XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 804

DETRUNCATE

1.  A. R. Chandler: Prune: a dried fruit containing something unspecified to speed up movement within (run in etc., all in date; laxative effect).

2.  C. J. Morse: Dexter, except for two blank patches, hooked and cut savagely (De(x)t(e)r + uncate; ref. Ted D., England batsman).

3.  T. W. Melluish: Rent Act due to be reformed? A topping suggestion? Trash! (anag.; 2 defs.; trash¹, vb.).

V.H.C.

R. B. Adcock: That’s Dexter—four out of six hooked or cut savagely (De(x)t(e)r + uncate; ref. Ted D., England batsman).

C. Allen Baker: “Eddy back!” snaps King Canute at sea. Result? … Cut off! (Ted (rev.) + anag. incl. R).

G. F. Bamford: Top Ten!—ear duct blasted! (anag.; pop charts).

E. J. Burge: One-two-four-six! Dexter hooked, cut anything short (De(x)t(e)r + uncate; ref. Ted D., England batsman).

C. O. Butcher: Operate on a loose end with a cutter (anag. & lit.).

P. M. Coombs: Off the end with a cutter (anag. & lit.; off vb).

J. Flood: Turned out of joint—order less bloody scotch! (anag. + cate(gory)).

F. D. Gardiner: The censor does spoil nude art etc. (anag.).

R. M. Greenhalgh: Dexter turns to slip: a dainty cut! (Ted (rev.) + run + cate; ref. Ted D., England batsman).

T. P. Kelly: Dexter, going back, managed with singular delicacy to cut (Ted (rev.) + run + cate; ref. Ted D., England batsman).

F. P. N. Lake: Use cutter’s ability to create the Shorter Look—a cute trend in high fashion (anag.; high = drunk).

P. W. W. Leach: Audible command to remove crew’s bags? Stunt the members would do! (i.e. de-trunk eight).

Mrs E. McFee: Cut results from piece of wood getting stuck in blasted denture! (cat¹ in anag.).

P. H. Morgan: Kinky nude art etc. leads to dock (anag.).

S. L. Paton: Radical reform of Rent Act due—Poll—We’ll have to use guillotine (anag.; 2 defs.).

L. S. Pearce: A tender cut, freshly done. Tip top! (anag.; 2 defs. (vbs.)).

G. Perry: How to shape untreated conifer top (anag. incl. c(onifer) & lit.).

Mrs E. Shackleton: Decimate? I’m to leave misshapen runt in evidence (anag. in dec(im)ate & lit.).

Mrs E. M. Simmonds: Prune fudge recipe with date and nut (anag. incl. rec.; fudge², vb. imper.).

H.C.

R. Abrey, M. A. Anderson, J. N. A. Armitage-Smith, S. Barnett, F. H. Bernard, Capt A. S. Birt, J. A. Bulley, N. Chalmers, A. L. Freeman, J. Fryde, J. Gill, R. E. Gillson, L. Gorse, R. R. Greenfield, A. J. Hughes, Miss H. I’Anson, Mrs L. Jarman, R. Keighley, N. H. Keir, R. E. Kimmons, Mrs H. M. Latham, L. E. Lodge, J. D. H. Mackintosh, A. A. Malcolm, B. J. McCann, D. P. M. Michael, F. E. Newlove, Miss M. J. Patrick, H. C. S. Perry, K. Pomagalski, A. G. Rowlinson, R. A. Russell, T. E. Sanders, P. J. Scott, D. J. Short, W. K. M. Slimmings, N. Smedley, B. D. Smith, Miss M. Smith (Newcastle), E. B. Stevens, T. L. Strange, P. H. Taylor, J. Templeton, A. F. Toms, C. T. Tulloch, Rev J. W. Waddell, R. A. Wells, G. W. Whitehead, W. D. Wigley, C. E. Williams, F. W. Wyeth.
 

ANNUAL HONOURS LIST FOR 13 COMPETITIONS:— 1. P. M. Coombs & J. Flood (2 prizes, 4 H.C.s). 3. Mrs E. M. Simmonds (2-3); D. P. M. Michael, C. J. Morse (l-5); Mrs E. McFee (0-7). 7. D. A. Nicholls (2-2); N. C. Dexter, A. Lawrie, Mrs N. Perry, R. Postill (1-4). 12. C. Allen Baker, F. B. Stubbs (l-3); E. Gomersall (0-5).
 
CONSOLATION PRJZES:—Mrs E. McFee, E. Gomersall.
 
Total different prizewinners to date:—402.
 
Total different prizewinners and or H.C.s.:—1392.
 
(Note that for the purpose of this list H.C. means V.H.C. in months where that name was used and H.C. took the place of R.U.) .
 
COMMENTS:—About 480 entries and very few mistakes. The great trouble was that well over 100 competitors used the anagram “and cut tree” in identical or very similar ways, the most popular being the neat and simple “Mutilate and cut tree (anag. & lit.)”. It was impossible to include them all or to distinguish between them: so that, I’m afraid, is that. I always try to choose a word which offers a variety of possibilities and not one outstanding one: this time I didn’t notice that obviously appropriate anagram. About 50 people used “a tender cut”: here it was easier to pick out the best, so some of them got into the lists. The general standard was high, but some new competitors, attracted, I expect, by an easier puzzle, don’t know some of our principles and sent indirect anagrams, e.g. “Beaten, played the ball to Dexter: cut off.” This doesn’t indicate “cut near Ted” anything like clearly enough. Others sent unindicated anagrams, e.g. “Cut short the last of garbled utterance.” The fact that an anagram is meant must be clearly shown.
 
I’m sorry the last slip was so late: there was a mistake over which I had no control.
 
Finally, congratulations to the two new champions, and to their close pursuers. No time for more.