XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 773

FIT-OUT

1.  R. E. Kimmons (Kettering): If going uphill watch the gear you’re in (if (rev.) + tout¹).

2.  Mrs E. M. Simmonds (Cookham Dean): Some paraphernalia to put into stuck-up Mac’s gin and tonic! (to in if (rev.) + ut¹ ; see gin⁷; tonic = first note of a scale).

3.  J. W. Bates (Westcliff-on-Sea): It should be efficient if you have climbing to do (if (rev.), to, ut¹).

V.H.C.

T. Anderson (Folkestone): Pack up this in a kit-bag. That’s a song not too near the mark (fit³ + out; ref. song ‘Pack Up your Troubles …’).

Col P. S. Baines (Rochester): Feminine attraction leading to love at first note! Effects of Spring? (f. + it + 0 + ut¹; personal effects).

Capt A. S. Birt (Twickenham): Fred’s beginning to ’ave a go at the bowling. That’s what you might expect off Moss’s cutters (F + (h)it out; ref. F. Trueman, Alan M., Middx. and England bowler, and M. Bros., gent’s outfitters).

A. N. Clark (Havant): Fancy! In the open, in public, and without any clothes! (fit² + 3 mngs. of out; out = not within; defn. = any clothes).

P. M. Coombs (Burgess Hill): Right! Dismiss and get equipment! (fit¹ + out (imper.)).

J. Crowther (Cambridge): What a rig! Fifi half strips—then shows her all! (Fi(fi) + tout (Fr.)).

L. Dean (SW1): Reversible gear—you can use top to bottom or bottom to top (i.e. fit-out or outfit).

N. C. Dexter (Corby): For member of the Lords, it’s coronet, ermine, etc. (Home no longer qualified for upper chamber) (i.e. fit¹ above out (home no longer); ref. Douglas-H.’s renunciation of peerage on appointment as PM).

F. E. Dixon (Dublin): Song of the open air … in the old kit-bag (fit³ + out; ref. song ‘Pack Up your Troubles …’).

J. A. Fincken (N11): Traps that will make a polecat chew (i.e. fitchew with fit out = chew; traps = personal belongings).

J. Flood (Wembley): Plant just in bloom. Perennial stock? (fit¹ (vb.) + out).

Mrs J. O. Fuller (Southsea): Bottom’s complete with suitable head equipment (i.e. fit¹ above out; ref M.N.D.).

C. R. Gamble (Bradford): Going-away things (fit¹ (adj.) + out & lit.).

W. F. Goodman (Ruislip): Dress suit on loan (fit¹ (vb.) + out).

R. R. Greenfield (Ickenham—my favourite Lord): All you need for a voyage is access to the sea (fit out; access = fit of illness or passion).

E. M. Hornby (SW3): For complete dress put on a spangle, do (fit + O (= spangle, obs.) + ut¹).

T. P. Kelly (W14): An ensemble that’s becoming démodé? (fit¹ (adj.) + out & lit.).

C. Koop (Ferring): Livery? Well then dash into the open! (fit, hyphen, out).

A. Lawrie (Cheltenham): The baggage must have little fidelity to be soliciting! (fi(delity) + tout).

V. McKnight: (clue not given, see Slip no. 777).

D. P. M. Michael (Newport, Mon): Cri de honte devant tout ensemble (fi! (= fie!, Fr.) + tout; honte (Fr.) = shame).

P. H. Morgan (Torquay): Double-blooming plant (fit¹ (adj.) + out; i.e. both mean blooming).

D. A. Nicholls (Chester): Home unsuitable? No! No! The order’s changed but it’s much the same set! (i.e. out (not home) fit (not unsuitable) in reverse order; ref. Douglas-H.’s appointment as PM).

W. H. Pegram (Enfield): Ready? Go! Or gang! (fit¹ (adj.) + out!; gang¹, n.).

K. Perry (Oldham): What nude hasn’t right shape when completely exposed! (fit¹ (adj.) + out).

J. R. Scarr (Wembley): Foreign car with a defective blooming gear (Fi(a)t out).

Miss M. Smith (Newcastle): If held up then tout suite’s the word (if (rev.) + tout).

T. L. Strange (Colwyn Bay): Get-up—and get out of it—do! (anag. + ut¹).

F. B. Stubbs (Crook): Engagement announced—could mean trousseau, or tails and topper (fit (n.) out).

Dr W. G. A. Swan (Newcastle): The Establishment is in crisis away from Home (fit² (obs.) + out; ref. Douglas-H.’s renunciation of peerage on appointment as PM).

J. W. Taylor: (clue not given, see Slip no. 777).

C. F. Tippett (Cardiff): SPASMEX for your complete equipment (i.e. fit (= spasm) + out (= ex)).

H.C.

Miss V. K. Abrahams, R. B. Adcock, F. D. W. Atkinson (W legible for first time), C. Allen Baker, A. J. Barnard, Lt Col W. E. Batt, C. R. Baxter, T. E. Bell, C. I. Bullock, C. O. Butcher, R. F. S. Chignell, D. L. L. Clarke, J. F. Coldwell, I. Cousins, Mrs M. P. Craine, J. McI. Cruickshank, G. H. Dickson, Mrs D. M. D’Eath, W. Eite, L. E. Eyres, J. Fielding, Mrs N. Fisher, Dr P. A. French, P. D. Gaffey, E. Gomersall, G. G. Hall, F. H. W. Hawes, M. J. Hickman, H. M. Ingram, L. Johnson, A. H. Jones, G. D. King, A. F. Lerrigo, Dr & Mrs J. P. Lester, H. Lyon, J. D. H. Mackintosh, L. R. Mansell, Mrs E. McFee, W. L. Miron, K. Neale, A. E. North, Miss M. J. Patrick, Mrs N. Perry, R. Postill, C. Quin, E. J. Rackham, Rev E. G. Riley, A. N. Robinson, H. Rutley, P. Salvesen, Mrs I. G. Smith, Miss B. Smoker, T. A. Stout, J. Sutton, J. B. Sweeting, D. H. Tompsett, Miss W. Tyler, S. E. Woods, M. Woolf, Anon (? Miss Lumsden).
 

COMMENTS:—Suffering as I am from writer’s cramp and telephonist’s elbow, I can write few.
 
Owing to circumstances over which I have no control, I have received no entries which reached Tudor Street after Saturday’s first post. I have spent a good deal of this morning trying to locate them. As far as I can make out, they probably bide safe in a ditch between Tudor Street and some post office whose name we may never know. If they ever reach me, I will make the appropriate awards.
 
I’m tired of saying that the entry (about 350) was the best ever, so I’ll merely call your attention to the fact that H.C.s have become V.H.C.s and R.U.s have become H.C.s. For the championship from now on points will be 3 for a prize, 2 for a V.H.C., 1 for an H.C.
 
More clues failed through trying to get too much in than for any other reason. I considered about a dozen clues well up to prize standard. The winner has never had even an H.C. before, so he is a fitting successor to Mr. Allen Baker. I like all sorts to make our world.
 
Everyone seems pleased with ties and scarves: they have sold about 200 ties and about 50 scarves. I recommend the scarves to men: they make excellent, though bulky, show-off handkerchiefs.
 
The most interesting note I received has nothing to do with this puzzle but explains the derivation of Pennycomequick. It is Cornish—Pen-y-cwm-kwik—and means “Head of the valley creek.”
 
No time, or strength, for more, except to mention that I’ve added no notes to the clues above, for reasons of time and space. Let me know if any pennies don’t drop, and I’ll explain in the next slip.
 
[Archive note: Owing to the onerous task of extra record keeping, the new points system, in fact, never materialised. It remained at 2 for a prize and one for a VHC]