Independent 10722 / Hob

26 comments on “Independent 10722 / Hob”

1. A beauty of a puzzle.
   Wasnt there an Inqy recently where the ODE themes ran round the perimeter and TO AUTUMN ran down the middle
   Must get myself a decent copy of Keats
   Thanks Hob and duncansheil
   Paul Kossoff died young I think but not as young as Keats

2. Just a thought – isn’t it a bit of a spoiler to reveal the theme in the blog preview?

3. Wow, what a puzzle and theme! Of course I missed it completely except for noticing the anagrams around the perimeter and their connection to STAKE OUT, and the reference to Keats in the 2d clue. Thanks to Hob and to duncanshiell for explaining everything so clearly.
   [I seldom do the Indy except for some Tuesdays when I have time, and this is the first time I have finished a puzzle duncanshiell has blogged. But I wanted to express my admiration for his work in general that I have gleaned from reading the site; he’s gotten stuck with a crazy Genius or two that I gave up on and that commenters mainly did not like and yet he produced uncomplaining blogs.]

4. cruciverbophile @ 2

   Thanks – your are right.

   I haven’t adjusted properly yet to the new template for the website and forgot to include some blank lines. I have corrected it now.

5. No problem Duncan – thanks for doing it so promptly.

6. Tour de force is certainly the phrase, Duncan. Stunningly clever to incorporate so much and without a lot of forcing going on. I did wonder about KISS OFF: I did know the guitarist but the temptation to go for another phrase was strong, particularly given the performer’s first name is Paul. Would’ve been a bit strong for the Indy, I suspect. UNSAY isn’t too outre for me. Lots of punks in the publication, though!

   I do love Hob’s clueing. Very inventive and, if that means he occasionally pushes his luck, that’s worth it for me. I really could have ticked (and wasn’t that a lovely TRICK?) almost every answer: the triply defined EARN and NECK, the cunning ADAMS and SKI POLE, which is surely an &lit, are possibly my favourites.

   Thanks Hob and Duncan (splendid blog and thanks for pointing out all the references. Vaguely familiar when pointed out but I didn’t spot them as I solved. As cruciverbophile observed, the original blog did show up as a bit of a spoiler but actually helped me so no real harm done.]

7. I have nothing to add to the above plaudits because, unfortunately, I had occasion to visit 15² first thing this morning, before starting solving, and so I immediately saw the ‘bit of a spoiler’ (!).

   Keats is my favourite poet and I studied him for A Level, so this puzzle was right up my street and I would have enjoyed gradually revealing the layers of this superb puzzle. However, that’s water under the bridge, so I can only, with Duncan and other commenters, stand back in amazement and admiration of Hob’s tour de force. There’s lots to savour. You certainly did the puzzle proud, Duncan – congratulations to you and huge thanks to Hob.

8. Congratulations to Hob on including almost every possible combination of the letters K-E-A-T-S in clues or perimeter. There was a comment recently criticising the blogger for not saying what the theme was, so they can’t win! Is there a rule about this or is it just considered unsporting? Whatever, thanks to Hob and Duncan.

9. Actually I think PK and Keats were both 26 when they died so a bit of inflation has occurred between then and the 27 club
   SO listen to more Free and read more Keats-fine by me.

10. I had occasion to look at this after a recommendation from the Guardian blog. It certainly is a setting tour-de-force with the NINAs and clever incorporation of the theme into clues and answers.

    Thanks Hob and Duncan.

11. Tatrasman @8: I found it particularly lovely that the name of the poet himself actually doesn’t appear anywhere in clues or solutions.

12. I suppose I’m of the right age and musical inclination to have been familiar with Paul Kossoff, so I had an easy way in, but I have to say that SIBIU is just about as obscure an answer as I have ever seen in a crossword! (Possibly eclipsed by KISSIMMEE, whose sole claim to fame is that it’s close to Disney World in Florida.) Having subsequently Googled this Romanian city, it turns out to have a population bigger than Sheffield’s, and some beautiful old buildings.

    Missed the four STAKE OUT ninas around the perimeter, but most of the Keats references were noted in solving, except the unknown-to-me Fanny Brawne. The exclamation mark in 20d echoed my own surprise at encountering a member of the Scooby Doo gang in such an erudite crossword!

    Thanks to Hob and Duncan.

13. copmus @9. Both Keats (31 October 1795 – 23 February 1821) and Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976) were 25 when they died. “A 2015 article in The Independent provided statistical evidence that popular musicians are not more likely to die at the age of 27. “

14. Keats should be proud … and rightly so, as Hob managed to reveal a real depth n breadth of available material.. for once i spotted the theme, and quite early the peripheral anagrams, which helped a surprising amount…
    Thanks Hob n duncansheill

15. Lovely puzzle – thanks to both blogger and setter.
    I think there’s a slight mix-up in your blog at 26a: the underlined definition should be “6A” rather than “Near neighbour . . .”, because the answer is SLEEP. Which just happens to be another Keats sonnet not already mentioned, To Sleep – a real favourite of mine. [Especially as set by Britten in his Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.}

16. Quinster @ 15

    Sorry – you are right – corrected now

17. Quirister – many thanks for that, which I’d overlooked in my solve. My heart wasn’t in it, after the huge spoiler, first thing, of a puzzle which should have been an absolute joy for me. (Sod’s Law: I only logged on at that point to catch up on overnight comments on my yesterday’s blog.)

    Hey ho, tomorrow is another day – I think Eccles is due. 😉

18. We were vaguely aware of the anniversary and the puzzle appeared to have a poetic theme but it was a while before we realised it was all built around Keats – a really great achievement.
    And is it just coincidence that the novelist referred to in 6ac, Nevil Shute in his Trustee from the Toolroom has the chief protagonist, Keith Stewart, referred to as ‘Mr Keats’ by another character who mishears his name?
    Impossible to name a CoD it was all so good, but among others we liked were STAKE-OUT, ENDYMION and UNKEMPT.
    Thanks, Hob and Duncan.

19. allan_c @18

    ‘And is it just coincidence that …?’ – not a reference I recognise, as a Nevil Shute fan, – though not having read all his books – with this setter, I’d venture to say (too tired to look it up) almost certainly!

20. I really enjoyed this as far as I got with it – but didn’t get the theme and came here with 5 clues unsolved. I love the contemporary nature of Puck’s (Hob’s) clueing and was surprised he was the setter for a Keats themed puzzle, especially as KISS OFF was my second clue in so I was looking for something much more recent. Anyway thanks to those in the Matilda blog who pointed to it as well as Hob for the amazing puzzle and duncanshiell for the comprehensive blog.

21. Absolutely brilliant puzzle. Sorry to be so late in posting, but had to comment. The anagrams around the edge saved me, incidentally!

22. Very impressive work, sadly I knew as soon as I read the clues there was some sort of poetry theme that unless it was the odd Spike Milligan rhyme was never going to be my bag, ploughed on to around halfway with a little help but then needed substantial help with the rest but still enjoyed the challenge

    Thanks to Hob and duncanshiel

23. Fabulous. I couldn’t do it, but was able to admire it from afar.

24. Eileen @19
    If you’re a Nevil Shute fan you might like this crossword at

25. @24: Don’t know how the link disappeared. Here it is, unclickable this time: http://bigdave44.com/2020/12/05/ntspp-565/#more-123033

26. @25: How odd! I just pasted it in and there it was, clickable!

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