◀  No. 119 Clue list 15 Jan 1950 Slip image No. 122  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 121

SNAPSHOT

1.  I. M. Newall (Glasgow): Bite on the bullet—it’s all over in next to no time (snap + shot).

2.  G. G. Lawrance (Harrow): A photo finish with two horses neck and neck coming up in the lead (span (rev.) in shot (= lead pellets)).

3.  P. G. W. Glare (Woodford Green): One result of films was to deal a death-stroke to the short theatrical engagement (snap + shot).

H.C.

D. Ambler (Harrow): It’s so warm after the sudden cold spells we take it to be a record (snaps + hot).

M. L. Booker (Clifton): No wonder I get excited after having a bob each way on the tipster’s selection. It’s a photo finish (nap in s,s + hot; bob = shilling).

G. H. Clark (Croydon): Sudden exposure of pants with a mingled chorus of ohs! (anag. of pants, ohs).

Miss A. M. Davies (Barry): Executed after hasty meal, as a result of evidence taken in camera (snap + shot).

T. N. Dowse (Cardiff): Sharper criticism should produce quick reaction in film world (snap shot; snap = sharper, cheat (old sl.)).

Brig W. E. Duncan (NW3): Buffalobility on the films? But such a provoking word is summarily dealt with in A. P. H’s “nots” (snap (= provoking word) + shot, anag.; ref. A.P. Herbert’s poems, e.g. ‘The Doctor’; B. Bill, sharpshooter).

Mrs N. Fisher (Stroud): View taken of a short engagement by the elderly! (snap + shot2 (= advanced in years)).

A. B. Gardner (N13): There’s only time for a quick round! Call for a double and put it on the bill! (snap! (in card game) + shot (= bill)).

P. A. Harrow (N12): Film Flash—Crack Producer gets the Bullet! (snap + shot).

Capt G. Langham (Southampton): Taking the likeliest tips into my reckoning, I forecast a photo finish (naps in shot).

Rev H. D. Owen Brown (Yeovil): Have a quick one? The answer is in the negative (cryptic def.).

J. D. P. O’Leary (Thames Ditton): Picture, for instance, the Kings’ meeting! The shout which greets them! The motley host! (snap! (in card game) + anag.).

Rev E. B. Peel (Fleetwood): Sudden exposure after cold spells feverish sequel (snaps + hot).

R. E. Poole (Eastbourne): Feels secure in the attempt: operates by daylight, and gets taken instantaneously (naps in shot; nap = “feel drowsy and secure” in contemporary ed. of C.).

W. K. M. Slimmings (New Malden): Taken by a brownie down among the good men—and very warm indeed! (nap2 in SS + hot; Brownie camera).

G. Stanhope-Lovell (Chessington): Photo finish shows at least four horses coming up hot foot (spans (rev.) + hot).

H. G. Tattersall (Barnet): Steal aboard ship when it’s afire below? The answer is in the negative (nap4 in SS + hot).

L. E. Thomas (Bangor): Game in Spades called and only one picture-card! Result may make you look very silly! (nap3 in S,S + hot2 (= called)).

J. Thompson (Coventry): After a light meal one pellet will suffice: it’s taken in an instant! (snap + shot).

J. A. Watson (Storrington): Is this bitter weather really warm? The answer is in the negative (i.e. snap’s hot?).

T. Wilson (Kendal): Unexpected try is a proof of uneven marking by lighter elements among the All-Blacks (snap (adj.) + shot; proof, i.e. first print from negative).

L. C. Wright (Selby): Second by nine inches going up to a furious finish—it may prove a near thing at the post! (s + span (rev.) + hot).

 

COMMENTS—267 correct and not many mistakes. The alternative spelling “flout” was accepted for 29 dn. I want to record a good (but friendly) laugh that I have been having at the expense of those who gently told me, as though I didn’t know, that I had used the “Stephano” clue before; they had apparently forgotten that the answer to it last time was “epha!” A solver then pointed out what a good answer “phaetons” would be to the clue if the number of letters fitted—so I acted accordingly!
 
A very high standard of clues this time, with many of the runners-up coming close to the H.C.s; the lists are long, so there is no space to analyse fully the many answers to my inquiry about last time’s awards: in any case, full analysis would be almost impossible, for the criticisms showed no sort of uniformity. I should say about half more or less agreed with most of my choices; those who disagreed with me also disagreed with each other, and no particular competitor emerged as having been too kindly or too harshly treated. This is all to the good, and the whole body of comments made interesting reading.
 
RUNNERS-UP—G. W. Bain, C. A. Baker, K. F. Bevan, Rev L. Blackburn, A. N. Clark, D. L. L. Clarke, W. G. Craigen, J. C. B. Date, H. F. Dixon, F. Dow, J. P. Egan, W. J. Emerson, Dr J. N. Fell, J. P. Ford, C. E. Gates, S. R. Gibbs, S. B. Green, P. Gross, P. A. Hall, H. J. Howells, J. G. Hull, W. Islip, C. B. Joyner, E. L. R. Kilner, H. M. Leys, Lt Cdr W. G. Marshall, T. W. Melluish, C. J. Morse, S. Mumford, P. M. Newey, F. E. Newlove, G. Perry, E. G. Phillips, R. Postill, E. R. Prentice, H. Rainger, H. B. Ridley, A. Robins, P. H. Rowley, T. E. Sanders, S. P. Shanahan, Rev L. F. Simmonds, O. Carlton Smith, P. H. Taylor, A. G. H. Walde, B. W. Webster.
 

 
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