AZED CROSSWORD 904

VOETGANGER

1.  J. F. Grimshaw: Boorish promenader’s against reggae not being represented (v + anag., ref. annual criticism of programmes for BBC Henry Wood Proms).

2.  Dr I. S. Fletcher: You’ll see me evolving go at green bit of veld (anag. incl. v, & lit.; evolve = unravel).

3.  H. S. Mason: Old Queen about to engage gay footman (anag. in VR).

VHC

D. W. Arthur: What, getting old, could manage a gorge on veldt (comp. anag. & lit.).

M. Barley: Grain and vegetation destroyed? There could be a —— in it! (comp. anag. & lit.).

M. Barnes: Someone walking on grave – get shivery (anag.).

Mrs K. Bissett: Immature pest – and if abroad with other louts possibly discordant over penning (et gang in anag.).

E. J. Burge: Get hangover after losing head when drunk? I’ll get my marching orders! (anag. less h; marching orders = dismissal).

R. Dean: Is green vegetation ruined? See —— in it! (comp. anag. & lit.).

R. V. Dearden: Vet ore shaken with matrix in hopper (gang³ in anag.; hopper = immature locust).

Dr V. G. I. Deshmukh: Not adult, I, when developed, go vegetarian! (anag. less A I, & lit.).

M. Earle: A fast car mounted verge on busy roundabout – I could have been killed (a GT (rev.) in anag.; i.e. pedestrian).

R. A. England: —— (S.A.): it’s potentially a destroyer of grass and vegetation (comp. anag. & lit.).

P. F. Henderson: Graveney got led astray (wanting money, ultimately)? He’ll be using pads in Durban (anag. less y; pad = path; ref. David G., rebel cricket tour of S. Africa).

R. J. Hooper: Growing threat to countryside turns a Govt green (anag.).

F. P. N. Lake: Jumping to it, I’ll do for growing vegetation though lacking means to fly (comp. anag. less wing, & lit.).

A. Lawrie: It can spell dangers, while wingless, to veg (anag. less d, s, & lit.).

D. F. Manley: As larva, this could devastate a Transvaal grove (e.g.) (comp. anag. & lit.).

Rev M. R. Metcalf: Veldt-going private? Turning livid with PT, he might become that! (comp. anag. & lit.).

R. S. Morse: Avenger got written out (Steed not required for this role) (anag.; ref. former TV series).

P. A. Stephenson: This soldier may develop raggier trees on veld (comp. anag. & lit.).

HC

M. J. Balfour, W. A. Bauer, E. A. Beaulah, R. C. Bell, Dr & Mrs R. J. Bell, Mrs F. A. Blanchard, J. Brooks, C. J. Brougham, J. M. Brown, D. A. Campbell, E. A. Clarke, T. Clement, D. B. Cross, P. W. Davenport, N. C. Dexter, H. F. Dixon, J. Dromey, B. Franco, S. Goldie, N. Gresham, I. F. & L. M. Haines, V. G. Henderson, G. B. Higgins, Miss N. Hobbs, S. Holgate, W. Islip, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, G. Johnstone, C. W. Laxton, J. P. Lester, J. C. Leyland, R. K. Lumsdon, Ms J. Manthorp, H. W. Massingham, J. R. C. Michie, C. G. Millin, T. J. Moorey, C. J. Morse, Mrs R. M. Newman, S. J. O’Boyle, S. L. Paton, D. Pendrey, R. Phillips, D. Price Jones, A. G. Ray, H. L. Rhodes, R. J. Sharkey, D. J. Short, W. K. M. Slimmings, P. L. Stone, R. C. Teuton, T. R. Theakston, G. A. Tomlinson, D. H. Tompsett, Dr I. Torbe, Ms J. Warburton, J. F. N. Wedge, R. J. Whale, Ms B. J. Widger, K. J. Wright.
 

COMMENTS
333 entries, very few mistakes (one or two with PRAY for PRAT). A few said they’d never heard of (Virginia) Leng, currently one of our most successful equestriennes, and more than a few said the puzzle as a whole was tougher than usual, with VOETGANGER slipping into place last, or nearly last, of all. As a clue word it offered a good range of possibilities, and not just because of its three meanings. It is noticeable in the clues quoted above how often the composite anagram was resorted to. I suspect this was due to a desire to indicate the South African origin of the word without being too obvious about it. This strikes me as a laudable aim if not absolutely essential. Accurately conveying meaning is equally as important if not more so than indicating etymology. Mr Grimshaw who is on terrific form at the moment) found a subtler way of achieving both objectives - a lovely clue.
 
An interesting point of principle arose in a number of clues using the appealing ‘a Green govt’ anagram. Is wording along the lines of ‘… could produce a Green Government’, with or without ‘shortly’ to indicate an abbreviation of ‘Government’, fair to the solver, or is it tantamount to an indirect anagram, involving a two-stage decoding process? I tend to the latter view (especially as ‘Govt’ is only one of the abbreviations given for ‘Government’, at least in Chambers). Repeated use has given acceptability to the convention of including in anagrams single-letter abbreviations indicated by the full form of the word abbreviated, especially when such abbreviations are in common use, but there is a difference, I think, between this practice and expecting the solver to unscramble larger and perhaps less familiar abbreviations. I doubt, for example, whether one would countenance ‘per.’ (short for ‘period’ or ‘person’) being used in this way. Comments welcomed.
 
Two final announcements. Chambers will be publishing a collection of early Azed puzzles under the title The Best of Azed on 26 October, price £4.99, but because of unavoidable business commitments I shall be out of the country around publication day. This means that the announcement of the October competition results will be two weeks late. I’m very sorry about that.