XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 183

SAUSAGES

1.  G. H. McConnell (Harpenden): Have they the guts to retain their secrets? Some have been known to split under a grilling (cryptic def.; ref. intestinal casings).

2.  J. W. Bates (Westcliff): You may find us wrapped up in the front bit of Saturday’s Times (us in Sa(turday’s) ages, & lit.).

3.  E. J. Rackham (Totton): Some may stuff these comestibles, but they fill the discriminating with a certain amount of nausea ((n)aus(ea) in sages; ref. to sage stuffing).

H.C.

J. A. Blair (NW9): They’re just seasoning and a scrap of skin—with a bit of austerity filling (aus(terity) in sage, s(kin) & lit.; ref. poor quality of post-war s.).

D. L. L. Clarke (Oxford): It takes us years and years to complete our make up. We’re generally browned off by breakfast time (SA (= it) + us + ages).

T. Dwyer (Leicester): Put us in grease (half the usual quantity) and cook with gas (us in anag. of (gre)ase, gas, & lit.).

D. J. Furley (New Barnet): Rolls make one of their best vehicles—to show Professors round the States! (USA in sages; ref. R. Royce / sausage rolls).

C. E. Gates (Kettering): The Springboks have been shown superior to us over a long period. They’re so compact of guts and brawn (SA us ages; ref. S. rugby tour 1951/2).

S. B. Green (NW10): Wise-guys around the States often crack under a grilling (USA in sages; i.e. members of Mafia).

P. A. Harrow (N12): Bags with dubious contents are turned over when at the Customs (as (rev.) + usages; as = when; ref. poor quality of post-war s.).

P. T. Heath (Weymouth): It will take us a long time to get unrationed meat (SA (= it), us, ages; other meats still rationed in 1952).

A. R. M. Hooper (SW10): What’s inside their cases often concerns us, to say nothing of the South African Customs (SA, usages; ref. poor quality of post-war s.).

G. G. Lawrence (Harrow): They may be cooked to demonstrate the Aga’s uses (anag. & lit.; ref. Aga cookers).

D. P. Leggatt (Exmouth): Agas have their uses for cooking up these (anag. & lit.; ref. Aga cookers).

A. D. Mitchner (St. Albans): It’s a recognised practice in the S.S.—grill ‘em till they split, it won’t save their skins (a usage in SS).

D. Murray (Prestbury): Cambridge is famous for these Union practices ((Union of) SA + usages; ref. C. sausages / C. Union).

A. C. Norfolk (Peterborough): Even if you knock the stuffing out of them, they’ll still show bags of guts! (cryptic def.; ref. intestinal casings).

R. Postill (Jersey): Simply a habit Sunday after Sunday? We’re prepared for scoffers (S + a usage + S).

H. Rainger (SW6): We have little meat now as a result of South America’s grasping treatment (usage in SA’s; ref. meat ration cuts resulting from Argentinian export restrictions / poor quality of post-war s.).

J. F. Smith (Nottingham): South American customs are mysteries: why can’t we have more meat? (SA usages; ref. meat ration cuts resulting from Argentinian export restrictions/poor quality of post-war s.).

P. H. Taylor (Stratford-on-Avon): A guess as to their contents? You’d better omit to! (anag. of a guess as; ref. poor quality of post-war s.).

F. L. Usher (Andover): Turkey’s satellites have no longer any real guts—literally or figuratively (cryptic def., ref. Christmas dinner; ref. poor quality of post-war s., and Turkey’s ‘satellite cities’ restricting refugees after the 1951 UN convention).

A. R. Wheeler (Sudbury): South African customs are full of mystery—but the brown skins are only the result of the heat (SA, usages; ref. poor quality of post-war s.).

I. Young (NW3): Maybe beefy packs, with skinny outsides, are South African traditions (SA, usages; ref. S.A. rugby tour 1951/2).

RUNNERS-UP

E. S. Ainley, C. A. Baker, J. F. B. Bunting, Mrs M. M. Bush, M. de L. Cartledge, Rev B. Chapman, J. G. Chilvers, F. A. Clark, H. F. Dixon, W. M. Easther, W. J. Emerson, Miss R. LeS. Filleul, A. B. Gardner, Mrs R. C. Gilliat, Rev J. G. Graham, Miss B. Griffith, R. J. Hall, C. H. Hudson, R. N. H. Hughman, J. G. Hull, L. R. Huxtable, F. Jackson, Mrs L. Jarman, W. Keir, Very Rev N. M. Kennaby, F. P. N. Lake, J. P. Lloyd, C. J. Lowe, Miss J. S. Lumsden, Miss N. J. Meldrum, Flt Lt W. O. Mitchell, C. J. Morse, Mrs J. Norris, Mrs A. M. Osmond, Rev E. B. Peel, G. H. Podmore, D. W. Reeds, H. Ingram Rees, E. W. Richart, M. H. Rider, H. B. Ridley, A. Robins, S. G. Rose, M. R. Sampford, T. E. Sanders, W. K. M. Slimmings, O. Carlton Smith, E. B. Stevens, J. W. H. Stokes, L. T. Stokes, H. G. Tattersall, J. Thompson, J. Vallely, J. A. Watson, J. B. Widdowson, G. H. Wilkins, M. Woolf, J. S. Young.
 

COMMENTS—319 correct and few mistakes in a very good entry for a puzzle which proved fairly easy. I chose the first two without much hesitation, but I changed my mind half a dozen times about the third and still feel that it was a toss-up among several. Mr Taylor had it at first, but I don’t quite like his syntax: his clue was certainly the best of the large “a guess as” contingent, because he really made use of the obtrusive “to” instead of letting it seem a little awkward, as so many did. Mr Rackham, though his clue is very good, was lucky in that there were so many of a like standard. Nearly all the many popular ideas were represented, but not “Wise guys in America? Just the reverse” etc. I think “in” followed by “just the reverse” for “outside” is rather weak, unless the word is a very difficult one to manipulate.
 
I hope as many of you as can manage it will see the Bookplate Exhibition (7, Albemarle-St.): I was lucky enough to hear the opener’s very witty speech, and had a most enjoyable hour or so looking round. I think an announcement in the paper will soon answer the many queries about bookplates from former prizewinners.