XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 989

GRENADINE

1=  A. D. Legge: Pineapple rings in syrup (in in grenade).

1=  W. H. Pegram: Pineapple rings in syrup (in in grenade).

1=  D. G. Putnam: Pineapple rings in syrup (in in grenade).

V.H.C.

P. R. Clemow: The end with graine, after development, is to produce something like me (anag. & lit.).

N. C. Dexter: Something needing a safety-pin in to be held—it could be a little nappy (in in grenade; nappy, adj.).

H. R. Game: De G. n’a rien changé: that should make the French cordial (anag.).

S. Goldie: What makes a silky lap, a soft lap, endearing (anag.).

W. E. Green: A sort of Molotov cocktail containing two-thirds gin—a sweet drink ((g)in in grenade).

L. W. Jenkinson: A silk is a big noise, engaged in endless activity on the way up (a din in energ(y) (rev.)).

R. E. Kimmons: De Gaulle’s cordial? Perhaps. Endearing? Not exactly (anag.).

Mrs B. Lewis: Thin silk needs building up with a dinner and a brief for example (anag. incl. e.g.).

R. H. Maynard: Silk fabric supplies are ending. Re-order (anag.).

B. J. McCann: I need the heart of pomegranates mixed (anag. incl. (pome)gran(ates), & lit.).

C. J. Morse: Small West Indian Islands produce singularly fine material for batting in explosive surroundings (in in grenade; Grenadine(s), WI).

J. Sparrow: Silk prominent at the French Bar (2 mngs.).

J. Treleaven: Mash up pomegranate heart and eat—no, drink it ((pom)egran(ate) anag. + dine).

J. D. Walsh: Peel pomegranate, leaving just under half, pulverise, then eat … this? ((pom)egran(ate) anag. + dine, & lit.).

R. A. Wells: Silky material is potential danger in front of electric fire (anag. + in e).

H.C.

R. Abrey, F. D. H. Atkinson, Col P. S. Baines, C. Allen Baker, M. J. Balfour, R. T. Baxter, C. O. Butcher, R. S. Caffyn, J. F. Coldwell, P. M. Coombs, L. A. Diehl, F. E. Dixon, J. A. Fincken, L. G. Fluke, F. D. Gardiner, L. H. Garrett, G. P. Goddard, Mrs B. M. Halpern, B. G. Holland-Martin, Mrs L. Jarman, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, Sir S. Kaye, L. F. Leason, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, Mrs E. McFee, E. L. Mellersh, C. G. Millin, P. H. Morgan, R. J. Munnings, F. E. Newlove, M. Newman, J. B. O’Kane, L. S. Pearce, G. Perry, R. Postill, T. E. Sanders, E. O. Seymour, D. J. Short, Sir W. Slimmings, F. B. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, M. J. Tomkinson, R. S. Watson, J. B. Widdowson, G. H. Willett, Mrs M. Wishart.
 

COMMENTS :—About 450 entries; not many mistakes, but a small crop of “must” in place of “mist.” The definition of mist was vague, but the reference to “fiat mist.” (= “let there be mixture”) in doctors’ prescriptions was quite definite. None of the meanings of “must” seems to me a likely cause of an accident, except just possibly the elephantine one, or, even more remotely, new wine; and “must (= I) follow the Doctor’s Fiat,” with no subject for “must,” is impossibly jerky; so I regretfully can’t accept it. But I admit that I now think I should have made the definition less vague.
 
The entry was very good in parts but a little monotonous; I got very tired of “endearing” and one or two other rather obvious ideas. I was glad in the end to be able to divide the prizes between the three senders of a very neat clue; when I had received all three of them among the first hundred or so, I feared there would be too many, but no more arrived at all. At first I was inclined to think, despite its neatness, that anything ringed ought be exactly in the middle; but I thought later that this was too fussy; a peg can be ringed by a quoit without being exactly in the middle. So I congratulate the three senders. I drew lots to decide which of the three should receive the cup and which the book of winning clues; Mr. Legge was the unlucky one. I am not anxious for either of these things to do too much travelling; the book is already showing signs of wear. Otherwise I would have suggested that they be sent to each in turn.
 
Finally, in case anyone doubts Mr. Dexter’s use of “nappy” in the sense of “strong” applied to drink, I find that Webster says grenadine contains “little or no alcohol”; Mr. Dexter says “a little,” so his clue, very good otherwise, just gets by on this score.