Born: London, UK, to Dutch parents
I Like: Leo Kottke, London Pride, my Gretsch Bobtail, St Ives (Cornwall), Led Zeppelin, cheese, Stravinsky, my Les Paul, storms, Quo (not still, but again), Boulez, brandy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, pesto, my Gretsch Anniversary, Machaut. Did I mention Quo?
On Crosswords: I’ve spent the last thirty years compiling crosswords for every tabloid in the land, particularly the Mirror two-speeds (for the first twenty-five years) and the Express Crusaders (just the last twenty), as well as the Telegraph, plus periodicals, trade magazines and advertising campaigns. I can reveal that the notorious last News of the World crossword, supposedly full of vitriolic references to Rebekah Brooks, contained nothing of the sort, having been submitted, by me, a full week before the shock announcement of the paper’s termination. Sad but true.
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