XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 329

HAMADRYAD

1.  J. A. L. Sturrock (W8): Creature of a wood in a Hardy novel (a mad in anag. & lit.; wood² = mad; ref Thomas H. novel “The Woodlanders”).

2.  J. Thompson (Stafford): Body found in trunk: Yard in a flap following furious chasing after gunmen. (HA (Heavy Artillery) + mad + anag.).

3.  R. N. Chignell (Formby): She could have died in the middle of a hard May (d. in anag., & lit.).

H.C.

Dr S. H. Atkins (Brough): This spirit died with Tree, so naturally the bombastic actor gets a dull little notice (ham a dry ad.; ref. H. Beerbohm Tree, actor).

J. W. Bates (Westcliff-on-Sea): Out of a hardy dam, she was a fair stayer in the Oaks (anag.; ref. horse racing).

Brig W. E. Duncan (NW3): Serpent, Woman and Tree combined together to make Adam hardy! (anag., 2 defs.).

F. H. W. Hawes (Dagenham): “Mary had a little ——” delete, revise to read “baboon” (anag. incl. d.).

L. Johnson (Tunbridge Wells): One of those in the Oaks, deriving her constitution from a hardy dam (anag.; ref. horse racing).

C. Koop (Ferring): I’d die if some feller destroyed my home (Mary’d had a sort of upset) (anag.).

D. P. M. Michael (Whitchurch): Mary’d had a complex—she’d had it when a feller came her way! (anag.).

C. J. Morse (SW1): Hardy’s varied characters include a wild female “woodlander” (a mad in anag.; ref Thomas H. novel ‘The Woodlanders’).

D. A. Nicholls (Chester): Not like Guinness to lead to a day with the staggers and the doctor in—must be the wood spirit! (ham + Dr in anag.; w.s. = meths.; ref. Alec G., actor).

R. Postill (Jersey): Mysterious body found in trunk. Mummy had Yard baffled (anag. incl. ma).

E. R. Prentice (Clifton): The serpent that beguiled the hardy Adam (anag.).

A. Robins (Manchester): Being regarded as having died out with Tree, overacting gets a frigid notice and evokes hisses (ham a dry ad.; ref. H. Beerbohm Tree, actor).

H. S. Tribe (Sutton): “The Green Goddess”—overacted: a barren advertisement for Lime Grove (ham a dry ad.; ref. 1930 film “The G. G.” and Lime Grove film studios).

L. K. Upton (Woking): Declamatory acting now earns a very unsympathetic notice in the press; yet this was the genius of Tree (ham a dry ad.; ref. H. Beerbohm Tree, actor).

RUNNERS-UP

Maj P. S. Baines, C. Allen Baker, T. E. Bell, V. E. Brooke, R. M. S. Cork, G. H. S. Crosby, C. R. Dean, F. E. Dixon, Sgt J. Dromey, W. Eite, Mrs W. Fearon, J. A. Fincken, Mrs J. O. Fuller, C. E. Gates, Maj A. H. Giles, S. Goldie, R. M. Grace, J. A. Maxtone Graham, S. B. Green, E. L. Hillman, E. G. Illingworth, F. G. Illingworth, R. P. Irving, Mrs L. Jarman, R. H. Lemon, E. L. Mellersh, W. L. Miron, H. Perry, E. G. Phillips, G. W. Pugh, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, W. K. M. Slimmings, Mrs A. L. Stevenson, D. G. Thomas, J. F. N. Wedge.
 

COMMENTS—233 entries, 189 correct. The smallest entry since last June, with clues just about average in standard. The only common mistake was “noteless” from those who didn’t know their Chesterton: actually the knowledge that Father Brown was a detective should have sufficed. Only one comment on “cluemanship” arises from this entry: I don’t quite like “sad end” as an indication of D. What is meant is “sad’s end,” and in accordance with principle we must say what we mean. On the other hand “sad beginning” as an indication of S gets through, I think, because we can regard “beginning” as the participle. This is a point which crops up from time to time.
 
Solvers may have noticed that a “non-plain” puzzle was due but didn’t appear on May 1st: the explanation of the change may be found in the clue to 1 across in that day’s puzzle. It more or less had to appear on the right date, and the strike upset things. The balance will be restored by a four-week gap after May 8th till the next “non-plain.”
 
Some of you may like to have your attention called to the first crossword of a new series which has been sent to me, and which I have enjoyed. It is in “The Twentieth Century,” and is to be a regular monthly feature with, I see, a solving competition on a half-yearly basis starting with the July number—presumably when the crossword has got into its stride. It is quite difficult, with many literary allusions: but the subsidiary parts of the clues seem to me to be very much up our street. For instance I particularly like “Play of 1903—presumably one interior scene!”, the clue to “Little Mary” (a Barrie play, I find, which I confess I hadn’t heard of). As a whole this seems likely to prove an interesting new puzzle for enthusiasts.
 
Many thanks again for kind enquiries: I’m definitely better but … [last lines of slip missing].