AZED CROSSWORD 79

SLAPSTICK

1.  Rev Canon C. M. Broun: Marx-style programme: Comrades in Revolution Unite! (pals rev. + stick; ref. Marx Brothers).

2.  E. J. Burge: Pantomime highlight where babes rest in a piece of wood (laps in stick).

3.  F. D. Gardiner: Jam sandwiches drinks and custard-pie (laps in stick).

VHC

R. Abrey: Mince past in altogether? See Laurel and Hardy do it for a laugh (anag. in slick).

C. Allen Baker: Film in which endless paste is thrown about (anag. less e in slick, & lit.).

A. H. P. Cardew: Where to see a fool set about another’s backside with a whangee? (l in sap + stick, & lit.).

E. Chalkley: Sort of film in which endless paste is thrown about? (anag. past(e) in slick, & lit.).

A. L. Dennis: Play with slap and tickles less the French farce more like low comedy (anag. less le).

J. Gill: Scruple about virtue lost – almost! The ingredients of farce (laps(e) in stick).

K. W. Johnson: Harlequins work it smack in front of post (slap stick; ref. rugby).

Dr P. D. King: Low endeavours to make us laugh: just look at Blimp’s latest sulphur in Standard! (la p S in stick; ref. David L.).

Mrs P. M. V. Lloyd: Pits slack? That’s funny, or wasn’t it? (anag. & lit.).

Mrs S. M. Macpherson: Buffet with jam and custard-pie (slap stick).

H. S. Mason: Laughter making skit – claps all over the place (anag.).

A. G. McPhie: Comedy film in which a lot of pastry is thrown about (anag. of past(ry) in slick).

Dr R. J. Palmer: Endless pasta being thrown about in crude film perhaps (anag. less a in slick, & lit.).

Miss M. J. Patrick: Found within the confines of St. James’ Park – plastic explosive device designed to produce a dramatic bang (anag. in S, k; ref. IRA bomb threat).

M. L. Perkins: Riotous pits in loose farce (anag. in slack).

W. Rodgers: Buffet staff will provide light entertainment (throwing custard pies?) (slap stick).

T. E. Sanders: Wisdom’s technique: bat must be straight to stay in (slap (adv.) + stick; bat = slapstick; ref. Norman W.).

W. K. M. Slimmings: Featuring Keystone Cops originally, it’s back around the circuits (laps in K C it’s (rev.), & lit.).

T. A. J. Spencer: Film in which a lot of pastry is thrown about (anag. of past(ry) in slick).

F. B. Stubbs: Wash stooge’s head in jam? That suits me! (lap s in stick).

Rev C. D. Westbrook: Kind of film, perhaps, in which a lot of pastry’s thrown (anag. of past(ry) in slick, & lit.).

HC

C. Allen, Col P. S. Baines, Mrs K. Bissett, A. J. Bulman, C. O. Butcher, M. Coates, J. Coleby, J. Cordery, Mrs J. M. Critchley, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, A. J. Duncum, Rev S. W. Floyd, Dr R. E. Gillson, N. C. Goddard, D. V. Harry, W. Islip, D. F. Manley, A. R. McKenzie, J. McKie, C. G. Millin, M. Newman, F. R. Palmer, R. F. Pardoe, H. L. Rhodes, E. R. Riddle, R. Robinson, L. G. D. Sanders, M. D. Speigel, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, J. C. P. Taylor, G. A. Tomlinson, T. Wightman.
 

Comments
About 300 entries, but a lot of mistakes, mostly over MURL and PALP. I hadn’t noticed that one of the meanings of MULL is ‘to crumble’ but even so I’m surprised so many of you looked no further when the remainder of the clue can have made no sense at all. I’m not as wilfully devious as that. And I think CHUMP is a fair, if elliptical clue to PALP, given the extra ‘as it were?’ Anyway my condolences to those who were excessively puzzled by what turned out to be unexpectedly difficult clues. They reduced the field dramatically, which is a pity in a competition.
 
I have no other specific comments on this puzzle except to apologise to the first prize-winner for the grotesque mis-spelling of his (excellent) clue as it appeared in the Observer. Since there is never time for me to see a proof of this announcement I am at the mercy of printers’ devils and wayward typists. On the same general theme it seems pretty clear that BOUREE in Chambers is a straight misprint for BOURREE. Indeed, regular burrowing through its pages has revealed an appallingly large number of misprints in the new C. If any solver spots one I recommend him to write to the publishers so that these may be eliminated in a reprint.