RIP – Orense (Jeremy Mutch)
Update: see comment #4
I heard that Jeremy (Jem) Mutch has passed away at the age of 79 after a long illness. Jeremy set as Orense in The Financial Times, this appears to be his last puzzle: https://fifteensquared.net/2021/07/13/financial-times-16836-by-orense/?highlight=orense
Well, I followed the link, tackled the clues, and despite no previous meeting with an ORENSE puzzle, this was a very fine puzzle indeed.
It’s always sad when one of our clan of the cryptic clues passes, may he sleep easy.
Jeremy also set for the Telegraph
RIP
Don
Sorry to hear this.
Hi I am Jeremy’s Sister. There will be a celebration of Jeremy’s life at The Boat House, Parkgate on Thursday 1st October 3pm. If you would like to come please send me a text on 07968 167036 and I will add you to a What’s App group for details.
RIP 😞
Jeremy Mutch – “Jem”
31st August 1949 – 15th August 2026
Jeremy Mutch has been setting crosswords for over 20 years. He started setting for the Wednesday Daily Telegraph in 2002 when his good friend and Telegraph setter Bert Danher (Hendra, Aquila, Dinmutz) died suddenly and unexpectedly. He has set for the Financial Times as Orense, for the Glasgow Herald as Jem, and the Yorkshire Post as Jeremy Mutch. He has also set as Jay. He has been setting the Genius crossword as El Sereno for The Oldie since 2019. El Sereno is Spanish for “night-watchman” but is also an anagram of Orense (his FT setter name) a city in North Western Spain. Jem lived in Orense for a year in 1967/68 during his time at Manchester University studying Spanish and Portuguese, both of which he spoke fluently.
Jem died on 15th August 2026. He had been somewhat unwell this past year, and died of a heart attack while at home.
Jem was not married, but he will be missed by his brother Andrew, his sisters Helen and Lindsay, and his many friends. Andrew and Helen were his Oldie test solvers and they will both miss this task.
Jem would have been 79 on 31st August 2026.