XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 38

WIND-HOVER

1.  S. B. Green (NW10): Hang around by the wings after your turn, and you’ll certainly get the bird! (wind + hover).

2.  R. Postill (Jersey): Hawker isn’t likely to use it; try to persuade De Havilland (i.e. win DH over; aircraft manufacturers).

3.  Rev E. B. Peel (Fleetwood): Flatulence stop padre doubled up stop altogether dicky (wind + ho! + Rev (rev.); dicky bird; telegraphese).

H.C.

S. Bell (Hereford): Rider of the storm, a little haggard (wind hover; haggard = hawk; ref. H. Rider Haggard, author).

B. Donne-Smith (Hitchin): Crank up the incubator—and get the bird (wind hover (= incubator)).

Miss J. Fraser (W8): This bird’s down might be ruffled with a winter in France (anag. of down, hiver (Fr.)).

Maj A. H. Giles (Leamington): Stoops to gain a living, having to take a turn with nothing less than a sweeper (wind + Ho(o)ver).

C. H. Hudson (Oxford): Come in first by a short head, backwards, and change your bowler for one covered with feathers (win + hd. (rev.) + over (cricket)).

R. B. S. Instone (W8): Drove amongst the whin and got a birdie (anag. of drove, whin).

P. Irving (Edinburgh): Hydrogen in the turn-over? No wonder it soars! (H in wind over).

C. B. Joyner (Ringwood): Drove into a whin, sliced and yet got a birdie (anag. of drove, whin).

R. Lumley (Middlesbrough): A De Havilland in a win over a Kestrel? (DH in win over; types of aircraft).

T. W. Melluish (SE24): Bird who goes round India and back upside-down (Ind in who + rev. (rev.)).

A. P. O’Leary (Rugby): Orchestral rhythm questionable; it’s the wind however when we go that really gets the bird (i.e. ‘or kestrel’, wind ho(we)ver).

J. F. Smith (Nottingham): 22 ac. whose first part may be orchestral; altogether it sounds as if there’s no alternative (i.e. ‘(or)kestrel’; wind instruments [ref. to 22 ac. unknown]).

R. E. Stephens (Barnet): Flier calling De Havilland’s.—Backing you to win.—Over (win + DH + over; aircraft manufacturer).

W. J. Walker (Penarth): It quarters the whin with its Dover or aerial patrol (anag. of whin, Dover; quarter = beat for game).

W. Watts (Westcliff-on-Sea): Convert De Havilland, making tailless Hawker Hurricane hang about (DH in win(d) over; types of aircraft).

J. T. Young (Mapledurham): Drove into a whin and disturbed a hawk (anag. of drove, whin).

Comments—377 correct—no common errors. One of the best ideas, the golfer’s “birdie,” was often spoilt by questionable wording, thus—“He drove the whin and got a birdie” (Who did? And how do we know it is an anag.?). Again, “Who, driven badly, gets a steady birdie?” (This isn’t golfing sense unless “driven” can mean “having driven”: can it?) Again, what of the last five words in “Driven! And how! For a birdie at the dog’s leg hole”? Two birdie-fanciers were commended: one of them, Mr. Joyner, would have had a prize—with his really excellent “sliced”—but for the verb “got,” which Mr. Instone also used; this would surely imply that the wind-hover got a birdie: “and yet it’s a birdie” would have made just as good golfing sense and the clue would have been completely sound. But, even with this flaw, these two were too good to be passed over. Another competitor used the same ides as the winner, but spoilt it hopelessly by beginning “If you wait …” Soundness demands “If you put wait …” or simply “Wait …”; the latter would have made a good clue. Mr. Walker’s brilliant clue missed a prize only through being too difficult. Many again failed to hint that anags. were intended, e.g., “Gyroscope? How driven? ” This is neat and short, but it is not a sound clue. In spite of all this carping it was a good entry.