AZED CROSSWORD 1312

REST-CURE

1.  C. J. Morse: What makes stressed better is sure cert coming unstuck (anag.).

2.  M. Barley: Winter cruise in WI this could take the form of (comp. anag. & lit.).

3.  M. Laws: On the base, new recruits won’t have one! (anag. less I + e, & lit.).

VHC

W. Anderson: His course of treatment might be this in a soft home (comp. anag. & lit.).

E. J. Burge: A health service on and on about potential cuts (anag. in re, re).

E. Cross: This’ll recharge your batteries: current’s variable, not using nuclear energy (anag. less N + E).

R. V. Dearden: There’s zero pain with this when recuperation’s worked (comp. anag. incl. 0, & lit.).

N. C. Dexter: Poorly creatures’ll want one? (anag. less a, & lit.).

R. R. Greenfield: By releasing tension it can make you securer (anag. incl. t, & lit.).

C. R. Gumbrell: What’ll have a patient repose on middle of bookshelf – ‘Trent’s Last Case’? (re s t cure²).

R. J. Hooper: Possibly relaxing time in San Jose’s ending after stay gets cut short (rest cur(t) + e; san = sanatorium).

R. Hope-Jones: Two requisites for Hendry securing his fifth long break (r in rest, cue; ref. Stephen H.).

W. F. Main: Recovery distinctly involving time and a bit of repose (t and r separately in rescue, & lit.).

C. G. Millin: Treatment for stress – invalid recuperates, giving up exercise and not active (anag. less PE and a).

T. J. Moorey: Shunning exercise, invalid recuperates? Could be a —— (comp. anag. incl. PE, & lit.).

C. J. Napier: Winter cruise may do for this, in West Indies perhaps (comp. anag. incl. WI, & lit.).

D. P. Shenkin: Rustic retreats might provide busy artist with —— (comp. anag. & lit.).

E. & I. Wallace: It’s doing nothing to improve on uneasy truces (re + anag.).

R. J. Whale: Objects of snooker? That pocketing first of reds should lead to useful break (r in rest, cue).

P. B. G. Williams: Ailing creatures without a source of remedial treatment (anag. less a).

HC

D. Anderson, D. Ashcroft, M. J. Bath, Mrs P. A. Bax, B. Burton, C. A. Clarke, N. Connaughton, R. M. S. Cork, Mrs J. M. Critchley, D. J. Dare-Plumpton, J. E. Green, J. Grimes, Dr J. F. Grimshaw, A. Hall, L. Harris, I. A. Herbert, D. J. Ingham, M. Jones, F. P. N. Lake, J. F. Levey, J. C. Leyland, C. J. Lowe, R. K. Lumsdon, M. A. Macdonald-Cooper, Mrs J. Mackie, D. F. Manley, R. J. Palmer, J. Pearce, Mrs V. M. Riley, J. H. Russell, H. R. Sanders, D. J. Short, Ms M. Stokes, P. Thacker, Mrs J. E. Townsend, J. R. Tozer, A. J. Wardrop.
 

Comments
A better turn-out this month: 358 entries and no noticeable mistakes. The only clue of mine that seems to have given any real trouble was the one for SAMOSA, which contained a reference to the Israeli-born novelist Amos Oz, not perhaps in the first rank of modern writers of fiction but distinguished enough to have got into at least two biographical dictionaries (including the superlative one by David Crystal, published by CUP). There was an interesting assortment of clues to REST-CURE, which I was worried might prove a bit boring to clue, but which clearly didn’t. I’m grateful to the competitor who sent me the biodata on the Internet of Silas Weir Mitchell (1829-1914), an American physician who apparently invented his own ‘rest-cure’ as an army surgeon during the American Civil War. Fle was clearly quite a fellow as he also ‘excelled in novels of psychology and historical romance’, wrote about 170 medical monographs on topics ranging from snake venom to neurasthenia, and published short stories, poems and children’s stories anonymously.
 
Having nothing further to say about this month’s puzzle (except to apologize for the late announcement of the results), I’d like to mention that several solvers wrote to query the use last month of IL for 49 by a number of successful competitors, including the first prize-winner. I confess that at the time I didn’t even pause to wonder if this was sound, but having now consulted a couple of distinguished classicists I must concede that the Romans never used this form, any more than they used IC for 99. As a classicist myself, albeit an undistinguished one, I should have known this, but it seems to have found its way into crossword usage and I know I’ve used it myself occasionally. I won’t any more. Last month’s winners and VHCs who used it may consider themselves a little fortunate, but at least I accepted the usage in all the clues that used it.
 
There has been a limited response to my query a few months ago about interest in a cassette of the speeches at the AZED 1300 dinner. Would all those who still want a copy send me a blank C90 cassette and a small stamped and addressed padded envelope for me to return it in? There will be no charge for the recording since I’m afraid it’s not technically very good (though perfectly audible). The battery in the recorder gave out halfway through my own speech (the last) so I had to re-record the last bit at home! Still, it’s there for anyone who would like a souvenir of the occasion.
 
Anthony Ellis has asked me to make the following announcement about the slip: Subscribers to the Azed Slip are reminded that most subscriptions fall due for renewal this month (August). Those who have not already renewed are asked to send cheques for £9 either to the address at the foot of this page or to Azed with their entry for the September competition. All cheques should be payable to the Azed Slip. All subscriptions will eventually become payable at the beginning of September each year.
 
And now for my summer holiday (in Tuscany).