AZED CROSSWORD 627

AMBIENT

1.  J. D. Moore: What’ll be filling holes in a mint confection? Air (b, e separately in a mint; ref. Polo mints; confection vb.).

2.  M. G. Wilson: In me, bat flitters (anag. & lit.).

3.  C. A. Clarke: If miners’ leader supplants Conservative reshuffle of Cabinet could be in the air (anag. with m for C).

VHC

M. Barley: It, with BA, men cross (anag. & lit.; cross = interchanged; BA = British Airways).

Rev Canon C. M. Broun: Get well at Lourdes in a moment in place of portent in the sky (a moment with bien for omen).

O. H. Frazer: A doctor that’s not heartless will help to bring you round (a MB i.e. n(o)t).

S. Goldie: Does is mean (a) eyre or (b) air? I’d make it mean (b) (anag.).

D. V. Harry: Spot of bother at mine – migratory forces bait men in blue (anag. incl. b, anag.; blue = sky).

J. P. H. Hirst: Foreign Office admitting Zola’s OK; it’s investing (bien in Amt; bien (Fr.) = well, Amt (Ger.) = office; ref. Z. Budd; invest = surround).

R. J. Hooper: It’s buzzing with BA men (anag. & lit.; BA = British Airways).

M. Jellis: Outsiders from Everton find themselves in arena where stars play (E, n in ambit).

C. L. Jones: Sky’s rendition of ‘Ain’t Misbehaving’ is having to be dropped (anag. less is having; ref. pop group).

M. W. Knight: Air France’s well into air mail transfer (bien in AMT).

F. P. N. Lake: A doctor that is not neglecting round has to get about! (a MB i.e. n(o)t).

D. F. Manley: Earth’s ——? Man breathes it freely (comp. anag. & lit.).

R. F. Naish: The sky’s the limit where space is involved (en in ambit).

R. J. Palmer: Black one meant it could precipitate (anag. incl. B I, & lit.).

R. F. Pardoe: As a picket line could become hustling head of Board at mine (anag. incl. B(oard); ref. Coal Board).

C. Russell: Am I in grass skirting? (am + I in bent; bent² = dry grass).

T. E. Sanders: One must have resolution to be at Min. of the Environment (anag.; i.e. re-solution; ref. P. Jenkin legislation).

A. D. Scott: Can be used to describe temperature at mine with brothers’ leader getting all out (anag. incl. b).

Dr E. Young: You’ll find me in form with bat, making boundaries in all directions (anag.).

HC

F. B. Anderson, S. Armstrong, Mrs M. Arthur, D. Ashcroft, F. Bastian, E. A. Beaulah, G. H. Booth, C. J. & M. P. Butler, Mrs D. M. Colley, J. P. Connolly, R. Cooper, A. E. Crow, N. C. Dexter, C. M. Edmunds, C. J. Feetenby, Dr I. S. Fletcher, M. Freeman, J. Gill, H. Grimes, J. F. Grimshaw, P. F. Henderson, A. Hodgson, E. Hornby, R. H. F. Isham, W. Jackson, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, C. W. Laxton, P. W. W. Leach, R. V. Leigh, J. P. Lester, J. D. Lockett, D. J. Mackay, G. Maker, R. C. Mallinson, S. M. Mansell, J. B. Marsden, H. S. Mason, H. W. Massingham, Miss F. McCluskey, Rev M. R. Metcalf, C. G. Millin, T. J. Moorey, C. J. Morse, S. J. O’Boyle, F. R. Palmer, S. L. Paton, M. Postlethwaite, D. Price Jones, Mrs D. M. C. Prichard, A. J. Redstone, D. R. Robinson, V. H. N. Roles, Rev G. C. Rose, M. Sanderson, W. J. M. Scotland, B. D. Smith, D. M. Stanford, F. B. Stubbs, A. J. Wardrop, Mrs M. P. Webber, D. O. Williams.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST (13 COMPETITIONS)
1, D. F. Manley (1 prize, 8 V.H.C.s); 2 (equal), N. C. Dexter (3,3), W. J. M. Scotland (2,5); 4 (equal), V. G. Henderson (1, 6), R. J. Hooper (2, 4), C. J. Morse (1, 6); 7 (equal), C. Allen Baker (2, 3), N. C. Goddard (1, 5), F. R. Palmer (0,7), W. K. M. Slimmings (3,1); 11 (equal), M. Barley (1,4), F. P. N. Lake (0, 6), H. W. Massingham (0, 6), T. J. Moorey (2, 2), R. J. Palmer (0, 6), Dr. E. Young (1, 4); 17 (equal), E. A. Beaulah (1, 3), C. A. Clarke (1, 3), P. F. Henderson (0, 5), J. H. C. Leach (1, 3), A. Scott (1, 3); 22 (equal), D. W. Arthur (0, 4), Dr. I. S. Fletcher (0, 4), S. Goldie (1, 2), D. V. Harry (0, 4), M. Jellis (0,4), C. W. Laxton (1, 2), C. G. Millin (0, 4), J. D. Moore (1, 2).
 
CONSOLATION PRIZES
 
F. R. Palmer, F. P. N. Lake, H. W. Massingham, R. J. Palmer, P. F. Henderson, D. W. Arthur, Dr. I. S. Fletcher,D. V. Harry, M. Jellis, C. G. Millin.
 

 
COMMENTS
 
About 420 entries, almost no mistakes. Most who commented thought it an easier puzzle than usual, though as always there were a few who took the diametrically opposite view. One convention which aroused some comment was one I don’t think I’ve discussed before, namely the use of connecting dots between two or more consecutive clues. I use this device when I perceive a dear link in form or meaning between the separate words being clued. The dots are intended to suggest to the solver that it is necessary to read both of the clues linked by them for each to be understood. In other words some of the wording in the second due may be relevant to a full reading of the first (or, very occasionally, vice versa). This seems a perfectly legitimate ploy. It is not necessary, as one competitor protested, for each due to be self-contained. Indeed, if that is the case, I can see no reason for adding connecting dots when all the setter is indicating thereby is that the two dues they connect make sense when read continuously. To me that would imply a solving link which simply doesn’t exist. So in ‘I’ve odd-sized arms; I’m obdurate and showing…’ ‘…Tendency to be ’arsh, cut above wishy-washy sense’, the phrase ‘tendency to be ’arsh’ belonged to both clues, to the first as part of the cryptic indication (’ARD) and to the second as the definition (SEVERENESS). In the latter case the dropping of the aitch is a bit gratuitous but not seriously misleading.
 
It was a good, even competition. AMBIENT offered a lot of scope but was tricky to due with wit and invention. So while there was a minimum of unsoundness in dues submitted, a large number lacked that extra imaginative spark. Incidentally I’m sure the Chambers definition ‘investing’ is in the sense of ‘surrounding’ or ‘besieging’, so those whose definitions used a synonym of it in the monetary sense were unacceptable. Mr. Moore’s clever prize-winning clue is an interesting example of the partial ‘& lit.’ clue. He might have thought of omitting the final defining word and left the rest as a full ‘& lit.’ I actually think he was right not to since the sense of air as something that is all around is less than wholly (holely?) appropriate to describe what is itself surrounded by the renowned sweetmeat.
 
Congratulations to all those on the honours list above, especially to Mr. Manley who heads it for the third year running. Since over that period he has won only four prizes, fewer than many of his closest rivals, he has shown remarkable consistency and is clearly going to be a tough champion to dislodge.
 
Finally, watch out for the first announcement in the Observer Magazine on 15 July of the Observer/Oxford Crossword Superbrain Competition.