XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 155

LYTERIAN

1.  P. M. Coombs (Burgess Hill): Ending disease is an awful trial with Nye interfering (anag. of trial Nye; ref. Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, Min. of Health).

2.  H. B. Ridley (Leigh-on-Sea): The epileptic lay inert, indicating that the attack was over (anag.).

3.  Mrs L. Jarman (Brough): An arty line in new patterns, ending the reign of distemper! (anag.; d. = illness, paint).

H.C.

Rev B. Chapman (W1): It nearly makes me sick stopping here! (anag.).

Cdr H. H. L. Dickson (Fareham): Curing cancer? Bevan trial may so result (anag. of Nye trial; ref. Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, Min. of Health).

D. Godden (Bristol): Is it a bent nail in the back tyre that ends the trouble? No, exactly the opposite (i.e. anag. of tyre in nail (rev.)).

S. B. Green (NW10): I’m settling the complaint, and it nearly ruins me! (anag.).

G. G. Lawrance (Harrow): Putting Nye on trial might result in stopping the rot, according to the doctors (anag. of Nye trial; ref. Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, Min. of Health).

A. F. Lerrigo (Pinner): If you need this treatment, give Nye a trial—quite free! (anag. of Nye trial; ref. Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, Min. of Health).

E. L. Mellersh (Enfield): When the thermometer falls gradually in this manner, is it broken? It nearly is (anag.).

C. J. Morse (Norwich): Healing is a word that makes the hymn-writer almost gay (Lyte rian(t); ref. Henry L., writer of ‘Abide with me’).

Mrs D. M. C. Prichard (SW3): Tyler revolt ends in a massacre, putting an end to disorder (anag. of Tyler in a; ref. Peasants’ Revolt).

A. Robins (Manchester): I’m just finishing an illness—a year’s agony through careless application of lint (anag. of year lint).

W. K. M. Slimmings (New MaIden): Making better tea in small railway buffets—postponing use of urns! (anag. of tea in Rly; buffets, vb.; i.e. urns for ashes).

J. Thomas (Bangor): Description of end of N.H.S.; Nye, on trial, is greatly upset (anag. of Nye trial; ref. Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, Min. of Health).

COMMENTS—147 correct and many errors, chiefly bad shots at HYDARNES and “nine” for NONE. The entry was reduced, no doubt, by the sticky N.E. corner, with two unfamiliar proper names close together; but something tougher than the last two puzzles was about due. It is clear that Il Penseroso and the story of the battle of Thermopylae are both less read than they used—dare I say ought?—to be, and the subsidiary clues plus word-probability—“Abragsife”? “Hydalnes”?—didn’t always prove efficient substitutes. As for “nine,” NONE was surely indicated by “negligible,” even if “Ten Little Nigger Boys” were forgotten or if their penny didn’t drop.
 
The clue-word was also tougher, but you must be prepared to take the tough with the tender these days! It means “indicating the end of a disease” (O.E.D.) or “terminating a disease” (? healing) (Chambers’s): I rather doubt the healing sense, but of course I accepted it as possible. In either case a clue to it must be interpretable as leading to an adjective, and a large number of those submitted were not: this point—what part of speech is wanted?—is very important. Others unjustifiably assumed, apparently, that the word can mean “getting better” (from the patient’s point of view). Hence the field wasn’t very strong and the resulting lists are short.
 
I have a few criticisms to offer:—P. M. C.—A clear winner. H. B. R.—I should eliminate “was” by saying “… the end of the attack,” but this is a small flaw. L. J.—Plural “patterns” a little suspect: again a small point. B. C.—“Sick stopping” a little clumsy in def. sense. H. H. L. D.—Indirect anag. a little hard. G. G. L.—Indic. of anag. “on … might result in”—only just passes. E. L. M.—Thermometer falling in lyterian manner is a little strained: justified by neat result. D. M. C. P.—Indic. of anag. not ideal. A. R.—Rather improbable picture, perhaps. W. K. M. S.—Order of words for def. a little strained. J. T.—“on” cf. G. G. L. All attractive in other respects than those mentioned. Other H.C.s sound, but less “penny-dropping” value than in clues of prizewinners. S. B. G. would be my fourth choice.
 
And now what of X.? Only two people questioned my clue to SEASON, and they were quite right! Not worth an “R.-U.” in my view: the “in” at the end is utterly unsound! Its origin—but not excuse—was an ill-considered alteration on the proof at the last moment: I didn’t properly picture the word, being under a muddle-headed impression that SON was inside SEA! Sorry!
 
Finally, many thanks for 20able greetings, which I heartily reciprocate.
 
RUNNERS-UP—C. A. Baker, E. P. Barrett, Mrs Caithness, J. A. Carr-Archer, F. A. Clark, D. L. L. Clarke, F. L. Constable, T. Dwyer, C. B. Joyner, Capt G. Langham, R. C. Macfarlane, F. E. Newlove, Mrs A. M. Osmond, R. Postill, E. R. Prentice, E. J. Rackham, W. Rennie, N. Roles, O. Carlton Smith, L. D. Wakely.