XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 48

ADONIS (Knock-knock)

1.  W. E. Green (Ulverston): —— or boo: Ah just throws tomatoes (I don’t hiss).

2.  Mrs R. Rivers (W1): —— ’ickle pink toes look sweet, the duck! (Ah, don’t his).

3.  Miss J. Sharp (Walmer): —— when me teeth ’old in tight (I don’t hiss).

H.C.

D. Annan (Ruislip): ——ee where ’ee be goin’ tü? (ah, don’t I see).

E. P. Barrett (Blackrock): ——self ter blime (had only his self).

S. Belt (Hereford): —— what I deserve to be for this clue! (a donee’s).

Miss A. M. Corney (Liverpool): ——, not bein’ a snake (I don’t hiss).

T. Crippin (Edinburgh): —— risk only (at owner’s).

K. Dobson (Nottingham): ——sue nothin’ wi’out a permit (I don’t issue).

R. Dubock (Walthamstow): ——self ter blame, pore feller (had only his self).

E. H. Evans (Newport): —— word fer it, wuss luck! (had only his).

A. H. Gomme (Aylesbury): ——ackly know. A zeed nowt (I don’t exactly… I see’d).

S. B. Green (NW10): ——pecially wanner set the world on fi-yer! (I don’t especially; song).

M. G. Hipkins (Birmingham): ——even rowin’? Then betcha Cambridge ’ad ten! (had only seven).

W. S. Holdsworth (Halifax): ——itate when I shay “troory looral” do I, constable? (I don’t hesitate).

T. P. Hughes (Liverpool): —— so much after ’aving ma teeth knocked oot (I don’t hiss).

H. A. Joslin (Dovercourt): ——pam, as usual (had only spam).

C. Koop (Ferring): —— one of the nuts (a dough ’un is).

Mrs Lawlor (Derrylin): —— risk (at owner’s).

W. O. Robertson (Marlow): ——Cape Wrath, when ma missus finds out (I don’t escape).

Miss T. Robinson (St. Leonard’s): ——sue no tickets till ah sees yo’ money (I don’t issue).

Sir M. P. Roseveare (Bromley): ——elf to blame (had only his self).

C. P. Scott-Malden (SE21): —— risk (at owner’s).

Mrs E. M. Simmonds (Cookham Dean): —— ’utch ’d be worth two bucks to ’im (a doe in his).

Comments: 490 correct in a record entry. There were numerous incorrect solutions and, understandably, many variants where the names contained unchecked letters: two of these, Joss and Arleen, have sufficient authority and were accepted as permissible alternatives. After due consideration all others were rejected: Lachimo, for instance, seems to admit of no other spelling than Shakespeare’s (Cymbeline). The misprint already apologised for—I’d for 1’d. at 38—fortunately occurred in the clue to a fully checked word, so no variants were admitted there. The awarding of prizes for “K.-k.” clues is so much a matter of personal taste that luck is bound to enter in more than usual: ——pect the vanquished will all be satisfied! Still, so many sent in “——pect a prize” or words to that effect, that perhaps they, at least will! Here are the names of a few who came near to getting mentions—G. W. Bain, Mrs Barr, Sgt M. Fooks, Dr Armstrong Gibbs, J. H. Grummitt, G. A. Hornsby, Mrs Hurst, O. R. Jones, Sir P. Laird, B. C. Lewis, Miss Mortimer, G. Neville, F. H. Oliver, H. J. Phillips, R. C. Reeves, W. Rennie, J. C. Smith, J. R. Whitelegg, Miss Wilson, G. C. Wiltshire—and all the pessimists mentioned above, if there hadn’t been so many of them! It was good to find that the puzzle gave so much pleasure, especially to old solvers of Torquemada: X. again thanks all those who sent appreciative comments.