CCCWC September 2020 competition results
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57 clues entered. 41 votes cast (38 competitors, 3 others).
SEVEN (Printer’s Devilry)
The winning clue was just about my ideal for Printer's Devilry – a devilled version that you could imagine the impish Ralph sniggering at – quirky and a little risqué – and then undevilling reveals a more "sensible" statement! Great stuff and hearty congratulations to Andy Smith – his first win for a couple of years.
Just behind in second place is Steve Randall – who won't let the deviation away from standard cryptic cluing prevent him from maintaining his amazingly consistent year. Another excellent (and topical?) clue.
Dave Williams podiums for the second month in a row with what I thought was a very neat, concise PD clue. Well done Dave!
A new name next – Charlie Oakley bags fourth place with a first ever entry! Impressive – and again the quirky devilled version I like, that unravels to become just a little more sensible; congratulations Charlie and welcome!
Finally, Don sneaks onto the podium in fifth with another neat, concise clue – a fine example of the genre!
Thanks to everyone for the devilish entertainment and good luck for glorious October!
| Pos | No. | Name | Clue | Explanation | Points | Merits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | Andy Smith | Large chests attract many in the mating game | Large chess events attract many in the mating game | 53 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | 10 | Steve Randall | Despair at the man I actually trusted to run the country | Despair at the maniacs eventually trusted to run the country | 49 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | 48 | Dave Williams | Teachers hate parenting as much as you | Teachers hate parent(s even)ing as much as you | 41 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | 14 | Charlie Oakley | Farmer found his school days unfulfilling – no wheat tending classes | Farmer found his school days unfulfilling, now he attendS EVENing classes ——— 'His' used to qualify 'he' in undevilled. Also 'days' used to suggest 'evening classes' is correct as opposed to a more specific class that might work. | 35 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | 41 | Don Manley | Peasants' Revolt — Wat changing English history | Wa/t: Peasants' Revolt was event changing English history (ref. Wat Tyler) | 31 | 2 | 1 |
| 6 | 42 | Tony Harker | Picturing sets? Then diagrams may help. | Picturing sets? These Venn diagrams may help. (See definition of Venn diagrams in Chambers) | 25 | 3 | |
| 7 | 39 | Vina | Parenting: it's all academic at the end of the day | Parents' evening: it's all academic at the end of the day | 20 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 38 | Terry Neale | One choice for a dirty weekend in Italy | One chose Venice for a dirty weekend in Italy | 19.5 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | 32 | Tom Borland | Many art lovers' choice for a getaway last year | Many art lovers chose Venice for a getaway last year | 19 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | 19 | Barry Solomons | For elderly one sailing lots of masts aren't suitable. | For elderly ones ailing lots of mass events aren't suitable. | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| 10 | 21 | John Appleton | George Osborne disregarding standards, Tory-style | Undevilled: "George Osborne disregards Evening Standard story style". Ref. to that newspaper's Editor-in-chief. | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | 36 | Paul Coulter | Newt made a big splash | NewS EVENt made a big splash | 17 | 7 | 1 |
| 13 | 9 | Defrauding machines to sell snacks to farm workers | DEFRA use vending machines to sell snacks to farm workers | 16.5 | 2 | ||
| 13 | 47 | Stay at home for New Year? Ever done that? | Undevilled version: Stay at home for New Year's Eve? Never done that! | 16.5 | 4 | ||
| 15 | 5 | Chest scan makes tar conspicuous. | Undevilled version: Chess events can make star conspicuous. Answer: SEVEN. Reference to tar deposits in the lungs of smokers. | 16 | 2 | ||
| 16 | 16 | Felon hides loot he’s lifted to escape jail | Felon hides loose vent he’s lifted to escape jail | 15.5 | 3 | 2 | |
| 17 | 17 | First mate to make riot forgivable | First mate to Maker: "Is Eve not forgivable?" | 14 | 1 | ||
| 18 | 4 | California newts are somewhat alarming | California news events are somewhat alarming [California newts secrete a dangerous neurotoxin; California forest fires etc] | 11.5 | 3 | 1 | |
| 19 | 23 | Great to get fresh air (5) | GreaSE VENt to get fresh air | 10.5 | 0 | ||
| 19 | 51 | Virtual parenting is an unexpected success | VIRTUAL PARENT/S' EVEN/ING IS AN UNEXPECTED SUCCESS | 10.5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 21 | 24 | Hit list included some big shots | His event list included some big shots | 10 | 1 | ||
| 21 | 54 | "What was the controversy about Newt Gingrich?" asked the press | Undevilled version: "What was the controversy about news event?" Gingrich asked the press | 10 | 1 | ||
| 23 | 22 | Great! Despite lockdown, choir singsong after all – via Zoom. | Great! Despite lockdown, choir singS EVENsong after all – via Zoom. | 9.5 | 1 | ||
| 24 | 50 | Trump trailing and ranting as usual | Trump's event – railing and ranting as usual | 9 | 2 | ||
| 25 | 7 | Criminals would have touts to access the building | Criminals would have to use vents to access the building | 8.5 | 4 | 1 | |
| 25 | 46 | Shockingly, morality revealed in TV detective episode | Shockingly, Morse venality revealed in TV detective episode | 8.5 | 3 | 1 | |
| 27 | 12 | District nurtures top Arts in the country | Undevilled reads: District Nurse ventures to parts in the country | 8 | 3 | 1 | |
| 27 | 34 | Match oddly favouring India | Answer: SEVEN Undevilled version : Match odds evenly favouring India | 8 | 1 | ||
| 29 | 30 | Major African newt concerned Livingstone | Major African news event concerned Livingstone [ref Ken (newt aficionado) and David (explorer); play on 'concerned'] | 7.5 | 2 | 2 | |
| 30 | 1 | A number of newts converge | A number of new(s even)ts converge | 7 | 2 | 1 | |
| 30 | 18 | For a romantic getaway, Florence makes nose nice … definitely better! | For a romantic getaway, Florence makes no sense; Venice definitely better | 7 | 0 | ||
| 32 | 8 | Data bad or good for big companies? (5) | Database vendor good for big companies? | 5.5 | 1 | ||
| 32 | 40 | Paris… A hedonistic house, 'specially for the fruitiest; I mated with Hélène – very thin, gin order for the most part | Paris (a hedonist): "I chose Venus especially for the fruit; I estimated with Helen everything in order for the most part" | 5.5 | 0 | 1 | |
| 34 | 31 | Man I actually stop obsessing over, an unobtainable object of desire | Maniacs eventually stop obsessing over an unobtainable object of desire | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 35 | 15 | Feelings can be overwhelming sometimes | Undevilled version: Feels evenings can be overwhelming sometimes | 4 | 1 | ||
| 35 | 28 | Jaywalkers’ choice to duck and dive amid the traffic. | Jaywalkers chose Venice to duck and dive amid the traffic. | 4 | 1 | ||
| 37 | 6 | Clot holding in hot air | Close vent holding in hot air | 2.5 | 1 | ||
| 37 | 35 | Misguided actions from militant posturing to subvert justice | Misguided actions from militant posse venturing to subvert justice | 2.5 | 1 | ||
| 37 | 49 | The Pope handed over the designation of cardinal (5) | The Pope'(s even)-handed over designation of cardinal (with "designation of cardinal" sneaking in as a definition) | 2.5 | 2 | ||
| 40 | 52 | Was Adam ever married? | Was Adam'(s eve n)ever married? | 2 | 0 | ||
| 40 | 55 | When lacking common parts, then diagrams look odd | When lacking common parts these Venn diagrams look odd | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| 42 | 3 | Beware of the Turin gout wards | Beware of theSE VENturing outwards | 1.5 | 1 | ||
| 42 | 44 | Postured as a group | Posse ventured as a group | 1.5 | 0 | ||
| 44 | 25 | I wonder, Adam ever had fun! (5) | Answer: Seven Undevilled version:I wonder, Adam's Eve never had fun! I wonder, Adam'(s Eve n)ever had fun! | 1 | 1 | ||
| 44 | 27 | It's good to have a tonic; to stir one in gin | It's good to have a tonic to stir one's evening in | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 44 | 33 | Many more mists due to Covid-19.(Devilled version, seven removed) | Many more miss events due to Covid-19. (Original sentence) | 1 | 1 | ||
| 44 | 57 | Young love rightly delights | Young lovers Eve nightly delights | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 48 | 2 | Anglican songs top small services' numbers table | Anglicans' Evensong stops: Mall service's number stable | 0.5 | 0 | ||
| 48 | 20 | Forever one for a lay up at Lytham, performing with panache in a car park came naturally | For Seve – never one for a lay-up – at Lytham, performing with panache in a car park came naturally [Reference to an iconic shot played by Seve Ballesteros from a car park at the 1979 Open. In golf, a “lay-up” is a safe shot] https://youtu.be/YJTSnGU-iVk | 0.5 | 2 | ||
| 48 | 37 | Odd times – odd is odd and odd and odd | Odd times odd is odd, and odd and odd’s even | 0.5 | 2 | 2 | |
| 48 | 45 | Prolix Proust, old critic to revere | Prolix prose Venus told critic to revere | 0.5 | 0 | ||
| 52 | 11 | Did the ultra-religious Australian, Court, have a promising service? | Did the ultra-religious Australian court have a pro miss evening service? ref Margaret Court who won 24 grand slam titles with her powerful serve, well-known for her religious views | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 52 | 13 | Do the reading matter this time(5) | Do the readingS EVEN matter this time | 0 | 0 | ||
| 52 | 26 | Inappropriate lighting is dazzlingly bright. | Inappropriate lights- evening is dazzlingly bright. ******* | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 52 | 43 | Playing craps throwing this number means he lost | Playing craps throwing this number mean[-S EVEN] she lost >Playing craps throwing this number means he lost (possibly &lit) | 0 | 0 | ||
| 52 | 53 | Week of days to aver ice? | Undevilled version: Week of days to averse Venice? | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 52 | 56 | You probably won't see nutters in the wood stock mast anytime soon | You probably won't see nutters in the Woodstock mass event anytime soon (ref. cancellation of Woodstock 50 and doubts over it's future ; mast = nuts) | 0 | 1 |