XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 430

GAMIN (Printer’s Devilry)

1.  Mrs G. Colley: I’m too bi/otic—ants, lice—a bit “off,” I’m afraid.

2.  W. G. Roberts: I-Magin/ot? The line’s give me away.

3.  C. Allen Baker: Baring a bit o’ fle/x may give one a shock.

H.C.

M. Bowles: “Ho/ot!” mused the owl, starting on its nineteenth mouse.

C. M. Broun: “In the machinery of government I’m just a co/ot.”—The Prime Minister.

Mrs N. Dean: Will the lady wear in/kstands till the photographer is ready?

Lady Harington: To dry-clean in/k, wrap £5 note over stained parts till left insolvent (still left in solvent).

T. Ingham: When you are thin, kin/d readers, hare’s your secret desire.

V. Jennings: Instead of striking, dispatch box to ban/isters’ head. Might be more effective (House of Commons).

L. Johnson: I, Fido—routine work? I’m just a co/ot!

F. McNeill: If you’ve got an a/ce cook, sit self without, (being spoilt).

P. H. Morgan: What’s ’ashed o/x if it’s young? (she-dog).

A. P. O’Leary: I scorch, cut in, poach the complete road, ho/ot!

Miss M. J. Patrick: Have your pick and shovel handy when you di/e.

R. Postill: In the new “Field”—“The greatest number of the month? Ele/gy Five,” says McC., “the best in swing.” Experts will disapprove (MCC, inswing; ref. 1957 change to laws of cricket).

Mr & Mrs A. Rivlin: For man-trap, pin/k gin is effective. Soon have him skinned!

E. O. Seymour: When buyin/g Vaseline, colour and texture should be considered.

L. H. Stewart: Many M.P.s like tea. Sin/ister ’abit!

T. Strange: Is M.P.s’ fondness for tea sin/ister? Really quite proper!

J. Thompson: Di/e if you must, Daddy, but don’t go down!

D. H. Tompsett: O me/us! Bottom in Classics again!

R. Vaughan: “To be/ or not to be” (Hamlet). Wasn’t the reason the Commons adjourned to Drury Lane quite the reverse? (Parliament once adjourned to see Master Betty at D.L.).

A. M. Woodward: I regretfully had to mark his verses: O me/us dolor infandus! (unutterable pain (L.)).

J. S. Young: Rabbits multiply in/ U.S.! Must be G.I. venal? Ike signs positive warning! (arithmetic; rabbit = beginner).

RUNNERS-UP

A. Aaron, T. W. Agar, G. C. Ager, J. K. Anderson, D. A. Andrews, D. Ashcroft, A. W. Aspinall, E. A. Beaulah, H. Bernard, J. Brock, C. O. Butcher, G. Chambers, R. N. Chignell, D. L. L. Clarke, A. J. Cohen, F. L. Constable, J. Cordery, A. E. Crow, Miss H. E. Dales, W. Darby, Miss M. Davenport, H. H. Elliott, L. E. Eyres, W. G. B. Filburn, J. A. Fincken, J. H. Gawler, E. J. Griew, J. E. Hobson, F. Hudd, F. G. Illingworth, Mrs L. Jarman, W. Johnson, A. E. Knight, A. F. Lerrigo, N. A. Longmore, R. K. Lumsdon, H. Lyon, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, A. D. Mattock, Mrs E. McFee, Dr B. N. McQuade, D. P. M. Michael, C. J. Morse, Miss H. M. Mortimer, B. C. StJ. Murphy, D. A. Nicholls, Lt Cdr A. R. Nolan, J. D. P. O’Leary, P. G. Raison, G. H. Ravenor, Mrs D. A. Reid, A. Robins, N. Roles, J. M. Sharman, C. M. Sherrell, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, W. K. M. Slimmings, B. D. Smith, M. L. Southern, R. A. Soward, L. T. Stokes, J. W. Taylor, P. H. Taylor, H. S. Tribe, K. G. Walker, Maj J. D. Watson, J. F. N. Wedge, W. D. Wigley, Cdr D. P. Willan, Mrs M. Wishart, R. G. Wythe, Anon. (Uddington, Glasgow).
 

COMMENTS:—659 entries, 622 correct. The popularity of P.D. is increasing, and this huge entry, which took a lot of sorting out, leaves me little time for comments. I must repeat my preference for a break in the middle of a word: there is no rule about it, but its preference can be deduced from my own practice. I stretched a point among the H.C.s in favour of two outstandingly ingenious clues which violate this: one of them, Mr. Vaughan’s would also be very difficult to solve, but I couldn’t leave it out altogether.
 
The entry was an extremely good one: but many still miss the point by going all out for natural sense its the clue at the expense of the undevilled version: this leads to insolubility. Examples are:—“My lord, I swear I n/ever stoIe” (wearing a minever stole), “Ol/d men don’t let you down” (Olga, mind …), “I cannot dig—to be/g I am ashamed” (to be gaming …)—quite insoluble, I should say. And there were many of this type using the “Ming” motif.
 
Many thanks for appreciative comments.