The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC July 2017 competition results

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50 clues entered. 36 votes cast (33 competitors, 3 others).


FIDDLER

PosNo.NameClueExplanationPoints Merits 
19Steve RandallDiscarded empty rifle shot Kennedy perhapsAnagram of D(iscarde)D RIFLE, ref Nigel Kennedy531  6  
213Peter CargillDreadful one playing leads to awfully unpleasant scratching!*DREADFUL+I less A+U & lit; scratching=deleting360  5  
340John TozerShady bower?2 mngs; shady = underhand340 
426Pete MilneIt's more difficult when one's missing a player.FIDDLIER minus I (one). Def = a player.30.51  2  
528Toby RobertsonMusical man keeping daughters in line, on top of roof?D,D in FILE + R (down clue); ref. plot of the musical Fiddler on the Roof273  1  
67Tim MooreyD Davis's first in line and right for leader?DD in file = line + r; violinist orchestra leader; Theresa May replacement204  7  
720Vinit WankhedeFraud clerk pocketing couple of notes (6)FILER (clerk) containing (pocketing) DD (couple of notes)191  3  
735Satyen NabarOne involved in dubious deals, Jared's ultimately protected by loud vain Republican(-Jare)D in (F IDLE R); Topical ref to recent investigation into Jared Kushner's dealings193  3  
948John AppletonViolinist flirted outrageously with Duke, after dumping tenor(FLIRTED + D[uke])* -T[enor]18.52  1  
1010David McKieDo right, like Nero?FIDDLE + R181  3  
112 Academic in line before queen, one who bowsAcademic (DD) in line (FILE) before queen (R), one who bows (definition)141  1  
1215 Fellow I'd associated with swindler? Not half!& lit, fellow – f, fid + (-swin)dler13.53  1  
1344 Tinkerman shifting central midfielder rightDFIELD* + R; Ref. formation-fiddling coach (orig. C. Ranieri)130  2  
1432 Nero, they say, was essentially muddled, caught in wild fire (7)Nero, they say, was => FIDDLER (the possibly apocryphal story of Nero fiddling) essentially muddled => DDL caught in => container wild fire => FIRE* => FIER FI(DDL)ER121  2  
155 Con artist clerk takes in clericFI(DD)LER11.54  2  
161 A small crab, battered & fried, with shell lifted.Def + anag (battered) fried + ld (Battered serves as anagrind & as "coated in batter")100  6  
164 Clue-writer’s lead is cut by fellow player[r]IDDLER after F102  2  
1836 One lodging tax return including totals ex tips?(A)DD(S) (totals) in FILER; &lit.9.52  3  
1930 Mutter perhaps about divine high flierFLIER* around DD. high = drunk. Ref. Anne-Sophie Mutter92 
1938 Player out on the tiles?Cryptic Definition (ref "Fiddler on the Roof")92  2  
2123 He might have to bow and scrape to please his auditors (7)(1)Playing a fiddle might involve "bowing" and "scraping". (2) Also represents a fraud trying to pass an audit.8.51  2  
2214 Fellow can get led astray by primitive instincts – take Kennedy for example (7)F can get LED* next to ID – R(take) ; F ID LED* R JF Kennedy (notorious ladies' man) in the surface – Violinist Nigel Kennedy in the cryptic reading. Take=R (abbr for recipe) from prescriptions – Rx nowadays but it's a crossword chestnut.82  2  
238 Dire anger-venting devil, completely heartless, beset by fire when playing?(d(ire)+d(evi)l) in anag. & lit., ref. Nero7.51  2  
2442 Starts to fume, inwardly deeply distressed by the French republican swindlerInitial letters F I D D + LE R70 
2539 Rifled barrels, small diameter bores? I use a bow and different strings!d(diameter) inside (rifled)*; barrels(v)=anag. ind.6.50  1  
2646 Twice removed insane cousin who plays the violin has the answer you seek! (7)ANAGRAM of ("FLED" and "RID" (two words that mean "REMOVED")). Definition (answer you seek) for "FIDDLER" is "cousin who plays the violin".60  6  
2750 Wolf in sheep's clothing starts fleecing innocent Dorset's down left next to English river.Def; first letters: fiddl + e + r. (Dorset is a breed of sheep.)5.50  2  
2824 He plays if broadcast to orphaned child (7)He plays – Def, IF* (-TO)DDLER, Broadcast – Anagrind, Orphaned – Deletion Ind.50  2  
2833 Old pickpocket runs, seizing two diamonds for fraudsterFILE + R seizing DD52  1  
2841 Some MPs claimed to be one like KennedyReferences to those MPs that fiddled their expenses and Mr Nigel Kennedy who is a very fine violinist.50  2  
316 Crossword setter heading off behind female musician (7)Crossword setter = RIDDLER , heading off gives IDDLER behind F. Def: Musician4.53  1  
3121 Freddie, almost livid initially, upset player who takes a bow before performing.Defn: 'player who takes a bow before performing'. 'Freddie almost' = FREDDI + 'livid initially = L. Anagram indicator = 'upset'. Position of commas and two different pronunciations of 'bow' are meant to mislead.4.51  2  
3311 Dr Field cured Dave Swarbrick, perchance?anag + example (well known violinist with the band, Fairport Convention)40  1  
3312 Dr Field doctored one of fabled king's musicians.Anag. of Dr Field – Old King Cole's Fiddlers Three.40  1  
3325 Idler goes after female and gets date!Idler= def. and in wordplay too (hence the "!"). female=F + IDLER with date=D40  3  
3616 Fidget ordered to bow before the monarch?Fidget = def. (noun), ref, Old King Cole, bow = play stringed instrument3.50 
373 Act nervously before meeting King, seen practicing with his bow?FIDDLE(R)..Fiddle about..R = King..bow/bow.32  4  
3737 One who cheats, even when exchanging one note for another.Def/replace "f" with "d" = "diddler" (another cheat)……or vice versa.31  1  
3918 First doctorate in field, lead researcher excited for one who jiggles strings !D+ field + R (anag) CD2.50  2  
3934 One bows before God if converted and starts to declare love, ecstasy, rapture!FI before D (God) + first letters; def = one bows2.50  2  
4127 Liberal supporter entertained by recorder musicianFI<DD>LER – Liberal supporter = DD (a liberal/ample bra); recorder = FILER20  3  
4147 Viola masturbates 6th virtuoso!(7)direct = virtuoso. FIDDLE = viola, R = mastuRbates (6th = indicator)20  4  
4149 Was Nero really one inherently rotten in raging fire?(a)ddl(e) in anag. of fire; semi & lit – questioning if (a) Nero fiddled, and (b)was responsible for the fire.20 
4419 Flier takes a spin around Dallas and Denver. He's a time waster.Flier takes a spin [FILER] around Dallas and Denver [FI(DD)LER]. Def = He's a time waster1.50  2  
4422 Gue master clerk internally gave as a gift.Gue master (DEF) clerk (FILER) gave as a gift (DD)1.50  1  
4443 Swindle king gut-scraperfiddle+r=violinist1.50  1  
4717 Field doctor treated French Carpenter, for exampleAnagram (treated) of FIELD and DR (doctor) giving FIDDLER and David French Carpenter was a famous American fiddler00  1  
4729 Musician time after time immerses into an instrument ultimately getting a hand (7)Definition: musician Wordplay: DD (time after time i.e. two ds for short for day) inside (immerses into) FILE (an instrument) + R (ultimately getting a hand)00  2  
4731 Nero?He fiddled while Rome burned00  6  
4745 Trifler? One shifted transactions for divine caperingDefinition : TRIFLER Wordplay: Anag (tr)IFLER + DD00