XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 34

STAROSTA

1.  L. Johnson (Llandudno): Lead for Russian Hamlet? Get him from the Tass rota (anag.; T. news agency).

2.  C. Helme (Southsea): The popular favourite, having sown his wild oats, now plays the lead in Hamlet (star + anag.).

3.  W. O. Robertson (Marlow): This nobleman sowed his wild oats under a degenerate Tsar (anag. + anag.).

H.C.

D. L. Carmichael (Glasgow): “Star, O Manx Star.” (Hamlet. Chap. 1—Russian version) (star O sta(r): chap 1 = headman; Manx = tailless).

Miss Comyn (Abingdon): The rats have got into the oast? Well, use your head, man, get a pole and clear them out (anag. of rats, oast; i.e. headman, Pole).

P. M. Coombs (Burgess Hill): The landlord, who normally didn’t lack polish, came back and said “There ’ain’t no alternative to tiles” (’ats or ’ats (all rev.); i.e. Polish).

C. B. Daish (Peterborough): Rats to sex appeal. Give me the red-head (anag. of rats to SA; i.e. head Russian).

F. E. Dixon (Dublin): The Pole holds a life-interest only, so a start could be made by liquidating him (anag.).

J. M. Doulton (Orpington): The Tass rota will show this man at the head (anag.; T. news agency).

C. C. M. Giffin (Gravesend): This “village Hampden” may be found in the Tass rota (anag.; ref. Gray’s Elegy “Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast…”, after John H., Parliamentarian; T. news agency).

F. P. Hussey (Dublin): Can you guess who is head man in the Tass rota? (anag.; T. news agency).

Mrs L. Jarman (Brough): Hamlet’s leading rôle is assigned to him in Russia, and he wants to star as Goofy (anag.).

Miss W. Lawson (Birmingham): I’ve scratched a Russian and found a Tatar! S.O.S.! (anag.).

T. W. Melluish (SE24): “Women in uniform? O nonsense!” returned the Red leader (ATS O rats! (all rev.)).

A. P. O’Leary (Rugby): The leading lad of the village backward in the company of lasses—O nonsense! (ATS O rats! (all rev.)).

P. H. Taylor (Bromley): Muddle headed Tsar, so backward at retiring, finds himself demoted (anag. + so, at (each rev.)).

F. L. Usher (Leeds): Polish noble, though discretely camouflaged, is detected in starting for Aosta (star(ting for A)osta; N.B. spelling—discretely).

COMMENTS:—229 correct—exactly one more than last time, but the entry was smaller with fewer errors, none of them common enough to be worthy of mention. X. had thought that STAROSTA would offer plenty of opportunities, but the general standard was not so high as usual, many clues being rather dull. Mr. Johnson combined in a very good clue the two best ideas among those used; Miss Lawson and Mrs. Jarrnan were the closest up of the honourable “also rans.” A few again tried verse clues, which are apt to be long and seem rather out of place in a ‘plain’ puzzle; but budding poets will get their chance next time!