ac but I can see how not being a professional differs markedly from the un- usage in medico-legal terms at least. Having said that they do not take kindly to lay people practising in the medical field..
    Both 18d n DARCY took way too long to see as insertions.. I need to up my game there..
    Thanks Filbert n Quirister

19. Yes, definitely a change from yesterday. Not familiar with Tracy Chapman or a song called FAST CAR but easy enough to get.

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