Civil Cyphers

Competitors were invited to devise suitable code words for any six of the following : the opening of the Walsingham tomb, the Russian athletes' departure, the framing of an Underworld king, the annexation of R6ckall, a Democratic or Republican Convention, a seaside holiday in 1956, the launching of an artificial satellite, the B. and K. dinner party, or any other non-military topic of 1955-56.

A POPULAR subject, but the age-old com- plaint about this type of competition applies here, viz., that so many entries contained flashes of brilliance mixed with less meri- torious efforts—and consistently good lists were hard, though not impossible, to find.

A surprising feature of the entries was the amount of duplication. The same code- words cropped up time and time again. 'Red-brick' was much in evidence for both the B. and K. dinner party and the depar- ture of the athletes. Other favourites: ATHLETES' DEPARTURE: Umbrage, Slipped

Disc, Hat-trick, Hat-track (the last-named must have occurred in about twenty lists). SEASIDE HOLIDAY: Washout, Helter-Shelter, Pluvius.

UNDERWORLD KING: Despot, Spotcheck. DINNER PARTY: Bearbait, Longspoon. ROCKALL: Rock 'n' roll.

WALSINGHAM Toms: Kit-bag, Paperchase,

Baconslicer, Much Ado, Yorick, Hubbard. DEMOCRAT CONVENTION: Ikonoclast, Donkey Serenade.

REPUBLICAN CONVENTION: Jumboree, Ikon. SATELLITE: Skylark, New Moon.

Lt. B. R. Toomey, RN, gave 'Dustman' and 'Sackcloth' for the Australian cricket team's arrival and departure respectively, while R. A. McKenzie's list for Conven- tion, Holiday, Dinner, Rockall, Walsing- ham tomb and Athletes was respectively, 'Session, Depression, Expression, Posses- sion, Obsession and Egression.' Gloria Prince,_on the other hand, turned to Lewis Carroll with Boojum (Walsingham tomb), Uffish (Athletes), Caucus-Race (Conven- tion) and Teatray (Satellite).

Some of the more original words were:

WAI.S1NGHAM TOMB: Boneshaker, Shaken, Will-o'-the-Wisp, Breakfast, Kit-muster, Presumption, Tales of Hoffman, Christo- pher, Unwilling, Drybones, Cenotaph.

INVASION OF EGYPT: U-No.

RUSSIAN ATHLETES: Undiscussable, Left-over, Appropriate, Red-handed, Candanina, Sprint- off, Stop Watch.

PREMIUM BONDS SCHEME: Uninteresting. DEBUNKING OF STALIN: Banjo.

SILVERMAN ABOLITION BILL: Stringless.

UNDERWORLD KING: Eraser, Heatspot, Over- corner, Guilt-Frame, XX, Outdarnned, ROCKALL: Stormy Seize, Pinpoint, Empire Builder, Weatherwise, Macnab, Outpost. Jackpot, Bloodless, Seasick, Touchstone. Enroll, Far-Flung, Iris (flag plant).

CONVENTIONS: Heehaw (Democrat), Elephan- tiasis (Republican), Likeability (Republican). Ballelujah (either).

SEASIDE HOLIDAY: Paleface, Ararat, Summer- skill, Gooseflesh.

SATELLITE: High-ball, Upshot, Adastra,

B. AND K. DINNER PARTY : Home-Truth. Gastric. Vodgaf, Ghoul Hash.

LLANDUDNO CONFERENCE: Suspension.

Honourable mention to John D. Huish, Goodwill, Douglas Hawson, Elspeth, Mrs. B. C. Wyley, Lt. P. J. Hinton, Mrs. V. R. Ormerod John S F. Blanchard, J. P. and D. J. Griffiths. I recommend I oyce Johnson. who has shown real originality and ingenuity, for a first prize of three guineas, and D. A. Nicholls, Blossom and R. Kennard Davis for a guinea each.

PRIZES

(JOYCE JOHNSON) CODE WORDS BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF

PLUTO (PIPE LINE UNDER THE OCEAN)

Russian athletes' departure: RASH (Result of Accusation of Stealing Hats).

Seaside holiday, 1956: FIASCO (Fortnight In August Spent Clothed in Oilskins).

B. and K. dinner party: TOAST (Tactless Occasion Arousing Soviet Tempers).

Commander Crabb incident : HUSH (Hanky- panky Under Ship's Hull).

Huxley's mescalin experience: DOPE ('Doors Of Perception' Experiment).

Bolshot Ballet's visit to London: PAS (Pro- Anglo-Sovietism).

(D. A. NICHOLLS) Opening of the Walsingham tomb: DUST. PROOF.

Framing of an Underworld king: SPOTLESS. Annexation of Rockall : NORTHCLIFFE. Launching of artificial satellite: ROUND-UP. Connection of Calder Hall supply to the grid: PILEDRIVER.

Removal of Sir Bernard Docker from BSA board: PRUDISH ('Pru'-dish).

(BLOSSOM)

Departure of Russian athletes: HATBAND. Framing of an Underworld king: SLEIGH- RIDE.

Launching of an artificial satellite : Trro. American political convention: BULLFIGHT. Marriage of Prince Rainier : HiGH-TIDE. Opening the Walsingham tomb: PAPER- CHASE. (R. KENNARD DAVIS) The opening of the Walsingham tomb: MARLBURIAN.

The Russian athletes' departure: STEAL- AWAY.

The framing of an Underworld king: SPOTBARRED.

The annexation of Rockall: FLAGSTONE. The Republican Convention: JUMBOREE. A seaside holiday in 1956: CARAWAY.