AZED CROSSWORD 564

PARAMENT

1.  Dr I. S. Fletcher: Forerunner of paper, one for the church, perhaps (a for ch in parchment, & lit.).

2.  R. J. Palmer: Past attire making one stand out? (pa. ra(i)ment, & lit.).

3.  D. A. Crossland: Locked up, having pinched a sheep: former hanging matter (a ram in pent).

VHC

H. J. Bradbury: Kind of garment pop stars get into without hesitation? (pa ram ent(er)).

Rev C. M. Broun: Remove a sheep and you get locked up, not hanging nowadays (a ram in pent).

N. C. Dexter: Pierpoint’s capital skill – last word in it – was hanging (amen in P art; ref. Albert Pierrepoint (sic), former public hangman).

C. M. Edmunds: Court rejects principles of life imprisonment, good old-fashioned hanging’s the answer (par(l i)ament).

B. Franco: Locked up having stolen a sheep? Once one could have been hung (a ram in pent).

A. L. Freeman: In our legislative body all but 51 are for hanging as formerly (Par(LI)ament).

S. J. French: The wearing of which stately robe once set men apart? (anag.).

S. Goldie: Name-part jauntily taking curtain perhaps – no hempen homespun, this (anag.; taking adj.).

R. R. Greenfield: Old-fashioned hanging’s a retrograde punishment, so we approve the end of that (rap (rev.) + amen + t).

J. F. Grimshaw: American state or city intended? Not Azed’s first slip, it deserved hanging! (Pará me(A)nt; slip = small piece; ref. AZ’s faulty clue to OMAHA).

P. F. Henderson: Flowing stuff no longer in use? It’s restricted, being interrupted by a strike (a ram in pent; ref. water-worker’s strike).

V. G. Henderson: United, after a sudden blow when returning – a rich example of splendour that is past (a rap (rev.) + ment ref. Manchester U. air disaster anniversary).

A. Lawrie: Past clothing not showing the first sign of impecuniousness (pa. ra(i)ment & lit.).

M. D. Laws: Paper replacing two leading members of chapel with one could have its back to the wall! (a for ch in parchment).

D. F. Manley: Luxury item originally suspended in state chambers? (par(l i)ament, & lit.).

J. J. Moore: Feature of Emperor’s clothes, no doubt, extremes of paranoia – king not all there (p, a R ament).

T. J. Moorey: Some circles approve hanging (amen in part).

T. W. Mortimer: Display of ornamental drapery? Yearn for old —— (comp. anag. & lit.; display = unfold).

R. F. Naish: Splendid outfit once – crack Division with top class troops! (A men in part).

F. E. Newlove: Smart decor once, but almost all apartment needs redoing (anag. less t).

J. F. N. Wedge: The old drape shape taper, man (anag.).

Dr E. Young: Governor’s clothes adorned with one no longer? (pa + ra(i)ment, & lit.; ’s = has).

HC

Dr J. K. Aronson, M. J. Balfour, Mrs G. M. Barker, F. Bastian, C. Brougham, R. S. Caffyn, E. Chalkley, C. A. Clarke, G. H. Clarke, Mrs D. M. Colley, A. G. Corrigan, E. Dawid, P. Drummond, M. Earle, F. D. Gardiner, J. M. Gerard, B. Greer, D. W. Grice, A. W. Hill, Mrs N. Hobbs, R. J. Hooper, C. H. Hudson, R. H. F. Isham, W. Jackson, Miss E. H. C. Jenkins, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, J. R. H. Jones, J. H. C. Leach, D. J. Mackay, Rev W. P. Manahan, W. F. Martin, H. W. Massingham, L. May, J. McBrean, C. G. Millin, F. Moss, G. B. Oxendale, S. J. O’Boyle, F. R. Palmer, D. Price Jones, C. P. Rea, C. W. Robins, N. Roles, Dr R. C. Ross, J. H. Russell, T. E. Sanders, W. J. M. Scotland, A. D. Scott, Dr W. I. D. Scott, J. T. Shaughnessy, W. K. M. Slimmings, R. Stedman, B. Stuart, J. B. Sweeting, K. Thomas, P. C. Thornton, I. Torbe, A. J. Wardrop, W. E. White.
 

COMMENTS
506 entries, a few with GNAR for SNAR but otherwise no mistakes, none that is except my own stupid blunder in describing OMAHA as a state, for which I apologise. I ought to know better by now than to trust to my ever-suspect geography but in the urgency of the moment I don’t think I gave it a second thought. Some mental confusion with Oklahoma, possibly. Only J.F.G. managed to work it into a reproving clue, ‘playing quite unashamedly on my guilt feelings’ as he put it.
 
One or two of you queried the clues to D-DAY and IRIDAL. The former referred to decimal day when the old shilling disappeared (‘Bob’s Farewell’) and was based on the perhaps outrageous pun ‘Deed A’ (‘first performance, we hear?’). In the latter ‘disencumbered round middle’ was intended to indicate that RID is not dead central in IRIDAL, only roughly so. Both still seem quite fair to me. Another solver drew my attention to LION and UNICORN both appearing (appropriately at cross purposes) in the puzzle. Astonishingly enough never even noticed, either while filling the diagram or while cluing. Had I done so I’d probably have tried to make something of it.
 
PARAMENT seemed to have a lot going for it – broad definition, easy anagrammability, many possibilities for fracture – yet in the event it proved quite difficult to make anything really outstanding out of it. ‘The last word’ for AMEN has become a crossword cliché now and it was greatly overworked. Many of you, deliberately or otherwise, failed to indicate the obsoleteness of the word. I won’t say I invariably indicate this in my own clues but in a competition not doing so is a help to the judge looking for reasons to thin down an otherwise pretty equal group of entries. Those of the quoted clues which did not indicate obsoleteness (like Mr Moorey’s) got by on other grounds such as neatness of wording or humour. (It is no excuse by the way to claim that since my definition clue did not indicate obsoleteness your need not.)
 
Quite a few commented flatteringly on my ‘Radio Times’ puzzle the previous week. I have never yet set a ‘D.L.M.’ puzzle for a competition, mainly because I’m worried by the thought that judging D.L.M. clues would be a nightmare, with virtually none likely to be disqualified for unsoundness, and picking winners therefore a totally subjective affair. As a type of puzzle it only really works as a vehicle for some inventive fun with a special theme – amusing to do but I suspect less so for the solver. One day I’ll get you all to have a go if I can think of (and, more important, concoct) something suitably demanding.
 
A final word of apology to Mr R. J. Hooper, who appeared misprinted in the MINCEMEAT slip (No. 558) as ‘R. J. Roper.’