Obituaries

Colin Parsons, crossword compiler, died Lincolnshire, aged 55. Collaborated with his brother to form the company British Crosswords Features which supplied crosswords and other word games to many local papers. Contributed crosswords to the Scotsman and was the Sunday Telegraph's crossword compiler - inventor of Upsquares Downsquares and Elimination.

Ernest Volwiler, chemist, died Chicago 3 October, aged 99. As chief chemist (1920-30) for Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago he helped develop the sleep-inducing drug Nembutal in 1930 and a 'truth serum'. President, 1950-58 and chairman, 1958-59.

Veronica 'Vee' Papworth, journalist and illustrator, died 21 September, aged 79. Joined the London Evening Star in 1946 as a fashion illustrator and writer. Moved to the women's pages of the Sunday Express in the 1950s where she stayed until the Seventies, both contributing a weekly column and illustrating her words.