XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 26

HAWSER (Misprints)

1.  T. W. Melluish (SE24): ’Twixt tower and moat (boat; cryptic def., i.e. tow-er).

2.  G. N. Stewart (Glasgow): Many stranded; not the slightest hope (rope; cryptic def.).

3.  S. B. Green (NW10): Printer’s large type (painter’s; cryptic def.; painter¹).

H.C.

M. A. Anderson (Dollar): This rope’s end is warming (warping; cryptic def.).

T. A. Bottomley (Newport): Handy for cowing of a shrew (towing; anag.).

Rev G. J. Boucher (Eastry): Links the shop with the bank (ship; cryptic def.).

Col Campbell (Lochgilphead): Some clue! What a hope! (rope; cryptic def.; clue² = knot).

A. D. Connell (Glasgow): Ripe with berries before the end of summer (rope; haws (summ)er).

L. E. Eyres (York): Victory was once secured by this warning cable (warping; cryptic def.; HMS Victory).

A. J. Garratt (SE18): Wire to Betty as soon as the ship docks (jetty; cryptic def.).

L. Johnson (Llandudno): Was her anagram made of twisted words? Yes (cords; anag.).

Miss T. Lawrence (Abbotsbury): The Rape of the Lock (rope; cryptic def.).

J. J. Murphy (Bath): A shrew, though reformed, might still carp (warp; anag.).

E. H. Pyle (Welwyn): A great pope saw her converted (rope; anag.).

C. M. Ralli (Penmaenmawr): The taming of a shrew. A wife that must not snap (wire; anag.).

J. F. Smith (Nottingham): If you take Shaw seriously, there’s hope for you (rope; hidden).

C. W. Springbett (SE21): A dope to make you fast (rope; cryptic def.).

J. R. Stephen (Rogerstone): A large rope is another way of taming a shrew (taking; anag.).

Capt C. Tyers, RN (Elstead): You’d expect to find a shrew where carping’s going on (warping; anag.).

J. W. Warden (W3): Adjustable washer used in fastening bolts (boats; anag.).

G. E. P. Wood (Carlisle): Rape of the lock (rope; cryptic def.).

COMMENTS:—405 correct solutions (an odd coincidence with No. 25). Not unnaturally many erred: TENSER (hidden) caused most trouble. “tinder” being popular. Agreed that it is a lighter, but why is it used in a “rotten service” (Nor is “bedot” given by Chambers). CITE, OMASAL, and WAPACUT accounted for most of the other errors. A few wrote clues to the wrong word—POTASH in most cases; but unless there is a misprint there (“life” for “lime”), no Clue exists to the meaning of the word, and our regular practice demands one.
 
In making awards, X. ruled out the very abstruse, as being unsuited to an already complicated puzzle. He also regarded as scarcely fair misprints in an anagram, e.g. A small cable evokes a distorted answer: “ahswer” is a horrid looking word! He badly wanted to divide the first two prizes between the senders of The Rape of the Lock, a delightfully neat idea; but he reluctantly came to the conclusion that hawsers, though possibly used in canal locks, are scarcely essential enough to be readily suggested by the word “lock.”
 
There were many good clues submitted and many skilful solvers of a difficult puzzle to end the year; X. offers congratulations and good wishes.