CCCWC May 2023 competition results
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40 clues entered. 36 votes cast (30 competitors, 6 others).
MACGUFFIN
Quite a close run competition this time with Charlie Oakley winning out by a handful of points. A well-constructed clue for a word that was tricky to define. Congratulations to Charlie for his first win!
Second spot went to Philip Sant – one of the few attempts at an &lit, so well done to Philip.
Ramki Krishnan scored a second podium of this year taking third place – only one to use a MUFFIN!
Vinod Raman maintained a run of consistency – third podium already this year in fourth.
Finally, in fifth place, Phil Stephenson, also with an &lit, bags a second top 5 finish for the year.
Thanks to all as usual – next stop WWW.
| Pos | No. | Name | Clue | Explanation | Points | Merits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Charlie Oakley | Macbeth's nemesis disposes of central character for good in plot device | Macbeth's nemesis = MACDUFF, disposes of (D) for (G) – IN from the clue. Plot device = definition. | 49 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | Philip Sant | A little bit of cinematic nonsense to keep main characters occupied | &lit: c + guff in main | 43.5 | 3 | 5 |
| 3 | 27 | Ramki Krishnan | Pastry containing a drop of cyanide – good plot device used by Hitchcock (9) | MUFFIN (pastry) around A + C (drop of Cyanide) + G (good). Def = good plot device used by Hitchcock Hitch has used poison as a plot device in many movies (though not inside a muffin!) | 40 | 1 | |
| 4 | 35 | Vinod Raman | Refined a fun CGI film by removing extremely illogical plot device (9) | Def: plot device, Anagrind: Refined, extremely illogical: IL, AFUNCGIFILM* – IL | 38.5 | 1 | |
| 5 | 19 | Phil Stephenson | Humbug in cinema possibly, with importance ultimately ignored? | guff in [cin(e)ma]* &lit.; Humbug = pretence. | 28 | 0 | |
| 6 | 15 | John Appleton | Frodo and Co. initially fuming about the One Ring? | (F A C FUMING)* | 27.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | 7 | Luciano Ward | Blighted with fungi, the heads of my flowers are crumbling—a feature of various plots | Anag (‘blighted’) of FUNGI & MFAC (first letters); ref both garden and movie plots | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 36 | Jane Fitzpatrick | Sadly, Puff the magic dragon ultimately lacking the power or motivation for action | anagram of [PUFF THE MAGIC] + drago[N] minus [THE P] | 23.5 | 0 | |
| 8 | 40 | Todd Konkel | What's initially used in novel for generating conflict – a Maltese falcon, perhaps? | (U I N F G C A M F)* (anagrind: perhaps) &lit. The falcon statuette serves as the MacGuffin in Dashiell Hammett's famous novel. | 23.5 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | 24 | S.Sreeni | Master Clouseau’s first folly in the Pink Panther, perhaps ? (9) | MA (master) + C + GUFF (nonsense, folly – Chambers)+ IN. Definition: The Pink Panther, perhaps. The Pink Panther (diamond) in the movie is a Macguffin | 19.5 | 1 | |
| 11 | 30 | Plot element of film primarily introduced to supply fun and magic | F(ilm) inside FUN MAGIC* | 18.5 | 2 | ||
| 12 | 33 | Primarily complete nonsense in key element for moving storyline (9) | Primarily complete = c ,nonsense = guff, in = inclusion indicator , key = main, Ma(c)(guff)in + definition (also andlit) | 15 | 2 | ||
| 13 | 34 | Principal welcomes a bit of cinematic nonsense which serves solely to advance the plot | MAIN around [C(inematic) GUFF] | 14.5 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 16 | Fun magic trick concealing fine device that's crucial but irrelevant | (FUN MAGIC)* around F; trick (adj): anag ind, fine: F (abbrev) | 13.5 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 10 | Computer manufactured fun GIF, an inconsequential but attention-grabbing film device | Mac (fun GIF)* | 13 | 3 | 1 | |
| 16 | 38 | Scotsman given rhubarb, popular object in plot | MAC/GUFF/IN; plot is allotment in the surface | 12 | 1 | ||
| 17 | 14 | Driver in plot's fine fellow, one with trench coat & shooter coming round | "driver in plot"=def. FF+I contained in MAC+GUN | 9 | 1 | 1 | |
| 18 | 9 | Cinematic device that compels initially with nonsense, by and large | MA(Compels+GUFF)IN [by and large = in the main] & lit. | 8.5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 18 | 11 | Conservative rubbish in the pipeline which may wash over filmgoers | C + GUFF in MAIN; def = which may wash over filmgoers | 8.5 | 1 | ||
| 18 | 13 | Device planted to motivate action in works leads to factory management facing union agitation (9) | F M FACING U* | 8.5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 18 | 31 | Plot rotates about this extraordinary MG, fanciful but without tailpipe. | Defn = "Plot rotates about this". (MG + FANCIFU)* | 8.5 | 0 | 1 | |
| 22 | 20 | It facilitates plot of Conservatives to have waste dumped in sea | (C + GUFF) in MAIN, def: It facilitates plot | 7.5 | 3 | 1 | |
| 23 | 25 | No climax of suspense cinema works without nonsense element that drives the plot (9) | No climax of suspense = Removal of e , cinema = fodder, works = anagrind , without = containment ind*, nonsense = guff : def = element that drives the plot: CIN(-E)MA* around GUFF | 6 | 0 | 1 | |
| 24 | 3 | A spot of pleasure in seabound smack – it'll get things going! | A spot of pleasure = G; inside CUFF (smack) which is seabound (in MAIN); it'll get.…. = definition | 5 | 0 | ||
| 24 | 23 | Manic activity about nonsense red herring in movie | (MANIC)* about GUFF (nonsense) | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 26 | 28 | Perhaps Rosebud – put a hundred grams in a cake | Perhaps Rosebud = definition (Macguffin in Citizen Kane) A hundred grams = ACG contained in MUFFIN | 3.5 | 0 | ||
| 27 | 21 | Loose Woman dumps you for me, and lands a small film part. | Carol McGiffin is from the TV show “Loose Women”. Replace the U (you) in her surname with I (me) and add an A into her name to spell MACGUFFIN, which is a small part of a film. | 2.5 | 1 | ||
| 27 | 26 | 'Nuff magic required to keep the plot in motion (9 ) | Anag, 'nuff + magic = Object or event that serves to keep a plot in motion… | 2.5 | 2 | 3 | |
| 27 | 29 | Plot device in Graduate, striking with good promotion | MA, CUFFING with G promotion (moving up) | 2.5 | 0 | ||
| 30 | 8 | Bro! Start gym; lose muffin top! This will kickstart action (9) | Bro= Mac Start gym= G Lose muffin top= uffin Definition= This will kickstart action | 2 | 0 | ||
| 30 | 12 | Constant nonsense I fed to servant is a plot device | ma-c(= constant) + guff + I-n | 2 | 1 | ||
| 32 | 32 | Plot served by this supplier's cable conveying kind of programming nonsense | Plot served by this // MAIN carrying C + GUFF | 1.5 | 0 | ||
| 32 | 39 | Scottish Leader's killer takes 500 for good, in a thickening of the plot | Scottish Leader's (Macbeth's) executioner was MACDUFF – takes 500 (D) for good (G) plus (IN) – a thickening of the plot (definition) | 1.5 | 1 | ||
| 34 | 5 | After the drugs have been released, caffeine mug becomes well-crafted plot device. | anagram of 'caffeine mug' minus e(x2); Anagrind = becomes well-crafted; def = plot device | 1 | 0 | ||
| 34 | 18 | Hitchcock's word that excuses complicated fine magic fun? | Anag F MAGIC FUN | 1 | 1 | ||
| 36 | 4 | Acting beginners muffing complicated plot not appreciated by audience (9) | Anagram of AC MUFFING. Anagram indicator COMPLICATED. The rest is definition. | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 36 | 17 | He abandoned machine, having awful smell inside caused action to be taken. | MAC(guff)IN….mac(h)in(e) less HE…..guff/smell. | 0.5 | 0 | ||
| 38 | 1 | A character growing initially in a physically attractive young man and triggering film plot | A+C[HARACTER] and G[ROWING] (initial letters) inside MUFFIN (a physically attractive young man); triggering film plot – def. | 0 | 0 | ||
| 38 | 6 | Before food, gallons swallowed by the Mule to give Alfred an excuse for action | ac + g contained in Muffin | 0 | 0 | ||
| 38 | 37 | Scot at home supporting waffle – a hidden theme | MAC IN around GUFF | 0 | 0 |