◀  No. 1271 Sep 1974 Clue list No. 135  ▶

AZED CROSSWORD 130

EADISH (Printer’s Devilry)

1.  L. J. Wayman: Middle age? Spr/int to get fitter.

2.  P. D. Gaffey: Wrens aid robins. D/o tits aid sparrow? (ref. ‘Cock Robin’).

3.  A. R. McKenzie: Grafting: would b/one stand risky operation.

VHC

T. Anderson: What you need to make m/oney – and leave none before you go old boy!

J. W. Bates: A fall of fat hicks t/umbling (Hickstead; ref. racecourse).

R. S. Caffyn: Even hippies admit that br/andy.

E. Chalkley: One overlusty giving up br/eeding – doctor’s advice.

Mrs M. P. Craine: No theatre seats left in st/alls. Ample entertainment at cinema.

D. H. Curzon: With dr/iver on tees – care! Do fair shot.

J. A. Fincken: A shrew she may be, but isn’t Kat/y one?

E. A. Free: Sheriffs d/o this jail up.

F. D. Gardiner: My rug, by playings on, gets covered in mud. So what? I’d r/isk it in the wash.

Miss D. Hoyle: Br/aving a fattening effect I eat only biscuits.

R. E. Kimmons: B/y swinging, Dolly hit ’em for six (ref. Basil D’Oliveira).

W. J. Landon: The ships l/eave Dover in shallow water.

A. Lawrie: Mint’s the source of creme de menthe – and that of m/oney.

A. D. Legge: I do no menial jobs in st/out boots.

Mrs S. M. Macpherson: The sweet content in making m/oney.

B. Manvell: Br/aving an ill effect on my health, I eat little.

F. R. Palmer: No sugar for bottling fruit – inst/all deep freeze.

Dr R. J. Palmer: Could the finder of Piltdown skull b/one stand ingenious hoaxer?

T. E. Sanders: To snatch the l/oot away and leave my pursuers standing.

W. J. M. Scotland: As she’s no br/a, reach up attire! Past being good? (chupatti).

W. K. M. Slimmings: See that br/andy? If it sold well, use it for toast.

J. R. Stocks: Drawing a b/ow to hit a target (bead = gunsight).

G. A. Tomlinson: With care in centring b/all score a bull!

D. C. Williamson: The only sugar – you’ll need to produce m/oney.

HC

R. Abrey, C. Allen Baker, Mrs A. L. Anstead, Mrs A. Baker, W. A. Barnard, S. Barratt, P. Best, B. P. Biggin, J. Blundell, R. Brain, S. J. Branson, Rev C. M. Broun, J. A. Bulley, E. J. Burge, A. H. P. Cardew, D. L. L. Clarke, P. R. Clemow, J. Coleby, A. J. Crow, A. L. Dennis, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, J. H. Dingwall, H. F. Dixon, J. H. Doran, J. Dromey, J. W. Drummond, N. Dutt, Mrs P. Edwards, P. S. Elliott, B. Ewart, M. B. Fisher, B. Franco, O. H. Frazer, A. B. Gardner, N. C. Goddard, Mr and Mrs F. E. Harrisson, D. V. Harry, D. S. Haynes, C. W. Heward, J. C. Hobbs, A. Hodgson, S. Holgate, E. M. Hornby, G. M. Hornby, J. M. Houghton, M. S. Hughes, P. Hunter, Mrs N. Jarman, A. H. Jones, J. R. Kirby, J. Langton, R. H. D. Lean, H. R. Lockhart, Miss J. S. Lumsden, L. K. Maltby, D. F. Manley, F. Marzillier, D. P. M. Michael, C. J. Morse, R. A. Mostyn, D. S. Nagle, F. E. Newlove, E. G. Noble, R. H. N. Osmond, S. L. Paton, Mrs M. Perry, F. H. W. Peters, J. Philbrick, P. G. Raison, A. J. Redstone, N. Roles, L. G. D. Sanders, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, F. B. Stubbs, J. G. Stubbs, P. Thacker, R. H. Tillcock, Rev C. D. Westbrook, W. E. White, J. R. Wickham, G. H. Willett, M. Woolf.
 

Comments
Printer’s Devilry is clearly as popular as ever. 540-odd entries with a few mistakes, mostly SONGS for SONES, which can’t fit the clue, and SANE for SINE which could, though the syntax would be rather uncomfortable. ‘Confuse dates in error, failing history exam’ strikes me as a much easier sentence than ‘Confuse dates (an error), failing history exam’. I think all those of you who were aware of the two possibilities opted for the right one. My credibility may be wearing a bit thin these days, but yet again I plead innocence of any intended ambiguity.
 
It was an excellent competition entry, great fun and exasperatingly difficult to judge. M/oney and br/andy were much the commonest devilled words and I was able to disqualify so few of these that they have swelled the lists as never before. I don’t think I can promise more than one ‘P.D.’ a year despite pleas from fans. The strain this end is appalling and it might mean abandoning one of the other specials, all of which are favourites in some quarters. It is good to know how much it is appreciated, though. Thank you for all the kind comments.
 
I make no apology for repeating from the last P.D. slip the main causes of unsoundness which spoil P.D. clues, this time with examples. (i) ‘Heat often leaves a man detesting meat.’ Here the word omitted (‘he ate a dish of ten …’) ends at the end of a word in the undevilled version and begins after the end of a complete word in the devilled version. The preamble to the puzzle, which I have slightly adapted from Ximenes’ standard wording for greater clarity, warns against just this. (ii) ‘Good job Harold’s home! We’ve got T/ed out!’ This is a case of sacrificing the sense of the undevilled clue to that of the devilled, working backwards as it were. Why should Harold’s return for tea be cause for such rejoicing? (iii) ‘Mr. Bumb, l/one, stop Erato, Rhea, Muses! (Reader’s ‘No’ to liver).’ This is devilry run riot which, though undeniably ingenious, adds nothing to the clue and incidentally makes pretty good nonsense.
 
I should add that such faults were pretty rare this time, but I think it is helpful to spell them out. However, it leaves me no space for more comments on crossword composition. That will have to wait till next month.
 

 

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