CCCWC April 2010 competition results
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57 clues entered. 50 votes cast (43 competitors, 7 others).
GRAVE
Sometimes writing a good clue is not enough – you may also need to possess the powers of foresight! In the early stages of voting this competition was as close as a hung parliament, but then with the election result and the ensuing shenanigans, Margaret's clue gradually became more and more apposite. But then, as one commenter observed, it was a very good clue in its own right anyway – the coalition was the icing on the cake!
So congratulations to Margaret who in the end did not need to negotiate with any of the other clue writers in order to achieve a majority. There was very little to choose between Tim and Michael in 2nd and 3rd, who with their similiar idea may well have tried to form a well-hung parliament. James' clue also proved a popular choice just back in 4th, and John Tozer completed the podium with his wonderfully concise clue. Well done to all for your efforts.
| Pos | No. | Name | Clue | Explanation | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | Margaret Irvine | Party led by Clegg ultimately of importance | G + rave | 60.5 | 5 |
| 2 | 55 | Tim Moorey | Where man's lifeless down below, Viagra vendor has the answer | hidden | 47.5 | 4 |
| 3 | 34 | Michael Doyle | Might some Viagra vendor be the last resort for a stiff 'un? | Hidden; Defn:last resort | 46 | 1 |
| 4 | 40 | James Glassonbury | Serious desire to give up cocaine for good (5) | Serious = grave; desire = crave, giving up c for g = grave | 45.5 | 3 |
| 5 | 25 | John Tozer | How sad | 2 meanings, how3 = burial mound | 32.5 | 2 |
| 6 | 57 | Keith Williams | Your end's here – potentially very dangerous | Comp Anag &Lit – GRAVE + YOUR + ENDS = VERY DANGEROUS. Both parts define GRAVE | 30 | 4 |
| 7 | 18 | Michael Semple | Final resting place for a thousand riflemen taking on the English? | Final resting place = defn. 1000 = g (grand), riflemen = ra (royal artillary), taking on = v (versus), English = e. | 28.5 | |
| 8 | 31 | Rob Jones | King George Street – where our journey ends? | GR + AVE | 27 | 1 |
| 9 | 52 | Mike Baker | Viagra – very entertaining capsule for a stiff one? | Hidden; def = 'capsule for a stiff one' | 26 | 2 |
| 10 | 38 | Dave Williams | Plot to dispose of the late leader of governing party. | Def = "Plot to dispose of the late"; G = "leader of 'governing'"; RAVE = "party" | 23 | 3 |
| 11 | 13 | Death count | Double definition (per Chambers, see grave [1] & [5]) | 18.5 | 4 | |
| 12 | 1 | A place to rest provided right inside | provided -gave with 'r' inside | 17 | ||
| 13 | 32 | Lament that is offered up for one herein? | IE offered up for A in GRIEVE (lament); 'herein' implies grave | 16 | ||
| 14 | 41 | Serious wine shortage | Grave(s) | 15 | ||
| 15 | 28 | Incomplete puzzle causing concern | Puzzle = gravel (see Chambers) | 14 | 2 | |
| 15 | 42 | Seriously good party | Grave the musical term: 'in a solemn manner'; g rave | 14 | 1 | |
| 17 | 4 | Actor Michael has no Russian accent | REDGRAVE (Sir Michael, actor) – RED (Russian). | 13 | ||
| 18 | 12 | Critical opening red sunk by Steve | (RED)GRAVE; def. 'Critical'; ref. Steves Davis and Redgrave. | 12.5 | 2 | |
| 18 | 37 | Performing Ravel piece is dull | Performin(G RAVE)l piece (hidden word) | 12.5 | 1 | |
| 20 | 49 | Unfinished stones mark burial place of importance | grave(l), 3 mngs (grave accent, grave2, grave1) | 11 | 2 | |
| 20 | 50 | Vanessa perhaps renouncing revolutionary past – sad! | REDGRAVE – RED. “sad” is an archaic (“past”) synonym of “grave” (see Chambers) | 11 | 1 | |
| 22 | 19 | Finally throwing party here? | g + rave | 10.5 | ||
| 23 | 21 | Good party? Nobody digs it lately | G+RAVE | 9.5 | 1 | |
| 23 | 30 | King George Avenue, Oldbury. | King George – GR + AVE. Old – (obsolete) definition of GRAVE – to bury. | 9.5 | 1 | |
| 23 | 54 | What ends your resolve may become very dangerous | CompAnag.GRAVE+ENDS YOUR = VERY DANGEROUS | 9.5 | ||
| 26 | 3 | "…a terminal situation." Gore claimed from Algarve resort | (Al)garve* Ref. Another inconvenient truth from Al Gore? | 9 | 1 | |
| 26 | 29 | It's crucial to be seen in the crème de la crème | Crucial = grave, and the grave accent is seen twice! | 9 | 1 | |
| 28 | 47 | This resting place is the pits! | dbl def | 8.5 | ||
| 29 | 6 | Bit overdose of Viagra? Very dangerous ! (5) | viaGRA VEry. Bit- extraction indicator. Dangerous- defn. | 7 | ||
| 29 | 14 | Dug-out pit's endless rock fragments | GRAVE(L) | 7 | ||
| 31 | 20 | Give Queen Mary's bottom a good scrub? | Def = Clean bottom of boat (i.e. Queen Mary) | 6.5 | 1 | |
| 32 | 7 | Bottom of pool for character lost by Stones | gravel minus l & lit., grave=deadly place, ref. death of Brian Jones in swimming pool, 1969 (assumes down clue for 'bottom') | 6 | 1 | |
| 33 | 44 | Solemn prayer after King George reveals final destination. | prayer (Ave) after King George (GR) and definitions "solemn" and "final destination'. | 5.5 | ||
| 33 | 53 | Waste a bit of wine getting sober | wine = Graves, losing a character (waste a bit) = grave, def = sober | 5.5 | ||
| 35 | 45 | Some pelagra, very serious (5) | Hidden | 5 | ||
| 36 | 11 | Count starts to give right advantage very early | def count, wordplay first letters | 4 | ||
| 37 | 8 | Catonian accent | Double def. | 3.5 | ||
| 37 | 27 | Imperfect prefect! | Double def. | 3.5 | ||
| 37 | 33 | Marked failing to rise? Viagra gives zap through privates! | VIAGRA GIVES less(indicated by ZAP) VIA(through) GI's(privates), see GRAVE accent | 3.5 | ||
| 40 | 17 | Falling pitch is deadly serious | Triple definition; surface alludes to the effect of (boiling) pitch on castle attackers | 3 | 1 | |
| 40 | 26 | Illicit dance party staged behind watchdog's back – this is serious! (5) | (watchdo)G + RAVE | 3 | 1 | |
| 42 | 23 | Greek gives Roman salute; he may enter this. | Greek = GR, Roman salute = AVE. | 2.5 | 1 | |
| 43 | 16 | Earth encompassing bulk of party? | RAV(E) in GE(Earth), & lit | 2 | ||
| 43 | 43 | Solemn place of burial | Double meaning | 2 | 1 | |
| 45 | 35 | One last fork of meat sauce made a little easier death | GRAV(-Y+E) E substituted for Y (fork) = Y made E | 1.5 | ||
| 45 | 46 | This is a serious crypt! (5) | double definition: serious, crypt | 1.5 | ||
| 47 | 2 | A solemn matter about excavation | Def of solemn & excavation | 1 | ||
| 47 | 9 | Clean and seal dangerous pit | 3 mngs | 1 | 1 | |
| 49 | 48 | Those at rest find themselves in this pit of solemn music. | Double def. (both PIT and SOLEMN MUSIC) as well as GRAVE being the final resting place for the deceased ('Those at rest'). | 0.5 | ||
| 50 | 5 | Big bomb in small wood, nothing's left. They say it's silent and expect to find a body in it. | A(-bomb) in GROVE minus O. (left=gone away). A common saying: Silent as the grave + secondary indication. | 0 | ||
| 50 | 10 | Count, not gay, to tend to hooker's bottom? | 3 meanings, hooker(1) | 0 | ||
| 50 | 15 | Earth covering obsolete frame essentially | (t)rav(e) in Ge & lit. Frame = body or skeleton. Essentially indicates inner part of trave. | 0 | ||
| 50 | 22 | Grand party, man – passed out round the end | G + RAVE, R (rook) in GAVE (passed out), the end = death = grave | 0 | 1 | |
| 50 | 24 | Grieve that is without taking one serious(5) | grieve – that is(ie) + 1(a) = serious(grave) | 0 | 1 | |
| 50 | 39 | Radical actor put leftie out for the count. | (Corin) Redgrave minus "red" (=leftie)/def. (grave = count or prefect [obs.]). | 0 | ||
| 50 | 51 | Verger's upset, wiping tears regularly, burying American here? | A(American) in VERGER* minus ER(tears regularly) | 0 | ||
| 50 | 56 | Where Queen April was laid in earth? (5) | R = queen + Av = April (Fr) inside Ge = gaea | 0 |