◀  No. 17 Clue list 17 Feb 1946 Slip image No. 19  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 18

LAMIA

1.  E. F. Wailing (Sheffield): “ ‘I have no friends,’ said ——, ‘no, not one’ ”; but she had, a French one (l’ami a; ref. Keats, L., ii., 92).

2.  Capt P. M. Coombs (Hove): La ami devient une fantôme: it’s bad French and first-class English about a witch (anag., anag. of mal A1).

3.  Lt R. H. Lemon (Chobham): And if a man say —— negg, wilt thou give him a serpent? Yes (i.e. ‘lay me an egg’; half-serpent in Greek myth; ref. Matt. 7:10).

H.C.

A. Abernethy (Prestwick): Less than a thin coat will do for my Italian charmer out for blood (lami(n)a).

F. W. Bakewell (Ringwood): Her children, by Jove, were stolen, and in revenge, d’you know, she became a child-eater (cryptic def.; ‘Juno’, Greek myth).

H. J. Cape (Sudbury): The phantom is of Greek and Roman mythology, though found in Islam, I admit (hidden).

W. T. Clift (Manchester): Am I a witch after fifty? she hissed (L + am I a).

Miss J. Fry (Oxford): Classic cause of anaemia in the young (cryptic def.; bloodsucker in Greek myth).

C. E. Gates (Kettering): After fifty am I a witch? (am I a after L).

F. C. Geary (Oxford): My Italian girl friend is a snake charmer (la mia).

P. A. Hall (Burton): This is minced sneak, lady—a product of minced steak (i.e. snake (anag. of sneak), Keats (anag. of steak)).

E. L. Hayward (Swindon): Without a hen’s tail even a fine layer could not raise her brood, by Jove! (lamina less n).

E. E. R. Kilner (Mirfield): The Wop who married a witch might so describe her (la mia).

Miss L. Laidlaw (Ayton): At weddings, did this cannibalistic monster put an end to the singing? ((epitha)lamia; ref. Keats, L., ii., 262).

J. Laurie (Chalfont St. Peter): Blood-sucker more adequately dealt with by Keats than Keating’s (cryptic def.; ref. Keating’s Powder, insecticide).

R. D. Prior (Harrow): Female phantom: treat her with nitrogen, and you’ll find she’s only a sheet! (lami(N)a).

Miss B. G. Twells (Tunbridge Wells): My Italian lady had a serpentine charm (la mia).

H. D. Wakely (NW3): Showing the poisonous spirit that can creep in and make an end of nuptial rejoicings ((epitha)lamia; ref. Keats, L., ii., 262).

L. D. Wakely (SW19): Witch who with a new spell can take out her eye and become a priest (i.e. lamia less ‘i’ = lama; L. could take out her eyes).

Dr K. P. Whitehead (Birmingham): 50 + (9—1000 in confusion) when solved by Keats (L + anag. of Amami less M; no. 9 in puzzle was Amami).

 

COMMENTS:—The winner made clever use of a quotation from the poem. “Hidden” clues were more popular than usual: many came near a mention, Mr. Cape’s being preferred because he had no wasted words in the “hiding place”. The French lady embracing her boy friend was, perhaps, a trifle too obvious and her appearances were legion; my Italian lady, not quite so ubiquitous, had greater charm.
 

 
Ximenes Slips by year
19451946194719481949
19501951195219531954
19551956195719581959
19601961196219631964
19651966196719681969
19701971