December 02 2011
Newt Ape
June 2006 was memorable for two reasons: Tim Cahill scored two late-game goals against Japan, and Joe diPietro created a zoological marvel in his New York Times crossword.
Out of the box, the six themed squeezed two animals beside each other, so creating a bunch of fresh phrases. Here’s what I mean:
Recording of a Jewish leader’s talk? RABBI TAPE
Way back into a boat for a scuba diver? SEA LADDER
One fashioning an auto from clay? CAR POTTER
Fishing device pictured on a name tag? BADGE REEL
Executive group with perfect pitch? BOARD ON KEY
Faucet that disappoints me? TAP I REGRET
So quirky was the puzzle that I dwelt on the idea for years, clearly. Like a tap I regret, the idea dripped in my mind as I wondered what other combinations existed, speculating on the pairings that must have landed on Joe’s drafting room floor.
So let’s contrive our own, treating the folly as a puzzle in its own right. For example, another tack could be:
Polish a sneaky snake? (7/4) = BUFF A LOW ASP (where BUFFALO & WASP combine)
Any more? Make sure you number your suggestions – both the clue itself, plus the coupled creatures – for more merciful solving.
Comments
JPR — 02 December at 10:44AM
"TAP I REGRET" suggests to me "oops did I hit reply-all..."
DA — 02 December at 10:50AM
True JPR, an event that now brags its own new word: the OHNOSECOND.
Boniface — 02 December at 11:13AM
Is this in the right format?
1. Swimming club? (3,7)
DA — 02 December at 11:19AM
Not sure, Bon. Try to mimic the buff a low asp (7/4) approach. Here's another:
2. Boost a girl (6/3) = JACKAL/ASS (or jack a lass)
Boniface — 02 December at 11:25AM
Yep, it's good to go:
1. Swimming club? (3,7)
Geoff Bailey — 02 December at 11:25AM
Commas for the notional answer, slash for the animals:
3. Showed up, then immediately went away (4,4 ; 5/3)
4. Fit a hinge (4,4 ; 5/3)
5. Give tirade a poor review (3,3,4; 7/3)
6. Damage insect, or device to catch it (3,4,2,2 ; 6/6)
Geoff Bailey — 02 December at 11:31AM
Gah, correction -- the length on 6 is wrong:
6. Damage insect, or device to catch it (3,4,2,3; 6/6)
And nice one, Boniface -- it's 6,4 for the straight part.
Em — 02 December at 12:28PM
7. Cinderella's glass slipper? (4,4; 5/3)
DA — 02 December at 01:05PM
6. Mar moth or net (lovely work, Geoff)
SK — 02 December at 01:06PM
Three animals-
8. Jewish leader has a little silver (5,3,8; 6/6/4)
....and DA, I think it was June '06 when Cahill scored 2 late goals aginst Japan in Germany. 3-1 final result. Aussie Aussie Aussie, .......
DA — 02 December at 02:01PM
So it was, SK. Have tweaked the the year.
Trying to unravel your treble 8:
Rabbi the...stingray...dime...?!!
SK — 02 December at 02:11PM
Nup. The Jewish man is a given. Think another word for "miniature" (3 letters) , then you are well on your way to 2 (edible) marine animals....
AC — 02 December at 02:55PM
8. Rabbi toy sterling ? Don't know what animal a ling is, unable to find it online. I guess the clue works with oysterling for just 6/10.
SK — 02 December at 03:05PM
Correct AC. Ling as in type of fish...can be ordered as a main dish to follow the entree of oysters ;)
SK — 02 December at 03:06PM
ps. From memory, south of the Murray I think it's called orange roughie?
AC — 02 December at 04:43PM
Oh, ok. Very nice clue then SK.
I'm still working on a clue to contribute. Never done any compiling before, and to be honest, I'm kind of a novice overall too.
JD — 02 December at 04:57PM
Grandparents' vengeful advice: 2-1-6(4,5)
SK — 02 December at 05:06PM
No problem AC. That's the fun of this forum...you can "have a go" and there are plenty of us fellow novices (and of course the Grand Poo-bah) to share ideas, help and encouragement
Criseyde — 02 December at 05:20PM
Geoff, your #4, got ,4 and /3, but not the first 4.
Counting JD as #9.
10. Back off show off 5,4; 4/5
Criseyde — 02 December at 05:54PM
oops, 10 is: backs off quadrilateral 5,4;4/5
LR — 02 December at 07:12PM
5. Pan the rant
LR — 02 December at 07:20PM
Old fogy 1,000,000,000 (3/6/4)
AC — 02 December at 09:48PM
Let LR's clue be #11. Then my crustacean inspired clue is:
12. Last superb, shiny metal periodically a globule? (2,1,4,8; 4/7/4)
Geoff Bailey — 02 December at 11:18PM
EM: I'm still at a loss for your #7 -- the second animal is clear but the first eludes me.
DA: Thanks for the kind remark on #6.
JD: I solved your #9 -- very amusing!
Criseyde: For #4, you want an animal associated with 'pride'... but not in the way you might expect. :) (The clue is also not a perfect fit; apologies.)
LR: Well done on getting #5, and on your finding that triple. Nice and easy working backwards.
AC: I can't quite unravel your #12 -- got the first two (I believe) but the only animal I can think to append to get a word is 'ling'... and I can't then make the clue work. *scratches head and will work on it some more*
Criseyde — 03 December at 08:45AM
Wow, Geoff! Clicked on your link and (confessing to not watching L&N this week) didn't know about your highscoring achievement. Good luck for the finals.
Em — 03 December at 09:43AM
Geoff, think of another word for ball (where Cinderella lost her slipper) and you'll have it pretty quickly.
Criseyde — 03 December at 11:31AM
13 Way to fly: by mythical bird or black swan?
(4,3,5; 3/9)
Geoff Bailey — 03 December at 11:52AM
AC: Ah, figured out why #12 was what it was -- I was misinterpreting 'periodically'. :)
Criseyde: Thanks for your wishes! And you can still watch the episodes on the SBS website, as I hope you know -- my appearances start at episode 325.
Not sure about your #13... thought maybe 'goldfinch' might work, but can't find a good match. Working a nine-letter animal into things is impressive!
EM: Thanks for the hint! I can't say that I got it quickly, but I got there in the end. :)
RobT — 03 December at 05:42PM
I think I get it:
Soldier and Service cut down Association (7,5)
RobT — 03 December at 05:43PM
Or (2,3,4,3)
Criseyde — 03 December at 06:49PM
RobT's 14: Giraffe,llama. Nice one.
My 13, the 9 letter is a reptile, that should give it away.
Geoff Bailey — 04 December at 11:49AM
Criseyde: It helped with the end, but now I am stumped on the first animal. *laughs at self*
15. Promiscuous woman, derogatorily, insidiously weakens the competent (2,10,4 ; 5;6;5)
Criseyde — 04 December at 12:03PM
13 BOAC (old airline) roc odile
15 Hound, ermine, sable. Good one.
(I had a beauty yesterday with 5 animals - couldn't stop adding to the west and east to finish it off, then discovered I'd doubled a letter ...oh well.. rather watch the cricket.)
Geoff Bailey — 04 December at 12:59PM
Heh -- I figured out BOAC in the shower just now. Wonderful place to think. :) Nice one, Criseyde, although you could have said that both animals were reptiles...
Since this topic looks likely to drop past easy finding soon, spoilers for the earlier ones whose solution has not yet been given:
Boniface's #1 ("Swimming pool?") is a BAT/HER RING. An excellent start to it all!
(With respect to DA's #2, could this be clued with reference to Some Like It Hot?)
#3: CAME, L/EFT
#4: SLOT H/ASP
EM's #7 with a lovely surface: GALA H/EEL
JD's #9: BE-A-R/OTTER. I can just picture it, too -- very nice!
LR's #11: COD/GER BIL/LION.
AC'S #12: CR A B/LOB STER/LING
Which just leaves Criseyde's #10 unsolved, I think. I tried to get 'KITE' to fit in (being both a quadrilateral and an animal), but couldn't see how to do it.
Criseyde — 04 December at 06:41PM
Impressive work Geoff ... and Boniface, JD, LR, EM and AC.
I mucked up my 10 on both attempts. Was going for kite or skite.