XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 750

SEVEN-FIFTY / CROSSWORDS

1.  R. Postill (Jersey): It’s near to dinner time when X should get a big hand! Mark our great interest as X speaks! (7.45 dinner, X numeral on clock; cross words (vb)).

2.  Mrs L. Jarman (Brough): Proper start-off for the Dinner—L.C.C. rebuilt stands for a great number to celebrate—squares to be filled with lights! (i.e. anag. of D LCC = DCCL; cryptic def.).

3.  D. P. M. Michael (Newport): X and X’s predecessor, beginning long ago, set on Sunday puzzles, number of most recent being unusually stiff when you include even most regular follower of X! (cross W ord (obs. noun) + S; even in anag. + Y).

H.C.

C. O. Butcher (E4): These teasers! They’re contrived by X and the language output of X’s following if in a hole must slip into the yes—indecorous! (cross + words; f. if in vent in anag.; language = words).

Brig W. E. Duncan (NW3): 5 min. late for Dinner! Squares, replete with equivocal verbiage, make angry comments (dinner at 7.45; cross words).

J. Fryde (NW10): Number of puzzlers appear five minutes late for dinner—bar conversations are so intriguing (dinner at 7.45; cross words).

E. J. Griew (Ruislip): How many this week? An outrage of “fent,” “fy,” “vise”—pass over Chambers—”metonymically.” Ximenes invents them! (anag.; cross words; C.= words, metonymically).

R. V. Helps (Bristol): Even if **ST*FY has numerous possibilities, clues to them MYSTIFY as these TESTIFY (anag.; cryptic def.).

F. G. Illingworth (Worcester): When we hear clergymen throwing out “iffy” events, neutralising the gospel on Sunday, they are very apt to perplex us! (anag.; cryptic def.; ref. “Lift up your hearts” radio programme at 7.50 a.m.).

A. Lawrie (Cheltenham): X must have a quarrel—he creates them! Stiff with envy, ’e gets upset where opponent in Lexicon comes out on top! (cross words; anag.; Chambers, p. 750).

Dr T. J. R. Maguire (Dublin): Mule eating cutlery puzzles MD not half. This makes it eight in ten minutes! (sword in cross; half of 1500).

Mrs E. McFee (Rhos-on-Sea): One hour after start of To-night Fyfe—in vest, chequered—puzzles crowds, rambling about town in Herefordshire (anag.; Ross in anag.; ref. F. Robertson, ‘Tonight’ TV programme at 6.50 p.m.).

C. J. Morse (SW10): In Stepney’s confines a regular riotous tiff means more than a big D—in fact 50% bad language, represented by lots of blanks! (even + anag. all in S,y; cross words; i.e. 500 + 50%).

F. E. Newlove (SE9): Bonus points for a small slam, or one down, perhaps, going after the grand? Dash and confound it, this is one of those problems! (seven + fifty; cross words; ref. bridge scoring, grand slam = 7 tricks).

B. A. Pike (Sidmouth): Mid 8th-century English leader, beset by twisted envy, tiffs, peevish talk, squared disturbers of domestic peace with occasional prizes (E in anag.; cross words; i.e. AD 750).

E. J. Rackham (Totton): X, steel-hearted, puzzles a thousand without quarter. Baffled English stiff with envy (sword in cross; anag. incl. E; i.e. 1,000 less a quarter).

Mrs J. Robertson (W5): A quarter less than grand Fyfe investigates, semi-detached, obscure. Adverse report: these squares must have lights (anag. incl. invest(igates); cross words; ref. F. Robertson, TV reporter on ‘Tonight’).

Mrs E. M. Simmonds (Cookham Dean): Hybrid controversy puzzles Devon Cattle Club Laboratory leaders—makes the old vet sniff! (cross words; DCCL, anag. incl. ye (the old)).

J. W. Taylor (Stoke on-Trent): Adversity promises problems. Lift up your hearts then, following Kipling’s guide to manhood in “Life’s Span” (cross words; f + ‘If’ in seventy; ref. poem, and ‘L.U.Y.H.’ radio programme at 7.50 a.m.).

Miss D. W. Taylor (Worthing): Eve’s nifty little feminine shift transports many a business man, even squares with letters one discovers—X, for instance, before terms! (anag. incl. f; cross + words; 7.50 train).

RUNNERS-UP

F. D. H. Atkinson, Col P. S. Baines, C. Allen Baker, J. W. Bates, T. E. Bell, Capt A. S. Birt, Mrs A. L. Boorman, N. H. Brown, J. A. Bulley, R. S. Caffyn, P. M. Coombs, R. M. S. Cork, Mrs M. P. Craine, T. Davies, N. C. Dexter, Flt Sgt J. Dromey, Mrs N. Fisher, A. L. Freeman, F. D. Gardiner, J. Gill, R. Goodman, L. S. Harris, D. Hawson, F. D. Heyer, K. Hunter, J. G. Hurst, D. S. Johnson, R. Keighley, Mrs G. Klemantaski, P. W. W. Leach, A. F. Lerrigo, Miss J. S. Lumsden, H. Lyon, T. A. Martin, P. H. Morgan, D. Murphy, Flt Off L. W. G. Oxley, L. S. Pearce, W. H. Pegram, E. G. Phillips, B. G. Quin, Lady Reay, Rev E. G. Riley, W. G. Roberts, A. Robins, R. A. Russell, Mrs E. Shackleton, L. T. Stokes, F. B. Stubbs, J. B. Sweeting, H. G. Tattersall, B. A. Taylor, H. S. Tribe, B. W. Webster, J. F. N. Wedge, S. A. Wetherfield.
 

COMMENTS:—326 entries and not, I think, more than 30 incorrect, most of them giving “sea-cat/local.” After two really brilliant sets of clues to rather easy words, I thought it was time for a teaser: this rather than the puzzle reduced the size of the entry, but I thought the quality of it again extremely good. I hope I shan’t be thought egotistical for giving all the prizes to clues about me! Talking of references to me, Miss Taylor carefully called my attention to the fact that she was not claiming “& lit.” for her clue! Thank you all very much indeed for the overwhelming volume of congratulations on the milestone; one of them measures 8 ft. 6 ins. by 4 ins. It’s anonymous, as far as I can see: I know the writing perfectly well, but just can’t place it. My wife and I are looking forward very much to meeting many of you at the Dinner: I’m very sorry to read that some old friends can’t be there, and delighted to read that others can: and I’m looking forward to meeting for the first time many whom I already feel to be old friends. I only hope we shan’t have a thunderstorm this time: I don’t want to have to call on the insurance company for another greenhouse!
 
To return briefly to the entry:—a few very good (otherwise) clues were excluded from H.C.s because their definitions of 750 were too vague, e.g. “a time,” “many.” A few of the R.U.s this time owe their position to very high entertainment value and are not strictly speaking sound. F/Sgt. Dromey’s is a case in point, but I won’t tell you now what it is because I want to keep it for the Dinner: I’ll lust throw out one hint:—C.J.M., are your ears burning? Finally I must add that in Mr. Postill’s brilliant clue I think the “big hand” is the most brilliant thing we have ever had.
 
The printer offers his apologies for sending this four days late owing to his error.
 
P.S.—The organisers ask me to remind you that the Ximenes Dinner is on Saturday, June 22 at 7 p.m. for 7.45 p.m. at the Café Royal, Regent Street, W.1. Informal dress.