XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 1145

GENIPAP

1.  R. A. Mostyn: Is one of the madder types, to drive back containing strong drink (nipa in peg (rev.)).

2.  E. R. Riddle: Drive back full of drink—what could be madder? (nipa in peg (rev.)).

3.  E. M. Hornby: It has its roots low down and I dug (gen I pap).

V.H.C.

C. Allen Baker: A tree that’s preposterous in a small space (pine (rev.) in gap, & lit.).

J. M. Brown: Tropical fruit to bring back and pass round (pine (rev.) in gap, & lit.).

C. O. Butcher: Before being discarded orange-pip might make excellent fruit tree (anag. less or³).

J. Crowther: Tree (or fruit) that’s found to westward required in space provided here (pine (rev.) in gap, & lit.).

N. C. Dexter: When one’s plucked ’tis terribly appetising (anag. less ’tis, & lit.).

Mrs N. Fisher: Return a tree in the space provided (pine (rev.) in gap, & lit.).

R. R. Greenfield: Given the know-how, you can produce this from a pip (gen + anag., & lit.).

R. B. Harling: ’Tis exotically appetising, ’tis plucked (anag. less ’tis, & lit.).

E. G. Jones: One to be found in Epping? Only if transplanted (a in anag., & lit.).

Miss J. S. Lumsden: Information I feed to the young bears fruit (gen I pap).

D. P. M. Michael: With confidence I pulp fruit for W.I. jam-making (gen I pap; W.I. = West Indies).

C. J. Morse: Mother’s half-baked, Dad’s not all there—and my cousin’s madder (geni(trix) + pap(a)).

M. Newman: With know-how, what a pip could produce (gen + anag., & lit.).

W. Rodgers: Queer pain in leg come back, makes one kind of madder (anag. in peg (rev.)).

D. J. Short: Fruit’s back in trees, after pruning—very nice fruit, too (pine (rev.) in gap(ó)).

D. H. Tompsett: What savage nip a poodle reveals—Lana’s that cut up (hidden; v. lana).

R. Walden: W.I. produce information on one kind of baby-food (gen I pap; W.I. = West Indies).

H.C.

W. G. Arnott, J. M. Bennett, Mrs K. Bissett, Mrs A. Boyes, Rev C. M. Broun, E. J. Burge, A. H. P. Cardew, P. M. Coombs, R. M. S. Cork, A. J. Crow, H. A. C. Darwen, R. V. Dearden, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, J. H. Dingwall, G. H. Du Boulay, J. A. Fincken, A. G. Fleming, A. L. Freeman, J. Gill, N. C. Goddard, S. Goldie, E. Gomersall, R. N. Haygarth, Mrs S. Hewitt, C. H. Hudson, A. L. Jeffery, L. W. Jenkinson, G. Johnstone, N. Kemmer, J. R. Kirby, A. Lawrie, J. H. C. Leach, Mrs B. Lewis, J. C. Leyland, Mrs S. M. Macpherson, D. F. Manley, B. Manvell, H. S. Mason, L. May, Mrs E. McFee, Mrs E. M. Pardo, R. Postill, E. J. Rackham, E. W. Richart, T. E. Sanders, N. E. Sharp, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, M. C. Souster, J. Sparrow, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, Rev L. M. Styler, M. J. Suckling, A. F. Toms, A. R. Trowell, J. M. Turner, J. F. N. Wedge, Rev C. D. Westbrook.
 

COMMENTS:—Over 550 entries, about 40 incorrect, mostly giving LAISSER-ALLER, which disregards the words “O almost” in the clue, indicating “zer(o).” There was plenty of variety in the clues and many pretty good ones, but none anything like as outstanding as the last two winners; my choice was difficult. I preferred the winner to the second because my interpretation of Chambers makes genipap actually a madder, not “could be”; but I allowed some latitude in this matter. Another point which worried me was “Do fruit trees grow in forests?” The Epping anagram was used by many; I have included the version I liked best in the V.H.Cs. and some others in the H.Cs.
 
I will again give a few examples of weaknesses: “A tree must be put back to fill this space.” The weakness is the word “this,” which should indicate that a space is the answer. There were several indirect anagrams of wild cherry, gean: the actual word “gean” should be given to make the clue fair. “Afore” cannot possibly indicate substitution of A for E. As I have so often said, “I’m” will not do for “I is,” when “I” is the letter, nor does “we are lacking” mean “us is lacking.” “I = ay (yes)” is even worse. Finally “growing upwards” cannot indicate reversal in an across word.
 
Those who found the type used for the clues in the new format rather small will appreciate the fact that it is larger in future. Please note that after much negotiation on the subject of this format, the version which will, I hope, become permanent, with a rather smaller diagram, will not appear till Feb. 7th. I feel pretty sure that this will please nearly everyone. I still greatly regret the effect of the change on those abroad, though a few entries from foreign lands did arrive in time. I think the best hope is to get a friend at home to send a copy of the page by air-mail.