◀  No. 22 Clue list 28 Apr 1946 Slip image No. 24  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 23

HICATEE

1.  O. Carlton Smith (Potters Bar): I took a deep breath and came in front of puss with ease (hi (aspirated ‘I’) cat ‘Es’; puss = hare; ref. fable of hare and tortoise).

2.  F. A. Clark (Croydon): “I teach English spelling reform.” “In a word, you’ve taught us phonetically” (anag. of I teach E; ‘taught us’ = tortoise).

3.  C. B. Joyner (Exeter): In a Hydropathic a teetotaller naturally takes the water (hidden).

H.C.

P. J. Chubb (NW8): Were there golfers among the Romans in the testudo? Anyway, this one had a tee (hic (= this, L.) a tee; testudo (L.) = tortoise).

H. S. Fielden (Rochdale): The Catherine turns turtle when deserted by the Royal Navy (anag. less RN).

S. B. Green (NW10): Fresh-water addict showing sign of inebriation after one small peg? Preposterous! (hic! a tee; preposterous = inverted).

C. D. Hallows (Tiverton): Was the caddy slow, or had the golfer lunched too well? (i.e. ‘hic! a tee’; slow like a tortoise).

A. Y. Jessiman (Leigh-on-Sea): For use at the Lord Mayor’s banquet, heat, add ice and stir (anag. of heat ice; turtle soup traditionally served at L.M.’s banquet).

Mrs F. M. Laing (SW2): Taught us by ear—i.e. teach differently (anag.; ‘tortoise’).

C. R. Malcolm (SW7): These hundred Romans in testudo formation stand at ease! (hi (= these, L.) C at ‘Es’; testudo (L.) = tortoise).

T. E. Sanders (Walsall): Heat ice to make a specimen of fresh-water (anag. of heat ice).

Miss G. Savory (Croydon): “He taught us here,” said the Mock Turtle “in Latin.” “And at ease, I hope.” said Alice, kindly (hic (= here, L.) at ‘Es’; ref. Alice in Wonderland, ch. 9, “We called him the tortoise because he taught us”).

J. C. W. Springbett (SE21): Hare was beaten by the ace I served, but it was not at Wimbledon (anag. of the ace I; ref. Charles Hare, fable of hare and tortoise).

Flt Lt P. H. Taylor (Cranwell): On exploding H.E.’s, oddly enough, a shell and its contents remain quite whole (anag. of aitch ee).

H. D. Wakely (NW3): Caesar’s here with a sand emplacement for a testudo (hic (= here, L.) a tee; testudo (L.) = tortoise).

I. Wishart (Edinburgh): Inebriated tortoise’s request for a peg? (hic! a tee).

 

Comments:—In response to many requests it has been decided to publish in these slips the number of correct solutions received. This time the number was far below average—197: Paddington Pollaky caused many disasters. Polly swallows ka tail first: another spelling of the jackdaw is kae, but this doesn’t seem to help “pollake”—a popular solution—to fit the clue. Poll is a parrot, but “ake” is not by any stretch of the imagination kae tail first: “eka” or “eak” might be, but even then what about the swallowing? (Kea is a parrot, not a jackdaw, and had nothing to do with it). Nor could “pollaks” be right—only one parrot was mentioned—and “pollack” seems even wider of the mark. X. thought he had given enough help to those who didn’t know their Patience, and still thinks so! Several also wrote “belike,” though the clue actually told them not to. No room for much comment on clues sent in: the winner cleverly made a good double meaning run through every part of a three-part clue: Mr Springbett was in delightful form, but missed a prize because “served” is hardly enough to suggest an anag. Better luck next time to the many who made mistakes in solving!
 

 
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