XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 202

SPALPEEN

1.  Mrs L. Jarman: Naughty type of Limerick (cryptic def.).

2.  D. J. Furley: Mike gone wrong—circuit’s out of order: quiet—must he a short even now (anag. of lap’s + p + e’en).

3.  P. M. Coombs: What a mischievous party! I need a nap! (Sleep to make up) (anag.).

H.C.

E. C. Bingham: Seen swallowing a mouth organ! Would he be after uttering false notes? (palp in seen).

A. J. Bisset: Rogue who gives you a nasty slap with the business end of a hammer (anag. + peen).

J. A. Blair: The black sheep defiles the pen with a lapse (anag.).

Dr A. J. Entwistle: Some monkey’s left untidy peel spread about! (anag. in span).

J. A. Fincken: Blighter of apples split half open (anag. + (op)en).

A. R. M. Hooper: Seen about friend Patrick denying a fraud? He’s no broth of a boy! (pal + P(a trick), all in seen; see ‘broth of a boy’ in C).

L. W. Jenkinson: Rip finds a disturbed nap sleep enough (anag.).

C. Koop: Wanted—Cork limb. Would exchange for apples—New England variety (anag. incl. NE; limb = imp).

E. W. Padgett: Undesirable character from Limerick “There once was a hoary old tory” (cryptic def.; orig. mng. of tory).

E. R. Prentice: This rascal gets a friend to start the puzzles in Sunday Observers! (pal + p, all in S een).

E. J. Rackham: Limerick version of a mischievous fellow of Birmingham? (cryptic def.; ref. George A. B.’s, Irish stories).

A. Robins: The Knave of Spuds! (cryptic def.).

T. E. Sanders: No proper sleep and a disturbed nap mean I am good for nothing (anag.).

Rev H. M. Springbett: Was the Irish broth bad or was it the baked apples en surprise? Both! (anag.; see ‘broth of a boy’ in C).

L. E. Thomas: One has a bit of spurt with a good mount—even in the Irish Sweep! (sp(urt) alp e’en; sweep (sl.) = blackguard).

A. J. Young: Stewed apples and a pinch of cayenne are the ingredients for this unsavoury Irish pickle! (anag. incl. (cayen)ne).

RUNNERS-UP

E. S. Ainley, C. Allen Baker, T. E. Bell, M. H. Benoliel, E. J. Brook, Maj V. E. Brooke, B. G. H. Clegg, D. L. Clements, G. N. Coulter, T. Dwyer, Mrs N. Fisher, C. K. Foster, A. L. Freeman, C. P. Grant, R. J. Hall, T. O. Hughes, F. Jackson, D. S. Johnson, L. Johnson, G. G. Lawrance, C. J. Lowe, R. S. Meldrum, D. P. M. Michael, C. J. Morse, F. E. Newlove, M. Newman, Miss G. M. Preece, H. B. Ridley, Mrs J. Robertson, N. Roles, E. T. Smith, H. G. Tattersall, E. W. Tulloch, F. L. Usher, M. Woolf, H. T. Young.
 

COMMENTS—279 correct and a fair number of mistakes, most of them distributed fairly evenly between failures to get NISI or DANS, antiphons for ANTI-PHONY and scoop, (which only very loosely fits the clue) for SCOOT. There was much difference of opinion about the difficulty of the puzzle. The clues sent in were on the whole very good. I wanted to give at least seven prizes, Messrs. Bingham, Padgett, Rackham and Robins being eventually the unlucky ones. The most popular idea—Father in a dreadful temper—is a barely justifiable indirect anag.: the solver would, I think, be entitled to expect the letters of temper itself to be mixed. “The cup that cheers” for tea in an indirect anag. is a very different matter: there the definition is exclusive. There were some far worse violations of this principle, e.g. “This rascal makes tempers go haywire” (neals, pep). This is quite preposterous and the “help” given by the anag. is negligible, I must add, as a warning, yet another example of the clue-to-a-clue—“You only need to work hastily and carelessly.” This is a rather dull clue to scamp: it is not a clue to spalpeen at all. Finally I know you will all agree with me in not regarding “Ximenes in Ireland” as a sound clue!
 
My wife and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all concerned once again for a most delightful time and most generous presents on the 12th. We enjoyed it all as much as the first Ximenes Dinner, and we can’t say fairer than that. Several of those who couldn’t be there have asked for details. I think I have just room to record the names of the speakers and the most ingenious—and appetising—menu, or rather “Ximenu.” Brigadier Duncan proposed Her Majesty; Mr. S. B. Green proposed the Guests, Mrs. Mathers—who charmingly brought back pleasant memories of Torquemada—Mr. Ivor Brown and Mr. Antony Chambers—of a certain firm we all know—responded; the Rev. B. Chapman spoke far too generously in introducing the presentation of a superb musical tankard to X., and Mrs. Simmonds gracefully introduced and presented a beautiful bouquet to Mrs. X.; Mrs. Shackleton, representing the able committee which was led so efficiently by Mr. Woolf, did the same for Mrs. Mathers. Commander Dickson, the inspiring genius of the first Dinner, was Toastmaster. The “Ximenu” was:—Consommé Anagrammatique (with letters in it!), Poisson Inquisition, Poulet Playfair, Pommes Plain, Runner-up Beans with H.C. sauce, Sundae Observer and Ccafé. We drank delicious wine given by the Observer and authentic Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Mr. Woolf again!). It was delightful to meet old friends and to make new ones—an unforgettable evening.