AZED CROSSWORD 1654

CRESCENT / ENTHRALS (Overlaps)

1.  M. Barley: Growing concerns are expressed about conclusions of the Hutton report, and with Blair et al.’s intrigues (c(a)res + c; last letters + al.’s, ref. Lord Hutton’s inquiry into the death of Dr Kelly).

2.  P. R. Lloyd: Increasing research into origins of common cold grips NHS, alert to change (res. in c, c; anag.).

3.  D. R. Robinson: Dutch painter, accepting lead from Renaissance masters, about on track for becoming greater (r in Hals; c re scent).

VHC

J. R. Beresford: Residence has canines around street entrances deploying the snarl (res. in c, c; anag.).

Mrs F. A. Blanchard: Curving road heading to civic centre’s new entrances flustered rash learner (c + anag.; anag. incl. L).

C. J. Brougham: Artist captures ultimate in Cavalier charms (spreading grin, for one) (r in Hals; 2 mngs.).

Dr J. Burscough: Passing ecstasy, absolute madness for The Arsenal captivates growing boy’s heart, screened from soccer novel (anag. less E, a; anag. less o; ref. film ‘Fever Pitch’, adapted from Nick Hornby’s novel).

C. A. Clarke: Not straight about secret name being released, Hutton Report initially too curtailed, has riveting effect (c + anag. incl. n; HR als(o); ref. Iraq War inquiry).

V. Dixon: Early February’s moon research is restricted by constant cloudy spells: has Lent right weathering? (res. in c, c; anag. incl. r).

J. Grimes: Bent, booting ball out of soccer ground, thrills the Arsenal fanatical (but not team’s heart) (anag. less O; anag. less ea; ref. Marcus B., Leicester City footballer).

C. R. Gumbrell: Chapter about trail growing hard (one penned by travel writer) is absorbing (c re scent; H + a in RLS; ref. Stevenson’s ‘Travels with a Donkey’).

J. P. Lester: Curiously recce NT’s growing charms, surprising RHS et al. (anag.; anag.).

J. C. Leyland: Brief swell in sound? Bow rivets, edges of hull astern damaged (cresc(endo); anag. incl. h, l).

D. F. Manley: Anxiety working out a series of clues? Shape of smile restored as right hard special ultimately delights (c(a)re + scent; anag. of as r, h, l; ref. comp.).

C. J. Morse: A heart exuding love, perfume, a curved shape – charms take in an artist (c(0)re + scent; r in Hals).

W. Murphy: Religious symbol, Catholic saint in modern end of church leads to reverential ardour, love, and so transports (C + S in recent; h + first letters).

R. Phillips: Multiplying computer key pair gets right inside the LANs’ encryption (CR + Esc; r in anag.; get = captivate).

N. G. Shippobotham: Growing a lot of crucifer with little money compels herbalist to check traces of early blight in time (cres(s) + cent; herbalist less initial letters).

P. L. Stone: Increasing research into care costs initially spells out ‘Alter NHS’ (res. in c, c; anag.).

K. Thomas: Bath feature, chromium half-outlet traps frothy new lathers (Cr + esc(ape); anag. incl. n; ref. The Crescent, Bath).

M. Wainwright: Growing late, sun having gone in, after cold spells – beginning to rain and lash wildly (c + s in recent; anag. incl. r).

Dr E. Young: Chains at sea lash rent of bow in epic rescue (anag.; hidden).

HC

R. D. Anderson, D. Appleton, W. G. Arnott, D. Arthur, M. S. Barker, E. A. Beaulah, Rev Canon C. M. Broun, B. Burton, C. J. & M. P. Butler, Mrs M. J. Cansfield, R. Cohen, K. W. Crawford, E. Cross, G. Cuthbert, R. Dean, N. C. Dexter, H. Freeman, Mrs C. George, M. Goodliffe, D. R. Gregory, J. P. Guiver, P. Heffernan, Mrs M. Janssen, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, Miss G. M. May, B. G. Midgley, T. J. Moorey, D. J. R. Ogilvie, F. R. Palmer, G. Parsons, M. L. Perkins, D. Price Jones, N. Roper, G. C. Rosser, Mr & Mrs G. R. Scott, D. P. Shenkin, P. Thacker, D. H. Tompsett, J. R. Tozer, Mrs C. Velarde, A. P. Vick, J. Wakely, A. J. Wardrop, M. H. E. Watson.
 

Comments
A disappointingly low entry: only 211, but with no mistakes (though a handful submitted clues which failed to follow the required style, usually by giving full double clues to the two words). Was it so difficult? A number of regulars noted that in fact this type of special is easier to solve than many, since solving one of each across pair takes you a lot of the way towards solving the other. Constructing the grid is a lot harder than usual because of the triple checking in the central block, but the format appeals to me and I’ll probably repeat it from time to time. This is the second ‘Overlaps’ I’ve given you. The first was No. 1,606, just under a year ago, on that occasion a 12 x 12 grid with the overlaps being of four letters. I think 13 x 11 works better, but it’s tricky designing a pattern which gives a fair number of unches in the downs without at the same time giving an over-generous allocation of checked letters in the acrosses. I also modified the structure of the across clues: a clear improvement, I think. No one mentioned the fact that TRE occurred twice as an overlap in the puzzle, a minor blemish that clearly troubled me more than it did you.
 
I do apologise for defining CESAREWITCH as ‘empress’; the Chambers entry for tsar is a bit of a hotchpotch, but that is hardly an adequate excuse for my carelessness. I can only imagine that the ‘witch’ part caused some sort of mental aberration resulting in the sex-change. It didn’t stop some of you choosing it as their favourite clue of the month, though the clear winner was that for AHAB. Eighteen in all received at least one mention, including most of the acrosses (the favourite among these being KOSMOSSAD).
 
Despite the low entry there were some sparkling clues to savour. Several of you essayed references to the Hutton Report but none achieved the brilliance of Mr Barley, who is currently on terrific form. His clue beautifully exemplifies what such double clues should aim for: natural wording and sense that effectively disguises the ‘join’ between the two parts. When this is contrived or laboured it always shows. And since I’m regularly asked for more feedback, here are a couple of promising clues submitted which I consider flawed: (i) ‘Bit of cheese and a little salad in fresh roll pleases greatly a Reading lecturer with empty stomach’. I’m dubious about ‘R’ as an abbreviation for ‘reading’ (one of the three R’s, I take it), and I’m not keen on ‘perhaps’ as an anagram indicator (while accepting ‘possibly’); (ii) ‘Developing management of cancers, eradicating a number, is spell-binding – ultimate in laser treatment’. I’m not too happy about ‘ultimate’ as a definition of ‘nth’, and I can never accept that a phrase like ‘laser treatment’ can indicate an anagram of ‘laser’, either semantically or grammatically.
 
Two points arising from last month’s slip: (i) With reference to Mr Barley’s third prizewinner, it was the British Open (more accurately called simply the Open) which Ben Curtis won; and (ii) I should have added pins as an acceptable (indeed probably my preferred) means of attaching clue sheets to completed grids. I’m less keen on sellotape or glue. Mr Harry also sent me a nice footnote on SAPHENA, the exact text of which I’ve mislaid. There is apparently a wealthy retired neurosurgeon who can occasionally be glimpsed cruising around the Mediterranean in his luxury yacht Saphena.