XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 780

NOBLEST (and Eximenamination)

Eximenamination

1.  D. A. Nicholls: (Exim: 20 marks out of 25).

2.  G. Bradbrook: (Exim: 19 (clue preferred)).

3.  P. M. Coombs: (Exim: 19).

V.H.C. (extra prizes)

Anon: (Exim: 15).

R. T. Baxter: (Exim: 18).

P. J. Dyer: (Exim: 18).

A. Fairhead: (Exim: 17).

I. C. Gilchrist: (Exim: 17).

J. Gill: (Exim: 16).

S. Goldie: (Exim: 16).

Mrs B. Lewis: (Exim: 14 (clue preferred)).

J. R. Macgeorge: (Exim: 17).

D. P. M. Michael: (Exim: 14 (clue preferred)).

F. E. Newlove: (Exim: 15).

T. L. Strange: (Exim: 15).

H.C.

Dr G. B. Arrowsmith: (Exim: 14).

E. J. Burge: (Exim: 14).

P. H. Freeman: (Exim: 13).

T. E. S. Jobson: (Exim: 14).

Mrs E. McFee: (Exim: 14).

F. Moss: (Exim: 13).

C. E. Williams: (Exim: 14).

Mrs M. Wishart: (Exim: a special mention for the only competitor to score 6 Out of 8 for Question 1).

M. Woolf: (Exim: 13).

NOBLEST

1.  R. A. Wells: Gold discs, Beatles’ fourth, from Top Rank (nobles t; record label).

2.  P. M. Raffan: Most impressive drama flourished in the sixteenth century (no⁴ blest; bless²).

3.  D. B. Wedmore: Given the least latitude Ten Bos can be most impressive in the loose (anag. incl. l; Scottish rugby player).

H.C. (extra prizes)

A. R. Chandler: Best … Better?—just in case (nob² lest).

D. Fairburn: Home’s inclined a little left of centre. Is that what becoming peerless makes you? (obl. (= oblique) in nest).

Mrs N. Fisher: Although extremely High, it now makes Dissenter happy (no blest; High Church).

C. Koop: Fancy Noel with a little British Summer Time! How topping—when fine (anag. incl. BST).

Dr T. J. R. Maguire: Top ten? Not born on Lime Street, I’m out! (no b L(I’m)e St; ward in City of London).

Mrs N. Perry: Scotland’s number five joins Ten Bos in a scrummage of the highest order (anag.; Scottish rugby player).

R. Postill: Head is in Paris embracing head of Ladies’ College? Yes, but it’s all extremely virtuous (L in nob est).

E. L. Russell: “Most high born!”—as it is sounds as though the Chinese Cook said to the late seekers after turkey (‘no bleast’ (breast)).

R. E. Scraton: Pound notes freely distributed—that’s most generous (anag. incl. lb).

R. W. Shearing: Let’s have no bananas lest we lose the pineapple—the best of the lot (no b(ananas) lest).

C. M. Sherrell: Pound notes scattered all over the place. Most generous! (anag. incl. lb).

P. H. Taylor: August, beyond compare; but after the first of November, none is happy (N 0 blest).

RUNNERS-UP

R. J. Atkin, C. Allen Baker, A. J. Barnard, Dr R. L. Bell, C. I. Bullock, R. N. Chignell, D. L. L. Clarke, J. McI. Cruickshank, J. C. B. Date, N. C. Dexter, A. B. Gardner, C. P. Grant, D. Gribble, L. W. Jenkinson, T. P. Kelly, R. W. Killick, A. Lawrie, L. F. Leason, A. D. Legge, R. D. Lemon, A. F. Lerrigo, Mrs W. J. Mahood, T. A. Martin, Flt Off L. W. G. Oxley, S. L. Paton, Miss M. J. Patrick, W. H. Pegram, A. L. R. Perry, J. M. Sharman, A. E. Sharp, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, Mrs I. G. Smith, G. Snowden-Davies, A. D. Sobey, L. W. Stanton, J. B. Sweeting, B. J. Wain.
 

COMMENTS:—Pride of place must certainly go to Ximenio. I have been kicking myself continuously since this disaster was first brought to my notice. I have a blind spot about anagrams, especially those of medium length (6, 7 or 8 letters). I know this and usually check them carefully: this time I evidently didn’t. I can only say how sorry I am for wasting solvers’ time: I hope I shall never do it again, but I probably shall.
 
I must admit to disappointment at the number of old and crusted solvers who fought shy of the Exam. Many thought there was too much memory called for, with guess-work as the only alternative. I maintain that judgment was called for more than either. No human memory could possibly deal with the situation; but, although there was some luck about it, especially in Question 1, there was evidence that could be used even there. As I see it, the discerning solver would have picked exomion first: if a howler like that had been old, I should surely have had enough shame not to flaunt it again. Ben, the flower-pot man, didn’t exist before 1950 (if you’ve heard of him): Spy: the cat’s pyjamas are in the supplement of the new edition of C.: were they current in the forties? Etnas: I doubt if that use of dollop was common then: one would have said “lump”. After that the solver would get nearer to guess-work, but the clue to tree-ferns might have been thought a little too naughty at that time, and the Latinism of the clue to sacculum would have been a bit daring. That leaves stearine and Teucer, which I agree were not easy to spot: perhaps I ought to have made them, and some of the others, more modern in some way. As to the other questions, I agree with the decision that Salome sticks out a mile (over half voted for it): but why not guess that it got a first prize too? Question 3 was harder, and no less than 19 words got votes from less than 60 competitors in all. But I do think unhelms and mug (in that order, personally) are outstandingly sub-standard. Well, it was probably a bad idea, though some acclaimed it, and I’ll revert to the Gallimaufry type, for which there have been requests, next year.
 
There were about 330 entries for the normal competition and about 20 incorrect. I thought the standard of clues up to average, but not above it as it has been in the last few competitions: hence the return to HC and RU. There was a lot of adjective trouble: many definitions were loose and led to nouns. I don’t think it was justifiable to assume that you were writing a clue to “the noblest”. But I hope you will agree with me that there were some very neat, sound clues.
 
Many thanks for all the Christmas cards and good wishes, and to the anonymous donor of some delicious pâté. I wish people wouldn’t be anonymous! And every good wish to all for 1964.