XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 1000

THOUSAND

1.  C. J. Morse: Up-to-date product of X and C (10 × 100; Ximenes, Chambers).

2.  L. F. Leason: The product of X in co-operation with C! (10 × 100; Ximenes, Chambers).

3.  A. J. Barnard: Number of involved handouts that X, by C., has produced (anag., 10 × 100; Ximenes, Chambers).

V.H.C.

E. S. Ainley: M. & S. full-length shift, revealing the figure of today (thou + S shifted before and).

J. C. Brash: Get us hot and bothered? Yes! That’s a power of X (anag.; 10³).

Rev B. Dickinson: Distressful hand-outs—but grand if dollars (anag.).

L. L. Dixon: Twist and shout—the squares’ latest number (anag.; crossword grid).

F. D. Gardiner: How many shocks so daunt the lead in Hamlet? (anag. incl. H).

I. C. Gilchrist: Twist and Shout—the number which initially started McCartney off (anag.; M = 1000).

R. N. Haygarth: Twist and shout—McCartney’s first big number (anag.; M = 1000).

C. H. Hudson: It’s terribly hot ahead of us, and a cool this would be helpful (anag. + us and).

H. M. Jamieson: This has got us hot and bothered; something cool is called for (anag.).

Sir S. Kaye: Leader of tricksters, the old dog has encompassed it (t + SA in hound, & lit.).

A. F. Lerrigo: Hounds at fault? That’s grand for the bucks (anag.).

Mrs B. Lewis: ‘“If this were only cleared away” they said, “it would be grand”.’ With this by you it could be (thou sand, & lit.; ref. The Walrus and the Carpenter).

J. D. H. Mackintosh: Making us hot and bothered is just one of the powers of X (anag.; 10³).

S. M. Mansell: Hands out change—grand, if dollars (anag.).

W. L. Miron: Free hand outs of dollars—grand (anag.).

P. H. Morgan: And thus the round number is tortuously arrived at (anag. incl. 0).

D. A. Nicholls: X joins Ringo in this week’s top number (i.e. 10 O o).

R. Postill: Simply product of X and C? Singularly yes and no. (M helps) (10 × 100; Ximenes, Chambers).

A. Sudbery: One may have us hot and bothered, but we are ready for another (anag.).

G. H. Willett: Tutu? The connection is cardinal. Emergency, if one comes off (i.e. thous + and; tu (Fr.) = thou; 1000 – 1 = 999; cardinal no.).

H.C.

C. J. Anderson, W. G. Arnott, C. Allen Baker, Mrs D. Barker, S. Barnett, R. T. Baxter, E. A. Beaulah, T. E. Bell, K. F. Bevan, J. A. Blair, Dr A. E. Brafield, B. W. Brook, C. O. Butcher, R. S. Caffyn, E. Chalkley, Mrs J. M. Chatfield, R. N. Chignell, P. R. Clemow, P. M. Coombs, V. A. R. Cooper, Mrs M. P. Craine, J. Crowther, J. Dawes, C. H. Devonald, N. C. Dexter, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, F. E. Dixon, A. J. Duncum, A. Fairhead, J. A. Fincken, M. S. Y. Fowler, A. L. Freeman, J. Fryde, A. B. Gardner, L. H. Garrett, L. D. J. Gatt, K. Gibson, G. P. Goddard, E. Gomersall, R. R. Greenfield, C. R. Haigh, D. J. Hillyard, D. R. Hopkin, E. M. Hornby, J. G. Hull, Mrs L. Jarman, L. W. Jenkinson, V. Jennings, T. H. Keeley, H. J. Kilpatrick, F. W. J. Knight, A. Lawrie, J. H. C. Leach, N. A. Longmore, Mrs S. M. Macpherson, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, Mrs W. J. Mahood, Mrs E. McFee, T. W. Melluish, A. D. Merson, D. P. M. Michael, R. A. C. Milligan, C. G. Millin, V. R. S. Mott, M. Newman, F. R. Palmer, G. Perry, Mr & Mrs A. Rivlin, E. O. Seymour, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, H. R. Simpson, Sir W. Slimmings, G. Snowden-Davies, S. Sondheim, M. D. Speigel, L. H. Stewart, L. T. Stokes, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, F. B. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, M. F. Thorogood, D. J. Thorpe, D. H. Tompsett, A. F. Toms, B. J. Wain, A. D. Walker, Mrs M. P. Webber, J. F. N. Wedge, T. G. Wellman, R. A. Wells, B. C. Westall.
 

COMMENTS:—I must be brief about the competition. (To save space, too, I have given no notes to the clues above; I hope none will prove too obscure.) There were getting on for 650 entries—a splendid and most appreciative response. My “short” lists consisted of nearly 40 rivals for prizes and over 100 for minor mentions; and among these I only found two single letters wrong in solution, probably slips. My choice was very difficult, but in the end I felt definitely that Mr. Morse’s clue was the best. He is a most fitting winner—it is his first first prize since 1964—and I should like to add how sorry I was that he was unavoidably unable to be at the Dinner. Among all our many brilliant clue-writers he is, I think, the most consistent.
 
The last few days have been for me, and for my wife, too, a wonderful experience, and I hardly know how to express my gratitude to all of you. I am thinking not only of the Dinner, in my memory of which two things stand out:—Mr. Westall’s perfect organisation, which made everything go so smoothly—I cannot say how grateful I am for all the patient and exhausting work he put into it, and I know all the other diners feel this too—and the whole atmosphere of goodwill, friendship and unity which pervaded the evening. But I am far from forgetting the masses of kind messages and tributes that I have received from those who could not be there, too many for me to write and say thank you for individually. I only hope that a big majority of their writers have sent for this slip, so that I may thank them here collectively and most sincerely.
 
Many have asked me to give some details about the Dinner; here are some that were not given in the article in the paper. All the dishes on the “Millenu” (and most of the speakers) began with M, like the things drawn in the treacle well:—Morecambe Prawns, Minestrone, Mutton, Mashed Potatoes, Marrow, Mousse, Mocha and Mac-Nutts! Delicious wines were once again provided by The Observer. The toasts were:—The Queen, Mr. Westall; the Guests, Mr. Wedge, reply by Capt. the Chevalier Macpherson; Mrs. X, Mr. Postill, reply by M. M.; X, Mr. Michael and Mr. Melluish. All were eloquent, and I am most grateful for all the kind things they said, and also for the magnificent presents, which we shall always treasure. My inadequate reply could be divided, like all Gaul, Into three parts:—thanks, reminiscences and statistics, finishing with a brief recitation from the “Micella” song, to prove that it really existed! One thing I forgot to say, so I’ll say it here—how greatly I appreciate the sporting way in which you never dispute my often doubtful umpire’s decisions; I am well aware how often others might decide differently. If only all our games players and spectators nowadays were like you! My only regret was that with so large a gathering I only had time for conversation with a small proportion and could do little more than shake hands with the rest. A thousand thanks to you all.