AZED CROSSWORD 2486

BRUHAHA

1.  R. J. Heald: Baron Hardup merrily gives away daughter, Prince becoming husband by end of Cinderella pantomime (anag. incl. B less d, with h for P + a).

2.  Dr J. Burscough: Hereby upheaval regularly erupts (anag. of alternate letters, & lit.).

3.  S. Randall: To-do list this week could make the wash a bulkier exercise (comp. anag.).

VHC

D. Appleton: Excited hubbub, not half, initially almost hardly anything really (anag. incl. hub and first letters, & lit.).

Ms K. Bolton: ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. Universal reaction to comedy sustains lines, however old (BR + U ha-ha).

M. Calverley: Stir cup of tea audibly: the sound of happiness? (‘brew’ + ha-ha).

Dr I. S. Fletcher: Could be one about HRH shifting focus of devotion (anag. incl. a less ot, & lit.).

J. Grimes: Pantomime turn getting quick laugh in woman’s underwear (U + hah in bra).

M. Hodgkin: Stir rhubarb that’s stewing, after trimming ends (anag. less r, b, t, t).

G. Johnstone: ‘Much Ado’ plot, we hear, leads to the sound of laughter (‘brew’ + ha-ha).

J. C. Leyland: Raab dithering with Wuhan? He might create a new ——! (comp. anag. & lit.).

T. J. Moorey: No end to coronavirus, surge stopping BA and numberless Chinese getting fever (ru(s)h in BA + Ha(n)).

M. G. Payne: Intermittent borough’s ashcan collection causes clamour (alternate letters).

A. Plumb: Rub awfully hard and expression of surprise is on Aladdin’s face in pantomime (anag. + H + ah + A).

T. Rudd: Snarling ‘ach!’ in Hamburg area – enough to create a Germanic ——? (comp. anag. & lit.).

I. Simpson: Stir forced rhubarb, with ends cut off, to get a hot filling (a H in anag. less r, b).

A. Vick: Unlimited rhubarb crumbles: what boundless excitement! (anag. less r, b + ha).

J. Vincent & Ms R. Porter: Leaders in Brussels resent UK’s high-handedness, and half anticipate a ruckus (first letters).

Mrs A. M. Walden: Stink coming from almost dry ditch (bru(t) ha-ha).

A. J. Wardrop: Huawei, not half upset after British start to heed American clamour (Br. + anag. less wei + h + A).

R. J. Whale: Essentially, rhubarb and what might produce it (anag. less r, b, w, t, & lit.).

G. H. Willett: Much Ado? Plot’s sound with acting involving interjection of various emotions (hah in ‘brew’ and a).

HC

P. B. Alldred, T. Anderson, D. & N. Aspland, M. Barley, T. C. Borland, D. Carter, C. A. Clarke, M. Coates, Ms S. Curran (France), E. Dawid, V. Dixon (Ireland), W. Drever, C. M. Edmunds, P. Finan, H. Freeman, R. Gilbert, G. I. L. Grafton, Ms S. B. Hart, T. Jacobs, W. Krzanowski, D. F. Manley, P. W. Marlow, J. McGhee, P. McKenna, K. Milan, C. G. Millin, C. Ogilvie, S. J. O’Boyle, W. Ransome, C. Reed, M. Sharman, Dr S. J. Shaw, D. P. Shenkin, P. L. Stone, R. C. Teuton, P. Tharby, J. R. Tozer, K. & J. Wolff, A. J. Young, Dr E. Young, R. Zara.
 

Comments
176 entries, with very few mistakes, mainly to do with ABORNE. Although this has no dummy entry of its own in Chambers (which tends to be a bit patchy in its treatment of such irregular forms) it should not have been too difficult to relate it to abear, where it does appear. One or two of you queried the spelling of the clue word, even to the point of suggesting that I had misspelt it myself (and in one case even insisting on cluing it as BROUHAHA). It is difficult to account for the fact that C includes it at all since not even the OED has it. One of life’s little mysteries, I guess, and not the easiest of words to clue (in either form), but most of you had a pretty good stab at it, the best being very good indeed. Despite the new PM’s diktat about avoiding its further use, Brexit still figured widely in clues submitted. Perhaps it will quietly die over the coming months, though this household at least continues to mourn the whole wretched business.
 
Of 16 clues nominated as clue of the month, the one receiving most votes was ‘Little in Italian court one comprehends, words being truncated’ for APOCOPATION. My reference to the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in my clue to DAIL drew a few wry comments on how the recent Irish election may affect his career. I expect he’ll continue as a member of parliament, if not a star (and he will forever remain the very pleasing anagram of AARDVARK, of course!).
 
There are plenty of ways to define a br(o)uhaha. One I could not accept involved omitting the hyphen from noun definitions, e.g. ‘to-do’ and ‘carry-on’, thus converting them into verbal phrases and thereby changing their meaning for the benefit of the surface reading of the clue. There is no way that BR(O)UHAHA can be seen as a verb.
 
And finally, in connection with the Azed 2,500 lunch in May, the splendidly diligent organizers ask me to mention that they are still taking bookings for the event, the email address for enquiries being heald.richard@googlemail.com, postal address (ut supra) Richard Heald, 13 Eshton Court, Mapplewell, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 5QG.