XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 247

VAMPIRE

1.  F. L. Usher: Stoker’s nightmare: having to improvise a fire—and nothing to start it with! (vamp (f)ire; ref. Bram S., Dracula).

2.  H. S. Tribe: Oh no, he wouldn’t stay late—but sang in execrable French while people slept (cryptic def.; undead; but sang (Fr.) = drank blood).

3.  E. R. Prentice: One who returns to Graves after a surfeit of Claret? (cryptic def.; claret = blood).

H.C.

E. S. Ainley: Without hot blood of some sort, I just have to make do (vamp + ire, & lit.).

T. Bilsborough: Abusive description of Chancellor is initial sign of Opposition anger about current measure (amp in v. ire).

J. A. Blair: See a reverse of “Requiescat in Pace” in me (v. a + RIP (rev.) in me, & lit.).

T. Dwyer: I get restless at nights and go out for a drink, but I always sponge on others! (cryptic def.).

J. A. Fincken: For something really bloodthirsty, read “The Siren and I” by Sapper (vamp I RE).

A. B. Gardner: An attacking bat, always restless in a grave situation and very liable to get out overnight (cryptic def.; cricket).

Maj A. H. Giles: A restless spirit often resorts to night-life and drinking when in the vein for it (cryptic def.).

S. Goldie: I’m a fast finisher when I’m in the vein, but personally I’m dead against the current rage for speed records (v. amp ire; ref. de Havilland V. jet, air speed record holder).

E. Gomersall: Stoker’s work provides one with an absorbing career! (cryptic def.; ref. Bram S., Dracula).

R. R. Greenfield: This plaguy bat needs repair with new leather and wax (vamp ire; cricket; carrier of rabies).

W. H. Joint: In the pram I’ve the makings a nightly terror (anag.).

J. P. Lloyd: Give me prime Virginia mixture, and I’ll suck my clay all night! (anag. incl. VA; clay = human body, tobacco pipe).

T. E. Sanders: Here see a potentially prime cause of anaemia (v. a + anag., & lit.).

C. Shaw: The sort of sucker to give a fur coat to one who will nobly promise a bit of encouragement (MP in vair + e).

G. H. Willett: I’ve sanguine hopes of a sleeper, having to travel with a pet (vamp ire).

RUNNERS-UP

F. D. H. Atkinson, Lt Col P. S. Baines, J. W. Bates, M. Bowles, C. M. Brown, J. Coleby, E. J. Collman, W. J. Duffin, M. B. Fisher, C. E. Gates, W. E. Green, P. A. Hall, F. H. W. Hawes, S. Holgate, W. I. N. Kessel, C. Koop, H. Lyon, T. W. Melluish, D. Morgan, P. H. Morgan, C. J. Morse, A. Rivlin, C. Rosebourne, L. J. Sears, Mrs E. Shackleton, O. Carlton Smith, F. Thomas, J. Thomas, A. E. Thompson, J. Thompson, W. H. Victory, B. J. Wain, G. H. Wilkins, M. Woolf, A. J. Young, I. Young.
 

COMMENTS—No time for any—just back from a holiday in Rye to deal with the entry rather late. I haven’t even had time to check the solutions apart from those in the running for mentions, at a guess I would put the total correct at about 280.