Listen With Others

Does anyone else find it hard to believe that the lunar landings took place more than half a century ago? Some people reading this wouldn’t have been born back in 1969, but looking round the room at the recent Listener dinner, I suspect that most of us have at least a childhood memory of this historic event. It’s one of those memorable occasions that remain fresh in the archives of my consciousness, a rather happier one than say 9/11 – who can forget where they were when they heard that breaking news? Anyway, back to pleasanter times.

Thanks to Opsimath for this gentle puzzle – definitely a Friday nighter. Not that I usually start them on Fridays, I’m too busy tying up loose ends from all the meetings, emails, texts etc which have tumbled into the previous week. The only clue that held me up was 21dn, “Indign oil producers roaming freely”. I knew the answer was MORINGA but wasted more time than I should have attempting to research Indigo oil – it looked such an obvious fit. The inscription helpfully set me straight.

Pax Humana is celebrated (I read) in November and the moon landings took place in July, so the appearance of this puzzle in March balances up the year I guess. I was a bit surprised too to see the name of Paul MERTON as we don’t usually get references to living people, but they are not proscribed I understand. Thank you Opsimath for this gentle stroll down memory lane.