CCCWC March competition voters’ comments

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A clue to PANDEMIC.
83 comments were received for this competition (from 9 competitors, 1 other)
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Comments on the competition
1.
There were rather too many DEMs and MEDs inside PANIC.
2.
Too many imprecise or incomplete definitions for me that do not distinguish between 'pandemic and 'epidemic' which both share the same number of letters; or simply just fall short of a fair (to solvers) definition (e.g. 'widespread', 'common','global' when standing alone). This notwithstanding, there remain some real gems.

Comments on the clues

1. After killing of a doctor panic made widespread (8)

1.	Perhaps more interesting if the clue referred to the "death" of the Wuhan doctor at the start of the pandemic.
2.	Unfortunately the syntax sounds unnatural

2. After making ends meet, paid to get into cinema complex to see 'Black Death', for example.

1.	A good effort at something different, but the surface is struggling to tell a meaningful story.

3. Alarm about recalled medicine for Covid perhaps (8)

1.	Simple and convincing.

5. An epic onset of disease virulently engulfing millions (8)

1.	Good try. "epic onset" is too awkward for me.
2.	Good effort, but the pandemic is the disease, not it's onset
3.	Splendid clue. A very unforced &lit. Took silver for me.

6. Campaigned vigorously for banning silver across the world (8)

1.	for?
2.	Does "for" need to be ignored for the clue to work? Is there such a campaign?
3.	'to ban' would work better than 'for banning'

7. Caught by people, initially made in bats?

1.	I really enjoyed this construction. I wouldn't naturally say people caught a pandemic, but the dictionary allows it.

8. Common criminal decamping after killing girl (8)

1.	How about we don't have clues about killing girls?
2.	G for girl isn't in Chambers as an abbreviation, although it should be! Nice smooth surface

9. Common scan has medic excited

1.	But why is this medic so excited if the scan is so common?

10. Covid-19 hysteria has Lib hiding inside

1.	Sounds like a Trump tweet. Not bad, as long as you promise it's satire.

11. Criticise doctor confusing Germany and Malta in health emergency

1.	An attempt at something different, but surface is a bit random? Has this ever happened?
2.	Surface seems unlikely!

12. Criticise France's half-measure at first sign of cholera causing widespread illness

1.	I quite liked this apart from "causing". Surely a failure to act would "lead to" say rather than "cause"?

13. Criticise heads of dangerous explorative medicine in China for widespread disease

1.	"dangerous explorative medicine" – too awkward for me.

14. Damn! Epic failure led to universal spread of disease (8)

1.	Same material handled more interestingly by 22
2.	Damn! Epic failure – very good spot

15. Democrat caught up in sudden dread of international malaise

1.	Okay, but too general to be particularly interesting.

16. Devastatingly affecting Everything Everywhere All at Once is strangely named pic

1.	Nice idea, would have been better without first two words
2.	A good try. 22 does better.

17. Doctor camped in, the time we needed her most

1.	Spoiled by the comma. Is it a typo?

18. Doctor taken aback, gripped by fear of Spanish Flu during World War I?

1.	"taken aback" is unhelpful to the surface I think.

19. Drug sent back amidst confusion during widespread emergency (8)

1.	I can't see how "during" fits into the wordplay?

20. Epic mass outbreak, also spreading

1.	A nice try, but a bit clunky?

21. Essentially RuPaul minced all over the place causing widespread complaint (8)

1.	RuPaul does not mince. RuPaul sashays.
2.	This strikes me as unkind.

22. Everything Everywhere All at Once: Damn! Epic!

1.	Anagram indicator?
2.	I like this. Certainly the only use of "epic" that worked for me.
3.	No anagrind
4.	interesting idea – but where is the anagram indicator?

23. Fear about rising sea is global concern

1.	Very convincing surface, and nice to see something different.
2.	Good relevant surface

24. French bread from premium deli fantastic, ultimately becoming widespread

1.	Surely the french for bread is "pain"?
2.	French bread is pain, Spanish and Japanese bread is pan.

26. Greek god (evil, loveless and nameless) creates widespread disorder

1.	A bit too random?

27. Heading to pub and I'm there ultimately to get drunk on cold Corona"

Typo?

29. Illness everywhere, every now and then "I'm dead!" coming back amidst great terror

1.	But what does the surface mean?

30. Incorrect bit of information about such a disease, can result in media panic

1.	I struggle to like comp. anagrams, but this works very well.

31. Initially, pangolins and mice spread global disease

1.	Good, but beaten by some more interesting clues.
2.	Wasn't it bats?
3.	Very good – but preferred 41 in the &lit construction. Podium finish.

32. It affects many camped in wild

1.	Succinct, but not terribly interesting
2.	I'm not sure that's true, but a nice clue

33. It brings fear about WHO focus back

1.	Who focus: too awkward for me.

34. Masked up without question in alarm for its outbreak is global (8)

1.	Don't you need the order to be: masked without question up

35. Medical plan — all to do with ——— ?

1.	Very neat, but less entertaining than some others for me.
2.	Very Don-Manley-esque, in a good way

36. Organize camp in case of dengue or Covid-19, say (8)

1.	A good effort.

37. Overwhelming by and large, spread of simple microbe

1.	Clever.
2.	Entertaining effort. I will be interested to see what others think.

38. Perhaps, camping outside regularly does no good in times like these? (8)

1.	Probably does though?

39. Plague's origin perhaps made in China initially (8)

1.	The clue as a whole, or even "plague's origin" alone, doesn't really define "pandemic"
2.	I nearly liked this. The plague could be "made", but the plague's origin would "occur" I think?

40. Pressure for old comedian to travel worldwide

1.	Nice to have something other than disease clues.
2.	Very smooth letter swap

41. Propagated initially by mice and bats! (8)

1.	Nice, but 7 does better with the same material.
2.	Brilliant clue. Simple language. Lovely surface reading. Top marks!

42. Quietly, CIA men adjusted lead to diplomat's concealed bug (8)

1.	Good effort at something different. Not very hi tech this bug then?
2.	That bug's not very concealed if it has a lead

43. Rampant cases of COVID infection are paradigm

1.	Relies a bit too much for me on the awkward "paradigm"
2.	Clue reads well up to the final word

44. Rampant spread pained millions with onset of Covid-19

1.	"pained" spoils the surface for me.

47. Serious virus problem with PC made in funny way (8)

1.	Does the wordplay need: PC made in in funny way?
2.	Good clue let down by the anagram indicator

48. State of terror about dead European millions in worldwide disease

1.	A bit bleak, but sound at least.

49. Stunning maiden in computer has gone viral (8)

1.	What might this mean?

50. This God is a democrat I see, causing worldwide disease.

1.	Really? Perhaps some separation of church and state might help here.

51. Universal Studios’ centrepiece has me weirdly consumed by fear

1.	A good try, but "centrepiece" and "weirdly" are just too awkward.

52. Voldemort's heart-rending terror outbreak

1.	Too awkward, and heart-rending not quite the same as heart rending for me.

53. Widespread alarm about sea rising

1.	Good, but beaten by 23 the other rising sea clue for me
2.	My top pick, nice clue

54. Widespread alarm, confining more than half of the people

1.	Well done for finding an interesting way of getting DEM.

55. Widespread disease killing residents with millions enveloped by fear (8)

1.	Nicely constructed, but "residents" harms the surface for me.

56. Widespread, epic and involving millions! (8)

1.	This is quite good, but "epic" just doesn't work for me in this context.

57. Widespread hysteria gripping Delaware, mainly, initially

1.	Don't start with a W unless it's brilliant. I get tired by the time I reach the W's…

58. Widespread hysteria surrounding Trump opponent

1.	OK, but the surface is a bit too general to capture my interest.
2.	The best of the DEM inside PANIC clues because such a good surface.