AZED CROSSWORD 255

ROYAL SILVER JUBILEE

1.  R. J. Hooper: Year J. Bull loves E.R. II afresh (anag. & lit.).

2.  B. Franco: Put crudely, this is: ‘J. Bull loves ERII year’ (anag. & lit.).

3.  H. L. Rhodes: Currently it’s Her Majesty’s playing a jolly risible revue (anag.; London theatre).

VHC

E. Akenhead: Wildly let our joy-bells ring ‘Ave EIIR!’ – to reign on this occasion (comp. anag.).

C. Allen Baker: Behind this milestone of the Queen’s rule verily lies a job well done (anag.).

E. C. Bingham: Our celebration had nothing on this one (i.e. 25(0), & lit.; ref. Azed 250 dinner).

J. C. Brash: Occasion for observing: I’ll rule years – I’ve job to get done (anag.).

E. J. Burge: For which, compose ruler a verse – i.e. ‘joy-bells’ one! (anag.; ref. Jubilee Hymn).

C. A. Clarke: Jamboree of rule with real joy visible (anag. & lit.).

J. D. Foster: Queen: I’ll be very jealous – wildly so – about one in 1977 (R + I in anag.).

S. C. Gilchrist: O verilie Jubal’s lyre should be reconstructed for this year’s celebrations (anag.).

N. C. Goddard: EIIR’s rule, by Jove, all swinging this year? (anag.).

S. Goldie: It makes all loy E subj rev ERII (anag. & lit.).

C. H. Hudson: For great celebration we get bijou verse – a lyre ill tuned (anag.; ref. Jubilee Hymn).

Capt G. Langham: Is J.B. lay our Reveille, arranged for 1977? (anag.; ref. Betjeman).

H. R. Lockhart: By Jove! ERII rules, all are excited. By this? (anag. & lit.).

C. Loving: I spread able ruler’s joy around – live broadcast included (anag. in anag. & lit.).

D. F. Manley: It’s this exciting year – J. Bull loves EIIR (anag. & lit.).

C. G. Millin: Do for all EIIR’s rule, by Jove! (anag. & lit.).

J. D. Moore: Celebration of lively rule – A1 job ER’s done (anag.).

C. J. and R. S. Morse: In which, by Jove, all EIIR’s rule is reviewed (anag.).

Mrs E. M. Phair: Year of high jinks for all, by Jove! EIIR rules (anag.).

H. R. Sanders: Junket, 1977 recipe, i.e. a sour jelly blended with a soupçon of butter, brought about liver upset (anag. in anag. incl. b).

T. E. Sanders: The day we celebrate a long rule with visible joy widespread about the Queen (ER in anag. incl. l).

S. E. Woods: Io! I revel riotously with Jubal’s lyre restrung for this time of celebration (anag.).

HC

T. Anderson, Mrs A. L. Anstead, F. D. H. Atkinson, M. J. Balfour, Mrs P. A. Bax, J. A. Bulley, A. J. Bulman, C. O. Butcher, R. S. Caffyn, E. Chalkley, M. A. Cooper, A. J. Crow, R. Dean, A. L. Dennis, A. Dyson, C. J. Feetenby, J. A. Fincken, F. D. Gardiner, T. J. Guffick, N. Hankins, Mrs R. Herbert, R. H. F. Isham, G. Johnstone, G. Jones, P. M. Kelly, J. R. Kirby, M. D. Laws, P. W. W. Leach, A. D. Legge, Mrs J. Macfie, D. J. Mackay, Mrs S. M. Macpherson, H. S. Mason, A. C. Morrison, H. B. Morton, R. A. Mostyn, F. E. Newlove, R. J. Palmer, Mrs J. M. Pattenden, Mrs G. Rajkowska, A. J. Redstone, P. J. Roe, A. D. Scott, W. K. M. Slimmings, T. A. J. Spencer, F. W. R. Stocks, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, G. P. Stroulger, F. B. Stubbs, J. G. Stubbs, Mrs M. P. Webber, J. F. N. Wedge, T. Wightman, G. H. Willett, D. B. Williams, D. C. Williamson.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST (13 COMPETITIONS)
1 (equal). D. F. Manley (2 prizes, 7 VHCs), C. J. Morse (1, 9), W. K. M. Slimmings (1, 9); 4. C. Allen Baker (0, 10). 5 (equal). C. 0. Butcher (2, 5), A. J. Redstone (0, 9); 7 (equal). 0. B. Greer (2, 4), R. J. Hooper (2, 4), F. R. Palmer (2, 4), J. D. Moore (1, 6); 11 (equal). C. G. Millin (1, 5), T. E. Sanders (1, 5); 13 (equal). D. V. Harry (1, 4), J. R. Kirby (1, 4), L. May (1, 4), D. P. M. Michael (1, 4); 17 (equal). Rev. C. M. Broun (1, 3), A. J. Bulman (1, 3), B. Franco (1, 3), H. L. Rhodes (1, 3), E. Chalkley (0, 5), R. J. Palmer(O, 5), F. B. Stubbs (0, 5); 24 (equal). F. D. Gardiner (1, 2), W. L. Miron (1, 2), A. J. K. Moult (1, 2), Rev. C. D. Westbrook (1, 2), W. Jackson (0, 4), C. Loving (0, 4), J. J. Moore (0, 4), F. E. Newlove (0, 4). D. C. Williamson (0, 4). Consolation prizes to C. Allen Baker, A. J. Redstone, E. Chalkley, R. J. Palmer, F. B. Stubbs.
 

 
COMMENTS
 
About 360 entries, the commonest mistake being GANGS for GINGS. I ought perhaps to have alluded to the obsoleteness of GINGS. By the purest mischance I was using the last edition of Chambers when cluing that part of the puzzle and I see now that the process of obsolescence seems to have occurred between editions. Conceivably, then, there are a few elderly citizens who still use the older form! The greatest mystification by far, however, seems to have been caused by the title ‘Circlets in Sago’, which is nothing but an anagram of ‘single acrostic’. Groans all round? Any number of alternative anagrams were suggested, the best being ‘corgis in castle’. Perhaps that would have made an even better title.
 
I didn’t know the Observer was planning such a broad hint across the top of the page when they asked me for a special jubilee puzzle to mark the occasion. Not that it mattered. I doubt whether anyone would have taken long to solve the acrostic. You’re probably all heartily sick of long phrases to clue by now and I sympathize. It was the simplest device for a special I could think of at short notice, but it inevitably led to a strong predominance of anagrams. The most popular of these was ‘EIIR rules all, by Jove!’ and its variants. If I went for some of the variants in preference it was mainly on the pedantic grounds that our dear queen’s realm is not quite as all-embracing as that makes it sound. Apologies to aggrieved super-patriots.
 
Many congratulations to the three who share first place in the honours list this year. We had a triple tie at the end of both the first two years of the Azed series but none of the three winners this year was in either of those threesomes and none has been first on his own either. it all goes to show how close it is at the top and how little separates all the more consistently successful competitors over the course of a year. Incidentally, Morse père et fils will be competing in tandem until further notice, by special request.
 
The dinner for Azed No. 250, I can now report, was a splendid affair, for which Mr. May must be V.H.C. if not awarded a special prize in token of his impeccable organization of it. There were about 140 guests and the menu consisted of: CoCkaLeekie soup; ChiCken maryLand, Champignons CompLets, suCCuLent peas, Chips, CurLy (the chef let us down here – they were actually reCtiLinear!); Cream eCLair or Cheese: Cheddar, danish bLue; Café noir or Café au Lait. As if that was not treat enough we were then regaled with sparklingly witty speeches by Mr. Les May himself, Mr. Bob Burchfield (editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and special guest), Sir Jeremy Morse, Mr. Don Manley, and Mrs. Janet Critchley, followed by a considerably less witty and rather rambling affair from AZ himself. Both my wife (now an expectant mother, it was revealed) and I were thrilled at all the kind and complimentary things which were said and at the magnificent gifts with which we were presented, an enormous bouquet of flowers and a most handsome silver and onyx paperweight suitably engraved. Our warmest thanks to all concerned for helping to make a truly memorable occasion. If I failed to speak personally to all the guests, I assure you it wasn’t for lack of trying.
 
A brief word on the new lay-out. Reactions were exactly as I’d predicted. Smaller diagram OK, clues cramped and difficult to read. I’ve been corresponding with the editor of the Magazine at considerable length about the possibility of arriving at some-thing which would satisfy both his requirements and ours, even suggesting we move back to the newspaper. This last seems out – I’m not sure why. And I’m afraid it looks as though the new format is here to stay.
 
Finally, variations on a penitential theme – a faulty anagram to ACROMEGALY in No. 254: ‘Pray you MERCY, A GAOL is too good for my sort, who besmirch A COMELY RAG like the Observer with anagrams which go CAM OR AGLEY. Was it pure oversight or MY ALE-CARGO which proved my undoing and made E. G. MAY (for it was he) CAROL. CAGEY MORAL: I must forswear these enervating pastimes and settle for … CALMER YOGA, perhaps?’