AZED CROSSWORD 731

STRING

1.  R. K. Lumsdon: Pop-singer runs shows in support for bags of needy (r in Sting; ref. Live Aid etc.; bags = trousers).

2.  W. K. M. Slimmings: It can sound a bit tough on runners (and runners to be?) (3 mngs.; runner beans).

3.  D. R. Robinson: What sets off resonance in fiddle (r in sting, & lit.).

VHC

S. Armstrong: This season sees start of training for Piggott’s first (spring with t for P, & lit.; ref. Lester P., jockey).

M. Barley: Common cheat’ll get run in, perhaps for fiddling (r in sting; s. adj.).

N. C. Dexter: It’s wound around wrapping-paper finally (r in sting, & lit.).

O. M. Ellis: To hoax, cheat and take in (r in sting).

J. F. Grimshaw: Pop-eyed, one suspended here? (st(a)ring & lit.; hangman’s rope).

P. F. Henderson: What might be tight when bloke’s dispatched by gravity? (strin(gent) + g, & lit.; hangman’s rope).

R. J. Hooper: Bite for King to tuck into? (R in sting, & lit.; ref. Belloc’s Henry K.).

A. Lawrie: Some horses train for one type of course (3 mngs.).

C. W. Laxton: Keeping things together, letting nothing fall out – that’s my job (st(0)ring & lit.).

C. J. Lowe: Sunday trading not in this day and age? Humbug! (S tr(AD)ing; humbug vb. = hoax).

D. F. Manley: Put King in pain (R in sting, & lit.; ref. Belloc’s Henry K.).

D. P. M. Michael: This has little King in pain, the cause of his death (R in sting, & lit.; ref. Belloc’s Henry K.).

F. Moss: One on the fiddle to tie up with street band (St ring, 2 defs.).

R. J. Palmer: Cheat, take in (r in sting, & lit.).

L. Paterson: Chasers, perhaps, could be keeping the round going (st(o)ring).

T. E. Sanders: A twist of grist having within limits a quite narrow measurement (n in anag., & lit.).

A. D. Scott: Hang from strap in train (3 mngs.).

N. E. Sharp: Cheat, take in, hoax (r in sting).

J. B. Sweeting: Did it record end of Davis and tight gripping final for Johnson? (s + n in trig, & lit; ref. Steve D., Joe J., snooker).

D. H. Tompsett: Essential for starting straight the rows in neat gardens (initial letters & lit.).

M. H. E. Watson: If thong is strong, here’s thing to tie (i.e. thing is string).

Dr E. Young: Can take in do? (r in sting, & lit.).

HC

C. Allen Baker, D. W. Arthur, R. L. Baker, E. A. Beaulah, Mrs A. R. Bradford, R. Brain, C. J. Brougham, J. M. Brown, C. J. & M. P. Butler, S. Butterworth, C. A. Clarke, M. Coates, G. P. Conway, Mrs M. P. Craine, A. E. Crow, P. Drummond, H. Freeman, F. D. Gardiner, S. Goldie, A. W. Hill, A. H. Jones, J. R. H. Jones, M. Kissen, J. P. Lester, J. M. Lowe, M. A. Macdonald-Cooper, J. R. C. Michie, C. G. Millin, T. J. Moorey, C. J. Morse, T. W. Mortimer, R. A. Mostyn, D. Nagle, R. F. Naish, D. Price Jones, W. J. M. Scotland, D. P. Shenkin, A. J. Shields, A. Turner, A. J. Wardrop, Mrs M. P. Webber, Mrs H. D. Williams, M. G. Wilson, S. Woods.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST (13 COMPETITIONS)
1. R. J. Hooper (2 prizes, 9 VHCs); 2. D. F. Manley (2, 8); 3. N. C. Dexter (3, 5); 4(equal) Dr I. S. Fletcher (1, 7), P. F. Henderson (1, 7); 6, M. Barley (1, 6); 7 C. J. Morse (1, 5); 8. (equal) T. W. Mortimer (0, 6), R. J. Palmer (0, 6), D. R. Robinson (2, 2); 11(equal) D. Ashcroft (1, 3), C. J. Brougham (0, 5), D. A. Crossland (1, 3), A. Lawrie (0, 5), M. A. Macdonald-Cooper (2, 1), D. P. M. Michael (1, 3), R. F. Naish (0, 5), W. K. M. Slimmings (1, 3), J. F. N. Wedge (0, 5); 20(equal) H. J. Bradbury (1, 2), C. A. Clarke (0, 4), D. V. Harry (1, 2), G. Johnstone (0, 4), T. J. Moorey (1, 2), H. W. Massingham (1, 2), J. B. Sweeting (0, 4), S. Woods (1, 2)
 
CONSOLATION PRIZES
 
T. W. Mortimer, R. J. Palmer, C. J. Brougham, A. Lawrie, R. F. Naish, J. F. N. Wedge, C. A. Clarke, G. Johnstone, J. B. Sweeting.
 

 
COMMENTS
 
Only 230 entries, such mistakes as there were being mainly the result of failure to spot the theme. Was it that hard to spot? As a number of you mentioned, CHROMOSOME was the give-away. I foresaw this and actually pondered leaving it out of the list for inclusion. I’m glad I didn’t. It’s always good to have at least one long theme-word in puzzles like this, and without this particular one the theme would have been a lot harder to discover. I was, I confess, quite pleased with myself at being able to manipulate 14 theme-words into the 12 × 12 grid. (It could have been 15, I now see: STRING/STY could have become SPRING/SPY with the compounding letters being C and I respectively.) The only other mistake that marred otherwise correct entries was OVIFORM for AVIFORM. A fresh look at the clue (‘Show class hoisting a six, recalling duck maybe?’) should convince offenders that the correct answer is the only one that will do.
 
The clue word offered a vast range of possibilities while remaining a tricky one to deal with in a really imaginative way. I was delighted with Mr Lumsdon’s topical prizewinner with its nicely veiled definition part. Sorting out the rest was very hard. Henry King was obviously enticing to those familiar with Hilaire Belloc’s Cautionary Verses (as enough are, I guess), though possibly difficult to use without giving the game away too early. The same could be said of several of the quoted clues. It’s a point I’ve made before but worth restating. Fiendish subtlety of wording is so much wasted effort if the solver is presented with the answer on a plate.
 
Congratulations to Mr Hooper on retaining first place in the annual honours list though closely pressed all the way. The first few places are interestingly spaced out this year, with the following groups closely bunched. I don’t think competition has ever been keener. And yet again I must record my gratitude to C.A.B. for keeping a separate tally of the score throughout the year. I hope everyone agrees with our combined arithmetic.
 
Plans for a dinner to mark Azed No. 750 are now firming up. It will be held at the Randolph Hotel in Oxford on Saturday 13 September at a price of £15 a head. Will anyone who is interested in coming please contact Mr D. F. Manley for further details, sending an SAE.