The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC June 2017 competition results

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37 clues entered. 30 votes cast (27 competitors, 3 others).


COLLOP / SURTAX (Right & Left)

PosNo.NameClueExplanationPoints Merits 
17Toby Robertson'Brexit values' oddly abandoned in disarray as economic burden leads to long lines in supermarket for a bit of meateven letters anag. / L,L (leads to=initials of) in CO-OP512  5  
214John Tozer"Even parts of Brexit values must change" – the Treasury may want this scrap with Conservatives' lead zero and election overanag. of even letters (def. the T may want this); C + 0 + poll rev. (def. scrap); ref. Hammond's 'soft Brexit' stance292  4  
324Satyen NabarNot a cool lap dance! Roll of fat almost certain to impose additional burden(COOLLAP – A)*; SUR(-e) + TAX26.52  2  
42James HallA morsel of fish with tail removed served up French-style on bits of tagliatelle and followed by gateaux to finish (more added to the bill!)Break comes after "up": POLLOC(k) reversed ("served up"); SUR (French for on) + TA (initial letters) + X264  3  
58Bhalchandra PasupathyBusiness head withdrawing cut, additional charge almost certain to strainCO(business)+LLOP(reversal of POLL=head); def:cut//def:additonal charge; SUR(almost certain=SURe)+TAX(to strain)234  3  
515ALLAN SCOTTExtra duty almost certain to make heavy demands on abstract painter, mainly over small piecesur(e) + tax: Polloc(k) (rev)231  2  
710Anthony NanniniCompany head to back cut for extra duty on French sticks, we are told (6 6)Co + poll reversed + definition "cut", for = result indicator, definition "extra duty" on French= sur, + homophone (we are told),tacks=(tax) sticks.15.51  3  
728James McGaugheyRasher supermarket stocking lines from Paris on trial, all initially by way of increasing revenueCollop: 'rasher' CO-OP stocking LL Surtax: SUR (from Paris, on) TA (trial all, initially) X (by) 'way of increasing revenue'15.52 
929Luciano WardRight in USA upset by additional levy rasher leaders of liberal legislature introduced as part of 'collectivist enterprise'SURTAX: def = additional levy; RT in USA* + X ('by' as in 2 X 4 = 8); COLLOP: def = rasher (as in bacon); L+L in CO-OP152  4  
1016Tim AndersonExtra impost is almost certain initially to cut American regional meat lines in supermarketsur(e) + t(o) + ax; ll in Co-op.13.51  2  
1127 Piece of meat fifty pounds in shop sure winner, cut reportedly for sort of money big earners may payLL in Co-op, 'cert axe'122  1  
1221 It's said knight approaches another duty officer to cut slice of baconSURTAX: def = "another duty"; homophone of SIR TACKS (knight approaches). COLLOP: def = "slice of bacon", COL[onel] + LOP.111  2  
1223 Maybe a rasher officer cut an additional duty on French turbojet initially, then American chopper.Def. ("maybe a rasher")/col(onel) + lop = cut; def. ("an additional duty")/sur (=on [French])+ t + ax (American axe = chopper = helicopter).110  2  
1417 Extra levy almost certain to cut a small item from college operation'Extra levy' = definition for SURTAX. 'almost certain' = 'sure' without last letter + 'to' = 't' + 'cut' = 'ax'. 'a small item' = definition for COLLOP which comes from 'college' = 'coll' + 'operation' = 'op'.103  4  
1532 Small company backed vote withdrawing American right to their cut in additional duty.Small (noun = a small thing = COLLOP) company = CO – backed vote = POLL (rev) – withdrawing American = US (rev) – right = RT – their cut = AX (American spelling of AXE)– additional duty = SURTAX9.50  2  
1611 Company lorry's first to cut off scrap firm that's reduced rate on extra loadCO+L+LOP; def=scrap; firm(sure)reduced=SUR+TAX(rate); Surtax=extra load92  2  
179 Company head returning some small part of extra charge on demandCO + POLL< ; SUR + TAX83  3  
1735 Spin cool LP, "A Slice of Meat", yielding primarily the pure at heart sax, for an added charge.collop: anag(spin) of cool+lp + def; surtax: anag(yielding) of t+ur+sax + def *("charge" is also used as "a strong feeling of pleasure or emotion")81  3  
191 A bit of a hunch has policeman arresting over fifties on a charge not quite certain to stick; it's a painful duty (6;6)Hunch is a chunk of something – collop is a small chunk or slice. C(O LL)OP; On TAX stick SUR(e) – def a painful duty74  3  
1913 Election over and Corbyn's side upset a bit almost certainly at times about what billionaires should pay?poll o = over C rev upset = overturned COLLOP = a bit; sur(e) + at X = times anag about = in motion, SURTAX is what the rich pay74  4  
1920 I hear a man adds extra duty before work. Colleague makes a little something.1) homophone SIR+TACKS ("man adds"). def="extra duty". 2) "Before work colleague" = COLL+OP makes def. "a little something".70  1  
2226 Pen lines dissecting part-duty of the richPen= COOP lines = LL dissecting = insertion indicator LL in COOP = COLLOP , part = definition for collop / Duty of the rich = CD for SURTAX60  4  
2234 Small section of local clubs rejected vote of confidence, mostly over a vote to charge more?COLLOP: def = "small section of local" (i.e. dialect word); C + rev (POLL + O) [of = O] / SURTAX: def = "to charge more"; rev TRUS[t] + A + X63  1  
2236 Supermarket accepts two pounds to shred penal code!LL in CO-OP = collop = shred; penal [very severe (C)] tax code60  2  
2537 University arts complex cross charges company head returning carvingSURTAX: UARTS* + X def:charges COLLOP: CO + POLL< def:carving53  2  
264 Additional rate overcharge reversed: painter is missing the last piece of flesh!Surtax = Double definition; reversed: pollock* minus k = collop; definition = piece of flesh; *ref: Painter Jackson Pollock; surface suggests customer's sarcastic reaction to removal of additional charge from an already expensive bill for paintwork.41  4  
2633 Small portion of company line to cut back additional burden on income – somehow ax most of trustCOLLOP: CO + L + LOP SRTAX: AX + TRUS[t] anagram42  1  
2822 Lions Ur taxidermist stuffed for an additional fee: a piece of flesh from captured pollock's back.surtax=(lion)s ur tax(idermist)+def. collop=def + polloc(ks) {In Mesopotamia the lion hunt was the royal sport & fish were important symbolically & as food}3.50  5  
2925 Officer cut portion of meat cess recovered from complex at Rushmore (6,6)Left: COLLOP – COL (Officer) LOP (cut) . Def: Portion of meat Right : SURTAX. Def: CESS Reverse hidden word clue with "from " as indicator that solution is hidden and recovered as the reversal indicator. Solution is hidden In (compleX AT RUShmore)<———31 
303 Additional demand from volatile ex-star eating last of fondu cold, rejecting Mexican chicken sliceXSTAR* 'eating' U; C/POLLO (Mexican chicken) reversed; definitions – Additional demand (SURTAX) and slice (COLLOP)2.50  3  
306 Back in 1854, close by Sevastopol, location for a rasher additional charge almost certain to lead to trouble?COLLOP(rev); SUR(e) + TAX (to trouble) & surface ref (of sorts) to the Charge of the Light Brigade2.50  5  
325 As a starter, deli trimmed cold chop – small portion Sir Brad's picked up for an extra chargeCOLd+LOP/SUR TAX (Sir tack's hom.)20  1  
3318 Extra VAT, for instance, for the North American chopper for the colonel to chop the slice of bacon.Extra VAT for instance (SURTAX) for (SUR) the North (T) American chopper (AX) colonel (COL) to chop (LOP)10  1  
3330 Slice of prime lamb, first potatoes and fresh salad after unsmoked salmon starters followed by crustless tart with mixed centre, nutty is extra charge.Slice (collop) of prime lamb (l) first potatoes (p)+ fresh (cool) salad (anag: LPCOOL = collop) after unsmoked salmon starters (us)followed by crustless tart with mixed centre (tart – t + x) nutty (anag: USARTX = surtax)= def11  3  
3331 Sliced meat set in centre of cooked oysters has additional charge, extra sauces ordered cease being free.s(collop)s = cooked oysters.….extra sauces (anag) less CEASE being free.11  3  
3612 Cross after Australian half performed additional duty commanding officer cut back a little bitX after anagram of AUSTR = additional duty; CO + POLL back = a little bit0.53  2  
3719 Final levy on French meat slicesurtax: "sur" = "on" in French, tax=levy, "final" = position indicator; collop = meat slice00  5