Independent 6731/Virgilius
Posted by John on May 13th, 2008
The usual wonderful Virgilius themed around one of our favourite activities. Every one (although perhaps 30 is stretching it a bit) of the across answers is in some way connected with crosswords. I think that’s all, but don’t dare to say categorically that it is.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | CROSSWORD - 2 defs |
| 6 | POSER - (perso(n))* |
| 9/13/28 | BAD HAIR DAY - 2 defs |
| 10 | WORDS FAIL ME - 2 defs |
| 11 | GRIDLOCKED - (did clerk go)* |
| 15 | LAMENTATIONS - the Bible book and … |
| 19 | I HAVEN’T A CLUE - a crossword contains clues, so a solver can’t say there are none. |
| 22 | HAteful crosswoRD |
| 23 | CAN’T BE DONE - cant bed one |
| 26 | AT MY WIT’S END - I can’t see that this is more than two very similar meanings. Perhaps I’m missing something. |
| 29 | SOLVE - (loves)* |
| 30 | DISASTERS - (a distress)* |
| Down | |
| 1 | CUB AGE |
| 2 | ORDAIN - 2 defs |
| 3 | SAW - I think this is 3 defs: ‘Understood’, ’saying’, that’s designed to be cutting’ |
| 4 | (y)O(S)RIC(k) |
| 5 | DYSPEPTIC - (depict spy)* |
| 6 | P LAY - I think the def. is ‘Position’ but am not comfortable with this |
| 7 | SALVADOR (Dali) |
| 8 | RYE-GRASS - (grey)*(r)ass |
| 12 | LEADER - “lieder”. Do only editors write leaders, or do editors write nothing but leaders? |
| 14 | ATTUNE - at((nut)rev.)e |
| 16 | EXTR(a) ACTED |
| 17 | HIGH MASS - 2 defs |
| 18 | LACRIMAL - (calm liar)*. I’m not sure why there isn’t a question mark at the end, since you can be lacrimal for many reasons. |
| 20 | POO(D)LE |
| 21 | BERYLS - (sly reb)rev. The word ‘reb‘ was new to me, although it always seemed likely. |
| 24 | TEENS - 20 is the score |
| 25 | concerT WE Enjoyed |
| 27 | DIS - Walt Disney created the dog Pluto |
May 13th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Brilliant thematic puzzle. I read 6 down as PLAY = move P LAY (position)
May 13th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Wonderful. Makes me glad I chose crosswords. Thank you Virgilius.
Unbelievably, 23 ac couldn’t be done by me!
May 13th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Am I the only person to have a sense of deja vu when doing 25D after doing the Araucaria in the Guardian earlier in the day?
May 13th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I had deja about TWEE, and I HAVEN’T A CLUE made me wonder if there was a joint theme going on, with Araucaria’s THAT WAS THE WEEK (THAT WAS).
30ac was thematically linked via 15sc (I think), but I didn’t quite see how BAD HAIR DAY fitted in. Oh, I see, scratching your head in puzzlement. I suppose tearing one’s hear out would make for an even worse hair day!
May 13th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Please add ‘vu’ in the appropriate place.