Ximenes Competition No. 139 Ximenes Slip | ◀ 135 | 143 ▶ | Other competitions
| No. | Date | Clue word | Clue type | Clues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 139 | Jun 1950 | HECATOMB | normal | 28 |
| Award | Clue writer | Clue | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | E. J. Rackham | Performance of this appealed to the gods, but emptied the stalls | cryptic def.; ref. cattle stalls/theatre-goers; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer) |
| Second | L. E. Eyres | When a couple of toms come to grips, and biting begins, there’s bloodshed galore | he-cat/tom overlapping + b [see comments] |
| Third | T. Bilsborough | To me, Bach with variations is what the old cows died of! | anag.; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer) |
| Third | M. L. Booker | “Pale Hecate’s offering” maybe, but nothing for Macbeth to be upset about | O in anag.; ref Macbeth, II.1; H.’s “offerings”= ritual sacrifices (Brewer) |
| Third | J. Hardie Keir | The killing that got Macbeth in a fuss about nothing? | O in anag. |
| Third | A. F. Lerrigo | A really killing show, not much appreciated in the stalls perhaps, but it appealed to the gods | cryptic def.; ref. cattle stalls/theatre-goers; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer) |
| Third | T. W. Melluish | Macbeth nothing moved by numerous victims? | anag. incl. 0 |
| Third | Capt C. Tyers | The result, perhaps, of war or famine coming—or maybe both came | anag. |
| HC | E. S. Ainley | This is of cardinal importance, leading a hundred to a grave conclusion | HE C a tomb, & lit.; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer) |
| HC | M. Anderson | O Macbeth! Even you could not produce such a shambles—or could you? | anag.; shambles = a place of carnage |
| HC | D. Ashcroft | A century composed of skied cows—much appreciated, by Jove, but not placating the Spinners! | cryptic def.; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer); cow-shots (cricketing slang); the Spinners = the Fates |
| HC | E. C. Double | Male Siamese Cats born to provide a very great sacrifice | he-cat/tom overlapping + b.; cf. Siamese twins [see comments] |
| HC | S. Goldie | Clearly a bit of a she-cat and a bit of a tomboy; a deadly combination! | (s)he-ca(t) + tomb(oy) |
| HC | R. H. Hearn | O Macbeth! No wonder thou art deranged, with such a host of victims | anag. |
| HC | G. T. Herring | A great number of victims come to Bath for treatment | anag. of come Bath |
| HC | L. W. Jenkinson | Victims in two Classic races—both came unstuck | anag.; ref. Greek & Roman races |
| HC | D. Jones | Holy smoke! Lady with form in triplicate’s not finished and there’s a deuce of a mob behind her | Hecat(e) + anag. of mob; Hecate depicted in triple form (Brewer) |
| HC | C. Koop | That bumping off theory in practice, so altogether fatal to one’s beastly century! | cryptic def.; ref. cricket; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer) |
| HC | F. E. Newlove | Tom runs into the pit, out of the stalls and up to the gods! | he-cat, overlapping tomb; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer) |
| HC | R. O’Donoghue | A great many sufferers take a headache that’s splitting to the doctor | anag. of (head)ache + to MB |
| HC | R. Postill | The atom bomb cache contains enough for wholesale slaughter—and 100% reserve | i.e. half of anag. |
| HC | T. E. Sanders | This is the century a grave consequence would result from the victimisation of the lower class | cryptic def.; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer); lower = cow |
| HC | G. A. Shoobridge | Many victims: Tom goes down to ring doctor | he-cat O MB |
| HC | A. E. Smith | The large number of victims finished off by M & B gives a bad headache to the doctor! | anag. of (head)ache + to MB; i.e. ends with m and b; ref. beer brand |
| HC | L. D. Wakely | Temperature round about 100 goes to the head of disorderly crowd. Many victims | C in heat + anag. of mob |
| HC | J. F. N. Wedge | Many people who have already had it take to M & B after a troublesome ache | anag. of ache + to m, b; have had it = been killed; ref. beer brand |
| HC | M. Woolf | Hundred head of beef offered at great sacrifice. Could let you have them B.O.A.C. | anag.; sacrifice of 100 cattle (Brewer); ref. airline |
| HC | J. T. Young | Teach mob violence and you may have mass murder | anag. |
Runners-Up in competition 139: