The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

Competition clues by Dave Parfitt

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Dave Parfitt has 61 clues

CompClue wordClueExplanationPosPoints Merits  
2017 Annual Competition213  
January 2017CASHMEREChain stores like nothing more than a desirable fabricCH (chain) around AS (like) + MERE (nothing more than)345.50  6 
 
2016 Annual Competition132.5  
Christmas Special 2016TWELVEMONTH / A thematic word of your choice (Right & Left)Open-mouthed fat bloke exercises with daughter, shifting five pounds to mark the New YearWIDECHAPPED (= open-mouthed): WIDE CHAP + PE + D; TWELVEMONTH: V (five) + L (pounds) + TO + M (mark) + THENEW all anag.4271  7 
October 2016CHOCTAWAround zero Celsius, watch out for step becoming an ice rinkWATCH anag. around O C; becoming = befitting; Oxford's def. for choctaw begins '(in skating) a step…'138.52  5 
August 2016LAUGHTERHorrid gruel that almost brings on gag reflex?GRUELTHA(t) anag.; gag = joke242.52  8 
July 2016BANJULELEA maker of music from Changes to Blue Jean across half a centuryBLUEJEAN anag. around L (=50); ref. David Bowie2470  7 
June 2016TECHNOJUNKIEOne craving latest wizardry makes JK continue her novel (not Rowling's first)JKCONTINUEHER anag. minus R; wizardry = 'Very impressive or ingenious technology or devices' (Oxford)1500  2 
May 2016DISMAYEDMy dad is out taking ecstasy – I'm appalled!MYDADIS anag. around E; "I'm" ie "the answer is"525.53  1 
April 2016LEONARDO DICAPRIOItalian-American actor required: Al Pacino or De Niro I'd fancy in castALPACINOORDENIROID anag. minus IN; cast = discarded181.51  7 
March 2016IMARI (Printer’s Devilry)Who will prevail as president if your party's favourite?Who will prevail, as primaries identify our party's favourite?918.53  4 
February 2016LIFEBOATUnfinished movie turned out to be a vehicle for Mae West?FIL(m) rev. ('turned') + TOBEA anag. ('out'); Mae West = an inflatable life jacket529.53  7 
January 2016PLAIN-JANEPedestrian turned pale when outside in JanuaryPALE anag. around IN JAN; Pedestrian = dull, commonplace = PLAIN-JANE (adj.)1541  5 
 
2015 Annual Competition217.5  
Christmas Special 2015A “FIVE GOLD RINGS” wordSomewhat impromptu, van unwisely reverses in icy locationNUNAVUT (Canadian territory); hidden rev. in (impromp)TUVANUN(wisely)6240  4 
November 2015LOCK STOCK AND BARRELCaught stark bollock naked, lunatic runs for kilometres showing everything!C + STARKBOLLOCKNAKED all anag. with R for K328.53  4 
September 2015SOUNDERRude son is out of order, the little swine!RUDESON anag.; def. = a young boar (Chambers)920.51  2 
August 2015CHESTERFIELDHere, League football club sited groundHERE + L + FC + SITED all anag. & lit.; ref. Chesterfield FC1020.51  3 
July 2015POUNCEDisplay of power by snow leopard?P + OUNCE & lit. (ie the word POUNCE is itself a display of 'P' by 'OUNCE')10221  2 
June 2015PARLEYVOOA vet briefly struggles with poorly Alsatian?A + VE(t) + POORLY anag.; Alsatian = someone from Alsace7223  2 
May 2015MARKET (SPONGE) (Wrong Number)Fair Kate M gets drunk with Queen!KATEM anag. including R; fair = 'a large market'; sponge = drunk2430  2 
April 2015CHOKEYCooler drink's welcomed in hot yearCOKE with H inside + Y; def. = Cooler5291  1 
March 2015DREAMBOATDoctor moving amoeba to centre of Petri dishDR + AMOEBA anag. + (pe)T(ri); dish = def.2391  4 
February 2015RED-HOTThe rod made bum painful to touch?THEROD anag.; bum = wrong, false422.50  1 
January 2015GREEDY GUTSGannet put energy into production of sturdy eggE in STURDYEGG anag.5292  5 
 
2014 Annual Competition116.5  
Christmas Special 2014MOUSETRAP / HERMITAGE (Right & Left)Three Magi ordered retreat: "Stable at centre of our map possibly a deadly lure!"HERMITAGE = THREEMAGI anag.; MOUSETRAP = SET in OURMAP anag.231.52  3 
October 2014CLOSEAbout to suffer defeat? The end is nigh!C + LOSE and two definitions ('The end' and 'nigh'); 'is' indicates equality between the two definitions9213  2 
September 2014TASER (Printer’s Devilry)Is huge ant in the latrine with another soldier?I shut a sergeant in the latrine with another soldier338.52  2 
July 2014SHOESTRINGCan it be looped around, restricting movement of toes?SH ('Can it') + RING ('be looped around') holding TOES anag. & lit.; Can it = interjection asking for quiet6220  2 
World Cup Special 2014Any 8-letter “PEN” word (Penalty Shoot-out)What Waddle is musing about, beginning to sobPENGUINS, MISS; ISMUSING anag. + S(ob); ref. Chris Waddle's penalty shootout miss in the 1990 World Cup semifinal, referring to my choice of MISS920.51  6 
May 2014BINGLEDestructive impact of Darwin’s revered book no good for bishopBIBLE with NG for B; Darwin = Australian city3301  4 
April 2014MESMERISE (Letters Latent)Enthral audience at the last, with series given final twistM = LL; (audienc)E + SERIES with final two letters reversed233.51  2 
February 2014REALITY TVBroadcasting of vile and tarty characters?VILE + TARTY all anag. & lit.10223  3 
January 2014HOLMESIANMale on run together with his mystery lover?MALEON + HIS all anag.; run together = 'to mingle or blend'; def. = 'mystery lover?' (i.e. a lover of mystery stories)6313  2 
 
2013 Annual Competition317  
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 2013CROSSWORD / CENTENARY (Rhyming Couplet)Arrange any recent celebration
 
So crowds rejoice at Wynne's creation
ANYRECENT anag.; SOCROWDSR = letter mixture; Arthur Wynne = inventor of the crossword6275  5 
November 2013PROLIXUnhappily long for kiss on lips when missing other halfPRO + X on LI(ps); 'on' used in Times style (Y on Z = ZY)4311  6 
September 2013LION-HEARTNo chicken stuffing in mother-in-law’s spread(m)OTHERINLA(w) anag.; def. = 'No chicken'2561  7 
August 2013CRUMBSMy spirit is crushed by cold, heartless bulliesRUM inside C, B(ullie)S; My = def.448.51  6 
April 2013NEBULARBeing of heavenly appearance, Lauren Bacall initially modelledLAUREN + B(acall) anag.; 'nebula' in Chambers = 'a faint, misty appearance in the heavens…'1770  8 
March 2013EASTER (Misprints)Virtuoso set crackers in The ListenerMASTER; SET anag. in EAR; ref. The Listener crossword3410  6 
January 2013PIPSQUEAKPique as KP circulates text, one provoking contemptPIQUEASKP anag.; ref. cricketer Kevin Pietersen (nickname 'KP') and last summer's text messaging scandal10201  4 
 
2012 Annual Competition217.5  
Christmas Special 2012XMAS Stocking Filler (2 defs. + wordplay)Spots error in prose and initially uses rubberPOX/MASSEUR; POSEUR = PROSE + U(ses) all anag.1413  3 
November 2012DICKEYWith century after day one, opener's in the driving seat[C after D + I] + KEY341.50  5 
October 2012POSTICHEWhat's parking on oldie's head and itches, possibly?P + O + ITCHES anag. & lit.6281  2 
Olympic/Paralympic Challenge 2012DIALOGUE, MONSTER, SCHOOL (DLM)Jamaica guaranteed a gold, i.e. Usain lines up against 'The Beast' – like these sprinters, Mo is so cool, showing he's classes above the oppositionlines, AGOLDIEUsain; Beast, spriNTERSMO; classes, COOLSHowing; ref. Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Mo Farah6232  2 
July 2012JUSQU'AUBOUTISTEOne being intransigent about Jesus quit United ReformedABOUTJESUSQUIT + U(nited) all anag.; ie United Reformed Church634.50  1 
April 2012LIVELONGIt's difficult to get out of bed with bad back acheEVIL (rev.) + LONG; livelong2 = 'the orpine, a plant difficult to kill'440.50  2 
March 2012A “GMT” word (Letters Latent)The timeless Groans in novel form (11)(G)OR(M)ENGHAS(T); (t)HE + GROANS all anag. & lit.1020.51  2 
February 2012BISSEXTILEXI playing with less bite in period of extra timeXI + LESSBITE all anag.; BISSEXTILE = noun or adj. in Chambers6331  4 
January 2012PERCHFish supper with chip sandwichesHidden in supPERCHip143.52  3 
 
2011 Annual Competition316.5  
Christmas Special 2011PARTRIDGE in a PEAR TREE (2 defs. + letter mixture)Monster bill left me mega broke!GREBE in OAK = OGRE/BEAK; (left me m)EGA BROKE238.50  2 
November 2011DEGRINGOLADEResult of ladder going tumbling to earth?LADDERGOING anag. + E(arth), & lit.335.51  5 
October 2011MOCKTAIL (New Chambers Word)Drink close in spec to a milk shake(spe)C + TOAMILK all anag., semi & lit. (ie, 'Drink' = def., and wordplay gives extended def.)920.53  3 
September 2011CLANDESTINEClient ordered clothing range for closetCLIENT (anag.) around ANDES; closet = secret, private2455  3 
August 2011SHAPE / TIGER (Right & Left)Fearsome Indian icon and I get run out in mishap, enraging Oval?TIGER = IGET + R anag.; SHAPE = hidden5221  3 
July 2011TRUNCHEONWhat's smashed head of criminal on the run?C(riminal) + ONTHERUN all anag. & lit.532.53  3 
June 2011FAULTProblem experienced turning base into precious metalFELT with E (logarithmic base) becoming AU5263  3 
May 2011IRONSIDEI rode around busting sinIRODE around SIN anag. & lit.; verb 'bust' can be intransitive or transitive; def. = a Puritan cavalryman431.50  4 
 
2010 Annual Competition311  
October 2010CAPTUREA cute move involving pawn and rook?A CUTE anag. inc. P and R & lit.; move = verb5310 
 
2009 Annual Competition341  
March 2009FIRST AIDDoctor's quick fix if Tardis malfunctionsIFTARDIS anag.7280  1 
February 2009MCJOBColoured wedges my objective when playing Trivial PursuitC in M + OBJ*; wedges = transitive verb828.50  2 
 
2008 Annual Competition173.5  
April 2008PHAT'Hot' in rap circlesH in TAP rev. & lit.; the usage of 'phat' is very much associated with rap music5230  5 
March 2008DINNER-TIMEBill ends it with shockingly dim interneDIMINTERNE*; ref. Bill Clinton7200  4 
February 2008TETRAFish in batter topped with dressing(b)ATTER*; dress = 'to set in order; prepare, arrange'440.50  5