CCCWC Christmas Special competition voters’ comments

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A clue to TWELVEMONTH / A thematic word of your choice (Right & Left).
101 comments were received for this competition (from 9 competitors, 2 others)
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Comments on the competition
1.
This was a tough challenge and it would be harsh to over-criticise the clue writers who struggled but still took part. A few succeeded brilliantly, especially 14. Happy New Year to all.
2.
Many fine LR clues on offer; this was a most enjoyable competition to vote on. There were a couple of clear top-scorers for me (4 for its excellent definition for HEXADECIMAL and an elegant surface reading & 17 for its very creative surface reading plus a neat and original construction for TWELVEMONTH). Other point-scorers (and there were several, although unfortunately I didn't have that many points to dish out!) all had a well-hidden "join" between the two clues – punctuation or an extra word generally spoiled cluers' chances – as well as some fine wordplay.
3.
Well done, all those who bothered to enter. Not all clues were sound or meaningful, but at least you had a go. 4 won it by a mile.
4.
I'm not sure any of us really managed to achieve all of 1) accurate cluing, 2) a well-disguised run-on between the two parts, and 3) an excellent overall surface. 4 leaps out, but surely the apostrophe in '16 invalidates the definition of HEXADECIMAL. I did try to overlook it (as I expect many will). I enjoyed 19 and 22 for their cluing and excellent surfaces (especially 22), although neither managed to string the two parts together smoothly, and in 22 they are separate sentences. Perhaps the best clue in that respect, while also being sound and plausible, was 20. I found half a dozen other clues good in parts. Happy New Year to organisers and fellow participants.
5.
Some ingenious treatments of the given word and some clever choices for the second word. In a comp where such freedom is available, it is a shame that some selected adjectives but then did not define them accurately (an age-old problem).

Comments on the clues

1. 2016 broadcast of first "new" live western TV theme accidently reprocessed the previous version.

1.	I don't think "2016" is a sufficient definition for twelvemonth. "2016, perhaps" (or similar) is needed.
2.	no such word as accidently – accidentally. Of first should be of's first if you want to use the o
3.	Concept doesn't make much sense and def '2016' needs a 'perhaps'.
4.	I'm not on board with definition by example

2. A year the Four Seasons went ahead of the rest, up to the end of November, then let up.

1.	The first clue is the same definition twice, and not two different meanings.
2.	I don't get the clue for twelvemonth – surely "year" and "four seasons" are essentially clueing the same word (as opposed to homonyms)?
3.	Double definition needs two different meanings of the solution word, and predeceased means "went ahead of" (without object).
4.	Doble definition only works if they're not essentially the same definition

3. A year when vote left Trump in front with mass mayhem could be deadly cost to Earth: typical of The White House facade?

1.	The anagram indicator & fodder are too far apart (the "with" separates the m(ass) from the rest). Nice second word & great clue!
2.	Points for second definition though "to" for plus and "mayhem" (noun) for anag. not ideal

4. After midnight nocturnal creature holding new year bash exclaimed "Ah, I'm done with '16!"

1.	A clear winner for me – top marks.
2.	The apostrophe before 16 throws the definition off – outstanding otherwise
3.	Would like to have awarded this more but punctuation is unfairly misleading; colon with no quote marks would have worked. Also not keen on t

5. Annual span of time we are not current may shake our set ways

1.	The other word to be clued needs to be a 11-letter word including DEC
2.	The rules ask for an 11-letter thematic word.
3.	Unfortunately, ROUTES does not fit the theme (it needed to be 11 letters long and contain DEC) :(
4.	2nd word needs 'DEC' in it
5.	2nd word supposed to be 11 letters containing -DEC-, among other issues here
6.	Need to read the instructions a bit more carefully!

6. Annually, when a dozen found in common theme are freshly reprocessed from the previous year?

1.	I'm not keen on the 'part hidden' first clue, and 'annually' defines 'twelve-monthly' I think.
2.	"Annually" clues "twelve-monthly", not "twelvemonth".
3.	Cluing and definitions need to be far stricter, not just loosely inspired by the 2 words
4.	Cryptic instructions for the definition are not really on

7. Cameron for May, 2016 in a nutshell (11/11)

1.	This is two definitions rather than two clues.
2.	You need a cryptic construction for each too!
3.	Does not make sense as a clue – where is the cryptic wordplay?
4.	Two unsolvably vague single definitions and no cryptic crossword element
5.	First half is purely an example, not a cryptic clue

8. Clubs perhaps where no ordinary seamen would be seen when lot met very merry once a year

1.	Clever def. for quarterdeck.
2.	Nice cryptic definition of quarterdeck. Not sure "Merry", as a noun, is a good anag. indicator – maybe "…when lot met merrily…" is better?
3.	Lovely clue for QUARTERDECK but the anagram in part two doesn't read very naturally

9. Disorganized telethon starts to waste viewers' money for a year – fat bloke getting local hamper? Stratford man's astonished.

1.	These are really just two (both perfectly good in their own rights) separate clues – in a good LR clue, the join should be seamless!

10. Exchange makes combination skills acquired through experience potentially overwhelming. Rest? Not without sore ring time!

1.	Surface idea does not come across, and quite a few technical and definitional issues here

11. Four Seasons motel, when TV breaks, orders pieces – missing one, unfortunately – for older model

1.	There is some punctuation between the two halves of your clue but I think the join is hidden enough.
2.	Decent if a bit stuttery, and 'pieces' not very natural
3.	Nice surface but not keen on 'missing ine, unfortunately'- doesn't quite work.

12. Innovative ideas to abscond by military assistants the previous year

1.	I'm afraid I don't get the CD for the second half.
2.	why the previous year? is CD cryptic definition? is previous meant to suggest that the word is archaic? sorry, don't get it

13. Just like Santa's helpers to get the doctor in – oddly enough to watch entertaining but ridiculously dim escapade with other helpers (11/5-2-4)

1.	The "but" is a superfluous joining word (which we try to avoid). Where's your definition for twelvemonth?
2.	The "but" is pure verbiage to string the two clues together and is (I think) 'against the rules' of R&L

14. Let me vow to find form – yet another year I end beaten with bad clue that's impossible to resolve

1.	Two good clues that combine nicely. Well done.
2.	Not sure about "yet another" for "nth". Nonetheless, a nice way to finish the year and worth a point or two!
3.	Just about the only entry I can't find any fault with. Not often that one sees 'nth', especially with such a nicely concealed definition.
4.	I love this one

15. Maybe thirteen 'hearty' US types somewhere on ship won't slave at helm, naughtily striking alas, out for a year

1.	Nicely constructed clue.
2.	First clue is actually def + 2 wordplays (one a pun).

16. One year from now, the elm starts to turn very terribly bare, stunted and reduced to tatters

1.	Not sure about 'very terribly' or tatters (intr.), or that the overall image quite adds up. In the points though!
2.	Elegant seasonal surface.

17. Opening of festivities makes way for terrible venom during Orangemen's Day 1935, perhaps in violent scene with destruction in Catholic enclave primarily from offensive acts

1.	Nice original construction for twelvemonth and the whole thing reads well too. Many points!
2.	Quite a history lesson. The clue is sound but overlong I think.
3.	All there technically (and historically it seems) but strained and unenjoyable for me
4.	messy and rambling
5.	Not happy with 'from' to link to definition

18. Open-mouthed dace whipped about from Ne'erday through Hogmanay; swimming five miles to the new lake.

1.	need to indicate Shakespearean word
2.	Put some spaces in your explanation!
3.	Decent effort – why the semi-colon?

19. Open-mouthed fat bloke exercises with daughter, shifting five pounds to mark the New Year

1.	The best effort in what was a very difficult competition, although convention says the bard should have been referenced!
2.	Despite the comma, I think the surface's flow hides the seam. Clue could legitimately be split into two though, so only one point.
3.	Paints a good picture
4.	would have scored higher but need to indicate Shakespearean word
5.	Not the most seamless run-on, but watertight, avoids two anagrams, and reads extremely well. One of the best.
6.	Humorous imagery but split into WIDE + CHAP marks it down.i

20. Period of lament when losing a vet who sadly died before treating escaped deer

1.	The "when" has no purpose in the cryptic reading.
2.	Reasonable surface story, fair cluing, and the two clues nicely integrated
3.	Period is rather vague.

21. Previous job holder baked reprocessed TV meal half-heartedly, he won't be cooking for one year

1.	A decent effort! After some consideration, "…meal half-heartedly…" works for me for MEL
2.	Not that keen on 'half-heartedly’, especially in the anagram material.
3.	what's the "BE" doing?
4.	Not quite convinced by 'half-heartedly', but otherwise good

22. The Lent vow's broken around noon one year, double sandwich threw Derek's resolution after wife leaves for church

1.	Great idea, shame about the incorrect anagram.
2.	There's no indication that the CE needs to be included in the anagram and isn't added separately.
3.	The clue-writer has muddled their explanation. I assume 'noon' indicates M not N.
4.	Lovely but for the fact that the clues are separate sentences (tenses of 'threw' and 'leaves' also don't match)
5.	I like the first half, but the second is a bit too random

23. The man before me – an engineer – processed broken TV where external electrical lead initially developed bug around New Year

1.	a bit rambling

24. This is the year that May perhaps follows a number of French in cutting hesitancy

1.	Indecision is 10-lettered, needs to be a 11-letter word.
2.	The rules ask for an 11-letter thematic word.
3.	Surely "cut" would clue "incision"? I also feel the construction for TWELVEMONTH (TWELVE + MONTH) is a little uninspired, I'm afraid.
4.	"this is the year that" not a clean definition for twelvemonth. Might get away with lust "Year"

25. This past year the start of PM May's term scored badly with peers, like Cameron before her

1.	"May's term" for MONTH? I'm not sure that works… Love the "start of PM" for TWELVE though – very clever!
2.	Nice in some respects (I like start of PM and May's term/duration) but neither definition seems quite fair
3.	I'd think May's term was "Y"

26. This year, view outside of motel and then be confused mistakenly, donate crude bare tree for Christmas, perhaps?

1.	The surface reading doesn't really flow for me.
2.	don't think the definition is "this year" but simply "year". needs to be "view's outside" to indicate VW.
3.	"view outside of" for VW is a bit Yoda-ish

27. Throw out cider as brandy Cointreau and lemon are needed for this year new hotel MTV is broken.

1.	The rules ask for an 11-letter thematic word.
2.	SIDECAR doesn't fit the brief (the second word/phrase also needs to be 11 letters in length)
3.	Nice SIDECAR clue but the -DEC- word must be 11 letters long (among other issues)
4.	starts promisingly then ends up as a collection of unrelated words making no sense
5.	Needed to read the instructions a bit more carefully!
6.	Huh?

28. Together, all quarters complete one angry novelist – merited a second New Year's Honour?

1.	I'm not convinced by your cryptic definition – how do we know it's a year? Lots of things come in quarters. Nice definition for REDECORATED.
2.	"a second new year's honour" surely does not equate to redecorated, but redecoration?

29. Year the oddly vital women, by arrangement officers' confidential assistants, unhappily decamped as one

1.	I'm a firm believer that letters to be anagrammed must be clearly given so "one" shouldn't be used for I in this context.

30. Year when vote initially made Trump look corrupt, plain and simple, and rocked EU – time for King to reform

1.	Love the first half. The second seems a bit clunky, and the full surface reading doesn't quite work for me.
2.	One of those determined-to-be-topical clues that actually makes very little sense