Independent 11,895 by Serpent

21 comments on “Independent 11,895 by Serpent”

1. There’s a customary inner nina: FACTUM EST SILENTIUM DERING which I had to google.

2. Aha! Thanks Hovis, and well spotted. I’ll update the blog in a bit.

3. Dering do y’see. We’re having one this afty.

4. I’ll be there 🙂

5. DNF as I got hung up on 3D somehow being ‘lay chorus’, never before having encountered ‘clerk’ = ‘singer’. Would never have got the nina in a month of Sundays. Never mind, much enjoyed anyway so thanks Serpent and Kitty.

6. A lovely farewell puzzle from Serpent, although, not unusually, I failed to see the Nina, which is what has always made Serpent’s puzzles scary for me. 3dn was a nice hint for it, though, now it’s been explained (thanks, Hovis). I enjoyed listening to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T34E0WPVblo

   I’m with Kitty’s favourites, with the addition of LAY CLERKS (the lake larks initially puzzled me, too: I think you have to lift and separate water fowl), DIGITALIS, ALIGNMENT, CABBAGE and DEXTER.

   Many thanks to Serpent (congratulations and good wishes to Serpent) and to Kitty (shame about the illustrations. 😉 )

7. 1 across is often the first solution a setter might put in a grid – choosing this 1a shows some chutzpah indeed. But why not go out with a bang! I thought this was a cracking puzzle, once I had adjusted to Serpent’s wavelength. So much to like – the smoothness of the constructions, the lovely surfaces, the cunning. I could tick loads but will stick to a shortlist of ANGRIER, AGONY AUNT, GODLINESS, BEEFEATER, LENIENTLY, DIGITALIS and CABBAGE.

   I was undone by LAY CLERKS whom I would not associate with singing. RUNTS is interesting insofar as it’s defined as ‘bits of litter’ but can you have more than one runt in a litter if it is the smallest/weakest member? But I’m hardly going to quibble about that.

   Thanks Serpent and Kitty

8. PostMark – see the second post advertised here:
   https://chestercathedral.com/participate/vacancies

9. We had a very similar clue to 1 across from Serpent’s friend Basilisk in the FT a couple of days ago:

   Lobby controlled by sanctimonious members (6)

10. Eileen @8: TILT. I did wonder, for a moment, if you were seriously suggesting to me an alternative career/pastime!

11. PostMark @!0

    🙂

12. Congratulations on the appointment, Serpent- an excellent choice for the job. Great puzzle to sign out with too.

13. Excellent last (for the foreseeable future) puzzle. LAY CLERKS was my LOI and I was looking for (and spotted) the Nina, having heard recently about Serpent’s new role. Thanks Serpent and Kitty.

14. I’ve been really enjoying Serpent’s farewell puzzles, and this was no exception. My dad sings in the Clerkes of All Saints in Yorkshire, which helped with 3d, although as usual I was nowhere close to the Nina.

    Thanks both.

15. Thanks kitty, sad to see serpent et al go but had the same when the astonishing bannsider left to do the times job. Good luck Jason.

16. Thanks Serpent and the best of luck to you. As I’ve said before Serpent ranks high among my favourite setters for his clue writing style as well as his clever Ninas. (I saw this one but had to look up its meaning.) Great clues as always including PHALLUS, LEASTWISE, DISCREDIT, NADIR, EXEMPTS, and EYE UP. I failed with the nho LAY CLERKS and correctly guessed the nho AGONY AUNT. Thanks Kitty for the blog.

17. Just manageable enough to finish, and just tough enough to be pretty pleased to do so.

    NHO LAY CLERKS which was LOI so I have learned something (after googling the term) and enjoyed the rest of the puzzle very much.

    Congratulations, Serpent, on the new position and I hope it brings you a lot of well-earned satisfaction.

18. I’m a relative newcomer, and this was my first puzzle by Serpent, and reading through the previous posts, it’s going to be my last, too.
    The lateness of my post is explained by, how long I took to complete.
    I really, really struggled with about ten of the clues.
    Grimly Fiendish.
    Shame that I won’t be able to cross swords with Serpent, for a return match.

    Am I correct that The Times cryptics aren’t covered by Fifteensquared? Is there a reason?

    Thank you, Serpent & Kitty

19. ENB @ 18 Times Cryptics are covered at https://timesforthetimes.co.uk/

    Note though that the puzzles do not show the setter’s name.

20. We started and finished the puzzle late last night, hence the belated comment.

    It’s sad to think that this is the last Serpent puzzle we will solve but what a way to finish.

    All the best for your new position – you’ll be a superb crossword editor!

    Thanks also to Kitty.

21. Many thanks for the lovely blog, Kitty. And thanks to everyone who has commented on the puzzle and wished me luck in the new job.

    Pretty much the only downside of the job is that I will only be setting for the Times, and will miss the interactions on fifteensquared. I have made many friends over the years through crosswords, in general, and fifteensquared, in particular. I will still be turning up at Sloggers & Betters events, so I hope to see some of you again very soon.

    Jason (Serpent/Basilisk/Jack)

Comments are closed.