Comments on: Guardian 25,307 – Brendan

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:40:18 +0000

Brendan,

That musical bible, the equivalent of Chambers 11th, The Virgin Encyclopaedia of POPULAR Music, (A steal at just £50) uses that title to offer histories of musical artists that include genres as diverse as grunge, psychedelia, folk, soul, jazz, ambient, hip-hop, blues, rock, pop, reggae, acid house, chill, downtempo, shoegazing, lo fi, country, country & western, schlager, punk and R’n'B.

Just ignore this mild outbreak of pedantry and sleep soundly.

By: paul8hours

paul8hours — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:53:16 +0000

Good puzzle & thanks for the blog. I totally blew the top left corner.
Did any one else think ‘Squire’ for 1 ac ? QU in SIRE meaning title.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 01:46:37 +0000

Dale Winton will be feeling all left out.
Immaculate stuff from Brendan.

By: Brendan

Brendan — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 01:10:09 +0000

I defer to the superior knowledge of Martin H. and Stella in the field of music, but I find that rock (or rock music) is defined in both the Concise Oxford and Collins as a form of pop music. Dictionaries are, of course, far from infallible.

Further, on checking out the Wikipedia entry for Queen, I find that footnote 66 refers to a BBC TV program from earlier this year called “50 Years of Pop”, wherein photo 5 is of Queen performing on “Top of the Pops”.

By my logic, if rock is a type of pop, then a rock star is a type of pop star.

By: Carrots

Carrots — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:05:24 +0000

Luvverly Jubbly Jubilations! The theme of this puzzle presented an opportunity to absolve the forthcoming Royal Wedding and leave one with a sense of having “doing one`s bit” without the maudlin sentiment attendant on the real thing. What the hell I`m going to do on Friday, if there isn`t a challenging puzzle, set by a staunch Republican, Gawdonlyknows. Cry into my beer, I guess.

By: blaise

blaise — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:19:34 +0000

Here’s hoping this gets syndicated worldwide and Brendan gets the huge royalty cheque he deserves…

By: frustrated bachelor

frustrated bachelor — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:05:34 +0000

caretman @2 how very interesting. Personally I like to do the crossword standing on my head without the use of any aids (including pen and paper). If I find the blood rushing to my head and become faint before finishing I find an aspirin does wonders.

By: Stella Heath

Stella Heath — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:41:41 +0000

Hi MartinH@25, I certainly back you up on that one. I’m no fan of pop.

On the others too, as it happens. Though I had not too much difficulty with the crossword, I did get the impression that some of the definitions were excessively vague.

By: muck

muck — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:59:35 +0000

Thanks Andrew & Brendan

tupu@11, finbar@16 ,geoff@21: I too had MINDER for 1ac

By: Martin H

Martin H — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:54:50 +0000

Queen – Rock Stars, not pop stars (come on Stella, back me up). Other loose/lame definitions: ‘film player’; ‘one kind of crustacean’; ‘our capital’; ‘music associated with East End, say’; ‘produce sound reflections’. Some of these are wavelength things perhaps, and I rarely find myself on Brendan’s.

Some nice ones though: 1, 11, 25 excellent.