XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 95

SPOONER

1.  R. Postill (Jersey): The Doctor might have described Reggie as a bit fat to play for England (cryptic def.; a fit bat; ref. Reggie Spooner, Lancashire and England batsman, and Rev Dr W. A. S.).

2.  M. A. Vernon (N4): Fond, foolish youth: he lit the heather all over the field! (2 mngs.; hit the leather; ref. Reggie Spooner, Lancashire and England batsman).

3.  A. E. Clayton (Weymouth): Red rose champion, R.H.S.—Many a stand featured his display (cryptic def.; ref. Reggie H. Spooner, Lancashire and England batsman, and Royal Hort. Soc.).

H.C.

E. S. Ainley (S. Harrow): In his own way, a misser of busses? (cryptic def.; busser of misses).

M. Anderson (Bletchley): Who upset Peron so? The man responsible for our rude fashions (anag.; food rations; ref. 1949 meat ration reduction resulting from Royal Family’s refusal to meet Eva Peron).

Maj P. S. Baines (W11): Self-styled master of queue knowledge? He appears to exert a playful shove! (2 mngs.; master, not capitalised = Warden; S. was Warden of New College 1903-24; spoon = shove).

Mrs F. Castle-Knight (SE20): Person sloppy about love (0 in anag. and lit.).

H. C. Hills (W. Drayton): The president’s in before the famous Lancastrian! He looks certain to knock up a dolly (P in sooner, 2 defs.; ref. Reggie Spooner, Lancashire and England batsman; dolly = easy catch).

J. G. Hull (E7): Was initially the initial sound swapper of queue knowledge (cryptic def.; W. A. Spooner, New College).

L. W. Jenkinson (Skipton): Batsman begins to loft the ball and it ends in the next county (spoon + ER (East Riding); ref. Reggie Spooner, Lancashire and England batsman).

C. Koop (Ferring): I might say Kew knowledge made me famous—for frizzy daisies! (cryptic def.; New College; dizzy phrases).

Mrs J. H. C. Lawlor (Derrylin, N. Ireland): Might one say that this furtive snooper was a watcher of birds? (anag.; botcher of words).

T. W. Melluish (SE24): Shover who might have attributed his pre-eminent position to queue knowledge (2 mngs.; spoon = shove; New College).

A. P. O’Leary (Rugby): Lover with claims to coo knowledge but not maudlin! (2 mngs.; New College, not Magdalen).

Rev E. B. Peel (Fleetwood): Did I see my namesake dripped in the slops when sweating in a batter? (cryptic def.; dropped in slips, batting in sweater; ref. Reggie Spooner, Lancashire and England batsman).

H. C. Pilley (Leeds): A club lead finds East with the King. He changes the lead (spoon + E + R).

H. Rainger (SW6): No issue—Roneo out of order, kept transposing letters (sp + anag.).

L. E. Thomas (Bangor): Variety of snooper who might have described himself as a bird watcher (anag.; word botcher).

L. C. Wright (Selby): Seen if one goes to the Circle among the maudlin pairs (O one in anag. of prs. and lit.; Circle, maudlin (Magdalen), Oxford refs.; maudlin pairs = lovers).

J. S. Young (SE21): Was initially Minister of Transport in a manner of speaking (cryptic def.; Rev W. A. Spooner).

COMMENTS.—261 correct. A much larger entry than last time, but far more mistakes, most of them at 4. All too readily the word “Linse” appeared as an anag. of “lines”: perhaps its senders thought the Wayward Islands really existed and that Linse was a place therein. No atlas I have access to admits the existence of either, but Chambers gives LISSE—“the threads of the warp taken together.” i.e. “lines collected”: “in the Wayward Islands” also gives LISSE—wayward isles. A trap, undoubtedly, but wolves must be wary!
 
Several of the H.C.s ran the prize-winners close, notably Mr. Melluish, whose version of the very popular “queue knowledge” I liked best.
 
Some runners-up:—R. H. Allen, Dr S. H. Atkins, C. Allen Baker, Miss Behrendt, E. J. Bell, Mrs Billingham, Rev L. Blackburn, Mrs Caithness, H. P. Chubb, D. L. L. Clarke, J. M. Doulton, L. E. Eyres, Mrs Fisher, C. E. Gates, B. Grier, S. W. Harding, N. Haycraft, Mrs Jarman, G. G. Lawrance, G. R. Long, Brig J. C. Martin, G. Perry, E. G. Phillips, J. A. Plowman, W. Rennie, Mrs Simmonds, O. Carlton Smith, J. Thompson, Capt C. Tyers.
 
Cdr. H. H. L. Dickson has made a pleasant suggestion which I now pass on. Would a “Ximenes Dinner” in London be feasible? It would probably be necessary to limit it to those who have at some time or other won a prize—otherwise the numbers might be unwieldy, April is suggested as the month. Cdr. Dickson says he will try to organise it, if those interested will write him a card, making suggestions as to price, day of week, dress, etc., and saying whether April would suit them. He also asks for advice from Londoners as to a suitable place. Personally I should greatly enjoy the chance of meeting my wolves in the flesh! Cdr. Dickson’s address is:—Great Fontley Farm, nr. Fareham, Hants.