What is the best way to write a crossword clue describing Elon Musk?
Pity the constructor of American crosswords. A name appears in the news and it is made of four especially useful letters. It appears more and more throughout the 2010s and previously you would have clued it by making reference to a not especially well known university in North Carolina.
But after a few good years, and assuming you want your puzzle to offer a refuge from the miseries in the rest of the paper, ELON becomes the last thing your solvers want to think about with their coffee. The ENEMA of the 2020s.
With cryptics, at least you can have some fun at the expense of the wretched man. Witness this paper's Vlad:
26ac Joke – of kind – sees Trump getting irritated? (9,4)
[ wordplay: anagram ('getting irritated') of KINDSEESTRUMP ]
[ definition: a joke of just the kind Vlad describes ]
… and enjoy at least the irritation. Likewise, the FT's Leonidas gives us …
28d Reform UK's master? (4)
[ wordplay: anagram ('reform') of UKS & M ('master') ]
[ definition: whole clue ]
… MUSK as an entry but perhaps the most satisfying to imagine appearing on a desk in the White House is the sheer derision of Eccles's Independent clue …
30ac Half of Elon Musk's head is wood (3)
[ wordplay: first two letters ('half') of ELON & first letter ('head') of MUSK ]
[ definition: wood ]
… for ELM. And the scandal that will inevitably be tagged Elongate is taking longer than many of us predicted.
Meanwhile in our cluing conference for FRUIT, the runners-up are MannekenPis's cheery 'Benefit of healing union's first rift' and Andyyy1's world-weary 'Initially feeling romantic until it's time for a date, for example'. The winner is the not-unaudacious 'Apple I found in back lawn?' to which I have added a question mark.
Kludos to Araucaria_fan and please leave entries for DOGE below, along with any favourite clues or puzzles you have spotted.
188 Words for Rain by Alan Connor is published by Ebury (£16.99). To support the Guardian and the Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Lorenzo Musetti avoids disqualification after kicking a ball at a line judge
In the second set of his quarter-final against American Frances Tiafoe, Musetti booted the ball in frustration and it hit the woman, standing about three metres away, in the chest. Tiafoe looked stunned at the other end of the court and gestured towards the umpire, who eventually gave Musetti a code violation. Lorenzo Musetti received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after this incident 😳 #RolandGarros — TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 3, 2025 There were echoes of Novak Djokovic being defaulted at the 2020 US Open after accidentally hitting a female line judge with a ball. Tiafoe, the 15th seed, said: 'I mean, obviously he did that and nothing happened. I think that's comical, but it is what it is. 'Nothing happened, so there's nothing really to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent, so it is what it is.' Former player-turned broadcaster Rennae Stubbs wrote on X: 'Wow Musetti is very lucky to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the lines person and not be defaulted.' Musetti, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year, won the match 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-2 to progress to the last four at Roland Garros for the first time. He said: 'Yeah, I was a little bit, honestly, scared, because I really didn't want to harm nobody, of course. Wow Musetti is VERY LUCKY to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the lines person and not be defaulted. — Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) June 3, 2025 'So I immediately went to the line umpire, and I of course said 'sorry', I apologise to everyone. 'It was right to have a warning, but I think the umpire saw that there was no intention about that, and that's why probably just, you know, let me continue my game.' The French Open is the only one of the four grand slams to still use line judges rather than electronic line calling. Former British number one Tim Henman was defaulted in a Wimbledon doubles match in 1995 when a ball he hit across the net after a point had finished struck a ball kid. Henman, part of TNT Sports and Eurosport's coverage of Roland Garros, said: 'By the letter of the law, if you hit or kick a ball away in frustration and it hits a ball boy, line judge, or umpire, that can be a disqualification. 'When you look at that, the umpire could have interpreted that as a disqualification. However, if Musetti was disqualified for that, Musetti would feel very unlucky and aggrieved. Friday awaits. Be there.#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2025 'When you're kicking a ball away, you've either got to be a better footballer and kick it in the right direction, or you are risking something like that.' Musetti will meet defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who steamrollered American 12th seed Tommy Paul 6-0 6-1 6-4 in another one-sided night match. 'I'm sorry you wanted to watch more tennis. I had to do my work,' Alcaraz told the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd afterwards.
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Lorenzo Musetti avoids disqualification after kicking a ball at a line judge
In the second set of his quarter-final against American Frances Tiafoe, Musetti booted the ball in frustration and it hit the woman, standing about three metres away, in the chest. Tiafoe looked stunned at the other end of the court and gestured towards the umpire, who eventually gave Musetti a code violation. Lorenzo Musetti received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after this incident 😳 #RolandGarros — TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 3, 2025 There were echoes of Novak Djokovic being defaulted at the 2020 US Open after accidentally hitting a female line judge with a ball. Tiafoe, the 15th seed, said: 'I mean, obviously he did that and nothing happened. I think that's comical, but it is what it is. 'Nothing happened, so there's nothing really to talk about. Obviously it's not consistent, so it is what it is.' Former player-turned broadcaster Rennae Stubbs wrote on X: 'Wow Musetti is very lucky to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the lines person and not be defaulted.' Musetti, who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year, won the match 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-2 to progress to the last four at Roland Garros for the first time. He said: 'Yeah, I was a little bit, honestly, scared, because I really didn't want to harm nobody, of course. Wow Musetti is VERY LUCKY to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the lines person and not be defaulted. — Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) June 3, 2025 'So I immediately went to the line umpire, and I of course said 'sorry', I apologise to everyone. 'It was right to have a warning, but I think the umpire saw that there was no intention about that, and that's why probably just, you know, let me continue my game.' The French Open is the only one of the four grand slams to still use line judges rather than electronic line calling. Former British number one Tim Henman was defaulted in a Wimbledon doubles match in 1995 when a ball he hit across the net after a point had finished struck a ball kid. Henman, part of TNT Sports and Eurosport's coverage of Roland Garros, said: 'By the letter of the law, if you hit or kick a ball away in frustration and it hits a ball boy, line judge, or umpire, that can be a disqualification. 'When you look at that, the umpire could have interpreted that as a disqualification. However, if Musetti was disqualified for that, Musetti would feel very unlucky and aggrieved. Friday awaits. Be there.#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2025 'When you're kicking a ball away, you've either got to be a better footballer and kick it in the right direction, or you are risking something like that.' Musetti will meet defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who steamrollered American 12th seed Tommy Paul 6-0 6-1 6-4 in another one-sided night match. 'I'm sorry you wanted to watch more tennis. I had to do my work,' Alcaraz told the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd afterwards.
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Steps star Ian ‘H' Watkins forced to change name of latest project after he's SUED by festival giant Coachella
Read on to find out the hilarious new name for the star's festival in Wales STEPS TOO FAR Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins forced to change name of latest project after he's SUED by festival giant Coachella FORMER Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins was forced to change the name of his festival Cowchella — because it was too similar to Coachella. Watkins organised a small event including a Harry Styles tribute act and actress Claire Sweeney. Advertisement 3 Cowchella has now been renamed Moo-La-La Festival after the American festival complained Credit: WNS 3 The former Steps star was stunned to get a complaint from Coachella, the famous festival in California with 250,000 fans But he was stunned to get a complaint about the name from Coachella, the famous festival in California with 250,000 fans. Watkins' show at his home town of Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan is now called the Moo-La-La Festival. The Welshman, 49, said: 'I'm taking it as a massive compliment that they feel that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine. 'It's a little bit mindblowing. What we're doing is very, very different to what they do. Advertisement 'We don't have Beyonce performing. "We have a Steps tribute act and also they don't have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans hosting, which in my book is much better than Beyonce.' He added: 'We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town. 'So yes, those will have to go in the bin but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door.' Advertisement 3 Former Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins was forced to change the name of his festival Cowchella — because it was too similar to the huge US event Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
