Ximenes Competition No. 656 Ximenes Slip | ◀ 651 | 660 ▶ | Other competitions
| No. | Date | Clue word | Clue type | Clues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 656 | Aug 1961 | FIDDLESTICKS | normal | 21 |
| Award | Clue writer | Clue | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | J. Fryde | Plays about with internal control-rod? It’s all malarkey to the Yanks | stick in fiddles [see comments] |
| Second | P. W. W. Leach | Observer’s instrument in fantastic space flight becomes jammed in moonshine! | fiddle sticks; ref; “The cat & the fiddle…” |
| Third | C. E. Gates | Caustic comment evoked by traffic jams! | fiddle sticks; traffic = trade disgracefully |
| HC | C. Allen Baker | Bows and scrapes and old-fashioned bobs may merely make one twist stays! | fiddles ticks, fiddle-sticks; bob, tap = tick (obs.), twist = fiddle |
| HC | D. B. J. Ambler | Financial wangles? With credit squeeze only just started, that’s absurd! | fiddles + tick4 + s |
| HC | J. W. Bates | A device for preventing things from slipping is attached—they wear a G-string! | fiddle sticks |
| HC | J. M. Bennett | Junk, as used in scouting, is kit and furniture | fiddle sticks; scout = mock, kit = violin |
| HC | F. E. Dixon | Regenerate sick flies with D.D.T.! Nonsense! | anag. |
| HC | Dr W. M. Easther | Pooh Bah bows but hesitates to indulge in trivialities at first | fiddle + sticks, 2 defs.; interjections; ref. Mikado, Act 1 |
| HC | Mrs N. Fisher | The bows and scrapes executed by parasites | fiddles ticks |
| HC | S. Goldie | Moonshine! Art trifling with ’empen ’omespuns? | fiddlest ’icks; ref. MND |
| HC | J. H. Grummitt | Bow Group monkeys with credits | fiddles sticks; ref. Conservative think tank |
| HC | F. G. Illingworth | Davidson’s beginning to split the ragged field, and stays the rot! | D in anag. + sticks ref. Alan D., Aus. cricketer |
| HC | Mrs E. McFee | What makes flies sick mixed with D.D.T.? Fudge! | anag. |
| HC | T. W. Melluish | Musical staves demanding clefs. Kits did also | anag. & lit. |
| HC | D. P. M. Michael | See these! Gus must be about to have a stab | stick in fiddles, & lit.; plural of gu |
| HC | C. J. Morse | Toy spears and bows,—pooh! You play with them when you’re in leading strings! | fiddle sticks; toy, spear, vbs. |
| HC | J. W. Parr | If D deck’s listing, toss off the last gin cocktail and scramble for the bows | anag. less anag. |
| HC | H. Rainger | Mess about with stays—things to draw over tight-stretched guts | fiddle sticks |
| HC | R. E. Scraton | Adverse comment from stalls after play? | fiddle sticks, & lit. |
| HC | F. T. Walton | Doodlebugs round the sun? You must be Gaga! | s in fiddle ticks; doodle, vb. |
Runners-Up in competition 656: