| Clues in archive | First Prizes | Other Prizes | VHCs | HCs | Hons points | First mention | Latest mention | Career span |
Also listed as | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs N. Fisher | 70 | 5 | 10 | 55 | 122 | 85 | Feb 1948 | Jan 1971 | 22y 11m | Mrs Fisher |
| Clue word | Award | Clue | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ximenes competitions | ||||
| 1970-1971 | ||||
| 1145 | GENIPAP | VHC | Return a tree in the space provided | pine (rev.) in gap, & lit. |
| 1969-1970 | ||||
| 1091 | WENCESLAS | Third | Looked around—absorbed the raw scene—then left to supply all needs | anag. + l, all in saw (rev.), & lit.; raw = out of condition |
| 1066 | RAVE / PAIR (DLM) | Third | Saying “Give over, amie. I’m on the wagon, so we abstain and, pure, may reap riches” | rave2; pair of abstentions |
| 1968-1969 | ||||
| 1054 | PINACOTHECA | VHC | I’d spell out each caption excitedly, in the old Picture House | anag. |
| 1967-1968 | ||||
| 971 | MAGOTPIE / ANECDOTE (Right and Left) | VHC | The old chatterbox is mum, baffled over the prize story, disguised by a neat code | ma got pie; anag. |
| 1966-1967 | ||||
| 954 | CERATE (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Being mad on beef, must be a fa/n! Try to market going through | |
| 1964-1965 | ||||
| 839 | GINGER (Printer’s Devilry) | Third | Dramatically sob, Ag/nes! ’T’was Prism’s early lapse | ref. The Importance of Being Earnest; Miss P. left Jack (Ernest) in a handbag at Victoria Station |
| 834 | CARRIED | VHC | Commuters are, with luck, informed about arrival shortly | ar. in cried |
| 1963-1964 | ||||
| 800 | Charlemagne, Emperor of the West (Anagram) | VHC | Great hero, whom feal men respect | |
| 780 | NOBLEST (and Eximenamination) | VHC | Although extremely High, it now makes Dissenter happy | no blest; High Church |
| 1962-1963 | ||||
| 734 | NASALITY | VHC | It distinguishes North America’s speech (& lit included) | lit. in NA say & lit.; American accent |
| 725 | SILENUS | Third | Yes, the bare, French, curvaceous type will draw an old satyr | si le nu (all Fr.) + S; type=letter |
| 721 | KERB-MERCHANT | VHC | What makes me rank Brecht high? He deals with the man in the street | anag.; ref. Bertolt B.; high = drunk |
| 1961-1962 | ||||
| 694 | OSIRIS (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | A victim once of er/k (his d—— arts!), no more I fly | |
| 673 | ERISTICAL | VHC | Controversial rattle, to cause a stir in “Alice” | anag. in anag.; ref. Tweedledum; rattle = disconcert |
| 656 | FIDDLESTICKS | VHC | The bows and scrapes executed by parasites | fiddles ticks |
| 1958-1959 | ||||
| 490 | CLEAR def. WEIGH (Wrong Number) | VHC | Innocent Child’s Head Severed By Father Whose Balance Was Disturbed | balance; c + Lear |
| 1957-1958 | ||||
| 486 | BARACAN | VHC | Producing such strong stuff is useless with a censor about! | raca in ban |
| 482 | LEASING-MAKER | VHC | He’d lie and mask anger to conceal his design | anag. & lit.; he’d = he had |
| 464 | STRAWED | First | With Dawn’s complexion aid, beauty culture’s up to you—spread over once | dew art’s (all rev.) |
| 451 | MEGAPODE | Third | I lay down under being labelled a backward boy in form | page2 (rev.) in mode |
| 447 | TOUSLE | VHC | To act as tumblers do in engaging locks? | double mng.; engage (arch.) = entangle; tumbler = part of lock mechanism |
| 1956-1957 | ||||
| 415 | When the snow lay round about (Anagram) | First | “What laud you?” “The new-born Son” | |
| 390 | HESITATE (Printer’s Devilry) | Second | After a rival body? La! unc/le, visors need adjustment | ITA, broadcasting authority |
| 1955-1956 | ||||
| 369 | BERET | VHC | An education authority has several times upheld protection for the Head against rough elements | BE + ter (rev.); Board of Education |
| 364 | HELLEBORE | VHC | The end of December leads to an exclamation about its beauty recurring always | (Decemb)er + belle in oh (all rev.), & lit. |
| 351 | LUSTRE | VHC | A five year term or longer for the depraved’s sound | ‘luster’ |
| 343 | EPIGONI | VHC | Sons of the heroic age, now without metal, one concludes | pig (iron) in eon + I, & lit. |
| 338 | SHE-ASS | First | Surely Mrs. Bennet’s an example of this brazenness needed for man-catching | he in sass; ref. ‘Pride & Prejudice’ |
| 1954 (2) | ||||
| 304 | ORLEANS | Third | The globe Stevenson travelled around to produce material | O + ean in R.L.S; travel = send on a journey; ref. Robert Louis S. as travel writer |
| 291 | APAGOGE | First | An oblique check for the afternoon, with the latest thing in buttons | a + go in page2; go (n.) = fashion |
| 1954 (1) | ||||
| 283 | SOBER | VHC | Let this dry spell greet the Queen | sob ER; greet2 = lament |
| 279 | CRYPTOGRAM | VHC | There’s a clamour for a post mortem about some peculiar words arising in this puzzle | cry + argot (rev.) in pm |
| 271 | TRIPLET | VHC | The voyage to make an ancient stop “one of three” | trip let2; ref. The Ancient Mariner, who stopped one of three wedding guests |
| 263 | We think so then and we thought so still! (Anagram) | VHC | Who taught Nile host tenses? L. doth wink! | |
| 261 | DECANTER | Third | To fill the pen up you have to tilt the bottle | cant2 in reed (rev.); reed = pen |
| 1953 (2) | ||||
| 251 | UNMETHODICAL | VHC | Do lunch with me at one. We’ll make it quite informal | anag. incl. I; one = I |
| 245 | GLAMOUR / SOPRANO (Right and Left) | VHC | It’s Bing’s finale with his partner, as the pair put over a number, that makes this part of the musical | g + Lamour; so pr. a no.; ref. B. Crosby, Dorothy L., co-stars in ‘Road’ films |
| 1953 (1) | ||||
| 227 | CATEGORIES | VHC | Reduced cost, I agree, should bring in orders | anag. |
| 215 | BUCKFASTLEIGH | VHC | There’s a place of retreat for a game beast swiftly chased by a well-known Hunt | buck1 fast1 Leigh & lit.; B. Abbey; Leigh Hunt, Eng. writer and critic, b. 1784; Dartmoor Hunt |
| 1952 (2) | ||||
| 206 | PIEPOWDER | VHC | A course on make-up is advisable, in place of crude trials | pie1 powder |
| 203 | WEATHERS | VHC | Displays hardiness about the raw S.E. winds | the in anag. |
| 200 | ACCOUNT | VHC | Here’s a tale, chaps! Nothing in it, but gossip’s going around | cc (chaps. = chapters) + 0 in aunt |
| 194 | KNOWLEDGE BOX | VHC | It’s a case for Intelligence, so keep it under your hat | i.e. knowledge box1 |
| 1952 (1) | ||||
| 192 | WATSON | VHC | A change from Town’s a Doctor’s prescription. Would he approve of Hastings? | anag.; ref. Poirot’s friend in A. Christie stories |
| 185 | STOUT | VHC | The porter’s a chap who is after tips | ’s tout1 |
| 181 | HANGABLE | Second | At the opening hour an actor’s likely to be strung up | h + an + (Clark) Gable |
| 1951 (2) | ||||
| 180 | HESPER (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | “She’s not really fair!” S/o, X, I decried a spiteful fellow-woman | peroxide |
| 171 | SERINGAS | VHC | See an ass reign in our stead! We have the juice to obliterate such errors | anag. of ass, reign; ref. MND: Oberon, Bottom, love-in-idleness potion; erasers |
| 169 | HOUSE | VHC | A call to stand treat in the inn | ho1 + use |
| 1951 (1) | ||||
| 161 | TILLER | VHC | He cultivates the girls with a handle to their name | 2 mngs.; ref. Tiller Girls dance troupe |
| 157 | ORANGE | VHC | Has a tangy centre and its skin may be gold | (t)ang(y) in ore, & lit. |
| 156 | LAVEROCK | VHC | A flyer, one hears, may account for a pound hailstone | L, ave, rock |
| 1950 (2) | ||||
| 154 | RABBIT | VHC | Bunting’s out for me and the band’s turned up. The boring part comes after | bar (rev.) + bit; ref. rhyme ‘Baby Bunting’, “gone to fetch a r. skin” |
| 153 | SAMISENS | VHC | The “It” girl held most of the men, but Bow wouldn’t touch our chords! | SA + (m)en in miss; ref. Clara Bow, film star |
| 151 | OPEN-SESAME | First | To spread goes against the grain? Just have this, to go in and out at the right places! | open sesame; couture |
| 143 | LAMPREY | Third | I’m not the hag of my family, and my pearl becomes me | anag.; hagfish |
| 1950 (1) | ||||
| 121 | SNAPSHOT | VHC | View taken of a short engagement by the elderly! | snap + shot2 (= advanced in years) |
| 119 | UMBLE-PIE | VHC | I call this meagre bird an apology for a meal | (h)umble + pie3 [see comments] |
| 1949 (2) | ||||
| 113 | CRICKETER | VHC | Keep your wool on, Chancellor, when caught in a howler, there’s a sportsman | C ket in crier; ref. sterling crisis of Sep 1949 |
| 111 | PLEASANT | VHC | Gratifying result of appeals to the worker | pleas ant |
| 1949 (1) | ||||
| 101 | BARRACKS | VHC | Cheers ironically as the army digs, railing at fatigues | bar racks, 2 defs. |
| 98 | HUMERI | VHC | Resentment is rising under the imposition of arms | hum + ire (rev.); hum = imposition |
| 94 | SARDELLE | VHC | Fish and chips sell, dear | anag. |
| 92 | PARTRIDGE | VHC | A net return to the back line gives us game. Some volley, too! | trap (rev.) + ridge; ridge = the back (obs.) and line of rooftop |
| 1948 (2) | ||||
| 87 | SISKIN | VHC | If the bird shows itself on Sunday I must be in the hide | I S in skin; S.=Sunday |
| 86 | ODOMETER | VHC | Records the progress of the Home Secretary, injured in a motor crash | anag. of Ede motor; ref. James Chuter Ede, Home Secretary 1945–1951 |
| 84 | SHINGLE / THIRSTY (Right and Left) | VHC | Wanting a splash? Try this turning—here’s a signboard: “Short cut for the beach” | anag. of try this; shingle1 = signboard (US); haircut |
| 1948 (1) | ||||
| 77 | MAROON | VHC | clue missing | |
| 69 | MISANTHROPE | VHC | He dislikes the Two-legged Race, but gives all he’s got in a sprint home | anag. |
Ximenes competitions
1970-1971
1131 CAROUSER (Misprints)
1123 MAXIMIST
1115 FLESH-POTTERY
1110 IMPERSONATE
1969-1970
1106 LEXICOGRAPHY
1093 MARTINET
1076 NEFAST (Misprints)
1058 Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard, Parr (Anagram)
1968-1969
1041 TEA-LEAD
1032 TENONER (Printer’s Devilry)
1023 CONSOLE
1019 DISCORD (Misprints)
1967-1968
980 OMNIBUSES
1966-1967
949 BROWSING
916 DIAPASON
1965-1966
894 WITENAGEMOT
890 DEBENTURE
1964-1965
856 RODOMONTADE
851 Sire & Dam (Sire & Dam)
847 FRENETICAL
843 PRISTINE
832 PENNY-WISE (Misprints)
825 COACHES
821 SOMERSET
817 WYLIE-COATS
1963-1964
786 METAMERES (Printer’s Devilry)
773 FIT-OUT
760 METAMORPHOSE
750 SEVEN-FIFTY / CROSSWORDS (Right and Left)
1962-1963
746 INTERMIT (Printer’s Devilry)
730 ARCH-PIRATE
700 SOLOMON
1961-1962
682 PARAMOUR / CHIN (Right and Left)
678 TESSELLATED
1960-1961
638 BUREAUCRAT
634 BEDSTEAD
626 WOMAN-TIRED
624 PSYCHIATER (DLM)
604 APOSTROPHISE
1959-1960
590 STATANT (Printer’s Devilry)
573 SCAPEGALLOWS
571 PESTER
569 PROPOSAL
555 JURYWOMAN
551 PITCHER
547 STORMY
1958-1959
538 BANISHING
534 RAIL-SPLITTER
529 BUTTY-COLLIER
525 MORALE (Printer’s Devilry)
519 RIDICULE (DLM)
508 CUMBERGROUND
504 LEAD-LINE
1957-1958
473 LISSOME (Printer’s Devilry)
438 MACARONI
1956-1957
421 DOVETAIL
386 CLEITHRAL
1955-1956
382 ABSTAIN
377 MALISON
360 WRINKLE / EGG-BIRD (Right and Left)
356 METOPOSCOPY
347 TELEVISOR
334 CHEROOT
1954 (2)
325 MARRYING
306 CHICANE / RAMPART (Right and Left)
285 PARALYSES
1954 (1)
281 SCRAPS def. LOCALS (Wrong Number)
277 PRODIGALLY
275 ESTOVER (Printer’s Devilry)
273 COUSIN
269 ASCENT
267 TRADE
259 AGANIPPE
1953 (2)
255 SCUTTLE
249 BALM
241 MANDOLINE
239 GENISTA (Printer’s Devilry)
237 BASTINADE
1953 (1)
231 PREAMBLE
223 MELODRAME
221 BUNTHORNE
213 LEMONADE
1952 (2)
205 CANTANKEROUS
202 SPALPEEN
199 HONESTY
197 SCALES
195 WALLABAS
1952 (1)
189 SALTIRE
1951 (2)
179 CADRE
178 HIDEOUS
177 DESOLATE
176 SPIGOT
174 ANACREONTICS
173 HATCHING
172 GARNISHER
170 GUINEA
168 PIPS (Misprints)
1951 (1)
166 RACHIDES
165 CABBAGE
163 LORICATE
162 TITANESS
158 RATING
1950 (2)
149 DOMESTIC
148 FILIBUSTER
146 BELDAME
1950 (1)
130 MODERN
124 BARHAM or BRAMAH
118 MARAVEDI
1949 (2)
116 WATERLOO
115 MISNOMER
114 TAPPIT-HEN
109 PERI
1949 (1)
100 Word containing ADDING
99 SCARABEE
97 NESTOR
96 INTERLOCK
95 SPOONER
93 BUMBLE-PUPPY
1948 (2)
89 SEASON
88 BRISTOL
82 CURARE
81 CHARADE
| Year | Prizes (1, 2, 3) | VHCs | HCs | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ximenes competitions | ||||
| 1970-1971 | 0 | 1 | 4 | – |
| 1969-1970 | 2 (0, 0, 2) | 0 | 4 | 13 |
| 1968-1969 | 0 | 1 | 4 | – |
| 1967-1968 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 1966-1967 | 0 | 1 | 2 | – |
| 1965-1966 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1964-1965 | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 1 | 8 | – |
| 1963-1964 | 0 | 2 | 4 | – |
| 1962-1963 | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 2 | 3 | 19 |
| 1961-1962 | 0 | 3 | 2 | – |
| 1960-1961 | 0 | 0 | 5 | – |
| 1959-1960 | 0 | 0 | 7 | – |
| 1958-1959 | 0 | 1 | 7 | – |
| 1957-1958 | 2 (1, 0, 1) | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 1956-1957 | 2 (1, 1, 0) | 0 | 2 | 17 |
| 1955-1956 | 1 (1, 0, 0) | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 1954 (2) | 2 (1, 0, 1) | 0 | 3 | 14 |
| 1954 (1) | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| 1953 (2) | 0 | 2 | 5 | – |
| 1953 (1) | 0 | 2 | 4 | – |
| 1952 (2) | 0 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
| 1952 (1) | 1 (0, 1, 0) | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| 1951 (2) | 0 | 3 | 9 | – |
| 1951 (1) | 0 | 3 | 5 | – |
| 1950 (2) | 2 (1, 0, 1) | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 1950 (1) | 0 | 2 | 3 | – |
| 1949 (2) | 0 | 2 | 4 | – |
| 1949 (1) | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 1948 (2) | 0 | 3 | 4 | – |
| 1948 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | – |