CCCWC November competition voters’ comments
Clue no. 42: Upwardly mobile weight-lifter, one showing explosive movement
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A clue to Any Firework.
2 comments refer to this clue (from 2 competitors, 0 others)
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| Comments on the competition |
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| 1. |
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As a comparative newcomer to this competition, I do not feel qualified to denounce any entries, although I can say that I liked some more than others!
In view of the fact that we were given the task of providing a clue to any firework, I have discounted those whose definitions are, in my opinion, at odds with this requirement. Neither sausage 29, 36, nor rose/window 4, 34, are fireworks! Obviously sausage = banger = firework, and similarly rose window = Catherine wheel = firework, but it does not follow from these examples that sausage and rose window are fireworks. In my opinion, the same applies to an old crock 1.
I do not understand why 2 submitted two definitions. I found it difficult to produce just one.
Substituting OUR BILL for DAMAGE 14 is, in my opinion, pushing it!
I am not familiar with the lyric in 15. Sorry.
22 seems to suggest that bonfire = firework. That's news to me!
Perhaps the explanation for 26 is incomplete. anag NEWYORKFAIR = ANY FIREWORK, so the compiler has taken the instructions literally!
33's explanation baffled me until I realised that Kurt should read Kirk (Douglas).
I do not recall seeing R (from the 3 Rs)used before 38. As the other two are W and A, I am not sure this is valid. I wonder if anyone else has thoughts on this.
I think the explanation in 42 should have been edited; as it stands, it is incompatible with the clue.
I awarded points as follows:
13 5. 46 4. 433. 25 2. 17 1. |
| 2. |
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| When I entered the competition I had to decide which firework would make the most interesting clue, and then how to clue it and in particular how to define it. I enjoyed seeing how other competitors addressed these choices. In the end I decided the strongest clue would be one that defined the solution as a firework, and preferably a specific firework, rather than one of its alternative meanings ('banger','rocket', etc), but which avoided 'firework(s)' or anything too obvious as the definition. This was also the basis on which I judged the clues, and several otherwise OK ones (19,23,29,30,34,37,45) missed out on points for that reason. Happily there were enough clues that met my criteria, of which 8 was the outstanding example – good anagram indicator, excellent misleading definition, and coherent surface – and got top marks. I also liked 42 for tackling 'jumping jack' successfully and 43 for its topical-ish and misleading reference to the occasion. 35 got points on the strength of the definition (I guess it was the Tate Britain saloon), as did 7. And 11, 13 and 18 also worked well. 16 would have been a contender but for the spelling error ('firey' isn't in Chambers anyway and doesn't get past my spellchecker). 31 was nicely worded, but chose precisely the wrong firework for the definition 'don't pick it up'. |
