A note from the Membership Secretary
Wednesday's crossing produced two complaints before luncheon.
One member said the room was under considerable strain. Another asked who was making that intolerable noise. Both had solved a clue and neither was describing the room.
The Committee has therefore ruled that the disturbance was entirely alphabetical. The chairs remain where they were. The tea service has been counted. No criminal business has been discovered, although the Treasurer has asked that this sentence remain provisional.
The workings are filed below.
Mr Peregrine Fitch, Membership Secretary
The Crossing, as posed
Two clues, one shared letter. Seven letters across and six down. They meet at the second letter of the across answer and the fifth letter of the down answer.
1 across (7). Tennis disturbed by nothing, producing strain
1 down (6). A criminal business makes a noise
The workings follow. Look away now if you would rather settle the disturbance without assistance.
The workings
1 across. Tennis disturbed by nothing, producing strain (7)
The answer is TENSION.
The definition is "strain". "Disturbed" is the anagram signal. TENNIS supplies six letters, while nothing supplies the round letter O.
Put all seven letters out of order:
TENNIS + O, disturbed, becomes TENSION.
The surface keeps us on court. The wordplay is interested only in disturbing the letters.
1 down. A criminal business makes a noise (6)
The answer is RACKET.
This is a double definition. A racket can be an illegal or dishonest business. A racket can also be a loud, unpleasant noise.
There is nothing to rearrange and nothing hidden. The clue simply makes the two meanings sound as though one caused the other.
And the crossing
The E in TENSION is the E in RACKET. Solve the shorter clue first and it gives the second letter of the anagram. Solve the anagram first and it fixes the fifth letter of the double definition.
The alleged disturbance has been entered in the minutes. It made no sound at all.
The Doorkeeper's Question, answered
The previous Dispatch asked:
The falcon Kerry saw conceals an autumn champion (6)
The answer is CONKER.
"Conceals" is the hidden-word signal. The six letters sit across the join in falCON KERry. A conker is the autumn champion carried into battle on a string, at least until the playground rules committee becomes involved.
This week's Doorkeeper's Question
One small card remains on the table:
Two, the devil (5)
The answer appears in the next Dispatch. The card was found beneath a teacup, which is the Society's usual standard of evidence.
The Society of Crossed Words publishes a daily crossing for those beginning, and a course in four volumes for those continuing.
societyofcrossedwords.com