Knut entertains us today in the Independent.
Tuesday is theme day in the Independent and there is no doubt about today’s theme as Knut takes us through some of the life and times of Elon Musk. Musk [born 1971] can be described in many different ways by many different people. There are references in the grid and clues to at least four of the companies with which Musk is or has been involved – TWITTER, SPACEX, TESLA and PAYPAL.
I read quite a bit about Musk when preparing this blog and note that he recommends ADAM SMITH‘s Wealth of Nations as a book we should all read. I also learnt that Musk has a fearsome TEMPER. He worries about some of his companies becoming INSOLVENT
Knut clearly hold strong views and some of clues and entries in the grid could be construed as Knut offering an opinion on Musk.
A couple of entries are technology related without referring directly to Musk’s companies – ETHERNET and FREE-TO-AIR.
One entry that doesn’t seem to apply to Musk is COYNESS.
The cluing was clear which made the parsing a relatively easy task.
Congratulations to Knut for getting so much thematic material into the grid.
| No | Detail |
| Across | |
| 1 |
Obscene bloodsucking parasite Musk wants $8 for this (4,4) BLUE TICK (a BLUE TICK on Twitter [now owned by Elon Musk] indicates that an account of public interest is verified and authentic) BLUE (indecent or obscene) + TICK (bloodsucking insect) BLUE TICK |
| 5 |
Dirty article repelled pawnbroker (5) UNCLE (slang term for a pawnbroker) UNCLEAN (dirty) excluding (repelled) AN (indefinite article) UNCLE |
| 9 |
Idiot starts to Tweet "well, I regret purchase" (5) TWIRP (alternative spelling of TWERP [silly and/or contemptible person; idiot]) TWIRP (first letters of [starts to] each of TWEET, WELL, I, REGRET and PURCHASE) T W I R P |
| 10 |
American mother’s with German husband, a noted economist (4,5) ADAM SMITH (reference ADAM SMITH [1723-1790], Scottish economist and philosopher) A (American) + DAM‘S (mother’s) + MIT (German for ‘with’) + H (husband) A DAM S MIT H |
| 11 |
Accused criminal pockets new penny that is marked with a D (6,3) DUNCES CAP (tall conical hat, formerly worn at school to indicate stupidity. Usually pictured with the letter D printed on it) Anagram of (criminal) ACCUSED containing (pockets) N (new) + P (penny) DU (N) CES CA* P |
| 12 |
Tender chest, no sign of cold (5) OFFER (bid; tender) COFFER (chest for holding money or treasure) excluding (no) C (a sign for a cold tap) OFFER |
| 13 |
English beer, German beer teetotaller sampled? (6) BITTER (type of English beer) BIER (German for ‘beer’) containing (sampled) TT (teetotaller) BI (TT) ER |
| 14 |
Time Out: Latte coffee 50% off? That’s fine! (4,3) LATE FEE (example of a fine [for returning a library book LATE for instance]) LATTE excluding (out) either T (time) + FEE (3 of 6 [50%] letters in COFFEE) LATE FEE |
| 17 |
Conservative yes/no confusion beginning to suggest evasion (7) COYNESS (evasion) C (Conservative) + an anagram of (confusion) YES and NO + S (first letter of [beginning to]) SUGGEST C OYNES* S |
| 19 |
Soften anger (6) TEMPER (soften) TEMPER (anger) double definition TEMPER |
| 21 |
To do with stress inside erratic ticker? (5) ICTIC (indicative of rhythmical or metrical stress in contradistinction to the usual stress of a word in prose, etc) ICTIC (hidden word [inside] ERRATIC TICKER) ICTIC |
| 23 |
After ordering tea, Daniel gets sent to Coventry (9) ALIENATED (estranged; ostracised; sent to Coventry) Anagram of (after ordering) DANIEL ATE ALIENATED* |
| 24 |
Cheeky Victor admitted being bust (9) INSOLVENT (bankrupt; bust) V (Victor is the international radio communication codeword for the letter V) contained in (admitted) INSOLENT (cheeky) INSOL (V) ENT |
| 25 |
Middle Easterner, one calling for Turkish spirit? (5) IRAQI (Native of IRAQ [a Middle Eastern country) I (Roman numeral for one) + RAQI (sounds like [calling for] RAKI [an aniseed-flavoured spirit of Turkey and the E Mediterranean]) I RAQI |
| 26 |
Talk about hot drink vendors – they give you a lift in winter! (1-4) T-BARS (type of ski-lifts, which give you a lift in Winter) T-BARS (sounds like [talk about] TEA BARS [hot drink vendors]) T-BARS |
| 27 |
Western Paris street covered with a bit of Tarmac and gravel (4,4) TRUE GRIT (1969 Western film starring John Wayne) (RUE [French [Paris] word for ‘street’) contained in (covered with) (T [first letter of {a bit of} TARMAC} and GRIT [gravel]) T (RUE) GRIT |
| Down | |
| 1 |
Happen to gamble on Windies every now and again (6) BETIDE (happen to) BET (gamble) + IDE (letters, 2, 4 and 6 [every now and again] of WINDIES – the letters BET are lying on the letters IDE as this is a down entry BET IDE |
| 2 |
Old NYC Inuit moving somewhere just across the Hudson (5,4) UNION CITY (an American township beside the Hudson River in northern New Jersey) Anagram of (moving) O (old) + NYC INUIT UNION CITY* |
| 3 |
Avoided the stories which, according to Spooner, made all the difference (6,3,6) TIPPED THE SCALES (changed the balance; made all the difference) TIPPED THE SCALES is a Spoonerism of SKIPPED THE TALES (avoided the stories) TIPPED THE SCALES |
| 4 |
Unscrupulous opportunist putting sign outside hospital (7) CHANCER (unscrupulous person prepared to seize any opportunity to make money or for his or her own advancement) CANCER (one of the signs of the Zodiac) containing (outside) H (hospital) C (H) ANCER |
| 5 |
Prat Elon Musk’s in trouble, not playing fairly (15) UNSPORTSMANLIKE (not playing fairly) Anagram of (trouble) PRAT ELON MUSK’S IN UNSPORTSMANLIKE* |
| 6 |
National treasure with craggy face? (5) CLIFF (reference Sir CLIFF Richard [born 1940], English singer who could be considered to be a national treasure because the longevity of his career. Possibly he also has a craggy face, even more so as he ages) CLIFF (crags; something with a craggy outlook) CLIFF |
| 7 |
Energy, on top of the rent, broke the network (8) ETHERNET (system for networking computers) E (energy) + THE + an anagram of (broke) RENT The first E sits on top of THERNET in this down entry E THE RNET* |
| 8 |
Fintech firm rumoured by some to be linked to the Vatican? (6) PAYPAL (financial technology firm) PAYPAL (sounds like [rumoured by some] PAPAL [relating to the Pope or to the Vatican) PAYPAL |
| 15 |
Non-paywalled broadcast of Eritrea (4-2-3) FREE-TO-AIR (denoting a television channel for which no extra subscription is required; non-paywalled [broadcast]) Anagram of (broadcast) OF ERITREA FREE-TO-AIR* |
| 16 |
Penultimate part of Macbeth – first character stirring up trouble? (8) ACTIVIST (person who supports a policy of vigorous action; character stirring up trouble) ACT IV (Macbeth is a play in five acts, so ACT IV [four] is the penultimate part) + IST (1st; first) ACT IV IST |
| 18 |
Contraceptive twisted during intercourse, hence Musk’s baby? (6) SPACEX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SPACEX) is an American corporation headquartered, founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the stated goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars) CAP (contraceptive diaphragm) reversed (twisted) and contained in (during) SEX (intercourse) S (PAC<) EX |
| 19 |
Chuckle about wife’s ridiculously expensive purchase? (7) TWITTER (The technology company for which Elon Musk recently paid $44Bn; CNN reports that Musk admitted that he is “obviously overpaying” for the company; ridiculously expensive purchase) TITTER (chuckle) containing (about) W (wife) T (W) ITTER |
| 20 |
Out of control following advertising split (6) ADRIFT (without help, guidance or contacts; out of control) AD (advertising) + RIFT (split) AD RIFT |
| 22 |
"Least bad" megacorp? (5) TESLA (TESLA, Inc. is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company. Elon Musk is the Chief Executive Officer and leading shareholder in the company) Anagram of (bad) LEAST TESLA* |
That’s how to do a themed crossword. Fairly straightforward but beautifully constructed. What a wonderful thematic anagram in 5d. Had a chuckle over the construction for SPACEX, definitely one of my favourites.
Knut in splendid form today. Very clever to get so much themed material into the crossword.
Although I liked so many clues, my favourite has to be the smile-inducing 6d which could be read as an all in one
Thanks very much to Knut and Duncan
Simply superb. I couldn’t possibly list all the clues I admired – one of Knut’s best ever puzzles.
Many thanks to Knut and Duncan.
What a treat.
Thanks, Knut & duncanshiell. Completely agree with other commenters – this was great fun. Bravo, Knut!
Oi’ll give it Foive!
A delight.
Oh, to be such a prat as Elon Musk. Almost all quite funny, but I found 18d 5, to say the least.
Very nice puzzle. Liked 27 – the surface reading was well done..
Totally agree with the comments above – it was almost a conversation in crossword format. Well done indeed setter, and thank you.
mw7000@10 A case of the surface being both smooth and rough at the same time?
Sorry that should have been Antb@9.
Great stuff! Plenty to enjoy, including ACTIVIST as our favourite.
“Some clues and entries in the grid could be construed as offering an opinion on Musk” – we quite agree!
Thanks, Knut and Duncan.
Thanks for the blog, dear Duncan, and thanks to those who have left a comment. It’s true to say that my opinion of Musk has taken a bit of a dive just lately. He seems to be struggling to separate the definition of free speech as a cherished principle won by oppressed people at enormous cost with the right of weirdos to post all kinds of conspiracy nonsense without having their posts deleted.
Best wishes to all, Rob/Knut
Nice one, Knut. Been missing your acerbic touch for a while but glad to see it hasn’t lost its edge.
Super puzzle. Even I could spot that theme. Fav among many excellent clues was SPACEX. Did have to check that fintech meant what I thought it did & how many acts in the Scottish play but otherwise problem free.
Thanks Knut & Duncan
This is the easiest cryptic I’ve done in any broadsheet this year. It’s soundly clued (3d is the only one I noticed that doesn’t work – that “which” destroys the cryptic reading) and I like the jokes, even the dad-ish ones. But this is perilously close to a crossword without the puzzle.