◀  No. 884 Clue list 2 Jan 1966 Slip image No. 890  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 885

GALIMATIAS

1.  T. Anderson (Folkestone): This is foolish talk, involving the reverse of first class language (A1 Tamil (all rev.) in gas, & lit.).

2.  J. W. Taylor (Stoke-on-Trent): Pointless blether, backward monkey language (ga(S) + sai Tamil (all rev.), & lit.).

3.  A. F. Toms (SW19): Compound amalgam, it is without the first sign of meaning (anag. less m, & lit.).

V.H.C.

Miss V. K. Abrahams (Cromer): Fine language here turns into empty words—a mere hotchpotch! (A1 Tamil (all rev.) in gas).

F. D. H. Atkinson (Claygate): There’s the girl I have designs on—I like a bit of nonsense (gal I’m at I as).

K. Gibson (Hucknall): Moonshine, calling for silver to be turned and I sat looking forlorn—without a bean! (Ag (rev.) + lima + anag.).

J. A. Hyde (Solihull): When it comes to cooking à la gas, I’m It—note the appearance of that tripe! (anag.).

E. G. Illingworth (Bangor, Co. Down): It’s nonsense to talk about filing a missing back-number (limati(on) in gas; no.).

Sir S. Kaye (Loxwood): Amalgam, is it, without introduction of mercury? Not strictly; its ingredients are too unlike (anag. less m).

C. Koop (Ferring): Lag as I am it makes sentence meaningless (anag.).

A. Lawrie (Cheltenham): Unfinished amalgam? It is, roughly (anag. less m, & lit.).

J. H. C. Leach (NW3): An incomplete amalgam—it is odd, this stuff (anag. less m).

Dr T. J. R. Maguire (Dublin): Amalgam? It is, in a way, but lacking, a primal element in mercury (anag. less m, & lit.).

P. H. Morgan (Midhurst): Jumble—it is amalgamated but not matched (anag. less mated, & lit.).

R. A. Mostyn (SE18): Definition of nonsense—semi-senile monkey language written backwards! (ga(-ga) + sai Tamil (all rev.)).

R. Postill (Jersey): After a limited amount of liquor I get confused, monkey about… and talk this (gal. I mat + sai (rev.): mat, vb. intrans.).

F. B. Stubbs (Crook): It’s idiotic—not half!—a limit badly observed when the light indicates a mix-up (ga(-ga) + anag. + as (= when); light = key-word).

P. W. Thacker (Matlock): For a bit of nonsense, I ’olds on to the young lady I’m engaged with (gal I’m at I ’as).

D. G. Thomas (Weston-super-Mare): A. A.’s upset with new limit, but empty talk about it is nonsense (anag. in gas).

H.C.

D. B. J. Ambler, C. Allen Baker, Mrs P. C. Barclay, J. W. Bates, E. A. Beaulah, T. F. W. Benson, Maj A. S. Birt, Dr A. E. Brafield, J. C. Brash, Dr J. E. Brignell, J. A. Bulley, C. O. Butcher, R. S. Caffyn, P. R. Clemow, J. Coleby, V. A. R. Cooper, R. M. S. Cork, A. J. Crow, J. Crowther, Mrs W. J. Dennison, N. C. Dexter, I. D. Doak, F. D. Gardiner, Miss K. A. Howarth, Mrs L. Jarman, A. H. Jones, L. F. Leason, Lt Col D. Macfie, J. D. H. Mackintosh, E. L. Mellersh, J. Mendham, C. G. Millin, T. J. Moorey, C. J. Morse, S. L. Paton, W. H. Pegram, M. Perrins, G. H. Ravenor, W. G. Roberts, H. Rutley, Mrs M. Sainsbury, T. E. Sanders, W. K. M. Slimmings, J. W. M. Smith, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, J. F. N. Wedge, Rev C. D. Westbrook, G. H. Willett, Mrs M. Wishart.
 

COMMENTS:—About 475 entries and, for the first time for several months, quite a lot of mistakes—over 50. The two causes were HINNY and HOGS: I can find no justification for Jinny—still less for Jenny, upsetting litchi—nor for hags. The puzzle was described both as harder than usual and as the easiest ever. The word set offered plenty of possibilities, but it wasn’t easy to make them lead to interesting sense: far more clues than usual were just dull, though sound. Those selected are, I think, well up to standard.
 
Two solvers, reverting to No. 884, queried the form “strichs” and asked why the plural shouldn’t be “striches.” I have now consulted Webster, and I find that they are perfectly right: it just hadn’t occurred to me that the word was not pronounced “strick”: I’m sorry, though it doesn’t seem to have caused much trouble.
 
Finally, back to No. 882. I have had one or two protests about my view that antirrhinums are not perennials. I am confirmed in my belief by a catalogue received this morning from well-known seedsmen: this lists antirrhinums as half hardy Annuals.
 

 
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