AZED CROSSWORD 2023

CHAMBRANLE

1.  Dr E. Young: An edging of mural breach, fancy (anag. incl. m, l, & lit.).

2.  T. J. Moorey: Casement’s embellishment a spymaster in Special Branch linked with case of eventual uprising (a M in anag. + e, l (rev.); ref. Roger C., James Bond stories).

3.  G. I. L. Grafton: Men befuddled with alcohol, ignoring loo outside bar, soaked ornamental border (anag. in anag. less loo; soak = pummel).

VHC

Dr J. Burscough: Possibly marble, an arch trimming a residence’s opening? (anag. less a r, & lit.).

C. A. Clarke: Name for a touch of rococo in elaborate marble arch (n for r in anag., & lit.).

E. Cross: Surround for fireplace? One with little latent heat within raised to ambient temperature (an L in chambré).

Dr I. S. Fletcher: See above either side of hearth one in marble sculptured? (c + h + an in anag., & lit.).

J. P. Guiver: Last of autumn leaves from an elm branch swirling around ornamental border (anag. less n).

R. J. Heald: Champion potter must sink first of reds before winning frame (r an. in Ch. amble; winning = attractive).

E. C. Lance: Court house has a new marble bust in decorative surround (CH + a + anag. incl. n).

M. A. Macdonald-Cooper: In church, a decoration executed on side of wall (ran l in Ch. a MBE, & lit.).

W. F. Main: Court house with sculptured marble, an embellishment around entrance (CH + anag.).

D. F. Manley: This stylish edging’s original? It could make hall’s chimneybreast exceptional (comp. anag. incl. e, & lit.).

C. G. Millin: Decoration round a doorway – church has one in baroque marble (Ch. + an in anag.).

R. A. Norton: Ornate marble chain I found excessive as decoration for fireplace (anag. less I).

D. J. R. Ogilvie (USA): Open our dictionary up to ‘B’, and learn about ‘border’ – as an ornamental trimming (Chamb(ers) + anag.).

I. Simpson: What can make a fireplace surround? Marble can, with a bit of hewing (anag. incl. h).

P. A. Stephenson: Elaborate arch with an emblem could give me this (comp. anag. & lit.).

K. Thomas: This portal’s head might display carved maple branch (anag. with p, & lit.).

Ms S. Wallace: Redesign marble arch replacing element of rococo with new decorative feature (anag. with n for r).

N. Warne: Marble Arch design, perhaps, is made up of ridges and this (comp. anag. & lit.).

Dr P. Whitehead: A decoration around the frame of a window, or this could be on Marble Arch (comp. anag.).

A. Whittaker: Ornamental window border seen in church, if old, in sculpted marble (Ch. + an in anag.).

A. J. Young: See hobble skirts put on in period window dressing (c + ran in hamble).

HC

T. Anderson, D. K. Arnott, D. & N. Aspland, M. Barker, R. E. Boot, J. G. Booth, T. C. Borland, C. J. Brougham, J. M. Brown, D. A. Campbell, Mrs M. J. Cansfield, D. Carter, Ms U. Carter, N. C. Dexter, V. Dixon (Ireland), T. J. Donnelly, P. Evans, R. Gilbert, Mrs E. Greenaway, J. Grimes, Dr C. P. Hales, G. Hearfield, R. Hesketh, M. Hodgkin, J. Hood, R. J. Hooper, Mrs P. E. Howe, J. James, J. C. Leyland, M. Lunan, K. Manley, P. W. Marlow, P. D. Martin, J. R. C. Michie, D. S. Miller, C. J. Morse, P. Muller, R. Murdoch, T. D. Nicholl, C. Ogilvie, R. J. Palmer, A. Plumb, Ms L. Quee, Mrs J. Scott, Dr S. J. Shaw, D. P. Shenkin, A. J. Shields, N. G. Shippobotham, P. L. Stone, D. H. Tompsett, J. R. Tozer, L. Ward (USA), A. J. Wardrop, R. J. Whale, Dr M. Whitehead, Ms B. Widger, G. H. Willett.
 

Comments
251 entries, no noticeable mistakes. A large number of clues (23) received one or more nominations as your favourite, the winner being ‘Grandpa’s pipe (not getting snuff out) alight as of old’ (AVALE), and those for MISTLETOE and UNUSUALLY in joint second place. ( I’d forgotten that MISTLETOE was a clue word some time ago, in competition puzzle No. 1,437 in December 1999, won by NCD with the lovely ‘Attachment to branches – uncommonly to ilex stem – yielding a kiss’.)
 
An odd word, CHAMBRANLE. After some research I discovered that its earlier French spelling was chamerande, derived from latish Latin camerare meaning ‘to vault or arch over’, whence the Latin word camera, which is also the origin of chambre, ‘a bedroom’. Many of you, understandably, used ‘chambre’ as part of your clue, but given its close cognateness with CHAMBRANLE I felt that this weakened such clues and marked them down accordingly. A bit harsh, you may think, but there were better ideas to explore, as the clues quoted above will testify.
 
It has been pointed out to me that the RULES & REQUESTS paragraph that accompanies competition puzzles nowhere explicitly says that a correctly completed grid is a prerequisite for entry into the competitions. It may be too obvious to need spelling out, but I should perhaps amend the wording lest I be challenged under the Trade Descriptions Act!
 
One piece of good news has come my way. New editions of The Chambers Dictionary and Chambers Crossword Dictionary are scheduled for publication later this year (July, I think). They are now published by Hodder Educational. I don’t yet know the extent of the revisions in either case, but it is encouraging that they have both survived the dissolution of Chambers Harrap.
 
And finally I can report that my wife and I attended, for the first time, an evening of fado songs (ref. Azed Competition No. 1,997 in September 2010) during a recent choral trip to Lisbon. Though deeply infused with what the Portuguese call saudade (a sort of melancholy yearning), they were unexpectedly melodic and most enjoyable to listen to. I dare say those of you who have visited Portugal will have had a similar experience.