XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 200

ACCOUNT

1.  S. B. Green (NW10): A Chancellor takes care of what’s untaxed at source in this! (a C c/o unt(axed), & lit.).

2.  Dr D. S. M. Imrie (Edinburgh): What has “The Millionairess” got to make Shaw’s title carry weight? (AC + count; play by G. B. Shaw; Aircraftsman T. E. Shaw (Lawrence of Arabia)).

3.  D. B. J. Ambler (Singapore): The chapters on love in an old, old woman’s story (cc + 0 in aunt).

H.C.

J. A. Blair (NW9): Entries may be posted to me to judge (2 mngs.).

J. Buist (Dollar): To make this variety of sake, you must ferment the entire cocoa-nut—omit nothing (anag. less 0; sake^1,2).

B. G. H. Clegg (Liverpool): Bill’s car number (AC + count; ref. AC cars Ltd.).

F. L. Constable (Ludlow): The bill of a drunken toucan enlarged by a hundred! (anag. incl. C).

E. B. Cottam (Guildford): After commencement of action Colonial Office get Ground-nut Union to make report of expenses (ac(tion) + CO + anag.).

F. E. Dixon (Baily, Co. Dublin): Sake drawn from cocoanut, distilled and deoxidised, for regular customers only (anag. minus O (oxygen), 2 defs.; sake^1,2).

Mrs N. Fisher (Stroud): Here’s a tale, chaps! Nothing in it, but gossip’s going around (cc (chaps. = chapters) + 0 in aunt).

R. J. Hall (Redbourn): You’ll make a score from a rigged coco-nut shy of nought only (anag. less 0).

L. W. Jenkinson (Stoke): When this shows red you must put the brake on! (cryptic def.; banking / motoring).

C. Koop (Ferring): Bill, missing nothing, shows how to shift the cocoa-nut! (anag. less 0).

C. J. Morse (Norwich): Judge that criminals should be brought to for a balanced summing-up (3 mngs.).

W. B. O’Hanlon (Wembley): This product is made from shredded cocoanut, nothing else: serve uncooked and save trouble (anag. less 0 (else = except); cooking the books).

E. J. Rackham (Totton): Tobacco untaxed would certainly enlarge it! (hidden & lit.).

A. Redstone (Eastbourne): A popular current number that is often rendered (2 mngs.; current a/c).

W. K. M. Slimmings (New Malden): What’s in it? Just what the Dr. ordered! (cryptic def.; Dr. = drawer).

Mrs A. L. Stevenson (Kilmacolm): Reckon this is flatly unwelcome on the breakfast table—it should never be cooked! (3 mngs.; bills unwelcome at breakfast; cooking the books).

J. Vallely (Glasgow): Here’s news for you! A Tory measure: tobacco untaxed, except for outsiders! (a C count, hidden).

G. H. Willett (Havant): The wild toucan is nearly all bill! (anag. needing c).

RUNNERS-UP

C. Allen Baker, J. W. Bates, M. H. Benoliel, E. C. Bingham, E. J. Brook, J. G. Chilvers, R. M. S. Cork, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, L. E. Eyres, Mrs E. M. Fearon, D. J. Furley, A. B. Gardner, R. R. Greenfield, C. R. Haigh, C. Higham, Mrs L. Jarman, Mrs J. H. C. Lawlor, G. G. Lawrance, A. F. Lerrigo, N. Levy, C. J. Lowe, H. Lyon, G. H. McConnell, E. L. Mellersh, T. W. Melluish, D. P. M. Michael, W. L. Miron, G. H. Podmore, E. R. Prentice, L. J. Sears, Mrs F. Shepherd, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, F. B. Stubbs, Mrs C. Taylor, H. S. Tribe, Capt C. Tyers, E. Wainwright, H. J. D. Wallace, H. Walsham, J. Ward, R. Wells, M. Woolf, A. J. Young, J. T. Young.
 

COMMENTS—285 correct and not very many mistakes. The theme, which was sure to be discovered fairly quickly, seemed likely to make the puzzle absurdly easy: I sought to redress the balance by setting nothing but “straight” clues for the acrosses. This seems to have achieved its purpose with the majority of solvers: not many said that the puzzle was too easy, and there were some who found it very difficult. This finally convinces me that a puzzle with “straight” clues throughout would be next door to insoluble, granted, of course, that the clues were cryptic enough to give them any interest. Some solvers, I’m afraid, were worried by the double appearance of Casca, being put off it by an impression that this “wasn’t allowed.” I don’t think I’ve ever done it before, but I see no reason why it should be absolutely barred. As a matter of fact I wasted a lot of time trying to dodge it before finally admitting defeat! I should be very interested if any solver were now to try his hand at emendation: see if you can get rid of one of them without too great an upheaval: I couldn’t. There is “casco,” a boat, but the “o” proved refractory in both places, I found. Incidentally old solvers of my illustrious predecessor will remember that he frequently allowed words to appear twice in the same puzzle and only gave us one clue for both of them: so I can’t be accused of being lazy!
 
I was quite overwhelmed by the volume of congratulations and far too generous comments, for which I hasten to offer very genuine gratitude. Several people asked if No. 300 would feature words with three Cs, and I have been supplied with quite an extensive vocabulary of these. But somehow I think not! I even had a few suggestions for No. 400: very definitely not! The twos were quite bad enough, but I enjoyed fiddling with them and I’m glad to find that the result was entertaining. Again many thanks for your messages.