In the Lyttelton, Hart-Davis letters, which I continue to relish, Rupert H-D reveals that he is a crossword fiend and wins many a prize. I have twice (non-swank) won the top prize from The Spectator.
I won £30 (twice) and when I totted up the postage on my many unsuccessful entries calcalulated that I was just about all square. I still attempt it every week but never waste money on a stamp. This week I was stumped by 8 Down; Heraldic form, one out of shape (7). It has to be “tringle” but Chambers says a tringle is a curtain rod.
Many people buy reference books to see their own name. Indeed I believe Debrett’s People of Today is only sold to people who appear therein. Maybe this is sour grapes, ‘cos I’m not in. But we digress; I referred to Burke’s for information about tringles and noticed that, “listed in strict alphabetical order’, it skipped like a springy chamois from Lord Bellhaven and Stanton to Sir William Bellingham without alighting on Bellew. That’s what happens when you have an 1826 edition and your brother’s peerage is 1848.
However, I hope the Bellew of the day wrote to John Burke pointing out that the Bellew Irish Baronetcy of 1688 had been omitted.
Christopher,
You cannot negate a palpable swank by putting non swank in brackets.
I am sorry that you are down because of the lack of mention in People of Today. I understand that a few quid in the right palm would put that right.
To cheer up you must rush to buy tickets for the current Menier rom com, Love in Idleness. Apart from it being an entertaining LOL show very well acted, Barons Court features prominently. Indeed the whole second half takes place in a 6th floor garret off Margravine Gardens. I wonder if Rattigan ever went there? It’s only draw back is an entirely unnecessary two hour forty running time. A matinee would be the answer.
Try ‘trangle’!
Well done! That’s spot on.