| Comments on the clues |
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| 1. 50 + Zero + tr |
| 1. | Is the definition 'tr'? I don't think that works…. Also, how is the 'er' clued? | | 2. | This makes no sense at all! | | 3. | I can't see a definition here. | | 4. | Newbie? Tim Moorey's book 'How to Crack Cryptic Crosswords' is an excellent introduction and rich in examples. Good luck! | | 5. | I don't think you've quite understood how cryptic clues work. | | 6. | Is there a clue here? | | 7. | If this is from a new competitor, I'd advise them to read up about how cryptic clues should work. | | 8. | The wordplay in 1 leads to 'laughttr' and lacks a definition. If the idea of submitting a meaningless clue was an attempt to elicit laught | | 9. | I understand L=50 and Zero = Aught, but how does "tr" yield "er" plus the definition? | | 10. | What does this mean? | | 11. | Hmmmm… |
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| 2. A leg hurt badly may have you in stitches? |
| 1. | The best of the 'a leg hurt' anagrams, although a little clumsy. | | 2. | There isn't quite a definition of 'laughter' here. |
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| 3. After bears hug, perhaps convulsions. |
| 1. | "Perhaps" isn't considered a valid anagram indicator in many quarters. "Possibly" is, however | | 2. | 'Bears' pun is good, but 'perhaps' doesn't really indicate an anagram. |
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| 4. After swallowing it tastes awful but it's the best medicine (8) |
| 1. | Nice construction, although, strictly speaking, 'but' is redundant. | | 2. | Best of the yucky best medicines | | 3. | I was trying to get this to work, but couldn't get the construction right – well done. | | 4. | Nice misleading surface. I'm not so keen on 'but' as a join word. | | 5. | Slight concern over 'but' as a link word, but still the best of the bunch. |
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| 7. Beer laced with sterilized milk? It is said to be the best medicine. |
| 1. | The wordplay works but the surface reading is rather absurd | | 2. | I like the idea, but there are two indirect anagrams. One might be justifiable, but two feels unfair. | | 3. | Needs something indicating that the UHT isn't all together. |
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| 9. British diver claiming first, finally, and giving an indication of happiness |
| 1. | It's quite hard to get a clue out of Laugher (I tried), but this one makes a decent job of it. |
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| 10. Broke a leg? Hurt? This could cheer you up! (8) |
| 1. | Needs a more interesting definition to make a great clue out of this anagram |
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| 11. Bumbling Laurel and Hardy get this dearly! (8) |
| 1. | The 'dearly in the surface reading jars somewhat, though it was required for the wordplay | | 2. | A bit forced – what does it mean to get laughter dearly? | | 3. | Excellent, 5 points. | | 4. | Good idea, but 'dearly' doesn't quite work for me. | | 5. | 'dearly' doesn't quite work. | | 6. | Unique and clever; worthy of full marks. |
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| 12. Cackling Coca-Cola? Ugh! Terrible ingredients. |
| 1. | This is a lovely hidden clue. I was not keen on 'cackling' though, as 'cackling coca-cola' makes no sense to me. | | 2. | 'Cackling' rather spoils the surface reading | | 3. | Rather meaningless | | 4. | Good hidden cryptic part but 'cackling is weak. |
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| 13. Concealing an exclamation of disgust, subsequently offers the best medicine?(8) |
| 1. | I think 4 pulls this one off more convincingly. | | 2. | 4 uses this idea a lot better. |
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| 14. Crack might cause this hammer to lose head |
| 1. | Nice use of 'crack' and 'hammer' | | 2. | Took me a while to justify hammer=slaughter (i.e. thrash or defeat heavily) | | 3. | Great misleading surface. |
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| 16. Derisive sound of female offspring dropping date for lameness, principally |
| 1. | 'Female offspring' is rather clunky, otherwise a nice idea. |
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| 17. Display of ecstasy after anything that's splitting sides? |
| 1. | A bit laboured – not really ecstasy, and it's the person laughing (not the object of laughter) who splits their sides | | 2. | Good effort but feel that 'splitting sides' not quite the same as 'side-splitting' or 'splitting one's sides' |
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| 18. Endless lethargy broken with university rag producing this? |
| 1. | Refreshingly different approach. |
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| 19. Expression of disgust during Jools' show? Could be canned? |
| 1. | Good theme, but a bit obscure reference? |
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| 21. Funny business? Hardly the mot juste if it's back to front! |
| 1. | Perhaps a bit too clever, and not sure funny business is a fair definition for the solver | | 2. | Not sure if this is a clue to LAUGHTER or LAUGHTERS. | | 3. | I've read this 20 times and still can't see how the cryptic element works. |
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| 22. Funny fifth instalment of Asterix the Gaul produces this? |
| 1. | I like this one for its originality, though the 'fifth instalment' jars slightly for the R | | 2. | Nice though the fifth instalment device sticks out | | 3. | The better of the Asterix clues. |
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| 24. Ha-ha ha! Get blue undressing for last masquerade |
| 1. | Dropping the second hyphen in 'ha-ha ha' really doesn't work |
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| 25. Heal gut strangely, take best medicine maybe? (8) |
| 1. | There's surely a better anag. indicator than 'strangely' in this context? |
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| 26. Horrid gruel that almost brings on gag reflex? |
| 1. | Hangs together nicely and gag reflex is a wonderful deceptive definition | | 2. | Very good, original definition. | | 3. | Great definition. | | 4. | Neat misdirection "gag reflex" | | 5. | Clever definition. | | 6. | Great definition | | 7. | Top five for sure. | | 8. | Points for originality in definition; surface and anagram indicator less convincing. |
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| 28. Hurt a leg when dancing for fun (8) |
| 1. | It would have been better without 'when' |
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| 29. Hysterics after nurses' disgusting outburst |
| 1. | Although needed for the surface, the apostrophe is ungrammatical in the wordplay | | 2. | The apostrophe is needed for the surface, but ruins the cryptic. | | 3. | The apostrophe crashes the cryptic reading for me. |
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| 31. In bellylaugh: terrible cackle! (8) |
| 1. | It's a pity to have the word laughter in the clue | | 2. | Use of 'laugh' in hidden element a bit weak. | | 3. | Using bellylaugh to hide the first part of laughter is hardly very deceptive, sorry | | 4. | Hiding 'laughter' in a word that uses 'laugh' in full is a bit too obvious. | | 5. | Using 'bellylaugh' to hide 'laugh' is not very inspired. | | 6. | Oh dear! |
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| 33. Lecturer in auditorium in search of amusement. |
| 1. | Well disguised. | | 2. | In auditorium does not = sounds like. |
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| 36. Onset of listeria and child hasn’t died – it’s a great medicine |
| 1. | Surface rather distasteful |
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| 37. Product of eg a short turn beginning with Lenny Henry cracking up |
| 1. | Definition is split. | | 2. | 'Beginning with Lenny' doesn't really equal L. |
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| 38. Quality of play eventually leads to United goal, horribly conceded |
| 1. | Definition does not lead to answer. | | 2. | A goal let in is conceded, but conceded does not mean let in generally. Quality of play/laughter and eventually/later similarly tenuous. | | 3. | I like the surface reading; not 100% convinced by the definition. | | 4. | Definition isn't very convincing. 'Let in' would work better than 'conceded' in the wordplay. |
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| 39. Result of line succeeding for audience? |
| 1. | Neat! | | 2. | Very nice & lit. clue. |
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| 40. Saint prevented massacre – glee breaking out |
| 1. | Needs to be something like "saint's avoided massacre" to make sense |
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| 42. Someone's merry from the sound of it – drunken hug alert! |
| 1. | Very slick surface reading | | 2. | Lovely! |
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| 45. Sound response to pulling a leg and getting hurt. |
| 1. | Pulling seems very iffy as anagram indicator, and cryptic instruction suggests (anagram of 'a leg') + (word for hurt) | | 2. | 'Getting' ruins the anagram. |
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| 46. Splitting sides at huge comic? |
| 1. | Points for shortest & most compact clue! | | 2. | The 'huge' is a bit arbitrary in the surface, but a very nice clue | | 3. | The phrase is a bit iffy, and will anyway point to 'Laughing' |
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| 47. Supposedly the best medicine? Then swallowing it's disgusting! |
| 1. | The most original of the best medicine clues | | 2. | Best of the LA-UGH-TER clues. |
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| 49. The fifth of Asterix the Gaul's adventures — much hilarity ensues. |
| 1. | Great idea, but I prefer the surface of the 'other' Asterix clue submitted. | | 2. | I don't think 'adventures' quite works as an anagrind | | 3. | I prefer 22's handling of this idea. |
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| 50. The French expression for disgust – oddly their expression of joy (8) |
| 1. | Original approach, nicely constructed and misleading clue |
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| 51. The reaction to being tickled silly hurt a leg. |
| 1. | You sure are "pulling my leg" with that clue! Ha!Ha! |
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| 52. Then with disgusting sound of fun … |
| 1. | 'With' doesn't do enough to indicate that UGH is contained. | | 2. | 'With' doesn't indicate containment to me. |
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| 53. Tumbling, hurt a leg, and it made my ribs ache (8) |
| 1. | Not really a definition of 'laughter'. |
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| 54. Urge halt to work in response to cracks? |
| 1. | Pleasing clue, one of the best | | 2. | Great, well-hidden, definition. | | 3. | A fine clue, both witty and misleading. | | 4. | Neat surface and nicely misleading definition. |
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| 55. What a comedian wants at first, is the ultimate in jokes to make a killing |
| 1. | I can't see how this clue works. Where does the def. end and the wordplay start? | | 2. | Nice idea but it just seems a bit clumpy. Worth a point though. |
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| 56. What gets her gut convulsing after old man stripped? |
| 1. | Original and witty, esp. since solver's first thought might well be nausea rather than laughter |
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