The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC May 2022 competition results

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46 clues entered. 43 votes cast (37 competitors, 6 others).


SONY (Printer's Devilry)

You will have seen the unfortunate news regarding John Tozer's health in Derek's latest newsletter, so it is rather nice that his clue has come out on top in our latest competition. A lovely example of the PD type and I am sure you will all join me in wishing John a speedy recovery and our thoughts are with him and his family at this difficult time. Hopefully we will have John back soon to entertain us with his consistently excellent cluemanship…
 
Seerat was just behind in second place – normally clues entered in capitals grate…but this was intended as a newspaper headline! Nice use of a switch between Keats and Yeats give Seerat a second podium of the year after a first place in January.
 
Not too far back in third, also gaining a second podium of the year, is Ed Hall. I loved the switch in the two versions here as well – Nigella and Nigel Lawson.
 
In what was a close-run contest all round, we had a tie for 4th spot. Dave Williams with a rather fruity effort (apologies if anybody was offended – I failed to spot this before opening the voting otherwise it would probably have been censored!), but it did raise a smile, especially if you were aware of Alex James' cheesy credentials! Vina completed the podium in that joint 4th place with another fine PD clue with a smooth surface in each version.
 
Thanks to all for the entertainment as always – and apologies to those who abhor PD! – back to normal for a good while now, whilst we send our best wishes to John and his family…

PosNo.NameClueExplanationPoints Merits 
117John TozerIt’s disheartening to see property prices going down Wardour StreetIt’s disheartening to see property prices going downwards on your street; ref. W. Street in London’s West End37.53  2  
229Seerat HazirSINN FEIN BAN KEATS TO KICK OFF IRISH LITERARY REVIVAL! (4)Undevilled (as a tabloid headline): SINN FEIN BANKS ON YEATS TO KICK OFF IRISH LITERARY REVIVAL!351  1  
312Ed HallExperiencing Nigella well might make ministers flusteredExperiencing Nigel Lawson yell might make ministers flustered (ref. previous chancellor of the exchequer and father of TV’s Nigella Lawson)334  2  
43Dave WilliamsAlex James with no brie? Fuck, that's horrible!Alex James with no briefs on? Yuck, that's horrible! [notes: former Blur bassist is now a noted cheesemaker]322  4  
435VinaThe Royal Ballet dancers are not recognisable in their costumes and masks.The Royal Ball's on, yet dancers are not recognisable in their costumes and masks.324  1  
644John DoylendYou drinkers love to pour beers!You drinkers love tops on your beers!31.52  2  
715Tom BorlandHockney often paints blue for mellow backgroundsHockney often paints blue forms on yellow backgrounds304  4  
828Phil StephensonRambling in thistles you may catch Barbour jacketRambling in thistles you may catch barbs on your jacket27.50 
839Joe ReesTrumpet again sounding weirdTrump's on yet again, sounding weird27.55  1  
1019Satyen NabarLike fleshy dames, very lusciousLike fleshy damson? Yes, very luscious22.53 
1142 Who is Delilah, Samson? Your deceitful lover!Who is Delilah's amour? Deceitful lover! (Judges 16 tells the story of these mutually deceitful lovers.)224  4  
1241 When rationing's in force, black marketeer delivers my need for drink in gallonsWhen rationing's in force, black marketeer delivers my need for drinking – also nylons21.51  2  
135 As to sex when I tour Braintree, hugging isn't enoughAs to sex, when it’s on your brain, tree-hugging isn't enough175  1  
1327 One-off if typo in "tax" is removed from chartOne of fifty points on y-axis removed from chart172 
152 Aggressive police check out hangers-onAggressive police checks on youth anger son161 
1543 Who records the results from the labour ward?Who records the results from the labS ON Your ward?163 
174 Annual period of drought leads to dry sea early.Annual period of drought leads to dry season yearly.15.53 
1823 New car videos on YouTuber's channel getting lots of viewsNew car video out – Uber's channel getting lots of views155  2  
1918 John earns to partyJohnson yearns to party13.51  2  
2032 "Take courage, our sins are forgiven."Undevilled version: "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven."104 
2036 The washroom I tour, right down the hall.The washroom? It's on your right, down the hall.102  1  
2245 You fly-fishers often reach for Barbour jacketsYou fly-fishers often reach for Barb/our jackets —> You fly-fishers often reach for barbs on your jackets9.52  1  
2314 Hint our anniversary might go unnoticedHints on your anniversary might go unnoticed92  1  
2426 Official stripper, so norks council propertyOfficials trip persons on York's council property8.51 
2524 No trumpet players can hide their hands.No trumpS ON Yet: players can hide their hands.81 
269 Company provided the armour tankCompany provided the arms on your tank7.52 
2613 Good teachers mark our exam papersExplanation: Good teacher's marks on your exam papers (markS ON Your)7.50 
2821 Mad 'Rambo' Rishi, tall, (if you're female and petite)Mad ram Boris hits on y'all if you're female and petite71 
296 Aspiring student? Get ale listAspiring student gets on Yale list5.56 
3020 Look out! Heating beans for lunchLooks on youth eating beans for lunch52 
3022 Must we aim for roads with no petrol cares indeed?Must we aim for roads with no petrol cars on? Yes indeed! (Good luck to everybody with this one!)52  1  
3233 Takes note, ale apparently much revered by students?Takes noteS ON Yale, apparently much revered by students.4.52 
3325 Nothing i.e. tits-upNothing is on! Yet it's up!41 
347 At school, some mark our essays for creativityAt school, some mark(s on y)our essays for creativity33 
3446 You might find your Network pro to colour PCA red at acentric routing processesYou might find your network protocolS ON Your PC are data-centric routing processes. (PCA is 'Principal Components Analysis' – a statistical technique)31 
361 After neoprene this new product for car, others later developed, all on using polymersAfter neoprene this new product, for Carothers later developed also nylon using polymers2.50 
3634 The limnologist leaves La Sonne to go and study other French rivers.Undevilled:The limnologist leaves LasSON, Yonne to go and study other French rivers. (La Sonne is a French river which flows in the Indre department, in the Centre-Val de Loire. And Lasson is a commune in the Yonne department in the Bourgogne-Franche-comté region of France.)2.52  2  
3810 Cut a six into the top layerCut, as is onyx, into the top layer21 
3937 Time our sideTime's on your side1.51 
4011 Do you relish clamour for knightly sir?Do you relish clams on your fork nightly, sir?13 
4031 Support John , our supplier of champagnes in Wandsworth.Sup port Johnson , your supplier of champagne's in Wandsworth.11  1  
428 Boned feature about Blu-ray Disc producer?Bony-nosed feature about Blu-ray Disc producer? Hidden reversal00  2  
4216 I'll pickle sour eelI'll pick les/son, y/ou reel00 
4230 Students who picked apples earned a lot to be able to finance their studiesStudents who picked app lesson yearned a lot to be able to finance their studies02 
4238 Time passé out hereUndevilled – "Time passes on youth ere" / Time passe. (sony) .out. h.ere00 
4240 Undergraduate Stu dents the SIT TriumphUndergraduate students thesis on Yttrium Ph01  1