| Comments on the clues |
|---|
| 1. _Fargo: the Director's Cut_ loses the plot of famous crime movie (9) |
| 1. | Not sure why you didn't use "italics". Director's Cut for D seems a bit of a stretch to me. | | 2. | Potentially more interesting were there an actual problematic Director's Cut |
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| 2. Allah Almighty! Obese woman's in picture! |
| 1. | Picture too wide as definition, in my view. | | 2. | Never mind the fat-shaming. 'In' only works as a link word if it precedes wordplay. The proof of the pudding (def) is IN the eating (wp). | | 3. | Neat, but the blasphemy and fat-shaming feels a bit awkward |
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| 3. Arranging Hallelujah’s intro, forget da capo |
| 1. | Very nice. | | 2. | A bit clunky. |
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| 4. Assemble around regularly good force, an influential leader |
| 1. | The surface’d read well if ‘regularly’ were put at the front of the clue. | | 2. | Regularly good force? |
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| 5. Capo of goodfellas with title essentially for head criminal? |
| 1. | Nearly very good. Not quite smooth enough… |
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| 6. 'Changing of the Guard' rejects universal sponsor |
| 1. | 'Changing of the Guard' very smooth – enough to forgive the slightly wide definition. Great. | | 2. | Grammatically sound at least… |
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| 7. Creator’s original Torah with notes |
| 1. | Create not a fair synonym, nor notes representing DEFG (why not ABC?) | | 2. | Is creator a good synonym for godfather? | | 3. | I would like to at least have a hint as to which notes? |
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| 8. Criminal family's first head, grimly taking on rival leaders (9) |
| 1. | Good, but that "first" spoils it for me. |
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| 9. Criminal gang’s leader with a regular trend for hiding horse’s head? |
| 1. | I enjoyed this one. | | 2. | Regular trend? |
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| 10. Death of naked ogre baffled the mafia boss |
| 1. | It would, wouldn't it. Too bizarre for me. |
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| 11. Don Giovanni’s principal character…hated for fooling around? |
| 1. | Quite superb, a minimal definition with a lovely misleading subsidiary. No justice if it's not up there. | | 2. | Great idea – marked down slightly for pointless ellipsis and QM | | 3. | Good clue. Nice to have some different subject matter. | | 4. | I don't think you need the dots… it works fine without them. |
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| 12. Don golf dress, head for tee (9) |
| 1. | Neat, but your fodder can't be the object of an imperative dress with a comma in the way | | 2. | Great clue. | | 3. | Simple, original, misleading surface. 5 points. |
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| 13. Don King on high before cure |
| 1. | Disappointing that the surface has nothing to do with boxing promotion or Don King | | 2. | King on high for GOD, Cure for FATHER – both a bit of a stretch | | 3. | Neat. Would be better if he was known for his drug use or rehab attendance? |
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| 14. Don revered one rich, hot queen |
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| 15. Don's monstrous fart he'd crack by way of introduction |
| 1. | Thanks: "Doubtless…" made me laugh. | | 2. | Maybe I'm too old for lavatorial jokes. Slightly forced construction, too. | | 3. | Merit just for audacity. |
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| 16. Faith I lost in deity returned on sponsor taking his vow (9) |
| 1. | An uplifting clue well handled. |
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| 17. For the baby I will stand by Jove |
| 1. | Jove doesn't cut the mustard as a definition. |
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| 18. Frog death? Plastic film! |
| 1. | Film is too wide in the absence of an &lit. | | 2. | Bonkers. But I will probably remember this clue long after the others have faded… |
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| 19. Gangster Grandpa had too many drugs |
| 1. | Lovely smooth surface. Made me laugh. And that's a head start for any clue. Well done! | | 2. | Grandpa not the same as G FATHER for me. |
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| 20. Get a dead horse's head for maddening him? |
| 1. | Nice one. I'm going to offer you some points that you can't refuse! | | 2. | Well constructed. Well done. | | 3. | Very nice. Best of the mafia clues. |
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| 21. Get round poor Dom; transitioning means she can't have this role |
| 1. | Too convoluted. | | 2. | Clues to clues? Far too meta for me. |
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| 22. Gosh! Priest could be new dad. |
| 1. | Could be new dad is a stretch for a definition. | | 2. | Definition too strained. |
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| 23. Haakon VII to King Charles: "Changing of the Guard not suitable for all" |
| 1. | I like Changing of the Guard but the rest is too obscure for me. Not suitable for all has no film reference. | | 2. | Well done for getting Haakon VII into any clue. |
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| 24. He got far and finally became the boss (9) |
| 1. | You must be able to defend a device in and of itself. Some dreadful clues have seen publication. | | 2. | Became is just fine as an anagrind, no need for all the detailed justification. Beautiful smooth surface. Well done. | | 3. | Nice surface, but I'm not comfortable with "became" despite its usage elsewhere. |
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| 26. Heavyweight with heart of gold got disheartened then hammered |
| 1. | Heavyweight not a fair definition. |
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| 27. He's involved in name-calling when dirty hog farted? |
| 1. | Inconsistency of verbs' tenses | | 2. | Godfathers aren't involved in choosing names, as far as I know. | | 3. | Unusual surface. When is struggling to link wordplay here. |
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| 28. Key christening participant starts grimacing at dearth of refinement |
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| 29. Last of ad breaks from parting rally sponsor (9) |
| 1. | Tough clue, nice surface. |
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| 30. Leader of gang hated for evil? (9) |
| 1. | I'm not convinced evil works as an anagrind. | | 2. | Same material handled better by 32 |
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| 31. Leader of gangsters, arranging for death? |
| 1. | It almost works as a surface, pretty good. | | 2. | Good &lit, beaten by some more interesting clues. |
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| 32. Leader of group hated for corruption |
| 1. | Nounal anagram indicators are not normally accepted since 'corruption 'of' would be grammatically required | | 2. | Best of the leaders | | 3. | Good &lit. | | 4. | Simple and effective |
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| 33. Leader of the drag races |
| 1. | Leader too wide. Races not a good anagrind. | | 2. | Neat, but beaten by some more interesting clues. |
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| 34. Leading exponent forged that fake with time to spare |
| 1. | Surface doesn't manage to convey the intended story in a natural way. |
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| 36. Mafia boss getting pop idol to trade places, will sponsor a child. |
| 1. | 'pop idol' a very nice idea – I can't see why two definitions are needed | | 2. | An odd tale is being told here. |
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| 37. Mafia don shattered her good faith, rubbing out ultimate inamorato (hot Italian!) |
| 1. | Unconvincing surface awkwardly worded. |
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| 38. Man at the christening is a criminal boss ( 9 ) |
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| 40. Pan, perhaps, gross female influencer |
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| 42. Patron of Rada perhaps ? (9) |
| 1. | Not 100% convinced by the definition but I like this a lot | | 2. | Perhaps Ra da, but not Rada surely? |
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| 43. Patron’s (not mostly aged) extraordinary heart of gold (9) |
| 1. | Not mostly is a bit too clumsy | | 2. | Not mostly aged – too awkward |
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| 44. Perhaps this crime boss shies from horse's head gift. |
| 1. | Brilliant composite anagram. Brilliantly relevant. Podium. | | 2. | Good clue spoilt by lack of anagrind |
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| 45. Run down on inventor of film |
| 1. | Smooth surface, but beaten by more interesting clues |
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| 46. Shadow around hotel after changing sponsor (9) |
| 1. | Not sure what surface is trying to say? |
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| 47. Someone like Vito, half-taught, with a fancy fedora (9) |
| 1. | Well constructed. Nice. | | 2. | A good effort spoiled a bit by the ungainly "half-taught" |
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| 48. Sponsor of drinks first to dance in club |
| 1. | Neatly constructed, but beaten by clues with more interesting surfaces. |
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| 50. Who could make the little daughter go far? Her sponsor? |
| 1. | Love the unforced surface! | | 2. | Where's the T? |
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