AZED CROSSWORD 43

A neologism

1.  J. D. Brightley: CRABCRUMPET (B).

2.  D. P. M. Michael: FOOTLECHAMP (A).

3.  A. Hodgson: CLOUTGRANNY (B).

VHC (extra prizes)

G. Aspin: DAWIEDINGER (A).

J. Brooks: DINGALINGER (B).

R. L. Chambers: DOLICHOPORE (B: Gr. dolichos, long; poros, ford).

J. Coleby: DEDALDOODLE (F).

F. D. Gardiner: GUILTWARDEN (B).

S. Goldie: BOUTIQUENIK (E).

J. P. H. Hirst: CLUPRUBIOUS (D: L. clupea, herring; rubeus, red).

N. A. Longmore: CRAZE-BLAZER (E).

Miss J. S. Lumsden: BATIPUFFER (A).

J. Macro: ARCODOYLIAN (D).

H. S. Mason: CHIVERBLOCK (F).

L. May: GRINGRIDDLE (F).

E. J. Morris: FANATIQUANT (E).

C. J. Morse: ANTONYMIATE (C).

Dr R. J. Palmer: GAGAVEDETTE (B).

E. R. Riddle: CABERJOCKEY (A).

H. R. Sanders: BANBOTHERER (B: Gael. ban, white; bother, house).

L. G. D. Sanders: CARNABIVORE (E).

T. A. J. Spencer: ANTISEXTRIX (B).

Rev L. M. Styler: DIPLOLOGIZE (C).

M. A. Vernon: CARNABEAVER (E).

G. H. Willett: BELLY-LAUFER (A).

S. E. Woods: EOCARNABIST (E).

Dr R. L. Wynne: GRIDSNIGGLE (F).

HC

R. Abrey, C. Allen Baker, J. Atkins, F. D. H. Atkinson, M. J. Balfour, R. T. Baxter, E. A. Beaulah, T. E. Bell, G. H. Booth, Rev C. M. Broun, W. S. Brownlie, C. I. Bullock, A. J. Bulman, E. J. Burge, C. O. Butcher, D. A. H. Byatt, R. S. Caffyn, E. Chalkley, M. A. Cooper, W. Davies, R. V. Dawson, T. J. Donnelly, J. H. Doran, P. Drummond, O. M. Duckworth, E. G. Durham, J. M. Dutton, Mrs W. Fearon, J. A. Fincken, Rev S. W. Floyd, M. Forrest, D. H. Francis, N. C. Goddard, R. J. Green, F. Greener, J. B. Harden, R. B. Harling, Mrs K. M. Harre, P. A. Hay, P. R. L. Heath, D. R. Hopkin, E. M. Hornby, J. Horwood, J. M. Houghton, Dr T. O. Hughes, Dr D. E. G. Irvine, Mrs D. B. Jenkinson, L. W. Jenkinson, G. Johnstone, A. H. Jones, C. L. Jones, Sir S. Kaye, D. P. Laurie, L. F. Leason, A. D. Legge, J. P. Lester, Rev J. C. Levack, H. Lewis, Sir N. Lipton, D. F. Manley, H. W. Massingham, B. J. McCann, Mrs E. McFee, F. Moss, V. R. S. Mott, P. J. Oddy, W. F. M. Payne, W. H. Pegram, M. L. Perkins, P. G. Purtell, Miss I. Raab, E. J. Rackham, R. G. Rae, A. Rivlin, Mrs D. E. Roberts, D. R. Robinson, I. M. Ross, Mrs J. S. Rowlinson, M. G. Rupp, A. H. Seville, F. B. Stubbs, H. W. Stubbs, J. G. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, C. M. Tatham, E. Telesford, W. H. Thorne, D. J. Thorpe, G. A. Tomlinson, K. G. Walker, J. B. Wilkinson, G. P. Williams, A. I. S. Wregg.
 

COLOUR MAGAZINE CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS
AZED CROSSWORD Report by AZED
 
Despite a few indignant protests at what was admittedly a tough puzzle (intentionally so), it produced a sizeable entry (about 290) with very few mistakes, and much inventiveness in the additional challenge of word-making. Neologisms submitted ranged fairly evenly between the six definitions offered with C the most popular and E the least. Most common offerings (which perforce relegated their inventors to the runners-up list) included CASABLANCAN / CASABIANCAN (B), CONLABORATE (C), AGATHAMANIC / AGACHRISTIC, etc. (D), and GEARCHANGER (E). Since virtually no one was automatically disqualified and good ideas were legion, the list of runners-up is unusually long. In picking the prizewinners I was finally influenced more by wit than by accuracy of derivation. In the OED (as indeed in Chambers, from whose pages – rest assured – I shall not venture forth again without due warning) it is the odd words that amuse and intrigue. Here is my list of deserving additions to it.
 

 
Azed Slip Comments
 
Well, I suppose it was a bit unfair, and I apologize to those whose disappointment spoilt their Christmas for them. I remain largely unrepentant, however, and wonder how many of those who rushed into print to tell me what a stinker I was actually had a go at solving the puzzle. Those who persevered discovered, as I thought they would, that with the additional help I gave and a bit of judicious guesswork it was perfectly feasible to arrive at the correct solution without consulting the new Supplement. It was certainly never my intention to replace Chambers as the basic recommended text. As for checking solutions I realized that some of you would be unable to get to public libraries or might not find what you were looking for even if you could, but there was plenty of extra time to telephone or write to the publishers. In other words, I consciously set out to construct a puzzle which would intrigue and amuse while posing slightly more of a challenge than usual to you and to myself. The diagram was quite a brute to devise, as you may imagine, and only approaching deadlines forced me reluctantly to allow myself AIDA and the one misplaced bar.
 
The neologism was really a quite separate competition, of course, but I could think of no neat way of tying it into the puzzle more closely. Judging the entries gave me a lot of amusement as well as difficulty, as the long lists printed in the Observer testify. I had expected the ‘guardian of public morals’ definition to be the most popular by far and was agreeably surprised how evenly spread the range of choice was. I wish I had room for some of the learned and/or hilarious derivations offered. One which I particularly liked but which the stern shade of my old Classics master finally forced me to reject was GRUNUCIDISE, from grus (L. a crane (feathered)) and nucides (Gr.-L. sons of nuts), hence ‘be Derrick Macnutt-like’! He would have been amused, I think. For my part I was gratified to note how many of you invented embellishments of my pseudonym to describe the peculiar activity I lend my hand to. I hardly think I qualify yet for the honour of a place in the O.E.D. but thank you all the same.
 
I have not listed all the names of prizewinners again here, for which I hope I may be forgiven. I doubt whether further notes were needed, but in case there are a few puzzled expressions Mr Michael’s FOOTLECHAMP has undertones of Fr. foutre le camp, Mr Aspin’s DAWIEDINGER is an anagram of Eddie Waring, Mr Mason’s CHIVERBLOCK needs to be read as CHI-VERB-LOCK (a good Graeco-Romano-Germanicism!), and the first two letters of Mr Woods’ EOCARNABIST are a somewhat free Latinisation of ‘with it’! The rest are, I think, self-explanatory or purest invention.
 
On now to the groves of nemorality. For the benefit of P.D. fans their patience will be rewarded in April. For the benefit of everyone the prizes are to be increased.