AZED CROSSWORD 1492

The year that Columbus discovered America (Anagram)

1.  Rev Canon C. M. Broun: My caravel touched Carib shores at due time.

2.  A. J. Dorn: Truly he came to cause havoc amid red tribes.

3.  E. J. Burge: Christmas over, I had ‘cure’ maybe – date to clue.

VHC (extra prizes)

M. Bath: Al accrued more votes yet a rich Bush made it.

J. G. Booth: Al: ‘A shame I’m outed but is every chad correct?’

C. J. Brougham: Braves cede much – a lot may rue historic date.

E. Cross: I sailed ‘over there’. A chart? You must be mad! – C.C.

G. Fleming: A very historic date came – made such trouble!

J. F. Grimshaw: Traveler came to Cuba: ‘Historic day’, he mused.

C. R. Gumbrell: A hero, very much admired, set sail to Cuba etc.

D. Harris: Master held curved course, came to Haiti bay.

R. J. Heald: I chartered boat – sailed very much – came to US.

J. S. Johnson: Much credit to Italy’s sea rover, he made Cuba.

G. Johnstone: A course aimed at very much led to the Caribs.

A. J. Knott: Clue: Rover aimed to reach Cathay, but missed!

D. W. Mackie: Miami vote outcry caused a blether re chads.

D. F. Manley: Church made Saviour’s day time to celebrate.

L. F. Marzillier: Came over by sail much to reduce Earth? It’s AD —.

B. G. Midgley: Have to decide a clue about merry Christmas.

C. G. Millin: Earth curves – today I must be acclaimed hero.

T. J. Moorey: Dreary outcome: ‘charismatic’ Bush elevated.

C. J. Morse: It led me to chart such a brave course, my idea.

R. J. Palmer: I steered caravel to Cuba, made much history.

C. Read: Time a scurvy hero beached to claim US trade.

N. G. Shippobotham: Late December day thou came, Christ saviour!

B. Solomons: US voted Bush! Charade, cry Miami electorate.

A. P. Vincent: Elated Bush home – a dramatic victory secure.

A. J. Wardrop: Date, circa MD, above Yule teaser – O, such mirth!

HC

W. Anderson, D. Ashcroft, M. Barley, Mrs K. Bissett, Mrs F. A. Blanchard, Dr J. Burscough, B. Burton, P. A. Cash, J. & B. Chennells, C. A. Clarke, M. J. Clarke, C. J. Clemett, N. Connaughton, G. Cuthbert, Ms N. Davis, R. V. Dearden, V. Dixon, J. Dromey, Mrs C. Firmin, Dr I. S. Fletcher, H. Freeman, R. P. Ginger, R. R. Greenfield, J. P. Guiver, R. S. Haddock, R. J. Hannam, G. Hobbs, T. Jacobs, Mrs S. D. Johnson, J. Knott, J. C. Leyland, H. M. Lloyd, C. Loving, R. K. Lumsdon, D. J. MacKay, W. F. Main, H. W. Massingham, J. McGhee, E. Metcalfe, M. Moran, G. M. Neighbour, S. J. O’Boyle, D. Reed, A. Roth, V. Seth, J. M. Sharman, N. & M. Sharp, Dr S. J. Shaw, D. J. Short, Ms M. Stokes, P. L. Stone, P. D. Stonier, J. B. Sweeting, K. Thomas, J. R. Tozer, P. Tozer, Mrs T. G. Treanor, A. R. Whelan, Dr M. C. Whelan, P. O. G. White, M. Whitmore, J. P. Wilkinson, G. H. Willett, D. C. Williamson, A. J. Young, Dr E. Young.
 

Comments
Exactly 300 entries, and no mistakes. A really terrific competition, which gave me great enjoyment and not a little difficulty in the judging. Congratulations all round for a wonderful set of anagrams. Who would have thought that those 36 letters would yield such diversity? I know long anagrams are unpopular with some, but if this is the sort of creativity they can produce I’ll continue to serve them up from time to time. There always seems to be a dearth of one or more useful letters (this time n and g were the most missed) but ingenuity will likewise always find a way round these problems.
 
I chose a non-Christmassy theme this year having failed to dream up anything original to mark the festive season and when I (rather late in the day) noticed the number of the puzzle. I had not intended the reference to CC’s three ships (Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina) lurking in the title to contain echoes of the Christmas carol – this could be seen as an inadvertent bonus. Judging, as I’ve said, was specially difficult, since the usual notions of soundness and unsoundness naturally did not apply. I tended to prefer anagrams which were either topical or relevant to the puzzle’s theme. That disposed of the wackier offerings but still left a lot to choose from and it became a matter more of fluency of wording than anything else. Christmas, the US election, and Columbus himself were understandably the most popular topics, in reverse order of popularity. I don’t think anyone achieved an anagram of fewer than five words (such as TJM’s above), but that in itself, while managing to retain some topical relevance, was very commendable.
 
No more for now. I have the January competition to tackle (completing my current judging marathon!) and then there’s No. 1,500 to think about. This milestone will mean deferring February’s competition to 18 February, with the announcement of the results appearing on the Sunday before the Azed dinner, at which I look forward to seeing many of you again.