Not the Saturday Prize Puzzle – 007
No, there’s no Bond theme! by Anax
+– + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – + – +
Welcome to the seventh in our series of weekly puzzles. If you were wondering about the title, this is puzzle no. 007.
Anax is experimenting once more. This one should be medium difficult, say four stars. See if you agree.
The puzzle by Anax is available here
Feel free to leave comments about this puzzle.
Thanks Anax ..like the NTSPP’s so lets get started…
Oh a very enjoyable puzzle….though I looked at it for 10 minutes before I got into the style of it ..then it just flowed. Although I got all the answers could not see how on 28a and 15d and 1d. Some really good clues as well that made me laugh…Thanks
The pleasure’s all mine – thank you!
I recently suggested to BD that the NTSPP should be reviewed “same day”; not sure yet if that will happen today but I’ll hold back on explaining the three clues you mentioned, just in case.
I’m up for writing a review if that would be helpful for people.
Yes please!
Whoops not good on forums seem to have posted twice…sorry. Best clue for me was 25a closely followed by 16a and 18a after staring at it for eons suddenly came to me with one of those eureka moments…..
Great puzzle Anax, many thanks for this. This is just my opinion but, on balance, I found this easier and quicker to solve than the previous NTSPP puzzle you set a few weeks back. The only clues that slowed me down a bit were those that lapsed into a spot of Yoda speak. Generally, I found the indicators fair and well signposted, perhaps not as well hidden than in other puzzles that you have set. My only question is with the indicator for the final letter of 26d.
Thanks pal; glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I wanted the indicators to be reasonably challenging but clear. As for the last letter of 26d, Chambers (perhaps grudgingly) ackowledges that ought/aught/naught/nought are pretty much interchangeable except for “aught” which can mean anything, if you catch my drift.
Oh a very enjoyable puzzle….though I looked at it for 10 minutes before I got into the style of it ..then it just flowed. Although I got all the answers could not see how on 28a and 15d and 1d. Some really good clues as well that made me laugh…Thanks
I agree with Prolixic and found this easier than your last NTSPP puzzle, though every bit as enjoyable and entertainingly deceptive. Especially liked “Mo”, “buffet”, “breeze blocks” “blue ribbons” “too far away” – to name just a few!
Just to be different, I thought it was a bit trickier than the last Anax special (I’d say ** or *** as a Toughie). It was thoroughly enjoyable – my favourite clues 11a, 1d and 20d.
I’m with gazza on this one – took a little while to get started until the switch clicked.
Despite being massively dissappointed at finding no Bond references (despite the warnings) I had loads of fun completing.
Favourite clue by far was 1d – Outstanding use of handbags!
3d, 17a, 23a and 13d were also mighty fine.
Slight grumble at 28a – is the def ‘aren’t crumbling’? I have the wordplay but have an issue with the tense.
Many thanks for the puzzle, anax.
Sorry about the lack of a Bond theme – the puzzle was set at short notice and there wasn’t time to invent anything. BD mentioned the same thing about “aren’t crumbling” and the explanation I gave to Dave wasn’t as good as this one:
If the answer had been COLLAPSE the def “are crumbling” would be as valid as a reference to the singular verb. “They collapse”/”they are collapsing” are near enough identical to pass for each other. The clue at 28a uses the same principle but opts for the antonym rather than a synonym.
Thanks for that explanation. Still feels a bit wrong in my head but I will have a think about it.
The lack of Bond theme quip was a bit of a joke! How could we possibly complain?!
I haven’t finished this yet (sigh!) but I am enjoying it. Thanks Anax.
I am not going to look at the review yet!
mark