◀  No. 885 Clue list 6 Feb 1966 Slip image No. 894  ▶

XIMENES CROSSWORD No. 890

DEBENTURE

1.  N. C. Dexter: Without one, rebate due with conclusion of re-exportation is lost (anag. incl. n less a, & lit.).

2.  L. F. Leason: Bond contrives to stay alive, though held by a set of manglers (be in denture).

3.  W. K. M. Slimmings: Security, and the supplement many an old chap needs, to live in it (be in denture; chap = jaw).

V.H.C.

T. Anderson: I can return Excise Duty initially put on brewer’s beer tun (ED (rev.) + anag., & lit.).

C. O. Butcher: Bond and young lady run into danger—without first being introduced (deb (v)enture).

A. E. Crow: Bond makes Society girl take a risk—without any introductory letter! (deb (v)enture).

Cdr H. H. L. Dickson: It is a drawback to live in a false set (be in denture; drawback = refund of duty).

C. Farmer: Girl coming out with bubbling tureen makes return by the company assured (deb + anag.).

C. R. Gamble: Bond’s function is to move in an artificial set (be in denture).

F. H. W. Hawes: Fresh production of “Nude with Beater” fails to get “A” certificate (anag. less A).

C. H. Hudson: Rent due be bothered—I’ll see you get your money! (anag.).

F. G. Illingworth: Rent due be damned! I tell you the money’s still owing! (anag.).

H. W. Jenkins: A guaranteed “cert” needs to be backed in the “Plate” (be (rev.) in denture).

Mrs B. Lewis: Society girl neuter, refractory—Bond admits drawback (deb + anag.; drawback = refund of duty).

Dr T. J. R. Maguire: Bond with some presentable young woman. Sex … adventure? Not half! (deb + (sex adv)enture).

Mrs E. McFee: Bond’ll be seen behaving naughtily in “Nude with Beret” (anag.).

D. P. M. Michael: Bond is to be found among set taken to dinner and sometimes to bed (be in denture).

W. L. Miron: To live among a biting set can prove a drawback (be in denture; drawback = refund of duty).

C. J. Morse: Bond has to live in an artificial set that comes out at night! (be in denture).

R. Postill: This paper has one drawback; it’s confoundedly rude about E. Heath. (E bent (= heath ) in anag.; drawback = refund of duty).

J. F. N. Wedge: N.U.R. meet, ignoring leader, bent on following comer-out. I’ll show duty to come back! (deb + anag. less m).

H.C.

Miss V. K. Abrahams, D. B. J. Ambler, W. G. Arnott, F. D. H. Atkinson, C. Allen Baker, Mrs P. C. Barclay, N. S. Barrett, J. W. Bates, P. F. Bauchop, K. F. Bevan, H. L. Birbeck, A. J. Bisset, C. I. Bullock, P. R. Chapman, J. F. Coldwell, R. M. S. Cork, Mrs M. P. Craine, B. G. Crewe, A. J. Crow, J. McI. Cruickshank, L. Dean, J. H. Dingwall, Miss D. Fennell, J. A. Fincken, Mrs N. Fisher, H. W. Flewett, A. B. Gardner, D. S. Haynes, G. Johnstone, Sir S. Kaye, J. Hardie Keir, R. E. Kimmons, A. D. Legge, H. Lyon, Mrs L. A. Mendez, W. G. Mowforth, R. P. C. Mutter, Miss M. J. Patrick, L. S. Pearce, E. G. Phillips, T. L. Price, F. B. Ramsey, L. G. D. Sanders, I. R. Scott, C. A. Sears, L. J. Sears, J. W. Taylor, D. G. Thomas, A. F. Toms, J. B. Walters, G. A. Wren, Miss S. P. Wynyard.
 

COMMENTS:—A big entry—well over 550; but well over 150 wrote clues to the wrong word. The only theme-word not selected by anyone was CARUNCLE. The most frequently chosen wrong ones were SEINE-NET (48), CAROUSEL (32), CATAMARAN (27), GAROTIER (24) and BISTOURY (18). Many wrong choices resulted from promoting small streams or rivulets, not given in normal atlases—e.g. even the mighty Times Atlas—to the rank of rivers: examples are Car, Ter, Aran, Maran, Ousel, Gar. I studied three biggish atlases, as well as The Times, and the gazetteers in the Enc. Brit. and Webster, and I found none except for one or two abroad. I think they are too small and obscure to pass muster and provide an inferior solution to DEBEN-t-URE, which also has the merit of no overlapping letters. Of those who chose SEINE-NET many relied on the Seine, ignoring the direction that the theme was English: others relied on Nen and Nene, which (barring some rivulet which I couldn’t find) are merely alternative spellings of the same river. Supporters of CAROUSEL and BISTOURY mostly said there were two Ouses, or Stours; but there are in each case more than two mentioned in even moderate-sized atlases. Taking all this into consideration, I have allowed no alternatives and have upheld the 400 or so competitors who chose what I intended. There were very few mistakes in solution.
 
There were many good clues, though I fear Bond got so much attention as to become a little monotonous. I consider the winner’s an especially ingenious “& lit.” clue, fully compensating for the subtraction, a feature I don’t much like. I’m glad the puzzle was enjoyed.
 

 
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