The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC May competition voters’ comments
 
Clue no. 38: Stifling a cry of pain, heartless superhero clobbered one with punch

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A clue to POWERHOUSE.
2 comments refer to this clue (from 2 competitors, 0 others)
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Comments on the competition
1.
A good bunch this month.
1st (2.5 points) 39
2nd= (2 points each): 30, 52
4th= (1 point each): 9, 17, 19, 35, 38, 47, 49 (although this isn't an &lit. — 'a dynamo' is not part of the wordplay — it's a semi &lit.)
11th= (0.5 points each): 3 (the surface would have been true if the commas had been left out: as it is they don't help and reduce the Flamini-absence quality of the clue), 29, 41
2.
Some very interesting ideas. The anagram of "How's Europe" and variants were just too over-used and none of the clues especially stood out, so they did not quite make my shortlist. 4 and 6 were both interesting ideas, but I thought 4 was too hard to solve and should also be "partner's" in the surface reading, while I could not see what "then" was doing in 6.

My favourite clue was 30, which I gave 5 points. Although I think the addition of a "Maybe" at the beginning (British H of C only an example of LH) and perhaps the use of "Commons" rather than "MPs" would have made it even better, the simplicity and topicality of the idea made it stand out.

I also liked the simplicity of 52 as an &lit and the "story" behind 8. The remaining clues that got my votes were 39 and 9, ahead of the others on my shortlist (27, 28, 35, 38, 48) mostly because of the more natural surface reading.