XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 1054

PINACOTHECA

1.  R. Postill: This might be an apt choice for those interested in abstractions (anag. & lit.).

2.  A. Reed: Constable studied here? Yes. Could be a cop teach-in (anag.).

3.  C. O. Butcher: To a nice chap, sophisticated, I might allow visits to see etchings (anag.; s. = adulterated).

V.H.C.

T. Anderson: You may find a place for exhibiting cartoons if each caption is funny (anag.).

C. Allen Baker: Where a Constable may arrest one breaking quietly into a cache (anag. incl. p).

J. W. Bates: Constables may be wanted here; there’s a cop wandering about in case (in in anag. + theca).

E. A. Beaulah: Tate, for example: with an unorthodox action he trapped over a hundred in each year (anag. + he + C, all in p.a.; ref. Maurice T., bowler).

A. E. Crow: Stormy oceanic path where every inch of canvas needs to be made secure (anag.; ref. art thefts).

J. Crowther: Somewhere to show pictures is exciting to chap with a ciné (anag.).

N. C. Dexter: Cheap? Pretty unusual in a canvas hanging therein (in a cot in anag., & lit.; cot = hanging canvas bed).

Mrs N. Fisher: I’d spell out each caption excitedly, in the old Picture House (anag.).

Mrs S. Hewitt: Here silent picture fans are catered for, each caption translated (anag.).

F. G. Illingworth: Tate, for instance, a nice chap to hit for six (anag.; ref. Maurice T., bowler).

R. E. Kimmons: Stirring action, cheap show here, for picture enthusiasts (anag.).

J. R. Kirby: Public hanging place—a nice chap freely admits to getting upset here (to (rev.) in anag.).

L. F. Leason: Where one may obtain a representation of action cheap, after haggling? (anag. & lit.; haggle = mangle).

Mrs B. Lewis: Ice-patch on a set makes place unsuitable for pavement-artist’s work (anag.; set = arranged, paving-stone).

Mrs E. McFee: Catch an Opie needing reframing? You might, here (anag. & lit.; ref. John O., painter).

D. P. M. Michael: It should artfully exhibit an apt choice (anag. & lit.).

E. J. Rackham: What can be displayed in this? Turner might make an apt choice (anag. & lit.).

Sir W. Slimmings: Painter lacking finish needs coach to make it (anag. less r, & lit.).

D. J. Thorpe: If badly set out it could give you an optic ache (anag. & lit.).

G. R. Webb: Turner’s work here could be an apt choice (anag. & lit.).

H.C.

R. H. Adey, Col P. S. Baines, P. F. Bauchop, T. E. Bell, S. C. Benton, M. Boyse, P. J. Bussey, P. M. Byrne, A. A. Calland, E. Chalkley, Mrs M. P. Craine, A. J. Crow, E. Davies, M. S. Derham, F. D. Gardiner, P. T. Heath, G. M. Hornby, J. G. Hull, J. G. Hurst, P. Hurst, E. G. Illingworth, H. W. Jenkins, K. R. Jenkins, A. H. Jones, Sir S. Kaye, A. Lawrie, J. H. C. Leach, P. W. W. Leach, A. D. Legge, J. L. Mackie, A. A. Malcolm, Mrs M. B. Marshall, R. H. Maynard, G. D. Meddings, J. P. Mernagh, C. G. Millin, C. J. Morse, R. A. Mostyn, P. Murray, A. M’Intyre, T. N. Nesbitt, M. Newman, F. R. Palmer, Miss M. J. Patrick, W. G. Roberts, Mrs E. Robson, G. J. S. Ross, L. G. D. Sanders, C. A. Sears, H. J. Sellers, A. H. Seville, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, W. Spendley, L. T. Stokes, F. B. Stubbs, J. G. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, J. Treleaven, P. J. Wagstaffe, M. H. E. Watson, J. F. N. Wedge, Rev C. D. Westbrook, A. R. Wheatley, G. H. Willett, C. E. Williams.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST FOR 13 COMPETITIONS:—1. Mrs. B. Lewis & D. P. M. Michael (2 prizes, 6 V.H.C.s) & R. Postill (4-2); 4. C. O. Butcher (3-l) & Sir W. Slimmings (2-3); 6. J. W. Bates (0-6); 7. C. Allen Baker, N. C. Dexter, Mrs. E. McFee (1-3), F. B. Stubbs (2-l) & J. Crowther, F. G. Illingworth, C. J. Morse (0-5); 14. A. Lawrie, J. H. C. Leach, A. F. Lerrigo (l-2) & R. H. Adey, Sir S. Kaye, R. E. Kimmons, L. F. Leason (0-4).
 
Consolation Prizes:—J. W. Bates (6 V.H.C.s), J. Crowther, F. G. Illingworth, C. J. Morse (5).
 
Total different prizewinners to date:—438.
 
Total different prizewinners and/or V.H.C.s:—1556.
 
COMMENTS:—Getting on for 500 entries, very few mistakes. Several people were puzzled by the clue to THALER: I meant “a £ in the r (middle of a purse).” Far from exciting but, I think, reasonable. An excellent entry is reflected in the long lists above.
 
In view of the expected big increase in the proportion of people sending for a slip, I must find room for help for some selected unsuccessful competitors (mostly newcomers); many of the defects criticised appeared also in other clues. First one that honestly isn’t a clue at all:—“Harry was in a state from a scene to the gods, on the Embankment.” The last 4 letters of “state” and also “gods” are underlined, these being supposed to suggest “Tate Gallery”. But the definition part of a clue must be a definition, without redundant words (“from a scene to”?), and it must be a complete definition, not a supposed indication of two separate parts, “Tate” and “gallery”. This one would be quite useless to a solver. Others may be treated more shortly:—“Bomb at head of bed, great (but not grave) number of victims” (pina=pineapple=bomb, cot, heca-tomb): “pina” is not a “bomb” (this is a “clue to a clue”—not justifiable), and there is no definition at all (always essential). “Depraved hunger satisfied with hydrogen octane”: again no definition, “satisfied with” hardly indicates “containing”, and the anagram part is completely unindicated—not justifiable. “Verbally describe vividly an underground passage. Empty paint cache?”: separate indications of parts of definition, picture and gallery—not justifiable: anagram, as above, not indicated. “Where judges accept Hanoi revisionism and hang their masters”: “revisionism”, a noun, does not syntactically indicate an anagram—this weakness is very common—and also “Where judges” is left high and dry meaning nothing, as far as the anagram is concerned. “Mixed up murderer, decomposed a hundred times …”: these are indirect anagrams of “Cain” and “hecto-”, probably useless to a solver: such indirect anagrams should be avoided. “… with a backward point” (“ace” reversed): “backward” is only applicable to “across” words—“down” words reversed go “up”, not “back”—this too is common. I might add that clues should make sense: several didn’t, e.g. “Where to find a work of art composed of a tropical fruit, a small bed and a male accountant?”: this really is too improbable, even for the “avantest-garde” art! No room for more; I hope these criticisms will help.
 
Finally congratulations to the triple-tied champions, and especially to Mrs. Lewis on being the first lady champion ever.