AZED CROSSWORD 2412

UBIQUARIAN

1.  T. Rudd: An antique pot I rub will yield this potent being ordered near and far (comp. anag.).

2.  R. J. Whale: A —— dress? Shapeless burqa Saudis are in, perhaps (comp. anag. & lit.).

3.  M. Lloyd-Jones: Frizzy auburn hair with sides cut, the same as cuts seen everywhere (iq in anag. less h, r).

VHC

M. Barley: Regulars to Cumbria hunker down inside, upon swirling rain appearing everywhere (alternate letters + (s)qua(t) + anag.).

T. C. Borland: Dress in terminals of Abu Dhabi, a burqa covering all parts? (anag. incl. u, i).

Mrs S. Brown: Almost quit uni – a brain addled – seen to be all over the place (anag. less t, incl. U).

P. Crossley: Valentine’s Day girl loses her head to posh swinger – how common can one get? (Aquarian with U bi¹ for A).

Dr I. S. Fletcher: University brain – one involved with quiz mostly experienced in all areas (U + anag. incl. a, less z; ref. ‘University Challenge’).

J. Grimes: The same as ‘universal’, adjective comprehended by university man? (iq U a in U Brian, & lit.).

R. J. Heald: AC/DC, Queen and Air appear in local gig with following going global (bi Qu aria in (f)un; see gig^1,2; ref. rock bands).

J. C. Leyland: Beginners in Boolean algebra grapple with a universal quantifier – no mean feat all round (anag. incl. B, a, U, less anag.).

D. F. Manley: Supposedly superior man crucified in film about one considered as being somehow godlike? (I qua in U Brian; ref. Monty Python’s ‘Life of B.’).

T. J. Moorey: Classy box including Queen with soaring melody a present the world over (Qu + air a (rev.) all in U bin).

A. Plumb: Run-ins with quite an abrasive drunk – turns out ’e’s —— in taverns (comp. anag. & lit.).

Dr S. J. Shaw: Heavy metal AC/DC number eclipses Queen song worldwide (Qu aria in U(ranium) bi n).

R. C. Teuton: Seemingly everywhere leaders of Islam upbraided implied burqa ban – not Boris’s first blunder (anag. incl. I, u, i, less B; ref. B. Johnson’s claim to support the wearing of the burqa).

P. Tharby: Posh bird, not half, one making first appearance in early February, topless? Unmissable! (U bi(rd) + (A)quarian).

J. R. Tozer: A bit of unbridled ego, as in Clough, say, is found everywhere (u + I qua in Brian; ref. former football manager).

Mrs A. M. Walden: Abused in burqa – hints of unchristian intolerance are widespread (anag. incl. u, i, a).

Ms S. Wallace: Seen all over the place dancing a rumba in sequins, men struggling with opener to Strictly Special – eliminated! (anag. less anag. incl. S, s).

A. J. Wardrop: Very common type of blockage, as found in malfunctioning urinal mostly (bi² + qua in anag. less l).

A. Whittaker: Buffeted barque hit a tsunami, lost the mast at sea – it’s all over (anag. less anag.).

HC

T. Anderson, D. Appleton, D. & N. Aspland, M. Barker, D. J. Bexson, J. G. Booth, C. J. Brougham, J. M. Brown, D. Carter, C. A. Clarke, Dr P. Coles, V. Dixon (Ireland), A. H. Harker, G. Johnstone, E. Looby, P. W. Marlow, J. R. C. Michie, C. G. Millin, C. Ogilvie, D. J. R. Ogilvie (USA), S. J. O’Boyle, R. J. Palmer, J. & A. Price, M. Price, D. Price Jones, A. D. Scott, P. A. Stephenson, P. L. Stone, K. Thomas, The Rt Revd Dr D. Thomson, J. Vincent & Ms R. Porter, G. H. Willett, K. & J. Wolff, A. J. Young, Dr E. Young.
 

Comments
168 entries, no mistakes that I spotted. 16 clues were mentioned as favourites, the winner (just) being ‘Head twice (at least) catches a person absent after noon’ (NABS). Several of you failed to understand the reference to ‘Cyril’s partner’ in my clue to LENS. It referred to Cyril Washbrook, the Lancashire and England cricketer (and a boyhood hero of mine) who opened the batting with Len Hutton in test matches 51 times. In 1954, at the age of 41, when he was a test selector, he was recalled to the England side and scored 98 in a long partnership with Peter May. Those were the days. (Mr Wardrop tells me he was a contemporary at school with CW’s son, a wicketkeeper.)
 
UBIQUARIAN was a bit of a brute, I confess, though probably not as bad, I guess, as UBIQUITOUS (which more than a few of you entered initially) would have been. Its brutishness may account for the lower-than-average entry. The OED labels it obsolete, which doesn’t surprise me, and includes its use as a noun, meaning ‘a society or club existing in the 18th century’. I think the clues quoted above show just what can be done with a seemingly unpromising word and the variety of different ways of approaching it that exists. As usual the ingenuity of Azed competitors rarely disappoints.
 
I am grateful to all those who took the trouble to respond to my appeal for comments on the possibly intrusive use of punctuation in clues. Views expressed ranged (perhaps predictably) from the ‘not at all bothered’ group to those who were definitely concerned while not actually dismissing it as unsound. ‘Inelegant’ was a common verdict, and one which I accept. I was reminded of Ximenes’ view on the subject, that one should not introduce ‘misleading punctuation, which makes nonsense of the true meaning of the clue, simply to help the misleading sense (my italics)’.
 
My apologies, finally, to Mr Teuton (0, 8) for omitting his name last month from the list of annual consolation prizewinners in the paper and in the slip last month. This has been corrected on the andlit.org website and he should receive his prize accordingly.