This week we sadly publish the last of Mungo MacCallum’s puzzles. Before he died in 2020 Mungo compiled a large archive of crosswords for The Echo. These were originally commissioned by the Saturday Paper, but Mungo obtained an agreement to gift them to his local newspaper.
Some of our newer readers may not be familiar with Mungo’s connection with this area. In the ‘70s and ‘80s he was one of the leading members of the Canberra Press Gallery, but when the interior architecture of the new Parliament House revealed that lobbyists were to be given more access to politicians than journalists, he resigned from the Gallery, foreseeing the damage this would cause. In 1988 he moved with his wife Jenny to Ocean Shores.
Canberra’s loss was our gain, and The Echo soon began publishing Mungo’s witty and humane views on politics in a weekly column that continued with unabated clarity for over 30 years. It was a tremendous boost for the young newspaper to have such a nationally respected contributor, and we were grateful for Mungo’s willingness to help and advise.
The provision of over three years’ worth of post-mortem crosswords was his final thoughtful contribution to The Echo. For more on Mungo’s relationship with this paper, see www.echo.net.au/2020/12/vale-mungo-maccallum.
Mungo’s final crossword is on page 22.
♦ Next week we will introduce The Echo’s new weekly crossword compiler.
I really miss Mungo’s vast insights into the history and realities of politics both at home and internationally. He generally aimed at a nuanced and informed analysis rather than pushing a constant agenda.