Ximenes Competition No. 241 Ximenes Slip | ◀ 239 | 243 ▶ | Other competitions
| No. | Date | Clue word | Clue type | Clues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241 | Jul 1953 | MANDOLINE | normal | 25 |
| Award | Clue writer | Clue | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | G. H. Willett | It rouses a song and dance, this race swindle with a telephone-cable | man do line; Bath racecourse swindle of 16 July 1953 involved cutting of cable |
| Second | E. J. Collman | Being a bustle pad, it is round at the back, fitted with strings | man do line2 (= stuff, pad) |
| Third | E. R. Prentice | My back may be arched, but I’m responsive when held by the neck and stroked | cryptic def. |
| HC | E. S. Ainley | Not the woman to play the chit in Balalaika—not quite! Too stringy and round-backed! | man, do (= act), line (= short letter, chit); B., play and film |
| HC | J. A. Blair | It takes some pluck for a chap to sabotage the telephone wire! | man do line; Bath racecourse swindle of 16 July 1953 involved cutting of cable |
| HC | W. C. Cartner | Miller’s cross, and in good form—usually plays well when strung-up | and in moline; ref. Keith Miller, Aussie all-rounder, test series 1953 |
| HC | G. N. Coulter | What’s 51 into 1001? You’ll find it close to a score! | LI in M and one; musical score |
| HC | Mrs N. Dean | Dancer, with hair flowing about him, fretted in lover’s lap | Dolin in mane: fret2; ref. Anton Dolin, ballet dancer |
| HC | Cdr H. H. L. Dickson | Pluckable? Yes, a fellow to swindle to the limit | man do line; pluck = swindle |
| HC | T. Dwyer | It requires dexterity in manipulating wires for a man to work a swindle on the telephone | man do line; Bath racecourse swindle of 16 July 1953 involved cutting of cable |
| HC | J. A. Flood | Damn, blast, the Circle Line! This is not right for the Angel | anag. of damn + O + line |
| HC | S. Goldie | Ravel—il m’a donné quelque chose à jouer! | anag. & lit.; ravel = disentangle |
| HC | R. W. Hawes | Though round-backed and stringy, I may be picked for a few rounds—with the gloves off! | cryptic def.; rounds = songs; boxing |
| HC | P. Holtby | There goes a member of the race meeting swindle with telephone instrument, backing round behind the wires! | man do line; Bath racecourse swindle of 16 July 1953 involved cutting of cable |
| HC | L. W. Jenkinson | A new head for the P. & O. Line—it’s worked by pulling strings on the bridge! | M for P in P and O Line |
| HC | J. Hardie Keir | Round-backed, long-necked, and with “strings to pull”—just the bloke to dodge the army | man do line |
| HC | W. M. Martin | By pulling strings one becomes noted, and is even invested with an Iron Cross! | and in moline |
| HC | T. W. Melluish | For wielders of the quill one’s lot in life goes on being the same | man + do. (ditto) + line (= lot in life, rare) |
| HC | D. P. M. Michael | Destroying an old mine requires plenty of pluck | anag. |
| HC | T. E. Sanders | It takes a lot of pluck to manage the latter part of a Commando course | (Com)mando line |
| HC | Mrs E. M. Simmonds | It was perhaps to me that the gallant Chevalier sang “Madelon” in variety | anag.; ref. Maurice C. and song “La Madelon De La Victoire” |
| HC | F. B. Stubbs | Harry Lime—and no zither? But it’s round at the back! | anag.; harry = harass; ref. film ‘The Third Man’, theme played on zither |
| HC | A. Thomas | Though plucky, model in an awkward pose can express strain | anag., 2 defs. |
| HC | M. Winterbottom | “Third Man” may give you a hint but not the right instrument | cryptic def.; man is one third of mandoline; ref. film theme played on zither |
| HC | M. Woolf | Forever being picked at, I have the hump and fret | cryptic def.; fret2 |
Runners-Up in competition 241: