AZED CROSSWORD 1680

PILLOW-CUP

1.  N. C. Dexter: What’s maybe downed before one’s about to get aloft? (pillow c up, & lit; downed = filled with down).

2.  Dr I. S. Fletcher: Oil plc revised holding with top one for the sack? (w in anag. + up; ref. Shell overstating its reserves; one = a drink).

3.  Dr E. Young: Double as you go off cushion and pot? (pillow cup; ref. snooker).

VHC

D. Appleton: Alone at ten, this could become a tipple we all count on (comp. anag. & lit.).

E. A. Beaulah: Ball’s in the air after ‘cow’ shot … and last drop of the day? (pill + anag. + up).

L. W. Blott: On edge about depression after depression? One last drink’s indicated (lip (rev.) + low + cup).

C. J. Brougham: Retiring creature, bear’s content with hole (pillow + cup; creature = alcoholic drink; bear = pillow-case).

D. A. Campbell: Horlicks made by bore with yelp at golf hole? (pill ow cup).

N. Connaughton: Out of bed after medicinal one, heading for toilet? (pill o(ne) WC + up, & lit.).

V. Dixon: Punch perhaps, going round, that’s imbibed late before move aloft (low (qv) in clip (rev.) + up, & lit.).

C. M. Edmunds: Bass and Trophy after lager, all but the ultimate in drinks? (pil(s) + low + cup; beer brands).

A. G. Fleming: Doctor, with humble lot in life, left lacking something for retirement (pil(l) low cup).

M. Goodliffe: Muggins almost takes wife up a cocoa? (w in pilloc(k) + up).

R. Hesketh: Cop will look silly in court as the mug having one last drink before crashing (anag. + up).

M. Hodgkin: A little Ovaltine after medicine and toilet, before heading bedwards? (pill + O + WC + up, & lit.).

P. Long: It’s goodnight after this bumper; ball gets wicket in clever coup (pill + w in anag.).

R. K. Lumsdon: This at the bed what tipple could be? Could be (comp. anag. & lit.).

C. G. Millin: A tot at bedtime, mostly lager with little vitality, about half a pint (pil(s) low cup).

D. R. Robinson: Maybe bumper contents of slip adds up to what’s foremost in cluemanship (pillow + c + up; ref. AZ slip).

R. J. Whale: Out of bed, after badly needing to fill chamberpot, can result from this? (ill in po WC + up, & lit.).

G. H. Willett: Nasty ball won trophy, the last one before drawing stumps (pill O w cup; nasty n.; one = a drink).

HC

D. & N. Aspland, M. Barley, M. Bath, J. R. Beresford, Mrs F. A. Blanchard, R. E. Boot, T. C. Borland, Rev Canon C. M. Broun, E. J. Burge, Dr J. Burscough, B. Burton, C. J. & M. P. Butler, Mrs M. J. Cansfield, C. A. Clarke, D. C. Clenshaw, R. M. S. Cork, E. Cross, G. Cuthbert, C. Daffern, R. Dean, J. Dromey, W. Duffin, T. Evans, J. Francis, H. Freeman, N. C. Goddard, R. R. Greenfield, J. P. Guiver, C. R. Gumbrell, D. A. Harris, C. & C. Hinton, A. Hodgson, R. J. Hooper, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, G. Johnstone, J. P. Lester, J. C. Leyland, P. R. Lloyd, N. MacSweeney, D. F. Manley, P. W. Marlow, K. Milan, T. J. Moorey, C. J. Morse, W. Murphy, C. Ogilvie, D. J. R. Ogilvie, F. R. Palmer, R. J. Palmer, M. L. Perkins, W. Ransome, M. Sanderson, N. G. Shippobotham, P. L. Stone, C. W. Thomas, D. H. Tompsett, Mrs C. Velarde, Ms M. Vincent, A. J. Wardrop, P. O. G. White, D. C. Williamson, K. Wilson, J. S. Witte, M. J. Wright, R. Zara.
 

Comments
236 entries, no mistakes. Favourite clue: that for BRIE (‘Beri-beri doubles me up dreadfully – pain often accompanies it’), despite the annoying omission of the dash in the printed version, followed by that for TOENAIL (‘One goes at a clip, creating wild elation?’), with 25 receiving at least one mention. The SPARKIE clue (‘Electrician who’s shown box discovers short circuits’) received 6 nominations, but one vote as unfavourite clue. It was a bit convoluted – a few admitted to not understanding it – but I think it works OK (ark in spie(s) ). And I don’t at all mind being told about clues you don’t like, especially if you give reasons.
 
There were plenty of nice clues for an odd word. One regular said that PILLOW-CUP is not in the OED and there are no instances of it on the Internet. Its general meaning is obvious enough, but whether pillow-cups are (or were) normally alcoholic or otherwise is not clear, and so (for me) irrelevant. Interestingly, a number of clues submitted used w = whisk(e)y, I assume from the NATO phonetic alphabet. This alphabet is not given in Chambers and I can’t find it in other dictionaries of comparable size, so I’m not too happy about allowing it (as distinct from, say, the IVR abbreviations, which are all in C). Eyebrows would, I’m sure, be raised if I accepted, for example, L for Lima, M for Mike or P for Papa.
 
I must be brief this month as I’m about to take some holiday and struggling to get this off to Anthony Ellis before I go. The saddest news of the month is that Anthony has indicated he’d like to retire from his role as Controller of the Slip, a job he’s performed with great skill, patience and good humour for more years than I can remember. I am looking into ways of continuing the tradition, and would like to hear from anyone who might consider taking the job on. I can report that Martin (M. L.) Perkins has kindly agreed to take on the task of scorer and statistician for the Azed series. My thanks to all who offered their services. Two final points. I’m grateful for the kind comments on the recent non-competition ‘Cherchez la Femme’, which many of you found an enjoyable challenge; and I apologize for one error in the honours list in last month’s slip: Mr R. J. Palmer scored 0,4 (not 1,2) and therefore qualifies for a consolation prize, which he will receive.