XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 746

INTERMIT (Printer’s Devilry)

1.  J. W. Bates: Th/e seatless plum pants have a tuck in.

2.  Rev J. W. Waddell: Ought to eat his words? That pr/ig ate not a fraction of his sentence!

3.  B. W. Brook: During the cold w/ar, Mac was damaged by Frost (M1).

V.H.C.

T. E. Bell: In spite of the cold w/ar, Mac is showing no sign of cracking yet (M1).

L. Dean: Advice to th/e eata. Planka wooda day (cf. slogan “Drinka pinta milka day”).

N. C. Dexter: God up there? There? Snow? “No idea,” that squa/red theologian says (ref. ‘Honest to God’ by Bishop J. Robinson, pub. 1963).

R. R. Greenfield: Wooden-legged Amazons bathe in antiseptic, for mal/es detest it (formalin).

R. E. Scraton: What makes every w/ig a blether?—most, at over 70, supplying endless hot air! (thermostat).

Mrs E. M. Simmonds: Wise Counsel in w/ig ate ices. Now wind discomforts with gas.

H.C.

F. D. H. Atkinson: My bish. copes, oddly enough, but yours—ha! Squa/res! (copes = wears a cope).

Mrs H. Brooke: The bishop wears a woolly w/reath. O me! O my!

A. R. Chandler: Original s/aké; to me an inherent vice.

P. R. Clemow: For a Rob/eson, the menu might inspire a song.

E. Gomersall: Po/t on, and flowers will be seen on many football grounds (league players R. Pointer, J. Mitton, R. Flowers).

N. L. Gray: Before I aim for a turkey, to us eaten: p/ry for a strike (ten-pin bowling).

E. J. Griew: What might, O urchins! Trap tra/m, Amy! Handley Page, in! My Radio Times! (ref. Col. Chinstrap, character in radio comedy ITMA with Tommy Handley).

T. Hanley: Shortness of breath? I sap o/ral valve, I swear, in gout (mitral).

C. T. Hatten: No Oxford visit this! W/rest John’s broad—all icy! (streets in Oxford).

R. N. Haygarth: I find a lat/e rum in my Chambers; ivresse follows! (iterum; ref. dictionary).

L. Johnson: Archaeologist would be delighted to dis/h R.A. i/c statuary (ref. Roman temple unearthed in London [NB. join is in ‘dish’]).

Mrs Tyrrell Lewis: Bellini was a fine pa/red dog. ’E is one of the favourites (Doge).

H. Lyon: Vacations, I read, I practise idolat/ry and have a good time.

P. H. Morgan: A dreadfully long w/ig—a Ted—only, after several cuts in the Services …!

C. J. Morse: Being modern, Swedis/h R.A.s to put up an office block (ref. Roman temple unearthed in London).

T. E. Sanders: In W/est End to wanton: a thick night (i.e. in bed!).

N. E. Sharp: Did some bra/vado, ugh!, producing racket (ITV).

T. L. Strange: If men can afford novelties at £1 each, 1 cw/t. ensign may be just right for the ladies! (£1 ea., chic winter mittens, 1 gn.).

Miss D. W. Taylor: Alas! Sin opera! Wore now/t—snow—her tiny hand is frozen (ref. ‘La Bohème’).

K. Thomas: “P/ig ate the caretaker!” A dramatic impossibility (Harold Pinter).

RUNNERS-UP (1)

A. W. Aspinall, C. Allen Baker, F. P. Cremins, J. E. Dorrington, Mrs N. Fisher, Lt Cdr M. J. Hickman, A. H. Jones, R. Postill, E. R. Prentice, D. J. Williams

RUNNERS-UP (2)

J. K. Anderson, R. J. Atkin, G. R. Bagley, K. Bird, G. Bolton, J. C. Brash, M. J. Carter, J. Crowther, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, F. E. Dixon, L. A. J. Duthie, A. S. Everest, G. C. Fairweather, T. S. Fox, N. E. Francis, A. B. Gardner, R. P. N. Hargreaves, Mrs E. J. Holmes, K. Hunter, Mrs M. Hunter, J. Hardie Keir, E. A. Layzell, A. D. Legge, D. M. MacKinnon, W. M. MacTaggart, Miss G. M. May, R. R. McKillen, W. T. Meade-King, T. W. Melluish, D. P. M. Michael, J. G. Milner, M. Newman, J. D. P. O’Leary, R. F. Pardoe, S. L. Paton, M. Perrins, D. W. Perry, Maj J. N. Purdon, H. Rainger, Mrs M. Redmond, Mrs J. Robertson, P. R. B. Salvesen, J. M. Sharman, D. J. Short, W. Steinberg, F. B. Stubbs, H. G. Tattersall, J. W. Taylor, D. A. Tingley, J. Ward, A. J. M. Watt, J. G. N. Watts, A. Waugh, R. A. Wells, W. E. White, P. Wilding, S. B. Wills, B. Wilson, I. McC. B. Wilson, A. R. Woodburn, G. A. Wren, H. T. Young.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST FOR 13 COMPETITIONS:— 1. S. B. Green & R. E. Scraton (2 prizes, 7 H. C.s). 3. C. J. Morse (0-10). 4. R. Postill (1-6). 5. F. G. Illingworth & T. L. Strange (1-5). 7. C. Allen Baker & P. R. Clemow (1-4). 9. Mrs. L. Jarman (2-1); R. R. Greenfield, F. P. N. Lake, J. D. H. Mackintosh, Dr. T. J. R. Maguire, Miss D. W. Taylor (1-3); C. O. Butcher, N. C. Dexter, E. J. Griew, J. W. Taylor (0-5).
 
CONSOLATION PRIZES:—C. J. Morse, C. O. Butcher, N. C. Dexter, E. J. Griew, J. W. Taylor.
 
Total different prizewinners to date:—385.
 
Total different prizewinners and/or H. C.s:—1335.
 
COMMENTS:—622 entries, about 80 incorrect—mostly “peer” for “feer.” I see the possibility of “one swipe,” but I regard the sense as much inferior, and I can’t accept this or any of the few other variants. The entry was again of outstanding quality: I have no room to write more.
 
There has been a huge response to the tie proposal, and a scarf seems the most popular idea for ladies. I hope there will have been a further announcement in the paper by the time you get this slip.
 
Please note that the next competition will be on May 26, not June 2, in order to coincide with No. 750.
 
Finally, I have an unhappy task to perform. It is with the greatest regret that I must tell you of the sudden death last week of Mr. S. B. Green. He was, by a small margin, the leader in our over-all Honours List, and, very fitly, he heads the current list too. I doubt if he had missed solving a puzzle or entering for a competition since No. 1, and he won his first first prize for No. 5. I cannot remember him making a mistake in a solution or sending in an unsound clue: often he was very brilliant, always brief and neat. One of his best clues was “A ridge of high pressure” for DRUM: he won the last P.D. competition with “Bull? On the regimental notice-board the chit appears!“ for OSIRIS. He was a most delightful, friendly person, and we shall miss him and his entries very much indeed. In case any solvers of long standing would like to write to Mrs. Green, the address is 129, All Souls Avenue, London, N.W.10.