AZED CROSSWORD 1728

EIDOLA def. NULLAH

1.  T. Anderson: Mining a lode one might unearth such paragons (lode; anag. incl. l).

2.  M. J. Barker: Bride’s eager assertion given in style, having to ditch last name – such appearances may be deceptive (ditch; ‘I do’ in ela(n)).

3.  J. R. Beresford: Reversing estate, I end in ravine – ‘confusing reflections’ (ravine; alod I e (rev.)).

VHC

Dr J. Burscough: Phantom crew ordered to ditch but bailed out? (ditch; anag. less but).

B. Burton: What you see looking at fish on line in stream (stream; id o’ l in ea).

N. C. Dexter: Ecstasy! Leaders of IOC ditch other lands’ athletics dreams (ditch; first letters).

V. Dixon: Fenland drain harbouring olid fluid produces will-o’-the-wisps, perhaps (drain; anag. in ea).

W. Drever: Ditch old ideal for new ones (ditch; anag. incl. o).

J. P. Guiver: One lying in a ditch knocked back spirits (ditch; I in a lode (rev.)).

R. Hesketh: Remake of an oldie having to ditch new images, after reflection (ditch; anag. less n).

J. C. Leyland: Images stream from surreal Dali erotica (odd ones) (stream; anag. of alternate letters).

W. F. Main: Confusing images result when you defile what’s at core of holy idea (defile; anag. incl. (h)ol(y)).

D. F. Manley: Images showing egg in Delia’s fantastic course (course; 0 in anag.; ref. D. Smith).

P. W. Marlow: Terribly idle oaf having to ditch fine ideals (ditch; anag. less f).

T. J. Moorey: Australian lead in Lord’s one-day international reversed by English heroes (lead; E + A L ODI (rev.)).

R. Murdoch: Highly regarded people love promiscuous ladies around? Society’s down the drain (drain; anag. incl. 0 less S).

D. R. Robinson: Stream of delusions can create these apparitions and sunset forms (stream; comp. anag.).

D. P. Shenkin: Current in a ditch reflected confusing reflections (ditch; I in a lode (rev.)).

D. H. Tompsett: Abstract pictures kill oiled Academician (kill²; anag. + A).

J. R. Tozer: An oldie may ditch new, reforming ideals (ditch; anag. less n).

A. J. Wardrop: What’s one to clean with a bit of Lux in running water? Pearls (water; I do L in ea).

HC

D. Appleton, W. G. Arnott, D. Arthur, D. & N. Aspland, M. Barley, M. Bath, C. Boyd, C. J. Brougham, P. Cargill, D. Carter, C. A. Clarke, C. Daffern, R. Dean, W. Duffin, L. K. Edkins, A. G. Fleming, R. Haddock, A. & B. Harris, M. Hodgkin, A. Hodgson, L. M. Inman, S. D. James, J. P. Lester, N. MacSweeney, P. McKenna, C. G. Millin, R. J. Palmer, A. Plumb, J. T. Price, M. Sanderson, P. L. Stone, R. J. Whale, D. C. Williamson, Dr E. Young.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST (13 COMPETITIONS)
1 (equal). N. C. Dexter (3 prizes, 5 VHCs), D. F. Manley (2,7), T. J. Moorey (3,5); 4. R. J. Palmer (2,6); 5. J. R. Beresford (1,7); 6 (equal). C. J. Brougham (1,6), Dr J. Burscough (2,4), R. J. Hooper (1,6), C. J. Morse (1,6); 10 (equal). V. Dixon (0,7), R. J. Heald (1,5); 12 (equal). J. C. Leyland (0,6), C. G. Millin (1,4), J. R. Tozer (2,2), A. J. Wardrop (1,4), R. J. Whale (1,4); 17 (equal). N. Connaughton (0,5), R. R. Greenfield (1,3), J. P. Guiver (0,5), D. H. Tompsett (0,5), G. H. Willett (1,3); 22 (equal). M. Barley (0,4), B. Burton (0,4), C. A. Clarke (1,2), E. Cross (0,4), C. M. Edmunds (1,2), J. R. H. Jones (2,0), P. McKenna (1,2), R. Murdoch (0,4), F. R. Palmer (1,2)
 
CONSOLATION PRIZES
 
V. Dixon, J. C. Leyland, N. Connaughton, J. P. Guiver, D. H. Tompsett, M. Barley, B. Burton, E. Cross, R. Murdoch.
 

 
Comments
 
159 entries, very few mistakes, mostly through picking the wrong word(s) to clue, as often happens with ‘Wrong Number’ puzzles. They do offer a tough challenge (for the setter as well as the solvers!) and this particular one seems to have been as tough as they come. Favourite clue was ‘Digger (English) in the same plot’ for MACHINATE (IDENTICAL), though I actually had slight misgivings about it myself. ‘China’ means the same thing as a ‘mate’, but can it strictly be said that it is the same? In the context of a WN puzzle, where the concealed definitions must consist of only one word each, such licence is probably permissible, as, I reckoned, was ‘hawk’ for STANIEL, which one keen birdwatcher objected to. Chambers mentions that in US English ‘hawk’ is applied to some falcons.
 
I must be brief about the puzzle this month as I have a number of other matters to mention. One thing that did strike me about the clues submitted was the unusually large number which included ‘of’ as a linking word between the definition and the cryptic part (e.g. ‘Images of …’). I can see the justification for this, exploiting the dictionary definitions ‘proceeding or derived from; made from’ etc, but I’ve always felt unhappy about it and I notice that careful clue-writers tend to avoid it. A topic for further debate, I guess.
 
Congratulations to all those who figure on the honours list above, especially the trio tied for first place. I can’t remember if this has happened before, but it shows how little there is to choose between the leading competitors, a good situation to be in. My thanks also to Martin Perkins for keeping the scores. It is comforting to have such a careful statistician in charge of this.
 
There has been a change of plan regarding the gathering to mark Azed No. 1,750. For various reasons it has been decided to have a lunch rather than a dinner, and this will now be in Balliol College, Oxford, not St Catherine’s. The date (17 December) has not changed. The likely price for the meal will be around £35 maximum, and rooms will be available in the college for those wanting to stay overnight. Tim Moorey will be sending out full details in August to all those who have sent saes. Thank you for your patience.
 
Very sadly I have to report the recent death of Tony (E. A.) Beaulah, a Ximenes and Azed solver of long standing, and a good friend. A schoolmaster to his fingertips, he was before his retirement head of classics, and for a time acting headmaster, at Felsted School. He loved sport, especially cricket and hockey, and helped to organize overseas hockey tours of teams drawn from several schools. More recently he kindly volunteered to coordinate the collections for Ron Dearden and Anthony Ellis. I shall greatly miss the careful but friendly comments he invariably appended to his monthly competition entries. There will be a memorial service for Tony in Felsted School chapel at 1130 on Saturday 8 October.