AZED CROSSWORD 2578

VARIORU(M)

1.  R. C. Teuton: Coronavirus shot with no cons, a version that contains all known variants (anag. less cons).

2.  Dr S. J. Shaw: ‘Au revoir’, Europe initially expressed, then ordered a succession of changes (anag. less E).

3.  T. West-Taylor: With spread of coronavirus, split Conservatives found wanting – as noted by commentators (anag. less Cons).

VHC

D. & N. Aspland: Leaders of very authoritative ringing institution officially reject unconventional sequence of changes (first letters).

M. Barley: The video ref, alas, has diminished football for many, garnering a range of criticism (VAR + io + RU).

A. Brash: A succession of changes – that’s what our air needs, very first thing (v + anag.; ref. climate change).

Dr J. Burscough: Shifting constitution, coronavirus mutates in succession of changes (anag. less cons.).

C. A. Clarke: Triumphant cheer in game following review of referee’s decision having several interpretations (io in VAR + RU).

W. Drever: Series of changes produced by video assistant referee leads to inconsistency of results unfortunately (VAR + first letters).

P. Finan: Part of Euro I rave about – it has notes from different sources (hidden rev.; ref. EU currency).

Dr I. S. Fletcher: Sequence of changes? A coronavirus after that can so spread out (anag. less anag.).

M. Hodgkin: United going after match official booking Ferdinand, perhaps reflecting views of commentators (Rio in VAR u).

M. Lloyd-Jones: A series of changes from United after match official takes Ferdinand’s name (Rio in VAR u).

M. Lunan: Very advanced choir (no children) backing starts to ring up succession of changes (v a + (ch)oir (rev.) + r, u).

D. F. Manley: Authorised Version could be demystified with this one ed’s possibly brought out? (anag. less anag., & lit.).

P. W. Marlow: A succession of changes for a virus when mutating (following latest of strains disappearing) (anag. less f, s).

D. J. R. Ogilvie (USA): Succession of changes leads to vicar admiring ringers’ ingenuity on remaining unified! (first letters).

J. R. Tozer: ‘Goal-line technology ruined our International’ – the commentators are all over it (VAR + anag. incl. I).

A. J. Wardrop: Series of changes football official imposes, initially on 15-a-side game (VAR + i, o’ + RU).

HC

T. Anderson, M. Barker, T. C. Borland, C. J. Brougham, M. Clarke, A. S. Everest, J. Fairclough, H. Freeman, Ms B. Hall, R. J. Heald, J. Hood, G. Johnstone, A. MacDougall, P. McKenna, K. Milan, T. J. Moorey, T. D. Nicholl, S. Randall, W. Ransome, D. P. Shenkin, A. J. Varney, Mrs A. M. Walden, Ms S. Wallace, R. J. Whale, Dr M. C. Whelan, D. Whisstock (Italy), K. & J. Wolff.
 

Comments
113 entries, no mistakes spotted, except for my carelessly giving you the wrong numeration for E(GG)LESS (especially reprehensible in a Letters Latent context).
 
The whole competition was messed up by an extended breakdown affecting postal deliveries in Oxford and the consequent delay in my announcing the results. Even now I’m getting a very few late entries, but I couldn’t hold things up any more and I’m confident that submissions from regulars all got through. The low entry overall probably resulted from the overall difficulty of the puzzle itself, which many commented on while stressing how much the puzzle was appreciated. It was certainly tough to compile, once I’d spotted the appropriate Burns quotation. This commended itself both because of its wording and also because it had a workable number of constituent letters (38, i.e. two more than the normal average).
 
Favourite clue of the month, by a long way, was ‘German squaddie nurses wound leaving front’ for (F)RANK(F)URTER, from 12 receiving mention, including one for PER(V)E AT. I can’t think how I came to include this unattractive phrasal verb when PER(V)ERT was equally available, but no one complained.
 
VARIORU(M) proved a tricky customer, albeit an interesting word. Many understandably used ‘coronavirus’ in various ways to help them out. One aspect of the competition was the dilemma I faced as to whether ‘linking’ words between mutilated and unmutilated forms were acceptable. I took care to avoid these in my own clues on the grounds that the two refer to different ‘words’, but given all the other factors involved this month I relented somewhat. Many of you may not have seen it as an issue, but I invite you to consider it, albeit in retrospect, as it may come up again in future competitions.
 
The sad news has reached me of the recent death of Anne Bradford, a regular Azed competitor in earlier years and a long-time acquaintance whose magnum opus, Bradford’s Crossword Solvers’ Dictionary, has proved invaluable for many years and through many editions. Asked for a short quote for the back cover, I wrote: ‘An unrivalled and dependable companion for all serious setters and solvers’. I wonder if anyone will continue to keep it up to date.