Crossword
News October 2023
The September crossword
was Farewell by Hedge-sparrow. The theme is the SEA SHANTY “SPANISH
LADIES” whose third verse describes a voyage from USHANT (a French island at
the extreme south-western end of the English Channel) to SOUTH (S) FORELAND (a
chalk headland on the Kent coast where there is a famous lighthouse), passing
by several other LANDMARKS on the way.
The ROUTE starts at USHANT, passing by SCILLY, (the) DEADMAN, RAME HEAD,
START, PORTLAND, WIGHT, BEACHY, FAIRLIGHT, DUNGENESS, and finally anchoring off
S. FORELAND. Clashes in the grid give
the names of the various landmarks (which are generally either headlands or
islands, sometimes with lighthouses) in approximately their correct
geographical locations, to be indicated in the completed grid with first and
final letters in the cells where they occur.
The puzzle’s title is derived from the first line of the shanty: “Farewell
and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies”.
I remembered
that the song appears briefly in the movie Jaws. https://youtu.be/yrpmv_zOa0k?si=Fp8ZJ2H_cbQ70MNP
In the 1956
film The Buccaneers it was Robert Shaw singing. https://youtu.be/4NzCkr54LAA?si=vH8OX2iPNDj25hac
Here are some
of the comments from solvers.
A fine
follow-up to the excellent "Postcard". This time, Hedge-sparrow has
us identifying coastal features along the English Channel, according to the
words of an old sea shanty. The solve was initially tricky, but all became
clear when I tackled the down entries and revealed 1 across. I wasn't entirely
sure whether I should be Googling "Spanish Ladies" at that time of
the morning, but fortunately it led to a very useful Wikipedia page with the
required landmarks. Many thanks to Hedge-sparrow and the Crossword Centre.
An excellent
puzzle. Great clueing. I never knew of Spanish Ladies before and the fact that
it is a sea shanty with an oral history made finding the “right” list of
landmarks was more challenging - there is quite a lot of variety out there!
Many thanks for the high quality of puzzles.
An elegant
puzzle with the placenames accurately located and cleverly assembled. I spotted sea shanty as a likely 1 across,
and getting fair/light as a clash made finding the source material relatively
easy on the net, even though I’d never heard of it. That helped a lot with getting other clashing
entries making for a relatively smooth and enjoyable solve -- thanks to
Hedge-sparrow.
This was the
hardest puzzle in this series since I started sending in entries (which was
only last year, I think, to be fair). In
fact I nearly gave up on it. The sea
shanty emerged fairly early on (although, to be pedantic, Spanish Ladies is not
a shanty) . What really threw me was my
failure to realise that there could be more than one clashing letter in a cell
- “clashing “ to me implies just two letters.
To add to the difficulty, the Wikipedia page on the song uses an
alternative spelling of Rame Head. But
I’m glad that I persevered!
There were
only 29 entries, of which 12 were marked incorrect. The lucky winner, picked
from the electronic hat was Gerry Murtagh from Glasgow, who will soon be receiving
his prize book which was donated by Chambers.
There is a
full solution to Farewell at https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2023/10/solution-to-farewell-by-hedge-sparrow.html
You
still have time to email your entry for the October Prize Puzzle, Strauss Work?
By Chalicea. https://crosswordcentre.blogspot.com/2023/09/crossword-centre-prize-puzzle-october.html
The
November Prize Puzzle will be No Subtitles by a new setter to the Crossword
Centre, Pandiculator.
Pandiculator is a mathematics lecturer based in Aberystwyth. He found
his way to thematic crosswords via solving a numerical Listener and wondering
whether the cryptics might be just as fun, eventually concluding that the
answer is an emphatic "yes". His early setting efforts were numerical
puzzles appearing in the Listener, Magpie and Crossnumbers Quarterly series.
More recently, he's dipped a toe into the waters of setting thematic cryptics,
with a recent effort appearing in Magpie and hopefully more to come soon in
other publications. Beyond crosswording, he has two young children and can
often be found hill-walking or mountain biking around the forests of Mid Wales.
***
The Times Crossword Championship takes place on the 21st October.
Crossword groupies will tend to meet up in the George Inn.
On the weekend 27/28 October there is the legendary York S & B. John
Henderson has posted a final plea for confirmation for those going. https://www.fifteensquared.net/2023/10/02/sb-york-2023-friday-27th-saturday-28th-october-2023-important-update/
I shall be there on Saturday 28th and, looking at the list of
names, I am looking forward to catching up with old friends. I have promised
John that I will be bringing some copies of The Apex Letters to sell and
one to offer as a prize.
On Saturday 28th there will be a Listener gathering in
London. As usual, solvers, setters and editors meet at the Sir John Oldcastle
in Farringdon, from about midday onwards.
***
Jane Teather has announced that the 2024 Listener Crossword Dinner will take
place on Saturday 9 March at The Lincoln Hotel, next to Lincoln Cathedral and a
short walk from Lincoln Castle.
***
On the CC Clue Writing competition, the results are in for clues to WALES. Clear
winner was Ramki Krishnan with this deceptive entry.
Part of the UK used to be occupied by the French
This month’s competition is to write a clue for GRANGER. http://www.andlit.org.uk/cccwc/main.php
The CCCWC site is an incredible piece of software designed by John
Tozer. Robert Teuton has access to the setting up of competitions and results.
However, since John Tozer’s illness, he has not been able to manage the
membership. If anyone has the ability to look at the code or suggest a way
round it we would appreciate it. As it stands, we are unable to accept new
members.
***
Quote of the month from Private Eye - “Anagrams can’t tell their ears from
their bowels.”
Best wishes
Derek