The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC November 2018 competition results

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41 clues entered. 34 votes cast (28 competitors, 6 others).


HUMMINGBIRD

PosNo.NameClueExplanationPoints Merits 
110Tom BorlandDiminutive winger departs after Birmingham settled with United for ace*BIRMINGHAM with U for A, D = departs; def. Diminutive winger481  5  
225Steve RandallHumid days bring out tiny hovering creatureHUMIDDBRING*31.52  6  
322Pete MilneHigh time to become a hermit?HUMMING (high = smelly) + BIRD (time, as in prison sentence). A hermit is a sort of hummingbird (Chambers). Ref our troubled times.313  2  
432Satyen NabarOne hovering in prison after fixing husband for goodGUMMING (fixing) with H for G + BIRD (prison)29.53  3  
530David McKieNectar drinker's busy knocking back a wee dram?HUMMING + DRIB (rev, with ref to Scots usage)284  1  
64Rod BeardsAround 2001, suspended prison sentence for flyerAround MMI, HUNG BIRD26.51  1  
721John DoylendHigh time for in-flight refuelling expert (11)High = humming. Time = bird. Def= in-flight refuelling expert.244  3  
816mark webberleyFrequent flyer is kind of dumb! Ring him!anagram of 'dumb ring him'; anagrind = kind of; def = frequent flyer17.51  2  
824Jeffery RobinsonHmm, during short bit working one is seen buzzing aroundHMMDURINGBI(t)*17.52  1  
1035Shirley CurranSmall flier might be regularly drumming mysteriously{(m)I(g)H(t)B(e) + DRUMMING} anagram172  1  
1127 In swift order flyer appeared – high time too (11)High = humming (smelly); time = bird (prison sentence) Taxonomically hummingbirds are in the same order as swifts.151  2  
1211 Droning on a little about frilled coquette, perhapsDroning 'HUMMING' on (connnector) a little 'DRIB' about (reversal indicator). Frilled coquette is a type of hummingbird, or a flirty lady for the surface read.13.51  2  
1339 Spoooner's scrounging scrum is a hovererBumming herd11.50  3  
1415 Flier's busy attempt to catch rat's head (11)HUMMING + BI(R)D; def: flier114  2  
159 Coquette possibly coming up to tease after smelling blood at lastBIR (reversal of RIB, to tease; assumed as down clue) after HUMMING (smelling) + D (last of blooD). Def by example, a coquette is a type of hummingbird10.51  2  
1618 Hermit perhaps killed time in cell around 2001MMI in hung bird (= prison sentence); hermit type of hummingbird9.53  2  
1717 Having hovered around, I'm back to sip a taste of mellifluousness…back for a tiny amount[HUNG (hovered) around (M in IM reversed)] + DRIB rev (back(wards) for); &lit91  2  
1734 Raising a stink next to cell one has two wings abuzz.Raising a stink = humming. (Prison) cell = bird. Def: One has two wings abuzz.90  2  
191 A flier — Birmingham Airport's first going off, due shortly to flyanag. of Birmingh(a)mdu(e)82  3  
1912 Drunken bearded mountaineer, initially hiding rum for himself?(B[earded] M[ountaineer] HIDINGRUM)*; a bearded mountaineer is a variety of hummingbird.82  2  
1940 Was really active doing jail time, busy on the wing, we hear?Humming/Really active..Bird/Jail time..Prison wing.80  2  
2219 Hermit, perhaps, that flies rapidly from Spooner's begging rabble.Hermit=type of hummingbird, "flies rapidly" to help the definition a bit, Spoonerism "bumming herd".71  2  
2238 Spooner's begging picked up a bright little chick.Humming bird/bumming (=begging) heard (=picked up)/def. ("chick" = a bird, not necessarily of the feathered variety).71  2  
245 Ava is a girl who doesn't know the words to a song. (11)AVA (A name of the topaz hummingbird) = girl (UK "bird") who doesn't know the words to a song "humming".5.50  2  
2426 I'm born humdinger, flying yet in essence not![ IM+B(born)+HUMDINGER ]* – E (yet in essence not). Hummingbird's unique hovering stationary flight is the reference used as definition.5.51 
2628 Inca beating big drum starts to make noise inside harem (7,4)Definition: Inca (Inca is a humming bird in Peru and other South American countries . References OED and Wikipedia). Anagram of {BIG DRUM + Acrostic of M(ake) N(oise) I(nside) H(arem)}* . Anagram indicator Beating50  2  
2731 Nectarivore, hoverer and can also fly backwardsTriple definition of a hummingbird31  3  
2813 Dynasty taken over by awfully dumb heir loses state ultimately to a Hermit, say (11)MING in *(DUMB H[-e]IR); Definition: Hermit by example. Hermit Hummingbirds are a species of the lower Hummingbirds.2.51  1  
2829 Jacobin's prison sentence received after agitatingJacobin=political extremist/kind of hummingbird; BIRD(prison sentence) after HUMMING(being audibly astir)2.50  1  
2833 Petite exotic beauty – but even her best friends daren't tell her "B..O.."!Ref. 1960s ads for (I think) Lifebuoy toilet soap.2.50  1  
312 American flier buzzing at four o'clockAmerican flier = definition Buzzing=humming , four o' clock = bird (the friarbird) Story of airman flying low at that position in the sky20  1  
313 Anna's a high-flierAnna's (def) (a species [Calypte anna] of hummingbird) a high(smelling/humming)-flier(bird)20  3  
3114 Flier for Sound of Music?Flier = bird, Sound of Music = humming, hummingbird = flier, a round robin?20  2  
3123 High-flyer, coquette perhaps?HUMMING (High) + BIRD (flyer), def. by example = coquette perhaps.20 
3136 Small flyer is dry: bring him mud! (11)direct = small flyer; anagram of "bring him mud", dry = indicator.20  2  
3637 Smell space villain – that's a stretch for American flyerHUM+MING+BIRD (stretch is a prison sentence in U.S. slang)11  1  
376 Avian singing bride distraught after losing voice in the end (11){HUMMING} and anagram of {BRID(-e)}01  1  
377 Bring him Mud to remake into a cakeMud is a 2012 film based in the Mississippi River. Mississippi Mud Pie is a heavy chocolate cake. 'Bring him mud' is an anagram of Hummingbird signaled by use of remade. Hummingbird is also a bakery chain making excellent cakes.00  3  
378 Colourful flyer, based on very little of substance, raised twice the stinkhum, ming + drib (rev); (hum, ming, stink)= an unpleasant smell01  1  
3720 Hi mum. Bring a penny to design this flyer.anag. HI MUM BRING + D(penny)01  1  
3741 White-bearded hermit drumming and hibernating a bit erraticallyDRUMMING + HIB anagram; WBH = common species01  2