Scrimmage New Zealand Herald Crossword Clue

Scrimmage Quick Crossword Clue at New Zealand Herald  Edition 25 April 2017.

Answer: MELEE

Melee (/ˈmeɪleɪ/ or /ˈmɛleɪ/, French: mêlée [mɛle]; the French spelling is also quite frequent in English writing) generally refers to disorganized close combat in battles fought at abnormally close range with little central control once it starts.[1]

The French term was first used in English in c. 1640 (a re-borrowing of a lost Middle English melle, but the Old French borrowing survives in medley and meddle).

In military aviation, a melee has been described as “[a]n air battle in which several aircraft, both friend and foe, are confusingly intermingled”.

Lord Nelson described his tactics for the Battle of Trafalgar as inducing a “pell mell battle” focused on engagements between individual ships where the superior morale and skill of the Royal Navy would prevail.