AZED CROSSWORD 701

BALUSTRADE

1.  M. Barley: Bears cope? (balus trade, & lit; cope^1,2).

2.  R. C. Teuton: A busted rail could be replaced by this I fancy (anag. less I, & lit.).

3.  Dr I. S. Fletcher: Bar ale – dust otherwise a feature of terrace (anag.; ref. alcohol ban at football matches).

VHC

C. Allen Baker: Loading dice is a proper fiddle – one shouldn’t fall for it (U Strad in bale; for = because of).

C. J. Brougham: What makes stairs with pretensions? A durable pranking on each side (st(airs) in anag., & lit.).

D. A. Crossland: In-flight bars providing British Airways with unlimited drink sales (BA lus(h) trade).

J. V. S. A. Davies: This stood between a pair, patrician and star crossed, in undisguised extremity of love (U + anag., all in bald e; ref. Romeo and Juliet).

R. V. Dearden: Edge of balcony used by a cavorting star in staged duel (b a + anag. in anag., & lit. ?).

J. H. Dingwall: Dreadfully late – absurd! This entails coping with the posts (anag.).

E. G. Durham: Fencing unsuitable for nudist club – bare adults shown to disadvantage (anag.).

H. Freeman: Paper ——? That can’t be right for making parapets durable (comp. anag. & lit.).

J. F. Grimshaw: Amateur League swamped by coach traffic, coping with supporters (A l in bus trade).

P. F. Henderson: Security for those on a flight involves nearly everyone in the aeroplane business (al(l) in bus trade).

G. Johnstone: What’ll do for a lust-breathed Romeo? Jumping the —— and more love? (comp. anag. & lit.).

R. E. Kimmons: A desire to be embraced by naughtily bared curvaceous pieces – and coping (a lust in anag.).

C. J. Lowe: Bear south with traffic, coping with a series of hold-ups? (balu S trade).

D. F. Manley: What’ll you find flanking bridge? A true dab’s bit of logodaedalic puzzling (anag. incl. l; ref. Reece / Azed in Observer !).

D. P. M. Michael: Foolishly adulates BR rail-guard, usually ornamental (anag.).

C. G. Millin: Fantastic dual breast supports, curvaceous in outline (anag.).

C. J. Morse: Reduced balance on American business: protection on the way up (bal. US trade).

T. W. Mortimer: Bates had rule destroyed – he disconnected enclosure around terraces, etc. (anag. less he; ref. Chelsea FC chairman).

R. A. Mostyn: Rail, regularly supported, shows a bit of lead in public transport business (a l in bus trade).

W. J. M. Scotland: A depraved desire runs among evil English supporters going by rail (a lust r in bad E).

W. K. M. Slimmings: American jazz package tours? It’s a feature on flights (US trad in bale).

HC

K. Aaronovich, R. H. Adey, D. W. Arthur, J. Baines, Mrs P. A. Bax, E. A. Beaulah, Mrs F. A. Blanchard, Rev Canon C. M. Broun, E. J. Burge, Dr J. Burscough, Mrs M. J. Cansfield, T. J. Cowin, Mrs M. P. Craine, P. Day, N. C. Dexter, M. Earle, C. J. Feetenby, Mrs D. Foster, F. D. Gardiner, N. C. Goddard, S. Goldie, D. V. Harry, Mrs S. Hewitt, A. W. Hill, R. J. Hooper, E. M. Hornby, W. Islip, J. I. James, M. Taylor & N. Johns, C. W. Laxton, C. Loving, P. B. Macdonald, S. G. G. MacDonald, H. S. Mason, H. W. Massingham, Dr R. Moore, T. J. Moorey, H. B. Morton, D. F. Paling, S. L. Paton, D. Price Jones, J. E. Reynolds, D. Riley, D. R. Robinson, Dr R. C. Ross, A. D. Scott, B. D. Smith, Mrs M. Stokes, F. B. Stubbs, J. G. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, J. R. Tozer, A. Turner, V. C. D. Vowles, A. J. Wardrop, M. H. E. Watson, R. J. Whale, G. H. Willett, M. G. Wilson, Dr E. Young.
 

COMMENTS
393 entries, no mistakes. The clue-word was one with seemingly endless possibilities but in the event it proved quite difficult to define originally and convincingly. Coping with supporters (on terraces, etc.) was understandably popular, often in connection with a bad result, and in many ways this was the neatest ploy of all, but alas just too many used it. My other main concern was deciding on the exact meaning of balustrade since some implied or stated definitions in clues submitted were fairly vague. I was prepared to accept that the word could be used to signify a set of balusters that is topped by a rail or coping or the balusters and coping, etc. combined, but probably not coping on its own. This legitimises Mr Barley’s uniquely concise ‘& lit.’ prize-winner (and in case anyone queries this yet again I do accept – and use – the device of a finite verbal phrase defining the subject of it understood). In general I found it very difficult selecting my shortlist this month, there being very little to decide between those in the VHC bracket and above. Another much-favoured idea had to do with bear markets though this proved a little less easy to link with a satisfying definition part.
 
No time for more now. Delays in the appearance of slips and the announcement of results recently have not been caused by your overworked setter but by, first, internal changes of type-style at The Observer, and second, the vagaries of the postal service. So Mr Dingwall’s clue struck a responsive chord!