The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC October 2014 competition results

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57 clues entered. 44 votes cast (40 competitors, 4 others).


CLOSE

I expected CLOSE to be close – and it was! Just half a point saw Derek Greenwood triumph to become another new name to welcome into the winner's enclosure – well done Derek!
 
The unlucky runner-up was Tom, but this result continues his fine run of form this year – commiserations Tom.

Third place went to one of the short double definition clues and lifted newcomer Tobias onto the podium with only his second clue entry – hearty congratulations Tobias!
 
Fourth spot went to regular Barry for his second top 5 finish of the year, and the final podium placing was shared by Margaret (although "Narrow victory for UKIP" may be fast becoming more accurate!!) and Richard Harvey following up his win in the PD competition the previous month.
 
Well done to all, and as ever with clue writing competitions, the cautionary lesson to sometimes look beyond the obvious!

PosNo.NameClueExplanationPoints Merits 
139Derek GreenwoodSmall room, though lacking central heating, is uncomfortably warmClose(t)43.50  1  
257Tom BorlandWith Lidl's opening, Tesco is running out of time around here*L(IDL) + (T)ESCO; def. around here431  5  
341Tobias HanburySticky end33.53  4  
423Barry SolomonsFor those starting college, lots of serious exams aren't far away.those starting..(C)ollege..(L)ots..(O)f..(S)erious..(E)xams29.50  2  
529Margaret IrvineNarrow victory for Labour?C(onservative) lose, ie. Labour win24.50  2  
544Richard HarveySwinging couples at university shunned in the neighbourhoodDEFINITION: in the neighbourhood WORDPLAY: anagram (indicated by swinging) of COUPLES with UP (at university) rejected (shunned)24.52  1  
726Peter CargillI left church embracing Lois Lane!LOIS in CE(church) less I; lane=close; LL=Clark Kent(Superman)'s girlfriend whom he eventually marries in unspecified church!241  1  
810Robin GilbertBreathless hush here – Colonel’s first to come to grief?C(olonel) + LOSE. Ref. Newbolt’s Vitai Lampada: “There's a breathless hush in the Close tonight…the Colonel dead…”231  2  
92Dave ParfittAbout to suffer defeat? The end is nigh!C + LOSE and two definitions ('The end' and 'nigh'); 'is' indicates equality between the two definitions213  2  
1048PeterThe end is nighDD192  2  
1049Paul CoulterThe end is nighDouble Definition192  3  
1211 Careful approaching road block4 meanings; careful, euphemism for stingy170  2  
136 Area outside of a cathedral or church holding worship in times gone byCE around LOS151  2  
149 Block quiet road near the endQuadruple definition: Block/quiet road/near/the end13.50  2  
1435 Scallops we shared evenly made us like bosom palss-C-a-L-l-O-p-S- e-E; evenly = hidden alternately, like bosom pals = def.13.52  1  
1647 The End is nigh.Double definition.132  3  
1713 Cigarless, ironically?Close = fuggy, airless (hence possibly cigar FILLED); ironically 'close, but NO cigar'12.50  3  
1856 Where you'd find cathedral or church in which praise is old-fashionedlos in CE120  1  
194 Adjourn courtDouble definition http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=close&title=thes10.51  2  
195 Agree to unite secretly in intimate encounter near the end of narrow passageOctuple definition: agree/to unite/secretly/intimate/encounter/near/the end/narrow passage (all found in Chambers)10.50  5  
2115 Confirm a sale this fair man arrangedComposite anagram: CONFIRM A SALE = CLOSE + FAIR MAN100  2  
2130 Near a hundred are beaten.Near: def., "C" 100, plus "lose": are beaten.101  1  
2319 Cosell rambling interminably … "SHUT UP!"COSEL(-L)* rambling = anagrind, interminably = curtailment ind./SHUT UP! = definition (bigmouth Howard Cosell)90  2  
247 Aroused, Cleo and Sidney, initially become inseparable!Anagram Cleo + s8.50  1  
2442 Stuffy head can pound round sinuses; behind eyes primarily.Stuffy=def+c+l(pound)+o(round)+s+e8.50  2  
2636 Short cover left our soldiers exposed at first.Short=definition; first letter of next five words.83  2  
2640 Start to cry over shed, it's almost touchingC+LOSE in down clue81  1  
2650 The end is nigh !Double definition; http://restlesspilgrim.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/end-nigh.jpg82  2  
2951 Tight finish for England's youngest test playertriple definition7.50  2  
3053 Unruly lads to be ejected from 'Costa del Sol' resort's terrace?Unruly – anagram indicator of: lads to, be ejected from – deletion indicator, Costa del Sol – anagram fodder, resort – anagram indicator, (is)terrace – definition71  3  
311 A STORAGE CONTAINER THAT IS NOT QUITE SHUT. (NOT THE 4 LETTER ANSWER, BUT THE 5 LETTER ANSWER)THIS DEFINITION AND WORDPLAY CAN HAVE TWO POSSIBLE ANSWERS DEPENDING ON HOW IT IS PARSED. AJAR (NOT QUITE SHUT) = (A + JAR) BUT ALSO CLOSE (SHUT) = (CLOSET – T, A STORAGE CONTAINER THAT IS NOT QUITE). I WAS JUST WONDERING, WHAT NAME IS GIVEN TO THIS TYPE OF STANDARD CRYPTIC CLUE?6.50  4  
3155 What Romeo gets to do to lover is secretR (Romeo in phonetic alphabet) gets to 'close' loveR; close = secret6.51 
3322 England captain turned around following tip from The Sundef: Brian Close, {C after (th)E SOL}< (turned as adj)60  1  
3345 The end is near!Double definition62  2  
3346 The end is near!Double definition. "the end" = close, near = close62  1  
3612 Church setting for rising sunDown clue. SOL (sun) reversed (rising) in CE (church). Setting (noun), as in jewellery. Dawn may be best seen from outside a church/cathedral rather than from within. Close = area around a church/cathedral.5.51  1  
3717 Conservative Left sides with 'oddballs' on Europe: the end is nighC l o(ddball)s E UKIP members 2 defs50  2  
3720 Disclosing centre of East End?Centre of disCLOSing + E(ast); End is definition.50  1  
3943 Such a defeat can bring solaceCompound anagram; (CLOSE+A)=SOLACE4.50  1  
3954 Waning, as time progresses, lit wick is trimmedWaning (n) = CLOSE; CLO(CKWI)SE – (WICK)*; LIT = DRUNK; Ref. candles4.50  1  
4114 Cole's ruined Dead End StreetCOLES* ruined = anagrind, Dead End Street = def. ——— surface relates to Cheryl Cole having done a cover of the Kinks classic.41  1  
4218 Consummate out of the closet!hidden. Chambers: close 22.50  3  
4234 Private company linked to top London social sciences universityDefn=private, co=company linking with LSE (London School of Economics)2.50  2  
4416 Congested street near Cathedral precinct shut for 5 terms5 terms (definitions) for close telling a story21  2  
4427 Intimate at handDD20  3  
4433 Outfit heard sealOutfit = clothes (homophone of close)20  2  
4438 Shut up – secretive person may be here, getting end awayDef = shut up; CLOSET (where secretive person maybe) – T20 
4824 Go down on head in class getting intimateLOSE (go down) after(on) C(head in class); def=intimate11  1  
4852 Two see Kent courtyard.see(C)+see(LO)+Kent(SE)=courtyard(CLOSE)10  2  
503 Actor near to end of road? Start to convince to throw in the towel.Quad definition [actor?=Glenn CLOSE] C/LOSE00  2  
508 Astronaut finally 'gone': John Glenn stars in Mars Attack!?CLOSET (john/toilet) – T = glenn CLOSE (who stars in "Mars Attack!")00  2  
5021 End is nearDD02  2  
5025 Having been enclosed behind veg, Anne expired; lack of air.'Having been enclosed' minus 'behind veg, Anne'; deletion indicator = 'expired' (ie, no longer valid); definition; 'lack of air'. Surface alludes to people trafficking.00  1  
5028 It's kind of Queen to finish off.Close(t) queen/def/& lit (sort of!).00  2  
5031 Near squared?Near = Close as 1. proximate, 2. cheap00  2  
5032 Nearly, not completely concealCLOSE(T)01  1  
5037 Shut end near mean, stuffy, dense actress7 synonyms00  3