AZED CROSSWORD 212

SURCINGLES

1.  W. K. M. Slimmings: They may have Lester, slipping half off, cursing freely (anag. incl. Les(ter), & lit.; ref. L. Piggott, jockey).

2.  F. D. Gardiner: In securing saddle you need these dead tight (comp. anag. & lit.).

3.  M. J. Tyler: We have different uses – cling round middle of clerics or mares (r in anag., & lit.).

VHC

C. Allen Baker: They’re adjusted by users and cling tightly to the stomach (anag. in anag., & lit.).

T. Anderson: Tight clingers, us (anag. & lit.).

A. J. Bulman: Girdles can make clerics snug when front of cassock is loose (anag. less c).

M. Davenport: Slings cure torn ligaments (anag.).

P. Drummond: Add these for curing saddles going astray (comp. anag. & lit.).

D. A. Ginger: They should make seats secure, yet user clings precariously (anag.).

D. V. Harry: Cords curés sling round their waists, by tradition (anag.; cord vb., waist = girdle (obs.)).

G. Johnstone: Ones circling the middles of show-jumpers are cinches (u r c in singles, & lit.).

J. Langton: —— out the errant pupil, we hear, and —— him (i.e. ‘Sir singles…’, & lit.).

C. J. Lowe: Teacher takes aside by the ear – and straps! (‘Sir singles’).

L. K. Maltby: Girdles girls can use without a scramble (anag. less a).

L. May: Clue’s: ‘Rings screws?’ (anag. & lit.).

R. H. Maynard: The parts of curliness made to go about a gee (g in anag.).

W. L. Miron: Clue’s ‘Rings designed for comfort of racegoers’ (anag.).

C. J. Morse: Sounds as if schoolmaster is selecting straps (for thrashing) (‘Sir singles’).

F. E. Newlove: Whipped curs – that’s vicious youths after fathers’ belting (anag. + ingles; ingle²).

G. S. Prentice: Less curving, less volume involved with such round the middle (anag. less v).

Rear Adm W. T. C. Ridley: These, holding front of cassocks, make dishevelled clerics snug (anag. less c, & lit.).

Brig R. F. E. Stoney: If ours are loose, they’ll make us clingers on (anag. & lit.; on = drunk).

F. B. Stubbs: Girdles securing the middles of cassock and pillion, perhaps, when adjusted (s l in anag., & lit.).

D. H. Tompsett: Torturing ulcers and gins – essentials for those in the saddle (anag.).

J. F. N. Wedge: Clingers, us, in a roundabout way (anag. & lit.).

HC

R. L. Baker, M. J. Balfour, N. S. Barrett, Mrs P. A. Bax, Rev C. M. Broun, E. J. Burge, E. W. Burton, C. O. Butcher, Mrs M. B. Carter, E. Chalkley, M. Coates, Mrs M. P. Craine, A. E. Crow, J. H. Dingwall, J. R. Du Parcq, D. M. Duckworth, G. Farrington, N. C. Goddard, E. M. Hornby, A. Lawrie, M. D. Laws, A. D. Legge, D. J. Mackay, D. F. Manley, K. M. McDermid, C. G. Millin, J. D. Moore, R. A. Mostyn, R. J. Palmer, L. S. Pearce, C. P. Rea, H. R. Sanders, L. G. D. Sanders, T. E. Sanders, W. J. M. Scotland, N. G. Shippobotham, J. G. Stubbs, J. C. P. Taylor, G. A. Tomlinson, T. Wightman, C. E. Williams.
 

COMMENTS
About 320 entries and hardly a mistake to be seen. An astonishingly large number, however, submitted clues to SURCINGLE which seemed unnecessarily suicidal. I do give you plurals from time to time, for a change, but in any case the instructions are quite clear. (There are usually one or two unwary competitors – newcomers mostly – who likewise submit clues to my definition word, GIRTHS in this case.)
 
For the rest there was plenty of variety, with a preponderance of anagrams. Quite a number went for the Knights Bachelor idea (sir-single) but it’s been used so often before that I fear it has lost all originality. Even the best devices can be done to death, a point worth bearing in mind when submitting your monthly clues.
 
It’s high time I picked out a few more examples of unsound cluing, to help (I hope) the uninitiated and those who are regularly disappointed at their lack of success in gaining honourable mention. As usual this is only a random sample. (i) ‘On Sabbath, they sure cling round clergy.’ An attempt at an ‘& lit.’ clue, this fails because ‘they’, standing where it does, is superfluous, as is ‘clergy’, though it is required for the sense. (ii) ‘They’re found in bustling saddling enclosures (saddle on withers).’ A would-be composite anagram of the kind much in vogue at the moment (and none the worse for that). The ‘withers’ idea is rather nice, too, but I maintain that since the letters of ‘saddle on’ are jumbled in ‘saddling enclosures’ some indication of this must be given. I also think the definition of ‘surcingles’ is too vague. (iii) ‘Knighted we hear, unmarried we hear. Tighten them.’ Are ‘knighted’ and ‘sir’ synonymous? Hardly. And ‘single’ doesn’t sound the same as ‘singles’. Also the somewhat imperious tone in the definition is inapt. You can, after all, loosen the things if you so desire. As a whole, what’s more, the clue has little coherent sense. (iv) ‘What Knights-Bachelor are girded with?’ Apart from resorting to an old chestnut of an idea, there is no indication in this clue that a homophone pun is being used (except the ‘?’ which is inadequate for the purpose). (v) ‘Cruel signs developing – need for belts to be tightened.’ Almost O.K., with a nice allusion (misleading) to our economic crisis. But ‘need for’ is unnecessarily unhelpful to the solver when what is meant is ‘you need’ or ‘one needs’ or something of the kind, The author also labelled his clue ‘& lit.’, which it isn’t. (Not that I disqualify anyone for inaccurate explanatory notes!) (vi) ‘Wasted we hear, enclosed tight rings around clues.’ This makes no sense to me at all, I’m afraid. For a start there is no definition of the answer. For ‘wasted we hear’ we are to think of ‘waisted’, but that isn’t a definition, more a hint. There is an anagram of rings and clues involved also, but improperly indicated. Neither ‘enclosed’ nor ‘around’, which have similar connotations, are performing precise functions in the clue.
 
More next time. I hope my criticisms are, as they are intended to be, constructive. Latest news on The Azed Book of Crosswords: Pan Books are going to publish it in paperback later in the year. Details when I have them.