XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 373

PRESTONPANS

1.  R. N. Chignell: Fashion page article in several papers encouraged wearers of kilts (ton² p. an in press).

2.  W. M. Easther: A happy occasion for Prince Charles! Sports with Anne arranged by the little prince! (P + anag.; ref. Charles Stuart).

3.  J. S. Young: Where the Scots beat England hollow is in the scrum with superior weight (ton pan in press).

H.C.

J. W. Bates: Where kiltie was victor, and person with pants confounded! (anag.).

E. A. Beaulah: For my darling’s engagement see Society Page article in the Times, etc. (ton² p an in press; ref. Charles Stuart, “Charlie is my D.”).

Mrs G. Bonsall: From a field of forty-five pick a winner not backed in the papers (nap not (all rev.) in press; 1745).

E. J. Brooks: Not much of a holiday for the English parson spent—in some distress—in Scotland. (Cope lost in a field!) (anag.; ref. Sir John C., English general).

Miss E. J. Campbell: Here, where battle raged, forms quietly repose on hard beds of earth (p rest on pans).

Rev B. Chapman: I’m not written about in Irish papers—no “sex” leaders are printed! The Scottish press was at it long ago! (not (rev.) in anag. + n s; Irish (offensive) = ludicrous; press = mob).

J. Dennington: To lean on Father when surrounded by promissory notes is ground for a battle (rest on Pa in pn’s).

A. L. Freeman: Cold spell returns to North, following rapid movement of air in Firth of Forth region (presto + N + snap (rev.)).

J. A. Maxtone Graham: Very fast unknown number, and vulgar faces, made young Chevalier’s greatest hit (presto n pans; ref. Charles Stuart and Maurice C.).

T. J. Guffick: Where the prince led a rally—a brief engagement? No, just the reverse. (P rest + snap no (all rev.), & lit.).

W. R. C. Longley: The purest non-U has on one page the short answer to the loss English once suffered (p(U)rest on p. ans.).

T. W. Melluish: Triumph of person with kilt, upsetting to person with pants (anag.).

J. W. Parr: Here, not unnaturally, a piper would be found in the thick of the fray (not (rev). + Pan, all in press, & lit.).

R. Postill: After defeat of the Fifteen—snappier half backs! That should mean victory later (Preston + snap(pier) (rev.); ref. battle of 1715).

Maj J. N. Purdon: In this fight there were involved a number of persons with kilts on, and one with pants (anag. of person pants).

E. J. Rackham: Where the kilted were victorious—quite distressing to a person with pants (anag.).

K. Reed: A large scale depression is centred near to France and shallow troughs are widespread in Scotland, where storms caused forty-five casualties (ton in près (Fr.) pans; 1745).

A. Robins: Scotland beat England here, showing style and reversing the confident forecast in the newspapers (ton² + nap (rev.), all in press).

RUNNERS-UP

M. A. Anderson, Maj P. S. Baines, J. A. Blair, J. V. Boys, V. E. Brooke, C. O. Butcher, Mrs Caithness, P. B. Chapman, Mrs L. S. Charlton, P. M. Coombs, F. Cramp, D. Dawe, C. R. Dean, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, J. H. Dingwall, F. E. Dixon, Mrs C. E. Duff, Brig W. E. Duncan, Miss P. E. M. Evans, T. C. Fitzpatrick, M. S. Y. Fowler, Mrs J. O. Fuller, S. Goldie, E. Gomersall, P. Graystone, A. S. Green, J. G. Hancock, R. N. Haygarth, Mrs E. J. Holmes, Mrs L. Jarman, C. J. Lowe, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, N. McMillan, E. L. Mellersh, D. P. M. Michael, W. L. Miron, P. H. Morgan, C. J. Morse, F. E. Newlove, D. A. Nicholls, Dr S. L. Paton, C. Quin, T. E. Sanders, E. O. Seymour, Mrs E. Shackleton, Mrs E. M. Simmonds, W. K. M. Slimmings, O. Carlton Smith, T. A. J. Spencer, Brig R. F. E. Stoney, Lt M. J. Stoodley, J. Thompson, H. S. Tribe, L. K. Upton, D. Waugh, J. F. N. Wedge, R. A. Wells, Rev A. E. Wynne.
 

COMMENTS:—468 entries, 455 correct: a biggish and very accurate entry. As a fairly easy puzzle attracted entries from a goodly number of “learners,” I will devote this space, largely for their benefit, to illustrating some weaknesses which experienced competitors have already learnt to avoid. First comes our oldest enemy, the definitionless clue, e.g. “Two pans full of grit.” A reference to some meaning or use of the whole word is absolutely essential to a fair clue. Incidentally “grit = broken stone” is one form of a “clue to a clue,” which is a favourite with beginners and to be avoided. Secondly an anagram in a clue is supposed to be helpful, not to set the solver a subsidiary problem. An extreme instance of the unfair use of an indirect anag. is “Western minerals would be unfamiliar in its salterns (ponent spars, anag.).” This is a really terrible clue! The only thing in it of the slightest use to a solver is the suggestion that Prestonpans produces salt: no one on earth could possibly hit on the anagram. Another almost as bad is “The disturbed, unruly dogs bore the weight of battle (anag. of snappers, ton in centre, and lit.).” “Unruly dogs” would not suggest an anag. of snappers: why should it? Further, “bore” does not mean “include.” Finally the clue is not “and lit.”: this means a clue, like those of Mr. Guffick and Mr. Parr above, in which all the words form a definition as well as indicating the parts of the required word. Another much used indirect anag. was “shabby slipper” for “panton”: this, again, is almost certainly useless to a solver. But several “learners” got their names into the lists at the first attempt, and no doubt many of the unsuccessful ones will do so when they learn our ways.