CancelReport This Post

Please fill out the form below with your name, e-mail address and the reason(s) you wish to report this post.

 

Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

birder

16th August 2025, 14:16
A hard but enjoyable crossword
FOI 2d LOI 8d COD 25 & 22a 13a 12a16d
I liked 9, 25, 16 and 21 which made me smile
31 of 43  -   Report This Post

roof

16th August 2025, 17:57
Only just starting the crossword as my daughter has been here today helping with filing and decluttering - still lots to do. So I haven't yet had chance to read through the thread. I expect I shall leave it until tomorrow, when I'll be back. I'll have a read through now and see if anything strikes.
32 of 43  -   Report This Post

kawhi

17th August 2025, 08:44
Took a while to get the last three 10 20 and 22. I had the wrong composer in 25 - one who fit better with the aural wordplay - which slowed things down. But after much pausing and resuming got there in the end. Also possible nina in line 6, a reference to someone campaigning for the 9 25 16d 21, read as 4 1/1? Also made me laugh even if unintended. Thanks to Paul for two days of fun!
33 of 43  -   Report This Post

rainman

17th August 2025, 13:00
The Nina really is intriguing. I had wondered whether the exaggerated homophone was related to one man's current obsession (although he's from Queens, not Brooklyn, and not Italian). However, crosswords are usually prepared well in advance, so I presume it's a coincidence. Although the obsession isn't new so perhaps the editor decided to run with it now.
34 of 43  -   Report This Post

brendan

17th August 2025, 13:51
Hi Kawhi and Rainman,

You've got me completely baffled by your reference to a 4,1,1 Nina in line 6 - all I can see is a 4 letter word for 'was untruthful' followed by a 2 letter abbreviation for Japanese currency?
35 of 43  -   Report This Post

geeker

17th August 2025, 13:53
Brendan, I doubt it's a real NINA.
The last 2 letters are a reversal of the abbrev. for Cheeto Mussolini's original home state.
36 of 43  -   Report This Post

brendan

17th August 2025, 14:04
Okay, thanks Geeker, I think I get it now - an oblique reference to the 🍊 one.
37 of 43  -   Report This Post

pamd

17th August 2025, 14:11
Finished, earlier than often, and before coming to this forum.

I enjoyed the multi-homophone setup: 9 was FOI, and we solved 16 fairly soon, so when I cracked 21 I tried saying them out loud ... and started looking for a composer of forename x or y, which differed only in their 2nd letter, although the answer, which Google offered me, turned out to have different 4th letter.

Got stuck on 10 as i didn't think of the right Hamilton but googling gave me a couple of bands and a Louis Armstrong song for my wrong solution which fitted 4 crossers and made it impossible to solve 5d.

Eventually took the 4 crossers to CrosswordSolver and found the right Hamilton!

LOI: 5d
COD: The whole punny 1a etc complex, but I also like the simple elegance of 27a.
38 of 43  -   Report This Post

roof

17th August 2025, 15:21
Well I ended up doing most of it last night, though it did need a bit of help from DanWord to conform some answers.

I had a lot of trouble with the multi homophone. Fortunately, my husband offered me 25/22 when I asked for a composer of 4,6. I have no idea what 10ac has to do with Hamilton. A number of others I guessed but still couldn't parse. I don't understand 2d (is it about football?). Nor 24ac, or 3d, or 8d or 20d. I can only partly parse 13ac, 23d. Don't bother to reply as I must finish reading Orbital for my book group on Tuesday.

FOI 4ac, LOI 1d CODs 6d, 7d, 19d and 14d.
39 of 43  -   Report This Post

brendan

17th August 2025, 15:43
10a - I 'm truly surprised at how many people seem not to have knowledge of Hamilton, given that he's a 7 times (well, 8 really but let's not open that can of worms) world champion.

I won't give his first name to avoid spoilers but let's just say that constant repetition of it didn't work out well for Bridget Fonda in Jackie Brown 😉
40 of 43  -   Report This Post