XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 924

MIMESTER / PECULATE

1.  N. C. Dexter: See me take items off—take items one shouldn’t—high class in exotic “peel” act! (anag. of me, r., items & lit.; U³ in anag.).

2.  L. W. Jenkinson: Crib to look into when the head’s not there; a copier, that’s me when “Sir” isn’t around ((s)peculate; i.e. mimester less mister = me).

3.  Mrs N. Perry: I entertain gent embracing me—lace up tight before beginning and end of the pinch (me in mister; anag. plus t(h)e).

V.H.C.

P. F. Bauchop: Sir keeps me in—I scornfully copy crib—risk putting the head out (me in mister; (s)peculate).

R. T. Baxter: I want half a dollar: copper slow to pinch me—in the old profession I’m one to copy (pe(so), Cu, late: me in mister²).

J. McI. Cruickshank: One who copies me in the old craft—to pilfer silver coin in the church collection (me in mister²; écu in plate).

B. J. Iliffe: The dumb fool won’t give me terms—I naturally pinch cash using loaf about false clue (anag.; pate in anag.).

H. W. Jenkins: I can be seen objectively in rude man and he apes! Take the head! In this is the embryonic clue (me in mister; anag. in pate).

Sir S. Kaye: Prig, putting large silver coin in the collection, makes show of excelling others—not half—the buffoon! (écu in plate; mimes (bet)ter).

M. W. Knight: Counterfeiter has me in the old profession to steal the lead away from view (me in mister²; (s)peculate).

G. G. Lawrance: Appropriate clue, made up in the head, merits me being commended for a change! Laurel, perhaps? (anag. in head; anag. ref. L. & Hardy).

A. Lawrie: In pantomimes, Terry-Thomas is a comic actor it’s appropriate to look at when wanting an end to sadness (hidden; (s)peculate).

P. W. W. Leach: I’m in the merest, naughtily—I take off outer layer concealing bit to pinch (I’m in anag.; écu in plate).

L. F. Leason: Just let me be in need, once, I’d take off people, steal, or gamble without any capital (me in mister² (Scot.); (s)peculate).

Mrs B. Lewis: Copper leapt rudely around, and ’e makes to pinch me—being in the old profession I take off (Cu in anag. + e; me in mister²).

Mrs E. McFee: I’m upset—bob needed in meter: I take off people—scrounge—equivalent of five shillings in silver (I’m (rev.) + s. in meter; écu in plate).

W. L. Miron: The old craft engages me—I copy abstract engraving inlaid with French silver (me in mister²; écu in plate).

R. Postill: Gold coin in church collection bag? Parson getting me instead of nickel is apt to take off! (écu in plate; me for Ni in minister).

F. B. Stubbs: Muse first ignored—appropriate echo—stir me, stir me ((s)peculate; anag.; ref. Echo & Narcissus and 1958 book “Stir of Echoes” by Richard Matheson).

J. B. Sweeting: Pinch a coin in the church collection—me? Stir? Me? Stir!! I was only playing the fool! (écu in plate; anag.; stir³ = prison).

H.C.

Miss V. K. Abrahams, Dr G. B. Arrowsmith, C. Allen Baker, Mrs D. Barker, R. L. Bell, Maj A. S. Birt, Mrs K. Bissett, J. C. Brash, C. I. Bullock, B. Callan, A. R. Chandler, I. Cousins, J. Crowther, G. Cuthbert, M. W. Davies, A. L. Dennis, P. A. Drillien, Flt Sgt J. Dromey, M. B. Fisher, C. Ford, A. L. Freeman, S. Goldie, F. H. W. Hawes, Mrs M. Henderson, Mrs E. J. Holmes, E. M. Hornby, Mrs L. Jarman, J. E. Jenkins, L. Johnson, B. Jordan, K. F. Lawton, S. Le Vay, J. H. C. Leach, Mrs S. M. Macpherson, A. A. Malcolm, G. McHowat, T. W. Melluish, P. H. Morgan, C. J. Morse, H. B. Morton, F. R. Palmer, W. H. Pegram, G. Perry, Maj J. N. Purdon, F. B. Ramsey, Mrs J. E. Rogers, G. J. S. Ross, G. Snowden-Davies, L. H. Stewart, P. H. Taylor, D. J. Thorpe, M. Thurston, D. H. Tompsett, A. Turner, G. F. W. Turner, M. H. E. Watson, J. F. N. Wedge, Mrs M. White, G. H. Willett, E. Woodburn, G. M. Young.
 

COMMENTS:—Another big entry, well over 500, and, I should guess, about 50 mistakes, most of them “licet” for LACET; this, apart from not being in C., fails to satisfy the clue, which leads to “(p)lacet.” One competitor got the whole thing the wrong way round with “ardierboulev” at the top; how anyone could do that really baffles me. I offer a welcome to many competitors whose names are unfamiliar, some of whom said they had been emboldened to enter by reading my book. In dealing with this difficult task many spoilt their clues by using a connecting word (and, but, for, etc.) between the two parts; this is contrary to the idea, as could be seen from my clues. Others gave only a definition for one part; that, again, won’t do. Others failed to indicate that “mister” is obsolete in the sense of profession, kind, etc. and obs. or Scottish in the sense of need. And a few fell into the old unsoundnesses of me = I and vague indirect anagrams. The biggest difficulty is to make coherent sense of the whole double clue; many commendably succeeded in doing this. I’m glad to hear from so many that this kind gives extra pleasure, as it is quite a job to complete the clues for it satisfactorily and without being too lengthy. Several solvers said this one was easier than usual—I think very hard clues are out of place here—and several pointed out the red herring “screen” for “secern,” which, as usual, I hadn’t noticed.