Yesterday's Independent cryptic crossword contained something of a tribute to one of my favourite TV shows... Homes Under The Hammer...

Before I carry on... I ought to say that this thread is obviously going to contain spoilers. If you like cryptic crosswords and you think you might like to try this one... you can it's here: https://puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/cryptic-crossword-independent/?puzzleDate=20200929#!202009

Whenever I mention that I've set a crossword I get a few tweets from ppl expressing surprise at what is, I can see, an odd career turn. So I should probably mention at the top; this isn't something I spotted, but something I did. I set crosswords for the Indy under the name Bluth

Using a couple of clues to get the title of the show in wasn't enough... if you're going to mention Homes Under The Hammer, I think you've got to mention the main man, Martin Roberts. But how best to describe him... I think this does the job...

But if you're mentioning one of the presenters... surely the others deserve a mention as well... what about Dion Dublin and Martel Maxwell...

At which point, I know what you're thinking.

Yes. I have got too much time on my hands. But also. What about Lucy Alexander? She co-presented the show with Martin for 13 years before having to end her connection with it because of, um, advertising carpets...

Well... there's a clue for that...

Of course, it's impossible to think about Homes Under The Hammer without thinking about the show's incredible Literal Music Selection...

I might well have mentioned the Literal Music Selection before now, myself...

So I could hardly leave it out of the crossword...

What more could I add? Well... a sprinkling of clues that relate to the show... I'm sure there was an episode where they showed an ugly new-build making money in between some short VTs about a motel...

You know the one, the one where that couple fell out about buying the property without seeing it... and there's always some rubble when they knock through...

And of course, they feature the top auctioneers and all kinds of properties... and people might want to buy because they have a particular location they're after... and they renovate the properties in all sorts of styles...

I guess some of you might never have seen the show... but you're right, the series does sound good...

Anyway... if you're the kind of person who is interested in cryptic crosswords but is put off by the lack of content relating to daytime TV property shows, this was for you.

Or maybe the bit of the Venn diagram showing people who are interested in cryptic crosswords and HUTH has only one occupant... in which case this was for me.