CCCWC August competition voters’ comments

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A clue to STERNUM.
90 comments were received for this competition (from 15 competitors, 1 other)
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Comments on the competition
1.
I favoured clues which did better than 'bone' for the definition. A couple of the smutty clues were were amusing (and good!) but I was unconvinced by 'on' as an anagram indicator in 1 and 21 – this is fine for e.g. the Listener, but I feel entries in this competition should be suitable for a standard daily puzzle.
2.
Not easy to clue given the limited number of suitable synonyms (which for me does not include 'breast'). Some labyrinthine word play in long clues which did not appeal to me, nor seem to be standard cryptic format. Credible surface stories were not that easy to find among valiant attempts to spice up the anagram fodder or disguise the definition. For me the oustanding clues were 24 26 and 46 which in their different ways ticked all the boxes needed for an excellent clue with {24} just shading it.
3.
A rather disppointing set and I awarded very few points. I was very pleased with my own idea (when am I not?) and expected more to have the same idea similarly executed.

Comments on the clues

1. A bit of breast turns me on

1.	Def is not apt
2.	I'm torn over 'on', which is ok in the Listener but not a standard cryptic which I feel should be the benchmark here. Very good though!
3.	Breast is not a synonym for breastbone (sternum).
4.	Nice idea but I'm not a fan of "on" as an anagram indicator (and Azed is with me – see slip 2347).

2. A breastplate providing some bodily protection?

1.	Not quite cryptic enough as a CD. Not a DD as both are the same definition. Is a single straight(ish) def
2.	This is simply a definition and not very cryptic

3. A metal alloy found inside a problem breastbone.

1.	Apparently the alloy is TERNE, not TERN.

4. All over! – A bird revealed her central asset up front (7)

1.	The punctuation doesn't work in the cryptic reading here.

8. Bone could be problem when eating bird

1.	Best of the tern in sum clues
2.	Best of the bird/sum entries.

10. Bone that trendy idiot has fractured, between hip and skull (7)

1.	This is very indirect. Solver doesn’t have much of a chance
2.	Too obscure
3.	A lovely idea! I applaud the invention but I don't think it quite works.
4.	Just could not fathom this – sorry.

11. Bottom line when a set of three chops is the only plate that comes with ribs

1.	Insertion indicator for TERN is missing
2.	Nice idea but the surface isn't quite fluent enough.

12. Breastbone's stored in canister number three.

1.	What’s ‘three’ doing in the clue?
2.	Slightly odd thing to put in a canister?
3.	'three' is redundant in word play.
4.	What is 'three' doing there?

13. Check over navy uniform, it's in the chest

1.	Good surface and wordplay.

16. Front section of skeleton that edges ribs near upper middle

1.	"front section of skeleton…" = "first few letters of skeleton." Needs to be "front sections" plural or similar for acrostic, ruining surface
2.	Needs to be ‘sections’?
3.	This is almost very good, but 'section' unfortunately needs to be plural for the cryptic reading.
4.	Nearly but not quite – spoilt by 'edges'.
5.	.. but your clue needs 'front sections' (pl.)

17. Gladiolus in the middle of this special set mourner oddly sent back

1.	Made me work a little harder than some of the other clues, but not too much. I liked the reference to ‘gladiolus’ as a part of the sternum.
2.	A very inventive definition – good clue.

18. grim greek character returned bone

1.	What’s the significance of the lower case?
2.	http://www.danword.com/crossword/Grim_Greek_character_returned_bone

19. Harry S. Truman not one close to the bone

1.	Nice anagram find. A ? would improve the surface.
2.	A really nice idea and it just about works.

21. Hidden anatomy near cleavage turns me on

1.	I'm torn over 'on', which is ok in the Listener but not a standard cryptic which I feel should be the benchmark here.
2.	Not convinced by 'on' as anagrind.
3.	Nice idea (like in 1) but I'm not a fan of "on" as an anagram indicator (and Azed is with me – see slip 2347).

22. It cages the heart of stiff upper-class maiden (7)

1.	"It shields the heart" might be a more accurate definition
2.	It's only the front of the cage, at best

23. It's grim and unforgivingly miserable at the front – it's hard (7)

1.	The clue-writer has acknowledged the fault in their explanation

24. Jolting human's breast could give this a bash

1.	Clever clue and hard to fault given complexity.
2.	.. I suppose it could, but seems pretty unlikely

26. Nurse starts to treat man's fractured bone (7)

1.	Cryptic reading works grammatically with starting instead of starts
2.	3 pts. I originally had a clue virtually identical to this; I regret not submitting it now!
3.	Good fluent surface
4.	I liked this clue – the sense is good and to the point, and it’s just a little step trickier than some of the other anagram clues.
5.	Well-structured anagram with convincing surface story.
6.	Good surface; tight riddling.
7.	NURSE, T, M is or are fractured? 3 points anyway, a neat clue.

27. One dug on each side of this, to find a part of the chest.

1.	Both defs define the same meaning and "to find" doesn't work grammatically or as a link between two definitions. Merit for clever disguise
2.	A very clever idea, but I don't think this wording quite works.
3.	The comma seems to be an error.

28. One helps to inspire improbable test match run-chase, he’s dropping awkward catch and somehow losing The Ashes (7)

1.	Grammar wrong in def. Verb "helps" in the senses intended is transitive. It needs to be "one helps one to…" or similar
2.	Wow!
3.	This is really a bit too contrived but it's so clever I have to give it some points!

29. Problem keeping bird at front of cage ?

1.	“At” is redundant
2.	Unfortunately 'at' is superfluous here.
3.	What is 'at' doing in the clue?

30. Processed muenster loses half its energy, but it sticks to your ribs

1.	Clever way to get rid of that awkward extra "e"

31. Rest treatment with drug briefly given for heart protection

1.	Wordplay grammar wring

32. Rib anchor turns 'em around

1.	Where’s the definition? Sternum’s not a rib.

34. Serves up skinned emus' and ures' tasteless hollow bone

1.	What's a ure?
2.	'Serves up' unfortunately doesn't work in the cryptic reading – 'Served up' would have been ok.

35. Seven-a-side's prop forward nuts me and runs off.

1.	in the def, having the adj. "forward" at the end is too jarring and misleading
2.	A nice idea but the definition is just a little too contrived for me.
3.	Quirky definition, stretching it a bit, with novel anagram fodder.

36. Skeletal component turns me loose

1.	Unlike the other 'turns me' clues, this one's surface reading doesn't make a lot of sense.

37. Skeletal fragment discovered in eastern Umbria

1.	Nothing wrong with this, but it's too easy to solve and not a prize-winning clue.
2.	good surface; effective "hidden".

39. Spymaster numbers helping to protect the centre?

1.	double duty not at all fair
2.	I'm afraid I can't bring myself to vote for these Guardian-style 'partial definitions'.

40. Stop hiding cracked urn one's tucked away in the chest

1.	Good use of ‘in the chest’

41. Tough skin behind bone (7)

1.	Most regard "skin" as a "delete both ends" indicator and not a "delete first letter" indicator. It's a shame as a great idea
2.	I think 'skin' could plausibly mean 'remove the first and last letters' but not just the first letter.

42. Turns me funny bone

1.	Clue tickled me funny bone, if not my sternum!

44. Unrest over money found in chest?

1.	anagrind?
2.	IMO, "over" doesn't work as a non-reversal anagram indicator.
3.	I can’t see how ‘over’ indicates an anagram
4.	Nearly very good but unfortunately lacks an anagram indicator for UNREST, and the definition is incomplete.

45. Western umpires pack a chest-protector

1.	Not &lit
2.	A less obvious hidden answer than the rest – this is quite good.

46. What chest x-ray reveals is grim: lump inside

1.	nice def, though I'm not a fan of "X inside" to mean "inside of X"
2.	For me, 'lump inside' cannot indicate UM (whereas 'lump's inside' could).
3.	Novel word play with well-disguised definition.
4.	Great surface but 'lump inside' looks dubious for UM: surely it's lump's inside'

47. What’s in chest? Nothing, a pirate found, leaving useless treasure map on it

1.	Good idea but I can't find "found" as past participle/adj meaning "moulded" – only "founded" in OED etc.
2.	This is nearly very good, but moulded = founded not found.
3.	'found' can mean 'mould' but not 'moulded', and 'Nothing' = O is too indirect for a complex composite anagram.

48. With ten rums drunk, a plate of insects is served up

1.	Definition too obscure.