AZED CROSSWORD 878

MOUSEPIECE

1.  D. W. Arthur: Sumo wrestling – epic struggles needing energy on both sides, and a bit of beef! (anag. + anag. in E E).

2.  T. J. Moorey: Cut close to buttock, ‘Come Dancing’ skirts exploit rule-book? (use pie⁴ in anag.).

3.  J. D. D. Blaikie: Coward play cut for consumption in the sticks (mouse piece; ref. Noel C.).

VHC

E. A. Beaulah: Bruised eye requires patch; it’s cut next round (mouse piece; round, cut of beef).

R. C. Bell: A cut of beef to make Jock’s mouth water, being denied a bit (mou se(a) piece).

C. J. Brougham: Cut some epicure is cooking could be rustic one (comp. anag. & lit.).

P. Cargill: Black eye, a bit sore? Use me, I cope (mouse piece, anag., & lit.).

C. A. Clarke: Weakling needs iron to get a bit of beef (mouse + piece; iron, piece = gun).

Mrs D. M. Colley: Is this bit applied to a black eye? (mouse piece, & lit.).

B. Franco: Japanese girl kisses me goodbye, skirt revealing a bit of leg (mous(me)e piece; skirt, piece (offensive sl.) = woman).

P. F. Henderson: Some clue (cryptic, not long) snatching prize – something meaty from Dexter, perhaps (pie in anag. less l; ref. N. C. D., cattle).

R. Jacks: Budget cut sends city into instant profit scramble (EC in mo use pie²; London postcode).

F. P. N. Lake: What may get blown if the cut is left out; put in confines of store! (mouthpiece with s, e for th(e) , & lit.).

C. W. Laxton: One does come from behind – next round, Men cues cunningly, raking in a hit of cash (pie⁵ in anag.; round, cut of beef).

D. F. Manley: Tell kids about one piggy having it maybe, one not, one squeaking a bit? (mouse piece; ref. ‘This little piggy’, nos. 3 to 5).

C. J. Morse: It’s primitive to paw woman showing tasty piece of leg (mouse piece).

W. M. Orriel: Black eye patch? (mouse piece, & lit.).

D. Pendrey: Black eye patch? (mouse piece, & lit.).

G. Perry: Black eye needs slice cut from beef (mouse piece).

D. R. Robinson: Neat cut from Meo’s cue unexpectedly grabbing prize? (pie in anag.; ref. Tony M., snooker).

T. E. Sanders: This roast might be to some epicures a must (comp. anag. & lit.; must⁴ adj.).

W. J. M. Scotland: Sumo wrestling, Eastern man’s beefy flesh (near round) (anag. + E + piece; round, cut of beef).

Mrs E. J. Shields: Add a bit to a shiner? (mouse piece, & lit.).

P. D. Stonier: Cut behind leg, ball penetrates gap in field composition (O in muse piece).

R. J. Whale: Locals’ beef: might express come up S.E. differently, i.e. hidden? (i.e. in anag.; ref. Channel Tunnel rail link dispute).

HC

G. E. Baker, J. M. Brown, Dr J. Burscough, D. A. Campbell, G. H. Clarke, T. Clement, W. H. C. Cobb, B. Cozens, L. J. Davenport, E. Dawid, R. Dean, N. C. Dexter, J. R. du Parcq, M. Earle, C. M. Edmunds, P. S. Elliott, O. M. Ellis, C. J. Feetenby, G. & J. Ferris, Dr I. S. Fletcher, G. Floyd, F. D. Gardiner, A. Gordon, R. R. Greenfield, J. F. Grimshaw, D. Harris, D. V. Harry, D. Herbert, Mrs S. Hewitt, R. J. Hooper, C. Hopkins, W. Jackson, Mrs M. Jolliffe, L. M. Keet, R. E. Kimmons, A. Lawrie, J. W. Leonard, J. C. Leyland, C. J. Lowe, M. A. Macdonald-Cooper, H. S. Mason, R. F. Naish, F. R. Palmer, R. F. & H. Pannell, S. L. Paton, C. Pearson, D. Price Jones, Mrs V. M. Reid, V. H. N. Roles, W. K. M. Slimmings, Dr N. Smith, P. A. Stephenson, Ms M. Stokes, C. W. Thomas, R. W. Thompson, G. A. Tomlinson, A. P. Vincent, A. J. Wardrop, M. H. E. Watson, D. M. White, Mrs E. K. Williams, M. G. Wilson, S. E. Woods, Dr E. Young.
 

COMMENTS
390 entries, about 40 having TRICK for TRICE, presumably through not understanding the clue or being unaware of T(im) Rice, who wrote the lyrics for the (not overly successful) stage musical Chess. A fair number who got it right expressed doubts about the clue but on reflection I feel that, although a little far-fetched, it still passes muster. The question mark and the quotation marks (‘“Chess” master’ would have been more accurate but terribly fussy) gave adequate indication that I was using words a little unusually, and ‘master’ seems OK as meaning one with a chief or controlling influence over something. And Tim Rice isn’t that obscure, is he – would Andrew Lloyd Webber (with whom TR wrote his most successful musicals) have been objected to on similar grounds? To tell the truth I was quite pleased when he occurred to me as one way of dealing with this unexciting word, so perhaps I feel especially protective about my clue!
 
It was a goodish month for cluing (by you) despite a tricky word with an over-abundance of vowels. Many of you struggled creditably with the problem of indicating its dialect use, something I often omit to do in a similar situation since the label is so regionally vague. When the lexicographers can place a word more specifically in terms of its localized use it seems reasonable to try and reflect this in one’s clue to it. Otherwise I’m not too bothered. Currency – i.e. whether it’s still in use or not – is a different matter, I feel.
 
The most popular idea by far related to the three blind mice of the nursery rhyme – not surprising, really, but clues were just too similar in wording for any to gain special mention. Originality was clearly at a premium this month.
 
We’re due for yet another new layout of the ‘Games’ page next month. I hope you don’t find it disrupting or off-putting, but if you do and feel like saying so, please write to the Observer, not (solely) to me. I have relatively little say or influence in these matters, though I am of course greatly concerned that your interests should always be considered, and have said so repeatedly.