05.25.08 -- In England -- The Acrostic

The Enchanted Garden, John William Waterhouse

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Sunday, May 23, 2008

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ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday acrostic’s humorously terse quotation is drawn from To Be in England: An American Literary Man's Personal View (1969) by Richard Altick -- although I cannot immediately find the full quotation, it lives by itself quite well. An acrostic for spring as lovely as an enchanted garden! The Quotation:

AS VULGARIZERS THE BRITISH ARE INCOMPETENT IF THEY INVENT CHEAP GEWGAWS FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE HOME AS MEMENTOS OF THEIR VISIT TO THE BARDS SHRINE THEY IMMEDIATELY SALVE THEIR CONSCIENCE BY PLANTING MORE FLOWER GARDENS.

The author’s name and title of the work: RICHARD ALTICK, TO BE IN ENGLAND

The defined words: REDROSE (A. Symbol worn on St. George’s Day [2 wds.]); IVORY (B. Scrimshaw material); CAINE (C. Olivier’s co-star in “Sleuth”); HIGHTEA (D. Early evening meal [2 wds.]); AZTEC (E. Member of an empire conquered by Cortés); REGRETS (F. Negative response from an invitee); DEVONSHIRE (G. Walter Raleigh’s constituency in Parliament); AFLAME (H. Blazing, keenly excited); LOOFAH (I. Dishcloth gourd, vegetable sponge); TESTIFY (J. Speak after swearing); IMPATIENS (K. Popular shade-loving annual); CATSEYE (L. Gem with a light-reflecting band [hyph.]); KVETCH (M. Moan and groan, bellyache); TOLERANT (N. Able to endure hardship, broad-minded); OVERWHELM (O. Shock and awe, swamp); BRISTOL (P. Port on the River Avon); EPHEMERIS (Q. Table used by astrologers and navigators); IBERT (R. Jacques ___, composer for Orson Welles’s “Macbeth” ); NESTING (S. Arranged like matryoshka dolls); EPITOME (T. Quintessence, archetype); NUMBAT (U. Striped marsupial with a taste for termites); GIFTSHOP (V. Place purveying souvenirs and such [2 wds.]); LENGTHWISE (W. From stem to stern); ARCANE (X. Not for the uninitiated); NYMPH (Y. Larva of an insect, graceful young woman); DISOWN (Z. Repudiate, renounce).

Oh, to be in England!

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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