XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 980

OMNIBUSES

1.  F. E. Dixon: Miss Bueno smashes what others drive (anag.; ref. Maria Bueno, tennis strokes).

2.  N. C. Dexter: Heavy traffic? With us jammed in, some—around “peak”—is chaotic (nib us in anag., & lit.; nib = peak).

3.  J. W. Bates: Means of transport could break down as leaders of Union and Barbara miss one (anag. incl. U, B; “miss the bus”; ref. Barbara Castle’s rail closures).

V.H.C.

Mrs J. M. Bates: Some buns I tossed, causing elephantine transports (anag.).

C. O. Butcher: They’re helpful to waiters—except when they leave them behind (double mng.; they, them, deliberately ambiguous).

J. Crowther: We’re put into operation, with mobs in, getting transported about (use in anag., & lit.).

J. H. Diwali: Composition of Busoni’s involves me in heavy conductors’ charges (anag.; “Turandot”, etc.).

J. A. Fincken: We assist waiters … eventually (double mng.).

K. Gibson: Running in some cases not fully occupied, ought we to be nationalised? (bus(y) in anag., & lit.; cases vb).

R. McD. Graham: Service helps volatile Miss Bueno (anag.; ref. Maria B.).

K. J. Harding: They’re often soundly cursed by waiters (double mng.).

A. Lawrie: You’ll find us in some little book stalls (anag. inc. b, & lit.; stall² vb.).

Mrs B. Lewis: Round pills, a writer needs, in large boxes (they pick one up) (MO (rev.) + nib uses; pills = a doctor).

T. W. Melluish: They’re bound to include one man’s opera to stir me—Busoni’s (anag.).

K. Pomagalski: They serve, and may make Bueno miss (anag.; ref. Maria B.).

T. F. H. Richter: Universal helpers? No, only for those who wait (double mng.).

W. Rodgers: Miss Bueno’s smash—powered—will bring lots of people to Wimbledon (anag.; ref. Maria B.).

L. G. D. Sanders: Our frequently erratic service disconcerts Miss Bueno (anag.; ref. Maria B.).

R. A. Smith: Miss Bueno, smashing, may bring many spectators to Wimbledon (anag.; ref. Maria B.).

F. B. Stubbs: We give service—if you wait (double mng.).

B. K. Watts: Some reach Wimbledon by stages; Miss Bueno different (anag.; ref. Maria B.).

H.C.

W. G. Arnott, C. Allen Baker, P. F. Bauchop, Lt Col R. L. Bell, Maj A. S. Birt, E. Chalkley, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, E. C. Double, R. N. Exton, Mrs N. Fisher, J. Fryde, A. B. Gardner, S. C. Gilchrist, J. Gill, G. P. Goddard, J. Goldman, G. S. Halse, N. J. Hitchin, A. J. Hughes, R. H. F. Isham, R. W. Jakeman, A. L. Jeffery, G. Johnstone, Sir S. Kaye, R. E. Kimmons, M. A. Lassman, L. F. Leason, A. F. Lerrigo, J. P. Lester, Mrs H. W. Lewis, F. D. Marshall, Mrs E. McFee, J. P. Mernagh, W. L. Miron, C. J. Morse, S. E. Morton, R. J. Munnings, F. E. Newlove, M. Newman, G. Perry, Mrs N. Perry, B. A. Pike, Mrs A. Price, D. G. Putnam, C. Quin, E. J. Rackham, Dr D. S. Robertson, N. Roles, A. Sellings, E. O. Seymour, J. G. Stubbs, L. W. Titman, J. D. Walsh, E. F. Watling, P. Watson-Smyth, M. Woolf.
 

COMMENTS:—About 450 entries; only one mistake in the solutions I had to check, and that was obviously a slip; still, it had to count as wrong—it does pay to make sure of your accuracy. I got a very enjoyable surprise when the first “Miss Bueno” anagram appeared—I had never dreamt of it. I should guess that about 60 competitors used it, with very various degrees of skill; the first prize clue, I think, deserves to rank among our very best. I have chosen the others I liked best for special commendation—six out of eighteen, which I consider a reasonable proportion. Among other types of clue it was hard to choose between the ingenious-complicated and the artless-simple; I changed my mind several times before settling the second and third prizes, and different judges would probably each produce a different result, though I really do think for once that there would be unanimity about No. 1. The lists are longer than of late and there was less unsoundness; but I seem unable to persuade competitors (by my remarks in slips) to stop trying in vain to indicate anagrams by putting abstract nouns next to the words concerned: “mob in confusion” does not mean “mob in in confusion” and there were still many similar ones, like “is some bun mixture”, “in some confusion”, “in some sub disaster”, “in some mix-up” and (furthest of all from soundness), with the note “traffic” = “exchange.” It does, but that cannot help “some traffic” to mean “an alteration in the order of the letters of some”—at least it cannot to me. No clue which contains this feature will ever reach the lists.
 
I had one or two queries about my clues to “tessellates” and “sunna”. In the former “ess” = S; this is exactly like my frequent use of “gee” = G; both are given in Chambers, and neither” can be called “a clue to a clue”—“ess” actually is S. In the latter, “Sunn” is defined as an Indian crotalaria; if you look up the latter you will find the explanation of “rattle-box”.
 
I am very glad to hear that so many are coming to the Dinner in March, and I look forward to meeting old and new friends. In case anyone again missed the notice in the paper, the date is March 28 and the organizer Mr. B. C. Westall, 2 St. Swithun’s Close, East Grinstead, Sussex.