Sunday 29 July 2012

Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Not much sport in it this week but near as I can figure it, the most likely answers seem to be:

Q1. Caerphilly

Q2. Ness Edwards

(NB for question 2, some sources say that his name was Onesimus Edwards)

If anybody sang 'Rule Britannia' in the Eastender's car, he would throw them out and make them walk home but I digress, the clues place us in the town of Caerphilly. The roman fort referred to is most likely to be Gelligaer, which is around six miles north of the settlement. A poet born in the town c1809 who wrote a national anthem (The Welsh national anthem) which was set to music by his son and published c1860, was Evan James (son James James). A comedian who was born in Caerphilly c1921 and arguably the greatest British comic, was Tommy Cooper (gawd bless 'im). A trade unionist, who was born in 1897 (in Abertillery) and was the town's MP and served as the postmaster general from 1950 - 51, was Ness Edwards.

Caerphilly castle was built by a full blown goose stepping fascist lunatic called Gilbert de Clare who apparently murdered a lot of people because of their religious affiliations (and because him and his buddies wanted to destroy their loan book database which was stored in a particular quarter of Canterbury). De Clare was the 6th Earl of Hertford (and the 7th Earl of Gloucester according to some sources). Caerphilly castle seems to be famous for its leaning tower, which, depending on source, can be 10 or 11 degrees out of true....

4 comments:

  1. I solved it before checking with your blog - it was easy for me as I live in S Wales, but I'm impressed that you got into it. As you say, though, not to hard this week.

    What motivates you to post the answers, though?? I'm motivated by wanting to win (we have won it once), so wouldn't share the answers.

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  2. There are a few puzzler sites and forums where the answers to this comp are posted every week, so it won't make much difference to the numbers who enter if I post my research, explanations and what I think are the most likely answers here or not, though having researched this weeks puzzle, Caerphilly castle is now on my list of places I'd like to visit.

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