RIP – Richard Pauptit – aka Dutch
We are sad to report that Richard (known to as all here as Dutch) died last Sunday, the 30th June, after a short stay in hospital. We were aware that he was unwell but the news came as quite a shock
Although Dutch’s profile on the Meet the Bloggers page is (like many others) more than a little out of date, it is well worth reading to see the background to both him and his crosswording Meet the Bloggers – Big Dave’s Crossword Blog (bigdave44.com)
He had produced 431 blog posts – mainly blogs of Elgar Toughies, which as I know only too well is a feat in itself. He also had fourteen crosswords published in the Independent.
I am sure you will join me in sending condolences to his family and friends
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The following message has been received from Dutch’s family with regard to the arrangements for his funeral:
Here are the details of the memorial service being held to celebrate the life of Richard Pauptit.
We understand that many of Richard’s family and friends live around the world, so for those who can’t attend in person, it will be held online as well. You will also have the option to watch this for 7 days after. If you would like the link to this, please give us your email (or another way to contact you) in this form:
https://forms.gle/aabZRNKR9A1qu7S69.We will all gather together on Tuesday the 30th of July at Macclesfield Crematorium and the service will start at 10:45am. There is no dress code, please wear whatever you feel comfortable in – like Richard would always do.
After the service we will go to the Broken Cross Club for a buffet from 11:45am, where you can share your fondest memories of Richard with family members and friends. If you would like to join us here, please use this form to help us with numbers:
https://forms.gle/aabZRNKR9A1qu7S69.From 2pm we have arranged for the celebration to be continued at the Pack Horse pub close by. Immediate family are going to be doing something separate at this time, but we wish for everyone who can attend to carry on sharing their love for Richard there.
We have decided to have family flowers only.
Kind regards, Sonia, Owen & Morgan
Oh my sincere condolences to all his family and friends, Dutch will be much missed. He was very good to me when I first “met” crossword people at The George or the Little Venice gatherings and a convivial drinking companion at several of the York get togethers
Such sad news. Dutch always had my upmost respect, shedding light when Elgar had defeated me. He will be sorely missed.
I’m very shocked at this news given that Richard blogged the Osmosis Toughie as recently as June 21.
On the occasions we met he was always friendly, complimentary and displayed his wry sense of humour. He produced very good puzzles indeed for the Independent.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
I’m very saddened to learn of Richard’s death. I’ve enjoyed many hours in his company in various pubs over the years and we spent a lot of time together when he came to Freiburg to help coach the next generation of pharma geniuses at the University here.
RIP old friend.
Rob/Hudson
I’m very sorry to hear this.
As Silvanus says, his puzzles in the Indy over the past few years were always excellent, as were his blogs here of course. He was a strong presence on Twitter too, and altogether a big part of the crossword community.
My condolences to all who were close to him.
Condolences to all who knew Dutch. He was an incredible solver/blogger, taking the hardest slot of the week. And lovely in person when I met him in York. RIP.
He was the person that welcomed me and drank beer with me at the first York do I went to. Grumpy bugger, but good company.
Condolences to his family and friends.
Peter (Skinny)
Such incredibly sad news. Massive respect for the man.
OMG such awfully sad news. Such a talent. Condolences to his family.
Desperately sad news. I admired him enormously for his consummate ability and blogging of the Friday Toughies, noting only a couple of days ago that we hadn’t seen Dutch for a couple of weeks. My sincere sympathies and condolences to his family and friends.
Sad news indeed. Condolences to Richard’s family and friends.
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Richard’s death. My condolences to his family and friends. His tenacity and bravery at blogging the Friday Toughie with fortnightly Elgar crosswords will be sorely missed. A lesser person would have quailed at the prospect. Rest In Peace Dutch.
This is terribly sad news. Richard was truly wonderful company at the S&Bs and his blogs — many of my own Friday puzzles — were constructive, erudite and witty; never once critical or judgemental. A lovely guy and a selfless major contributor to our band who’ll be sorely missed. My deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and friends. RIP Dutch. :(
Such sad news. What an awful shock. My condolences to his family and friends. RIP, Dutch.
So sorry to read the sad news about Dutch. Condolences to his family and friends. Hilary and Tony.
Terrible news, I’m shocked and upset. A genuinely nice guy with talent in abundance, he’ll be sorely missed here and in the wider crossword community. Sincere condolences to his friends and family.
What horrible news. It comes as more of a shock as I had no idea he was unwell. His skill at blogging the fortnightly Elgar, in particular, will be sorely missed. Best wishes and condolences to his family and friends. Thank you Dutch.
I didn’t know Dutch personally but have always enjoyed and admired his excellent contributions to BD’s blog. Thank you, Dutch, for helping me unravel some of the toughest crosswords! I send my condolences to Richard’s family and friends.
Omg! That has come as a huge shock, I wasn’t expecting to read that bit of sad news when I popped by here this morning. I too will miss his prowess in ‘de-coding’ Elgar’s crossword puzzles. My condolences also to all that knew and loved him.
Very sad news. Well remembered from Big Dave’s birthday bashes at Little Venice. I hope we raise a glass next January to those we have lost since the last Gathering.
Such sad news and a real shock. Dutch was one of the first people I met at The George in 2017 and I enjoyed sharing a beer with him and talking crosswords.
RIP
So many memories of Richard from across the years including his support and assistance in London as my mobility decreased. I knew that he had been unwell for quite some time but this news still came as a shock. My very sincere condolences to his close friends and family, particularly his daughter who was the apple of his eye.
Very sad to hear & condolences to his friends & family. I never met Richard but hugely admired his Friday Toughie blogs which I always read despite rarely attempting either Elgar or Osmosis puzzles.
RIP Dutch. I enjoyed meeting him at BB8(?) in 2017. Condolences to family and friends. Anyone who can solve and blog Elgar Friday back pagers gets my vote!
Very sincere condolences to all of Dutch’s family and many thanks for his invaluable assistance. He will be much missed in this blog. May he rest in peace.
Our sincere condolences to all Dutch’s family and friends. He will be truly missed by so many.
How sad.
My condolences to his family.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP Dutch
I pray to the Almighty for his soul to rest in eternal peace and my very sincere condolences to all his family and friends.
It was a privilege to meet Dutch at the York events and it is another sad loss to the Crossword community.
Shocked beyond words, my condolences to his family at such a great loss. You’ll be sadly missed Dutch, enjoy those celestial crosswords.
Welcome to the blog, Alan.
Thanks Gazza ☺
I too am shocked, and very sad to read this news. My heartfelt condolences to Dutch’s family and friends.
Very sad news indeed. Our condolences to Richard’s family and friends. pommers and pommette.
Well what a shock. We seem to be running out of good blokes fast.
Dutch was a great guy with whom I enjoyed many a pint at the various meets, obviously a fantastic blogger, and a really talented compiler to boot. RIP.
Just seen the terrible news. I feared something might be amiss from his recent absences from the Friday blog spot, how very, very sad. My condolences to his family and friends. He was a major crossword talent and able to make even Elgar’s clue constructions seem simple.
Still processing this. A massive shock and a massive loss to Richard’s friends and family, and to the crossword community.
The last time I saw Dutch was at a birthday party in March. I can’t believe that was the last time I will see him.
He was, then as always, great company and really interesting to talk to. I have particularly happy memories of the first Macclesfield S&B, which was so fun I didn’t want to leave. Thanks to Dutch’s generous offer of a sofa I didn’t have to.
Dutch was kind. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He loved his family to the utmost and tore himself apart to do the best he could by them.
He was very clever but also very modest. Not that he wasn’t outspoken enough about things he believed in – always great for a debate! One of the things I will remember, though, is how Dutch genuinely tried to understand points of view that he didn’t hold himself.
He was able to apologise and to forgive – and in a world where none of us are perfect those qualities are perhaps the most special of all.
I will always treasure the happy times. I will miss him. Rest in peace Dutch.
Thank you for writing that, Kitty — it’s a lovely tribute.
I met Dutch a couple of times at S&B events, knowing him as a setter rather then a blogger – and I found his puzzles somewhat challenging at times but never beyond me. He will be missed. There are, I think, six of his most recent puzzles in the Indy which will, one hopes, be reprinted in the i – something to look forward to and to bring back memories.
First met Richard in Derby at a S&B betters do, Waterfall??. He arrived on his motorbike and left his keys and wallet on the saddle, if that is the term. I kept watch. About 15 mins later he returned, said nothing.
I went to the bar soon after, tried to buy a drink, barman said ….don’t worry, a few have been paid for you from the motorbike guy.
We’ve met on many York events, In London at the George and BD events. Sad news indeed. Condolences to his nearest and dearest
My goodness I wasn’t expecting that. My sincere condolences to his friends and family.
Sad news
RIP Richard
What dreadul news.
I first met Richard at a Boatman masterclass and thereafter at a couple of the York S&Bs. I liked him a lot. As others have said, he was terrific company.
Since then our contact was through email only: Richard was my test solver for puzzles in The Times and the Financial Times. I often worried that I was asking too much of him but he said he enjoyed it. His comments on the puzzles were invaluable.
On one occasion I gave Richard first prize in the weekly clue writing competition at DIY COW:
https://www.ukpuzzle.com/phpBB3/index.php
For some reason I still remember the clue:
Pull on ends of cord to tighten (3)
It eventually made its way into one of his puzzles for the Independent. I wish we had had more of those.
Although we didn’t meet in recent years I thought of Richard as a friend. I will miss him greatly.
My heartfelt condolences to his family.
Welcome to the blog
So sorry. My condolences to family and friends.
I was astounded when Dutch responded to one of my comments on one of his blogs. I could hardly believe that he would take the time. Everything I’ve learnt about him since suggests this was typical of his generous spirit.
His was an awesome intellect.
We’re all apparently replaceable. I doubt that that is how his friends and family feel. And even having never met him, I shall miss him.
My condolences to all those fortunate enough to have known him.
This is very sad news. He gave me a lot of help when I was cutting my teeth on Anax’s DIYCOW site, and later on here in Rookie corner. I was lucky enough to meet him a couple of times at S&B events in Macc and London. A lovely guy, and such an accomplished setter and solver. Condolences to all his family and friends.
Sad, sad news. I spent many happy hours in the company of Dutch on our various ‘cruciverbalist conventions’ starting off with the Times Crossword championships at the George in 20?? He was always good fun to be with and genuinely interested in the views of the people he was with. My deepest condolences to his family and closest friends. RIP Dutch
Jim
Feel very sad about Dutch. It’s all so short… Condolences to family and friends.
I had the honour and the pleasure of knowing Richard personally right up until the end.
Richard’s passing is so saddening and will leave a huge space in many people’s hearts.
He was talented, intelligent, witty and most of all generous in every way.
Richard, you will be missed by so many.
Chris, Macclesfield.
Welcome to the blog
Sue the link to the form doesn’t work
I think the full stop needs to be removed or at least I made it work by C/P the link without the full stop
Richard was a very dear friend over the many years we have known him. He spent many an evening or Saturday afternoon solving the cross word with Neil. We supported our friend Ship throughout covid and other difficulties. Black Sambuca on a Sunday not reccomend but we did it and had a great time together. We can barely talk about his passing without breaking down. Love you Dutch 😍 xxx Neil a d Bev
Welcome to the blog
Can anyone put me in touch with “Elgar”?
I would really appreciate that.
Thanks.
Chris
I have forwarded your message to Elgar
I know that John “Elgar” Henderson is planning on attending (as am I)
Filling in the form is a bit tricky as there is an unwanted full stop in the link text
Profoundly shocked by these news
Shared some super moments with Dutch in London and York.
Shall miss him.
All my sympathy to all his friends and family.
JL