XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 24

SWELL-MOBSMAN

1.  F. E. Dixon (Dublin): Thief who might even break into the almsmen’s bowl (anag.).

2.  Miss J. Fry (Oxford): Little Willy bones small change. A smart thief! (anag. incl. Wm.).

3.  Rev L. Blackburn (Croydon): Might have caused railway hold-up, but L.M.S. now blames distribution (anag.).

H.C.

Miss D. M. Angle (SW19): If this pickpocket were demobbed without a shilling he’d still be a dressy fellow (i.e. swell(mob s)man).

H. P. Chubb (Saline): If he’s as smart as he looks, you won’t feel the pinch till later (cryptic def.; swell = smart).

Mrs Craib (Aberdeen): Lamb’s low men’s resort for well dressed thief (anag.).

G. H. Dickson (Birchington): He’s a thief of the Smart Set. Snob as well? M’m... perhaps (anag.).

C. D. Eagle (Harrow): The pickpocket had a good start, but the crowds got their man in the end (swell mobs man).

C. D. Hallows (Tiverton): Lambs lost in scattered snow? Elm is the stuff for the crook you need (anag. of lambs snow elm).

H. C. Hills (West Drayton): What is needed to get larger crowds, man? Raffles maybe (swell mobs man; ref. Arthur J. Raffles).

W. S. Holdsworth (Halifax): Too smart for heavy-handed work, he may yet take his pick in a moment of abstraction (cryptic def.; swell = smart).

C. B. Joyner (Exeter): Smart thief jogs man’s elbow on L.M.S. (anag. of man’s elbow LMS).

Mrs R. L. Kemp (Holywood): Catch the thief! You will if you increase the crowds by one man (swell mobs man).

Mrs J. Kennedy (Sutton): A smart crook puts a man on to increase the size of the crowds (swell mobs + man).

A. B. Kingsford (Scarborough): Increase crowds? Man, it’s just criminal! (swell mobs man).

Maj D. P. M. Michael (Newport): Lawless nob with a couple of thousand turns out to be a smart pickpocket (anag. incl. MM).

R. C. Shorter (Leyburn): Our swagger doctor, having taken a surgical degree, now keeps a man! It’s our money he’s after! (swell MO BS man).

Comments:—235 correct solutions: TORSHENT caused most failures—Chambers is, as usual, the authority. Anagrams predominated in the clues entered, as they often do with a long word, and they carried off all the prizes: X. would, however, repeat that he has no special preference for them. Some entries were inordinately long. One unsuccessful clue is perhaps worth quoting for its amusing and original idea:—“Knut’s unfortunate experience seems to have made him a thief.” King Knut: swell (of sea) mobs (i.e. attacks) man: also ‘Knut’ = ‘dandy.’ Fun, but would a solver get there?