XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 12

ACERBATE

1.  G. W. Shepherd (Pontefract): When a cat hops it hops to what’s left (after brewing) (anag. of a cat, beer [see comments]; hops acerbate beer).

2.  E. F. Watling (Sheffield): (clue missing).

3.  D. Hawson (Malton): (clue missing).

H.C.

F. Aylmer: (clue missing).

F. W. Bakewell: (clue missing).

F. A. Clarke: (clue missing).

J. M. Doulton: (clue missing).

R. C. Fawdry: (clue missing).

C. Helme: (clue missing).

G. A. Hornsby: (clue missing).

Lt Layton: (clue missing).

Lt Col Macdonald: (clue missing).

D. I. Randell: (clue missing).

D. Seville: (clue missing).

J. F. Smith: (clue missing).

Miss Tatham: (clue missing).

Miss Telfer: (clue missing).

B. K. Watts: (clue missing).

COMMENTS:—Anag. clues, which are not especially preferred, again predominated in the entry. The winning clue, though involved, is clever and satisfying. esp. the use of the word ‘brewing’ for turning the letters ‘erbe’ to ‘beer.’ The 3rd prize clue was preferred to several others like it because it contains a sounder pointer to the transitive vb. ‘acerbate.’ D. I. Randell would have won a prize but for the strain on the meaning of ‘spare.’ ‘Careworn and dead beat’ was good, but there is no clue to the meaning. A great week for Yorkshire! [see prizewinners]
 
[The top part of the Slip containing the clues is missing.]