| Clues in archive | First Prizes | Other Prizes | VHCs | HCs | Hons points | First mention | Latest mention | Career span |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R. Postill | 198 | 18 | 31 | 149 | 113 | 247 | Jul 1946 | May 1971 | 24y 10m |
| Clue word | Award | Clue | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ximenes competitions | ||||
| 1970-1971 | ||||
| 1154 | CLARIONET | VHC | To give recital on this needs wind | anag. & lit.; wind2 (n.); ref. X’s error [see comments] |
| 1143 | MORGIANA | VHC | Aga being out involved minor upset; I cooked with oil | anag. of Aga with minor; ref. electricity industry work-to-rule in Dec. 1970 |
| 1127 | TRAYBIT | VHC | I’m extremely abstemious: with a double I’m all of a tizzy: after three I need restraint | tray bit; i.e. has TT at extremities; tizzy = sixpence |
| 1123 | MAXIMIST | VHC | Long skirt reduced visibility; one probably imagined more than one saw | Maxi mist; saw3 |
| 1119 | RONDE (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Unless you have a ba/ck seat, Ravel can be very boring | |
| 1969-1970 | ||||
| 1100 | BEAU(C)LER(C) (Letters Latent) | VHC | Royal scholar who had moped habitually cut hall to have a drink outside | aul(a) in beer; moped = bicycle |
| 1093 | MARTINET | VHC | Disorder in a teacher’s first term—an unhappy term for him | anag. incl. t, & lit. |
| 1091 | WENCESLAS | VHC | Saw scene and left after arranging to be leader of relief expedition | anag. incl. l |
| 1089 | ENCLOISTER | VHC | Silence—and the first three making trouble get beaten. So shut up | anag. incl. tro(uble); beat = whisk |
| 1084 | ANGEL-FOOD | Third | It’s heavenly being on board, able to afford the fare from America | angel food |
| 1080 | ANDROMEDA | VHC | Maiden set free leaving a foul monster dead | a plus anag. less anag., & lit. |
| 1071 | ORACLE (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Gillette f/ans have a notion that W. G. never really entertained! | |
| 1066 | RAVE / PAIR (DLM) | VHC | And, if you think this utter nonsense, read what Matilda revealed in “Ma Conquête” (Paris Match, 1067) | utter, vb. |
| 1968-1969 | ||||
| 1054 | PINACOTHECA | First | This might be an apt choice for those interested in abstractions | anag. & lit. |
| 1049 | SLANGWHANGER | VHC | Goliath was such a bombastic chap—but shyer after what David did | slang whanger; pa. t. of sling; 1 Sam. 17 |
| 1045 | SPLIT / MOUTH (Right and Left) | VHC | Rant; a quid in it produces saliva. Rent: a quid from it produces saliva | 2 mngs.; i.e. split less L = spit; tobacco |
| 1041 | TEA-LEAD | First | Conservative film about what we brew; Heath admits beer unsuitable for children | ale A in Ted; ref. Edward H.; A, film classification |
| 1036 | CORONETED | First | See what Marlborough’s become, without one male voice raised? Are such heads a little uneasy? | tenor (rev.) in co-ed; M. College; “Uneasy lies the head…” |
| 1023 | CONSOLE | Second | Suitable support for figure, once bust gets around … well, 50 | so L in anag. |
| 1967-1968 | ||||
| 1002 | PILLAGE | VHC | Control of modern generation needs time—and pluck | pill age |
| 1000 | THOUSAND | VHC | Simply product of X and C? Singularly yes and no. (M helps) | 10 × 100; Ximenes, Chambers |
| 997 | TREACLE | VHC | Set out to catch hawks perhaps: caught a tercel | anag.; hawk-moths; catch = entangle |
| 987 | THING (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | When running ba/re, nobleman mustn’t be caught by c-cold | C = chaud |
| 984 | Word containing a first name (Anonymous) | VHC | Some Christmas cards have messages of religious significance | P-ERIC-OPES; Robinson, conductor; robins on |
| 971 | MAGOTPIE / ANECDOTE (Right and Left) | VHC | That old bird’s become sanctimonious in Miss West’s embrace. Miss East, we’ve got to dance differently, I’m told | got pi2 in Mae; anag., i.e. anag. of E to dance; ref. Mae West, actress |
| 967 | CREMOSIN | Second | Amiss comes in fourth of course—and is ruddy well out | comes in r anag.; Dennis A., cricketer |
| 962 | PALING | Second | Mate has an odd gin; so remains upright—unlike 10 ac | pal + anag., 2 defs.; upright, n.; opp. of ablush |
| 1966-1967 | ||||
| 949 | BROWSING | VHC | B. Wooster’s companion for sluicing, oddly enough, is G. Brown | anag.; “browsing & sluicing” |
| 945 | OBLITERATE | VHC | Wipe out Beatle and disorganised trio remains | anag. of Beatle trio |
| 941 | HYPODERMIC | First | Despondency, Reichenbach’s effect, unsolved crime … could have led Holmes to this. | hyp od1 + anag., & lit., ref. R. Falls, H.’s supposed death; hyp = hypochondria |
| 935 | MALAPROP | First | Matrimony: a little aversion initially has a supporter in her | M,a,l,a + prop, & lit. |
| 933 | COTTABUS | VHC | This wine game is nothing new; otherwise cost is just about prohibitive. | tabu in anag.; topical |
| 924 | MIMESTER / PECULATE (Right and Left) | VHC | 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 |
| 907 | SORITES (Misprints) | VHC | Sex-appeal in a setting of roses? This just invites seduction | deduction; it in anag. |
| 1965-1966 | ||||
| 894 | WITENAGEMOT | VHC | High time we got an effective government such as we used to have | anag. |
| 890 | DEBENTURE | VHC | This paper has one drawback; it’s confoundedly rude about E. Heath. | E bent (= heath ) in anag.; drawback = refund of duty |
| 885 | GALIMATIAS | VHC | After a limited amount of liquor I get confused, monkey about… and talk this | gal. I mat + sai (rev.): mat, vb. intrans. |
| 882 | SNAPDRAGON | VHC | Game become tedious? No good playing it when out of spirits; should be in bed | snap drag on, 2 defs. |
| 878 | ENTOMOSTRACA | First | Not a rat comes off! Obviously some of them stick to sinking ships | anag.; off = out of condition; barnacles |
| 873 | VETERANS | Second | Old soldiers? If you mean empty bottles … no! Doctor’s given up gin | vet + snare (rev.) |
| 864 | PATERNAL | VHC | Mate embracing a bird feels thus? So’s your old man! | a tern1 in pal; so’s your old man = vulgarism expressing incredulity |
| 860 | CORSAGE | VHC | Bob going on the bust? Blimey! Bob’s twenty-one! | cor! s age; bob = shilling, cluster (dial.) |
| 1964-1965 | ||||
| 834 | CARRIED | Second | Rolls that’s within the scope of the common man is featured in the press | RR i.e. in cad; ref. new Princess car |
| 829 | FAREWELL | VHC | Last so long, yield to temptation—back in jug! | ewer (rev.) in fall; back in, vb. imper. |
| 825 | COACHES | VHC | The posh pubs say No to them, but they cram The Green Man | 2 mngs.; green = inexperienced |
| 821 | SOMERSET | VHC | Place in which half-gallons (**brew!) are bound to make one roll | omers in set; s. = somersault; **brew indicates Hebrew |
| 817 | WYLIE-COATS | VHC | What young ladies in Edinburgh cast off as they sleep? Only the forward ones! | first letters & lit. |
| 812 | ABRUPT / TISANE (Right and Left) | VHC | Jack, having hernia, rejects outmoded operation. Steep barley in water … knock it back … fit as of old! | AB rupt(ure1); it (rev.) + sane |
| 808 | WAGONER | VHC | You want a driver? It’s a shocking lie … Fool! You’ve topped it! | wag + oner; down clue |
| 1963-1964 | ||||
| 790 | PETER-SEE-ME (Sire and Dam) | VHC | Lonely Eloise | Peter Abelard |
| 786 | METAMERES (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | There’s a co/peck glittering in the sun. Odd that the Russians haven’t picked it up! | |
| 782 | SWELL | VHC | If you want to get fat, macaroni’s not bad | ’s well, 2 defs. |
| 780 | NOBLEST (and Eximenamination) | VHC | Head is in Paris embracing head of Ladies’ College? Yes, but it’s all extremely virtuous | L in nob est |
| 750 | SEVEN-FIFTY / CROSSWORDS (Right and Left) | First | It’s near to dinner time when X should get a big hand! Mark our great interest as X speaks! | 7.45 dinner, X numeral on clock; cross words (vb) |
| 1962-1963 | ||||
| 743 | CHEMIST | VHC | Slight cough in the chest? You might see me in that case! | MI in chest, mi in chest, & lit. |
| 730 | ARCH-PIRATE | VHC | Crafty chief, and one who may leave a sinking ship in confusion | arch + rat in pie, & lit. |
| 728 | ALDERMA(N) (N’s missing in def.) (Letters Latent) | First | M.C.C., probably well advised to ba-t, dissipated alarm about Dexter’s openers | De(xter) in anag.; MCC = Member of County Council; bant = diet, aldermanly = pompous & portly; ref. Ted D., England batsman |
| 725 | SILENUS | VHC | My pot-belly was noticeable unless I dressed specially | anag. & lit. |
| 721 | KERB-MERCHANT | VHC | Outside supplier, with licence, of cauliflower, kale, haricot, artichoke, melon and rhubarb! | anag. of outside letters, & lit. |
| 703 | SCAPEMENT | VHC | Another tooth gone! It happens regularly to me, a Special Constable, with chaps in a temper | SC + men in a pet |
| 700 | SOLOMON | VHC | Alone with a thousand willing to participate—no wonder he was sick of love! | solo M on, & lit.; wives and concubines, and Song of S. 2:5 |
| 1961-1962 | ||||
| 694 | OSIRIS (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Sir Christopher might have said: “T/a! Acid drop? Another apple?” | Wren and Newton colleagues in RS |
| 690 | ASCERTAIN | VHC | Satire can wound: however, some also helps to discover the truth | anag., as certain |
| 686 | FEMALE | VHC | The chap with the iron’s socketed—not what we expect in the Walker Cup! | Fe male, 2 defs. |
| 682 | PARAMOUR / CHIN (Right and Left) | Third | Given three-quarters of an hour with a Rear-Admiral in the afternoon—I’m inclined to neck! … / … So am I! If you’ll supply me with a fellow—here’s to you! | a RA in pm + (h)our; chin-chin |
| 678 | TESSELLATED | VHC | Sitting around long long after the dancers get up; hence marked as squares! | set (rev.) + l. l. in seated |
| 676 | TRELLIS (DLM) | Second | If your best girl lets you down, don’t fret! Ring Universal Popsies for a replacement | |
| 673 | ERISTICAL | VHC | Ill-rehearsed recital is likely to involve discord | anag. |
| 660 | RUBBER (Misprints) | VHC | One difficulty with West Berlin is the stiff fine for taking marks out | stuff; rub Ber(lin) |
| 651 | NIPCHEESE | VHC | Hunks of Japanese Cheddar? (No wonder they called the purser a ——!) | i.e. Nip cheese; hunks = miser; Nip (offensive sl.) = Japanese |
| 1960-1961 | ||||
| 630 | STREAKY | VHC | J. Sprat meekly had … alternate bites!—a suitable arrangement for this kind of meat | anag. of alternate letters, & lit. [see comments] |
| 617 | COLOPHONY | VHC | Rush on “L—y C.”? Pooh! Fiddlesticks! You’ll get it if you’re slippy! | anag.; rush = force out of place; fiddlestick = violin bow; slippy = quick (sl.); first unexpurgated edition of Lady C.’s Lover published in UK 1960 |
| 612 | CARGO (Misprints) | VHC | Hoad’s content. Colleagues, Rosewall, Olmedo, Anderson, Gimeno, shake their heads! | hold’s; anag. of C R O A G; ref. Lew H., Ken R., Alex O., Mal A., Andrés G., tennis players |
| 608 | CUSTOMER | VHC | ’Twould be no good to me if there weren’t a little credit around! | U/S to me in cr, & lit. |
| 604 | APOSTROPHISE | VHC | Start “O” is perhaps to ——— | anag. & lit; start = displace |
| 1959-1960 | ||||
| 590 | STATANT (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Ahmed cried in Paradise: “Hi!/ Ali Singh! Our idea, this bliss? | hist, a tantalising Houri. Death… |
| 586 | HEBDOMADARY | VHC | Man, with theological qualifications, may do a routine (six off in seven!) that’s arranged | he BD + anag. of may do a r(outine), & lit. |
| 582 | MARRY | Second | Spoil the line, indeed! We do this to preserve it! | mar Ry, 2 defs.; marry1,2 |
| 573 | SCAPEGALLOWS | VHC | I should swing. May, deep in the slips, please! | gal low in scapes: may2 = maid, gal; scape2; ref. swing bowling, Peter May, cricketer, fielding |
| 571 | PESTER | VHC | Clue not given; sopors, porose, corpse, rosace | |
| 569 | PROPOSAL | VHC | Stay! What follows this? Half one’s earnings going on a ring? | prop O sal(ary), & lit. |
| 564 | SHE-BEAR | VHC | Beer has become the prime liquor of the brewin’ world, as you might say! | anag.; ‘licker’, ‘Bruin’ |
| 560 | CONGENITALLY | First | Ab ovo … leave the egg and all your original character is latent thus | congé nit all y(our), & lit. |
| 551 | PITCHER | First | Hell! Monmartre’s expensive. Well … I mustn’t go there too often or I’ll be broke! | pit + cher (Fr.); ref. proverb, “The p. that goes too often to the well is broken at last” |
| 543 | NUTRIA / ERMINE (Right and Left) | VHC | Head’s got wind up. Little rat stole stuff the property of a beak; (half of beer belonging to me!) | nut + air (rev.); (be)er + mine; stole1, n. |
| 1958-1959 | ||||
| 538 | BANISHING | Third | Uncle contrived Hamlet’s exit being involved in poisoning. (If doubtful, see W.S.!) | ish in baning (= poisoning, Shak.); ref. Claudius in Hamlet; W.S. = Shakespeare and Writer to Signet; see ish in C. |
| 529 | BUTTY-COLLIER | VHC | Found in the galleries drawing, perhaps, works by Utrillo, etc. | anag.; hewer and drawer |
| 519 | RIDICULE (DLM) | VHC | Why is idle curiosity about roast chicken inconclusive? Because a prior’s (pryer’s) habit doesn’t cover the parson’s nose! | |
| 504 | LEAD-LINE | VHC | All I need at sea … one heave—and I’m off to bed! | anag. & lit.; ref. seasickness |
| 500 | MOTHERS-IN-LAW | VHC | How can you describe them? Moralist when adapted offers “Dams with faint praise”! | anag., 2 defs.; ref. A. Pope, ‘Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot’ |
| 495 | PARTISAN | VHC | You can have the quiet workmanlike chap: I’m all for a player using the old-fashioned long handle! | p artisan, 2 defs.; all for = p. (adj.) ; player = wielder of weapon; ref. cricket bat |
| 1957-1958 | ||||
| 486 | BARACAN | VHC | Nap selection for a dead snip? There’s a horse to back; 100/1 on! | Arab (rev.) + C + an; nap2; dead = obs., snip = tailor |
| 482 | LEASING-MAKER | VHC | Rising producer indeed! He’s miscast me as King Lear: Edmund’s really my type! | anag.; E. Spenser |
| 477 | SEDATENESS | VHC | Sexton stopped early, having an appointment with a half of Guinness—hence the state of the grave! | Se(xton) + date + (Guin)ness |
| 473 | LISSOME (Printer’s Devilry) | Second | Displaying a woolly brain, am I? Stra/w hat, no nude poses … a nice girl! | mistral, non-U; Riviera |
| 469 | DAISY | VHC | Good shot! British captain missing a birdie by a yard! | Dai (Ree)s + y; ref. GB Ryder Cup captain 1957; ironical term of admiration (US) |
| 467 | A humorous definition (Humorous definition) | Third | STAY—(In pl., now largely obs.) constraining belt worn by women, and others, on the doubtful assumption that truth is stranger than fiction | |
| 464 | STRAWED | VHC | You and I fiddle around: hence the Middle-Aged Spread! | we in Strad; i.e. in middle ages |
| 460 | ASTONISHMENT (Misprints) | VHC | One needn’t show it when one’s wife casually mentions hats! | wise, i.e. having foreknowledge; anag. |
| 456 | PLAFOND | VHC | You must turn up for this game: it’s silly to play one short! | pla(y) + fond, 2 mngs.; for = in order to see |
| 447 | TOUSLE | VHC | If you put clumsy louts on the end of a line, what do you expect? | anag. + e, & lit.; production line |
| 438 | MACARONI | VHC | Buckwheat? Well, I am a corn product | anag.; i.e. buck (= a dandy) from wheat |
| 1956-1957 | ||||
| 434 | CARTON | VHC | You need to learn about small arms to get me! | art. (abbrev) in con, & lit. |
| 430 | GAMIN (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | In the new “Field”—“The greatest number of the month? Ele/gy Five,” says McC., “the best in swing.” Experts will disapprove | MCC, inswing; ref. 1957 change to laws of cricket |
| 425 | TRAVERSE | Second | Sidestep—that’s how the fly-half can take in the chap who rushes wildly! | raver in tse(tse) |
| 421 | DOVETAIL | VHC | It’s a devil to put together—and a devil to pull apart! | anag. & lit. [see comments] |
| 408 | BILLET | Second | Wanted: beak to take Latin and/or elementary woodwork. Accommodation provided | bill + et, 2 defs. |
| 400 | Word with 400 theme (Quatercentenary) | First | A result of stirring up s-e-x in one (13) | concupiscence; anag. & lit.; x = CCCC |
| 395 | SCALE-ARMOUR | VHC | The Capital of Egypt’s in a panic, but a purge all round could make armament now unnecessary | E in alarm in scour; ref. Suez crisis |
| 390 | HESITATE (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Empty church dis/aster for poor parson. What Hell! Collect for the Day offers little hope | |
| 1955-1956 | ||||
| 382 | ABSTAIN | VHC | Jack Spot investigation should give warning to those tempted to bear false witness | AB stain; ref. Jack ‘Spot’ Comer, East End gangster cleared of stabbing charge |
| 377 | MALISON | VHC | Iris has nothing on, and there’s a chap hanging round! See the blighter’s expression? | lis 0 in man; blight = curse |
| 373 | PRESTONPANS | VHC | After defeat of the Fifteen—snappier half backs! That should mean victory later | Preston + snap(pier) (rev.); ref. battle of 1715 |
| 369 | BERET | VHC | Born shortly before the end of the 1914-18 conflict, now at the head of the British Army | b ere t, & lit.; black beret of the Tank Regt. conceived May 1918 |
| 364 | HELLEBORE | VHC | Beauty returns in old age, like a rose that blooms anew in winter | belle (rev.) in hore |
| 334 | CHEROOT | VHC | A chap taking a girl out in Scotland may be had for a sucker! (Burns!) | c. her oot; chap. = chapter, oot = out |
| 329 | HAMADRYAD | VHC | Mysterious body found in trunk. Mummy had Yard baffled | anag. incl. ma |
| 1954 (2) | ||||
| 325 | MARRYING | Second | After this the Senorita loses her sex-appeal! | i.e. Señorita less it = Señora |
| 316 | BATHROOM | VHC | clue not given | |
| 302 | MARTIN | Third | How would you change “cocktail” into “name given to male bird?” Well, do it! | i.e. remove tail of Martini; name given to male (and) bird |
| 291 | APAGOGE | Third | I initially get antithesis, prove absurdity—then take its antithesis | ego + initial letters (all rev.), & lit. |
| 287 | MANCHESTER | VHC | Here many unfinished matches (except a dull finish) get ruined by rain up North | man(y) + (mat)ches + ret (rev.), & lit.; ref. rain-interrupted cricket at Old Trafford |
| 285 | PARALYSES | VHC | Produces results such as palsy’s are | anag. & lit. |
| 1954 (1) | ||||
| 283 | SOBER | VHC | The Observer is this at heart, though some of the letters are rather wild | anag. of (The) Obser(ver) |
| 277 | PRODIGALLY | VHC | As one elder son might have said: “You’ve spent your portion so … stick among the swine, brother!” | rod in pig + ally; Luke 15 |
| 275 | ESTOVER (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | Hurricane hitting Lake Rand may be at windiest/ in three days. How we dread such news. | beat W. Indies. Test over … we’d read; ref. Jim Laker and Peter May, 1954 Tests v. W. Indies |
| 273 | COUSIN | VHC | Get Uncle Sam into a corner, and his daughter’s yours! | US in coin (= cornerstone, archaic) |
| 271 | TRIPLET | VHC | Fault! …? Double? No, one more! | trip + let (implied) |
| 265 | THERMAE | VHC | You won’t find a single bath mat here oddly enough | anag. & prob. lit. |
| 1953 (1) | ||||
| 225 | TOUCHSTONES | VHC | At testing times they often showed a yellow streak. Shakespeare’s lied skilfully to avoid fighting | 2 mngs.; gold; ref. AYLI, T.’s duel |
| 221 | BUNTHORNE | VHC | Character from Ben Hur not likely to have won an Oscar? Not likely! | anag.; B. thought to satirise O. Wilde |
| 215 | BUCKFASTLEIGH | VHC | Jump to it! Then if the lags should be unruly, you can find sanctuary across the Moor | buck1 (vb.) + anag.; B. Abbey; Dartmoor prison |
| 213 | LEMONADE | First | Article in French paper shows what people will swallow from the yellow press! | a in Le Monde; see y.p. in C. |
| 211 | CAROL-SINGERS or HOLLY-BERRIES | Second | When they’re out of tune, closing your ears may spare you! | CS; anag. less you & lit. |
| 1952 (2) | ||||
| 204 | ROSTER (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | No doubt to amuse our Arth., here’s a f/at odalisque! ’Er methods must shock the Sisters! | … a muse … a frost, Erato. Dali’s…; addressed to E. [see also comments in Slip no. 205] |
| 199 | HONESTY | VHC | Best course for the Open? Hoylake, where you might get a birdie in the first three? | nest in Hoy(lake); ‘h. is the best policy’ |
| 196 | SHAMAN / SERIAN (Right and Left) | VHC | Warlock, a fellow after the English audience’s heart, is near torture to a Chinese | (the Engli)sh (audience) + a man; anag.; ref. Peter W., English composer |
| 195 | WALLABAS | VHC | It’s possible—if unusual—to get us down by letting a feller have one short bash! | walla, bas(h) |
| 1952 (1) | ||||
| 193 | TRADUCER | VHC | I see that you’re run down, the Dr. confided to the ailing curate | anag. of curate, Dr. |
| 192 | WATSON | VHC | As a change from the homes of patients I often tried the reverse, so to speak! | cryptic def.; i.e. tried ‘patience of Holmes’; ref. W.’s limited powers of reasoning |
| 190 | CHEQUERS | VHC | What’s the applause about? House awaits P.M.’s decision to go to the country | Qu. (i.e. what is?) in cheers; ref. PM’s country residence |
| 189 | SALTIRE | VHC | See ’ow much yer’ve got to pay on a season? Makes yer cross! | salt + ’ire (hire) |
| 185 | STOUT | First | When I have no head, the discriminating customer tends to sniff at me | i.e. s + tout2 or 4, & lit. |
| 183 | SAUSAGES | VHC | Simply a habit Sunday after Sunday? We’re prepared for scoffers | S + a usage + S |
| 1951 (2) | ||||
| 180 | HESPER (Printer’s Devilry) | Third | Edinburgh preferred a scientist. Did Aberdeen, like them, oust a c/hap Sim? Afraid so! | the moustaches perhaps; ref. Rectorial elections 1951; Alastair Sim replaced by Alexander Fleming at Edinburgh, Jimmy Edwards elected at Aberdeen |
| 179 | CADRE | VHC | Troops soon gather around a barrel with liquid in it | R in cade1; i.e. liquid consonant |
| 1951 (1) | ||||
| 164 | NEWTON | Second | West Country Abbot associated worldly attractions with forbidden fruit | 2 mngs.; N. Abbot, Devon; N.’s law of gravity; apple, Adam & Eve |
| 163 | LORICATE | VHC | Following the famous Annie, Coliseum’s new heroine sounds like having a hard test! | ‘Laurie, Kate’; ref. A. Laurie; musicals at London Coliseum “A. Get Your Gun” followed by “Kiss me K.”; test2 = shell [see comments] |
| 162 | TITANESS | VHC | For the O.S. woman a more close fitting cape doesn’t look right. (but sounds right!) | i.e. ‘tighter ness’ |
| 156 | LAVEROCK | Third | Take the stone to rest in Scotland—not everyone’s idea of a lark | rock following lave2; ref. theft of Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in 1950 |
| 1950 (2) | ||||
| 154 | RABBIT | VHC | A hopeless bat perhaps has the makings of a first-class bowler | 2 mngs.; felt for hats |
| 153 | SAMISENS | VHC | Cultivated in masses—and plucked with “The flowers that bloom in the Spring”? | anag.; ref. song in The Mikado |
| 150 | CAPILLAMENTS | Third | Baffled camel’s plaint: “They can go easily through a needle’s eye” | anag. |
| 149 | DOMESTIC | VHC | Help! Here’s the Cistercian prior half crazed with Benedictine | Dom + anag. of Ciste(rcian) |
| 146 | BELDAME | Second | “The Third Man?” Head’s gone: Matron’s to go later. She’s furious! | (A)bel + dame; Abel = third man on earth; ref. 1949 film |
| 145 | STEWART | VHC | Short article on Pond’s made Lady Arabella’s name | stew2 + art. (abbrev.): ref. Lady Arabella S.; P.’s cold cream |
| 139 | HECATOMB | VHC | The atom bomb cache contains enough for wholesale slaughter—and 100% reserve | i.e. half of anag. |
| 1950 (1) | ||||
| 122 | LEATHER | VHC | The writer of a lot of nonsense about hunting it is Fielding | the in (Edward) Lear; pause after about |
| 119 | UMBLE-PIE | VHC | It needs pluck! One slip, and the sword swallower’s had it! | i.e. eat one’s words (s moved in sword); pluck = entrails [see comments] |
| 1949 (2) | ||||
| 117 | LION | VHC | Generally speaking, Aurora in the spring is the sign of a late summer! | ‘a roarer’!; Zodiac sign Leo, Jul–Aug |
| 114 | TAPPIT-HEN | Third | Lang drink wi’ a head on and no’ a cocktail! | 2 mngs.; has lid; cock’s crest |
| 112 | SHEET (DLM) | First | Undergraduates Heckle Attlee—Senior Proctor Acts—Ten Sent Down | ref. Acts 10:11 |
| 110 | LEVIGATE | VHC | Gad, your fellow’s got a wicket whilst the shine’s on! | Levi, gate; God; wicket gate |
| 107 | STRAMASH | VHC | Pandemonium in Scottish train smash when coupling breaks | i.e. tra in smash |
| 106 | HELIOTROPE | Third | The poor lie ill—but surely not in an apple-pie bed? | anag.; flower bed; h. thought to smell of apple pie |
| 1949 (1) | ||||
| 104 | STARE (Printer’s Devilry) | Second | Plot of “The Be/ast of Indore” may be based on “The Bending of a Twig” | divining rod |
| 103 | MOSES | VHC | A simple Primrose—found by the river’s brim | 2 mngs.; Moses P. in ‘The Vicar of Wakefield’ by Oliver Goldsmith; ref. ‘Peter Bell’ by Wordsworth; drawn from Nile |
| 101 | BARRACKS | VHC | Roasts rabbits—except young ones! | bar racks; rack8 |
| 100 | Word containing ADDING | VHC | Much binding on the heir? Surely not after two years? Most perplexing! | swaddling; radio comedy ‘Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh’ reached 100 episodes; i.e. …addling |
| 98 | HUMERI | VHC | They’re up in arms. The imposition has roused keen resentment | hum + ire (rev.); hum = imposition |
| 97 | NESTOR | VHC | Antipodean parrot sensibly has learned Greek! What a talker! | hidden rev.; genus of kea parrots |
| 95 | SPOONER | First | 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. |
| 1948 (2) | ||||
| 85 | SERGEANT | VHC | Twill trousers (extremely short)—with a striped coat! He does dress loudly | serge (p)ant(s); ref. insignia; dress = align troops in parade |
| 84 | SHINGLE / THIRSTY (Right and Left) | VHC | School House Fire In Scotland. Head’s Close Shave As Dives Amid Flames | SH ingle; short haircut; cryptic def.; ref. Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16:19ff |
| 83 | BUDAPEST | VHC | City connected with blue flower. You may find flower to be a nuisance! | bud (flower-to-be) + a pest; ref. Blue Danube; flow-er |
| 81 | CHARADE | Third | Puzzle: what became of the Archdeacon when he left his study? | anag. less con |
| 80 | GONERIL | VHC | One Girl’s Muddle Threatens Wholesale Train Cuts. King’s Cross Meeting | anag.; Lear I.4.241 “disquantity your train” and III.1-2 |
| 1948 (1) | ||||
| 76 | VALEDICTORY | Second | Two byes, turning precarious lead into certain win | anag. in victory; bye-bye |
| 74 | DEODAR | VHC | Dreadnought sabotaged leaving Indian ’arbour, so I ’ear | anag. of dread 0; ‘arbor’ |
| 66 | CHRISTMAS PIE or TURKEY CARPET | VHC | Cornered—by relative of miners’ leader? Disorganised pits scare him | anag.; ref. Arthur Horner, first Gen. Sec. of NUM, 1946, and “Little Jack H. sat in a corner” |
| 1947 (2) | ||||
| 64 | GLASTONBURY | First | Not “The Stolen Bacillus,” but another sort of “lost bug” yarn by Wells | anag.; ref. short story by H. G. Wells; Wells, Somerset |
| 63 | STILETTO | VHC | Strange that Battista Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater was successful, as he always confused this small weapon with a big spear! | comp. anag.; i.e., stab at [see comments] |
| 62 | HERCULES | Second | Strong supporter of Labour policy. Some talk of him as successor to Defence Minister | cryptic def.; ref. song ‘The British Grenadiers’, “Some talk of Alexander, and some of H.”, and A. V. Alexander, Min. of Defence |
| 57 | THEORBOS | VHC | They needed pluck to play low. Now they can make the rubber | the + anag. of sorbo |
| 56 | SHEEP-RUN | VHC | Sounds as if you might get fed up with the weather here | cryptic def.; i.e. ‘ewe’, ‘wether’ |
| 55 | NAUSEANT | VHC | Unpleasant result of crossing the North Sea with a lady from Taunton | anag. incl. N, (T)aunt(on |
| 53 | SHIN | First | Tramp, well fitted for conversion into light cutter | Shin(well); ref. Emanuel S., Min. of Fuel and Power, and power cuts of winter 1946-7; tramp vb. and n. (cargo boat) |
| 1947 (1) | ||||
| 46 | LYSANDER | VHC | R.A.F. type—not to be compared with a Grenadier | ref. aircraft; ‘Some talk of … L. … none that can compare … to the British Grenadiers’, song |
| 45 | RATTENED | VHC | Irregular attender of trades-union meetings may be | anag. of attender |
| 42 | HALLANSHAKER | VHC | Hallelujah! Beggar my neighbour | adjacent word in contemporary ed. of C. |
| 1946 (2) | ||||
| 39 | GNATHIC | VHC | Aching teeth can give you such pain—even if you have nearly all of them out | anag. of aching t(eeth), & lit. |
| 38 | WIND-HOVER | Second | Hawker isn’t likely to use it; try to persuade De Havilland | i.e. win DH over; aircraft manufacturers |
| 36 | TARTARUS | VHC | We expect to have to pay if we come to a low haunt like this, but we object to a deposit on the bottle | tartar us; objective of we |
| 35 | RIFE (DLM) | Third | And, qua rotifer, ample in girth.” | |
| 32 | TEMERAIRE | VHC | Robespierre had this rash, as a result of his initial bathe in English rivers? | R(obespierre) in Teme, Aire; téméraire (Fr.) = rash |
| 31 | APRIORIST | First | Wanted. Reasonable performer for Paris Trio. Experience not essential | anag. |
| 30 | TWEEL | VHC | Will this fabric be on sale? It will, shortly, in the Caledonian market, but there’s a catch in it | ’twill; ’t weel (= fish trap) |
| 29 | RATAN | VHC | Ferry pilots in the Navy? Special sort of staff job, I suppose! | ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) in RN |
Ximenes competitions
1970-1971
1162 BEAM-ENDS
1158 ELEPHANT-SEAL
1145 GENIPAP
1140 CALLOUS
1135 HILAIRE BELLOC
1131 CAROUSER (Misprints)
1115 FLESH-POTTERY
1110 IMPERSONATE
1969-1970
1106 LEXICOGRAPHY
1097 PANTOPHAGIST
1062 CALLING-CRAB
1058 Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard, Parr (Anagram)
1968-1969
1039 TEGMEN def. LEGION (Wrong Number)
1028 SATIRE
1015 HOAR-HEADED
1006 CHROME-PLATING
1967-1968
993 JONATHAN
989 GRENADINE
975 HALE
1966-1967
936 MINI SKIRTS
929 AMPHITHEATRE
920 ARISTATE (Printer’s Devilry)
916 DIAPASON
911 DRAGON
1965-1966
902 WINCOPIPE
900 PARAMECIA or PAREOEANS
898 POCHARD
884 MASHER (Printer’s Devilry)
868 DANDER / TOUPEE (Right and Left)
1964-1965
847 FRENETICAL
843 PRISTINE
839 GINGER (Printer’s Devilry)
832 PENNY-WISE (Misprints)
1963-1964
800 Charlemagne, Emperor of the West (Anagram)
796 STRAKE (or STRAIK) (Misprints)
777 TAILOR-BIRD
773 FIT-OUT
764 SHIMMY-SHAKE
1962-1963
746 INTERMIT (Printer’s Devilry)
738 ANAESTHETIC
734 NASALITY
1961-1962
647 MADCAP
1960-1961
642 SEETHER (Printer’s Devilry)
638 BUREAUCRAT
634 BEDSTEAD
600 The Light Brigade, noble Six Hundred (Anagram)
595 INORNATE / OMADHAUN (Right and Left)
1959-1960
547 STORMY
1958-1959
525 MORALE (Printer’s Devilry)
508 CUMBERGROUND
490 CLEAR def. WEIGH (Wrong Number)
1957-1958
451 MEGAPODE
443 HALF-SEAS-OVER
1956-1957
417 SINECURE
415 When the snow lay round about (Anagram)
412 SERVIETTE
404 POLENTA
1954 (2)
306 CHICANE / RAMPART (Right and Left)
304 ORLEANS
295 SENSE-ORGANS
293 CAB
289 CISTERN
1954 (1)
281 SCRAPS def. LOCALS (Wrong Number)
279 CRYPTOGRAM
269 ASCENT
267 TRADE
1953 (2)
251 UNMETHODICAL
241 MANDOLINE
1953 (1)
229 MASCOT
227 CATEGORIES
223 MELODRAME
219 SOCIALIST
1952 (2)
205 CANTANKEROUS
203 WEATHERS
197 SCALES
1952 (1)
187 GROWLER
186 ASHMOLEAN
184 MEREST / WYOMING (DLM)
181 HANGABLE
1951 (2)
178 HIDEOUS
176 SPIGOT
174 ANACREONTICS
172 GARNISHER
1951 (1)
167 PARMESAN
166 RACHIDES
161 TILLER
160 RASCAL (Printer’s Devilry)
158 RATING
155 LYTERIAN
1950 (2)
152 SEA-LION
148 FILIBUSTER
147 GATHER
143 LAMPREY
135 STRIPPED
1950 (1)
126 RASPBERRY
124 BARHAM or BRAMAH
123 LEECHES
121 SNAPSHOT
118 MARAVEDI
1949 (2)
116 WATERLOO
115 MISNOMER
113 CRICKETER
111 PLEASANT
109 PERI
105 SMITHEREENS
1949 (1)
96 INTERLOCK
92 PARTRIDGE
1948 (2)
90 ROTHER
87 SISKIN
86 ODOMETER
1948 (1)
69 MISANTHROPE
68 ANTIGROPELOS
67 SURFEIT (DLM)
| Year | Prizes (1, 2, 3) | VHCs | HCs | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ximenes competitions | ||||
| 1970-1971 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 1969-1970 | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 1968-1969 | 4 (3, 1, 0) | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 1967-1968 | 2 (0, 2, 0) | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 1966-1967 | 2 (2, 0, 0) | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 1965-1966 | 2 (1, 1, 0) | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 1964-1965 | 1 (0, 1, 0) | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 1963-1964 | 1 (1, 0, 0) | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| 1962-1963 | 1 (1, 0, 0) | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| 1961-1962 | 2 (0, 1, 1) | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1960-1961 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| 1959-1960 | 3 (2, 1, 0) | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958-1959 | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| 1957-1958 | 2 (0, 1, 1) | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956-1957 | 3 (1, 2, 0) | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1955-1956 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| 1954 (2) | 3 (0, 1, 2) | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 1954 (1) | 0 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
| 1953 (2) | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1953 (1) | 2 (1, 1, 0) | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 1952 (2) | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 |
| 1952 (1) | 1 (1, 0, 0) | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 1951 (2) | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 1 | 4 | – |
| 1951 (1) | 2 (0, 1, 1) | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 1950 (2) | 2 (0, 1, 1) | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| 1950 (1) | 0 | 2 | 5 | – |
| 1949 (2) | 3 (1, 0, 2) | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 1949 (1) | 2 (1, 1, 0) | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1948 (2) | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 1948 (1) | 1 (0, 1, 0) | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 1947 (2) | 3 (2, 1, 0) | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1947 (1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | – |
| 1946 (2) | 3 (1, 1, 1) | 5 | 0 | 1 |