Comments on: Independent 6715/Eimi - Earning my Spurs

By: eimi

eimi — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:59:38 +0000

I put ’short piece’ to try to indicate that it was an abbreviated form, but obviously it wasn’t an easy one to parse.

By: Testy

Testy — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:46:14 +0000

Is “piece” a fair indicator for “N”? It seems a bit once-removed to me.

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:21:51 +0000

Thanks all for the clarification on the bits I missed, some of which were admittedly fairly obvious. In my day-to-day solving, if the answer clearly fits, I often don’t stop to worry too much about all the constituent parts, which for somebody who’s trying to put some of his own puzzles together is a bit daft really. Still, it’s good to have a refresher of some of the basics every now and again.

I don’t avidly follow any one team, but I’m liking the idea of the Gooner contingent trying to sneak some NINAs in!

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:57:05 +0000

I guess you’ll be hoping they don’t become ‘fringe players’ in some Champions League side next season…

By: eimi

eimi — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:26:52 +0000

Congratulations on your first blog, Ali, and I’m glad you enjoyed the puzzle.

The break-up of ‘angular’ was A-N-GULAR, n being chess notation for knight (piece) and ‘gular’ meaning ‘of the throat’ (it’s in all three of the main dictionaries).

I had intended Berbatov and Woodgate to be unheralded NINAs, but when I discovered CHELSEA amongst the letters of HEALTH INSURANCE, running parallel to the (fringe) players I couldn’t resist the reference. For those unfamiliar with the beautiful game, Berbatov and Woodgate scored the goals that beat Chelsea (in an upset) in the Carling Cup Final. This knowledge wasn’t crucial to solving the puzzle, but it obviously helped a few solvers who were in the know.

As for a backlash from several Indy setters, there are some advantages of being crossword editor. Should they enquire about the non-appearance of any puzzle containing propaganda for the Woolwich Wanderers, I can simply reply (in an Alsatian accent, of course) “I didn’t see it”.

By: Bannsider

Bannsider — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:16:09 +0000

So I make that at least 3 Arsenal-supporting Indy setters then.
Eimi beware the backlash :-)

By: Mick H

Mick H — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:51:48 +0000

Yes, Ali, I’m afraid eimi is a Spurs fan - and being the editor entitles him to inflict this fringe obsession on the rest of the right-thinking (i.e. Arsenal-supporting) solvership! (”Gunners break half the laws in the country” indeed!)
;-).

By: Testy

Testy — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:13:49 +0000

27 I’m not sure about this one either but it might be “A”=AN, “short piece of the throat”=(ju)GULAR.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:23:04 +0000

GOLF = G in Old Bill’s alphabet. I’m about to Foxtrot (Oscar) for a spot of lunch …

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:43:08 +0000

HEALTH INSURANCE I think the fringe players are Berbatov and Woodgate. EAGLE EYE I think the A is from AYE. BERI BERI, I think may be RIB in BEER I. Enjoyed the puzzle, which I found on the easy side.