XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 743

CHEMIST

1.  Mrs L. Jarman: I provide something you can rattle up and down in a box (M1 in chest, & lit.).

2.  R. B. Adcock: A cough in the chest of the graveyard variety, and I’m made! (MI in chest, & lit.).

3=  Miss P. Adkins: Branch of science is attacked by Dr. Beeching and its exponent is left standing (chemist(Ry.); B. closed railway lines).

3=  L. A. J. Duthie: Leave chits with me—I’ll make them up (anag. & lit.).

H.C.

R. T. Baxter: I dispense with a shirt when ’e’s gone and shortened it (chemis(e) + ’t).

Mrs G. Bonsall: Should Ministry heads intervene in a case for pay? Yes, like Boyle (Mi in chest; ref. Edward B., Min. of Education, and Robert B.).

J. Brock: He may still be open. In any case you can put a note in the box (mi in chest).

C. O. Butcher: The sick need me and I knead (sic) them (anag.).

A. R. Chandler: Boots? I supply number nines (cryptic def.; ref. Services pills).

V. A. R. Cooper: Maudling’s head itches uneasily: “There’s one who may dispense with me in the treasury” (anag. incl. M, mi in chest; me = mi, note; ref. Reg M., Chancellor).

J. Crowther: Leading pair of ministers in the Treasury once tried to debase the gold standard (mi in chest; ref. alchemy).

W. Darby: A man like Boyle may nowadays dispense with scales as prescribed for takers of all classes (2 meanings; ref. Edward B., Min. of Education, and Robert B.).

Miss S. M. Fitzpatrick: Drunk in charge? Meths, too! He probably keeps some at work (anag. incl. i/c).

H. W. Flewett: In a graveyard case a cough may bring you to him (MI in chest, & lit.).

S. B. Green: Church leaders: “The times are out of joint.” (I’m a student of reaction) (Ch + anag.).

R. R. Greenfield: Boyle, for example, has teachers shedding tears and then exhibits dimness ((tea)che(rs) + mist; ref. Edward B., Min. of Education, and Robert B.).

E. J. Griew: Something you might take for a cough in the chest? That’s just what you should find I’m up in (MI in chest, I’m (rev.) in chest, & lit.).

F. G. Illingworth: Let the Church fall on troubled times, and this fellow will dispense with faith (Ch + anag.).

T. A. Martin: After Cheltenham’s first two, jockey’s unseated before start of third—who supplied the dope? (Ch + anag. of Sime + t; ref. J. Sime).

T. W. Melluish: Boyle, for instance, giving odd mites to a small section of teachers ((tea)ch(ers) + anag.; ref. Edward B., Min. of Education, and Robert B.).

C. J. Morse: Anyone following Boyle’s line has stormy times with the middle range of teachers ahead ((tea)ch(ers) + anag.; ref. Edward B., Min. of Education, and Robert B.).

S. L. Paton: A man like Priestley was making the Church Times wild! (Ch + anag.; ref. J. B. and Joseph P.).

R. Postill: Slight cough in the chest? You might see me in that case! (MI in chest, mi in chest, & lit.).

L. T. Stokes: Church Times upset by one who dispenses with scruples! (Ch + anag.).

T. L. Strange: Boots for example—and one way to muddy them (sic)! (anag.).

F. B. Stubbs: On the first sign of a cold, he takes a dose of his own medicine (c + he + mist. (= mixture)).

J. W. Taylor: I’m set for reorganisation after Beeching’s own heart. I’ve got just what the doctor ordered ((Bee)ch(ing) + anag.).

RUNNERS-UP

A. W. Aspinall, F. D. H. Atkinson, J. W. Bates, J. E. Biggin, K. Blewett, J. C. Brash, J. F. B. Bunting, N. C. Dexter, T. Dwyer, L. E. Eyres, J. Flood, C. C. M. Giffin, E. Gomersall, F. H. W. Hawes, P. Horgan, T. Itheil, A. K. Jackson, R. W. Jakeman, A. L. Jeffery, T. E. S. Jobson, R. E. Kimmons, P. W. W. Leach, A. D. Legge, J. R. Love, H. Lyon, E. M Hornby, J. D. H. Mackintosh, Dr T. J. R. Maguire, Mrs W. J. Mahood, L. R. Mansell, D. P. M. Michael, Miss P. M. Middleton, J. G. Milner, W. L. Miron, B. R. J. Morgan, P. H. Morgan, F. E. Newlove, M. Newman, W. H. Overton, B. G. Palmer, Mrs J. Robertson, T. E. Sanders, D. J. Short, Miss M. Smith, H. G. Tattersall, K. Thomas, D. H. Tompsett, Mrs E. Turner, M. A. Vernon, J. B. Walters, J. Ward, Mrs M. Wishart, S. E. Woods.
 

COMMENTS:—The entry of 385 was of the highest quality: four clues were irresistible, so there is an extra prize—the equal thirds will receive 20s. tokens. All H.C.s are up to prize standard and all R.U.s up to H.C. standard: congratulations all round. The only common mistake was “trigger” for TWIGGER: I think another glance at the clue will convince sufferers that it won’t do. I’ve decided that checking the solutions of those not on my short list—in this case over 100—is a waste of time: so from now on I shall give you a guess at the number incorrect based on the number I know of plus an allowance for the rest: this time my guess is 40 to 50.
 
By the time this Slip reaches you you will probably have seen the notice about the proposed X. tie. I hope there will be a sufficient demand to justify going ahead with the scheme, and that the ladies will not be backward in making suggestions for a feminine equivalent. Perhaps an X. aba would do? (I will not venture nearer to the bone by adding a letter to this word, subtracting one, and making a clumsy *nd*r*ct *n*gr*m: no Xìmenean lady would tolerate such unsoundness). Another possibility is that any husband, fiancé, great-uncle, etc., of a lady entitled to the tie could wear it in her stead. This would be particularly suitable for those whose Sunday meals are ruined by me: I have had letters from such sufferer. The Secretary for Crossword Affairs at the Obs. Office asked, on hearing of the proposal, if I was going to have the colours reversed for mine. I doubt if I could afford the cleaners’ bills, but such a tie might do as a distinction to be claimed by any winner of at least one prize or H.C. It might not be appropriate for every occasion: for this reason, and in the interests of economy, owners might limit themselves to a Club Day—the first Sunday of each month, say, or the parts of said day during which they were unlikely to be seen by strangers. (I would be prepared to join them except during attendance in School Chapel. If I did thus join them, stuck solvers might enjoy exclaiming “I hope it chokes him”). If you send your views in to Tudor St., you might like to add a note on your reaction to this further suggestion. Personally I like it: think of the monthly announcement in the slip “After Ximenes Crossword No. So-and-so colours were awarded to So-and-so”! Those newly honoured would enjoy that, and it might prove to be an effective carrot.
 
P.S. To kind enquirers:—I am now fit as and/or for any fiddle.