Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. The Innocent Railway
Q2. Dalkeith
The initial clues seem to place us on a cycle path, which follows the route of the old Edinburgh and Dalkeith railway. According to some sources, this used to be known as 'The Innocent Railway', probably because it used horses to pull the carriages and freight wagons, thus making it much safer than the early steam engines. The railway closed c1968, with the section between Newington/St Leonards and Craigmillar being reinvented as 'The Innocent cycle path' c 1981. The Innocent railway tunnel (517 metres or 565 yards), is claimed in some references, to pass under Holyrood Park (640 acres) and the highest point in this park, is Arthur's Seat, shown as 251 metres (823 feet) on some maps.
Near the Craigmillar end of the cycle path, lies Craigmillar castle, which depending on the source you check, is listed as c 14th or 13th century. The Historic Scotland web site puts the tower house at around 17 metres or 56 feet high. It is claimed in some texts on the subject, that Mary Queen of Scots stayed at the castle when the plot (with or without her knowledge) to whack her husband, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, was carried out. The castle is beautiful and if you like the medieval period (the Eastender does), looks like it could be worth a visit.
Travelling two miles of so west of the castle, would bring us to the Royal Observatory, which seems to have been there since at least the 18th century, though astronomy was being taught in Edinburgh as early as the 16th century. A mining village four miles or so east north east, from the vicinity of Craigmillar castle and which used to be on the route of Innocent railway line, is most likely Newcraighall, where c 1972, the film director Bill Douglas shot some of the scenes from his film 'My Childhood'. This movie was part of a trilogy, with the other two being 'My Ain Folk' and 'My Way Home'.
The architect John Adam (b c 1721) is said to have studied at Dalkeith grammar school. Dalkeith lies three or so miles south of Newcraighall.John Adam's grave is in Greyfriars kirkyard and he died c 1792, which is 39 years before the Innocent railway came into being (c 1831).
Link to the competition
Where Was I?
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I ? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Cilmeri
Q2. John Osborne
(N.B. for question one, Cilmeri also appears on some maps as Cilmery)
The initial clues seem to place us on the 'Heart of Wales' railway line, which some sources claim runs from Llanelli to Craven Arms, across the Welsh-English border. A span which was built c 1868 by the Central Wales Extension Railway (CWER), to carry the line over the Afon Bran river, is most likely the Cynghordy viaduct, which is said in some references, to be around two hundred and eighty three yards long, have eighteen arches and looks to be in the region that the puzzle author is describing, near Llandovery, which is around thirty miles or so from Llanelli. The OS map shows a tunnel just before Sugar-Loaf Halt station, north east of the viaduct.
The settlement which claims to be the smallest town in Britain, with a population of around six hundred or so people and which lies on the Heart of Wales line, is likely to be Llanwrtyd Wells. It sounds like a quirky place, they seem to hold 'men versus horse' races and 'bog snorkelling' events there. The village with the spring containing Barium Chloride, is said in some references, to be Llangammarch Wells. A village where a battle was fought c 1282 on the 11th of December, is probably Climeri or Climery (English spelling), where a prince called Llywelyn Ap Gruftydd (mother Senana Ferch Rhodri) was killed in the melee after fighting bravely against the nasty old fascist, Edward the first.
The Heart of Wales line crosses over the river Wye, which is around one hundred and thirty to one hundred and thirty four miles long, depending on which source you check. The next viaduct that the puzzle author mentions, is probably the Knucklas viaduct, which is described in some texts as having thirteen arches. The fourth town that the train halts at could be Craven Arms, as the playwright John Osborne (born c 1929) lived in Clun, which lies six miles or so to the west. Osborne wrote the play 'Look Back in Anger' c 1956, which is about an angry malcontent called Jimmy Porter and his wife Allison, talking politics and ranting about the establishment, in a grungy flat. Osborne may have created this genre of 'angry young men' and 'kitchen sink' dramas.
Where Was I?
Q1. Cilmeri
Q2. John Osborne
(N.B. for question one, Cilmeri also appears on some maps as Cilmery)
The initial clues seem to place us on the 'Heart of Wales' railway line, which some sources claim runs from Llanelli to Craven Arms, across the Welsh-English border. A span which was built c 1868 by the Central Wales Extension Railway (CWER), to carry the line over the Afon Bran river, is most likely the Cynghordy viaduct, which is said in some references, to be around two hundred and eighty three yards long, have eighteen arches and looks to be in the region that the puzzle author is describing, near Llandovery, which is around thirty miles or so from Llanelli. The OS map shows a tunnel just before Sugar-Loaf Halt station, north east of the viaduct.
The settlement which claims to be the smallest town in Britain, with a population of around six hundred or so people and which lies on the Heart of Wales line, is likely to be Llanwrtyd Wells. It sounds like a quirky place, they seem to hold 'men versus horse' races and 'bog snorkelling' events there. The village with the spring containing Barium Chloride, is said in some references, to be Llangammarch Wells. A village where a battle was fought c 1282 on the 11th of December, is probably Climeri or Climery (English spelling), where a prince called Llywelyn Ap Gruftydd (mother Senana Ferch Rhodri) was killed in the melee after fighting bravely against the nasty old fascist, Edward the first.
The Heart of Wales line crosses over the river Wye, which is around one hundred and thirty to one hundred and thirty four miles long, depending on which source you check. The next viaduct that the puzzle author mentions, is probably the Knucklas viaduct, which is described in some texts as having thirteen arches. The fourth town that the train halts at could be Craven Arms, as the playwright John Osborne (born c 1929) lived in Clun, which lies six miles or so to the west. Osborne wrote the play 'Look Back in Anger' c 1956, which is about an angry malcontent called Jimmy Porter and his wife Allison, talking politics and ranting about the establishment, in a grungy flat. Osborne may have created this genre of 'angry young men' and 'kitchen sink' dramas.
Where Was I?
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Garmondsway
Q2. Chesney Allen
(N.B there are around one hundred and fourteen deserted villages listed for Durham but one which looks like it could be a good fit, being four miles or so west south west of Station Town, is Garmondsway)
The initial clues place us most likely in Station Town, which is listed as being a village, in the county of Durham, and could be why the puzzle author has used the quote marks around the word town. There does seem to be a dismantled railway line near this hamlet and it looks like it passed slightly to the north west, though there are also remnants of a disused line approaching from the south (now a walking trail). About four miles west south west of there, according to the OS map, lies the abandoned medieval village of Garmondsway (this is also listed as a deserted medieval village and field system on some heritage sites). Six miles or so south east of Station Town, lies the port and former shipbuilding town of Hartlepool. Some references claim that the last ship constructed in the town, called the Blanchland, was launched from there c 1961. The settlement was shelled heavily by the imperial German navy c 1914, with around 119 casualties and six members of the Durham Light Infantry being killed in the attack, which was one of the first of the war and became known as the 'Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby raid'. An Indian built frigate, which lies in the harbour museum there, is most likely HMS Trincomalee, which was according to the ship's official web site, constructed in India c 1817.
Hartlepool abbey was according to some sources constructed on a headland called the Heugh, c 640 ad and the first abbess was a Saint Hieu (feast day 21 Sep). The second abbess was a saint Hilda (feast day Nov 17) and St Hilda's church, which now stands on the Heugh headland, is dedicated to her memory. The author Compton Mackenzie is said in some references, to have been born in west Hartlepool c 1883, he was a very prolific writer and is probably remembered more for his work 'Whisky Galore', than for the book which features John Ogilvie, 'The Four Winds of Love'. Depending on which source you check, the comedian Chesney Allen was born c1893 or 1894 and died in 1982. I found one reference which claims that his first week away from his home in London, was spent in repertory, at the Grand, in west Hartlepool c 1912. The comedy duo Flanagan and Allen did a sketch called 'Oi', a version of which can be heard on Spotify.
Where Was I?
Q1. Garmondsway
Q2. Chesney Allen
(N.B there are around one hundred and fourteen deserted villages listed for Durham but one which looks like it could be a good fit, being four miles or so west south west of Station Town, is Garmondsway)
The initial clues place us most likely in Station Town, which is listed as being a village, in the county of Durham, and could be why the puzzle author has used the quote marks around the word town. There does seem to be a dismantled railway line near this hamlet and it looks like it passed slightly to the north west, though there are also remnants of a disused line approaching from the south (now a walking trail). About four miles west south west of there, according to the OS map, lies the abandoned medieval village of Garmondsway (this is also listed as a deserted medieval village and field system on some heritage sites). Six miles or so south east of Station Town, lies the port and former shipbuilding town of Hartlepool. Some references claim that the last ship constructed in the town, called the Blanchland, was launched from there c 1961. The settlement was shelled heavily by the imperial German navy c 1914, with around 119 casualties and six members of the Durham Light Infantry being killed in the attack, which was one of the first of the war and became known as the 'Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby raid'. An Indian built frigate, which lies in the harbour museum there, is most likely HMS Trincomalee, which was according to the ship's official web site, constructed in India c 1817.
Hartlepool abbey was according to some sources constructed on a headland called the Heugh, c 640 ad and the first abbess was a Saint Hieu (feast day 21 Sep). The second abbess was a saint Hilda (feast day Nov 17) and St Hilda's church, which now stands on the Heugh headland, is dedicated to her memory. The author Compton Mackenzie is said in some references, to have been born in west Hartlepool c 1883, he was a very prolific writer and is probably remembered more for his work 'Whisky Galore', than for the book which features John Ogilvie, 'The Four Winds of Love'. Depending on which source you check, the comedian Chesney Allen was born c1893 or 1894 and died in 1982. I found one reference which claims that his first week away from his home in London, was spent in repertory, at the Grand, in west Hartlepool c 1912. The comedy duo Flanagan and Allen did a sketch called 'Oi', a version of which can be heard on Spotify.
Where Was I?
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Rev Richard Harris Barham aka Thomas Ingoldsby
Q2. Dymchurch
(N.B. for question one, Rev Richard Harris Barham wrote his stories under the pen name of Thomas Ingoldsby, they are possibly looking for the author's real name as the answer, as opposed to the nomme d'plume. For question two, some references claim that E.Nesbit and Tommy Tucker, built a house in the village of St Mary's bay near Dymchurch but this lies to the east of St Mary in the Marsh and other sources claim that the Nesbits holidayed in Sycamore house in Dymchurch proper, which does lie north east of St Mary in the Marsh. The Eastender, is taking a punt on the answer being Dymchurch).
The initial clues most likely place us in the town of Lydd, which lies in the marshes, in the county of Kent. The quote "The world according to the best geographers is divided into Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Romney Marsh" , is said in some references, to originate from a Rev Richard Harris Barham, who wrote under the pen name 'Thomas Ingoldsby' and published a collection of what are described as burlesque horror stories, set in the Romney Marshes, c 1840, The collected works were known as 'The Ingoldsby Legends'. Some of Barham's biographies claim that he was one of the founders of the Garrick club c 1832 (he also founded a club called the 'Wig Club').
The longest church in the county of Kent, is said to be, in some references, "All Saint's Church", in the town of Lydd. It's dimensions are given as, one hundred and ninety nine feet long, with a tower around one hundred and thirty two feet high. The master of 'The Discovery', Thomas Edgar (born 1745) which was captain Cook's ship on his voyages of exploration between 1776 and 1780, is reportedly buried in the churchyard there. From the OS map, it looks like Lydd has a firing range south west of it and this could be where the explosive Lyddite (made in part from Pycric acid), was tested before being used in anger, during the first world war. There was a battle between two kings for control of Kent c 798 ad, they were called Coenwulf of Mercia (father Cuthbert) and Eadberht III Praen. It seems that Coenwulf had to get permission from the pope to move against Eadberht, as he was some sort of 'made' guy and couldn't be touched. I could'nt find any references detailing where this struggle took place but Eadberht lost and had his eyes put out and his hands cut off, by a victorious Coenwulf. The OS map does show locations near Lydd marked as Swamp Level Crossing, Sheep Wash and Sheepfold.
A hamlet northeast of Lydd, which lies two miles or so inland, is most likely St Mary in the Marsh and it is in the churchyard here, that some sources claim that the author Edith Nesbit (b 1858 - d 1924) is said to be buried. Edith's second husband was known as Thomas 'The Skipper' Tucker. Nesbit herself was allegedly a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and active in founding the Fabian society.Some references indicate that there is a plaque on Sycamore house, commemorating the author, in the village of Dymchurch, which is around two miles north east of St Mary in the Marsh and Nesbit and her family were said to have rented this place, while holidaying there.
The third author (b 1885) is most likely to be Russell Thorndike, he wrote some books about a swashbuckling vicar called Dr Syn, which were set in the area of Dymchurch and the Romney Marshes. The first one seems to be called 'Dr Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh'. They sound very entertaining and the Eastender may download one to his Kindle, if he can find them in the archives.
Where Was I?
Q1. Rev Richard Harris Barham aka Thomas Ingoldsby
Q2. Dymchurch
(N.B. for question one, Rev Richard Harris Barham wrote his stories under the pen name of Thomas Ingoldsby, they are possibly looking for the author's real name as the answer, as opposed to the nomme d'plume. For question two, some references claim that E.Nesbit and Tommy Tucker, built a house in the village of St Mary's bay near Dymchurch but this lies to the east of St Mary in the Marsh and other sources claim that the Nesbits holidayed in Sycamore house in Dymchurch proper, which does lie north east of St Mary in the Marsh. The Eastender, is taking a punt on the answer being Dymchurch).
The initial clues most likely place us in the town of Lydd, which lies in the marshes, in the county of Kent. The quote "The world according to the best geographers is divided into Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Romney Marsh" , is said in some references, to originate from a Rev Richard Harris Barham, who wrote under the pen name 'Thomas Ingoldsby' and published a collection of what are described as burlesque horror stories, set in the Romney Marshes, c 1840, The collected works were known as 'The Ingoldsby Legends'. Some of Barham's biographies claim that he was one of the founders of the Garrick club c 1832 (he also founded a club called the 'Wig Club').
The longest church in the county of Kent, is said to be, in some references, "All Saint's Church", in the town of Lydd. It's dimensions are given as, one hundred and ninety nine feet long, with a tower around one hundred and thirty two feet high. The master of 'The Discovery', Thomas Edgar (born 1745) which was captain Cook's ship on his voyages of exploration between 1776 and 1780, is reportedly buried in the churchyard there. From the OS map, it looks like Lydd has a firing range south west of it and this could be where the explosive Lyddite (made in part from Pycric acid), was tested before being used in anger, during the first world war. There was a battle between two kings for control of Kent c 798 ad, they were called Coenwulf of Mercia (father Cuthbert) and Eadberht III Praen. It seems that Coenwulf had to get permission from the pope to move against Eadberht, as he was some sort of 'made' guy and couldn't be touched. I could'nt find any references detailing where this struggle took place but Eadberht lost and had his eyes put out and his hands cut off, by a victorious Coenwulf. The OS map does show locations near Lydd marked as Swamp Level Crossing, Sheep Wash and Sheepfold.
A hamlet northeast of Lydd, which lies two miles or so inland, is most likely St Mary in the Marsh and it is in the churchyard here, that some sources claim that the author Edith Nesbit (b 1858 - d 1924) is said to be buried. Edith's second husband was known as Thomas 'The Skipper' Tucker. Nesbit herself was allegedly a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and active in founding the Fabian society.Some references indicate that there is a plaque on Sycamore house, commemorating the author, in the village of Dymchurch, which is around two miles north east of St Mary in the Marsh and Nesbit and her family were said to have rented this place, while holidaying there.
The third author (b 1885) is most likely to be Russell Thorndike, he wrote some books about a swashbuckling vicar called Dr Syn, which were set in the area of Dymchurch and the Romney Marshes. The first one seems to be called 'Dr Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh'. They sound very entertaining and the Eastender may download one to his Kindle, if he can find them in the archives.
Where Was I?
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Melrose
Q2. The Leaderfoot viaduct
(N.B. for question two, this span is sometimes referred to as the Drygrange railway viaduct, British Rail Bridge Number 401/61; 'Tripontium' viaduct; Bridge Pool viaduct; Blackrock Pool viaduct, St Boswells Drygrange viaduct. The Eastender is taking a punt that the answer will be the one that's on the tourist blurb for the area, ie the Leaderfoot viaduct)
The initial clues place us most likely in the town of Melrose, in the Scottish border country. According to some sources, a sporting event called the 'Melrose Sevens' was started there c 1883. It was basically a form of rugby with smaller teams and fifteen minutes playing time (two halves of 7.5 minutes duration). The sevens game has spread around the world and the number of players and match durations, may have evolved since then.
Melrose abbey was said to have been founded by David I of Scotland, c 1136 and Alexander II of Scotland (wives Joan of England and Marie de Coucy) and the heart of Robert the Bruce (mother, Marjorie of Carrick) are reputed to be buried there. A second abbey around three miles to the south east of Melrose, is likely to be Dryburgh abbey. Driving east from Melrose would bring us to the site of the Roman fort of Trimontium, so called because to the south west of that position, lie three lofty eminences, which make up the Eildon hills.
The nearest viaduct to the Trimontium fort site, is most likely the Leaderfoot viaduct, which has nineteen arches and in some references is said to be 38.4 metres high or 126 feet. Depending on which source you check, it was built by the Berwickshire railway c 1863 or c 1865 and closed c 1965. The viaduct does not seem to be visible from the site of the fort but can be viewed, by looking to the west, from the road bridge which carries the A68 across the Tweed. The OS map, shows a footpath/walking trail going across the viaduct.
Travelling two miles or so south south east of the viaduct takes us to Dryburgh abbey, founded c 1150. In the graveyard there lie the remains of the best general the Germans ever had, with two million British casualties resulting from his 'cunning plans', the completely hatstand Field Marshall Douglas Haig (born c 1861). There is a theory that Haig was acting under the unconscious influence of primitive baboon genes inherited from one of his ancestors, which compelled him to attempt the elimination of the genetic competition, by sending them all off to war to get killed.The poet is most likely Sir Walter Scott, whose remains are also said to be buried at Dryburgh abbey. Scott wrote a poem about a smile, which is where the quotation "
Ne'er Was flattery lost on poet's ear A simple race they waste their toil For the vain tribute of a smile" seems to originate.
A tower which lies around three miles north east of Dryburgh abbey, is likely to be Smailholm Tower. Allegedly built for the Pringle clan c 15th century, it was once owned by Sir Walter Scott's ancestors and it was said that he often visited his grandfather there as a child. Historic Scotland claim that the tower is twenty metres or sixty five feet high. Scott himself, is said to have lived in Abbotsford house, which is situated to the west of Melrose, near Galashiels. The last quote is possibly from Scott's 'The Lay of the Last Minstrel', written c 1805. (Canto #6 of a very long poem, written in a faux medieval style).
"O Caledonia! stern and wild,
Meet nurse for a poetic child!
Land of brown heath and shaggy wood,
Land of the mountain and the flood,
Land of my sires! what mortal hand
Can e'er untie the filial band,That knits me to thy rugged strand!"
Link to the competition:
Where Was I?
Q1. Melrose
Q2. The Leaderfoot viaduct
(N.B. for question two, this span is sometimes referred to as the Drygrange railway viaduct, British Rail Bridge Number 401/61; 'Tripontium' viaduct; Bridge Pool viaduct; Blackrock Pool viaduct, St Boswells Drygrange viaduct. The Eastender is taking a punt that the answer will be the one that's on the tourist blurb for the area, ie the Leaderfoot viaduct)
The initial clues place us most likely in the town of Melrose, in the Scottish border country. According to some sources, a sporting event called the 'Melrose Sevens' was started there c 1883. It was basically a form of rugby with smaller teams and fifteen minutes playing time (two halves of 7.5 minutes duration). The sevens game has spread around the world and the number of players and match durations, may have evolved since then.
Melrose abbey was said to have been founded by David I of Scotland, c 1136 and Alexander II of Scotland (wives Joan of England and Marie de Coucy) and the heart of Robert the Bruce (mother, Marjorie of Carrick) are reputed to be buried there. A second abbey around three miles to the south east of Melrose, is likely to be Dryburgh abbey. Driving east from Melrose would bring us to the site of the Roman fort of Trimontium, so called because to the south west of that position, lie three lofty eminences, which make up the Eildon hills.
The nearest viaduct to the Trimontium fort site, is most likely the Leaderfoot viaduct, which has nineteen arches and in some references is said to be 38.4 metres high or 126 feet. Depending on which source you check, it was built by the Berwickshire railway c 1863 or c 1865 and closed c 1965. The viaduct does not seem to be visible from the site of the fort but can be viewed, by looking to the west, from the road bridge which carries the A68 across the Tweed. The OS map, shows a footpath/walking trail going across the viaduct.
Travelling two miles or so south south east of the viaduct takes us to Dryburgh abbey, founded c 1150. In the graveyard there lie the remains of the best general the Germans ever had, with two million British casualties resulting from his 'cunning plans', the completely hatstand Field Marshall Douglas Haig (born c 1861). There is a theory that Haig was acting under the unconscious influence of primitive baboon genes inherited from one of his ancestors, which compelled him to attempt the elimination of the genetic competition, by sending them all off to war to get killed.The poet is most likely Sir Walter Scott, whose remains are also said to be buried at Dryburgh abbey. Scott wrote a poem about a smile, which is where the quotation "
Ne'er Was flattery lost on poet's ear A simple race they waste their toil For the vain tribute of a smile" seems to originate.
A tower which lies around three miles north east of Dryburgh abbey, is likely to be Smailholm Tower. Allegedly built for the Pringle clan c 15th century, it was once owned by Sir Walter Scott's ancestors and it was said that he often visited his grandfather there as a child. Historic Scotland claim that the tower is twenty metres or sixty five feet high. Scott himself, is said to have lived in Abbotsford house, which is situated to the west of Melrose, near Galashiels. The last quote is possibly from Scott's 'The Lay of the Last Minstrel', written c 1805. (Canto #6 of a very long poem, written in a faux medieval style).
"O Caledonia! stern and wild,
Meet nurse for a poetic child!
Land of brown heath and shaggy wood,
Land of the mountain and the flood,
Land of my sires! what mortal hand
Can e'er untie the filial band,That knits me to thy rugged strand!"
Link to the competition:
Where Was I?
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Falmouth
Q2. Operation Chariot
(N.B. for question 2, this WWII operation is sometimes referred to as the 'St Nazaire Raid')
The initial clues most likely place us on the Maritime Line (around 11 3/4 miles long), which runs between Truro and Falmouth, in Cornwall. Several references claim that Falmouth docks opened c1861 and the harbour there, is said to be the deepest in western Europe. The first station which the puzzle author stopped at, from the information given, is likely to be Perranwell, which is around half a mile north of Perranaworthal village, where Tullimaar house lies. Tullimaar house was, according to some sources, used by General Dwight David Eisenhower (born c 1890, in Denison Texas) for two weeks c 1944. The same house was also for a time, said to be the home of William Golding, author of a book called 'Lord of the Flies', which features characters called Ralph and Jack and was published c 1954. Golding won a Nobel prize (c 1983) for his writing.
The creekside town passed through is probably Penryn (though there are several other creekside settlements in the area) and there seem to have been eight viaducts on this line at one time,with some of them being rebuilt or turned into embankments. These are the Penwithers, Ringwell, Carnon, Perran, Ponsenooth, Pascoe, Penryn and Collegewood viaducts. The one which is the most likely fit for the clues given, seems to be Collegewood, as it has similar dimensions at around 100 feet (30 metres) high and 291 metres (318 yards) and is said in some sources, to be the last timber viaduct to have been replaced in Cornwall and dates from around 1863.
The castle near the station terminus in Falmouth, is called Pendennis castle (built c 1539).The Operation Chariot (St Nazaire Raid) was launched from Falmouth and it involved several converted destroyers, a fleet of small boats carrying commandos and several MTBs, which were towed by the destroyers to conserve fuel. The purpose of the attack, was to destroy the Normandie dry docks at St Nazaire, to deny the only site big enough to carry out repairs to ships like the Bismarck. The raid was successful, in that the destroyer Campbeltown, packed with explosives, was driven into the dry dock gates and scuttled, so that the Germans could not move it. It subsequently blew up, rendering the facility unusable for years after. The commandos trashed the town and the dockyard infrastructure before they ran out of ammunition, with some of them surrendering and becoming POWs. It seems that most of the small boats they had planned to make good their escape in, were shot up and sunk, so the escape had to be attempted overland.
Some sources claim that Falmouth pier was opened c 1905 and is around five hundred and ten feet long. Falmouth seems to have been a hub for the post office packet service in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and an author who stayed at the Greenbank hotel and wrote a book called 'Wind in the Willows', which features a road raging character named 'Toad of Toad Hall' (he shouted 'poop poop', when he was near or in motor vehicles),was Kenneth Grahame. Grahame worked in the Bank of England and is said in some references to have been lucky to have survived several assassination attempts by rival banksters, while working there. He would not be able to write 'Wind in the Willows' today, as the coalition government have ordered the badgers killed. There are several ferries operating from Falmouth, travelling to destinations like St Mawes and Truro, which don't sound particularly foreign. There is a ferry which goes to Flushing, which is also the name of a place in Holland.
Where Was I?
Q1. Falmouth
Q2. Operation Chariot
(N.B. for question 2, this WWII operation is sometimes referred to as the 'St Nazaire Raid')
The initial clues most likely place us on the Maritime Line (around 11 3/4 miles long), which runs between Truro and Falmouth, in Cornwall. Several references claim that Falmouth docks opened c1861 and the harbour there, is said to be the deepest in western Europe. The first station which the puzzle author stopped at, from the information given, is likely to be Perranwell, which is around half a mile north of Perranaworthal village, where Tullimaar house lies. Tullimaar house was, according to some sources, used by General Dwight David Eisenhower (born c 1890, in Denison Texas) for two weeks c 1944. The same house was also for a time, said to be the home of William Golding, author of a book called 'Lord of the Flies', which features characters called Ralph and Jack and was published c 1954. Golding won a Nobel prize (c 1983) for his writing.
The creekside town passed through is probably Penryn (though there are several other creekside settlements in the area) and there seem to have been eight viaducts on this line at one time,with some of them being rebuilt or turned into embankments. These are the Penwithers, Ringwell, Carnon, Perran, Ponsenooth, Pascoe, Penryn and Collegewood viaducts. The one which is the most likely fit for the clues given, seems to be Collegewood, as it has similar dimensions at around 100 feet (30 metres) high and 291 metres (318 yards) and is said in some sources, to be the last timber viaduct to have been replaced in Cornwall and dates from around 1863.
The castle near the station terminus in Falmouth, is called Pendennis castle (built c 1539).The Operation Chariot (St Nazaire Raid) was launched from Falmouth and it involved several converted destroyers, a fleet of small boats carrying commandos and several MTBs, which were towed by the destroyers to conserve fuel. The purpose of the attack, was to destroy the Normandie dry docks at St Nazaire, to deny the only site big enough to carry out repairs to ships like the Bismarck. The raid was successful, in that the destroyer Campbeltown, packed with explosives, was driven into the dry dock gates and scuttled, so that the Germans could not move it. It subsequently blew up, rendering the facility unusable for years after. The commandos trashed the town and the dockyard infrastructure before they ran out of ammunition, with some of them surrendering and becoming POWs. It seems that most of the small boats they had planned to make good their escape in, were shot up and sunk, so the escape had to be attempted overland.
Some sources claim that Falmouth pier was opened c 1905 and is around five hundred and ten feet long. Falmouth seems to have been a hub for the post office packet service in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and an author who stayed at the Greenbank hotel and wrote a book called 'Wind in the Willows', which features a road raging character named 'Toad of Toad Hall' (he shouted 'poop poop', when he was near or in motor vehicles),was Kenneth Grahame. Grahame worked in the Bank of England and is said in some references to have been lucky to have survived several assassination attempts by rival banksters, while working there. He would not be able to write 'Wind in the Willows' today, as the coalition government have ordered the badgers killed. There are several ferries operating from Falmouth, travelling to destinations like St Mawes and Truro, which don't sound particularly foreign. There is a ferry which goes to Flushing, which is also the name of a place in Holland.
Where Was I?
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Huddersfield
Q2. Celia Johnson
(N.B. for question two the actress's full name/title is given in some references as Dame Celia Elizabeth Johnson)
The initial clues place us most likely in the vicinity of the town of Huddersfield. There are several viaducts near this settlement, the Denby Dale viaduct and the Paddock viaduct for example but the one that is a good fit for the description in the puzzle, with 32 arches, a construction date of c 1850, by a civil engineer called Sir John Hawkshaw (born c 1811), is the Lockwood viaduct, which does seem to lie on the south western outskirts of the town. A politician who spoke of 'the white heat of revolution', in reference to technological progress, was Sir Harold Wilson, who in some references, is said to have been born in the Cowlersly district of Huddersfield c 1916. Lockwood viaduct does not look to be east/north east of this area, although if the puzzle author is referring to the bearing of the town from the suburb, the directions given make a little more sense.
Several references claim that at 1600, Huddersfield has the third most listed buildings in the UK. Huddersfield station is said by some sources to have been constructed c 1846 - 1850 by architect James Piggot Pritchet and son. The station was because of its Corinthian columns, once described as 'a stately home for trains'. A rare three wheeled car built in Huddersfield between the years 1919 and 1924 is most likely the L.S.D car. In this case L.S.D does not mean that it could fly way out yonder but rather the initials are said to stand for Longbottom, Sykes and Dyson, who were the designer,manufacturer and accountant, respectively of the company which constructed the strange vehicles.
A prime minister who was schooled in Huddersfield and who is listed in some references, as being chancellor of the exchequer between 1905 and 1908, is most likely Henry Herbert Asquith and a musician/bandmaster, who was born c 1878 and who died in 1912 (because the poor sod was on the RMS Titanic) is likely to be Wallace Henry Hartley, who lived in Huddersfield for a time. An actress who made her debut at the theatre royal in Huddersfield c 1928 playing the part of Sarah, in George Bernard Shaw's 'Major Barbara', is most likely to be Celia Johnson who also starred in a David Lean film called 'Brief Encounter', along with Trevor Howard c1945. A great old British actor called James Mason, who starred as Lord Rohan in a 1943 movie called 'The Man In Grey', is said in some references to have been born in Huddersfield c 1909.
The sport of Rugby league is said to have been founded in the George Hotel, Huddersfield c 1895 and Huddersfield Town F.C are said to have won three successive league titles c 1926.
link to the competition
Where Was I?
Q1. Huddersfield
Q2. Celia Johnson
(N.B. for question two the actress's full name/title is given in some references as Dame Celia Elizabeth Johnson)
The initial clues place us most likely in the vicinity of the town of Huddersfield. There are several viaducts near this settlement, the Denby Dale viaduct and the Paddock viaduct for example but the one that is a good fit for the description in the puzzle, with 32 arches, a construction date of c 1850, by a civil engineer called Sir John Hawkshaw (born c 1811), is the Lockwood viaduct, which does seem to lie on the south western outskirts of the town. A politician who spoke of 'the white heat of revolution', in reference to technological progress, was Sir Harold Wilson, who in some references, is said to have been born in the Cowlersly district of Huddersfield c 1916. Lockwood viaduct does not look to be east/north east of this area, although if the puzzle author is referring to the bearing of the town from the suburb, the directions given make a little more sense.
Several references claim that at 1600, Huddersfield has the third most listed buildings in the UK. Huddersfield station is said by some sources to have been constructed c 1846 - 1850 by architect James Piggot Pritchet and son. The station was because of its Corinthian columns, once described as 'a stately home for trains'. A rare three wheeled car built in Huddersfield between the years 1919 and 1924 is most likely the L.S.D car. In this case L.S.D does not mean that it could fly way out yonder but rather the initials are said to stand for Longbottom, Sykes and Dyson, who were the designer,manufacturer and accountant, respectively of the company which constructed the strange vehicles.
A prime minister who was schooled in Huddersfield and who is listed in some references, as being chancellor of the exchequer between 1905 and 1908, is most likely Henry Herbert Asquith and a musician/bandmaster, who was born c 1878 and who died in 1912 (because the poor sod was on the RMS Titanic) is likely to be Wallace Henry Hartley, who lived in Huddersfield for a time. An actress who made her debut at the theatre royal in Huddersfield c 1928 playing the part of Sarah, in George Bernard Shaw's 'Major Barbara', is most likely to be Celia Johnson who also starred in a David Lean film called 'Brief Encounter', along with Trevor Howard c1945. A great old British actor called James Mason, who starred as Lord Rohan in a 1943 movie called 'The Man In Grey', is said in some references to have been born in Huddersfield c 1909.
The sport of Rugby league is said to have been founded in the George Hotel, Huddersfield c 1895 and Huddersfield Town F.C are said to have won three successive league titles c 1926.
link to the competition
Where Was I?
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Shapinsay
Q2. Stronsay
(N.B. for question one, it is a little unclear whether the first island is Shapinsay or Mainland but as the puzzle author says the second island is Wyre and the first mention of an island is describing Shapinsay, the Eastender is taking a punt that the first one is in fact Shapinsay)
The initial clues most likely place us at Kirkwall ( a busy ferry port), on an island in the Orkneys group, which bizarrely seems to be called 'Mainland'. Some sources claim that the first dedicated armed forces newspaper, the 'Orkney Blast', was started here during world war II, by a writer and soldier called Major Eric Linklater (born c 1899). Linklater seems to have been an incredibly industrious and prolific writer (despite being shot up during world war I), who won several awards, both for his books and for his public service. Some references say that he is buried in the Harray parish kirkyard, which looks to be around ten miles or so north west of Kirkwall. He does seem to have published a book called 'Private Angelo' c 1946, which is said to be a war satire.
An island which lies to the east of some of the northern ferry routes out of Kirkwall and which has as its highest point 'Ward Hill', at two hundred and ten feet or sixty four metres, is likely to be Shapinsay. Balfour castle lies on its western tip and according to some sources, it was designed by an Edinburgh architect called David Bryce (born c 1803). Bryce was known for his baronial style designs. Hakon Hakonarson, once a king of Norway, is said to have assembled a fleet off the village of Balfour, in Elwick bay c 1263, in order to do battle with the Scots at Largs. As it turns out, they should have stayed put, because some of their fleet ran aground in a storm and the Scottish squaddies waiting on the beach at Largs, kicked seven bells out of Hakon and his team. Ayre seems to be a norse word for a strip of sea which has been cut off from the main body of water by a narrow neck of land. Shapinsay has a few, the Ayre of Vasa/Vasa Loch and Lairo water, for example. The OS map shows a swamp/nature reserve called Balaclava, to the north of Elwick bay, on Shapinsay.
The second island, which lies three and a half miles or so north west of Shapinsay, is likely to be Wyre. Edwin Muir the poet (born c 1887), is said in some of his bios, to have lived there until the age of fourteen, when he tragically had to leave his Orcadian paradise and go and live in county Hell (aka mainland Britain). Muir is said to have written a poem called 'The Horses', in some references. The oldest stone built castle in Scotland, (Cubbie Roo's Castle) is said to be on Wyre (constructed c 1145 ad), for a big bampot of a giant called Kolbein Hruga. Kolbein Hruga got banned from every pub on the island and the only place he could get a drink was at the lodge, which only opens on Wednesdays.
The fourth island is likely to be Sanday, according to the Northern Lighthouse Board, it does have a lighthouse at Start Point, which is said to have been constructed by Robert Stevenson c 1806 and is around twenty five metres or eighty two feet high. The ferry route looks to pass close to Sanday (about two miles on the map), before it turns to the south and the pier at Whitehall village, on Stronsay. From the south coast of Stronsay, it should be possible (weather permitting), to see the island of Auskerry, which some sources say is around two hundred and ten acres in area. The NLB claim that the one hundred and eleven foot lighthouse on Auskerry, was built by David and Thomas Stevenson c 1866. A 'Gloup' is said to be a partially collapsed sea cave (the word is probably onomatopoeic, gloup being the noise the sea makes as it slops in). According to the OS map, there seems to be one on Stronsay and its called the 'Vat of Kirbuster Gloup'.
Link to the competition
Where Was I?
Q1. Shapinsay
Q2. Stronsay
(N.B. for question one, it is a little unclear whether the first island is Shapinsay or Mainland but as the puzzle author says the second island is Wyre and the first mention of an island is describing Shapinsay, the Eastender is taking a punt that the first one is in fact Shapinsay)
The initial clues most likely place us at Kirkwall ( a busy ferry port), on an island in the Orkneys group, which bizarrely seems to be called 'Mainland'. Some sources claim that the first dedicated armed forces newspaper, the 'Orkney Blast', was started here during world war II, by a writer and soldier called Major Eric Linklater (born c 1899). Linklater seems to have been an incredibly industrious and prolific writer (despite being shot up during world war I), who won several awards, both for his books and for his public service. Some references say that he is buried in the Harray parish kirkyard, which looks to be around ten miles or so north west of Kirkwall. He does seem to have published a book called 'Private Angelo' c 1946, which is said to be a war satire.
An island which lies to the east of some of the northern ferry routes out of Kirkwall and which has as its highest point 'Ward Hill', at two hundred and ten feet or sixty four metres, is likely to be Shapinsay. Balfour castle lies on its western tip and according to some sources, it was designed by an Edinburgh architect called David Bryce (born c 1803). Bryce was known for his baronial style designs. Hakon Hakonarson, once a king of Norway, is said to have assembled a fleet off the village of Balfour, in Elwick bay c 1263, in order to do battle with the Scots at Largs. As it turns out, they should have stayed put, because some of their fleet ran aground in a storm and the Scottish squaddies waiting on the beach at Largs, kicked seven bells out of Hakon and his team. Ayre seems to be a norse word for a strip of sea which has been cut off from the main body of water by a narrow neck of land. Shapinsay has a few, the Ayre of Vasa/Vasa Loch and Lairo water, for example. The OS map shows a swamp/nature reserve called Balaclava, to the north of Elwick bay, on Shapinsay.
The second island, which lies three and a half miles or so north west of Shapinsay, is likely to be Wyre. Edwin Muir the poet (born c 1887), is said in some of his bios, to have lived there until the age of fourteen, when he tragically had to leave his Orcadian paradise and go and live in county Hell (aka mainland Britain). Muir is said to have written a poem called 'The Horses', in some references. The oldest stone built castle in Scotland, (Cubbie Roo's Castle) is said to be on Wyre (constructed c 1145 ad), for a big bampot of a giant called Kolbein Hruga. Kolbein Hruga got banned from every pub on the island and the only place he could get a drink was at the lodge, which only opens on Wednesdays.
The fourth island is likely to be Sanday, according to the Northern Lighthouse Board, it does have a lighthouse at Start Point, which is said to have been constructed by Robert Stevenson c 1806 and is around twenty five metres or eighty two feet high. The ferry route looks to pass close to Sanday (about two miles on the map), before it turns to the south and the pier at Whitehall village, on Stronsay. From the south coast of Stronsay, it should be possible (weather permitting), to see the island of Auskerry, which some sources say is around two hundred and ten acres in area. The NLB claim that the one hundred and eleven foot lighthouse on Auskerry, was built by David and Thomas Stevenson c 1866. A 'Gloup' is said to be a partially collapsed sea cave (the word is probably onomatopoeic, gloup being the noise the sea makes as it slops in). According to the OS map, there seems to be one on Stronsay and its called the 'Vat of Kirbuster Gloup'.
Link to the competition
Where Was I?
Saturday, 31 August 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse
Q2. Eastbourne
The initial clues place us most likely in the town of Eastbourne, in the county of East Sussex. Several sources claim that the pier there was opened c 1870 and is around 1000 feet long. According to the Trinity house website, a 36 metre (118 feet) high telescopic lighthouse, called the Royal Sovereign, warns ships of the Royal Sovereign Shoal, which looks to lie five miles or so, to the south east of the town. A chain of 74 Martello towers guarded the south coast of England at one time and number 73, which is known in some circles, as the 'Wish Tower', is marked on some maps, as being in Eastbourne. The town is also famous for its carpet like flower beds, which are planted along the promenade.
The national trail is most likely to be the 'South Downs Way', which according to some references, has its highest point on Butser Hill (around 270 metres or 886 feet ), in Hampshire. The school the author is referring to, from the positional information given, could be St Bede's prepatory school, on Duke's drive. Two writers born c 1903, who were educated in Eastbourne, at St Cyprian's school were Cyril Connolly and Eric Arthur Blair (aka George Orwell). Connolly wrote a novel called 'The Rock Pool', which according to some sources, featured a town called 'Trou-Sur-Mer'. Blair knew Connolly and the latter published some of his essays. The quote "We of the sinking middle class may sink without further struggles into the working class where we belong, and probably when we get there it will not be so dreadful as we feared, for, after all, we have nothing to lose." , is attributed to George Orwell. The third writer is most likely Edna Lyall (born c 1857 aka Ada Ellen Bayly). She published a book called Donovan and lived in Eastbourne for a time. A doctor who is a good fit for the forger (and suspected serial killer) in the description, could be Dr John Bodkin Adams (born c 1899) who practised in the town for a while.
Scenes from the film Quadrophenia (c 1979) which was based on the 1973 Who album of the same name, were shot in and around Eastbourne. Little Jimmy (played by Phil Daniels) drives the character played by Sting's scooter, off the cliffs, near the town. The South Downs National Park,is said to be around six hundred and eighteen square miles in area and the highest point on the headland mentioned in the puzzle, at 164 metres or 538 feet, is likely to be the sea cliff at Beachy Head. The writer and NCF probably stop at Birling Gap, which looks to be around two miles or so from Beachy Head and looking north west from there, could bring the Seven Sisters chalk sea cliffs into view. There is an area within the Seven Sisters cliffs, marked as 'Rough Bottom' on the OS map.
link to competition
Where Was I?
Q1. The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse
Q2. Eastbourne
The initial clues place us most likely in the town of Eastbourne, in the county of East Sussex. Several sources claim that the pier there was opened c 1870 and is around 1000 feet long. According to the Trinity house website, a 36 metre (118 feet) high telescopic lighthouse, called the Royal Sovereign, warns ships of the Royal Sovereign Shoal, which looks to lie five miles or so, to the south east of the town. A chain of 74 Martello towers guarded the south coast of England at one time and number 73, which is known in some circles, as the 'Wish Tower', is marked on some maps, as being in Eastbourne. The town is also famous for its carpet like flower beds, which are planted along the promenade.
The national trail is most likely to be the 'South Downs Way', which according to some references, has its highest point on Butser Hill (around 270 metres or 886 feet ), in Hampshire. The school the author is referring to, from the positional information given, could be St Bede's prepatory school, on Duke's drive. Two writers born c 1903, who were educated in Eastbourne, at St Cyprian's school were Cyril Connolly and Eric Arthur Blair (aka George Orwell). Connolly wrote a novel called 'The Rock Pool', which according to some sources, featured a town called 'Trou-Sur-Mer'. Blair knew Connolly and the latter published some of his essays. The quote "We of the sinking middle class may sink without further struggles into the working class where we belong, and probably when we get there it will not be so dreadful as we feared, for, after all, we have nothing to lose." , is attributed to George Orwell. The third writer is most likely Edna Lyall (born c 1857 aka Ada Ellen Bayly). She published a book called Donovan and lived in Eastbourne for a time. A doctor who is a good fit for the forger (and suspected serial killer) in the description, could be Dr John Bodkin Adams (born c 1899) who practised in the town for a while.
Scenes from the film Quadrophenia (c 1979) which was based on the 1973 Who album of the same name, were shot in and around Eastbourne. Little Jimmy (played by Phil Daniels) drives the character played by Sting's scooter, off the cliffs, near the town. The South Downs National Park,is said to be around six hundred and eighteen square miles in area and the highest point on the headland mentioned in the puzzle, at 164 metres or 538 feet, is likely to be the sea cliff at Beachy Head. The writer and NCF probably stop at Birling Gap, which looks to be around two miles or so from Beachy Head and looking north west from there, could bring the Seven Sisters chalk sea cliffs into view. There is an area within the Seven Sisters cliffs, marked as 'Rough Bottom' on the OS map.
link to competition
Where Was I?
Saturday, 24 August 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Monmouth
Q2. St Briavel's Castle
(N.B. for question 1, the name of the town is marked on some maps as Monmouth/Trefynwy)
The initial clues most likely place us in the town on Monmouth, in Wales . A royal who was born in the gatehouse of Monmouth castle c 1387, is likely to be Henry V. His brother was called Humphrey but their maternal grandfather, according to some references, was called Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford. Some sources claim that Monmouth castle was constructed between 1067 and 1071. The town does have an Agincourt square, where there seems to be a statue of the aviation pioneer Charles Rolls, said in some references, to be the first Briton to have died in a powered aircraft accident.
Traces were found of a Roman fort called 'Blestium' in Monmouth and on some maps, there is a street shown, called 'Blestium Street'. Walking south west from the castle would bring us to the river Monnow and the Monnow bridge, with its medieval fortified gate tower (allegedly built c 1272 or 1262 depending on which source you believe).
The aviator Charles Rolls, is said to be buried in the village of Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, which lies about two miles or so north west of Monmouth. A singer/songwriter who lived and died in Monmouth and who produced an album called 'Live Performance' c 1971 (EMI Records), is likely to be Jake Thackery.
Driving south\south east from Monmouth on the A466 would take us into the Wye Valley and close to the Offa's Dyke National Trail and the Wye Valley Walk but it is the Offa's Dyke National Trail which according to some sources has its highest point at 2297ft (700 m). There looks to be a junction off the A466 around five miles south/south east of Monmouth and if followed to the east, would bring you to St Briavel's castle, which according to English heritage, was constructed c 12 century.The gatehouse was built c 1292 by a power crazed sociopath called Edward I (who was allegedly a cousin of Henry of Almain). It seems to be a borderline decision on the author's part, because St Briavel's is in England and the village he ends up visiting, looks like it's in Wales.
Tintern Abbey (second cistercian foundation in Britain, said to have been founded c1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow), in said village was again put out of business by the notorious 'enry the Eighth and it's visitors centre seems to have been a station, which closed c 1959. The photographs of the abbey do indeed show that it is roofless. The lines "rolling from their mountain-springs/With a soft inland murmer" appear to originate from William Wordsworth, who may have composed them , a few miles above Tintern Abbey, on the banks of the Wye, during a tour c 13th July 1798.
The Eastender's Javascripts detect that the Thunderball machine continues to output words on the theme of deities, not content with generating ZEUS, ISIS, NIKE and LOKI it now produces
RAMA: any of Vishnu's three incarnations
Fri 23 Aug 13 [A] H J Y 39 G
Wed 21 Aug 13 E F [M] T 38 N
Sat 17 Aug 13 [A] D F 30 37 B
Fri 16 Aug 13 D [R] 28 32 35 K
Original data substituted as follows, shown below
1=A,2=B,3=C,4=D,5=E,6=F,7=G,8=H,I=9,J=10,K=11,L=12,M=13,N=14,O=15,P=16,Q=17,R=18,S=19,T=20,U=21,V=22,W=23,X=24,Y=25,Z=26
Fri 23 Aug 13 [01] 08 10 25 39 07
Wed 21 Aug 13 05 06 [13] 20 38 14
Sat 17 Aug 13 [01] 04 06 30 37 02
Fri 16 Aug 13 04 [18] 28 32 35 11
If you see the name of a god or goddess appearing in your data, taking a punt on the 'letter' which completes it, showing up in the next game, could on past performance, produce a positive result. Read more about this here.
Lotto Codewords in the Thunderball Game
link to the competition
Where Was I
Q1. Monmouth
Q2. St Briavel's Castle
(N.B. for question 1, the name of the town is marked on some maps as Monmouth/Trefynwy)
The initial clues most likely place us in the town on Monmouth, in Wales . A royal who was born in the gatehouse of Monmouth castle c 1387, is likely to be Henry V. His brother was called Humphrey but their maternal grandfather, according to some references, was called Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford. Some sources claim that Monmouth castle was constructed between 1067 and 1071. The town does have an Agincourt square, where there seems to be a statue of the aviation pioneer Charles Rolls, said in some references, to be the first Briton to have died in a powered aircraft accident.
Traces were found of a Roman fort called 'Blestium' in Monmouth and on some maps, there is a street shown, called 'Blestium Street'. Walking south west from the castle would bring us to the river Monnow and the Monnow bridge, with its medieval fortified gate tower (allegedly built c 1272 or 1262 depending on which source you believe).
The aviator Charles Rolls, is said to be buried in the village of Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, which lies about two miles or so north west of Monmouth. A singer/songwriter who lived and died in Monmouth and who produced an album called 'Live Performance' c 1971 (EMI Records), is likely to be Jake Thackery.
Driving south\south east from Monmouth on the A466 would take us into the Wye Valley and close to the Offa's Dyke National Trail and the Wye Valley Walk but it is the Offa's Dyke National Trail which according to some sources has its highest point at 2297ft (700 m). There looks to be a junction off the A466 around five miles south/south east of Monmouth and if followed to the east, would bring you to St Briavel's castle, which according to English heritage, was constructed c 12 century.The gatehouse was built c 1292 by a power crazed sociopath called Edward I (who was allegedly a cousin of Henry of Almain). It seems to be a borderline decision on the author's part, because St Briavel's is in England and the village he ends up visiting, looks like it's in Wales.
Tintern Abbey (second cistercian foundation in Britain, said to have been founded c1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow), in said village was again put out of business by the notorious 'enry the Eighth and it's visitors centre seems to have been a station, which closed c 1959. The photographs of the abbey do indeed show that it is roofless. The lines "rolling from their mountain-springs/With a soft inland murmer" appear to originate from William Wordsworth, who may have composed them , a few miles above Tintern Abbey, on the banks of the Wye, during a tour c 13th July 1798.
The Eastender's Javascripts detect that the Thunderball machine continues to output words on the theme of deities, not content with generating ZEUS, ISIS, NIKE and LOKI it now produces
RAMA: any of Vishnu's three incarnations
Fri 23 Aug 13 [A] H J Y 39 G
Wed 21 Aug 13 E F [M] T 38 N
Sat 17 Aug 13 [A] D F 30 37 B
Fri 16 Aug 13 D [R] 28 32 35 K
Original data substituted as follows, shown below
1=A,2=B,3=C,4=D,5=E,6=F,7=G,8=H,I=9,J=10,K=11,L=12,M=13,N=14,O=15,P=16,Q=17,R=18,S=19,T=20,U=21,V=22,W=23,X=24,Y=25,Z=26
Fri 23 Aug 13 [01] 08 10 25 39 07
Wed 21 Aug 13 05 06 [13] 20 38 14
Sat 17 Aug 13 [01] 04 06 30 37 02
Fri 16 Aug 13 04 [18] 28 32 35 11
If you see the name of a god or goddess appearing in your data, taking a punt on the 'letter' which completes it, showing up in the next game, could on past performance, produce a positive result. Read more about this here.
Lotto Codewords in the Thunderball Game
link to the competition
Where Was I
Saturday, 17 August 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Loch Harport
Q2. Soay
(N.B. for question one, there are several inlets on Skye, which match the description given but there don't seem to be lighthouses shown near them on the OS map, so the Eastender is taking a punt on the answer being the one with the Ardtreck lighthouse, which was built c 2000, on a headland at Loch Harport)
The initial clues place us most likely on the shore of Loch Harport, on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland. Loch Harport is around five miles long. There are other inlets of similar length on the island, Loch Dunvegan and Loch Snizort Beag, for example but these do not seem to have lighthouses on a headland near them. The Northern Lighthouse Board's website however, claims that the Ardtreck lighthouse, which lies on a headland, which can likely be seen from the northern shore of Loch Harport, was built c 2000. It is unclear whether the author is on the northern shore of Loch Harport, looking south across the water to the Ardtreck light, or whether he is on the southern shore looking across the northern tip of headland where the light is situated.
From the description given, the puzzle writer has most likely travelled to Glen Brittle, which is bounded to the east by the Cuillin mountain range. The highest peak in the Cuillins, is said by some sources, to be Sgurr Alasdair, at 992 metres or 3255 feet, which makes it a Munro. The mountain is said to be named after a Gaelic scholar and sheriff, called Alexander Nicolson. There is a reference to one of Nicolson's poems ('The Isle of Skye'), in 'The Clarion of Skye' newspaper, Issue 46, November 1954, page 12.
Travelling back up Glen Brittle and heading east, would bring us to the vicinity of Loch Sligachan and a twin peaked mountain called 'Glamaig'. The peaks which are referred to in the text at 2543 feet or 775 metres and 2208 feet or 673 metres respectively, are most likely Sgurr Mhairi and An Coileach and they lie south of the road on the southern shore of Loch Sligachan. Going east to the end of the road would bring you into sight of the Eyre Point lighthouse, which the NLB says was constructed by Charles Alexander Stevenson (born c 1855), c 1938.
Around nine miles south east of Loch Sligachan, lies Broadford bay and from here, you can likely see the island of Pabay, which according to several sources, does seem to issue its own stamps. Driving southwest from Broadford bay on the 8083,would bring you to a dorp called Elgol but it doesn't look anything like a twenty mile trip as the crow flies. From the village you can likely see the island of Soay, which according to some references, was purchased c 1944 by an eccentric author called Gavin Maxwell (born c 1914). Maxwell was a real character, he kept a pet otter, went exploring with Wilfred Thessiger and was in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the war. He would probably be in jail today though, for destroying the basking shark population around Skye, which is what his book on the time he spent on Soay, is about ('Harpoon at a Venture' , published c 1952). Maxwell owned another island called Eilean Ban but this is in the wrong position to match the directions given and now has a bridge going over it. 2560 acres, equates to around 1035/1036 hectares and several references claim these dimensions for Soay, as well as it being home to the first solar powered telephone exchange.
Nine miles south from Broadford bay would bring us to the vicinity of one of clan Donald's strongholds, ie the fifteenth century Knock Castle (they also had castles at Dunscaith and Armadale but Knock seems to be a good fit for the clues given).
After finding the name ZEUS (father of the gods) in the Thunderball data a few weeks back, the Eastender's Javascripts have also uncovered some lesser deities concealed within the data, namely ISIS (Egyptian goddess), NIKE(Greek Goddess of victory) and LOKI (Norse trickster god and father of the Fenris wolf).
LOKI
Sat 10 Aug 13 10 R J [I] E 12
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 Y R [K] 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 V U [O] I 05
Sat 03 Aug 13 Q N [L] E B 10
NIKE
Sat 10 Aug 13 10 R J I [E] 12
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 Y R [K] 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 V U O [I] 05
Sat 03 Aug 13 Q [N] L E B 10
Original data, substituted as shown below:
39 = A, 38 = B, 37 = C, 36 = D, 35 = E, 34 = F, 33 = G, 32 = H, 31 = I, 30 = J, 29 = K, 28 = L, 27 = M, 26 = N, 25 = O, 24 = P, 23 = Q, 22 = R, 21 = S, 20 = T, 19 = U, 18 = V, 17 = W, 16 = X, 15 = Y, 14 = Z
Sat 10 Aug 13 10 22 30 31 35 12
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 15 22 29 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 18 19 25 31 05
Sat 03 Aug 13 23 26 28 35 38 10
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISIS
Fri 19 Apr 13 G [I] J M 29 E
Wed 17 Apr 13 B L [S] Y 29 B
Sat 13 Apr 13 C [I] K O S L
Fri 12 Apr 13 F H [S] 36 37 K
Original data, substituted as follows, shown below:
A=1,B=2,C=3,D=4,E=5,F=6,G=7,H=8,I=9,J=10,K=11,L=12,M=13,N=14,O=15,P=16,Q=17,R=18,S=19,T=20,U=21,V=22,W=23,X=24,Y=25,Z=26
Fri 19 Apr 13 07 09 10 13 29 05
Wed 17 Apr 13 02 12 19 25 29 02
Sat 13 Apr 13 03 09 11 15 19 12
Fri 12 Apr 13 06 08 19 36 37 11
Read more about the words generated by Lotto machines, here:
Lotto Coderwords in the Thunderball game
Link to the competition:
Where Was I?
Q1. Loch Harport
Q2. Soay
(N.B. for question one, there are several inlets on Skye, which match the description given but there don't seem to be lighthouses shown near them on the OS map, so the Eastender is taking a punt on the answer being the one with the Ardtreck lighthouse, which was built c 2000, on a headland at Loch Harport)
The initial clues place us most likely on the shore of Loch Harport, on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland. Loch Harport is around five miles long. There are other inlets of similar length on the island, Loch Dunvegan and Loch Snizort Beag, for example but these do not seem to have lighthouses on a headland near them. The Northern Lighthouse Board's website however, claims that the Ardtreck lighthouse, which lies on a headland, which can likely be seen from the northern shore of Loch Harport, was built c 2000. It is unclear whether the author is on the northern shore of Loch Harport, looking south across the water to the Ardtreck light, or whether he is on the southern shore looking across the northern tip of headland where the light is situated.
From the description given, the puzzle writer has most likely travelled to Glen Brittle, which is bounded to the east by the Cuillin mountain range. The highest peak in the Cuillins, is said by some sources, to be Sgurr Alasdair, at 992 metres or 3255 feet, which makes it a Munro. The mountain is said to be named after a Gaelic scholar and sheriff, called Alexander Nicolson. There is a reference to one of Nicolson's poems ('The Isle of Skye'), in 'The Clarion of Skye' newspaper, Issue 46, November 1954, page 12.
Travelling back up Glen Brittle and heading east, would bring us to the vicinity of Loch Sligachan and a twin peaked mountain called 'Glamaig'. The peaks which are referred to in the text at 2543 feet or 775 metres and 2208 feet or 673 metres respectively, are most likely Sgurr Mhairi and An Coileach and they lie south of the road on the southern shore of Loch Sligachan. Going east to the end of the road would bring you into sight of the Eyre Point lighthouse, which the NLB says was constructed by Charles Alexander Stevenson (born c 1855), c 1938.
Around nine miles south east of Loch Sligachan, lies Broadford bay and from here, you can likely see the island of Pabay, which according to several sources, does seem to issue its own stamps. Driving southwest from Broadford bay on the 8083,would bring you to a dorp called Elgol but it doesn't look anything like a twenty mile trip as the crow flies. From the village you can likely see the island of Soay, which according to some references, was purchased c 1944 by an eccentric author called Gavin Maxwell (born c 1914). Maxwell was a real character, he kept a pet otter, went exploring with Wilfred Thessiger and was in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the war. He would probably be in jail today though, for destroying the basking shark population around Skye, which is what his book on the time he spent on Soay, is about ('Harpoon at a Venture' , published c 1952). Maxwell owned another island called Eilean Ban but this is in the wrong position to match the directions given and now has a bridge going over it. 2560 acres, equates to around 1035/1036 hectares and several references claim these dimensions for Soay, as well as it being home to the first solar powered telephone exchange.
Nine miles south from Broadford bay would bring us to the vicinity of one of clan Donald's strongholds, ie the fifteenth century Knock Castle (they also had castles at Dunscaith and Armadale but Knock seems to be a good fit for the clues given).
After finding the name ZEUS (father of the gods) in the Thunderball data a few weeks back, the Eastender's Javascripts have also uncovered some lesser deities concealed within the data, namely ISIS (Egyptian goddess), NIKE(Greek Goddess of victory) and LOKI (Norse trickster god and father of the Fenris wolf).
LOKI
Sat 10 Aug 13 10 R J [I] E 12
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 Y R [K] 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 V U [O] I 05
Sat 03 Aug 13 Q N [L] E B 10
NIKE
Sat 10 Aug 13 10 R J I [E] 12
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 Y R [K] 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 V U O [I] 05
Sat 03 Aug 13 Q [N] L E B 10
Original data, substituted as shown below:
39 = A, 38 = B, 37 = C, 36 = D, 35 = E, 34 = F, 33 = G, 32 = H, 31 = I, 30 = J, 29 = K, 28 = L, 27 = M, 26 = N, 25 = O, 24 = P, 23 = Q, 22 = R, 21 = S, 20 = T, 19 = U, 18 = V, 17 = W, 16 = X, 15 = Y, 14 = Z
Sat 10 Aug 13 10 22 30 31 35 12
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 15 22 29 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 18 19 25 31 05
Sat 03 Aug 13 23 26 28 35 38 10
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISIS
Fri 19 Apr 13 G [I] J M 29 E
Wed 17 Apr 13 B L [S] Y 29 B
Sat 13 Apr 13 C [I] K O S L
Fri 12 Apr 13 F H [S] 36 37 K
Original data, substituted as follows, shown below:
A=1,B=2,C=3,D=4,E=5,F=6,G=7,H=8,I=9,J=10,K=11,L=12,M=13,N=14,O=15,P=16,Q=17,R=18,S=19,T=20,U=21,V=22,W=23,X=24,Y=25,Z=26
Fri 19 Apr 13 07 09 10 13 29 05
Wed 17 Apr 13 02 12 19 25 29 02
Sat 13 Apr 13 03 09 11 15 19 12
Fri 12 Apr 13 06 08 19 36 37 11
Read more about the words generated by Lotto machines, here:
Lotto Coderwords in the Thunderball game
Link to the competition:
Where Was I?
Saturday, 10 August 2013
Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Nottingham
Q2. (Sir) Peter de la Mare
The initial clues place us on a street called 'The Gt Northern', in the city of Nottingham. The Great Northern Railway was according to some sources, established by the Great Northern Railway act c 1846. Some references claim that London road high level and London road low level stations in Nottingham, were constructed by the GNR and opened c 1857. The low level station was said to have been closed to passenger c 1944 and the high level closed to passengers c 1967. Travelling west on 'The Gt Northern' street and crossing over London road, brings us to Station street and Nottingham station .
Travelling north from the station takes us across Nottingham canal (the other canal referred to in the puzzle, is most likely the Erewash canal, which lies to the west of the city and is said in some references to have opened c 1779 and to be 12 miles long.
Moving west along Canal street takes us to Castle street and Nottingham castle, which was constructed by William the Conqueror as a motte and bailey wooden structure c 1067. The current edifice, is believed to have been built by the Duke of Newcastle, Henry Cavendish c1674 - 1679. A queen born c 1295 who was holed up here with her lover, Roger de Mortimer (born c 1287), was queen Isabella. They were arrested by Edward III and his goon squad, after they used 'Mortimer's hole', allegedly an underground way into the castle, to gain access. Some references claim that Edward III founded the order of the garter.
A king (parents Annabella Drummond and Robert III of Scotland) who was incarcerated in Nottingham castle for around two years, after his ship got into difficulties and ran aground off Flamborough head, was James I of Scotland. Two people were elected speaker of the House of Commons in 1377, Sir Thomas Hungerford and Sir Peter de la Mare. I couldn't find a reference on Hungerford being locked up in the castle but found several which claim that Sir Peter de la Mare was, by John of Gaunt (for something involving the King's mistress). A tobacco manufacturer (born c 1839) who trademarked an image of the castle, is likely to be John Player.
Wandering north east from the castle takes you across Maid Marrian way and towards the Victoria shopping centre, which is built on the site of the old Victoria station and does seem to have a 100 foot clock tower close to it.
Lotto machines generate words as a co product of their normal operations, the Eastender's data mining explorations have found that there can be as many as twenty two possible letters which could form words, if they appeared in the next game and combine with the existing data and it is no good betting when this is the case, however, charting the number of possible letters vs number of letters which actually appear, shows that there are instances, where the number of possible letters, comes close to converging with the number which actually appear and it is here that a low cost bet can sometimes produce positive results. You can also sometimes let your unconscious mind/intuition suggest a word, in the case below, taking a punt on the letters that complete the word DORSEY, from the game played on Wed 07 Aug 13, would have gotten you two winning numbers in the game played on Fri 09 Aug 13...(don't discount the power of the unconscious mind, it is very good at seeing patterns in data)
DORSEY - Tommy Dorsey, American Jazz Trombonist.
[O] [E]
[D] [R][S] [Y]
Fri 09 Aug 13 B [E] [O] V 29 G
Wed 07 Aug 13 [D] [R] [S] [Y] 31 E
Here's a phrase that showed up in previous games
DEJA VU - from the French, literally, 'already seen'
Fri 06 Apr 12 [A] Q [V] X 37 L
Wed 04 Apr 12 [ D E J] [U] 34 E
The original UK Thunderball data below, was substituted as follows:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9, J=10, K=11, L=12, M=13, N=14, O=15,P=16
Q=17, R=18, S=19, T=20, U=21, V=22, W=23, X=24, Y=25, Z=26
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 15 22 29 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 18 19 25 31 05
Link to the competition
Where Was I?
Q1. Nottingham
Q2. (Sir) Peter de la Mare
The initial clues place us on a street called 'The Gt Northern', in the city of Nottingham. The Great Northern Railway was according to some sources, established by the Great Northern Railway act c 1846. Some references claim that London road high level and London road low level stations in Nottingham, were constructed by the GNR and opened c 1857. The low level station was said to have been closed to passenger c 1944 and the high level closed to passengers c 1967. Travelling west on 'The Gt Northern' street and crossing over London road, brings us to Station street and Nottingham station .
Travelling north from the station takes us across Nottingham canal (the other canal referred to in the puzzle, is most likely the Erewash canal, which lies to the west of the city and is said in some references to have opened c 1779 and to be 12 miles long.
Moving west along Canal street takes us to Castle street and Nottingham castle, which was constructed by William the Conqueror as a motte and bailey wooden structure c 1067. The current edifice, is believed to have been built by the Duke of Newcastle, Henry Cavendish c1674 - 1679. A queen born c 1295 who was holed up here with her lover, Roger de Mortimer (born c 1287), was queen Isabella. They were arrested by Edward III and his goon squad, after they used 'Mortimer's hole', allegedly an underground way into the castle, to gain access. Some references claim that Edward III founded the order of the garter.
A king (parents Annabella Drummond and Robert III of Scotland) who was incarcerated in Nottingham castle for around two years, after his ship got into difficulties and ran aground off Flamborough head, was James I of Scotland. Two people were elected speaker of the House of Commons in 1377, Sir Thomas Hungerford and Sir Peter de la Mare. I couldn't find a reference on Hungerford being locked up in the castle but found several which claim that Sir Peter de la Mare was, by John of Gaunt (for something involving the King's mistress). A tobacco manufacturer (born c 1839) who trademarked an image of the castle, is likely to be John Player.
Wandering north east from the castle takes you across Maid Marrian way and towards the Victoria shopping centre, which is built on the site of the old Victoria station and does seem to have a 100 foot clock tower close to it.
Lotto machines generate words as a co product of their normal operations, the Eastender's data mining explorations have found that there can be as many as twenty two possible letters which could form words, if they appeared in the next game and combine with the existing data and it is no good betting when this is the case, however, charting the number of possible letters vs number of letters which actually appear, shows that there are instances, where the number of possible letters, comes close to converging with the number which actually appear and it is here that a low cost bet can sometimes produce positive results. You can also sometimes let your unconscious mind/intuition suggest a word, in the case below, taking a punt on the letters that complete the word DORSEY, from the game played on Wed 07 Aug 13, would have gotten you two winning numbers in the game played on Fri 09 Aug 13...(don't discount the power of the unconscious mind, it is very good at seeing patterns in data)
DORSEY - Tommy Dorsey, American Jazz Trombonist.
[O] [E]
[D] [R][S] [Y]
Fri 09 Aug 13 B [E] [O] V 29 G
Wed 07 Aug 13 [D] [R] [S] [Y] 31 E
Here's a phrase that showed up in previous games
DEJA VU - from the French, literally, 'already seen'
Fri 06 Apr 12 [A] Q [V] X 37 L
Wed 04 Apr 12 [ D E J] [U] 34 E
The original UK Thunderball data below, was substituted as follows:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9, J=10, K=11, L=12, M=13, N=14, O=15,P=16
Q=17, R=18, S=19, T=20, U=21, V=22, W=23, X=24, Y=25, Z=26
Fri 09 Aug 13 02 05 15 22 29 07
Wed 07 Aug 13 04 18 19 25 31 05
Fri 6 Apr 2012 01 17 22 24 37 12
Wed 4 Apr 2012 04 05 10 21 34 05
Wed 4 Apr 2012 04 05 10 21 34 05
Read more about this here:
Link to the competition
Where Was I?
Saturday, 3 August 2013
The Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Quite a bit to research this week, near as I can figure it through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers seem to me to be:
Q1. John Zoffany (aka Johann Zoffany)
Q2. Syon House
(N.B. for question one, this artist is known variously as John Zoffany, Johann Zoffany, Zoffani, Zauphaly and Zauffelij but as he was German born but lived in England, it is probably the English version of the name they are looking for as the answer)
The initial clues place us at St Anne's church in the marvellous Kew Gardens, in the borough of Richmond, in London. I found several references which claim that the church was built c 1714 and that it was named after queen Anne. There are several artists buried in the grounds but the ones which most fit with the clues are Johann Zoffany (born c 1773 - died c 1810) and known to have painted a work called 'Venice Preserv'd' and Thomas Gainsborough (born c 1727 - died c 1788), known to have painted a work called 'The Mall in St James's Park'. 'Venice Preserv'd' seems to be the name of a play by Thomas Otway and Zoffany's painting, shows an actor called David Garrick, starring in it.
The world heritage site which the church overlooks, is the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, which was awarded this status c 2003. The extraordinarily creative and productive architect who designed the Pagoda and some of the temples in Kew gardens, was most likely Sir William Chambers, born c 1722 - 1723, depending on which source you want to believe. He is said to have designed the temples of Bellona and Aeolus. The 52,500 square foot building which is undergoing restoration, is most likely 'The Temperate House', which was designed by the second architect, Decimus Burton (born c 1800).
A riverside palace located in Kew Gardens, is 'The Dutch House' or as it is also known 'Kew Palace'. Several sources claim that this was constructed c 1631 by a merchant called Samuel Fortry. The upstart Hanoverians laid claim to it and it became for many years a royal residence . Queen Charlotte, who's mother was Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hilburghausen and father Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, is said in some references to have died there c 1818.
The only bridge in close vicinity to Kew Gardens, is Kew bridge and the author most likely crossed the Thames here, before walking south west into Brentford, where on the 12th of November 1642, the battle of Brentford was fought between the Parliamentarian forces and the Royalists. Some accounts claim it was more of a skirmish, with the Roundheads being caught unawares, after becoming a bit too chilled out while camping there and having a few beers and a barbecue.
The skirmish was fought in the ground of what is now Syon house, this is indeed built in the Italian renaissance style and is now home to the Duke of Northumberland. There was once an abbey there but it was destroyed by 'enry the eighth, who was said to be so fond of the pies, that he needed a mobility scooter to get around. A queen (for nine days allegedly) who was offered the crown at Syon house, is most likely lady Jane Grey (mother Lady Frances Brandon). I have not yet ascertained who the fourth queen who stayed in Syon was but it is said that Henry the Eighth's corpse fell out of the coffin while resting at Syon house on the way to Windsor castle and was licked by dogs, an event attributed to divine retribution by many ex Monastery inhabitants.
Lotto machines generate words as a co product of their normal operations, the Eastender's data mining exploits have found that there can be as many as twenty two possible letters which could form words, if they appeared in the next game and combine with the existing data and it is no good betting when this is the case, however, charting the number of possible letters vs number of letters which actually appear, shows that there are instances, where the number of possible letters, comes close to converging with the number which actually appear and it is here that a low cost bet can sometimes produce positive results. Here is a very nice example of such a convergence, which occurred this week, in the UK Thunderball results data:
ZEUS - Father of the gods
If you saw the sequence [Z][E][U] appearing in your carefully kept and monitored data files, which letter would you take a punt on to appear in the next game and complete the word? S perhaps? where S = 19.............
If you saw the sequence [Z][E][U] appearing in your carefully kept and monitored data files, which letter would you take a punt on to appear in the next game and complete the word? S perhaps? where S = 19.............
Wed 31 Jul 13 N P [S] U 31 C
Sat 27 Jul 13 P R [U] X 34 F
Fri 26 Jul 13 [E] P M 30 39 G
Wed 24 Jul 13 H K Y [Z] 29 D
The original UK Thunderball data below, was substituted as follows:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, F=6, G=7, H=8, I=9, J=10, K=11, L=12, M=13, N=14, O=15,P=16
Q=17, R=18, S=19, T=20, U=21, V=22, W=23, X=24, Y=25, Z=26
Wed 31 Jul 13 14 16 19 21 31 03
Sat 27 Jul 13 16 18 21 24 34 06
Fri 26 Jul 13 05 16 19 30 39 07
Wed 24 Jul 13 08 11 25 26 29 04
Read more about this here:
Link to the competition
Saturday, 27 July 2013
The Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition
Reasonably straightforward this week, the most likely answers, as seen through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, seem to me to be :
Q1. Dunblane
Q2. Monty Python and The Holy Grail
"Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear
Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear
Ye Jacobites by name
Your faults I will proclaim
Your doctrines I maun blame, you will hear, you will hear
Your doctrines I maun blame, you will hear"
...Robert Burns
The Eastender raises a glass to the king over the water and salutes his ancestors who took part in the 'hunting expedition' against the upstart Hanoverian pretender's dragoons, at Sheriffmuir on the 13th November 1715, a costly fight, as like many Jacobites, they were declared attainted shortly thereafter and had their lands confiscated, (the attainted ruling, is still on the statute books to this day and has never been rescinded).
The initial clues place us in the vicinity of the Sheriffmuir battlefield, I am not sure what the 'mon' clue refers to but think it could be from the song 'Ye Jacobites by Name Lend an Ear' by Robert Burns, though the word is spelled 'maun' in that. North of the city of Stirling, lies the cathedral town of Dunblane, some sources claim that the name of the settlement means 'The Fort of Blane'. Blane was a sixth century saint and his feast day is given in some references, as August 10th.
Around three miles west of Dunblane, lies Doune castle, which according to historic Scotland has a 100 foot high gate house and was constructed for Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (born c 1340), sometime in the 14th century. It was also the location used for the Kinghts who say 'Ni' in the film 'Monty Python and The Holy Grail', which was shot c 1975 . A second castle, which lies around two and half miles south east of Doune, is Arnhall castle. This is a ruined three story tower, which was constructed from rubble, c1617. Arnhall castle was also used as a location in the Monty Python film and lies in the grounds of Kier house, which some references claim, was the birthplace of a truly great Briton, David Stirling, founder of the SAS.
A third castle, which according to the OS map, lies within the grounds of the Stirling university campus, is Airthrey castle. Travelling two miles east of Airthrey castle, brings us to Menstrie castle which is said by some sources, to be the birthplace (c 1577) of Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling,who was one of the founders of Nova Scotia.
Eine stetige Tropfen höhlt den Stein (misoneists, read ye no further)
The Eastender has discovered there are words concealed within some of the UK lotto data. Below is one found this week in the Thunderball game, the original data shown below
Wed 24 Jul 13 08 11 25 26 29 04
Sat 20 Jul 13 15 18 21 23 38 03
Fri 19 Jul 13 10 17 30 35 36 11
was substituted as follows:
A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, E = 5, F = 6, G = 7, H = 8, I = 9, J = 10, K = 11, L = 12, M = 13, N =14,
O = 15, P = 16, Q = 17, R = 18, S = 19, T = 20, U = 21, V = 22, W = 23, X = 24, Y = 25, Z =26
Wed 24 Jul 13 H K [Y] Z 29 D
Sat 20 Jul 13 [O] R U W 38 C
Fri 19 Jul 13 [J] Q 30 35 36 K
Would you jump for JOY, if you won the Lotto?
This is real world data, check it for yourself on the national lotto web site if you don't believe it.
The Eastender's analysis shows that sometimes there can be anything up to twenty two possible words which could complete in the next game and it is no good betting when this is the case but there are instances, when there are between one and five possible words, where 1 - 2 of the letters which form those words actually appear in the next game and it is at this point, that a bet with a low cost permutation, can sometimes yield positive results.
Read more about this here:
Lotto Codewords In the Thunderball Game
Link to the competition:
Where Was I?
Q1. Dunblane
Q2. Monty Python and The Holy Grail
"Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear
Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear
Ye Jacobites by name
Your faults I will proclaim
Your doctrines I maun blame, you will hear, you will hear
Your doctrines I maun blame, you will hear"
...Robert Burns
The Eastender raises a glass to the king over the water and salutes his ancestors who took part in the 'hunting expedition' against the upstart Hanoverian pretender's dragoons, at Sheriffmuir on the 13th November 1715, a costly fight, as like many Jacobites, they were declared attainted shortly thereafter and had their lands confiscated, (the attainted ruling, is still on the statute books to this day and has never been rescinded).
The initial clues place us in the vicinity of the Sheriffmuir battlefield, I am not sure what the 'mon' clue refers to but think it could be from the song 'Ye Jacobites by Name Lend an Ear' by Robert Burns, though the word is spelled 'maun' in that. North of the city of Stirling, lies the cathedral town of Dunblane, some sources claim that the name of the settlement means 'The Fort of Blane'. Blane was a sixth century saint and his feast day is given in some references, as August 10th.
Around three miles west of Dunblane, lies Doune castle, which according to historic Scotland has a 100 foot high gate house and was constructed for Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (born c 1340), sometime in the 14th century. It was also the location used for the Kinghts who say 'Ni' in the film 'Monty Python and The Holy Grail', which was shot c 1975 . A second castle, which lies around two and half miles south east of Doune, is Arnhall castle. This is a ruined three story tower, which was constructed from rubble, c1617. Arnhall castle was also used as a location in the Monty Python film and lies in the grounds of Kier house, which some references claim, was the birthplace of a truly great Briton, David Stirling, founder of the SAS.
A third castle, which according to the OS map, lies within the grounds of the Stirling university campus, is Airthrey castle. Travelling two miles east of Airthrey castle, brings us to Menstrie castle which is said by some sources, to be the birthplace (c 1577) of Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling,who was one of the founders of Nova Scotia.
Eine stetige Tropfen höhlt den Stein (misoneists, read ye no further)
The Eastender has discovered there are words concealed within some of the UK lotto data. Below is one found this week in the Thunderball game, the original data shown below
Wed 24 Jul 13 08 11 25 26 29 04
Sat 20 Jul 13 15 18 21 23 38 03
Fri 19 Jul 13 10 17 30 35 36 11
was substituted as follows:
A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, E = 5, F = 6, G = 7, H = 8, I = 9, J = 10, K = 11, L = 12, M = 13, N =14,
O = 15, P = 16, Q = 17, R = 18, S = 19, T = 20, U = 21, V = 22, W = 23, X = 24, Y = 25, Z =26
Wed 24 Jul 13 H K [Y] Z 29 D
Sat 20 Jul 13 [O] R U W 38 C
Fri 19 Jul 13 [J] Q 30 35 36 K
Would you jump for JOY, if you won the Lotto?
This is real world data, check it for yourself on the national lotto web site if you don't believe it.
Read more about this here:
Lotto Codewords In the Thunderball Game
Link to the competition:
Where Was I?
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