ordStats| Clues in archive | First Prizes | Other Prizes | VHCs | HCs | Hons points | First mention | Latest mention | Career span |
Also listed as | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. A. Macdonald-Cooper | 72 | 2 | 8 | 62 | 121 | 82 | Dec 1972 | Apr 2013 | 40y 4m | M. A. Cooper |
| Clue word | Award | Clue | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-2013 | ||||
| 2113 | PICAROON | VHC | ——, or one tangling with Pan & Co? | anag. incl. I, & lit.; ref. Peter P. |
| 2011-2012 | ||||
| 2087 | ROCKET | VHC | Diamond Jubilee’s last time one famously appeared on track before admiring crowd | rock + e t; ref. Stephenson |
| 2083 | BEWITCH | VHC | West Indies being put in make deep impression after Broad’s opening spell | B + WI in etch |
| 2074 | BENNET | VHC | What smitten Nebuchadnezzar’s gobbling up – bit of grass | hidden rev.; ref. Daniel, 4, 30 |
| 2070 | MISTREATMENT | VHC | On being dispensed, it means torment, potentially | anag. less on, & lit. |
| 2065 | DERMESTIDAE | VHC | Turning crimson, I’m seated uncomfortably – these bugs can be bad for piles! | red (rev.) + anag.; bugs = infections |
| 2064 | COLD TURKEY | VHC | Distress rocket duly producing sharpish rescue for people on junk? | anag. |
| 2053 | PERISHER def. ESTIMATE (Wrong Number) | VHC | Annoying little devil reckoning initially on stray sheep bottling religious instruction | RI in anag. + r; reckoning; bottle = fail to undertake |
| 2049 | PARTY-POOPER | VHC | Property OAP renovated becoming damper | anag. |
| 2045 | CATENATE | First | Like traditional sausages fellow worried about E number serves? | E n in cat ate |
| 2010-2011 | ||||
| 2031 | EMBROIDERY | VHC | Work in yarn that’s strangely frightening, containing morbid fancy | anag. in eery; work in yarn = contrive to narrate story |
| 2027 | THRENETICAL | VHC | In Memoriam Latin teacher’s translating as —— | comp. anag. |
| 2023 | CHAMBRANLE | VHC | In church, a decoration executed on side of wall | ran l in Ch. a MBE, & lit. |
| 2019 | OVERAWE / HENOTIC (Right and Left) | Second | Crush? We’ve endless road works, making one hit cone when manoeuvring | anag. less d; anag. |
| 2014 | HACKETTE | VHC | She performs organ work, the fugal parts containing a lot of notes not to be played softly | (p)acket in anag. |
| 2010 | A COMING OF AGE | VHC | Reason for party gathering? Necessary to protect Lib Dem leader, once involved in a stir | Ming (Campbell) in oof all in a cage (= prison) |
| 2009-2010 | ||||
| 1988 | PERIQUE | VHC | Early signs of eruption in long-dormant peak, source of pungent smoke | er in pique3 |
| 1984 | ORWEL(L)IAN (Doublethink) | VHC | Characteristic of Blair, having fabricated lie on war? | anag. |
| 1975 | SEPTENTRIONAL | VHC | Northern Ireland’s potent brews unsettling head in Down or Derry | anag. less D |
| 1967 | SUBORDINATELY | VHC | New Labour destiny – playing second fiddle? | anag. |
| 1962 | ANADEM | VHC | Flowery adornment Dame Edna sports when first shows are screened | anag. less D, E; show = sign, indication |
| 1960 | NGANA (3 defs + letter mixture) (Parcels) | VHC | Syndicate member mismanage own money? It’d affect stock fatally | WONGA NAME |
| 1953 | TRAUMA (misprint of T) (Misprints) | First | Hears of distraught mother’s emotional shock | heart; trau + ma |
| 2008-2009 | ||||
| 1936 | LITMUS TEST | VHC | Content of chemical it must establish | hidden & lit. |
| 1918 | PALAMPORE | VHC | Sort of ‘counterpoint’, as was said in English, after Malaprop, mangled? | anag. + E |
| 1906 | MORSE | VHC | One famed for cracking clues showing incipient misery over ridiculous style ‘Endeavour’ | first letters; ref. Inspector M. |
| 2007-2008 | ||||
| 1871 | FAIRY GOLD | VHC | Pelf, when penniless, or ——? | i.e. fairy (= elf) + gold, & |
| 1862 | UNALIKE (Spoonerisms) | VHC | Tron casting debut for understudy to cover one hampered by broken ankle | contrasting; u + I in anag.; ref Tron Theatre, Glasgow |
| 1853 | ANTIQUITARIAN | VHC | Unusually quaint old hostelry retaining touch of Tudor air – I like it! | anag. + T aria in in |
| 2006-2007 | ||||
| 1831 | MARGINALIA | Third | Lara, aiming cut, evoking observations from commentators? | anag.; ref. cricket |
| 1827 | AMAKOSI def. DENUDED (Wrong Number) | VHC | Tribal leaders, African American, odd characters from Ohio, stark raving | stark; Am + anag. of alternate letters |
| 1784 | TEARAWAY | VHC | Who’s still harbouring some hostility over having to accept a bit of authority? | a in a war in yet (all rev.), & lit. |
| 2005-2006 | ||||
| 1750 | PLOUGHMAN | VHC | Crew bound to fail, one trailing after pulling punches? | plough + man |
| 1746 | ENTOMIC | VHC | Supply organised to men in command of soldiers in colonies, typically? | anag. + i/c; supply adv. |
| 1741 | LORD NELSON | VHC | Londoners’ landmark’s leader at sea | anag. incl. l, & lit. |
| 1737 | ANIMUS | VHC | Hostile spirit from Australia clinching contest as to who’ll take last match? | nim in AUS |
| 1733 | PALESTRA | VHC | Seek quarter from Leonidas in Sparta wrestling here? | Le in anag., & lit. |
| 2004-2005 | ||||
| 1724 | MONEYBAGS | VHC | Gnome, say, with capital in Berne, rolling? | anag. incl. B, & lit. |
| 1996-1997 | ||||
| 1303 | PONIARD | Second | Plunge knife in, and sew up after surgery’s over? | op (rev.) + drain (rev.) |
| 1286 | CHALET | Third | Accommodation for Heidi, high, we’re told? | ref. ‘Hi-di-hi!’, TV holiday camp sitcom; & lit. |
| 1281 | ABLUTOMANE | VHC | Washer possibly needing shrink to make fit – manual to be revised? | washer, shrink, fit 2 meanings |
| 1277 | NOVE(M)BER (Letters Latent) | VHC | Perennial number eleven, brave one batting without a hint of apprehension? | anag. less a |
| 1268 | ARGIE-BARGIE | VHC | Development of bigger area around Ireland’s capital – Donnybrook, perhaps | I in anag. |
| 1264 | TREDRILLE / FERVOROUS (Right and Left) | VHC | Use for devil’s books as material in service? Typically zealous, Bible or nothing’s featured in tracts Scots hold | drill in tree; RV or 0 in feus |
| 1260 | OUT-AND-OUT | Second | Unqualified don working in Open University taught in modern style | anag. in OU taut |
| 1992-1993 | ||||
| 1084 | PIERCEABLE / SALESGIRL (DLM) | VHC | Says Celia ‘Pre bedtime, I’m apt to be bored’ – She’ll ring me up, hoping perfume from Grasse I’ll afford! | |
| 1991-1992 | ||||
| 1024 | PRESENT (3 defs + sub. ind. of wrapping) (Parcels) | VHC | Mysore: Gavaskar’s opening batting, always a tense duty | SEM(PRE SENT)RY-GO; anag. incl. G |
| 1989-1990 | ||||
| 913 | ARCHIBALD | VHC | Camel had rib smashed if you fired me! | anag. less me, & lit. |
| 1988-1989 | ||||
| 862 | OFF-AND-ON | VHC | Sometimes, with an incompetent, party suffers bouleversement – a real possibility | naff in do (rev.) + on, ref. Govan by-election |
| 857 | REDCAP / NICETY (Right and Left) | VHC | Good effort but no runs – distinction lacking as dropped international becomes baggage handler! | nice t(r)y; r(as)ed cap |
| 840 | SONDE | VHC | Doesn’t it sometimes cast storming? | anag. less ’t, & lit. |
| 1987-1988 | ||||
| 818 | EMBUSQUÉ | VHC | January’s exercise: waiting past, queues mob wildly, missing nothing! | anag. less 0; ref. Jan. comp./sales |
| 816 | POTLACH (with extra O in word) (Extra letter) | VHC | Unlimited chocolate supply (nothing less) – what Bunter’s expecting around festive season | anag. of (c)hocolat(e) less 0 in PO |
| 801 | LINCHET | VHC | Wonderful clean hit, one going for boundary | anag. less a |
| 792 | DISTHENE (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | When we heard and sa/w ‘soft’ Roy, did Owen truthfully pale? | Troy, Dido |
| 1986-1987 | ||||
| 774 | VICTORINE | VHC | I contrive elaborate cape a character might display! | anag., hidden & lit. |
| 753 | SHEEPDOG | VHC | Female, 45 maybe, having to trail after one accustomed to whistles | she EP dog |
| 1985-1986 | ||||
| 727 | WELL-TO-DO | Third | Flutter not allowed with starters off? You’ll find most bookies the same! | anag. less first letters |
| 718 | FLO(GG)IN(G) (Letters Latent) | Third | Six from Quelch? Fat Owl’s in squirms when swishing taws is rested | comp. anag.; ref. B. Bunter |
| 714 | MOTE | VHC | Erratic comet returns this century – it’s hard to see with the naked eye! | comp. anag., mote1; returns = produces |
| 1984-1985 | ||||
| 675 | CONSTERNATE | Second | What flag day will do to Aberdonian (embarrass Scot with a tenner)? | anag. |
| 1982-1983 | ||||
| 572 | SNAKE-OIL | VHC | Risk’s extreme in wild North Sea – maybe what’s found there’ll hardly make one well! | kin anag. + oil |
| 552 | NOURICE-FEE | VHC | Sou finally for time in refection contrived at end of nipple? | u for t in anag. + e & lit. |
| 1981-1982 | ||||
| 506 | ELANET (Printer’s Devilry) | VHC | A wee hand: s/ae warm the palm – in January | ref. Handsel Monday q.v. |
| 1980-1981 | ||||
| 460 | SWOOP | VHC | Jock and I’ll crash Vanessa’s party – could be the death of Mrs MacD. and the kids! | oo in S(ocialist) W(orkers’) P(arty)); ref. V. Redgrave, Lady Macduff in ‘Macbeth’ |
| 1979-1980 | ||||
| 419 | RAMILLIES | VHC | Head covering one described as thoroughly modern? This head covering isn’t! | Millie in ras |
| 1977-1978 | ||||
| 301 | TROLLOPISH | VHC | As a pert schoolgirl, lacking elements of grace, could unfortunately become | comp. anag. & lit. |
| 300 | SLINK-BUTCHER | VHC | What’s my line? Product of keb, mortling and such – but not mog! | comp. anag. & lit. |
| 285 | BOYFRIEND (Misprints) | VHC | One daring girl flaunting fine body’s about right for me! | dating; r in anag. |
| 281 | DINOCERAS | VHC | Wrecking Wyoming homesteads I could have caused scare amongst weedy hominoids | comp. anag. & lit. |
| 276 | AMTRACK | VHC | In Army attack per mare I’m deployed with a REME party | comp. anag. & lit. |
| 267 | MORRIS-DANCE | VHC | First of May heralds dancing in cadres – or ——? | M + anag. & lit. |
2012-2013
2131 DIVES / MALIK (Right and Left)
2118 BLOKEISH
2105 TITANIC / ICEBERG (Overlaps)
2100 A STITCH IN TIME
2096 TRICK
2011-2012
2091 SNIFTER
2078 RÉCOLLET
2062 APPLE-KNOCKER
2058 ROBUST
2010-2011
2036 AL CONTO
2012 BLOATING
2000 TWO THOUSAND
1997 FADO
1992 FOULARD
2009-2010
1979 FAR-OUT
1971 WATERMANSHIP
1958 HANGDOG
1949 PALFRENIER
1945 PRISON
1940 SCANT def. SNEAP (Wrong Number)
2008-2009
1923 ELLIPTIC
1914 VE(S)TAL (Letters Latent)
1910 BARPERSON
1908 WE THREE KINGS
1901 SANITISE
1897 WASH-OUT
2007-2008
1875 GOUTTE / UPREAR (Right and Left)
1866 BINGE
1858 HUMONGOUS
1849 AUXESIS
1840 W(I)NN(I)E-THE-POOH (Letters Latent)
1836 POSTHASTE
2006-2007
1801 RUSE DE GUERRE
1797 HEART
2005-2006
1771 PARTERRE
1762 DUDDERY
1758 BIMBETTE
1753 DIAGONAL
1752 MIDWINTER
1997-1998
1322 CARPET
1316 FINGERLICKIN’
1312 REST-CURE
1996-1997
1307 AGILE (Spoonerisms)
1284 STALE (3 defs. + sub. ind. of wrapping) (Parcels)
1273 SIPOREX
1995-1996
1250 SONEOCARDIA (STENOCARDIA) (Ten to One)
1993-1994
1117 STAMNOS (3 Consecutive Letters)
1992-1993
1069 (P)OSTICHE (Headpieces)
1991-1992
1039 TOLERABLE
1026 LET-OFF
1013 ALVEARY
1008 SPORTSCASTER (Misprints)
1000 ONE THOUSAND
995 STASIMA (Printer’s Devilry)
1990-1991
987 IRON CURTAIN
961 WAVESON
956 SPEAR-SIDE
952 STAR (Spoonerisms)
1989-1990
934 LACE-UPS
1988-1989
878 MOUSEPIECE
874 BLUESTOCKING
869 HOLD-UPS
853 DEBACLE
849 VISITE
1987-1988
835 PROSAICAL
831 COOLABAH (Spoonerisms)
827 MICKEY-TAKING
823 SARBACANE
809 DOLCE VITA
805 LITOTES
788 CROW
1986-1987
783 CAMPESINO
779 MISSING LINK
770 HERMITS
766 GUBBINS
764 CHILDERMAS
762 OBELISE
757 ETHEROMANIAC (Misprints)
750 SALMAGUNDY (750 themed clue)
744 SKIRL-IN-THE-PAN / COFFEE-DISEASE (Right and Left)
735 MALIGN
1985-1986
731 STRING
696 ANTIMNEMONIC
688 CUCURBITAL
683 BANISH
1984-1985
679 ESTOVER (Printer’s Devilry)
662 BARGE-COUPLE
660 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse (Anagram)
1983-1984
622 SIMP (Printer’s Devilry)
607 CARNEY
590 MINEVER
581 SPADROON def. MAVERICK (Wrong Number)
1982-1983
576 TOP-NOTCH
556 SWEAL (Misprints)
547 GLEEMAN
1981-1982
517 IMMORTELLE
504 SIMMENTHALER
491 SEVENTY-EIGHT
486 JUMPED-UP
1980-1981
469 APLUSTRE
464 SIMKIN
456 BALADINE
452 DISSENTERISM
443 STEEPLECROWN
1979-1980
410 CUL-DE-SAC
401 GO-AHEAD
393 INTRACARDIAC
388 ALEXIPHARMIC
1978-1979
358 UPSTART def. NON-TERM (Wrong Number)
340 BOOKSIE
327 HEMLOCK
319 PODESTA
1977-1978
310 STERNFAST
294 HUMECT
259 TRANSIRE
1976-1977
255 ROYAL SILVER JUBILEE
247 FLIVVER
1975-1976
195 SHILLY-SHALLY
169 THUGGEE
1974-1975
143 Jingle for BALTHAZAR, MELCHIOR, CASPAR (A jingle)
1972-1973
43 A neologism (Neologisms)
| Year | Prizes (1, 2, 3) | VHCs | HCs | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-2012 | 1 (1, 0, 0) | 8 | 4 | 5 |
| 2010-2011 | 1 (0, 1, 0) | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| 2009-2010 | 1 (1, 0, 0) | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 2008-2009 | 0 | 3 | 6 | – |
| 2007-2008 | 0 | 3 | 6 | – |
| 2006-2007 | 1 (0, 0, 1) | 2 | 2 | 26 |
| 2005-2006 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| 2004-2005 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 1996-1997 | 3 (0, 2, 1) | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| 1995-1996 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1993-1994 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1992-1993 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 1991-1992 | 0 | 1 | 6 | – |
| 1990-1991 | 0 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 1989-1990 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – |
| 1988-1989 | 0 | 3 | 5 | – |
| 1987-1988 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 17 |
| 1986-1987 | 0 | 2 | 10 | – |
| 1985-1986 | 2 (0, 0, 2) | 1 | 4 | 11 |
| 1984-1985 | 1 (0, 1, 0) | 0 | 3 | – |
| 1983-1984 | 0 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 1982-1983 | 0 | 2 | 3 | – |
| 1981-1982 | 0 | 1 | 4 | – |
| 1980-1981 | 0 | 1 | 5 | – |
| 1979-1980 | 0 | 1 | 4 | – |
| 1978-1979 | 0 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 1977-1978 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| 1976-1977 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1975-1976 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1974-1975 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1972-1973 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |