Media

‘Tart,‘ ’Catastrophe’: ‘News of the World’ Staff Take Aim at Editor — in Final Crossword Puzzle

Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:21pm by Madeleine Morgenstern
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Mocking messages directed toward former editor Rebekah Brooks appear to have printed in the final edition of "News of the World." (Matt Dunham/Associated Press)

Britain’s “News of the World” tabloid may have published its last issue Sunday amid a phone-hacking scandal, but jilted employees got the last laugh, apparently hiding mocking messages directed toward former editor Rebekah Brooks, who helmed the publication when some of the hackings are alleged to have taken place.

The Telegraph reports:

Among the clues in the paper’s Quickie puzzle were: “Brook”, “stink”, “catastrophe” and “digital protection”.

The clues for the Cryptic Crossword seemed to cut even closer to the bone, with examples including: “criminal enterprise”, “mix in prison”, “string of recordings” and “will fear new security measure”.

The clue for 24 Across – which reads “Woman stares wildly at calamity” – is thought to be a reference to a photograph of Mrs Brooks staring furiously from the window of a car as she left News International’s Wapping headquarters following the announcement the News of the World was to be shut down.

The answer to the clue is not one she would appreciate: “disaster”.

Other answers included: “stench”, “racket” and “tart”.

According to the Daily Mail, Brooks, who heads News Corp.’s U.K. newspaper operations, had two senior journalists comb through the tabloid’s last edition before it went to print to ensure she was not libeled, but the puzzle clues made it through.

Click here to view the puzzle page.

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Comments (31)

jill098
Posted on July 11, 2011 at 4:49am
The news in the UK says that News of the World called a police officer in NYC, they wanted info and phone numbers on 9/11 victims an their families! Thankfully that officer said no! I didn’t think it could get any lower!
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Cuttimer101
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 10:38pm
Right on BETSP.
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Your Name Here
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 7:16pm
Holy frijoles!
She looks like a member of Steel Dragon from the movie Rock Star.
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betsp
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 6:12pm
The same people appalled by this applauded Wikileaks and Assange. Arrest the culprits and let’s move on to the criminals in government stealing our money, our rights and our economic future.
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erikrush
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 5:41pm
She looks like a dude.
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Baikonur
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 4:13pm
@JoeBtfsplk
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:38pm

‘If the Patriot Act allows government to eavesdrop, why not newspapers too?’
**************
Because the government has a sworn duty, a job requirement to protect its citizens from violent aggression, internal (like Timothy McVeigh, the Michigan militia, and the rest of you righwinf nut jobs) and external (like Al Qaeda).

News sources have a responsibility to report news and inform the public about dangers.

Digging up dirt or private information on private citizens while breaking the laws against wiretapping, hacking, etc. just to make money for your newspaper and sell news copy is illegal and immoral.

Don’t see the dfifference? Don’t worry. God created you with a <90 IQ, so all is well, it's not your fault. Really.
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- JoeBtfsplk
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 6:52pm
  BAIKONOR – I got it, obviously you didn’t!
  
  No imagination on your part stifles your ability to understand sarcasm.
  Stop attempting to display your intellect by denouncing that of others.
  Next time I’ll be sure to add the disclaimer of SARCASM in my comment!
  Report Post »
- Dr. Klahn
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 10:21pm
  Baikonor said:
  “(like Timothy McVeigh, the Michigan militia, and the rest of you righwinf nut jobs)”
  ———————
  Yep, that’s me, another rightwinf nut job.
  There’s just no winf like the rightwinf…
  Report Post »
Baikonur
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 4:03pm
@sooner12
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 3:38pm
‘I agree she should be in jail, but one has to realize that we’re dealing with the British. One has to wonder just what are their limits in their legal system. From what I‘ve read about what was the paper’s content it (paper) was just another rag. Since it held the highest circulation than all of the other papers in the country it gives you the mindset of this country’s people.’
*******************
LOL, don’t be so hard on Great Britain. One could say the ratings of the Glenn Beck show and Fox in general shows us the ‘mindset of THIS country’s people’, but reasonable people don’t judge countries based on how many low class idiots love to wallow in the mud of racism, religious bigotry, and unquenchable thirst for sticking one‘s nose into other people’s business.
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- TCPatriot
  Posted on July 11, 2011 at 1:07am
  @Baikonur Heil!
  Report Post »
turkey13
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 3:42pm
Hey – The Brits can’t help it. Have you ever heard of a real conservative or right winger in England. I read somerwhere that in less than 10 years the muslim folks will outnumber the Brits. Their welfare programs make us look like stingy scrooges, even under obama.
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- saranda
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 4:19pm
  Have you never heard of Maggie Thatcher? Read a little history or even current events.
  Report Post »
- jill098
  Posted on July 11, 2011 at 4:06am
  @Turkey You do realize that Prime Minister Cameron is a conservative! Murdoch got him into office! Cameron is BFF with Murdoch and Brooks! Cameron had Christmas with Brooks! In fact Cameron had Coulson as his communication official. Coulson had to resign in January because he was toxic to Cameron. Coulson had to resign as editor of New of the World because of the hacking, the paper Murdoch just closed. Brooks says she wasn’t there when it happened, she was on vacation lol!
  Report Post »
clingingtogodandguns
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 3:37pm
I’ll get you my pretty and your dog too!!! Does this women look like a witch or what.Is that a wig or the worst hairdo I’ve ever see.
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Fastsam
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 3:32pm
That is one ugly woman, I bet her underarms look like she has bucwheat in a headlock. Pwueeeee!
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- chips1
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 8:49pm
  She’s a witch. She turned me into a newt. I got better.
  Report Post »
JoeBtfsplk
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:38pm
If the Patriot Act allows government to eavesdrop, why not newspapers too?
How “common place” is this afterall?
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rpp
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:31pm
This may aeem clever, but will the authors of the puzzle work again?
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BOMUSTGO
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:30pm
Got to love that British humor!
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CanteenBoy
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:30pm
Don’t care.
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- Weiners Wiener
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:57pm
  @canteenboy — Yes, you DO care. You took the time to read it and post a comment, so you absolutely care. Now — real question is, why do you think anyone else would care how you feel about the article in the first place?
  Report Post »
- elk043004
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 3:44pm
  @Weiners Wiener…your screen name says that you are someone else’s dick. Do you type one headed??? Just askin’…
  Report Post »
- CanteenBoy
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 6:22pm
  Didn‘t read the whole thing and decided I didn’t care after the headline, thus the comment.
  
  You on the other hand, are only commenting on my comment, weiner.
  Report Post »
Ironmaan
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 2:28pm
The woman should be in jail. This kind of stuff cannot go unpunished, although killing your daughter and throwing her in a swamp can.
http://guerillatics.com
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- sooner12
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 3:38pm
  I agree she should be in jail, but one has to realize that we’re dealing with the British. One has to wonder just what are their limits in their legal system. From what I‘ve read about what was the paper’s content it (paper) was just another rag. Since it held the highest circulation than all of the other papers in the country it gives you the mindset of this country’s people.
  Report Post »
- dave101sport
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 5:28pm
  @sooner12, wow you managed to insinuate that an entire countries moral character can be judged from the amount of and what type of newspaper is most popular. That would make America a country full of greedy, money grabbing people as The Wall Street Journal is the most popular here then??
  No i didnt think so. Try to not judge, there is alot more qualified being for that.
  Report Post »
- GIDEON612
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 11:29pm
  @dave101sport
  
  being? Is that what respect you have?
  In trying to put someone else down you have shown yourself.
  Report Post »
- sundance_sp
  Posted on July 10, 2011 at 11:53pm
  Excuse me? Apparently there are some here that do not care for the facts, such as above. There is absolutely no hard evidence yet that she had anything to do with the phone tappings. And, in my opinion, has done a remarkable job in trying to keep this mess as in good order as she possibly can, or anyone else for that matter. The facts are, that this paper was already headed in a downward spiral, and was looking to close anyway. She is simply the captain at the ships helm when it happened, and there wasn’t too much she could do about it anyway, that is the papers’ demise. So, give it a break will ya!
  Report Post »
- BUDDY LITTLE
  Posted on July 11, 2011 at 12:57am
  I wonder what bias you projecting now _SP ,would you run to her defense,if SHE was a straight white guy ? UM.
  Report Post »
- jill098
  Posted on July 11, 2011 at 4:22am
  The paper is owned by Murdoch. People have already been to trial when it was thought to just having hacked stars and royalty. They had a 2nd investigation in 2009 and the police said everything was fine. Now we hit 2011 and guess what? Over 4000 people were hacked! Murdered girls voice mails were hacked an messages deleted by News of the World employees. Fallen soldiers voice mails and emails were hacked along with their families voice mails. The 7/7 bombing victims and their families voice mails were hacked. James Murdoch admitted he paid hush money to some who were hacked. They bribed police for information to the tune of over 100,000.00 pounds. On June 20,2011 they admitted they withheld emails and other info from the investigations and the 1st trial on the hacking. Still over 2000 emails missing. Murdoch’s company is a US company so subject to Foreign Corrupt Powers of 1977 here in the US. They can and will be up for charges in the UK and US, also Aus is now investigating Murdoch. Murdoch set up a 20 million pound fund to pay hacking victims when it was just thought to be stars and royalty. Murdoch is trying to get 100% ownership of BskyB, but Cameron will have to postpone that until after investigations are done. Ofcom is looking into if Murdoch is fit and proper to own tv and if found against him, they can divest him of any holdings in BskyB(he owns 36% now). Murdoch has lost over a billion from stock of BskyB and News Corp losses last week.
  Report Post »
- TomFerrari
  Posted on July 11, 2011 at 7:45am
  Investigate and prosecute – you will find it does not reach Murdoch.
  The paper’s editor descended into National Enquirer status.
  These are not “NEWSPAPERS” as you and I know “NEWSPAPERS”.
  These are “TABLOIDS”. The Brits recognize the difference and even differentiate the two by referring to “NEWSPAPERS” as “FULL SIZE” which is a slur against the tabloids which are printed on smaller paper. The tabloids tend to all be like National Enquirer.
  What they did was wrong, but it is not an accurate reflection upon the parent company.
  A zealous editor-in-chief was willing to do ANYTHING to get the sales up.
  Investigate – Prosecute – Etc.
  
  (Oh, And I’ll be buying me some of this discounted NewsCorp stock – that’s for SURE!)
  Report Post »

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