Update (08th December 2011): Annotations added.
1. Guardian 25481 (Paul): Regarding the eyes, doubly hard to claim pension, initially, after surgery (10) OPHTHALMIC
Annotation: (HH+TO+CLAIM+P[ension]) 'after surgery' i.e. anagrammed; definition: regarding the eyes.
2. Times 24962: Protective garments formerly, covering legs? Quite the opposite (9) PINAFORES
Annotation: PIN(AFORE)S i.e. the opposite of AFORE (formerly) around PINS (legs); definition: protective garments.
3. FT 13859 (Alberich): Letter concerning endless gossip after doctor left last practice (5,9) DRESS REHEARSAL
Annotation: ESS (letter 'S') RE (concerning) HEARSA[y] (endless gossip), after DR (doctor), L (left); definition: last practice.
4. Times 24907: With cold, bracing air outside, maidens keep cozy here (7,4) COMFORT ZONE
Annotation: C (cold) OZONE (bracing air), around M (maidens) FORT (keep); definition: cozy here.
5. Independent 7746 (Anax): Produced nothing before the signal to stop (8) FATHERED
Annotation: FA (nothing, as in sweet FA) THE RED (signal to stop); definition: produced.
6. FT 13657 (Alberich): Not clever to pick on American legendary hero (7) PERSEUS
Annotation: FPERSECUTE (pick on) – CUTE (clever) + US (American); definition: legendary hero.
7. Guardian 25439 (Orlando): Animals with peculiar prehensile tails, certainly not quite right (8) REINDEER
Annotation: 'tails' i.e. last letters of 'peculiaR prehensilE' INDEE[d] (certainly, not quite) R (right); definition: animals.
8. Independent 7840 (Monk): Language suggested by Escher right away? (7) CHINESE
Annotation: ESCHE[r] = CH in ESE; definition: language.
Visit our past clue challenges: Annotate These Answers I and Annotate These Answers II.
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19 comments
1. OPHTHALMIC - {H+H+TO+CLAIM+P}*
2. PINAFORES - PIN{AFORE}S
3. {DR}{ESS}{RE}{HEARSA{-Y}}{L} (what a toughie!)
4. COMFORT ZONE: {C}{O{M}{FORT}ZONE} Keep=fort and &-littish?
5. FATHERED Easiest, {FA}{THE}{RED}
6. PERSEUS {PERSE{-CUTE}}{US}
7. REINDEER {R}{E}{INDEE{-D}}{R} (the 'tails' part is not very convincing.)
8. CHINESE No clue!
Whatay fun.
1. (hh to claim p)*
2. PIN(AFORE)S (opposite of clue's container order)
3. DR+(ESS-letter s) RE:(HEARSA[Y])+L[eft]
4. C[old] O(+M+FORT)ZONE
5. FA-The Red (Fanny Adams reference?)
6. PERSE[CUTE]+US
7. [peculia]R [prehensil]E + INDEE[D] + R[ight]
8. (in Esche[R])*
The first one seems rather simple -- i.e. simple to make sense with the answer in hand. ;-)
{HH+TO CLAIM+P}*
Being a novice at annotations, I thought I should give these a go for practice. Here goes:
OPHTHALMIC = {OT(surgery) + P(1st letter of pension) + H + H} + {CLAIM*} - am almost certainly sure there's something else going on here, but I can't put my finger on it; this charade doesn't really work for me..
PINAFORES = PIN{AFORE}S being the opposite of AFORE(formerly) outside PINS(legs)
DRESS REHEARSAL = {ESS + RE(concerning) + HEARSA[-y] + L} after DR - ESS for the letter s?
COMFORT ZONE = C + O{M + FORT(bracing as a noun)}ZONE - ozone for air and C for cold
FATHERED = FA(fanny adams) + THE + RED (signal to stop)
REINDEER = R (peculiaR) + E (prehensilE) + INDEE(-D) + R
#1. OPHTHALMIC. 'Doubly hard' gives you the two H's. 'Pension initially' gives you the P. And 'to claim...after surgery' is an anagram indicator. Jumble up the letters of 'to claim' and add them to the 'P' and the two H's you already have.
1. Regarding the eyes - def, fodder = HH (doubly hard) TOCLAIM P(Pension initially), after surgery = anagrind
1. Guardian 25481 (Paul): Regarding the eyes, doubly hard to claim pension, initially, after surgery (10) (HH + TO CLAIM + P)*
2. Times 24962: Protective garments formerly, covering legs? Quite the opposite (9) reverse of AFORE in PINS didn't know pin = leg until I looked it up in Chambers.
3. FT 13859 (Alberich): Letter concerning endless gossip after doctor left last practice (5,9) DR + ESS (S) + RE + HEARSA(-y) + L phew
4. Times 24907: With cold, bracing air outside, maidens keep cozy here (7,4) C O(M + FORT) ZONE Didn't know keep = castle = fort (tx to Chambers)
5. Independent 7746 (Anax): Produced nothing before the signal to stop (8) FA + THE RED Got to know the FA = nothing link from one of your posts here.
6. FT 13657 (Alberich): Not clever to pick on American legendary hero (7) PERSE(-cute) US I remember I had a hard time when I first solved this one.
7. Guardian 25439 (Orlando): Animals with peculiar prehensile tails, certainly not quite right (8) R + E + INDEE(-d) + R
8. Independent 7840 (Monk): Language suggested by Escher right away? (7) ESCHE(-r) or CH IN ESE
1. Anagram of H+H+TOCLAIM+P
2. AFORE in PINS
3. ESS(letter)+RE(concerning)+HEARSA(endless gossip/hearsay) after DR(doctor) + L
4. C+OZONE outside M+FORT
5. Produced = def. FA(nothing - as in sweet FA)+THE+RED (stop signal)
6. PERSE (persecute without cute/clever) + US
7. RE (tails of peculiar prehensile) + INDEE(d) + R
8. This looks like an anagram of IN+ESCHER without the R. But the IN is indirect so I don't think it's fair.
These are tough, could just crack a few in an hour of staring!
DR(ESS), (RE)(HEARSA[-y])(L)
Letter (ESS) concerning (RE) endless gossip (HEARSA(-y)) after doctor (DR) last left (L) PRACTICE
C{O{M}{FORT}, ZONE
With cold (C) bracing air (OZONE) outside, maidens (M, FORT) KEEP COZY HERE (7,4)
FA{THE}{RED}
PRODUCED nothing (FA) before the(THE) signal to stop (RED) (8)
PIN(AFORE)S
PROTECTIVE GARMENTS formerly (AFORE), covering legs (PINS)? Quite the opposite (9)
OPHTHALMIC* with "after surgery" as anagram indicator
REGARDING THE EYES, doubly hard (H,H) to claim (TO CLAIM) pension (P), initially, after surgery (10)
In 1), 6) and 8), all the necessary letters become available but they seem to have been picked in unconventional ways.
2) PINS in AFORE => PIN[AFORE]S
3) ESS+RE+HERSA(Y)after DR
4) C+O[M+FORT]ZONE
5) (Nothing =) FA(??)+THE+RED
7) R+E+INDEE(D)+R
I will like to learn the correct interpretation of wordplay in 1), 6), 8) and 5)
STS
In 1) 6) and 8) wordplay is unclear.
In 5)nothing = FA is unknown to me.
I will like to be enlightened about the above.
Others are clear:
2) PIN[AFORE]S
3)ESS+RE+HEARSA(Y)after DR
4)C+O[M+FORT]ZONE
7)R+E+INDEE(D)+R
STS
Well done!
In #1, it didn't strike me that 'after surgery' could be an anagram indicator. Like Varun, I assumed there was an acronym for surgery to be used.
In #2, I made the mistake of taking 'formerly' as part of the definition.
ESS = letter eluded me in #3, CUTE = clever in #6. #5 isn't easy if we miss the FA = nothing link.
I can't remember why I stumbled over #4...I guess the number of components made this hard.
#8 with its implied indicator was the hardest of the lot for me. Great work with that one, Bhavan.
Post updated with the annotations.
Very cool to see the clue for Chinese in light of how Bhavan annotated it - I am sure he is not the only one to get it but his is the first one I saw.. Wish I had atleaset some out-of-the-box thinking brain!
Quick question: How do I interpret (and dereference) citations like "HT 23099"? I understand the HT refers to Hindustan Times, but what does the number mean?
Thanks!
Hi Josh, The number is the specific crossword id in which the quoted clue appeared. The number is usually printed on top of the crossword grid, as shown here. Most papers will let you search their archives using that crossword id.
The FAQ page lists the abbreviations for publications I usually refer to on the blog.
I haven't worked it out yet, but thought will share :
Who’s got a letter for himself and each of his closest siblings? (8) OCTUPLET
Thanks for sharing the clue, Bhavan. Could you work it out?
Hi Shuchi, no. I'm still lost.
OC might be "only child" but that's as far as I got and not sure that is correct.
Hi again, at loss for an explanation I had asked in the DIYCOW forum for any convincing annotation. This is what one of the members axiom had to say :
"There are eight letters in OCTUPLET, one each for him and his seven brothers and sisters. "
You can read the full thread here : http://www.ukpuzzle.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=223
Personally I'm not convinced that this is what the setter's intention is, but in the absence of any other, this will have to do.
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