XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 1080

ANDROMEDA

1.  W. G. Arnott: A man rode with devil’s head to rock for me (anag. incl. d, & lit., Perseus, Pegasus, Medusa).

2.  N. C. Dexter: A constellation seen in the north or a dame deserted on the rocks (anag., d. = deserted, & lit.).

3.  P. D. Gaffey: One dame in distress about what was beginning to swim up (ord in an + anag., & lit.).

V.H.C.

P. R. Clemow: Tails of toad and viper clutched by dame on a blasted heath (d,r in anag.).

L. L. Dixon: A damned or blasted heath (anag.).

S. C. Gilchrist: Was attached to rock, twist and “mod” era (anag.).

R. B. Harling: Dread woman (headless) deranged her executioner’s wife (anag. less w).

R. A. Harvey: Starry Princess, by Cepheus out of an odd mare (anag.; C., father of A.).

A. D. Legge: Damned oar shattered, she was held fast on the rocks (anag.).

A. F. Lerrigo: She ranks among the stars and shows what can be done with drama (anag.).

Mrs B. Lewis: She was on the rocks once; a wildly modern commercial turned up—now she’s among the stars (a + anag. + ad (rev.), 2 defs.).

J. D. H. Mackintosh: Variation on a modern ad: that Milky Way enthusiasts should recognise (anag.).

D. P. M. Michael: She starred in drama done at sea (anag. & lit.).

C. G. Millin: “Duke’s Head,” after modern changes, is included by A.A. It has more than five stars (anag. + D all in AA).

P. H. Morgan: A demonstration got up to support the Right and its leader—Heath (and + R + a demo (rev.)).

C. J. Morse: Put us under Heath and we’d be done with drama on reshuffling (anag.; us = shrubs).

M. L. Perkins: Heath, dread man when in fury about Nabarro’s conclusion (anag. incl. o; Ted H., Gerald N.).

R. Postill: Maiden set free leaving a foul monster dead (a plus anag. less anag., & lit.).

K. C. Slater: Fresh dame follows man in combinations—she’s heavenly (andro- (prefix) + anag.).

H.C.

R. Abrey, Dr G. B. Arrowsmith, Col P. S. Baines, J. C. Brash, A. L. & Mrs W. L. Brown, C. O. Butcher, R. S. Caffyn, D. L. L. Clarke, P. M. Coombs, R. M. S. Cork, Mrs M. P. Craine, A. E. Crow, J. Crowther, P. H. Dacre, J. H. Dingwall, A. G. Fleming, B. Franco, J. Fryde, F. D. Gardiner, J. Gill, S. Goldie, P. C. R. Hampshire, Mrs S. Hewitt, J. A. Holden, R. H. F. Isham, H. W. Jenkins, E. G. Jones, N. Kemmer, J. R. Kirby, L. F. Leason, J. P. Lester, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, Mrs E. McFee, J. B. O’Kane, S. L. Paton, A. H. Rodgers, D. F. Sampson, J. R. Stocks, T. L. Strange, F. B. Stubbs, Rev L. M. Styler, J. B. Sweeting, Maj T. C. Thornton, G. R. Webb, J. Webster, Rev C. D. Westbrook, B. C. Wilcox.
 

COMMENTS:—Nearly 500 entries, hardly any mistakes. There were some very good clues, but the general standard was, I thought, rather below average, with more unsound clues than there have been for some time. So I’m devoting most of my space to examples of these with a view to being helpful, including, of course, only clues by those who sent for this slip; many senders of unsound ones didn’t send for it, so I can’t help them.
 
One of the commonest causes of unsoundness was what I call “a clue to a clue,” e.g. “assemblage of distinguished persons” as a definition. Andromeda is a constellation, but she is not an ass. of d.p. A worse one was “Mao-red and nebulous: she certainly was: he, as certainly, is not.” “He” is supposed to mean Heath; but the name Heath is nowhere mentioned—so how can “he” refer to it? Another:—“Found by us after riotous spree…” This is a clue to Perseus, who is himself only part of a clue. Here is another example, combined with failure to indicate an anagram:—“Edward’s family Armageddon, losing gravity.” Andromeda is not Edward’s family; “…embraced by the shadow P.M., it appears” is similar. Then there is our old enemy the indirect anagram; the worst example was “There’s honour in a hero who’s all at sea for an old girl in distress.” One might get the answer in the end from the definition alone, but the rest is supposed to be helpful, and it surely isn’t. One has to think of Dan Dare, whose anagram is to include O.M:; how many thousands of other possible heroes are there? This indication is useless; the components of an anagram should be actually given. Here are a few miscellaneous examples of unsoundness:—“heathen” is not a definition; “first night’s” cannot indicate N; “I’m in a bundle of twigs” for RO-ME-D is inaccurate: “me” is not “I”, and “me”, in any case, is, not am, in rod. (The same, of course, applies to “I”, when the letter is meant.) Finally “now” does not indicate “no W” (the omission of W). We must say what we mean.
 
I’m very glad to read from so many competitors that the new type now in use is popular; I agree that it is much clearer, especially where small print is used, as in the notes.