16 APRIL 1954, Page 14

ABRACADABRA

SIR,—I hope you will allow me to thank the many correspondents who have hastened to correct my ignorance of the origin of the Ballantyne nicknames. Some referred ine to Dictionaries of Quotations and similar stand' bys of the crossword-puzzlers, which certainly ought to have consulted. (Rhea brought most interesting first hand infonna"

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