May 05 2011
The Enigmatic Nib
If a nifty puzzle idea strikes you, from small-scale to grand, then this blog could be your chance to share the inspiration. Not every whim will find the electronic page, and I can’t say I’m blessed for any Quality Feedback Time, but a neat and refined piece of work is plain for all to see.
Next week, say, you’ll have DC’s own horror-show crossword to enjoy, due to be posted on Friday 13 of course. While today it’s my pleasure to present a lighter diversion, courtesy of regular DAbbler, the nimble-minded Nib. Over to you Nibster:
The last three letters of each answer begin the following word after. (For example: compOST OSTrich) Once all six clues have been solved, anagram the six initial letters into a new word and set a cryptic clue of your own.
Directed befuddled David South-East (7)
Adulterer reduces turmoil (7)
Michael Cera exhales Harry Potter clay (7)
Germ oddly discovered in main carbon blend (7)
Oh Yes in being compliant? (7)
Ravaged genuine virgin (7)
Have you found the seventh word?
Comments
Mr X — 05 May at 12:09PM
XXX SPOILER ALERT XXX
The mising word
Hebrew law in pieces of stone
Peta — 05 May at 12:24PM
A cosmic disturbance causes initial omission of DA's basket case.
IC — 05 May at 12:33PM
Run-of-the-mill publicity tactics leave my head in pieces
Boniface — 05 May at 12:34PM
Idol cracked mosaic.
Boniface — 05 May at 12:44PM
Continuing the babe in the rushes theme:
Like a basket-case, Monica's taken away upset
DA — 05 May at 01:09PM
Kudos to Nib for cooking up the treat. And I must admit to be taken by his 3/3 overlap idea. Oh the places that can go. Like great eatery, or velcro crossword...
Maybe wiser to go with A 4/4 OVERLAP, like tobacco account, or stomach macho, or these guys:
1 Fish eater (7,5)
2 Stylish scaffold (7,6)
3 Zit? (7,7)
Peta — 05 May at 01:15PM
1. S D
3. P B
DC — 05 May at 01:17PM
Spoiler:
Host takes Muslim terrorist (and mother) out. I refer to Christian commandments (6)
DC — 05 May at 01:19PM
Tarnation, I thought I'd be quick with my interpretation of the word. (Also, tell me if all those spaces are annoying.)
Good puzzle.
Boniface — 05 May at 01:59PM
How about a 5/5 overlay? (Note that these ones don't necessarily follow on like Nib's):
4. Greeted clown (8,8)
5. Clown horse (9,6)
6. Horse lingerie (6,7)
7. Lingerie gizmo (13,9) - this one now follows on...
8. Gizmo flake (9,5-5)
IC — 05 May at 02:07PM
7. U T
8. T G-S
Boniface — 05 May at 02:10PM
2. Elegant gantry
DA — 05 May at 03:58PM
4 Welcomed comedian
5 Harelquin equine
AK — 05 May at 05:19PM
This is like a Monet but crafty, little criminal methods making spy agency worried (6)
Definition too tenuous? 'Making' too Araucarian? I like this construction. :D Great puzzle, Nib!
Elephant phantasm, too.
SK — 05 May at 05:32PM
Nice one Nib. I know I'm late to the party, but-
Hammered on Moscati, not about to go out on the tiles
philth — 05 May at 06:26PM
hi all, it's been a while. here is my contribution: (sorry for the lateness, am in UK)
Spies went back after plans for design.
-or-
Masonic tessellation, non?!
JPR — 05 May at 07:26PM
but clue No 6 definitely steps over the line into offensiveness, no?
DC — 05 May at 07:29PM
A slight edit, just to make the wordplay better. The use of 'Christian' might also be debated. Regardless, Mr X's clue remains the neatest.
Host takes Muslim terrorist (with mother) out. I refer to Christian commandments.
I was thinking of stringing multiple words together with 5 letters overlapping. I got this lot, but it seems sort of cheating:
Light, lighthouse, housebound, boundaries, Aries
DC — 05 May at 07:41PM
I wouldn't call #6 offensive -- it is not pejorative, nor condones its unpleasant theme. Your milage might vary.
JPR — 05 May at 09:50PM
imho, when the whole clue is a salacious phrase, it's offensive
ps AK is grammatically offensive -- there's no such thing as 'too Araucarian'
JPR — 05 May at 10:07PM
Stoned, losing in final, Satchmo's an ice-warrior in disguise
Nib — 06 May at 01:15AM
I think DA had a thread recently about the boundaries of offensiveness in a clue set. I have been using puns in online rap battles for years, where the aim is to insult your opponent, so must admit my offended-o-meter would be askew from many.
The clue I had in mind was similar to "Masonic tessellation, non?!" but you crafted it more concisely, philth. Also, kudos for the basket-case angle, others.
Nib — 06 May at 01:40AM
I just realised that the opening few letters and final few letters almost spell 'AVENUE'.
adviSED
SEDuCER
CERaMIC
MICrOBE
OBEyING
INGenue
That would have been a clever effort. I'd originally aimed to have the untouched middle letters of each word comprise the seventh word, but failed in my attempt.
Sam — 06 May at 09:14AM
Also a bit late to this one, nice one Nib - and some great cluing above, took me a while to get the basket-case reference.
Checker remarked “I’m Oscar Wilde”?
SK — 06 May at 11:43PM
Following Nib's lead, here's another group of six. Same rules, except take the MIDDLE (ie unused) letter from each answer and mix the 6 for a new clue-
1. Netballer Liz occupied court- a first string player? (7)
2. Strip club is shut around early morning (7)
3. States bogus claim about cats, say? (7)
4. Heard soprano lacks feeling (7)
5. Expelling Hook from Knights' battle (7)
6. Persona non grata...but great in the sack (7)
Anthony Douglas — 07 May at 12:00AM
Ill, hurt, broken, but head undertaker off - a somewhat exciting turn of events.
Nib — 07 May at 03:28AM
Discharged from emergency room, Michael Jackson's zombie shuffle causes excitement?
Sam — 07 May at 08:51AM
A twitter tweets endlessly in the middle of nowhere
(borrowing from the new cryptic alphabet!)
Anthony Douglas — 07 May at 02:40PM
Sam - should that 'in' be fixed?
eg. A twitter tweets endlessly about nothing, essentially.
Nice idea though!
Sam — 07 May at 04:16PM
Anthony, thanks - yes, you're right, and a nice refinement.