The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC Christmas Special 2010 competition results

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42 clues entered. 31 votes cast (26 competitors, 5 others).


NATIVITY (Letters Latent)

PosNo.NameClueExplanationPoints  
134Mike BakerTiny Tim – very poorly and without money in classic Christmas sceneA latent; anag. TINY TI(m) +V46  5  
24Tom BorlandCarbon-free energy coming to save us?N; A(C)TIVITY = carbon-free energy, def. 'coming to save us?'38  4  
323Michael SemplePoorly one, tiny at birth(V). I (one) TINY AT anagram. Poorly – anagrind.30.5  4  
435John HoodTitian very easily painted stable sceneLL='Y': (TITIAN V)* : def='painted stable scene'25.5  4  
540Margaret IrvineVery small spruce brought round for ChristmasI; v in natty24  3  
61Pete MilneA representation of antiquity, without questionV. (ANTIQUITY minus QU)*. QU = question. &lit21.5  2  
714John TozerIt's involving children principally that makes this playN; a(c)tivity & lit.21  3  
842Luciano WardWork expressing the birth of Christ?N; ATIVITY = ACTIVITY (work) expressing C (birth of Christ); &lit. (as in work of art)20  3  
917Tim AndersonLast man to bat blocking clever delivery?Latent letter V. II (eleven) in natty.17.5  3  
1018David HarryLife’s not about where one comes fromN latent: 'activity' minus 'c'15.5  3  
112 Birth of a Gemini in chic surroundingsV is latent; II in NATTY (II being the symbol for Gemini)13  2  
1121 New life exalted? It's the Virgin BirthY is latent; N + (VITA<) + IT; The clue needs to be read as a down clue for "exalted" to indicate a reversal13  1  
1329 Stable situation results from Conservatives withdrawing from undertaking.N. Def/a(c)tivity.12.5  4  
1433 Tiny Tim, a poor invalid, marks Christmas[V] (TINY TIm A)*12  4  
1522 No entry for competition, doing ChristmasLL N; a(c)tivity11.5  3  
1631 Strangely, it echoes a very anonymous birthN; (it+it+a+v+y)*10  1  
1719 Looking back on life in the can, it often entailed hard labourY. rev. VITA = life in TIN (can); "it" refers to NATIVITY, hard labour being difficult birth.9  3  
1839 Verily, a joyful Christmas Day? Nay, twice it is ruined.V-latent NAY + IT + IT anagram8.5  3  
1938 Venus foremost in ingenious horoscopeI omitted; V in NATTY7  2  
2025 Smart setting for very low budget Xmas showv in natty ; LL= i6.5  2  
2027 Spruce decorated by a couple for Christmasv latent; ii in natty6.5  4  
225 Child initially dropped from activity describing birth of Mary's child."N" is the latent letter. Activity minus c (initial of "child") gives ativity, then def.6  2  
2311 Horoscope shows pessimism, though without backing info.N. Defn: horoscope; pessimism=negativity, omitting reversed gen=info5.5  1  
2436 Tyrant, very angry missing Redeemer's first Christmas, created such a scene!NAT(I)V(I)TY; anag ind by angry, TYRANT(Herod)+V(very) less R5  3  
256 Christmas and it's spruce all over vatican citylatent letter – I. *Spruce – natty. v – vatican city(veh.registration). Also spruce used as christmas tree4.5  2  
267 Einstein's theory not about length, in nascence.Latent: N; Einstein's theory: RELATIVITY minus RE [about], L[ength]; Definition: in nascence4  2  
2641 Was I tiny at birth?(v) latent. Was (anag) 'I tiny at'. Birth = lit4  3  
2816 Labour perhaps will result in crowning of child in ———N latent; C(hild) in ATIVITY = ACTIVITY; &lit.; down clue3  2  
2837 Vain tit to milk production(VAIN TIT)* = NATIVIT (-Y) Production = Birth3  2  
303 Born into slavery, raising money gets life on the up (8)Y : VITA (rev) in TIN (rev) – down clue2  1  
3013 In point of fact that's wrapping around the box timeI: TV t in nay & lit.2  1  
3020 New Art Ministry regularly producing play?V; N(ew) + A(r)T(m)I(n)I(s)T(r)Y – NATIITY; def = "play?"2  2  
3026 Special birth? A toast from a tiny vatletter latent: i, Anag= tiny+vat2  1  
3415 Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Profanity, its vanity but NO swearing.Definition , anagram of its vanity minus s.1  1  
3512 Horoscope's clever about VictorI latent; V in NATTY0.5  1  
368 Excellent non-vintage bottle I open yearly on Chaucer's birthdayMissing letter T; N(AI)V+I+Y; birthday = def. (OED: obs., signalled by Chaucer)0  1  
369 Goings-on when birth of Christ is embraced in thisN letter latent: Goings-on = ATIVITY around C (birth or 'origin' of Christ) &Lit.0  2  
3610 Horoscope: Again, today starts; ends lucky – number seven rolls!(T) horoscope=def; rolls=anag of letters at+y+n+vii0  1  
3624 Short stork visit creates birth (8)Direct = birth; Y dropped: short stork visit = nativit0  1  
3628 Spruce trees – five to make a Christmas sceneLatent I. NATTY around V. Trees in sense of corners0  2  
3630 State of Israel in Egypt’s power? No, Islamic troops initially repulsed and it’s invadingV latent. TI + IT in NAY. Refs: Biblical captivity & Yom Kippur War. Def.: "State of…power?" – an instance of "slavery by birth"; State = Condition.0  1  
3632 Tantivy – headlong – being born thusly!(I) anag. word=headlong + def.0  1