XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 277

PRODIGALLY

1.  M. Winterbottom: Taking care of the pence, gaily dissipated about the pounds—spendthrifts will go on like that! (pro d + L in anag., & lit.).

2.  V. F. Dixon: Prematurely endowed youngster flung about the entire fortune like this (all in prodigy, & lit.; ref. Luke 15).

3.  Cdr H. H. L. Dickson: The modern state behaves like this child who knows too much about everything (all in prodigy; ref. the Welfare State).

H.C.

F. D. H. Atkinson: If without a friend, stick among the swine like the younger brother (i.e. prodig(ally) = rod in pig; Luke 15).

C. Allen Baker: So much money goes for grub, there isn’t a penny to play with (pro dig (d)ally; pause after “goes” [see comments]).

P. Brown: With lavish hand thrust into pay-roll recklessly (dig in anag.).

E. Gomersall: How the Liberal Party carries on has everyone in wonder! (all in prodigy; party = person).

S. B. Green: In a way too much for your means—or for mine, chum! (pro dig ally, & lit.).

C. R. Haigh: Gay old rip gadding about the West End of London like a profligate (L(ondon) in anag).

A. F. Lerrigo: I’d give up everything to be a genius, without thought of the cost (i.e. prodigally less all = prodigy).

D. P. M. Michael: Small wonder, including everything, old girl, pay is squandered so! (all in prodigy, anag., & lit.).

P. M. Newey: Dally riotously, or with pig’s nuts; one who lived thus did both (anag. of dally or pig, & lit.; Luke 15.).

R. Postill: As one elder son might have said: “You’ve spent your portion so … stick among the swine, brother!” (rod in pig + ally; Luke 15).

E. J. Rackham: One way to dispose of a pay-roll and make a hole in it (dig in anag., & lit.).

F. N. Shimmin: How lavishly the kid with a high I.Q. gets everything thrown in! (all in prodigy).

J. C. W. Springbett: You will need an expert to mine choice marble, if you wish to build lavishly (pro dig ally²).

J. A. L. Sturrock: The way the boy had lived before returning—the arrangement of a lordly pig surprises! (anag.; pig = feast; Luke 15).

J. Thompson: The bright young thing is embracing everybody in a wanton manner (all in prodigy).

D. H. Tompsett: Like a play-boy and play-girl do, extravagantly (anag.).

H. S. Tribe: How to lay out the wherewithal to build a lordly pig (anag.; pig = feast).

RUNNERS-UP

G. C. Ager, E. S. Ainley (Harrow), Dr S. H. Atkins, J. W. Bates, P. L. Baynton, C. M. Broun, A. Campbell, F. J. Clark, D. L. L. Clarke, J. Cordery, F. J. Daniels, Miss B. J. Dix, Mrs D. M. D’Eath, Mrs W. Fearon, J. B. Filburn, Mrs N. Fisher, Mrs D. Fuller, C. E. Gates, S. Goldie, Rev J. G. Graham, Rev A. D. Hodgson, D. G. Honey, F. G. Illingworth, Mrs L. Jarman, L. Johnson, J. Hardie Keir, C. Koop, J. D. Lockett, H. Lyon, A. W. Maddocks, F. W. Martin, E. L. Mellersh, W. L. Miron, C. J. Morse, F. E. Newlove, D. A. Nicholls, D. B. Norwood, Maj J. N. Purdon, Mrs J. Robertson, T. E. Sanders, L. J. Scars, Mrs E. Shackleton, Mrs F. H. Shepherd, W. K. M. Slimmings, O. Carlton Smith, E. Sunderland, J. B. Sykes, Miss D. W. Taylor, G. F. W. Turner, F. L. Usher, J. F. N. Wedge, M. H. Wetherfield, E. J. Williams, M. Woolf, J. S. Young.
 

COMMENTS—352 entries, 324 correct: in an accurate entry “loose-necked” accounted for most of the incorrect solutions: this hardly means “bent,” even if one accepts “natural = loose.” I have little to say this time: the clues sent reached a good average standard. Mr. Baker’s very ingenious clue missed a prize, because I cannot quite swallow the final “with”: “dally” = “play” but both need “with” equally. I don’t think “dally” = “play with ” is quite a fair equation. A brilliant clue with a fatal flaw may be quoted from the runners-up:—“Way of behaving that made a kinsman subsequently haggle about return fare” (pr-od-ig-ally & lit.). Alas, it involves using “subsequently” as a preposition = “after”: this is really rather dreadful but it’s very nice otherwise.
 
A solver has suggested that I should ask solvers who have been competing fairly regularly for some time to state which winning clue they remember with the greatest pleasure: their votes might roughly decide a sort of unofficial “championship.” If enough of you like to do this, preferably on a separate piece of paper with your entries for No. 279, I will work out the result and publish it in the next slip.