Independent 10,356 by Hob

Three blogs in a row for me with Hob as the setter. Takes my mind off the fallout from the election.

A very pleasant (reasonably gentle I would say) pre-Christmas puzzle. Elegant surfaces, my pick would be 3ac. A good use of homonyms too, I did particularly like 20D.

As to anything hidden in the completed grid. It’s Christmas time so there is an additional gift, more a gift of reflection than a material one:

• In the fourth row down and the fourth row up there is “ROCHDALE PIONEERS” celebrating the 175th anniversary of the opening of the first Co-op on 21st December 1844.

A very poignant reminder of how far this country came in enabling the whole population to participate in a fairer society and how far from this utopian ideal we have come in the last 50 years. I suspect 1ac and 30ac are also linked to this theme.

Digressing slightly to remind people of why the Co-operative movement began. (extracted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochdale_Society_of_Equitable_Pioneers)

The objects of the Society were stated in “Law the First” of their rules and were:

• The objects and plans of the Society are to form arrangements for the pecuniary benefit, and improvement of the social and domestic condition of its members, by raising a sufficient amount of capital in shares of £1 each, to bring into operation the following plans and arrangements:
• The establishment of a store for the sale of provisions, clothing, etc.
• The building, purchasing or erecting of a number of houses, in which those members desiring to assist each other in improving their domestic and social condition may reside.
• To commence the manufacture of such articles as the Society may determine upon, for the employment of such members as may be without employment or who may be suffering in consequence of repeated reductions in their wages.
• As a further benefit and security to the members of this Society, the Society shall purchase or rent an estate or estates of land, which shall be cultivated by the members who may be out of employment or whose labour may be badly remunerated.
• That as soon as practicable the Society shall proceed to arrange the powers of production, distribution, education and government, or in other words, to establish a self-supporting home colony of united interests, or assist other societies in establishing such colonies.
• That for the promotion of sobriety, a temperance hotel be opened in one of the Society’s houses as soon as convenient

As relevant today as it was then. Being the winter solstice, I also went hunting for other things that occurred in political history on 21/12. In 1931, who was adorning the cover of Time magazine – none other than the democratically elected head of Germany at the time  – Adolf Hitler, a mere 87 years on from the start of the Co-operative movement. Roll on 175 years and we have a similar batch of power-at-all-costs leaders – Vladimir, Donald and Boris (to name but 3), and their intentions to subvert democracy by reforming the institutions of their states to their own ends.

I shall raise a glass to Hob and the Rochdale Pioneers and hope their are enough decent people in the world to keep our current democratic leaders from morphing into dictators, and some intellectuals out there to build a self-sustaining framework for foodbanks to aid those whose lives are not even at a subsistence level, like those Rochdale pioneers did.

Bella ciao Hob and thanks and a merry Christmas to all.

DD Double definition; * anagram; Underline definition

Across
1/30 One making good case for a beer is helpful after losing the back 9 (6)
cooperativeness (helpful)- ativeness (back 9) = COOPER
3 Fair point, fairly short and clever (9)
e(point) + quite(fairly) – e + able(clever) = EQUITABLE
9 Female having sex in musical (5)
Eva (female) around It (sex) = EVITA
10 New club for former England manager (9)
green(new) + wood(club) = GREENWOOD as in Ron
11 Bad guts after eating pork pie that’s nasty in the extreme (7)
(guts)* around lie (pork pie) = UGLIEST
12 Operatic soprano reportedly hard as nails (7)
Homonym of Callas (Maria- soprano) = CALLOUS
13 Put out dips and sauces, each on a regular basis (5)
dIpS SaUcEs = ISSUE
14 Cider that’s delicious, if for one Mike Pence (7)
scrummy(delicious) swapping p(pence) for one m(mike) = SCRUMPY
18 Religious types? There are 7 of them in London (7)
DD SISTERS
21 Call going against first of 18A in the second set finally (5)
v (going against) + ii (second) around s (first of 18A) + t (set finally) = VISIT
24 Bullfighter in ring right after photo taken by adult daughter (7)
pic(photo) + a (adult) + d(daughter) + o(ring) + r (right) = PICADOR
26 A politician in a fit of anger gets to rush around wildly (7)
a MP (politician) in rage(fit of anger) = RAMPAGE
27 At any time, place for putting a tree? (9)
ever (at any time) + green (place for putting) = EVERGREEN
28 Bum question a test includes (5)
Hidden questioN A TESt = NATES
29 Younger for one, in short series about my past being dodgy (9)
ser (short series) around (my past)* = SPYMASTER (as in Alex Younger)
30 See 1

Down
1 Revolutionary Polish setter’s “little angels” (8)
Che (revolutionary) + rub (polish) + I’m = CHERUBIM
2 Some of those flying in to Rio less (7)
Hidden tO RIO LESs = ORIOLES
3 Schubert’s “Unfinished” ultimately ends in octaves (7)
eighth (Schubert’s unfinished) + s (ultimately ends) = EIGHTHS
4 Perhaps drove someone else’s vehicle once? (4,3)
DD USED CAR
5 Having a key to one’s heart? Beer, mostly (5)
to + n (one’s heart) + ale (beer) – e = TONAL
6 Subject boy or girl revised, without any resistance (7)
(boy or girl – r – r)* = BIOLOGY
7 Leeds game? Time for one with most minutes under his belt (6)
(Leeds)* + t (time) = ELDEST
8 Anonymous female with no unreturnable serve (8)
F (female) + ace less (no unreturnable serve) = FACELESS
15 Potential life-saver when 1A 30 is short of oxygen and lacks energy (1,1,1)
Cooper (1A) – o – o (oxygen) – e(energy) = CPR
16 Second impassioned (but not explosive) part of a symphony? (8)
mo (second) + vehement(impassioned) – he (explosive) = MOVEMENT
17 Source of tension? New rosters introduced by 18D (8)
s(society) + (rosters)* = STRESSOR
18 Club sandwich on ciabatta is easily toasted? Yes, for starters (7)
Society On Ciabatta Is Easily Toasted Yes (starters) = SOCIETY
19 Pledge made by composer in Estonia … (7)
Arne(composer) in Est (Estonis) = EARNEST
20 … for there to be more composed, one of two playing 18A heard (7)
Homonym of Serena (Williams – one of two playing sisters) = SERENER
22 Found one in leading role with sheep (5,2)
star (one in leading role) + tup (sheep) = START UP
23 Meals served topless in more than one part of Oxford? (6)
suppers (,eals) – s (topless) = UPPERS (as in Shoes)
25 Religious beliefs that could make you go mad (5)
(go mad)* = DOGMA