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BrainBoggler
Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger
Joined: 08 Jun 2004
Posts: 121
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 Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:47 pm Post subject: January 2009 Explanations |
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Congratulations on hosting the first Cryptic Crossword contest. As I expected, I wasn't able to finish -- I haven't fully learned to think outside the box on many of the clues.
Anyway, I'm curious to know more about the explanations.
For instance, why is the explanation to 7 down [A nice home, say (5)] given as "homophone"? This is one of the few clues I did solve, but I wouldn't categorize as "homophone" but more along the lines of parsing the statement into different syllables?
Also, on the several clues talking about "queen", (such as 30 down -- He has queen in charge (4)), why is that ER?
I didn't solve enough of the clues to even get a hint of the hidden Zodiac theme (very creative, by the way!), but I'm hoping to get a little further with February 2009's puzzle, even if I once again don't finish it.
Thanks. Sean (BrainBoggler) |
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FatherChristmas
Leave thy vain bibble-babble
Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 746
Location: bristol UK
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| Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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| You have a better chance than me, I cannot even read and follow instructions!FC |
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Stretham
Forum Hardass
Joined: 15 Sep 2003
Posts: 25273
Location: Here, there, somewhere, everywhere
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| Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:09 pm Post subject: Re: January 2009 Explanations |
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| BrainBoggler wrote: | | For instance, why is the explanation to 7 down [A nice home, say (5)] given as "homophone"? This is one of the few clues I did solve, but I wouldn't categorize as "homophone" but more along the lines of parsing the statement into different syllables? |
A matter of preference for how you describe it I suppose, but the gist of the clue is that A NICE sounds like AN ICE.
| BrainBoggler wrote: | | Also, on the several clues talking about "queen", (such as 30 down -- He has queen in charge (4)), why is that ER? |
Ah! You haven't read the abbreviations section in the tutorial then?  I admit this something of a UK-ism, but ER = Elizabeth Regina (as in Queen Elizabeth II) and is very commonly used in British cryptic crosswords. I've tried to keep most such UK bias out of the clues, but inevitably I am going to sometimes fall back on what is instinctive. I'll try to do better in the future.
| BrainBoggler wrote: | | I didn't solve enough of the clues to even get a hint of the hidden Zodiac theme (very creative, by the way!), but I'm hoping to get a little further with February 2009's puzzle, even if I once again don't finish it. |
Best of luck, and thanks for the comments.
Stretham
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Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care! |
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stozz
Pernicious and indubitate beggar
Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 356
Location: Nottingham, England
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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My only quibble was with 9 down:
9 One cries out loud from this? (7)
I see eyeballs, rather than eyeball, as being a more precise answer to the clue. Far be it from me to tell the maestro how to do his job, but I might have gone with "Heard one cry from this?".
But, overall, loved the puzzle and the hidden theme, and already loving the look of the next one  I don't know if you've ever looked at the Enigmatic Variations crosswords in the Sunday Telegraph, but if you do some along those lines (which you are by the looks of February's) then you'll always get my vote
Jon |
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The Hirsute One
Hairy but harmless
Joined: 20 Jul 2006
Posts: 17763
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Hmmm... I had no problem seeing "I bawl" as "I bawls" is grammatically incorrect. All depends on your way of looking at it I suppose. |
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stozz
Pernicious and indubitate beggar
Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 356
Location: Nottingham, England
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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| The Hirsute One wrote: | | Hmmm... I had no problem seeing "I bawl" as "I bawls" is grammatically incorrect. All depends on your way of looking at it I suppose. |
It certainly does. I see "one" in the clue to indicate "I" as the usual Roman numeral cryptic meaning and then add "cries" on the end, rather than then having to modify "cries" to "cry" as a result of changing the view of the numeral into the first person singular and trying to then make the construction fit grammatically; (to me anyway) that seems a bit loose, given how tight the rest of the crossword is.
Call me a purist, but anyway just my humble opinion.
Jon |
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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas
Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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How about: "Hear that I cry from this?" (7) as the clue?
That would certainly fit better within the Telegraph type of clue (says one who does the Telegraph cryptic every day and normally completes it...LOL!). 
T22
PS I haven't playtested any of the crosswords other than the first few that I don't think were actually used, so forgive me if I am out of order here. 
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