Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Eh, Jigjag, unless I’ve gone completely wrong I think you need a rethink. Look up Otis Redding. The singer who reinterpreted the song died recently, very famous woman.

Hi again jigjag, I think you may have overthought things; follow teenieleek's and scarlett's (earlier) advice.

Teenieleek and Ginge

Many thanks - got it! I looked up his songs and saw the RE.......... one. I have never heard of the lady though. I dont follow that music. The setter puzzled me with his word "re-interpreter". Is that what they call it when another singer does the same song? When I play a Mozart piano piece, nobody says I have re-interpreted it - I have just played it very badly!

I think my "solution" almost works but clearly yours is the intended one. I dont understand the "key variation" and I cant get one clue

Scalped commissaire's tuft - I have *I*RET any hint would help please.

Jigjag, glad you're sorted with the thematic stuff!

For your clue, the answer is just a tuft, the 'commissaire' is a famous, fictional one. 'Scalped' is the usual crossword device.

Thanks Malone, I did not think of a fictional one. I enjoyed the Rupert Davies stories but not the Rowan Atkinson version. I love him as Mr Bean and Johnny English though

Glad I could help, jigjag. I'm not a Rowan Atkinson fan - I liked Mr Bean, but that's all!

Your hints are always appreciated, Malone. I have been thinking a lot more about this puzzle, probably too much. For quite a while I had
R-E-D---I-N-G on the theme line and it occurred to me it might represent Red Herring. I also had Frank and was looking for Sinatra or JR.

I wonder if these red herrings were deliberate, if so, clever. I did not understand the "key variation" point, but am not familiar with this music

Lovely puzzle and a nice tribute

Jigjag, I'm not overly familiar with the song - but wondered if one version has M-A-L....and the other doesn't, which would be a 'key variation' (on a pc keyboard). I wasn't sufficiently interested to investigate!. I wasn't a fan of this one, I sort of scrapped and scraped my way through it.