XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 851

Sire & Dam

1.  F. E. Newlove: Black Eye by Dirty Dick out of Mascara (dick, eye = detective).

2.  Mrs B. Lewis: Fool by April the First out of Gooseberry Bush (gooseberry fool).

3.  R. E. Kimmons: Cateran by Rob Roy out of Miss McNab (nab, rob = steal).

V.H.C.

Miss V. K. Abrahams: Molasses by Rum Start out of Honey Chile (derived from melis (L.)).

C. Allen Baker: Dodo by Double Act out of Cold Refusal (no, pron. with cold).

C. I. Bullock: Cateran by Mac the Knife out of Dainty Spread (cate ran).

P. M. Coombs: Catacomb by Felix out of Queen Bee (F. the Cat, honeycomb).

W. J. Couper: Molasses by Wimbledon Champion out of Rabbie’s Choice (Mo lasses; Maureen Connolly ‘Little Mo’, Ladies Champion 1952-4; R. Burns).

L. L. Dixon: Tremolo by Tremor out of Piccolo.

B. H. Ford: Ostrich by Sand-sucker out of Mrs. Feather.

Mrs E. M. Franklin: Saucy Sally by Escoffier out of My Fair Lady (chef: Aunt Sally at fair).

N. L. Hindley: Saucy Sally by Jeu d’Esprit out of Piquante (sally = witticism).

Mrs A. Lockett: Jess by Tasseled Cord out of Gentle Restraint (falconry; cf. tassel-gentle).

Miss A. M. Mackie: Catacomb by Kilkenny out of Lorelei (‘fight like a K. cat’; L. had comb in hand).

Mrs S. M. Macpherson: Molasses by Sugar Daddy out of Some Lass (anag.).

Dr T. J. R. Maguire: Dodo by Cock of the Walk Out of Poll Spangle (flightless bird; dod O).

A. A. Malcolm: Vesta by Heavenly Toga out of Swan-Maiden (tog a; matches; vestal virgin).

Mrs J. M. Pattenden: Bad Baronet by Red Blood out of Babs (Bab, pseudonym of W. S. Gilbert; Ruddigore).

Mrs N. Perry: Echo by Ringo out of Mersey Sound (Liverpool Echo; Beatles).

Mrs K. M. Russell: Rose Maybud by Red-bud out of Emily Post (book of etiquette).

J. B. Widdowson: Dodo by Dead Duck out of Same Again (do. = ditto).

G. H. Willett: Vesta by Roman Candle out of Bachelor Girl (vestal virgins kept altar flame burning).

H.C.

A. W. Aspinall, F. D. H. Atkinson, Mrs K. Bissett, B. W. Brook, R. N. Chignell, T. H. East, R. N. Exton, L. E. Eyres, Mrs N. Fisher, Miss M. K. Fudge, S. Goldie, C. R. Haigh, D. Hawson, E. M. Hornby, A. J. Hughes, Mrs L. Jarman, Sir S. Kaye, J. Hardie Keir, Mrs R. D. Lemon, G. A. Linsley, Mrs E. McFee, T. W. Melluish, D. P. M. Michael, C. J. Morse, R. F. Pardoe, H. C. S. Perry, B. G. Quin, P. J. Scott, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, J. G. Stubbs, H. S. Tribe, A. Turner, Col R. G. Turner, P. Wallace.
 

COMMENTS:—About 175 entries, about 115 correct—the fewest for a long time. The biggest cause of trouble was lack of knowledge of Ruddigore, leading to the guess of “maybug”: I’m sorry about this, as I always regard the need for specialised knowledge as a weakness. Most G. & S. references ring a bell, but I should perhaps have remembered that Ruddigore is one of the less familiar operas. I regret too, now, that I worked in quite so many horses: I think I made the N. W. corner too tough, and the N. E. corner claimed some victims also. Though most of the comments were favourable, there were one or two signs of irritation: I know many people like a tough struggle, but I think this puzzle was less satisfactory as a whole than the last one of the kind, which was easy and produced a very big entry. Not again, therefore, for some time, and when it comes I’ll try to call for less guess-work.
 
The entry was ingenious and included good variety. Choice is, of course, very much a matter of personal taste: I changed my mind several times about all except the first prizewinner, which, to me, stands out, and I cannot hope that everyone will agree with all my choices. I was very sorry for the sender of “Edam by Smile Please out of My Old Dutch”, which I liked very much; but, alas, there was a slip in the solution—WAR HEAH. When a mistake is an obvious slip like this, I often feel tempted to overlook it; but I don’t think I can fairly do so. The moral is to check your solutions carefully.
 
I must end by apologising for an idiotic mistake in copying that I made in the last slip. Mr. J. R. Scarr’s clue should have read “Bugs vex an’ lice fret”: I wrote “upset” instead of “fret”, making it into a deplorable indirect anagram. Very careless of me!