CCCWC October 2018 competition results
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48 clues entered. 41 votes cast (34 competitors, 7 others).
OPAL (Printer’s Devilry)
Another closely run contest with some excellent PD clues. Congratulations to David McKie who came out on top – his clue had a rather unsavoury image in the devilled sense, but an incredibly neat and concise construction! That's David's second win of the year and he is pushing hard for the Annual Prize.
Martin Price was a few points back in second place, his clue demonstrating a lovely switch in meaning between the devilled and undevilled versions.
Tom Borland bagged third spot to continue his excellent year and keeping his nose in front for the Annual Prize.
Luciano was another to shop a lot and scooped a third podium in a row – well done Luciano!
Don Manley completes the podium with what was his second top 5 finish in a row – it's up to the rest of you to knock these regulars of their perches!
Thanks to all as usual for the devilish entertainment!
| Pos | No. | Name | Clue | Explanation | Points | Merits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | David McKie | American tourists shot in Harrods | American tourists sh/op a l/ot in Harrods | 53 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | Martin Price | A foreign body entered intestine, causing a hostile reaction. | Undevilled version: A foreign body entered into Palestine, causing a hostile reaction. | 45 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 39 | Tom Borland | That faded Matisse, it is almost colourless | That faded mat is so pale it is almost colourless | 40.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 17 | Luciano Ward | I shot at coop to get chicken and eggs | I shop a lot at co-op to get chicken and eggs | 31 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | 25 | Don Manley | Many will curse a motorway idiot, but a traffic cone can stop him | Many will curse a motorway idiot, but a traffic cop alone can stop him | 28 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | 37 | Barry Solomons | Steak with lots of dripping? It sounds really awful. | Stop a leak – with lots of dripping it sounds really awful. | 25 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | 11 | Jeffery Robinson | Dramatist celebrity has died | Drama! Top A-list celebrity has died | 24.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | 12 | Marion Cook | EU backs tight Irish border control until UK trade deal reached | EU backstop a light Irish border control until UK trade deal reached | 24.5 | 4 | 2 |
| 9 | 48 | James McGaughey | Women shone happily for their husbands | Women shop alone, happily for their husbands | 24 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | 23 | Peter Hartley | It's unseemly to rubbish lover in massage parlour | It's unseemly to rub bishop all over in massage parlour | 23.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | 24 | John Doylend | Just one cone in the street to stop people parking there. | Just one cop alone in the street to stop people parking there. | 23.5 | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | 34 | Roy Rogers wore buckskin but no thong | Roy Rogers wore buckskin but not Hopalong, ref. Hopalong Cassidy & RR, both long gone film cowboys | 23 | 2 | ||
| 13 | 45 | Toxic gas released – intestine creates biohazard zone | Toxic gas released int/o Pal/estine creates biohazard zone | 20.5 | 0 | 1 | |
| 14 | 26 | Many women shone despite being married | Many women shop alone despite being married | 19.5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 15 | 19 | In the corner she's good value, especially if you buy a crate | In the corner shop ale's good value, especially if you buy a crate | 17 | 4 | 1 | |
| 16 | 5 | Badly designed websites stink | Badly designed websites stop a link | 15.5 | 2 | ||
| 16 | 29 | Offer a song with promise to end austerity after Brexit | Offer a sop along with promise to end austerity after Brexit. Ref. – Theresa May's dancing to ABBA's "Dancing Queen" at 2018 Tory Conference. | 15.5 | 0 | ||
| 18 | 41 | The fragrant incense from attar was particularly soothing to the senses | The fragrant incense from atop altar was particularly soothing to the senses | 15 | 1 | ||
| 19 | 18 | "I sup port" – glowing Kavanaugh in the High Court | Undevilled version: "I support GOP allowing Kavanaugh in the High Court". … I hope non-capitalisation of port is still not a major issue. It is too common now. Cheers! | 14 | 3 | 1 | |
| 20 | 14 | Geologically it's ancient, but still popular today | Go paleo – logically it's ancient, but still popular today (&lit) | 10.5 | 0 | ||
| 21 | 20 | In the Wild West showdown, outlaws wore a thong (4) | In the Wild West showdown, outlaw swore at Hopalong (Ref: Hopalong Cassidy) | 9.5 | 4 | ||
| 22 | 40 | The book's harm was scarcely perceptible. | The bookshop alarm was scarcely perceptible. | 8.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 23 | 9 | Cash sways: opens doors | Cash sop always opens doors | 8 | 0 | ||
| 24 | 13 | Gallon: G | Gallop along; ref abbreviations often used in crosswords. | 7.5 | 3 | 3 | |
| 24 | 27 | Never would a clown utter "licence to scare kids!" | Never would a cop allow nutter licence to scare kids | 7.5 | 2 | ||
| 26 | 2 | A son e-hating them all is hot online | As one hating the mall, I shop a lot online | 6.5 | 3 | 1 | |
| 26 | 38 | Stout from Tooting | Stop a lout from tooting | 6.5 | 0 | ||
| 28 | 10 | Charlie Parker would make a cool bum. | Charlie Parker would make a cool bop album. NB: Bop was a radical new jazz music that developed gradually in the early '40s and exploded in 1945. The main difference between bop and swing is that the soloists engaged in chordal (rather than melodic) improvisation | 6 | 3 | 1 | |
| 29 | 16 | I dread balloon when one falls flat | I drop a lead balloon when one falls flat (one=joke) | 5 | 2 | ||
| 29 | 30 | On the website: "Pink panties for sale" | On the website, pop a link: "Panties for sale" | 5 | 1 | ||
| 29 | 35 | She suggested we pong to her friends while we were nearby | She suggested we pop along to her friend’s while we were nearby | 5 | 1 | ||
| 32 | 47 | Using mail drive promotion of gemstones (4) | Using maildrop – a live promotion of gemstones (4) | 4.5 | 1 | ||
| 33 | 36 | Stateroom reservation celebrating an October anniversary (4) | St(op a l)ate room reservation celebrating an October anniversary (4) The opal is an October birthstone. | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| 34 | 8 | Cameramen who shot "On The Waterfront" (4) | Undevilled version: Cameramen who shop a lot on the waterfront (4) | 3.5 | 1 | ||
| 35 | 4 | Apply a layer of pastry to steak in the pie | Apply a layer of pastry stop a leak in the pie | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| 35 | 42 | "The President has a strong side. I'm prudent and well placed! Press the advantage I've been waiting for!" | "The President has a strop, alongside imprudent and well placed Press. The advantage I've been waiting for!"; devilled: profiting with the President; undevilled: a rival plots to exploit the President's mistake. | 3 | 2 | ||
| 35 | 44 | Toves' ally | To Pa: Love, Sally | 3 | 0 | ||
| 38 | 21 | In the witch's shack of ginger-bread is unforgivable. | In the witch's shop a lack of ginger-bread is unforgiveable. | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 38 | 31 | One satisfied pest ate in a trattoria | One satisfied pesto palate in a trattoria | 1 | 1 | ||
| 38 | 43 | Tonto's greeting, “Howdy, deface” | The Lone Ranger's sidekick might have said “Howdy-do, paleface”' | 1 | 1 | ||
| 41 | 6 | Big sidespin arsenal, right? Back Stan Smith for Wimbledon victory. | Big sides pin Arsenal right back, stop Alan Smith … for Wimbledon, victory! (Arsenal and England star striker, Alan Smith, played regularly against Wimbledon FC; heavy-hitting Stan Smith won Wimbledon in 1972) | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 41 | 7 | By beating to vine list A, Kramnik became undisputed World Chess Champion | By beating Topalov in Elista, Kramnik became undisputed World Chess Champion | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 43 | 15 | Hong for a foreign commercial establishment in China supplying this gem | Hop along for a foreign commercial establishment in China supplying this gem | 0 | 0 | ||
| 43 | 22 | In this, a creep is CIA nevermore | In this acre, Episcopalian evermore | 0 | 0 | ||
| 43 | 28 | Novel switch could charge hand-held in mid-air (4) | Undeviled version – Novel’s witch could chop a large hand, held in mid-air. Punctuation changes – Apostrophe after S of switch, to be read as Novel’s witch. hand-held – to be read as hand, held | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 43 | 32 | Post bum's pictures to show of fears | Post-op album's pictures to show off ears | 0 | 0 | ||
| 43 | 33 | Rode in drome | RodeO PALindrome | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 43 | 46 | Transport minister molests-…ally starts screaming (4) | Undevilled version: Transport minis t(o Pal)ermo lest Sally starts screaming | 0 | 0 |