XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 39

GNATHIC

1.  P. M. Coombs (Burgess Hill): About two we open for refreshments: you can get gin and have a chat here (anag. of gin, chat; i.e. pair of jaws).

2.  Maj D. P. M. Michael (Newport): Mix a gin and chat of chaps we messed with (anag.; chaps = cheeks).

3.  C. B. Joyner (Ringwood): This sock would be a striking gift (cryptic def.; i.e. sock in the jaw).

H.C.

C. B. Daish (Peterborough): A Hundred in Gath Slaughtered. Samson’s Weapon Described (anag. incl. C; jawbone of an ass, ref. Judges 15:16).

Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, RN (Fareham): Hang it, chaps! Barring accidents it could be the making of you (anag. less haps, & lit.; chaps = cheeks).

G. W. H. Edgcomb (NW10): Describes the basis of the upper and the lower set (cryptic def.; teeth).

L. E. Eyres (York): Little Gaius, hating being chewed up, coins an uncomplimentary epithet for Orbilius (anag. incl. C; ref. O. Pupillus, strict teacher of G. Catullus).

S. B. Green (NW10): It’s choppy; the night short crossing is disorganised (anag. incl. ac. (= crossing); i.e. like chops).

C. H. Hudson (Oxford): 100 in Gath routed (but Samson managed 1000 with such a bone) (anag. incl. C; jawbone of an ass, ref. Judges 15:16).

Rev E. B. Peel (Fleetwood): You get cheeky, or near it, in calling a sovereign a thick ’un (hidden).

R. Postill (Jersey): Aching teeth can give you such pain—even if you have nearly all of them out (anag. of aching t(eeth), & lit.).

W. O. Robertson (Marlow): Running a temperature together with aching of the jaws (anag. incl. t (= temperature)).

A. Robins (Mundesley): This motion is defeated by gagging (cryptic def.).

J. F. Smith (Nottingham): A nasty taste comes back with an involuntary spasm of the jaws (tang (rev.) + hic).

G. O. Smith (Tonbridge): When tea is tucked into aching of the jaws may be produced (anag. incl. t (‘tea’)).

L. E. Thomas (Bangor): Sort of exercise one gets from chatting with half one’s dental set missing (anag. less t; d and t are the dental consonants).

Hall-yearly consolation prizes—Maj. A. H. Giles (Leamington), C. R. Malcolm (S.W.7), W. H. J. Wheeler (Wembley); they have had 5 commendations each. Runners-up—C. B. Daish, L. E. Eyres (4); F. A. Clark. J. M. Doulton, C. H. Hudson, A. P. O’Leary, E. F. Watling, Rev. R. J. Whitaker (3). 19 competitors have had 2 each. Among prize-winners R. Postill has had 3 prizes, 5 commendations and just defeats S. B. Green (2 and 5) and Maj. Michael (3 and 2) for the “championship.” Mrs. Caithness (2 and 2), C. Koop, T. W. Melluish, and J. F. Smith (1 and 3) come next, and 6 competitors have had 1 and 2. The honours list now includes 358 names.
 
Comments on No. 39—273 correct: a little harder than usual, perhaps, but the entry, though smallish, included few incorrect solutions. One of these few unfortunately accompanied one of the cleverest clues—“Such purchasing power is required for a sovereign, a thick ’un or a quid.” Another clever idea was “Like a jaw? Rather! Skip that last chapter and we can make a night of it!” But can “gnathic” mean “like a jaw”? X. can find no authority. The sender must solace himself with one of the half-yearly prizes which he has won. Mr. Coombs’s brilliant clue stood well out: Maj. Michael was in good form, and Mr. Joyner, with his topical gift of a sock, sent the best of the three good “straight” clues in the list. X. offers Christmas greetings, and hopes solvers’ socks—and jaws—will be well filled with good things—from Shakespeare and elsewhere.