AZED CROSSWORD 594

DOINGS

1.  T. R. Theakston: For forgotten name, ‘thing’ does: alternatively, ‘the ——’ (comp. anag. & lit.).

2.  W. J. M. Scotland: Ratings fancy dishy bits abroad – what for? You know what! (4 mngs.).

3.  N. C. Goddard: Treat gin, possibly, with a dash of Sch… you know who! (do + anag. + S; ref. Schweppes slogan).

VHC

R. H. Adey: Party is adopting leaders of the new guard, to give what’s-’er-name the works (n g in do is, 2 defs.).

M. J. Balfour: Fancy surrounds of dishes go in here (anag. incl. d, s, & lit.).

E. A. Beaulah: The snag of having pets around at home? (in in dogs, & lit.).

R. Brain: That chap spells murder to G & S; given role he makes hash of ‘Gondoliers’ (do in G S, comp. anag.).

R. S. Caffyn: Lectures on digs, badly delivered, exhaust Geological Society (anag., do in GS; lecture = scolding).

R. Dean: Severe treatment involves giving medicine and sulphur drops right to the end (dosing with S moved to end).

P. F. Henderson: It’s no good anagramming – that makes this business too complicated (comp. anag.; ref. AZ clue comp.).

Rev W. P. Manahan: A clue for ‘guts’? But it could indicate anything! (i.e. do in g, s; ut = do²).

D. F. Manley: What’s utterly absorbing at home on first of Sunday? Working at square and replacement for definition (in in dog S, doing S; ref. AZ puzzle and comp).

D. R. Marshall: What may be given by boxers, perhaps, around centre of ring ((r)in(g) in dogs, & lit.).

H. W. Massingham: Astaire’s trim, stylish in tails (in in dogs; trim = accessories; ref. Fred A.).

C. J. Morse: No role playing in travesty of Gondoliers – American extras murder G & S (anag. less anag., do in G S).

R. S. Morse: Yank diners go, without hesitation, for these (anag. less er, & lit.).

R. A. Mostyn: In U.S., hootnanny is active on Sunday (doing + S).

D. S. Nagle: You-know-who is at home when surrounded by, say, corgis (in in dogs; ref. The Queen).

F. R. Palmer: Mix gin and soda? That’s not accepted – you need it (anag. less a).

R. J. Palmer: Rings should seal love affairs (0 in dings).

D. Price Jones: Conduct – and murder – G & S! (do in + G S).

J. H. Russell: Dingbat? Perhaps dingo’s batting implied (in in dog’s).

D. G. Tallis: Ruin uppers of Gucci shoes by stepping into dog’s ——? (do in G s, in in dog’s, & lit.).

R. A. Wells: Exhausting square bashing, bashing, bashing (doing S).

HC

Mrs E. Allen, C. Allen Baker, S. Armstrong, H. J. Bradbury, C. Brougham, D. M. Burns, J. H. Chinner, M. Coates, W. H. C. Cobb, A. L. Dennis, R. P. Dowling, M. Earle, C. J. Feetenby, D. S. Fielker, Dr I. S. Fletcher, R. P. C. Forman, A. L. Freeman, H. Freeman, F. D. Gardiner, S. Goldie, J. Grainge, A. O. Harries, V. G. Henderson, C. Hodgkinson, R. J. Hough, F. P. N. Lake, R. K. Lumsdon, L. K. Maltby, L. F. Marzillier, H. S. Mason, L. May, Rev M. R. Metcalf, C. G. Millin, T. J. Moorey, S. E. Nodder, R. Parry-Morris, H. Rainger, P. Rhodes, A. Rivlin, H. R. Sanders, T. E. Sanders, D. P. Shenkin, A. J. Shields, Mrs I. G. Smith, T. A. J. Spencer, J. B. Sweeting, E. Tingle, D. H. Tompsett, G. H. Willett, M. Woolf, E. G. Wren, Dr E. Young.
 

COMMENTS
431 entries, about 30 errors, all with STILED or STYLED for STOLED. A number expressed puzzlement at the clue to TOPLESS which surprised me, not least because I was rather pleased with it. It refers of course to what I imagine is one of the most often quoted passages from Marlowe’s Faustus: ‘Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships,/and burnt the topless towers of Ilium?’ Paris was one of the sons of Priam king of Troy, and the one whose abduction of Helen caused all that launching and burning in the first place. The Pigalle bit of the clue took advantage of the more common current usage of ‘topless’. I hope all is now clear. (Fittingly enough my BOSOM clue caused no problems and tickled a few fancies!)
 
A difficult competition to judge this month with the leading clues all much of a muchness. I eventually chose the first three on the grounds of their uncontrived wording and appropriate degree of difficulty and length. I don’t (ever) expect everyone to agree with my judgment but am happy with it. I’m sorry Mr Theakston’s final ‘blank’ dash came out as leader dots in the announcement of the result in the paper, despite explicit verbal instructions.
 
Full use was made of the multiple meaning of the clue-word, I was glad to see. This is always a factor in my selecting the word each month, though I find I’m often wrong in anticipating which meaning will prove the most popular and/or tractable. This month I got it right: it was ‘what’s-its-name’, often with one or more of the others thrown in for good measure. Incidentally, pace Chambers, I’m quite sure ‘doings’ is used of people as well as of things, as must be apparent from the quoted lists.
 
I’m told by my masters at The Observer that a new feature planned for the ‘Competitions’ page will require some space economies in the crossword slot. Most of these sound acceptable to me but it is also suggested that the solution diagram might be replaced by typeset solutions as are given I think for the Mephisto puzzles in the Sunday Times. I’m not keen on this idea as I believe that a picture of the puzzle is a more effective aide-memoire and enables me to draw attention in the notes to what I regard as the trickier clues. I should welcome other views on this. The changes are not likely before the new year and a number of revised layouts will be considered before then.
 
Finally, a couple of notes for your diaries. The October competition will be on the l0th (No. 600) and the Christmas competition will be on 18 December. There will be no Observer on 25 December.