◀  No. 304 Clue list 17 Oct 1954 Slip image No. 316  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 306

CHICANE / RAMPART

1.  L. Johnson: I don’t score as I used to, a hundred an hour! I stick, block quietly with skill—I’m purely defensive (c h I cane; ram p art).

2.  A. D. Legge: Its sides slope from a flat crown—a striking head-piece! Try it on: it’s smart and one such as you won’t find in England (ram part; chic ane (Scot.)).

3.  L. K. Upton: A case of fraud in which I can envisage the defence will consist of offering the beak a share in the proceeds (hidden; ram part).

H.C.

C. Allen Baker: Fool! Taking a chance I crashed—wall run into and vehicle overturned (anag.; ram + trap (rev.)).

P. G. Cobb: It’s a dirty trick that, drunk in charge, he can concoct a strong defence out of “Run into by a reversing vehicle” (anag. incl. i/c; ram + trap (rev.)).

L. E. Eyres: X must get the stick for this piece of duplicity, fraud and guile: that sort of thing is no longer defensible (chi cane; ramp art).

H. L. Ford: For protection against attacks from cramp, arthritis, a little calcium injected in the spine does the trick (hidden; Ca in chine1).

A. L. Freeman: Strategem in which I can elude the pack and split the defence (hidden; ram part; ref. rugby).

E. Gomersall: To cheat the unfortunate chance, I stuff some in the bank for safety! (anag.; ram part).

T. J. Guffick: Slam hand gives the defence one chance to make a trick (ram part; anag.).

E. G. Illingworth: Feint in which I can easily deliver a powerful downward blow with hand in defensive position (hidden; ram part).

P. H. Morgan: To rob with skill a bank with flat above for guards—a tricky business—takes smartness and a bit of nerve! (ramp1 art; chic a ne(rve)).

C. J. Morse: A stunt finesse may help to defend a hand without a trump trick (ramp1 art; 2 defs.).

C. P. Rea: I have only poor suits, in which I can easily take on a tramp’s battered appearance. It stops one getting ahead (hidden; r a + anag.).

W. K. M. Slimmings: I’m an Embankment artist—one who sits drawing, for example, a segment of cheese (About all I’m able to do!) (RA + MP + art; I can in che(ese)).

J. B. Sykes: The defence takes two tricks—rather smart, if East has no trumps! (ramp1 art; chic an2 E).

M. Woolf: Taking a chance, I swerved to dodge the wall—hit a buggy—overturned (anag.; ram + trap (rev.)).

RUNNERS-UP

E. S. Ainley, E. A. Beaulah, Miss R. Benn, Mrs Caithness, R. N. Chignell, J. C. R. Clapham, J. Coleby, J. Cordery, G. N. Coulter, E. Davies, G. H. Dickson, P. A. Drillieu, W. J. Duffin, T. Dwyer, Mrs D. M. D’Eath, J. A. Fincken, Mrs N. Fisher, C. E. Gates, S. Goldie, J. A. Maxtone Graham, P. Graystone, S. B. Green, C. R. Haigh, R. W. Hawes, A. L. Jeffery, C. Koop, E. J. Lemmon, A. F. Lerrigo, H. Lyon, L Bdr Mallows, Miss S. R. McGlashan, D. P. M. Michael, W. L. Miron, D. A. Nicholls, J. W. Parr, Rev E. B. Peel, R. Postill, E. R. Prentice, Maj J. N. Purdon, E. J. Rackham, A. Robins, T. E. Sanders, E. O. Seymour, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, L. T. Stokes, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, T. Strange, F. B. Stubbs, Miss D. W. Taylor, D. G. Thomas, Capt C. Tyers, F. L. Usher, J. F. N. Wedge, T. G. Wellman, M. R. Wetherfield.
 

COMMENTS—333 entries, 317 correct—a very accurate entry this time. There were many smoothly dovetailed double clues, the subject of bridge predominating. Some of the latter suffered from depicting not very likely situations. Perhaps I have been a little stingy with the H.C.s, but there were none outside those chosen which did not contain at least one small point which I regarded as a weakness. A few entries missed the whole point by using connecting words like “and” or “but” between the two clues: some were much too difficult and/or complicated for this type. I am glad the puzzle seems to have been found enjoyable.
 
I am very sorry that, as you will have seen from the announcement in the paper, this competition has to be temporarily suspended. It appears that I have been overdoing it a bit and must work at half-pressure for a time: rather than make the puzzles fortnightly, which would disappoint a much larger number of solvers, we have decided that the competition must go: I already have a good many puzzles in hand for you. I shall greatly miss the personal contact with solvers, but I must do as I am told. It’s nothing at all serious, and I confidently expect to give you a competition again about Christmas time and thereafter to keep it up—perhaps monthly. The current consolation prizes are held over till we have had two more competitions, making the normal thirteen. So reluctantly, goodbye for a while!
 

 
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