◀  No. 1054 Clue list 4 May 1969 Slip image No. 1062  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 1058

Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard, Parr (Anagram)

1.  D. H. Smith: Regard Henry our Casanova problem—Wolsey.

2.  C. J. Morse: Very scared group, Hal’s royal women—bar one.

3.  P. G. W. Glare: Ballad program. Chorus: “Ev’ry one wos a ’Enery!” (Music hall song “I’m ’Enery the Eighth, I am”: actual line quoted).

V.H.C.

Rev C. M. Broun: “Produce me a son by love, new gal,” roars Harry.

C. A. Clarke: Henry’s goal—marry, prove we could bear a son.

D. H. Curzon: Swap royal lovers, Henry? Cad! Ban Rome? Rogue!

N. C. Dexter: Henry—royal ram!—once wed us poor brave gals.

G. N. Guinness: Bachelor? O no—Venus rewards rare polygamy ([see comments]).

N. Kemmer: Can he marry several or swop one ugly broad?

Mrs B. Lewis: Paramours? No—’cos noble Harry wed every gal.

Lt Col D. Macfie: New deal no b. use. Gray mare v. cool—Harry’s P.R.O. (ref. Anne of Cleves, the “Flanders Mare”).

Mrs S. Morris: Old vow a bore, says Henry R.: up regal romance!

A. J. Oldknow: Base vulgar Henry scared poor royal women.

L. W. G. Oxley: H.R. vagary, saw our Merle Oberon play second (film “The Private Life of Henry VIII,” with M. O. as Anne Boleyn).

Mrs E. M. Phair: Can Wolsey reprove our bad Hal? Rome’s angry.

Sir W. Slimmings: Error by group? All wed Henry—some Casanova!

B. D. Smith: “Love my spouse?” roared angry Hal: “Barren cow!”

F. H. A. Stables: Lover boy Harry plans a women usage record.

J. T. Stringer: We’d a royal-born spouse—very large monarch.

D. J. Thorpe: Lor! Hal’s run way over R.C. bogey. Par’s one dame.

Mrs H. D. Williams: “A plague on every bedroom cow,” snarls Harry.

C. W. Willink: Carry on, Hal! Remove your sans-bed-power gal!

H.C.

R. H. Adey, F. D. H. Atkinson, Col P. S. Baines, M. J. Balfour, E. A. Beaulah, J. A. Blair, J. G. Booth, R. S. Caffyn, A. N. Clark, J. Coleby, J. Crowther, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, Mrs N. Fisher, L. H. Garrett, Dr R. E. Gillson, D. A. Ginger, G. P. Goddard, S. Goldie, E. Gomersall, A. Harrington, D. L. Hewitt, J. P. H. Hirst, J. G. Hull, H. W. Jenkins, L. W. Jenkinson, G. Johnstone, G. A. Linsley, D. W. Little, Mrs M. Lucas, A. Lund, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, L. May, D. P. M. Michael, W. L. Miron, J. L. Moss, G. M. Neighbour, F. E. Newlove, Mrs P. K. M. Oakeshott, T. D. J. O’Connor, W. F. M. Payne, Mrs N. Perry, R. Postill, E. J. Rackham, F. B. Ramsay, A. Redstone, E. W. Richart, J. Shaw, T. A. J. Spencer, W. Spendley, D. H. Tompsett, B. J. Wain, J. D. Walsh, J. Walton, S. A. Wetherfield, J. B. Widdowson, W. D. Wigley, Mrs S. E. Wilson.
 

COMMENTS: A very big entry of about 650, about 140 incorrect. Comments showed that for many the pennies dropped too easily, for many only after a great struggle —“What a stinker!” “Felt like Theme-name A Monday!”—and for many, alas, not at all. This is natural with this type; inevitably and, I think, desirably there are usually three or four easy variations and one or two elusive ones; in this case “having a rag on” (in two senses) and the “bowline” pun caused most disasters. It is, of course, essential to have unchecked letters in such answers, to make guesswork ineffective. Alternatives may arise, but in these cases none seemed satisfactory. Solvers may dislike not feeling as certain as they usually do that they are right; but this possibility is of the essence of this type, and it makes a change; so does this anagram idea instead of a clue, which produced excellent results, in spite of the absence of an I or a T. I thought the use of “paramours” (except in special cases) not really appropriate; the same thing also applies to “polygamy” (Mr Guinness’s “rare” makes all the difference). References to “no son” seemed sometimes to overlook Edward VI, son of Jane Seymour. I am as grateful to competitors for the entertainment they gave me as many of them said they were for the puzzle. Checking the anagrams was no great task; I only checked about 35 which were on my short list; most of those in the long H.C. list I took on trust, as nothing concrete depends on it.
 
I must inform those who especially enjoy “non-plain” puzzles that the interval before the next one will be longer than usual; for a very special reason, which you can no doubt divine, it will appear on June 29, with a competition instead of the usual one on the first Sunday in July—please note this date. I shall make amends to “non-plain” fans with two slightly shorter intervals than usual to follow this one.
 

 
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