XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 76

VALEDICTORY

1.  G. H. Podmore (Altrincham): If a penny on beer is all there is in winning the war, I’m saying good-bye (ale d in victory; ref. leaked details of 1947 budget, and resignation of Hugh Dalton, CE).

2.  R. Postill (Jersey): Two byes, turning precarious lead into certain win (anag. in victory; bye-bye).

3.  C. Theobald (NW3): Condensation of the cold variety, but not hail (anag.; hail opp. of goodbye).

H.C.

E. S. Ainley (S. Harrow): Hail? Certainly not—though it does take place in a very cold spell (anag. of it a very cold).

R. Brain (Surbiton): I can see the old vicar yet, making his farewell address (anag.).

Mrs Castle-Knight (SE20): Can a 5-calory diet help you to fare well? (anag. incl. V).

F. A. Clark (Croydon): Farewell credit—to-day I’ve quids to chuck about (anag. incl. cr., L).

L. P. Cook (Sheffield): Your heartless vital code’s unravelled^___so farewell! (anag. incl. y(ou)r).

F. E. Dixon (Dublin): You’ll find it a very cold collation at the breaking-up party (anag.).

B. Donne-Smith (Hitchin): Swan song effect—of Leda confused by her embarrassing conquest (anag. in victory; L. transformed into swan).

J. J. Hilary (Rhos-on-Sea): When saying good-bye one starts with a mild depression and ends up truly blue (i.e. vale…Tory).

H. C. Hills (W. Drayton): Mr. Dalton made one (despite success about the penny on beer!) (ale d in victory; ref. leaked details of 1947 budget, and resignation of Hugh Dalton, CE).

T. E. S. Jobson (Dublin): Taking leave of an old flagship with warped timber in its framework (anag. of deal in (HMS) Victory).

C. B. Joyner (Ringwood): To lead astray in triumph denotes the last word in abandonment (anag. in victory).

G. G. Lawrance (Harrow): Like Mr. Dalton’s last budget, a great success—about a penny on beer (ale d in victory; ref. leaked details of 1947 budget, and resignation of Hugh Dalton, CE).

R. Lumley (Middlesbrough): So longing for old veracity (anag.; i.e. saying “so long”).

Miss Malcolm (Larbert): “Kiss me, Hardy.” Such words the result of lead spattered in the speaker’s flagship? (anag. in Victory; reported last words of Lord Nelson).

E. L. Mellersh (Enfield): As the molten lead poured into his flagship, Nelson gave this message (anag. in Victory; ref. death of Nelson at Trafalgar).

F. E. Newlove (SE9): Farewell performance of century-old variety turn (anag. incl. C).

E. G. Phillips (Bangor): A little win, a drink, a back-yard party and so farewell! (V(ictory) + ale + CID (rev.) + Tory).

T. E. Sanders (Walsall): Velocity a driver quickly achieved with the wind speeding on road (anag. incl. dr.).

D. L. Tuckett (N1): “Kismet, Hardy” for example—the result of lead shot in the flagship (anag. in Victory; reported last words of Lord Nelson).

J. T. Young (Mapledurham): Is not the old vicar yet at his “lastly?” (anag.).

Comments.—445 correct and not many incorrect. The number will surprise some solvers, but the clues were easy and much skill was shown in finding the key-word, though a few of our hardiest wolves were stumped. Some interesting details of how it was done were received—no two of the senders of these seem to have got there in the same way. “Playfair” seems popular on the whole: “Third Steps” will follow after a reasonable interval, but should not, one feels, be made very much steeper.
 
The standard of clues sent was high. Many chose the first-prize winner’s idea, but his was adjudged much the best version. Two lists of runners-up are given: the first contains those who would have been among the H.C.s in most weeks.
 
Runners-up (1):—K. Bird, Rev T. C. Hunter Clare, Rev C. F. Davey, J. Davoll, W. Devlin, Cdr Dickson, T. H. East, E. H. Evans, J. H. Gawler, T. E. Hendrie, E. M. Hornby, L. G. Huggett, Mrs Kidner, A. McIntyre, W. T. Meade-King, Rev E. B. Peel, D. I. Randell, R. V. H. Roseveare, O. Carlton Smith, N. P. C. Stewart, Maj Webb, J. B. Widdowson (2):—G. C. Ager, Maj Baines, D. L. L. Clarke, G. H. Clarke, A. Cochrane, E. G. Durham, J. C. P. Elliston, H. W. Flewett, L. G. Fluke, H. L. Ford, A. B. Gardner, S. R. Gibbs, C. C. M. Giffin, Mrs Harvey, D. Hawson, S. Holgate, E. A. G. Junks, J. Hardie Keir, R. C. Macfarlane, Mrs Mallett, T. W. Melluish, D. P. M. Michael, Dr Morrison, Mrs Mumford, Lt Munro, R. H. Murphy, Miss O’Kane, K. M. Patterson, W. H. Pawsey, W. O. Robertson, Mrs Shackleton, J. B. Sladen, R. A. Street, W. C. Tame, J. Thomas, E. Wagstaff, F. Wallace-Hadrill, L. C. Wright.
 
P.S. To anxious inquirers—the key-word had, we hope, no personal significance.