◀  No. 15632 Jun 2002 Clue list No. 1572  ▶

AZED CROSSWORD 1567

QUEEN

1.  N. G. Shippobotham: Clue leads to Elizabeth, now enjoying quinquagesimal uplift (anag. of first letters, & lit.).

2.  C. J. Brougham: Odd name for Romeo! (queer with n for R, & lit.; NATO alphabet).

3.  F. P. N. Lake: Equestrian on losing streak finds form to finish No. 1 at Windsor (anag. less stria).

VHC

D. W. Arthur: Rock Group: one with R & B capabilities (2 mngs.; ref. chess).

M. Barley: Abdicate? No question of it yet, in short, for me (qu(it) + e’en, & lit.).

J. R. Beresford: One half of quid still shows our crowned head (qu(id) + e’en, & lit.; as if spoken by HM).

J. G. Booth: Nancy is arrived at by what from Dijon leads east and north (que (Fr.) + E N).

A. Cox: Puff piece to promote band (4 mngs.).

N. C. Dexter: For whom it’s now annus non ingloriosus – neque horribilis (anag. & lit.; neque (L.) = and not).

V. Dixon: Fruit: Victoria, say? (2 mngs.).

A. J. Dorn: Mercury et al: possibly Gustav’s best-loved piece? (2 mngs.; ref. Freddie M., King G. of Sweden, G. Holst’s ‘The Planets’).

R. R. Greenfield: Dame? I could be that in French (i.e. que en; ref. French playing cards and chess).

J. F. Grimshaw: Effeminate role Bogart played, suffering loss of good name (Quee(g) + n; ref. ‘The Caine Mutiny’).

J. P. Guiver: ‘Eat quince I sliced!’ Buffet for this pussy cat? (comp. anag. less I; ref. ‘The Owl and the Pussy-cat’).

C. R. Gumbrell: Singular noun representing Regina (queer with n for R, & lit.).

R. Humphries: Royal Peculiar? (2 mngs.).

J. Lecte: Noble equestrian force might provide celebrations for her (comp. anag. & lit.).

J. C. Leyland: Pawn in extremis antique engagement ring? (hidden; ref. chess).

D. F. Manley: May and others gave nation something to celebrate in 1953 (2 mngs.; ref. Brian M., Coronation, Peter M. of Ashes-winning team).

T. J. Moorey: Switzerland unsettled, cool winds backing on Lake Constance? (e in quen(CH); ref. Queen C. of Castile or France; wind2 = encircle).

P. M. Navin: Crisp – Golden Wonder’s the nation’s leader (2 mngs.; ref. Quentin C. and Jubilee).

T. D. Nicholl: Maybe Elton ranks above Jack, Freddie & co. (3 mngs.; ref. E. John, playing cards, rock group).

J. Pearce: You might see her and ‘tails’ in sequential run (comp. anag. & lit.; ref. tossing of coin).

J. R. Tozer: Tabby’s funny technique when scratching awkward itch (comp. anag.).

D. C. Williamson: Waxing equine, one is lost in oneself (anag. less I, & lit.; royal form of reference).

J. Woodall: Eloquent lady, waving, makes her fifty (fifty!) today (comp. anag. incl. L, L, & lit. ).

Dr E. Young: Group match two for Henry, and a red card? (2 mngs.; ref. Henry VIII’s second wife on playing card, and Thierry H. in World Cup).

HC

B. Balfour, E. A. Beaulah, R. E. Boot, H. J. Bradbury, J. M. Brown, E. J. Burge, Dr J. Burscough, B. Burton, Mrs M. J. Cansfield, M. Casserley, N. Connaughton, M. Cutter, L. J. Davenport, R. V. Dearden, T. J. Donnelly, W. Duffin, W. P. M. Field, H. Freeman, D. Fricker, J. Grimes, R. Hesketh, M. Hill, R. J. Hooper, N. Inglis, W. Jackson, Ms J. Jesson, I. Jones, M. D. Laws, Mrs J. Mackie, P. W. Marlow, I. Morgan, C. J. Morse, F. R. Palmer, R. Phillips, D. Price Jones, D. Protheroe, H. L. Rhodes, V. Seth, D. P. Shenkin, J. B. Sweeting, A. J. Wardrop, G. H. Willett, K. Wilson, W. Wynne Willson.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST (13 COMPETITIONS)
1. D. F. Manley (2 prizes, 10 VHCS); 2. M. Barley (3,6); 3 (equal). C. J. Morse (2,6), J. R. Tozer (1,8); 5 (equal). J. R. Beresford (0,9), C. R. Gumbrell (0,9), J. C. Leyland (1,7), F. R. Palmer (1,7); 9 (equal). C. A. Clarke (1,5), N. C. Dexter (1,5), Mrs J. Mackie (2,3), P. W. Marlow (1,5), R. Phillips (1,5); 14 (equal). C. J. Brougham (1,4), H. Freeman (2,2), T. J. Moorey (0,6); 17 (equal). M. Bath (1,3), E. J. Burge (1,3), R. J. Hooper (1,3), D. W. Mackie. (1,3), N. G. Shippobotham (2, 1); 22 (equal). D. W. Arthur (1,2), V. Dixon (0,4), R. J. Heald (1,2), J. P. Lester (0,4), J. Pearce (0,4), L. Ward (0,4), A, J. Wardrop (1,2), G. H. Willett (1,2), Dr E. Young (0,4). CONSOLATION PRIZES J. R. Beresford, C. R. Gumbrell, T. J. Moorey, V. Dixon, J. P. Lester, J. Pearce, L. Ward, Dr E. Young.
 

 
Comments
 
An excellent and enthusiastic entry, befitting the occasion - 357, with no mistakes. It was perhaps an easier competition puzzle than most, though many said they had failed to spot the ‘further hints’ and to understand the title. (Some thought they detected an above-average occurrence of ERs in the grid, but this was pure coincidence.) In case you didn’t see the solution notes, the title was an anagram of SINGLE ACROSTIC and the initial letters of the clues, taken in order, read (acrosses) ELIZABETH THE SECOND and (downs) ROYAL GOLDEN JUBILEE, a little extra jeu d’esprit I allowed myself given the convenient number of letters in each phrase. Those with long memories may recall. That I used a similar theme twenty-five years ago in a competition puzzle (No. 255) to mark HM’s silver jubilee (entitled ‘Circlets in Sago’) when the acrostic formed ROYAL SILVER JUBILEE. Favourite clues this time included those to SHAH, OTHER and SPECIE. I was gently reproved for ignorantly implying (though not actually saying) that ICI no longer manufactures drugs (in the INCIPIENCE clue), and for using ‘Scouser’ when ‘Scouse’ is the locally preferred term. As one born in Liverpool myself, like my critic, I suppose I should have known this, but every dictionary I’ve consulted acknowledges the variant.
 
The clue word wasn’t the easiest, though its range of meanings helped. Qs are always tricky to deal with, and rather too many settled for respectable but uninspired ‘hidden word’ clues using phrases like ‘unique entertainment’ with reference to the jubilee junketings. (Many also made play of the fact that the group Queen performed at the Buckingham Palace bash.) The challenge was to devise something that didn’t give the game away too obviously. I hope the clues quoted above give less successful competitors an idea of what can be done with an unexciting word (pardon me, ma’am). One of these amusingly noted ‘God save our gracious’ is an anagram of SAVAGE OR CURIOUS DOG –‘presumably a corgi’. GAVE US A CORGI’S ODOUR is there too, I notice!
 

 
Another Azed competition year (the thirtieth) completed, and another honours list to savour. My congratulations to Mr Don Manley for fighting his way back to the number one position, and thanks yet again to Mr Ron Dearden - the Bill Frindall of the AZ series - for keeping the score.
 

 

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