Financial Times 17,816 by GAFF

25 comments on “Financial Times 17,816 by GAFF”

1. The theme is Michael Parkinson interviews. I could find only ten. Anniversary of his death.

2. Parkinson, Ali, Meg Ryan, Madonna, Emu, Best, Midler, Ono, Sellers, Temple, Emery(?)

   EMMIES should be EMMYS.

3. Well done, Cineraria! The theme eluded me, I’m afraid. I was thinking along very different lines. It was a fun puzzle with some good clues but there are two glaring typos: should be ‘Beowulf’ in 30A (beautifully translated by Seamus Heaney) and the TV awards are known as The Emmys.
   I loved GASTRONOMY.
   Thanks to Gaff and Turbolegs for the much-needed and early blog).

4. I saw TEMPLE as a double definition: Tube (underground) station and shrine even though the answer did rather jump out at me and do a tap dance!
   Cineraria, the interviewee is Dick Emery.

5. Last word from me. The other two perhaps are Eric Idle and Bobby Ball (of Cannon and Ball fame).

6. Thanks for the blog , good puzzle but the theme passed me by.
   Well done Cineraria and Diane.
   Diane@4/5 I would agree that Dick Emery and Eric Idle sound very plausible .
   Bobby Ball a possible , Johnny Ball maybe ? Alan Ball ?

7. One final look – IMAM ( Bowie ) ? .
   I suspect that Frankie will have the answers.

8. Ooh, that’s interesting, Roz, re Imam and Bowie. Yes, let’s see what Frankie has to say.

9. Yehudi…

10. Very good, Frankie.
    And very clever, Gaff.

11. Parkinson is hidden in 1ac and first three letters of 4ac.
    All very clever so thank you Gaff and Turbolegs

12. I’d go for Michael Ball over Bobby or Alan.
    Parky: “My first guest tonight is THE superstar of the West End. After an absence of five years, he is making his return in the spectacular stage version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium. Here is singing The Boy From Nowhere from his latest album, Ladies and Gentlemen: Michael Ball!”

13. Parkie wasn’t a guest but Tracey Ullman was! 1 down. Just spotted it.

14. Nice spot, Tenerifemiller@13 😉

15. [9d BOWIE was originally pronounced (and still is by me) to rhyme with Maui, TOWIE, Wowee!, or Zowie!,
    before everyone (including the man himself) forgot, and began rhyming it with doughy or Joey). David’s widow is Iman]

16. Re 20 across: Chambers gives Emmys or Emmies as the plural of Emmy.

17. 20ac: Further to Tom@16, Collins 2023 p 649 also gives pl -mys or -mies. While I am happy to accept that all official sources say “Emmys”, it is quite plausible that the other spelling is used widely in unofficial writing. Dictionaries are descriptive and not prescriptive and will have to reflect how words are used within the general population.

18. Oed.com seems to regard the correct plurals of Emmy, Grammy, and Tony as
    Emmies, Grammies, and Tonies.
    Not Emmys, <a href="https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=Grammys“>Grammys, and Tonys.

19. Oed.com seems to regard the correct plurals of Emmy, Grammy, and Tony as Emmies, Grammies, and Tonies. Not Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys.
    Even though the numbers of citations suggest the reverse is true. Curious.

20. Emmys, GRAMMYs but Razzies! There is, seemingly, no rhyme or reason in the othography of these awards yet this is how the above academies refer to themselves, the website for the Emmys – with which we are concerned -being emmys.com
    I can’t say I’ve ever seen them spelt Emmies in the media.
    I don’t refute what the dictionaries state but it seems akin to persistently misspelling the name of someone you know!
    And while spelling was certainly not fixed when that Old English epic was written, I stand by ‘Beowulf’ as the prevailing spelling, not Beowolf!

21. Diane is right about the spelling of Beowulf although the only authoritative version of the text is the fire-damaged Nowell Codex in the British Library. When the manuscript was being catalogued in the early eighteenth century it was referred to as Beowulph although this spelling never caught on.

22. 30ac: Collins 2023 p 191 and ODE 2010 p 155 both have Beowulf as the only spelling given. Chambers 2016 and SOED 2007 do not have it as a headword at all.

    27ac: Whenever I see Poached Salmon advertised I have to resist the temptation to ask whether they are referring to the means of preparation or the means of acquisition.

23. Coming from the states I had never heard of Michael Parkinson so thank you all for the education. I was thinking the theme might be Emmy nominees which probably would have made the Ball into Lucille Ball. Challenging but fun puzzle. Thanks Gaff and Turbolegs for a great blog.

24. My comment @19 is still ‘awaiting moderation’ after 13 hours, while that @18 isn’t, though I deleted it because something went wrong. It should continue:
    “… Even though the numbers of citations suggest the reverse is true. Curious.”

25. A smart arse puzzle. Didn’t enjoy I’m afraid.

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