Independent 9718 / Knut

19 comments on “Independent 9718 / Knut”

1. Thanks for the usual comprehensive blog, Duncan.

   I much enjoyed this one. It was well-constructed and had a contemporary feel. How contemporary is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that when I saw ‘Russell’ my first thought was the author of History of Western Philosophy rather than the slightly dodgy long-haired comedian. But then I’m a sad old git.

   Themes? I saw a few references to CASSIDY (Eva was missing, btw) but normally I’m not fussed to pick over a puzzle once I’ve finished it to see what was included. But it’s rumoured to be fun for setters, and from a solver’s point of view, for some folk it’s the equivalent of ‘how was it for you, darling?’ Whereas I just want to roll over and go to sleep to wait for the next conquest.

   Well done to Knut, more of these please.

2. Thanks Knut and Duncan

   I don’t usually attempt the Indie, but I saw it recommended on the Guardian page. It was fine, but the only grin was the lovely BRANDISH.

   btw Money is a track on Pink Floyd’s most successful (though not, in my opinion, best) album Dark side of the moon.

3. Well, we got the topical reference in 11, but that was about it for topicality. We did realise that we had to ‘lift and separate’ Orange Free State but thought it might refer to the town of Orange in southern France (as an alternative to Nice) and hence something French, until crossing letters gave us the hidden answer. Seeing BUTCH suggested CASSIDY for 27 whereupon HOPALONG was a write-in. Loved the misdirection for AÇAI. A bit of GK called in 15, 18 and 26 but we’re not complaining.

   CoD was YORKIST – one of us hails from the White Rose county!

   Thanks, Knut and Duncan

4. Found this much easier than normal for a Knut with DAYDREAMER and YORKIST being my LOsI. Didn’t know VAUDOIS but was my first guess given the crossers and the anagram fodder. Back in the late sixties, early seventies I listened to a lot of PINK FLOYD (mainly UMMAGUMMA) and remember the band EAST OF EDEN, particularly the track Jig-a-jig. Must give that a listen to again. Didn’t care for DAVID CASSIDY or the PARTRIDGE family. I might add that, seeing the name Russell, my first thought was of Bertrand as well, but Russell Brand and Russell Davies were not far behind. Thanks all.

5. I’m a sad old git who quite likes themes and spotting related clues so I enjoyed this. CHERISH is a DAVID CASSIDY song I remember from my youth. I can also remember watching an always well behaved and clean cut HOPALONG CASSIDY on B&W TV after school. Pete’s partner’ in 14 brought back some happy memories as well – “see Dagenham dye works and die” was my favourite.

   Thanks to Duncan and Knut

6. A lovely puzzle as usual.

   Muffin@2 I would hazard a guess that Wish You Were Here is your favourite!

7. [copmus @6
   Great album. I also like Atom Heart Mother (the first I heard, playing bridge late at night in college rooms), and (controversially in Pink Floyd fan circles) The Division Bell.

   I also remember us all singing along to The Wall in a Portuguese bistro!]

8. Thanks to duncanshiell for the usual immaculate blog and to those who have commented.
   The death of David Cassidy was the kickstart for this puzzle and “Hopalong” was the obvious way to introduce the surname into the grid.
   3d was originally “family” to go with “partridge” but I changed it to sneak in a Mugabe reference.
   My one and only ever karaoke performance was of Cassidy’s Daydreamer:
   I’m just a daydreamer
   walking in the rain
   chasing after rainbows
   I may never find again…
   They don’t write ’em like that any more.

   @muffin
   Funky Dung; D. Gilmour close to his early best there, I thought.

   warmest regards,
   Rob/Knut

9. If anybody is interested, after my comment @4 I did find Jig-a-Jig on YouTube

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baIMbA7Mcok

   and then got distracted when I found that Deep Purple’s 1970 track “Child in Time” was also there – love that track. Muffin@6, the track Atom Heart Mother is a favourite of mine and I still listen to that regularly, if not frequently. I often wished you could get an album with Atom Heart Mother on one side and Echoes on the other.

10. Splendid and tremendous, in the words of a different 1D.

    I raced through a lot of this, but came unstuck on VAUDOIS. Loved the Degas clue, very nice.

    Mant thanks to Knut for a cracker and to Duncan for the blog.

11. Never thought some setter would consider the recent death of David Cassidy as ‘the kickstart for a crossword’.
    (Tom Petty would have deserved one, in my opinion)
    The karaoke confession, however, was touching and perhaps explains it all.

    The third offering from Knut (/Julius) in not even two weeks’ time.
    And once more, a good one.

    While The Guardian has a flawless puzzle by Nutmeg today, it’s the more exciting content of the surfaces (or as Kathryn’s Dad called it, the contemporary feel) that makes me 21d Knut’s crossword just a bit more.
    As long as there are not too many offences against cryptic grammar etc that might spoil the party (for me).
    [I know for some there can’t be any, so let’s not have a discussion here]
    No duds whatsoever today.

    Perhaps, I would have tried to find an alternative for the ultimate in Money to indicate the letter selection (to improve the surface).
    And yes, I would have preferred to see the inclusion of ‘Family’ in favour of 11ac.
    Soit.

    On his deathbed David Cassidy seemed to have said to his daughter that ‘so much time was wasted’.
    Don’t we all?
    In the early seventies I didn’t waste much time watching The Partridge Family, tho’ I perfectly well know who they were.
    Like many young people in NL, students in particular, I was into folk (Fairport Convention and their entourage) and country rock (Flying Burrito Brothers, Byrds, Poco, early Eagles, that kind of thing).
    And arty music like 10cc, Procol Harum (indeed), String Driven Thing, Beggars Opera, Steely Dan and Pink Floyd.
    My first album (LP) was Atom Heart Mother which I still find one of their very best.
    Others think that Meddle was superior but I felt the group was repeating itself somewhat.
    No Ummagumma for me, even though Grantchester Meadows [the song about my backgarden] was lovely.
    Like muffin I liked The Division Bell a lot more than the average PF fan did.
    And surely, the imagery of the final track High Hopes – again my backgarden – was a plus.

    Phew, that was a lot of off-topic stuff.
    But triggered by Knut’s puzzle, absolutely.

    Thank you Duncan.
    And Knut: Gut!
    {I know it doesn’t really rhyme]

12. Thanks Knut and DS

    Pretty much off-topic, but while Wish You Were Here is (in my opinion) Pink Floyd’s best album, my favourite is still Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.

13. An enjoyable puzzle indeed! Didn’t know the VAUDOIS, but it was my first guess once I had the checkers. FAMOUS was my FOI and ACAI and CHERISH brought up the rear. I was fortunate that ACAI came up in a Times puzzle recently. The clue was certainly devious. HOPALONG was the first of my CASSIDYs and raised a smile. Thanks Knut and Duncan.

14. Thanks Knut, fun as always. I particularly liked RECOUP, NUANCED, DAVID, with plenty more to like.

    It seemed a little easier than usual which is just fine by me – I managed to finish in reasonable time. ‘Steinbeck’ was a bit of a giveaway, for example.

    Loi was EDGAR DEGAS, had to work it out from the anagram then realised we were looking for a painter – I was worried it was going to be a choreographer I didn’t know, so I fell for the misdirection (a good thing, right?)

    Many thanks Knut for the enjoyment, and thanks Duncan for explaining curtains: because the answer ended in an R, I failed to spot any needed insertion, and I had convinced myself curtains for queen was the end of ER!

15. No one saw fit to give Mr Petty a fitting tribute, but Knut was quick off the mark here. Like many of a certain age, I remember The Partridge Family being on TV and as there were few channels to choose from, it was entertaining enough, but I was really watching because I had a schoolboy crush on Susan Dey.

    I have some David Cassidy songs on my ipod and listen to several songs such as Cherish, which is the ideal song for a crossword setter:

    Oh I’m beginning to think
    That man has never found
    The words (that could make you want me)
    That have the right amount of letters

    As far as I know, David was never considered to replace Syd in Pink Floyd, but apparently he worked on a song with the godlike genius that is Brian Wilson, who tweeted “Love & Mercy” to him, saying he was “a very talented and nice person”. I’d settle for that as an obituary.

16. @Sil
    My first thought had “featuring Syd at the core”. Probably shouldn’t have changed it.
    Thanks for the v nice comment

17. I don’t remember much about David Cassidy, but I’m just about old enough to remember the Hopalong Cassidy TV show, which must have been repeated on British television in the late fifties. That was my FOI and by the time I got to 23d,I’d totally forgotten CASSIDY was in the grid.

    But, after a slow start it all suddenly came together.

18. Just like yesterday, I started really well but then had a few problems. Much enjoyed. Thanks to Knut and Duncan.

19. Just remembered I never commented on this one, which I did after work on Tuesday. As always it was very entertaining, and apart from a couple of unfamiliar words (fairly clued), I found it at the easy end of his range. I must admit I was glad no specialist knowledge of David Cassidy was required – I regard him as slightly before my time…

    Thanks to Knut and Duncan

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