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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Christmas Day on PB wouldn’t be Christmas without the St. John

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  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    rkrkrk said:

    25A - assimilate?

    +1
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    edited December 2017
    Can @SandraMc pls bring her (?) crossword acuity to our daily Brexit political discussions.

    Cool Yule, all.

    Edit: I of course have zero political crossword acuity.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,732
    edited December 2017
    Andrew said:

    Sorry to drag things back to politics, but:

    'Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been formally barred from competing in next year's presidential election.'


    You could probably file that under least surprising political news of the year.

    I wonder what Putin plans for when his 6 year term runs out in 2024. Formally he can't stand again, so repeat the job-swap stunt with Medvedev? Or screw that, abandon the pretence and declare himself Eternal Leader for life?
    I thought he'd changed the constitution so he could stand again?

    Edit - no, I see I'm wrong, must be the changes to term lengths I was thinking of.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    19A at home would fit, but no idea why.
  • SandraMcSandraMc Posts: 582
    TOPPING said:

    Can @SandraMc pls bring her (?) crossword acuity to our daily Brexit political discussions.

    Cool Yule, all.

    Edit: I of course have zero political crossword acuity.

    Thanks for the flattery but I'm one of those nerd types who are good at crosswords but little else - although I do enjoy following the discussions on PB.

  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    23 down. Yes. Fear.

    In tribute to arguably the best PB poster ever. Certainly one of my top 5.

    The former Tory, now UKiipper, but ever reasonable and courteous, Sean Fear.

    FDrR said, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.”

    So FEAR is his “only”, self-referential term.
  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    stjohn said:

    23 down. Yes. Fear.

    In tribute to arguably the best PB poster ever. Certainly one of my top 5.

    The former Tory, now UKiipper, but ever reasonable and courteous, Sean Fear.

    FDrR said, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.”

    So FEAR is his “only”, self-referential term.

    A UKIPper no more, I think
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    SandraMc said:

    TOPPING said:

    Can @SandraMc pls bring her (?) crossword acuity to our daily Brexit political discussions.

    Cool Yule, all.

    Edit: I of course have zero political crossword acuity.

    Thanks for the flattery but I'm one of those nerd types who are good at crosswords but little else - although I do enjoy following the discussions on PB.

    98.574% of PB contributors are just such nerdy types.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    alex. said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    12 Martin van Buren

    Seems you need to know your obscure US history for this one!

    I had never heard of him, I deduced him from the clue and looked him up on wikipedia. Mildly interestingly he was 8th president but "was the first President of the United States to be born a United States citizen. Of Dutch descent, he is the only U.S. president who spoke English as a second language."
  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    Ishmael_Z said:

    alex. said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    12 Martin van Buren

    Seems you need to know your obscure US history for this one!

    I had never heard of him, I deduced him from the clue and looked him up on wikipedia. Mildly interestingly he was 8th president but "was the first President of the United States to be born a United States citizen. Of Dutch descent, he is the only U.S. president who spoke English as a second language."
    And nicknamed “OK” after Old Kinderhook, apparently
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    alex. said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    12 Martin van Buren

    Seems you need to know your obscure US history for this one!

    Yes. Sorry about this one!

    But American President has only 40 possible answers, or thereabouts, I think. So as a definition it felt too easy.

    MVB apparently campaigned as OK or Old Kinderhook, as he was from that part of New York.

    Mar is to spoil and regeneration of “invent urban” gives the answer.
  • old_labourold_labour Posts: 3,238
    Interesting thread looking at the logic behind cryptic crosswords of which I have none. Go for the "concise crossword" myself.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    edited December 2017

    Interesting thread looking at the logic behind cryptic crosswords of which I have none. Go for the "concise crossword" myself.

    Do you ever do/try The Times quiz? In case one is feeling pleased with oneself it brings you down to earth pretty quickly.
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    Ishmael_Z said:

    27a undertaker

    Yes. An “under taker” is a dangerous driver, in my view. And it describes a particular former way that Ireland was governed.
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    edited December 2017
    Ishmael_Z said:

    19A at home would fit, but no idea why.

    Yes. In = At Home. May, she was here. She was At Home, (The Home Office).

  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    Ishmael_Z said:

    20D outback

    Yes. Bush = Outback.

    Unfashionable = out; following = back.
  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    Think 1D is still a gap, so CADE
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    rkrkrk said:

    25A - assimilate?

    I once = I late (once = former or late). A maiden is a miss. A maiden “over” or reversed is a ssim. So it’s, “a ssim I late”. Tebbit’s cricket test.
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    I think 4 down and 16 down are still to do.
  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    edited December 2017
    7D RESERVE Apols if already done

  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    stjohn said:

    I think 4 down and 16 down are still to do.

    Have we done 15a?

  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    15 across still needs doing too.
  • Ishmael_Z said:

    alex. said:

    Ishmael_Z said:

    12 Martin van Buren

    Seems you need to know your obscure US history for this one!

    I had never heard of him, I deduced him from the clue and looked him up on wikipedia. Mildly interestingly he was 8th president but "was the first President of the United States to be born a United States citizen. Of Dutch descent, he is the only U.S. president who spoke English as a second language."
    I went through a stage of reading a lot of Gore Vidal novels and Van Buren plays more than a passing role in his 'Burr', part of the plot revolving around the idea that MVB was Burr's bastard.

    Just to ride the thespy zeitgeist for a mo', it was Burr who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    stjohn said:

    15 across still needs doing too.

    Insane would fit 4D, I am admitting bafflement and defeat over the other two. Many thanks for a most enjoyable couple of hours, and merry Christmas (what's left of it)

  • alex.alex. Posts: 4,658
    4d insane
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    INSANE is right.

    The monarch is Anne, (again!). Half heartedly she is ane. Because half of the heart, or centre, of “Anne” is removed. Sweden on international car identifiers is S. So, as a down clue, ane supporting In S becomes INSANE.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    stjohn said:

    INSANE is right.

    The monarch is Anne, (again!). Half heartedly she is ane. Because half of the heart, or centre, of “Anne” is removed. Sweden on international car identifiers is S. So, as a down clue, ane supporting In S becomes INSANE.

    Right there is a perfect example of why my brain has not been appropriately trained for crossword puzzles. One year to practice.
  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    16 Davidson?
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    edited December 2017
    Ishmael_Z said:

    16 Davidson?

    Yes. A film is a vid(eo). Society is S. Allowed in crossword land! Academic is don.

    Then it’s D (a vid s) on. Ruth, of course.
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    Just 15 across to do.

    -t-l-e-n

  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,392
    stjohn said:

    Just 15 across to do.

    -t-l-e-n

    I've just tried cheating with a crossword solver website and it said 'no matches found'!

    I'm therefore guessing that it is a person's name?
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777

    stjohn said:

    Just 15 across to do.

    -t-l-e-n

    I've just tried cheating with a crossword solver website and it said 'no matches found'!

    I'm therefore guessing that it is a person's name?
    Yes. An adjective of.

  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,392
    Attleean?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    stjohn said:

    stjohn said:

    Just 15 across to do.

    -t-l-e-n

    I've just tried cheating with a crossword solver website and it said 'no matches found'!

    I'm therefore guessing that it is a person's name?
    Yes. An adjective of.

    Total guess: Attleean? :p
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    Spooky.
  • I guess that’s right.

    Poll (cut the top off) contest (battle) before each (ea) point (n)
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    Andypet said:

    I guess that’s right.

    Poll (cut the top off) contest (battle) before each (ea) point (n)

    Ah, nice.
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    edited December 2017

    Attleean?

    Yes!

    Poll is to lop, or take the top of something, usually a tree.

    Contest is battle. So poll ‘contest” is attle. Each abbreviated is ea. As in Turkeys, £4 ea.
    Point = north, ( compass point),n.

    Attle + ea + n = Attlean.

    Of government is the definition. The Attleean government. As in the Attleean Welfare State. Or the Attlean legacy.

  • Ishmael_ZIshmael_Z Posts: 8,981
    Andypet said:

    I guess that’s right.

    Poll (cut the top off) contest (battle) before each (ea) point (n)

    Thank God can now go to sleep. Brilliant clue.
  • stjohnstjohn Posts: 1,777
    Well.

    Apologies for a few “stinkers” in this year’s xword.

    Thanks to everyone who contributed and those who helped solve it.

    That’s all folks!
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 7,880
    stjohn said:

    rkrkrk said:

    25A - assimilate?

    I once = I late (once = former or late). A maiden is a miss. A maiden “over” or reversed is a ssim. So it’s, “a ssim I late”. Tebbit’s cricket test.
    Delighted I got one right at least albeit without explanation...
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    The hard Left as full of Christmas cheer and goodwill as every other day of the year
    https://mobile.twitter.com/nw_nicholas/status/945381330669461504
  • Andrew said:

    Sorry to drag things back to politics, but:

    'Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been formally barred from competing in next year's presidential election.'


    You could probably file that under least surprising political news of the year.

    I wonder what Putin plans for when his 6 year term runs out in 2024. Formally he can't stand again, so repeat the job-swap stunt with Medvedev? Or screw that, abandon the pretence and declare himself Eternal Leader for life?
    Kylo Ren: "The Supreme Leader is dead!"

    General Hux: [being Force-choked by Ren] "Long live the Supreme Leader!"
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    edited December 2017
    Trump has claimed credit for restoring 'Merry Christmas' to common usage ://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/945126026824298497
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    edited December 2017
    Andrew said:

    Sorry to drag things back to politics, but:

    'Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been formally barred from competing in next year's presidential election.'


    You could probably file that under least surprising political news of the year.

    I wonder what Putin plans for when his 6 year term runs out in 2024. Formally he can't stand again, so repeat the job-swap stunt with Medvedev? Or screw that, abandon the pretence and declare himself Eternal Leader for life?
    At some point the salami tactics have to be seen as unnecessary effort for such autocrats I'd have thought(especially if they are still actually popular). Even at a lower level you see chaps like the Bolivian president, having put a proposal to the people to remove term limits defeated, and so deciding, 'screw it' and declaring that term limits are a breach of peoples' rights, and getting the courts to remove it, even though he himself had written a constitution which had term limits in it.

    Given his much higher profile than Chinese presidents for some decades, I'd be more interested who Xi will transfer power to than Putin.

    Though if we're talking job titles, I'd prefer 'Supreme Archon' myself.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,557
    Just returned from a late after dinner stroll to see we've lost the toss.
    The pitch looks utterly benign, and the team selection more tediously conservative than Theresa May. Don't think I'll be staying up for this one.
  • Have you guys heard about this???????
    https://twitter.com/natehiggins/status/945424230119854081
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    For services to Brexit?

    :D
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    So Clegg knighted before Blair, Brown and Cameron then?
  • stjohn said:

    Well.

    Apologies for a few “stinkers” in this year’s xword.

    Thanks to everyone who contributed and those who helped solve it.

    That’s all folks!

    Thanks StJohn. Very entertaining and as Mike mentioned, now a Christmas institution
  • Great puzzle as ever.... far more challenging than the mcg wicket and our bowlers..
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,880
    edited December 2017
    Andrew said:

    Sorry to drag things back to politics, but:

    'Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been formally barred from competing in next year's presidential election.'


    You could probably file that under least surprising political news of the year.

    I wonder what Putin plans for when his 6 year term runs out in 2024. Formally he can't stand again, so repeat the job-swap stunt with Medvedev? Or screw that, abandon the pretence and declare himself Eternal Leader for life?
    I think he'll go for a constitutional referendum to remove term limits. Conducted via guided democracy, konyechno...

    If that doesn't happen and he decides to do the PM/President job swap again then he'll want someone slavishly loyal and with zero political initiative of their own. Putin's ex-bodyguard Alexi Dyumin could be an option. He has been made governor of Tula to give him political and administrative experience for some reason.

    To li dozhdik, to li sneg. To li bydet, to li nyet...
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164

    Great puzzle as ever.... far more challenging than the mcg wicket and our bowlers..

    Sporting Index sell/buy price on Aus 1st Innings: 493/508
  • HYUFD said:



    So Clegg knighted before Blair, Brown and Cameron then?
    Presumably just a regular knighthood. As ex-PMs, the others mentioned should be in line for a KG (or perhaps KT in Brown's case).
  • Would senior party sources actually know? It seems an odd sort of thing to leak.
  • Dura_Ace said:

    Andrew said:

    Sorry to drag things back to politics, but:

    'Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been formally barred from competing in next year's presidential election.'


    You could probably file that under least surprising political news of the year.

    I wonder what Putin plans for when his 6 year term runs out in 2024. Formally he can't stand again, so repeat the job-swap stunt with Medvedev? Or screw that, abandon the pretence and declare himself Eternal Leader for life?
    I think he'll go for a constitutional referendum to remove term limits. Conducted via guided democracy, konyechno...

    If that doesn't happen and he decides to do the PM/President job swap again then he'll want someone slavishly loyal and with zero political initiative of their own. Putin's ex-bodyguard Alexi Dyumin could be an option. He has been made governor of Tula to give him political and administrative experience for some reason.

    To li dozhdik, to li sneg. To li bydet, to li nyet...
    То ли дождик, то ли снег. То ли будет, то ли нет...
  • HYUFD said:

    Trump has claimed credit for restoring 'Merry Christmas' to common usage ://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/945126026824298497

    To be fair, I'd not heard the phrase used for about a year, so huzzah for President Trump.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    edited December 2017
    Many thanks to @stJohn for the crossword. A few moments peace and brain work during an otherwise hectic day. Much appreciated!
This discussion has been closed.