XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 325

MARRYING

1.  T. E. Sanders: What’s the mater doing? She’s done that once, we hope! (cryptic def.; mate vb.).

2.  R. Postill: After this the Senorita loses her sex-appeal! (i.e. Señorita less it = Señora).

3.  Maj P. S. Baines: Conjugation involves the right endings in grammar—very trying! ((gram)mar (ve)ry (try)ing).

H.C.

G. F. Bamford: Trains are often held up at this junction before breakfast (cryptic def.; wedding breakfast).

H. Bernard: Once indeed, gin rummy included making pairs (marry + anag.; see rum²).

C. M. Broun: Unite once and for ever in it—the inclusion of short bishop’s address perfects it! (RR in ay in ming, & lit.).

C. P. Dearnley: Joining up? Ring Army exchange (anag.).

Cdr H. H. L. Dickson: There’s more to it than putting the ring on a girl; it needs a change of heart (i.e. y,r swapped in Mary ring, & lit.).

Mrs D. M. D’Eath: The army has half shares with the ring in a contract to increase holdings in arms (anag. of army ring).

W. J. Emerson: Automatically putting the lines in order, so that no longer shall we hear that the subscribers are engaged (cryptic def.).

J. A. Maxtone Graham: To the backward, sheepish male it’s the finish of Bunburying! (ram (rev.) + (Bunbu)rying, & lit.; ref. Imp. of Being Earnest; see Bunbury in C.).

L. R. Huxtable: Winning hand involves conventional response to call of two hearts (cryptic def.).

E. G. Illingworth: Match in which a Queen gets her foot entangled in a hoop (i.e. y of Mary inside ring).

C. B. Joyner: The making of a long partnership—take May in with Graveney just starting (anag. of r. May in Gr(aveney); ref. Peter M. and Tom G., England cricketers).

A. F. Lerrigo: King’s favourite pursuit seems to ’ave got ’im in a rare old mix (’Arry in ming; ref. Henry VIII).

A. Robins: Prospect for promising bachelor, having rashly (extremely!) invested in a ring (MA + r(ashl)y in ring, & lit.).

W. K. M. Slimmings: What put the Cockney into the clutches of such an old china? (’Arry in Ming, & lit.).

H. G. Tattersall: Reciprocal piston ring embodying rotary terminal coupling that should last a lifetime (ram (rev.) + y in ring).

H. S. Tribe: Doubled rooks, in games dominated by the queen, look like ensuring a mate (R,R in maying; see May in C.).

L. K. Upton: In transferring a number under a thousand, subtract one hundred, putting a circle round one of the digits (M + (C)arrying; wedding ring).

F. L. Usher: The metal used in this form of linking is circular in shape: the triangular type is liable to fracture (cryptic def.; love triangle).

J. S. Young: Indulging in a lottery—without the Yard once interfering! (y in marring).

RUNNERS-UP

D. Ambler, Dr S. H. Atkins, C. Allen Baker, J. W. Bates, M. H. Benoliel, Mrs G. Bonsall, J. A. C. Brown, P. Brown, C. O. Butcher, Rev B. Chapman, P. M. Coombs, J. Cordery, R. M. S. Cork, I. Cousins, V. F. Dixon, W. J. Duffin, Mrs V. E. Duncan, Mrs & Miss Elding, L. E. Eyres, J. A. Fincken, A. S. G. Fish, Mrs N. Fisher, E. Gomersall, J. H. Goodyear, R. M. Grace, Mrs K. Graham, P. Graystone, S. B. Green, J. O. Hall, Rev A. D. Hodgson, J. G. Hull, Mrs L. Jarman, G. G. Lawrance, J. D. Lockett, Rev P. W. Low, C. R. Malcolm, D. P. M. Michael, W. L. Miron, J. J. Moore, P. H. Morgan, C. J. Morse, F. E. Newlove, S. L. Paton, H. R. Perkins, G. W. Pugh, E. J. Rackham, A. R. Read, W. Rennie, J. Saunders, J. C. W. Springbett, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, F. B. Stubbs, J. A. L. Sturrock, Miss D. W. Taylor, J. D. Thomas, I. Torbe, A. Walsh, J. F. N. Wedge, Dr & Mrs R. N. P. Wilson, E. Woodburn, P. Young.
 

HONOURS LIST (last 13 competitions):—1. C. J. Morse (1 prize, 9 H.C.s). 2. R. Postill (3. 3). 3. E. S. Ainley (2, 4), C. Allen Baker (0, 8). 5. Mrs. E. M. Simmonds (2, 3), W. K. M. Slimmings (0. 7). 7. J. S. Young (2, 2), D. A. Nicholls (0, 6). 9. F. E. Newlove, Miss D. W. Taylor (2, 1), J. W. Bates (1, 3), S. B. Green, A. Robins (0, 5). 14. Mrs. N. Fisher (2, 0), Maj. P. S. Baines, Mrs. L. Jarman, T. E. Sanders. F. B. Stubbs, J. F. N. Wedge (1, 2), M. Woolf (0, 4). Consolation Prizes:—C. Allen Baker, W. K. M. Slimmings, D. A. Nicholls.
 
COMMENTS—399 entries, 337 correct. Words most often missed were Jumblies, caudices, untether and mail. I could not accept “maik,” although it means a halfpenny: “letters” in the clue calls for something more appropriate than merely the letters of the word—the answer “maik” renders it (I hope!) too feeble a clue. A few competitors (to my regret, I must admit!) asked whether the clue to ember shows that the puzzle was originally meant to appear in January. I would respectfully point out that I do read my proofs and that if this had been so I should (I hope) have altered it! “Last month” can surely define December at any time!
 
The clues sent in were of an excellent standard. The “cockney and china” idea was by far the most popular. I have given the best worded one an H.C.: if I had given more, I should have had to give something like a dozen more, which would have made the list excessive or excluded other equally worthy clues.
 
Many thanks for all the kind enquiries. I am definitely better, thanks to a diet, and I trust there will be no more alarums and excursions. I fear there will not be pencilled notes from me on slips in future, as the Observer office are kindly taking off me the job of sending them out. Any urgent enquiries or difficulties I will try to settle by postcards or, if they are common to several enquirers, I will refer to them in the slips themselves. I’m very glad so many of you enjoyed “Carte Blanche”: it shall be repeated in due course, as many requested. Congratulations to prize-winners, and to the leaders in the “Honours List” above. Consolation Prizes will in future be annual—i.e., for 13 competitions as before.