AZED CROSSWORD 174

EPEOLATRY

1.  M. Woolf: With parole yet to be arranged, could this mean serving whole sentences? (anag.; serve = worship).

2.  J. M. Brown: It’s practised weekly by us – people powerless, perhaps, before Azed’s capital test (anag. less P + A + try).

3.  T. Anderson: It naturally develops early with poet (anag. & lit.).

VHC

C. Allen Baker: What is indeed manifest in English mystical poetry (la² in E + anag.).

G. Blunden: Profound admiration for a speech’s contents made Peel a Tory (anag.; ref. Robert P.).

Mrs M. J. Cansfield: Breaking parole, yet honouring words (anag.).

P. Drummond: Your real poet can make it without our idolising his material (anag. less our).

J. A. Fincken: Parole has yet to be arranged: words must be honoured for this (anag.).

J. Fryde: What a poet early on displays (anag. & lit.; on = tipsy).

Dr G. B. Greer: Drunken people render, round a bar piano, words of worship? Quite the reverse (a in anag. less p + try; i.e. worship of words).

D. V. Harry: Non-standard bitter’s to be knocked back in record attempt – it avoids slurring of words (aloe (rev.) in EP try; slur = disparage).

R. H. F. Isham: The end of mass leaves a proselyte confused, but adoring the language (anag. less s).

W. Jackson: Prelate’s flirtation with the limits of orthodoxy could be a form of heresy (anag. incl. o, y).

Mrs N. Jarman: What Bunthorne inspired in arty people, unhinged and lacking poise (anag. less p; ref. ‘Patience’).

N. Kemmer: A reply to English getting mutilated? (anag. incl. E, & lit.).

P. W. W. Leach: Involving endless prayer to the terms of literature (anag. less r incl. l, e, & lit.; terms = limits).

H. W. Massingham: What causes one to repel the end of lexicography? (anag. incl. a + y, & lit.).

L. May: Azed’s prime test, applied to people badly wanting first in placings (anag. less p + A + try, & lit.).

C. J. Morse: In which – to adapt early poet – ‘words’ are ‘truly hallowed’ (anag.; ref. Henry VIII ii, 3, 68).

F. R. Palmer: It’s an adjunct to the make-up of any real poet (i.e. anag. less an, & lit.; ’s = has; adjunct adj.).

R. F. Pardoe: My devotees could make initially unlettered people confused with an effort – so could I (anag. less p + a try).

W. K. M. Slimmings: Reverence not lost for words, when you cut short prelate’s broadcast (anag. incl. yo(u)).

Brig R. F. E. Stoney: Admiration of words to Player in form after Carnoustie’s tenth (e + anag.; ref. Gary P., golf course).

D. C. Williamson: Heresy against Newspeak, presumably, yet a prole freely expresses it (anag.; ref. ‘1984’).

HC

R. H. Adey, F. D. H. Atkinson, E. W. Ball, Brig R. V. M. Benn, Mrs F. Blanchard, E. J. Burge, R. S. Caffyn, Mrs M. B. Carter, P. A. Cash, E. A. Clarke, G. H. Clarke, D. L. Collins, Mrs M. P. Craine, R. Dean, A. L. Dennis, J. H. Dingwall, J. Dromey, J. Eggeling, F. D. Gardiner, J. Gill, S. Goldie, D. Hawson, Mrs E. J. Holmes, R. Hooper, E. M. Hornby, Miss E. H. C. Jenkins, G. Johnstone, A. H. Jones, J. R. Kirby, Capt G. Langham, A. Lawrie, J. H. C. Leach, A. D. Legge, J. P. Lester, Mrs S. M. Macpherson, M. Mallett, D. F. Manley, T. A. Martin, Dr B. N. McQuade, D. P. M. Michael, J. L. Moss, D. S. Nagle, F. E. Newlove, R. J. Palmer, S. L. Paton, G. S. Prentice, C. C. D. Shute, G. Snowden-Davies, T. A. J. Spencer, F. B. Stubbs, Mrs M. P. Webber, S. Wozowczyk.
 

Comments
About 370 entries, almost no mistakes. As I ought perhaps to have foreseen there was a large predominance of anagrams including poets or poetry, making the task of selection extraordinarily difficult. It would be wildly unrealistic of me to expect unanimous acceptance of my choice, but it was based on close study of points of detail, perhaps more than ever before.
 
Two apologies, the first for the clue omitted from puzzle no. 171 (my fault), the second for the VHC list omitted from the prizewinners for this puzzle (the Observer’s fault). As a matter of interest, the clue to PLICAE (the only possible solution) was to have been ‘Softly circuitous ileac folds’.
 
In response to many kind inquiries about my health I’m now fully fit and enjoying the tennis season unimpaired. The crossword book has gone to press and is scheduled for publication in October. More details in due course.
 
Enough for now. I must apply myself to the Christmas competition. It is necessary for me to work several months in advance, but it does mean that topicality calls for a marked degree of prophetic power!