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The annual St John PB Christmas crossword – politicalbetting.com

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  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,505
    Nigelb said:

    The S Korean President Yoon story gets weirder.

    https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2024/12/356_389129.html
    The revelations surrounding President Yoon Suk Yeol's close inner circle and their alleged connections to shamanistic practices are both unsettling and deeply troubling.

    As more behind-the-scenes details emerge about Yoon and his confidants' secret efforts to push for a martial law declaration, it has been revealed that several key figures involved in the planning are connected to practices rooted in fortunetelling, superstition, and mysticism — shocking many people...

    … In mid-December, during a police search of the fortunetelling business operated by Noh in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, they also discovered a handwritten notebook containing about 60 pages of materials related to the failed martial law plans. The notebook included phrases such as "National Assembly blockade" and listed names of many individuals — politicians, journalists, religious leaders, labor union members and even judges.

    Despite Noh already running his own divination business, he frequently traveled some 170 kilometers to visit another shaman to seek guidance about his own fate and whether "the plan" he was preparing with others would succeed…

    Shades of Nixon getting weird...
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,789
    stjohn said:

    All done! Thanks very much to all the PB community once again for indulging me. Especially TSE, Mike and Robert. And a big thank you to everyone who had a go at solving the clues today. Especially Blanche!

    I will seriously consider compiling an easier crossword for next year. Thanks for all the feedback.

    That’s all folks!

    Don't do an easier crossword. Just issue a second set of clues with the same answers later in the day so the stupider ones (me :) ) can do it. :)
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,789

    £1 to charity of choice for working out the connection between Steely Dan and SM-6
    https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/vt280c/til_jeff_skunk_baxter_guitarist_for_steely_dan/?rdt=52065

    keep the money
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,927

    "Easy" version for next year?
    Let's hope so!
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,403
    Pro_Rata said:

    Thanks to stjohn for the crossword. Albeit as someone who doesn't do cryptic crossword to any great degree, my vote to persevere with setting the crossword at the same level next year. It only takes a few of us being flued up and Wednesday being a slightly odd day for Christmas Day to turn the typical done and dusted by mid afternoon into a bit of a late one.

    Only adapt if the later finishes and narrower participation become the norm.

    The Christmas crossword deserves its place as a PB institution.

    It's a nice quiet day on PB. Nutters back tomorrow...
  • stodgestodge Posts: 14,305

    Are you there Stodge? Hill behind Lossie in betting. What do you make of it?

    I’m actually in New Zealand where it’s 2.15 on a damp afternoon in Hawkes Bay and I’m enjoying the action from Ellerslie, Otaki and Wingatui. SNAZZYTAVI, probably the best Kiwi horse running currently, goes in the Group 1 Zabeel Classic later this afternoon.

    As for Kempton, barely given it a thought. I wouldn’t go near the Christmas Hurdle - you don’t know how CONSTITUTION HILL will be such a long break. Being a cynic, I’d probably do a straight forecast - LOSSIEMOUTH to beat BURDETT ROAD.

    In the King George, BANBRIDGE is one of the best jumpers I’ve seen for a while. IF IL EST FRANCAIS is back to last year’s level, he’ll be hard to beat so my play would be BANBRIDGE each way.


  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,927
    "Undersea power cable suffers outage as Baltic Sea countries on edge over series of disruptions

    The 658 megawatt (MW) Estlink 2 power interconnector remained offline following the outage that began at midday local time on Christmas Day."

    https://news.sky.com/story/undersea-power-cable-suffers-outage-as-baltic-sea-countries-on-edge-over-series-of-disruptions-13279811
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,290

    Shades of Nixon getting weird...
    Shamanism is actually a significant(ish) part of S Korean culture.
    I had thought that leading politicians taking it seriously was just a Kdrama meme. Evidently not.
  • carnforth said:

    It's a nice quiet day on PB. Nutters back tomorrow...
    Waves hello .....
  • Good morning, everyone.

    Vengeance Most Fowl was the only TV I watched all day and the first non-news BBC content I've seen for a very long time. It was rather good.
  • NEW THREAD

  • Good morning, everyone.

    Vengeance Most Fowl was the only TV I watched all day and the first non-news BBC content I've seen for a very long time. It was rather good.

    Rave reviews for Vengeance Most Fowl and Gavin & Stacey. Mixed but generally favourable reviews for the King's Speech and Doctor Who. I watched no Christmas telly (yet) so this is just my review of reviews.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,842
    edited December 2024

    Rave reviews for Vengeance Most Fowl and Gavin & Stacey. Mixed but generally favourable reviews for the King's Speech and Doctor Who. I watched no Christmas telly (yet) so this is just my review of reviews.
    G&S was Ok, if a bit predictable, and a nice feelgood ending to a series that became an unexpected success.

    Probably the last mainstream sitcom of a long British televisual tradition
  • stjohn said:

    All done! Thanks very much to all the PB community once again for indulging me. Especially TSE, Mike and Robert. And a big thank you to everyone who had a go at solving the clues today. Especially Blanche!

    I will seriously consider compiling an easier crossword for next year. Thanks for all the feedback.

    That’s all folks!

    Many thanks,StJohn. Although I didn't compete actively I enjoyed following the efforts of others.

    Please don't make it easier. It's the appropriate place and time for a challenge.

    Have a happy and successful 2025, and here's to the Villans in the top four.
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