AZED CROSSWORD 152

ENAMORADO / ESCLANDRE

1.  R. J. Palmer: He’s flighty and a Romeo – this ill-repute getting read about could give a bird’s family great worry (anag. & lit.; (re)e’s clan dre(ad)).

2.  J. W. Bates: To drop in rough scree is a bad thing, or a mad one – silly for one whose heart is set on a birdie (land in anag.; anag.).

3.  D. H. Curzon: Very friendly fellow, perhaps, or a dame? No love lost in making new Con. leader’s dubious reputation (anag.; anag. minus 0).

VHC

T. E. Bell: A bad name? ‘What’s in a name?’ declares reckless Romeo, and a tragic lover is born (anag. incl. n; anag.).

Rev C. M. Broun: In Montague’s clan, dreadful scandal occurs, and Romeo’s involved with a ‘foreign’ charmer (hidden; anag.).

C. O. Butcher: I’m an amorist, a Romeo and disposed to end up in endless secret intriguing or scandal (anag.; land in anag. less t).

R. S. Caffyn: And Romeo, a profligate Don Juan, perhaps, encradles bastard – it’s a scandal (anag.; anag.).

E. Chalkley: A lover once more pursuing Mrs Sharples – road all excited – Dear Len rather embarrassed about leading characters in Coronation Street mounting publicity (Ena mo + anag.; C S (rev.) in anag.; ref. TV series).

R. W. Ellison: Any unpleasantness caused by frantic elders can upset Romeo and a lover (anag.; anag.).

Dr G. B. Greer: What results from improper card signal finally seen? Italian bridge-player’s upset over fuss – he squeezes his partner (anag. incl. l; Roman E (rev.) + ado; ref. recent world bridge championship).

A. Hodgson: And Romeo – a determined suitor – brought into Montague’s clan dreadful scandal (anag.; hidden).

R. E. Kimmons: Scandal in the Sharples clan: dreamboat lover for Mrs Sharples, who’s a game party (hidden; Ena mora do; who’s = who has; ref. ‘Coronation Street’).

A. D. Legge: This gallant – a demon oar – involved namely in Leander’s undoing achieves notoriety (anag.; sc. in anag.).

D. F. Manley: Unseemly episode with calender’s wild romantic creature – a man rode round berserk (anag.; anag. incl. O; ref. John Gilpin).

D. P. M. Michael: A Don Juan (and a Romeo manqué) encradles bastard – scandal abroad! (anag.; anag.).

C. G. Millin: Paramour’s object, love without a delay, clandestine (shut away) ruined a bird’s reputation (a mora in end 0; anag. less tine³ + re; re = ree).

C. J. Morse: Romeo and a mismatched sweetheart – some of Montague’s clan dreaded a scandal (anag.; hidden).

L. G. D. Sanders: Notorious deed in Montague’s clan; dreadful disaster for Romeo and a lover (hidden; anag.).

T. E. Sanders: Shocking scene on screen – lady losing last bit of modesty and a Romeo moving about as one making love (anag. incl. lad(y); anag.; on = tipsy).

A. D. Scott: Casanova (and a Romeo perhaps) was one scandal affected – one having got away before without any unpleasantness (anag.; anag. less a in ere).

W. K. M. Slimmings: Lover has bad name for losing head – one and the same bad name got by sect having deserted in Gaelic uprising (anag. + (f)or a do.; clan d. in erse (rev.)).

D. H. Smith: Romeo and a distraught paramour in Montague’s clan dread public exposure (anag.; hidden).

F. B. Stubbs: Perhaps a don needs a dona – more frisky capering ends with clear cause for gossip (anag.; anag.).

Rev C. D. Westbrook: Lover, one like Catullus in poem, aspirant to wit learned carelessly about notoriety (a Roman in ode (all rev.); sc. in anag.; aspirant = mounting up).

HC

R. B. Adcock, C. Allen Baker, G. Aspin, A. G. Bogie, J. M. Brown, A. R. Chandler, C. A. Clarke, E. A. Clarke, A. J. Crow, R. Dean, H. F. Dixon, D. M. Duckworth, P. S. Elliott, Miss L. Eveleigh, Mrs W. Fearon, P. D. Gaffey, S. Goldie, G. B. Higgins, M. Hill, W. Hutchinson, E. G. Illingworth, W. Jackson, A. H. Jones, J. R. Kirby, Capt G. Langham, P. Lloyd, S. M. Mansell, H. S. Mason, R. A. Mostyn, D. S. Nagle, F. E. Newlove, F. R. Palmer, R. F. Pardoe, Mrs E. M. Phair, B. A. Pike, Miss I. M. Raab, E. W. Richart, P. Rowley, Dr W. I. D. Scott, T. A. J. Spencer, J. C. P. Taylor, B. C. Wilcox, D. C. Williamson.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST (13 COMPETITIONS)
1. J. R. Kirby (2 prizes, 6 VHCs); 2 (equal). C. Allen Baker (2, 5), C. J. Morse (2, 5), W. K. M. Slimmings (2, 5); 5 (equal). C. O. Butcher (2, 4), R. E. Kimmons (0, 8), D. F. Manley (0, 8), R. J. Palmer (2, 4); 9 (equal). G. B. Greer (1, 5), A. D. Legge (0, 7); 11 (equal). R. S. Caffyn (1, 4), E. Chalkley (0, 6), D. P. M. Michael (1, 4), F. R. Palmer (1, 4), F. B. Stubbs (0, 6), D. C. Williamson (1, 4). 17 (equal). Mrs S. M. Macpherson (0, 5), C. G. Millin (I, 3), W. H. Pegram (1, 3), S. L. Paton (0, 5), T. E. Sanders (0, 5), Rev C. D. Westbrook (0, 5). CONSOLATION PRIZES: E. Chalkley, R. E. Kimmons, A. D. Legge, Mrs S. M. Macpherson, D. F. Manley, T. E. Sanders, F. B. Stubbs, Rev C. D. Westbrook.
 

 
Comments
 
480 entries, almost no mistakes. I thought I’d been rather generous in my choice of clue-words this time, since they seemed to me to present good possibilities for linking up the two side-by-side clues. I was therefore somewhat put out by the number of complaints about how difficult they were. I always select the clue-words before composing the remaining clues, as I’ve said before, and always try to give ample scope for invention.
 
The main points to remember when writing ‘Right and Left’ clues are that there should be no superfluous words between the two halves and that each half should be complete in itself. Oblique or non-specific reference in one half to something appearing in the other won’t really do therefore. Each half must be able to stand in isolation, even though in isolation it might not make a particularly respectable showing. Anything you can do to disguise the join is also usually an advantage. In practice this usually means contriving it so that the division is not marked by punctuation. I don’t accept, however, double clues in which the division occurs in the middle of a word. There was one such this time.
 
In a previous slip I commented on misuse of punctuation. Here are four examples of usages I find unacceptable, each from fairly experienced competitors. (i) ‘Leander’s floundering about – that’s a shame... (sc. in anag. ). The pause indicated by the dash makes the inclusion of ‘that’s’ in the anagram far too strained. (ii) ‘That Mellon was a Romeo and flowery decorating’s earned L.C. notoriety.’ Second anagram begins at ‘’s’, but ‘decorating’s’ is one word, not two, and you can’t split it up like this. (iii) ‘Notoriety achieved by lad; screen-struck amateur, and a Romeo, to boot.’ You cannot ignore the hyphen in ‘screen-struck’ so arbitrarily. (iv) ‘Lover-girl leads guessing game party…’ Again, the hyphen cannot be ignored when it’s there. Both the last two could have been improved by the simple omission of the hyphens.
 
Finally, congratulations to Mr. Kirby for topping the honours list for the first time. That makes three different champions in three years. And to date 302 different solvers have won VHCs.