AZED CROSSWORD 1087

OLD SOLDIER

1.  M. Coates: One may have held Martini (double mng.: Martini = drink and rifle).

2.  N. C. Dexter: What first shows in one? Dodging drill does (o + anag., & lit.).

3.  C. A. Clarke: Lord’s in disarray about one that’s played a lot and is popular ex-captain perhaps (oldie in anag.; ref. Gower affair).

VHC

D. Ashcroft: One of many Taverners might leave in Lord’s – oiled bats (anag.).

E. A. Beaulah: Veteran ex-Test star’s past it – that’s to say getting runs (Old’s old i.e. r; ref. Chris O.).

Mrs A. Boyes: Having initially obtained recognition of bravery in lines, something I’ll never do – run (o + DSO in ll + die r, & lit.).

E. J. Burge: Grant? Bank it for a useful return (2 mngs.; ref. Ulysses G., bottle bank).

B. Costin: Odd no Riesling left. Rum ’n’ gin’s gone too. Toper’s nightmare (anag. less anag.).

C. J. Feetenby: One’s sack is a thing of the past? (double mng.; sack^2,3).

P. F. Henderson: Lord’s ground will enthrall even members of side bowled out in inane fiasco (anag. of alternate letters in anag.; inane fiasco = empty bottle).

R. J. Hooper: Possible bank deposit in Lloyd’s – I’d öre, not yen, for exchange (anag. less Y; bottle bank).

C. W. Laxton: Major’s torn apart by false idols and empty projects (anag. in older; project vb; ref. John M.).

R. K. Lumsdon: I’m completely drunk and disordelol (disorderly) (anag.).

D. F. Manley: Rehoboam having nothing left? Conclusion of the Lord getting upset about false idols (anag. in anag. incl. e; ref. 1 Kings 14:22-23).

H. W. Massingham: Disintegrating oiler’d split on inside – everything’s poured out of it (sold in anag.).

C. G. Millin: Other ranks embracing wanton dolls do what I never do, it’s said (anag. + die, all in OR, & lit.).

R. F. Naish: So to Lord Ridley, high Tory no longer present, this bottle is drained (anag. less Tory; ref. Nicholas R., d. Mar 1993).

Dr T. G. Powell: It’s collected from door-sill with the dawn of each day (anag. incl. e, d, & lit.).

D. Price Jones: One of the party’s ‘dead men’ is a fogey in the reconstituted Lords (oldie in anag.).

D. R. Robinson: Solo fiddler is playing (not loud). It’s ‘Down among the dead men’ (anag. less f).

K. Thomas: Empty bank deposit – mismanaged oodles left one debtor (anag. incl. l, I, dr; bottle bank).

D. H. Tompsett: Veteran Rolls and De Dion almost fully restored (anag. less n).

Mrs M. P. Webber: Major perhaps when retired senior citizen sitting in reformed Lords (oldie in anag.; ref. John M.).

HC

M. Barley, J. R. Beresford, Mrs F. A. Blanchard, H. Bradbury, C. J. Brougham, Rev Canon C. M. Broun, B. Burton, P. Bush, C. J. & M. P. Butler, E. Chalkley, Ms S. C. Cockburn, D. B. Cross, E. Dawid, R. Dean, V. Dixon, C. M. Edmunds, R. A. England, C. E. Faulkner-King, H. Freeman, M. Freeman, P. D. Gaffey, D. Godden, S. Goldie, R. G. Gray, R. R. Greenfield, J. F. Grimshaw, C. R. Gumbrell, R. Harrison, W. Jackson, G. E. Johnston, G. Johnstone, M. Jones, R. E. Kimmons, M. Kissen, F. P. N. Lake, D. R. Laney, D. Lester, W. F. Main, L. K. Maltby, D. S. Miller, Dr E. J. Miller, G. J. Miller, T. J. Moorey, E. Morris, C. J. Morse, F. R. Palmer, R. J. Palmer, A. J. Redstone, W. J. M. Scotland, D. P. Shenkin, W. K. M. Slimmings, R. C. Teuton, Dr I. Torbe, I. J. Wilcock, J. P. A. Wildey, Sir David Willcocks, D. Williamson.
 

COMMENTS
407 entries, no mistakes that I spotted, in a puzzle variously described as ‘particularly difficult’, ‘easier than most’ and ‘about average’. Lots of good clues to choose from with (sadly, for them) rather too many going for variations on the ‘dead man’ theme (see DEAD-MEN in Chambers). Many less experienced competitors, when cluing the component elements of OLD SOLDIER, dealt with the first three letters by a more or less direct synonym of ‘old’. This is rather uninspired. I don’t advocate obscurity of wording for its own sake but I do look for a degree of crypticism in the cryptic part of any clue. The other very commonly used idea this month exploited the saying (from the words of a WWI song otherwise largely forgotten) that ‘old soldiers never die, they simply fade away’. Again, those who managed to refer to this obliquely scored better than those who favoured a more literal or verbatim approach. I had less difficulty than usual isolating the prize-winners this month (the first an absolute gem) but below them the choice was hard. Mr Lumsdon’s clue is a hit cheeky but registered high on the chortle scale and is perfectly sound. I like it.
 
I’m pressed for time this month so will say no more about the puzzle but end with a few general notes.
 
1. Slips. I’m sorry these have been a bit erratic recently. Janet Briggs, who does the keyboarding and mailing of these in addition to her manifold other duties at the Observer, has said she will try to ensure a more regular service in future. Please be patient.
 
2. Azed 1000 ties. I still have stocks of these, at £6.00 each, though there are very few blue ones left (the others being dark green or maroon). The recent announcement about them stipulated an s.a.e. of idiotic proportions – it should of course have been 15 x 6 (not 16) inches. Orders to me at Lower Radley, Oxon cheques payable to Jonathan Crowther.
 
3. Publications. Chambers are publishing Cryptic Crosswords and How to Solve Them by Michael Kindred and Derrick Knight, intended primarily for beginners but with some more challenging puzzles later in the book and plenty of advice on ‘cryptic’ tricks of the trade. Price £9.99. I’m also told that a new edition of Chambers English Dictionary is due in August.
 
4. Apology for two misprints in Mr D. F. Manley’s V.H.C. clue to KIRBEH (slip for No. 1,078). For ‘eaters’ read ‘enters’ and for ‘Fabean’ read ‘Sabean’. Sorry about that.