AZED CROSSWORD 2560

BOMBAST

1.  M. Hodgkin: Bojo’s beloved going nuts about bride-chamber at Number Ten – outdated stuff! (Bo(jo) + b in mast; ref. Carrie Johnson and re-decoration controversy).

2.  H. Freeman: A bit of tigerism encountered by Little Black Sambo in disarray? (b + anag. + t, & lit.; ref. children’s story).

3.  A. J. Wardrop: What’s sometimes incendiary when deployed by leader of Tories (bomb as T, & lit.; ref. B. Johnson).

VHC

D. & N. Aspland: Fiasco at Thanksgiving when opening of turkey reveals stale stuffing (bomb as t).

M. Barley: Turkey roasted with trimmings and traditional stuffing (bomb + (ro)ast(ed)).

J. A. Butler: Primarily because of Macron’s belligerent attitude, sausage tiff produces some inflated language (first letters; ref. French Pres. and NI Brexit fallout).

R. J. Heald: Flatulence comes from bottom after putting away too much fibre (b(OTT)om + bast).

J. R. Howlett: Initially Boris overawes many by arrantly spouting this (first letters & lit.; B. Johnson).

J. C. Leyland: What’s heard from demagogue as mob starts to bay and turn wild? (anag. incl. b, t; semi & lit.).

M. Lloyd-Jones: Botham best batting without the heroics (anag. less the; ref. Ian B.).

P. W. Marlow: Hot air activating balloons, something the Montgolfier brothers originated principally in novel fashion (anag. of first letters).

P. McKenna: What would blow up speech’s exordium in a prime show of turgidity (bomb + s in a, t, & lit.).

C. G. Millin: Highfaluting talk primarily by officious Mrs Bucket, aristocratic she thinks (first letters, ref. TV series ‘Keeping Up Appearances’).

J. Pearce: Turkey like leather in the middle? That’ll be out-of-date stuffing (bomb as t).

S. Randall: This noise could be produced by most babies on breaking wind (comp. anag.).

J. M. Rees: Explosive energy escaping seat that’s broken wind? (bomb + anag. less e).

R. C. Teuton: Onset from moustachioed Blimp, not weak in bluster? (m B(limp) in boast, & lit.; ref. Colonel B.).

J. R. Tozer: Holding a management degree, qualified to BS and bluster (MBA in anag.; BS = bullshit).

Mrs A. M. Walden: Snippets of bloated oratory making Boris’s answers sound turgid (first letters & lit.; B. Johnson).

R. Zara: Primarily boring, orotund magniloquence: Boris articulating stereotypical tirade (first letters & lit.; B. Johnson).

HC

T. Anderson, M. Barnes, T. C. Borland, C. J. Brougham, D. Carter, C. A. Clarke, W. Drever, P. Finan, A. Gerrard, R. Gilbert, G. I. L. Grafton, A. H. Harker, P. F. Henderson, D. C. Jones, M. Jordan, J. P. Lester, A. MacDougall, D. F. Manley, G. L. McStravick, Ms J. Merchant, T. J. Moorey, C. Ogilvie, S. J. O’Boyle, R. Pinnock, J. Vincent & Ms R. Porter, J. & A. Price, W. Ransome, A. D. Scott, Dr S. J. Shaw, A. J. Shields, Ms S. Wallace, L. Ward (USA), A. Whittaker, G. H. Willett, K. & J. Wolff.
 

Comments
162 entries, no discernible mistakes. Favourite clue, of 17 nominated at least once, was ‘One’s not coy splashing it around’ for TYCOON, quite topical at a time when well-known tycoons are spending untold sums for a few minutes in space. Second and third were the clues for LYRIC and SCAPEGALLOWS respectively.
 
BOMBAST proved a popular word to clue, making my job especially enjoyable. It was important to take note of (and indicate if necessary) its old-fashioned use as an adjective and as a verb. The word’s closeness in terms of definition to BOAST was also obvious, though the two appear to have no etymological connection at all. And if you are uncertain whether to indicate currency and register in the wording of your clues, I urge you to do so in the context of a competition like these. If I fail to do this myself from time to time it is probably inadvertence or in the interests of achieving more satisfactory wording (and I’m not competing with others!). A large number of clues submitted contained references to the prime minister, whose preferred (perhaps only?) method of public speaking is bombastic. A sitting target, clearly, and not all that popular with Azed solvers.
 
Some of you mentioned the unusually large number of ‘hidden’ clues this month. This was pure chance. I don’t consciously limit the number of such clues in any one puzzle, though too many are to be avoided, if only because they can be rather easy to solve, despite one’s attempts to disguise them.
 
I am considering updating the edition of Chambers I regularly recommend, though unsure just how much new or modified material in the current (16^th) there is since publication of the 14^th. I always hesitate before asking you to spend money on a new edition when the old one will largely suffice. I’ll keep you informed before making a decision.