AZED CROSSWORD 556

SWEAL (Misprints)

1.  B. C. James: Sings ‘Pop goes the weasel’ without repeat (singe; anag. less one e).

2.  C. J. Feetenby: Turn off endless bad language on channel’s latest offering (burn; swea(r) + l).

3.  R. J. Hooper: Since becoming free, Walesa appears less active (singe; anag. less a; ref. Lech W.).

VHC

R. Abrey: Roast in the skin and burn goose (gorse; 2 mngs.).

C. Allen Baker: Scotch tape secures wrapping without snapping (scorch; w(rapping) in seal).

M. J. Balfour: Sun-stroke’s effect is to prickle (trickle; s-weal; trickle = gutter).

Mrs A. Boyes: Hear Walesa’s free, but not active (sear; anag. less a; ref. Lech W.).

C. A. Clarke: Toast and butter (gutter; 2 mngs.).

F. D. Gardiner: Welsh Sunday’s over! Start to enjoy one long binge! (singe; W S (rev.) + e + a + l).

A. Gould: Scotch from Wales? – that’s Irish! (scorch; anag.; Irish (offensive) = ludicrous).

F. P. N. Lake: Broadcasting ends as we all turn off (burn; (a)s we al(l)).

L. K. Maltby: There’s little left after ocean pounds west coast (roast; W in sea + l).

L. May: Haste has reduced soundness (waste; ’s weal).

C. J. Morse: Enough of Misprints we all mutter (gutter; hidden).

R. F. Naish: Sean from Wales? There must be some confusion (sear; anag.).

F. E. Newlove: To get rid of Foot as Labour’s leader we must regroup (soot; anag. incl. L; ref. Michael F.).

D. Price Jones: Scotch from Wales? That’s rum (scorch; anag.).

A. J. Redstone: Scotch pine (scorch; 2 mngs.; pine² = waste away).

W. J. M. Scotland: Briefly, is weak misprint, perhaps, not quite to taste? (waste; ’s w eal(e)).

A. D. Scott: Women in the main? Clare’s second only to Chay (char; w in sea + l; ref. C. Francis, C. Blyth).

Ms C. Shaw: When moved, Wales sings (singe; anag.).

F. B. Stubbs: Nutter streaks tail first (gutter; weals with s to start).

M. A. Vernon: When stirred, Wales sings (singe; anag.).

A. P. Vincent: Partial umpires? We always winge! (singe; hidden).

R. J. Whale: A feature of Christmas, we all binge! (singe; hidden).

L. C. Wright: Sunday opening – Welsh anticipating flowing ale for binge (singe; S + W + anag.).

HC

F. D. H. Atkinson, R. C. Bell, H. J. Bradbury, Mrs A. R. Bradford, Rev C. M. Broun, R. S. Caffyn, P. R. Clemow, Mrs M. P. Craine, A. E. Crow, G. Cuthbert, P. W. Davenport, N. C. Dexter, P. Drummond, O. M. Ellis, Rev S. W. Floyd, B. Franco, O. H. Frazer, J. Gill, N. C. Goddard, J. J. Goulstone, J. E. Green, J. F. Grimshaw, B. Harvey, P. F. Henderson, F. G. Illingworth, J. R. H. Jones, A. Lawrie, M. D. Laws, J. H. C. Leach, G. Leversha, C. Loving, M. A. Macdonald-Cooper, Rev W. P. Manahan, D. F. Manley, J. B. Marshall, J. McGhee, D. P. M. Michael, C. G. Millin, T. J. Moorey, S. J. O’Boyle, F. R. Palmer, R. J. Palmer, S. L. Paton, Mrs D. M. C. Prichard, N. J. Reed, L. G. D. Sanders, M. D. Sanderson, D. P. Shenkin, W. K. M. Slimmings, B. D. Smith, D. M. Stanford, J. G. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, Miss O. Taylor, D. Tompsett, I. Torbe, J. F. N. Wedge, Mrs M. R. Wishart, Dr E. Young.
 

COMMENTS
Only about 270 entries and by common consent the hardest competition puzzle for some time. There were also some mistakes, mainly through failure to solve the clue to TRAIL, which appeared misprinted as TNAIL and overlapped with the clue word. The TRAIL clue was a simple 3-definitions type, though the third definition involved tracking down the noun use of the Spenserian ENTRAIL: ‘getting tangled up, old.’ Comments about the toughness of the puzzle were usually accompanied by riders to the effect that this only added to the enjoyment of solving, but there were a few criticisms. ‘Chafed’ as an anagram indicator was objected to by one. I’d have thought it contains sufficient sense of uncomfortable movement to pass muster. Again my use of ‘hostiles’ to mean ‘enemies ‘raised an eyebrow or two. I confess that I didn’t even check to see if Chambers acknowledges this (I suppose) American usage (it doesn’t). I guess I’ve just been watching too many U.S. war movies! A rather more important query concerned my use of a verb phrase (‘bears tail (mail) over sea’) to define a noun (DISPATCH-BOAT). I have referred to this practice before and use it with some regularity, regarding it as perfectly permissible. An adjective or adjectival phrase however I do not accept as fair indication of a noun (‘bearing’ for ‘bears’ in the clue quoted would very strongly suggest an adjective to me).
 
But it was a hard puzzle, I can see that. Despite my reduction in the standard average number of unchecked letters the diagram contained perhaps a greater than average number of unfamiliar words. And as one perceptive competitor observed. ‘Misprints’ puzzles don’t tend to get any easier as you go along. As for the cluing SWEAL appeared on the face of it to offer a super-abundance of possibilities. In practice, as you can see from the above, people stuck fairly closely to the definition words used in Chambers for misprinting, and genuine inspiration was hard to find. Anagrams of WALES, very often with Scotch or singing involved, were the commonest idea by far. A few used TOAST (again with drinking connotations) as misprint for ROAST, failing to spot perhaps that it is itself a passable definition of SWEAL and therefore less effective, if acceptable at all, in a misprints clue.
 
I hope the Christmas puzzle offers the right degree of mental stimulus to attract a larger number of competitors than this month’s. A real stinker has its place but only once in a while. May I thank all of those who have sent me and my family cards and Christmas greetings, which we heartily reciprocate. I’m happy to say my eye remains undimmed, my hand steady, and my appetite for verbal torture as keen as ever. Here’s to 1983 and beyond!