XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 812

ABRUPT / TISANE

1.  Mrs M. P. Craine (Chester): Curt treatment of brat up in court is a necessary remedial measure (anag.; hidden).

2.  C. J. Morse (SW10): Medicine in yoghourt is an excellent unexpected way to make a naughty brat swallow up (hidden; up in anag.).

3.  C. Allen Baker (Milnathort): Sex-appeal going west? Restore it with the “Top-Right” remedy—in short, a moulded bra combined with correct exercising! (It (rev.) + SA + NE; anag. + U + PT).

V.H.C.

Miss V. K. Abrahams (Cromer): Sailor got hernia—very sudden, but old-fashioned operation unnecessary: doctor sent A1 medicine (AB rupt(ure¹); anag.).

E. J. Burge (SE9): Bar put in confusion—unexpected barley-water is in one Scotch! (anag.; is in tane²).

P. R. Clemow (W5): Beat up brat—sharp torture in seat—it’s salutary (anag.; anag.).

J. Coleby (Buckley): Snappy bra teasingly put awry, topless panties in disarray. Just what the doctor ordered (anag. + anag.; anag. less p).

N. C. Dexter (Corby): Short? Yes—find the bar, and put in another order. It’s a Scotch for me—just what the doctor ordered! (anag.; ’tis ane).

G. H. Dickson (Enniskerrig): Baronet’s writhing, inside’s in revolt; hasty barley-water needed, or a formulation of anise would suit to a T! (up in anag. of Bart.; T + anag. [see comments]).

F. E. Dixon (Dublin): Sharp distillation of tar, but included in it is aneurin, normally a barley extract (anag.; hidden).

P. H. Freeman (Shrewsbury): A nationalised concern put in difficulties. Cut off some of the transport is an elementary remedy (a BR + anag.; hidden; ref. Beeching Report on railways, 1963).

E. Gomersall (Fulford): Simple alteration of seat in fitting, involved rub inside, without warning! (anag.; anag. in apt; simple (n.) = a medicine; ref. dubious tailoring practice).

W. F. Goodman (Ruislip): This month football training is cut short: a match around Saturday noon may act as a tonic. (Ab + RU + PT; Sa + n in tie).

F. H. W. Hawes (Dagenham): Remedy, Scots one, after it’s stirred, jolting brat up short! (anag. + ane; anag.).

C. H. Hudson (Oxford): Bar put in a tizzy—short drink doctored—sit back, you need a Scotch after that (anag.; sit (rev.) + ane).

A. D. Legge (Walsall): Rating a pint after the game at Murrayfleld, with few words, Sandy declares lyrically it is one that the doctor ordered (AB RU pt; ’tis ane; rugby played at M.).

Mrs E. McFee (Rhos-on-Sea): Sudden discomposure of brat imbibing effervescent barley-water—in the sherbet is an emetic (up in anag.; hidden; up = effervescent).

R. Postill (Jersey): Jack, having hernia, rejects outmoded operation. Steep barley in water … knock it back … fit as of old! (AB rupt(ure¹); it (rev.) + sane).

J. A. Sever (SW6): Sudden change from par—but sit back: one Scotch should make you feel better (anag.; sit (rev.) + ane).

H.C.

Col P. S. Baines, C. O. Butcher, L. E. Eyres, R. E. Kimmons, Mrs B. Lewis, E. J. Rackham, T. E. Sanders, J. T. Stringer, W. D. Wigley

RUNNERS-UP

R. B. Adcock, J. Alderson, T. Anderson, J. W. Bates, R. T. Baxter, T. E. Bell, R. Brain, J. C. Brash, A. R. Chandler, D. L. W. Collins, Flt Sgt J. Dromey, W. J. Duffin, W. Eite, B. H. Ford, J. H. Gawler, Mrs M. L. Goulter, M. J. Hickman, E. M. Hornby, N. H. Keir, B. K. Kelly, F. P. N. Lake, J. H. C. Leach, A. A. Malcolm, Flt Off L. W. G. Oxley, D. F. Paling, W. H. Pegram, G. Perry, C. Quin, P. M. Raffan, Mrs E. Shackleton, L. T. Stokes, J. W. Taylor, L. E. Thomas, C. E. Williams.
 

COMMENTS:—About 325 entries (good, I think, for holiday time) and few mistakes. There is a lower proportion of names in the lists above than usual: this is, of course, a hard task, and I should mention some of the reasons for failures. Some competitors spoilt their clues by using redundant words to connect the two parts: this is contrary to the idea. Others seemed to forget that the extra difficulty calls for rather easier clues than usual: extreme complications must be avoided. Others again used indirect anagrams—particularly objectionable in this type, unless they are very obvious, e.g. “baronet” for “bart.” above—or used redundant words in a hiding-place of a “hidden” clue: I have mentioned very often in slips that I regard this as a fatally inartistic weakness in the easiest type of clue of all to write. All the words in the hiding-place should be needed, with the exception of an “a” or a “the.” Finally, though no doubt you think I am a bit daring at times, I must confess to a dislike of the word “burp”! Only a matter of taste, but there it is.
 
Congratulations to the first-prize-winner—her first success: her clue is admirably neat, and topical as well. And a word, perhaps in season, to those who may be discouraged at noticing that the other two prize-winners were first and third last month. I haven’t ploughed through all the records, but I am pretty certain this has never happened before: further, Mr. Morse is our most consistent competitor, but before his three recent successes, one a first prize, he hadn’t won a prize since April 1962 nor a first prize since March 1961. And don’t forget that over 400 different people have won prizes, and new ones keep cropping up. So, if you need cheering up, cheer up!