AZED CROSSWORD 161

ANCON

1.  C. G. Millin: I’ve got four short legs: one must get caught that side (an c on; on = leg side).

2.  F. R. Palmer: One’s can, crooked, inebriate (anag. + on, & lit.).

3.  J. R. Stocks: Can excruciatingly play up (anag. + no⁴ (rev.), & lit.).

VHC

E. Beddard: An opening for a sergeant, perhaps, involves an army movement controller (NCO in an; arm-y).

Mrs A. Boyes: I go a bundle on low-down joints when with a fancy bird! (i.e. Ancon(a)).

C. O. Butcher: Joint, the sort drinkers use, is one with convenience attached (an + con. (abbrev.)).

E. A. Clarke: What’s exercised, if one’s to imbibe? (an + con, & lit.; imbibe = con, study).

M. Coates: Found within agrarian confines or the human construction? (hidden twice, & lit.).

J. Coleby: A devious canon, one opposed to a member of the flock, is soon put outside the chapter (anag., an con, c in anon).

G. H. S. Crosby: Upper bracket support for entry will get Tory in soon (C in anon).

R. Dean: Woolly specimen – supporter or one against? (an con, 2 defs.).

A. L. Dennis: From Australian conflict we have that low body-line with short legs in the field (hidden).

J. A. Fincken: A bender: that’s what lifting it can lead to, one has to learn (an con; bender, 2 mngs.).

R. P. C. Forman: I cannot become high with it lifted? Yes and no! (anag. less it, & lit.).

A. Lawrie: It might once have been described as an article in the American constitution (hidden; article = joint (obs.)).

A. D. Legge: Creator of space in urban congestion (hidden & lit.).

D. F. Manley: You may have caught on after a bit of nudging given by me (a n + c on, & lit.).

F. Moss: For this one trick, one has something up one’s sleeve (an con).

R. A. Mostyn: Word of animal or human connections: either version could be grazed (hidden, 2 defs.).

W. H. Pegram: One trick we all have up our sleeves (an con).

B. A. Pike: One born to cheat, a low-down creature, wanted for fleecing (a n con).

W. Rodgers: It is raised in honour, yet is held in mean contempt (hidden).

W. K. M. Slimmings: I’m naturally crooked… a born cheat (a n con).

G. Snowden-Davies: One of the joints one has to have (an con; have = deceive, con).

G. H. Willett: I take the field with four short legs and go for the ribs (2 mngs.; ref. cricket; elbow in ribs).

HC

Mrs A. L. Anstead, F. D. H. Atkinson, Miss J. Bannerman, J. C. Barnes, M. J. Bevan, E. J. Burge, E. W. Burton, A. J. Crow, D. M. Duckworth, P. S. Elliott, P. D. Gaffey, N. Gambier, L. H. Garrett, N. C. Goddard, I. M. Gurney, R. B. Harling, D. V. Harry, C. Havill, P. R. L. Heath, M. Hill, W. Islip, A. Jones, H. Keeling, H. Kelley, R. E. Kimmons, Mrs L. M. Lewis, H. R. Lockhart, B. J. McCann, D. P. M. Michael, W. B. Morrison, J. L. Moss, D. S. Nagle, P. M. Newey, F. E. Newlove, D. Ogilvie, R. O’Donoghue, J. O’Neill, R. J. Palmer, S. L. Paton, G. S. Prentice, A. J. Redstone, J. Revill, H. L. Rhodes, Rear Adm W. T. C. Ridley, L. G. D. Sanders, T. E. Sanders, C. I. Semeonoff, M. D. Speigel, T. A. J. Spencer, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, F. B. Stubbs, J. G. Stubbs, M. J. Suckling, J. B. Sweeting, Mrs M. P. Webber, A. J. Young.
 

Comments
About 480 entries, virtually no mistakes. There was a certain grim topicality in the clue-word this month. I am convalescing after an operation for the removal of a cartilage in my knee, so that reading all your clues about joints and short-legged sheepish brutes has been like rubbing salt into the wound. I am still heavily bandaged from groin to ankle but there is every sign that the thing is healing up nicely and I’m confident that I shall be restored to full mobility ere long.
 
A goodish entry, I thought, thrusting all self-pity determinedly to one side. Though a short word, ANCON clearly had more possibilities. I grew a little weary of sergeants in army joints doing nothing in particular, except perhaps lifting the ancon with tipsy canons. I do think that a short word should have a short clue if possible, though not necessarily an easy one. I find there is a tendency (which I have to curb in myself as well) to be carried away on the wings of a subtle idea which before you know where you are has spanned two or three lines. Brevity is the soul of wit. Having said that I’m pleased to add that unsoundness this month reached a record low. Keep it up (or down).
 
No more this time. My enforced immobility is a splendid opportunity to get the book into shape, ancon permitting. Watch out next month for a new competition.