CCCWC September competition voters’ comments

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A clue to CHARLES THE THIRD.
35 comments were received for this competition (from 12 competitors, 2 others)

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Comments on the competition
1.
15 letters offer potential, at least, for many whole or part anagrams. But for my points there has to be a plausible surface story disguising the wordplay (anagram or not) and quite a few failed at this first hurdle. With the more cryptic definitions, there is also a need to take into account that other 7 letter kings might also fit the definition (e.g. William III, Richard III). As ever, there were enough gems to be found.

Comments on the competition

15 letters offer potential, at least, for many whole or part anagrams. But for my points there has to be a plausible surface story disguising the wordplay (anagram or not) and quite a few failed at this first hurdle. With the more cryptic definitions, there is also a need to take into account that other 7 letter kings might also fit the definition (e.g. William III, Richard III). As ever, there were enough gems to be found.

Comments on the clues

1. An odd job in case His Excellency, with poor class, has had to wait a long time

1.	A "char" may do odd jobs but isn't an odd job

2. CHARLES THE THIRD Successor regularly tired, confounded with ill-health and uncertain riches (7,3,5)

1.	kind of you to include the answer in the clue!

4. Controversial husband (twice!), duke, heir, and latest, CR

1.	Well constructed!

12. Funnily, old Thatcher's "heir" has no love for royalty (7,3,5)

1.	Topical and different.

15. He just had to wait for his mother to go before serving us

1.	The best of the CD's, amusing, if not a tad irreverent. A big grin and points from me.

18. Heraldeth Christ new King

1.	Points here, but 'Heraldeth' is not in Chambers (as far as I can see). Good effort!

23. King, Caliph, Ayatollah, Emperor and Rajah – all empty titles having died out

1.	Points for optimism, I wish it were true!

24. King held this charter to reform

1.	Neat and accurate, points from me.

25. King primarily closes homes and runs lest he's chased by cardinal

1.	Oops, ordinal
2.	Could be CHARLES THE FIRST or even FIFTH, SIXTH, NINTH, or TENTH looking abroad or, god help us, to the future.
3.	Almost very good – but "third" is an ordinal.

29. Monarch's threats re child? Off with her head!

1.	Very nice use of 'off with her head'

32. Not Dickens, not Darwin, but Windsor?

1.	Original and certainly cryptic.

33. Our new head musician, Ray, perhaps with male tenor before interval

1.	Different and original.

34. Redesign this charter held by the new monarch (7,3,5 )

1.	spoiled by 'BY'

35. Reformed decretalist with princely title he initially held—and having recently succeeded he's got an even fancier one! (7, 3, 5)

1.	HRH indirect anagram fodder

36. Replacing ER, that's her child!

1.	Very good, surely this has to be up there.
2.	I would prefer it without the exclamation mark – still, a wonderful clue.
3.	Admirably succinct and accurate
4.	Nice spot; super &lit
5.	Unsound: 'replace' is not an intransitive verb so the anagrind doesn't work. "Who's replaced ER? That's her child!" would have been OK

39. Royal chart held his central place in history with ER gone.

1.	Good anagram indicator.

40. Strange? Him? Hardly! He'd regularly chat with trees!

1.	Hmm seems a bit contradictory?
2.	Certainly original and challenging.

41. Thatcher relished playfully striking ER’s head for her son

1.	I find ER's head a bit clunky, when Elizabeth would have worked better

43. The artist formerly known as Prince?

1.	I'm not sure how sound this clue is, but very amusing & clever. Points here. The use of "?" just elevates it above an almost identical clue.
2.	Good spot
3.	Very good – slightly prefer the version with the QM

44. The artist formerly known as Prince (7,3,5)

1.	The employment of a question mark would have done it for me. Still, very clever & points here.
2.	Good spot
3.	Very good although slight preference for the other version with the QM

45. The child's rather decrepit for a new monarch

1.	Best clue in my opinion, smooth and funny
2.	I'm sorry I'm forced to give this only a merit. It's a beautiful clue — except that it illegally uses "the" as anagram fodder for "the".

47. What is a new monarch

1.	Made me smile, but I couldn't imagine ever solving this in practice!