XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 634

BEDSTEAD

1.  C. J. Morse: To lie still is not enough here; both sides of the sheet must be tucked in (be + s(hee)t in dead, & lit.).

2.  D. P. M. Michael: Une sainte interrompt un juron irlandais (et lit!) (Ste. in bedad; lit (Fr.) = bed).

3.  T. W. Melluish: Theological graduate, seated drunk within, will have a ticking off, if discovered (anag. in BD; ticking = mattress).

H.C.

F. D. H. Atkinson: Trim the d—— debates! That will get us off the floor for a rest (anag.).

Lt Col P. S. Baines: Layers spread about one should not be left the wrong way (beds + a in ted, & lit.).

J. W. Bates: Support for lying misconstruction put on debs’ date! (anag. & lit.).

G. P. Goddard: Outcome of possible debate about pence and shillings could be a nightmare situation (d. s. in anag.; ref. decimal coinage proposal).

S. Goldie: Support needed for all-night session, with stormy debates going on to the beginning of daylight (anag. + d).

J. W. Greenwood: All asleep, bar one, on the farm. That’s why there’s couch there. ((a)bed + stead; couch-grass).

F. H. W. Hawes: It’s a frame-up, to support under-cover lying, the wool perhaps drawn over one’s eyes! (cryptic def.).

N. Haycraft: Sort of layer farm will give something to roost on (bed stead).

Mrs L. Jarman: What our forebears—and we—put so much down on (double mng.; eiderdown).

Capt G. Langham: Complex debates drift without a division; what the M.P. longs for! (anag. + d(rift); rift = division).

Mrs H. M. Latham: Rests a beverage drinker’s head (beds tea + d, & lit.).

H. Lyon: Not precisely best dead poet’s wife received (anag. & lit.; ref. Shakespeare’s bequest to Anne Hathaway).

Dr T. J. R. Maguire: Setting for the Dream, showing Bottom on set, pixilated, with a donkey’s head (bed + anag. + a + d; ref. MND).

J. Martin: Girl coming out in reverse where another might be, where people often are flat out (deb (rev.) + stead).

Mrs E. McFee: Help! Get a copper in! I could give the burglar a hiding, but it would be beneath me (d. in bestead; hiding under bed).

J. J. Moore: Could Queen Elizabeth have slept here? Half the “beth” is missing from the sign and the date’s wrong (be(th) + d.s. + anag.; del segno, music).

M. Newman: The politicians’ desire, if troubled debates go on to the start of day (anag. + d, & lit.).

L. S. Pearce: Beside which may be found good little chap immersed in prayer before the day (St in bede + a. d., & lit.).

E. J. Rackham: Unruly debates ending with the start of dawn—better take it to the House! (anag. + d, & lit.).

A. Robins: The minimum offer of a pension on retirement? (cryptic def.; pension = boarding-house).

R. E. Scraton: Prescription charge hotly debated on both sides—we’ll be here all night! (s. in anag.; one shilling prescription charge).

Miss B. Smoker: Love-making base? Deb’s date is thunder-struck! (anag.).

H. J. Snelgar: Type of layer on a farm under which old maids peer anxiously (bed stead).

RUNNERS-UP

J. K. Anderson, G. F. Bamford, Capt A. S. Birt, J. C. Brash, R. F. S. Chignell, A. N. Clark, H. C. Copeman, J. McI. Cruickshank, Cdr H. H. L. Dickson, J. H. Dingwall, J. Dorrington, J. H. Eyre, Mrs N. Fisher, S. W. Godden, E. Gomersall, S. B. Green, E. M. Hornby, V. Jennings, P. W. W. Leach, A. F. Lerrigo, Miss J. S. Lumsden, A. A. Malcolm, W. L. Miron, P. H. Morgan, H. B. Morton, R. A. Mostyn, A. E. North, G. R. F. Park, S. L. Paton, W. H. Pegram, G. Perry, E. G. Phillips, R. B. Phillips, R. Postill, J. S. W. Reid, Rev E. G. Riley, A. M. Robertson, T. E. Sanders, W. K. M. Slimmings, A. Stevenson, J. A. L. Sturrock, Miss D. W. Taylor, J. Thompson, G. Warrack, Mrs I. Webb.
 

COMMENTS:—310 entries, 265 correct. Mashlum caused most of the mistakes, being out of its alphabetical place in C.—at least it is only referred to as “etc.” under mashlam. But maslin, under which it is given, is not far away, and when mash-tub and mash-tun were found not to satisfy the clue, further research would have been wise: I don’t think the clue was desperately difficult. Apart from this the puzzle seems to have been found easy, and I think the clues submitted added up to about the best entry ever, with many good ideas and less unsoundness than usual: the long lists above testify to this. The only thing I got a little tired of was debs and their dates!
 
I must apologise for an inaccuracy in my clue to Martini-Henry: I gather I was unsound on the subject of henry. Knowing my limitations, I am usually very cautious in writing clues to scientific words; but this time I seem to have been tempted into sticking my neck out, though only one competitor referred to it (a scientific non-competing colleague who solves the puzzles did so too). If I may pervert the Major-General’s words “my scientific knowledge, though I’m plucky and adventury, hasn’t even been brought down to the beginning of the century,” and I must try to be less adventury in future.
 
I hope that after recent experiences and warnings, there weren’t many late entries this time. You will know if your entry is late each time in future, as notes to that effect are, if applicable, being sent out with the printed slips. It seems clear that posting on Friday is no longer safe, even in London itself. One solver has written, he tells me, to the P.M.G. to complain, and has so far received no satisfaction but a brief acknowledgement. Perhaps more of you, if you suffer, might do this with advantage, for it really does seem outrageous. I cannot see that putting “Comp.” on the envelope should affect the issue, as two competitors suggest. The only real answer is evidently to post early. I fear I cannot, as one solver suggests, allow a Friday postmark to qualify, the point being that I must, “for business reasons,” do the judging and write this report before the end of Sunday.
 
P.S. Over 40 entries arrived on Monday. You are urged to post by Thursday to ensure delivery on Saturday.