Ximenes was a master of the witty crossword clue, often inspiring thoughts far-removed from the word sought by the solver. On this page I have chosen, at random, some of my favourite clues (solutions and explanations are given at the bottom of the page). If you are new to the these types of clue it is worthwhile studying them with the notes and a copy of Chambers Dictionary.
As a teacher of Greek and Latin in an English public school Ximenes often used images from school life to illustrate his clues and often mentioned his favourite subjects. These are normal clues.
1. Boy in Latin class, good material for tanning (4)
2. Study Greek grammar: go warily - this'll be heard (5)
3. I feel wretched getting no Latin to penetrate (5)
4. Excitement - it'll disrupt the end of a term (8)
5. Master turned up just before boy cut old desk (4)
Ximenes often used the Definition and Letter Mixture (DLM) clue in his puzzles to hilarious effect. These clues have a definition of the word plus a jumble of its letters. One of my favourites is based on a set of crazy exam questions - Eleventeen Plus. Try these.
6. What was the butt of Malmsey which pickled Clarence ? (8)
7. Why are you a titled student of utter vacuity ? (4)
8. Write your sins down. (More marks for neat answers)
9. That's poppycock: why didn't you cheat off neighbours ? (4)
10. Recite S. Mark's Gospel and lucubrate on the prodigal (8)
The DLM clues of Ximenes allow a great deal of freedom for the setter but later setters have insisted that the letter-mixture should begin with the beginning or end with the end of a word in the clue. This correspondence between Ximenes and Eric Chalkley tells us a lot about Ximenes' ability as a solver as well as his clue-writing standards. Eric sent an incomplete puzzle for Ximenes to judge with this note.
Dear X,
Using the lay-out of your 'CORDON BLEU' puzzle I tried to do a 'DLM' on cricket
but the across clues seemed to be such nonsense I felt certain you wouldn't
enjoy solving it at all, so I didn't attempt the downs. But I enclose what
I did as it may be of interest.
E.C. 20/8/1970
X's reply on a postcard was postmarked 24th August 1970.
Buckmans
Monday
You may be a bit surprised to read that in 1½ hrs. I've solved your
cricket puzzle without any down clues. To witness if I lie, I suggest that
your downs are, in order:- csardas, norma (norms), kraal, addition, pedrero,
entame, asinico, devitalise, shea, bestialise, rose-pink, essence, erinite,
nakedly (dazedly, possibly other alternatives), manioc, costa, gular, odal.
(There may be other alternatives that I've missed, but I don't think so).
I think you have unwittingly hit on a way of making the solution of such
puzzles more entertaining; I normally dislike them, but I found this extra
difficulty made it quite fun!
Sorry about the P.D. puzzle; perhaps I was too severe. As to the replacement
clue for ADHERE, I would suggest "She was fat and so on, the doctor, hating
non-starchy foods." This is no longer than yours, includes a "she", is a
grammatical sentence and makes sense, both in the devilled & undevilled
forms. I dare say something better could be done using a different idea,
but you asked me to use the same idea, so I have. All the best, X.
P.S. Perhaps "her mother" would be an improvement on "the doctor".
Another type of clue which Ximenes used to great effect was the Printer's Devilry Clue. Imagine a sentence from which a hidden word has been omitted; an anxious printer then tries to make sense of the remaining words by moving letters (but not disturbing their original order) and juggling with the punctuation. Thus, in the sentence Now that it's so much warmer, can't I let the boiler go out ? MERCANTILE is hidden: the printer might offer as a clue: Now that - it's so much wart, the boil: ergo, out! Each passage when complete makes sense. Here is a selection of PD clues.
11. One hopes it made the mating - all those oysters (8)
12. Few things are more depressing - thin before a rough crossing (6)
13. 'I hate what's sweet' said he, rejecting the comely (7)
14. No normal children consume ice-creams oily (9)
15. My belt's loopy. My fee? Ta ! Gains aid the banter (6)
Solutions
1 PUER (2 meanings boy in Latin) 2 TYPTO (sounds like tip-toe) 3 IMBUE
(I'm blue minus L abbreviation for Latin) 4. HILARITY (Hilary term
containing IT) 5. AMBO (MA in reverse and bo(y) ) 6. CELLARED
(pickled Clarence) 7. TUFT 8.SNOD 9.COPY
10.SPENDALL 11.ORSEILLE (m/ating ref. Walrus and Carpenter)12.
ANABAS (th/in ) 13 FITTERS (com/ely) 14 DASTARD (o/ily) 15. SERIES
(loo/py)