XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 408

BILLET

1.  R. N. Chignell: I got into a performance of the Bolshoi without a ticket (I in b(a)llet).

2.  R. Postill: Wanted: beak to take Latin and/or elementary woodwork. Accommodation provided (bill + et, 2 defs.).

3.  H. R. Sanders: Note from Britain’s leader: Cross Egypt’s borders! (B + ill + E(gyp)t; ref. Suez crisis).

H.C.

F. D. H. Atkinson: Is there any harm in a flutter? Yes, when it’s for the soldier’s leisure occupation (ill in bet).

C. Allen Baker: British, left to separate Israel and Egypt sides, find occupation the answer (B + l in I(srae)l, E(gyp)t).

A. J. Barnard: This paper says there’s evil in a gamble. Throw it on the fire! (ill in bet, 2 defs.).

E. A. Beaulah: To dispose of a private message put it on the fire! (3 mngs.; private soldier).

C. M. Broun: Satellite (Budapest’s capital) looks towards West—no more use for blasted East. Result:—Occupation—Soldiers dig in there (satellite + B less anag. (all rev.); ref. Soviet invasion of Hungary).

C. E. Gates: U.S. bid goodbye in revulsion after British start to intervene. That’ll add fuel so the flames! (B + i + tell (rev.); ref. Suez crisis).

S. Goldie: Quarter is what you ask for when you’ve had enough—with the extremes of entreatment! (bill + e,t).

F. H. W. Hawes: Guided missile target of wood? It’lI be blown to pieces! (anag.; “Every bullet has its b.”).

C. J. Morse: An old-fashioned design, these cylinders—but still firing! (2 mngs.).

F. E. Newlove: Where to find Tommy with a chit in dishabille to-night! (hidden, & lit.?; chit = billeting order).

G. W. Pugh: An upright bearing may be dangerous under rifle fire (2 mngs.).

S. E. Quincey: House, divided, the Opposition being led by a renegade Liberal (Lib (rev.) + let).

T. E. Sanders: In a go on the pools, perhaps, I may get pounds for just a few lines (I LL in bet).

E. O. Seymour: You’d find such a chit looking in the park for soldiers (2 mngs.).

G. M. Start: U.S. note to Egypt—Cut out the double-cross! It may mean occupation (bill + E(gyp)t; ref. Suez crisis).

Miss D. W. Taylor: Waiting for flame in the wood shed—that’s where to find the landlady’s daughter, the chit! (3 mngs.).

M. Woolf: The situation is—the Britsh, to keep extreme elements of Israel and Egypt apart, take a little latitude (B + l in I(srae)l, E(gyp)t; l = latitude; ref. Suez crisis).

RUNNERS-UP

T. E. Bell, P. R. Best, R. J. Bowen, C. O. Butcher, Mrs Caithness, A. H. Clough, J. H. Dingwall, F. E. Dixon, L. E. Eyres, M. S. Y. Fowler, A. L. Freeman, G. P. Goddard, E. Gomersall, S. B. Green, A. D. Holland, F. G. Illingworth, Mrs M. E. Keddie, C. Koop, P. W. W. Leach, H. Lyon, I. W. Macpherson, T. W. Melluish, D. P. M. Michael, W. L. Miron, P. H. Morgan, L. S. Pearce, Maj J. N. Purdon, A. Robins, H. Rotter, J. G. Sant, W. K. M. Slimmings, E. B. Stevens, H. G. Tattersall, L. E. Thomas, D. H. Tompsett, L. K. Upton, F. L. Usher, J. Ward, Lt Col R. L. White, J. B. Widdowson, C. E. Williams, S. E. Wilson, J. S. Young.
 

COMMENTS—337 entries, 225 correct, A terrible toll was taken by ABASHMENT. I saw the danger for solvers and, as I thought, wrote a clue which “abasement” could not possibly fit: it demanded, inside “ament,” a word which “bray” could define. “Bash” does this, both meaning “to hit with crushing force”: I cannot see how “base” can possibly do so. If I have overlooked some way in which it can, I am sorry; but there it is. The rather elusive HANDBELL added to the number of incorrect solutions, but fully five-sixths of them were due to ABASHMENT.
 
There were many ingenious topical clues, some of them, I thought, over-ingenious: the third prize-winner is one of the simplest. Personally I would rather have the crossword help one to forget the state of the world than emphasise it, but the word set did—quite unintentionally, for it was set long before—rather ask for it, and the opportunity was seized with many pairs of hands. Some failed to be really effective by letting “British and French” do duty for “British and and French,” the second “and” being hard to do without.
 
A solver asks me to enlarge on last time’s hints by telling him whether this clue to POLENTA is sound: “There’s one point in the game, and what a mess. The Italian takes a spoon.” (N. in anag. of PELOTA). No, I don’t like it at all! This is an example of the kind of indirect anag, which is not very helpful to solvers and sets them the task of solving an anagram from a rather vague definition before they even have the full clue before them: the solution of such an anagram should give them the answer, not the clue. There are many games with six letters. Nor is the definition of POLENTA sound, unless one adds the words “to it” or “for it,” which one cannot fairly be expected to do. The same solver asks the exact idea of “notes optional”: they are invited if the solver wants so make sure that I shall understand his clue, not necessarily for publication if the clue is successful. In such a case I usually abbreviate, alter or omit them, as circumstances suggest. It is wise to send notes if the clue is at all difficult, for I have many to read.
 
To solvers of No. 407 I apologise for being such a bad tipster! The idea only occurred to me when reading the proof, RETRIAL being in the diagram by sheer coincidence, and I thought it might be fun: but two other clues should have warned you. 4 down read:—“Deluding backers isn’t straight and may get you caught out,” and 29 down added:—“Don’t be rash and spend bawbees.” So I refuse to take any responsibility (especially after losing half-a-crown myself!).