Guardian Cryptic 27,778 by Qaos

by

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27778.

This is Qaos, and there presumably is a theme somewhere, but I cannot spot it. The clue for 19A looks as if it might be a hint, but it did not say anything to me. I see wisps of connections (alarm bells, dinner, warning; sandals, slippers and the old woman who lived in a shoe; Macavity, a monster of depravity and Jennyanydots), but nothing gels. Still, as usual with Qaos, being ignorant of the theme does not detract from the puzzle. I do note some technical recurrences – the number of envelopes, and the three clues (10A OSMIUM, 12A DINNER and 4D SANDALS which use the same device that has displeased some before – the taking of an anagram, and then removal of part of the result, operations which have to be done in that order, because the bits removed are neither contiguous nor even in the right order in the anagram fodder (in two cases this is complicated by minor adjustments to be made in the indication of the bits removed – O for duck etc.).
Then there is the misprint in 14D.

Across
1 BEPRAISED Lavished compliments on sliced bread and pies (9)
An anagram (‘sliced’) of ‘bread’ plus ‘pies’.
6 WEAR Sport contest involves energy (4)
An envelope (‘involves’) of E (‘energy’) in WAR (‘contest’).
8 PLANTAIN Fruit left worker in trouble (8)
An envelope (‘in’) of L (‘left’) plus ANT (‘worker’) in PAIN (‘trouble’).
9 PURPLE Opening of Premier League displayed in perfect colour (6)
An envelope (‘displayed in’) of P (‘opening of Premier’) plus L (‘League’ – Chambers gives this as an abbreviation, so that ‘opening’ does not have to apply here) in PURE (‘perfect’).
10 OSMIUM New mood music — missing old CD with heavy metal? (6)
Like 11A (which I happen to have solved first); an anagram (‘new’) of ‘mood music’ can be OSMIUM O CD; remove the O and CD (‘missing old CD’) gives the answer.
11 ANATHEMA Song about adult with a curse (8)
A charade of ANATHEM, an envelope (‘about’) of A (‘adult’) in ANTHEM (‘song’); plus ‘a’.
12 DINNER Meal of diced red onion when old duck’s off (6)
An anagram (‘diced’) of ‘red onion’ could be DINNER O O; remove O O (‘when old duck’s off’) to get the answer.
15 SLIPPERS Shoes for winter runners? (8)
Definition and jocular reference to icy conditions.
16 OLD WOMAN Senior citizen, over 50, chopped wood by hand (3,5)
An envelope (‘over’) of L (Roman numeral, ’50’) in ODWO, an anagram (‘chopped’) of ‘wood’ plus MAN (‘hand’).
19 YOUTHS Solver, this is not one for boys and girls (6)
A charade of YOU (‘solver’) plus ‘th[i]s’ minus the I (‘not one’).
21 BEERMATS They’re found in fancy theme bars, not hotel (8)
An anagram (‘fancy’) of ‘t[h]eme bars’ minus the H (‘not hotel’), with an extended definition.
22 JOSEPH Jack hopes to work for patriarch (6)
A charade of J (‘jack’) plus OSEPH, an anagram (‘to work’) of ‘hopes’.
24 UPSIDE Promoted team’s benefit (6)
A charade of UP (‘promoted’) plus SIDE (‘team’).
25 RENDERED Provided case of rosé, entertaining finale with wine (8)
A charade of RENDE, an envelope (‘entertaining’) of END (‘finale’) in RE (‘case of RosE‘); plus RED (‘wine’).
26 DRAG It’s a bore producing clothes for TV (4)
Double definition; in the second, TV is a transvestite.
27 SALLY ARMY Informal religious group‘s friend, possibly Mary (5,4)
A charade of S (the apostrophe s at the end of ‘group’) plus ALLY (‘friend’) plus ARMY, an anagram (‘possibly’) of ‘Mary’, for an informal name for the Salvation Army.
Down
1 BELLS Second measures of whisky (5)
A charade of B (‘second’) plus ELLS (‘measures’ – an arm’s length, give or take), for BELL’S, a brand of whisky.
2 PENSION A penny? Uproar about taking new income (7)
A charade of P (‘a penny’) plus ENSION, an envelope (‘taking’) of N (‘new’) in ESION, a reversal (‘about’) of NOISE (‘uproar’).
3 ALARM A hit record’s held at 17 (5)
An envelope (‘held’) of R (‘record’ – not in Chambers, but perhaps common on the appropriate button of DVRs etc.) in ‘a’ plus LAM (‘hit’). ‘at’ does not do much for its keep.
4 SANDALS Shoes made hard as nails once hair’s been cut (7)
This device has drawn criticism before, but I think it is presented correctly here: an anagram (‘made’) of ‘hard as nails’ can be SANDALS HAIR; if ‘hair’ is removed (‘cut’), the answer is left.
5 DEPRAVITY God stifles publicity over Bible’s corruption (9)
An envelope (‘stifles’) of PR (‘publicity’) plus AV (Authorized Version, ‘Bible’) in DEITY (‘God’).
6 WORSHIP Adore drop of wine or drink, gaining a little happiness (7)
A charade of W (‘a drop of Wine’) plus ‘or’ plus SHIP, an envelope (‘gaining’) of H (‘a little Happiness’) in SIP (‘drink’).
7 ALLOMORPH Everything and nothing — animated TV character’s linguistic unit (9)
A charade of ALL (‘everything’) plus O (‘nothing’) plus MORPH (‘animated TV character‘).
13 ILL TEMPER I shall smash tree over politician in a bad mood (3,6)
A charade of I’LL (‘I shall’) plus TEMPER, an envelope (‘over’) of MP (‘politician’) in TEER, an anagram (‘smash’) of ‘tree’.
14 RUMMAGERS They search odd planet gathering geranium (9)
A charade of RUM (‘odd’) plus MAGERS, an envelope (‘gathering’) of GE (‘geranium’ – surely a misprint for germanium, and its chemical symbol) in MARS (‘planet’).
17 WARNING Advance notice making East trade with West (7)
EARNING (‘making’) with the E replaced by W (‘East trade with West’).
18 NOSTRIL Opening numbers by Turkey and Israel (7)
A charade of NOS (‘numbers’) plus TR (‘Turkey’, IVR) plus IL (‘Israel’, another IVR).
20 UNSWEAR Recall an oath? You said wrong answer (7)
A charade of U (‘you said’) plus NSWEAR, an anagram (‘wrong’) of ‘answer’.
22 JENNY Might she spin a good yarn? (5)
A cryptic reference to the spinning jenny, an early machine for spinning thread.
23 PIETY Goodness! Shame drug’s injected (5)
An envelope (‘injected’) of E (‘drug’) in PITY (‘shame’).
completed grid

77 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 27,778 by Qaos”

  1. I’m not sure what’s happened to editorial oversight the last few days.

    Peter, I noticed the same multiple use of “anagram this, then take away that” as you, but I’d add 21a. Still, not a theme.

    Thanks both.

  2. With only the j in, looked blankly at 22d but later Harvreaves’ machine surfaced from the mists of history [class]. Despite having drunk a bit of it, didn’t think of Bells, bunging in belts. Oh well. Not familiar with that use of TV; often called trannies here (which in my gen are small radios; so it goes). I did wonder about ge for geranium, so yes the element works, esp given talk of asteroid mining etc (be nice to do some running repairs here before bashing off to dig elsewhere). Did notice the rash of subtractive anagrams; maybe Q was in a hurry. Quite fun anyway, ta Qaos and PeterO.

  3. Dr W @1: interesting you say “anagram this, then take away that”.

    I tend to think the reverse: identify the anagram material (“grist”), take away as instructed, then make an anagram of what’s left.

    OK once in a puzzle. But four times?

  4. I couldn’t see a theme either, though I liked reading all your thought associations, PeterO. Failed to parse 3d ALARM, and the “geranium” part of 14d RUMMAGERS (so feel let off the hook with the latter now that I have read the blog). Did anyone else try RAMPAGERS for 14d “They search” for a start? I ticked 6a WEAR for the misdirection, as well as 9a PURPLE and 23d PIETY.
    Thanks to Qaos and PeterO.

  6. I was unable to parse 15a (I think this is a bit vague), 14d (I have not heard of Germanium but I might have worked it out without the misprint of the clue) and 1d – I have heard of Bells Whisky but could not work out the B+ELLS.

    New for me were MORPH the TV character as well as ALLOMORPH; Sally Army – I know the Salvation Army but I have never heard it referred to as the Sally Army!

    Thanks Peter and Qaos.

  8. I really enjoyed this, and learned a lot (eg ‘case of’ to indicate first and last letters in 25), so thanks Qaos and Peter. It also made me think of my mother – she was brought up in a very strict Salvation Army family in France (her father was a colonel in the French SA) during the second world war years, and consequently passionately loathed it and all its works.  I don’t intend this as an insult to that organisation, just that that is often the way with people brought up in a religion. It may have been something to do with almost starving during the occupation because her father refused to engage with the black market on account of his religious principles. Mention of the Sallies always brings back such strong memories of her.

  10. Thank you Flavia @5. There will probably be a whole lot of posts all at once as I write this, but so far no one has said a “Well spotted”. Will do for me anyway.

    A good puzzle from Qaos. Couldn’t parse BELLS to my satisfaction and missed the ‘TV’ to make sense of DRAG.

    Your SALLY ARMY is our ‘salvos’.

    Thanks to Qaos and PeterO

  11. Thanks Flavia @5, and well done! I know that poem (I remember sharing it with my students in a girls’ school many moons ago). I can’t believe those word combinations didn’t ring loud BELLS for me! I love seeing the women from the Red Hat movement having get-togethers in cafes, restaurants and parks, wearing their red hats that don’t “go with” their purple outfits. Thanks to Flavia and Qaos for such an enjoyable reminder of how older women don’t have to become invisible as they age!

  12. (PS I count fourteen references to the poem “Warning” by Jenny Joseph. Any increase on that?
    Brilliant grid, Qaos. I am just writing out 100 lines – “Qaos always has a theme.”)

  13. hmm. thank you Flavia for the theme – another to add “good spot”. I thought this was weak. Far too many examples of “here’s the anagrind, take these letters away, then work it” (which I don’t mind as a method, and in that order it makes sense, but it is overworked here). Is “beermats” an example of an extended definition? I don’t see it – beermats are found in all sorts of places, certainly not “fancy theme bars, not hotels”. I got the anagram, eventually, but felt there was no definition at all here. “alarm” was my second last in because “record” as “r” is new to me (and in DVR etc it stands for recorder not record. The “record” button on devices is usually marked with a red dot not the letter r) and “at” is not only superfluous but completely misleading in terms of pointing to the definition. “allomorph” I thought a poor clue for a technical term (“allophone” is probably more familiar) given no other hint at who the animated TV character might be out of a vast array of them, and especially as this one was pretty parochial.

    LOI “rummagers” for the obvious reason of the typo. Looking back I am sure there were quite a number of clues I enjoyed and found clever, but the overall feeling coming away from this was “a bit meh”, spoiled by a ludicrous error in the editing. I’ll have to come back after I’ve done some exercise and post something nice as there was much good here! 🙂

  15. Thanks, for the blog, PeterO and Qaos for a simply lovely puzzle.

    I just love that poem and, like JinA, had great fun sharing it with my students long ago. It’s twice been voted the nation’s favourite poem.

    If you don’t know it, please follow Flavia’s link and relish the number of references Qaos has included – and enjoy the poem!

    Many thanks again, Qaos, for adding yet more sunshine to an already bright morning.

  17. Really wished I had spotted the theme! Agree with others about the missing letter anagrams. I too took out the letters first, Trovatore @3 and agree that there were a few too many of these today although I don’t mind them on occasion.
    Thanks Qaos, PeterO and Flavia. I particularly liked the way Flavia just gave the link with no comment.

  18. There seems to be a growing trend for using “a drop of…” or “a little…” or similar expression to indicate the first letter of the following word.

    Strikes me as a bit loose and lazy as it could equally indicate any subdivision of the following word.

  19. Thanks Qaos and PeterO

    Qaos used to be one of my favourite setters, but I’m afraid I’m finding him more and more irritating. I did spot that “geranium” should have been “germanium”. However I was held up by putting SKIBOOTS for 15a – just as good an answer. BELLS was doubly awful – “second” for B, and blatant advertising. All those subtractive anagrams! (though they gave no trouble in solving as I was looking for them).

    I didn’t see the theme, of course (no prospect of that), and I didn’t parse WARNING.

    Favourite was WEAR for the misdirection of “sport”.

  20. Given the usual confusion, dare I propose a name for the next transuranic element to be discovered: pelargomnium?

  21. [Blaise @20

    I hate it when people refer to pelargoniums (tatty, evil-smelling plants) as “geraniums” (lovely natives and cottage-garden flowers)!]

  22. On dear Muffin, I’ve just ordered a consignment of pe!argoniums. I rather like them. I didn’t think much of this puzzle -too many dodgy definitions – until Flavia’s reve!ation,at which point I revised my opinion to very clever indeed. Thanks Qaos,Peter O and especially Flavia

  23. I came to the blog prepared to find a lot of criticism (especially of the plethora of subtractive anagrams) and might even have joined in (up to a point) but for Flavia’s link. I had completely forgotten the brilliant poem and looking at the puzzle in that light I find it brilliant also. Many thanks to Qaos, Flavia and PeterO

  25. Despite cavils  of substractive anagrams, some good clues stand out: 22a Joseph and 22d Jen. I personally would deprecate use of TV in a xword, but then Priscilla was a hit movie and maybe times are a’changing.

  26. Many thanks P & Q.

    No theme here either.

    Anyone know whence the name Spinning Jenny?  I think it refers to Hargreave’s invention in C18 but not sure.

    Nice puzzle, shame about the typo.

    Nice week, all.

     

  27. ok back to render unto caesar a little praise this time. Got the niggles out my system and now what I liked! “sport” for “waer” was classic misdirection, though the surface did not quite capture it. “purple” and “youths” were both really smooth, as was “rendered”. “drag” was a clever misdirection too. “warning” has the kind of hidden trick I admire – “making” appearing to be part of the surface but actually being the key word in the cd.

    Maybe I am alone in this but for me the clues have to stand on their own feet, regardless of there being a theme. It is admirable to fit so many themed words into a grid, but that is gridfill, a compiler’s nightmare I am sure, and one we mere solvers can stand back and applaud (and I do). But for me, as a solver, the pleasure is in the cluing (and, to an extent, the grid layout which has to offer sufficient help and not leave me staring at ?o?e?). But the world is made up of many different opinions, and it is interesting to see how many people feel otherwise. So long as it’s not 17.4 million…

  28. BRILLIANT. I do not recall seeing so many theme words in one puzzle not to mention inclusion of the title and author to help us find it.

  29. Thanks Qaos and PeterO.

    I don’t tend to care about themes, but having read PeterO’s introductory paragraph, I thought I’d try to find a theme here, and to my surprise (and self-satisfaction) quickly saw OLD WOMAN and PURPLE. I had to google the poem to find out more, as I remembered only the first line, not even the title or author. It was gratifying to read in Flavia’s link that the poem is included in an anthology given to all new doctors in 2014  in Scotland.

    That apart, I quite enjoyed this, especially SALLY ARMY and DEPRAVITY, though I do agree with most (not all) of the criticisms mentioned previously. And I don’t much like ugly constructions like BEPRAISED and UNSWEAR, though I accept that they are valid.

  30. [Interested to read in your post, beaulieu@29, that doctors in Scotland were given this poem in an anthology in recent times. Was it so that medicos might see more to the story of the elderly patients they encountered? A friend of mine put a summary of his Dad’s story and younger photos on the wall of his room in the dementia section of his nursing home. It made a huge difference to the carers to know that Len was not as they saw him but had lived such a varied and interesting life.]

  31. [P.S. beaulieu@29, well done on spotting the theme from the clues “OLD WOMAN” and “PURPLE”. I am still kicking myself. I just couldn’t see the wood for the trees. Glad that the theme lifted some aspects of the experience of this crossword for you and others.]

  32. thezed@27

    I agree with your second para.  On the one hand, the setter gets credit for the theme not interfering, but on the other praise for the puzzle is mostly limited to the very thing that didn’t interfere and was on the whole not spotted.

    I had skiboots too.  I think it’s probably shoes for winter + runners.

    Thanks Qaos, PeterO

  33. [Julie@30: i don’t really know the reasons for giving the poem to doctors, but I hope it is as you suggested. There’s a little more detail in Flavia’s link.]

  35. When I first solved OLD WOMAN I thought “that’s rather rude” (being one myself) but having seen the splendid theme I shall put on my PURPLE skirt and my red hat and SLIPPERS…
    It also sort of explains the rather vague extended def for BEERMATS – I’d forgotten the verse about beermats.

  36. The thing that surprises me is that there are this many comments already, and it’s only just coming up to 0959 gmt

  37. Morning folks! A quick break during a very busy work day to come, but saw there were already a gazillion comments and had to see why. Never going to get 30+ “I love that poem” comments before 10am :-).

    Apologies for the typo in 14dn – “geranium” should of course be “germanium”. If there’s a choice between a plant and a chemical element, you know what I’ll pick!

    Interesting to read people thoughts on subtraction anagrams. Personally, I quite like them, as they allow more possibilities for the clue’s surface. But I take the point that even too much cake is a bad thing.

    Best wishes on this lovely, sunny spring morning,

    Qaos.

  38. Great to have you call in, Qaos. Much appreciated. It was a red/purple letter day for me. JinA

  40. Many thanks to Flavia @ 5 for reminding me of such a great poem. It has always made me smile on the few occasions I have heard it read on radio, but like so many, didn’t make the connection. here

    It somehow makes the satisfaction of having completed he puzzle, even without cracking the theme, all the more pleasurable, somehow.

    And thanks mightily (and admiration) to Qaos and (pace your comments @37), I agree about the subtraction anagrams, they’re just one more fiendish arm in the setter’s arsenal, after all…..

  41. Thank you Qaos and PeterO – and Flavia!

    An enjoyable crossword, especially so on reflection after the theme was pointed out by Flavia @5 and Eileen @34 had added a biography of the poet.

    [muffin @24, I think the popularity of “geraniums” was due to their fly repellent properties in the past, hence their being planted in window boxes etc., nowadays, here in France, those for sale in nursery gardens seem to have hardly any small at all, so cheer up Job @22.]

  42. Lovely puzzle with a great use of theme material. I got there after Googling but Flavia at 5.24 am beat me to it.

    I did enjoy reading the poem although I don’t usually like blank verse (just seems a bit lazy not to try to find some words that rhyme – that’s a scientist speaking!)

    I think, as here (and indicated in the blog), the usual system for subtractive anagrams is to make the anagram first unless the removal fodder is in the correct order in the longer word.

    I started to parse the ‘over fifty’ as ol but then ran out of wood. I also tried ‘ski boots’ but it didn’t work with the crossers.

    I liked OLD WOMAN, BEER MATS and DRAG, but I didn’t enjoy r=record, which doesn’t seem to be in the three ‘big’ dictionaries.

  43. Flavia @5

    Thank you for the link explaining all. The poem does ring some vague bells fr me, but on reading it now, I like it so much that, had I read it before, I think I would have remembered it when writing the blog. Perhaps I have seen a reference to it somewhere at some time.
    Like thezed @ 27, I tend to view crossword clues individually, and will miss a theme unless it pokes me in the eye. Or if the puzzle is by Qaos, when I will look for it (at least as an afterthought), even if it is beyond my ken, as with the last two of his.

  44. Interesting about the poem; Eileen’s a bit older than me, about the same age in fact as our lovely English master Morrie Jones who made poetry fun (Chesterton, Lear et al, leavening the heavies), but I’ve only come across Joseph’s classic more recently (via my son and the ‘slam’ scene), and couldn’t have picked the theme in a fit.

  45. I enjoyed this very much anyway, despite the unfortunate error at 14d, but my appreciation of this puzzle goes up tenfold with the realisation that Qaos has done full justice to an excellent theme that I would never have discovered.
    I also liked very much the simple but effective misdirections at 6a WEAR and 26a DRAG.
    Many thanks to Qaos and PeterO.

  47. I agree – too many subtractive anagrams. One is acceptable, imo. And I was wondering in what botanical book ge was short for geranium. And RIP Jenny Joseph. Your most famous poem is still with us.

     

  48. AlanB@45 said it for me – thank you. And yes JinA@somewhere way back – I did try and make RAMPAGERS work. I didn’t notice the abundance of subtractive anagrams and see them as just another device that setters will continue to use. I thought 21d was a brilliant example of the setter using punctuation to mislead – and a reminder of the first(?) rule of solving – ignore punctuation! Loi was RUMMAGER which wasn’t helped by the typo.
    I must have lived in a cultural silo for some time as I’ve not come across the poem before and enjoyed both Flavia’s and Eileen’s links. Thank you both. It reminded me of Dylan Thomas’ Do not go gentle into that good night
    Thanks to Qaos for another puzzle that delivered much more than the solve and to PeterO for blogging it.

  50. I didn’t know the theme–but now having read the poem, I quite like it. Thanks for that.

    We also get (probably incidentally) a mini-theme of bells: dinner bell, warning bell, alarm bell, Joseph Bell, the Salvation Army bell-ringers (do they do that abroad too?)

    On the subtractive anagrams: I like the device because it keeps you on your toes, but it’s one of those where (like with hidden answers) overuse in a particular puzzle gets to be too much. By the third one, I was actually looking for it, which (if the point is misdirection) defeats the point.

  51. Not a great fan of themes anyway and didn’t know the poem. Having now read it I see it’s one of those with no sign of rhyme or metre. I’ve never known what dustinguishes such work from prose, except for random line length, lack of punctuation and the ondiscriminate use of the carriage return key.
    As far as the puzzle us concerned, I’ve never seen the word “youth” used to describe girls. To my mind it only applies to young males. “The gang of youths on the corner” doesn’t conjure up a picture of young women does it?

  52. Yeah, they really need to stop using “TV” that way. Hopefully soon clues like 26 will be remembered with as much embarrassment as Afrit’s EGRESSES.

    Good puzzle otherwise – I had to come here to see the theme, and had a “should’ve got that!” moment. I’ve seen the whole first line be a solution in a crossword before, so not that obscure, surely?

  54. On the whole I liked this. I smiled at SLIPPERS and the grumpy politician in 13d, and I didn’t notice the overabundance of subtractive anagrams. I agree with some others above about the theme. Having it pointed out to me increases my admiration of the setter but doesn’t add to my enjoyment of the puzzle. Thanks to Qaos and PeterO.

    Howard March@49, my online Collins defines both sandals and slippers as types of shoes and defines UNSWEAR as Qaos does.

  55. Thanks Qaos and PeterO. I didn’t spot the theme at all but have just discovered another twist: today is International Epilepsy Day, which many people mark by wearing purple: hence it’s also called Purple Day.

  56. Thanks both,

    Another bonus on a day that has been quite good so far. For once I got the theme, but only after I had completed the puzzle, so the clues stood alone OK. My only glitch was to answer ‘belts’ for 1d on the basis that belts could be second measures, as in ‘belt and braces’ and that a good slug of the hard stuff can be called ‘a belt of whisky’.

    I was once organising a research methods workshop at the University of Leicester when my co-organiser noticed that Jenny Joseph was the invited speaker at another conference sharing the same facility. My co-organiser abandoned me and gate crashed the other conference, absorbing not a little of JJ’s time in the process. Bitter? Moi?

  57. Another straight-forward day with some very nice surfaces.  I don’t feel too bad I didn’t spot the theme, though I was aware of the poem.

    I’m another who’s not keen on the preponderance of subtraction-anagrams – I agree that occasionally the surface works really well with these constructions, but so often it feels a get-out.  It may only be me, but I have an aversion to the use of commercial names as solutions – BELLS today but marmite last week and there’s been other examples going further back.  Enough moaning – won’t mention the misprint as I wondered if, in crossword-land, “ge” had somehow become shorthand for the plant – the answer seemed otherwise correct!  Thanks Qaos and PeterO.

  58. Thanks to Qaos and PeterO. I think I spent more time looking for a theme than I did actually solving the puzzle. Unsurprisingly I could not find the theme because both the poem and poet were unfamiliar to me (not now however). That said it did not detract from actually solving the puzzle, but I did find there was a bit of guess and then parse for me. I also found the top half more difficult that the bottom. I think my favourite clues were anathema and depravity and thanks again to PeterO for the blog and Qaos for an impressive themed puzzle.

  59. “The gang of youths on the corner” doesn’t conjure up a picture of young women does it?

     

    @Jeceris@51, But a youth club does, doesn’t it?

  60. First of all, thanks to PeterO for the Old Possum references.  When I was a child I decided that our two family cats were Jennyanydots and the Rum tum Tugger.  Nice to reminisce.

    And thanks also for the interesting history link on spinning jenny and the fabric industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.  It brings to mind the song “The Hand Weaver and the Factory Maid.”  It was based on a rather ribald song called “The Weaver and the Maid,” which used the reputation that weavers had — rather like that later of travelliing salesmen.  But the Factory Maid version is built instead on the disdain that the artisan weavers had for machine weaving as the Industrial Revolution began, the young man caught between his father and his love.  Here’s a link to the lyrics of a somewhat more suggestive version than the one I sing (more of the original in it, I suppose): https://genius.com/Bellowhead-the-hand-weaver-and-the-factory-maid-lyrics.  And if you’d like to hear it sung, you can google the title or go for a curious staging to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq0Xogvr2FQ

    And Flavia, I’ll be the umpteenth to say “Well spotted!”  I knew of the poem but would never have twigged.

    And Eileen, thank you for the link to the Jenny Joseph obituary.  It’s a pity that the red hat poem is all she’s known for when her work was so rich.

    And Julie, thank you for the tip on the Red Hat Society.  I went to the website and found there are are nine chapters in my area!

    I think I’ve heard the Salvation Army called Sally Ann in the US.

    I subtract from the anagram fodder and then rearrange the rest.  Works fine for me.  I got no complaints.

  61. Thanks PeterO and Qaos. I spotted only WEAR PURPLE and found that March 26 was Purple Day…epilepsy awareness day.. Didn’t know the lovely poem.

    Was inspired to write this:
    Here’s my:

    Old Man
    ————–

    When I am an old man,
    will miss loops while wearing belt…

    My shirts never matched pants so I will continue

    Not to speak of socks and ties, as I won’t wear socks no more…

    never learnt to knot ties properly, that was the long and short of it…!

    I shall have beer at lunch and Scotch and wine with dinner and

    Snarl at loved ones trying to correct me…I know, I know….

    They don’t like driving me to ER …only to be discharged after hours of poking…

    I will constantly misplace my glasses, remotes and paper…and car keys..

    I will suddenly remember an article in an old newspaper, I will turn the house upside down searching for it…

    If anyone complained, I will say, what can I do.

    I am just an old man!

  62. PS, does anyone remember a prize crossword of about 20 years ago based on the theme of Masefield’s Cargoes? (Quinquireme of Ninevah …) Maybe an Araucaria. Have there been other crosswords themed on a single poem? If? COTLB? Do I dimly remember one based on the Owl and the Pussycat?

     

     

  63. Thanks to Qaos and PeterO.

    All has been said.  Poem was news to me but in spite of the existence of a theme I found the crossword was accessible and enjoyable.

    JinA@14: Follow the FAQ link at the top of the blog to see how links can be handled.

  64. Tingewycke, yes indeed! However, it must have been a lot less than 20 years for me to remember it. Class.

  65. Knew the poem but not the title or author but even if I had I’m sure I wouldn’t have got the theme. I suppose this was an extremely clever puzzle but I rather enjoyed it without knowing how clever it was. I’ve rather got used to this setter so I wasn’t irritated at all by the devices used.
    Thanks Qaos.

  66. ilippu@61:

    Rather late in the day, thanks for your old man poem, which I can appreciate as I’m getting there too! Thanks also for the excellent puzzle, Qaos, and the blog, PeterO, and for spotting the poem, Flavia. I have not contributed for a while because I seem to have got bogged down by recent Brexit developments. I know it’s not correct to mention other topics (I have already been blasted for doing it) but the possibility that NHS-type healthcare cover for British pensioners living in Germany, Mrs M and myself included, might be discontinued after Brexit is unsettling to day the least.

  68. In reply to Jeceris @56.

    When I was much younger, I composed the following:

    Many people have
    written
    many poems which
    could have been
    written as
    prose
    and taken up
    much less space.

  70. Of course I didn’t spot the theme as I don’t look for them. (Probably because they don’t thrill me as they seem to do others?!) I am familiar with the poem however.

    I really didn’t like this puzzle due to its many subtractive anagrams. I rather agree with the other poster who suggested that Qaos appeared to be in a rush. Far too many very easy clues as well.

    What’s happened to the Qaos we all love who sets challenging and devious puzzles? I suppose the setters will set whatever the editor will allow which these days seems to be just about anything sadly.

  71. Thank you PeterO and Qaos, and especially Flavia for providing the link to the theme.    A lovely crossword, the sort you have to put down for a while and then return to hoping fresh light will dawn – which is usually does.  It helps that I can live with subtractive anagrams and not feel too miffed.

    I have to agree though about the glaring absence of editorial oversight.  Respect to Qaos, but there is little or no point in creating a themed crossword if the theme is so abstruse that only 1 in 50 solvers will be able to ascertain it even though we are all looking out for it as soon as we see Qaos’s name at the top !   I’ll repeat what I said after the previous puzzle, which is that anyone who can create a puzzle with a theme of 1970’s rock (Deep Purple) has a long line of credit with me.   It doesn’t last forever though !

  72. Tyngewick @ 62 – the Owl and the Pussycat appear in my favourite crossword ever which appeared in the DT I 2012 – see bigdave44.com/2012/05/11/toughie-770/

     

  73. I couldn’t agree less with JohnB about the value of the theme in this puzzle. I didn’t spot it and never would have without it being pointed out, but we don’t all have to have the same solving experience.
    I don’t begrudge Qaos the pleasure of compiling it, or those in the know the pleasure of inside knowledge.
    The puzzle is a fine one in any case.

  74. Yes, it really is quite a feat to construct a grid containing some many theme words. And so, in that sense, thumbs up for Qaos.

    Not that we saw the ghost theme (which, I think, at least in my case, is forgivable).

    The blooper in 14dn didn’t bother us too much, just a typo [which perhaps should have been spotted by the editor (if it wasn’t the typographer)].

    And subtraction anagrams? Well, I think 4dn (SANDALS) was the only ‘real’ one. And I am happy with them anyway. Years ago (but not so very often nowadays) Crucible used them puzzle in puzzle out!

    But the main reason for my comment is: Can anyone tell me how 19ac (YOUTHS) works? It surely is as Peter O says but what about that little word “is”?  I know Qaos can be quite libertarian or better: un-Ximenean at times (and I can have that, if it’s not too outrageous) but this here seems to me not quite right. No-one else mentions it, strangely enough.

    Many thanks to Peter O for blogging & Qaos for an enjoyable crossword.

    [and I also discovered that I have more ‘shoes’ than I initially thought I had … 🙂 ]

     

  75. Sil van den Hoek @74

    I agree about ‘is’ in 19A – indeed, I thought I had commented on it in the blog (along with ‘at’ in 3D), but somehow it did not make it to the published version.

  76. Thanks, Peter, for letting me not being dim!

    As to 3dn, I didn’t have any thoughts of ‘at’ while solving but you may be right.

    That said, in that clue R for ‘record’ is pretty loose, I think, and can only be justified the way you did.  It’s the kind of using abbreviations I do not like (at all).

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