CCCWC March competition voters’ comments
Clue no. 5: Afternoon and evening peak fare period
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A clue to DINNER-TIME.
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| Comments on the competition |
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| 1. |
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| a) Reading through the clues, I have the impression that DINNER-TIME proved a tougher challenge than might have been expected. I think there are a few near-misses, but no clue which works on all levels. This has made it difficult to fix the order for my chosen five. However:- First place, 5 points, to clue 2. The surface sense isn't perfect, and the capital letter is awkward, but 'lapses' is very nice and 'announcement of a gong?' is probably the best definition among the 48 clues. Second place, 4 points, I award to clue 44. Probably the best use of 'indeterminate', but a rather stretched definition (as so often with &lits.) and regrettable anacoluthon. In third place, for 3 points, I put clue 21. I'm not very keen on composite anagrams, but 'Rennie' is entertaining in the context of 'dodgy naan'. Anacoluthon again, I'm afraid. In fourth place, for 2 points, I put clue 10. This dares to be different, but 'with' is awkward, the spelling of 'interne' is a give-away and the definition is weak - better for DINNER than DINNER-TIME. One point for fifth place to clue 5; 'peak fare period' is very good, and I wonder whether 'Afternoon and...' could simply have been omitted. I hope this doesn't seem too churlish; there are some fine ideas in these clues, but, in my opinion, none of them fully comes off. |
| 2. |
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i) I thought this a disappointing collection - not so much in terms of unsoundness, more because of too many contrived anagrams and so clues that read clunkingly artificially. No doubt a student of social mores would find aspects of the entries to be of interest, given that some of the clues presuppose a midday meal while other contestants clearly eat dinner in the evening, or at least presume that others do so. My favourites were those that either attempted an &lit or found a misleading surface (usually gong-related; more for the sociologists?) My favourites (top to bottom) were
#19 "Fast" perhaps suggests a longer wait than is likely, end "entire mind" reads strangely, but the misleading definition is neatly sneaked in before you're aware of it, and even then needs some thought to clarify where it ends and the wordplay begins.
#4 Another clever construction. Turning the clue into a question is an attractive way of avoiding having to find a clumsy synonym for "time".
#9 "Order of Merit" is admirable. The weakness (and the reason why I didn't rank this higher) lies in "surely", needed for the surface but not the definition. Why not "a gong might..." or similar?
#5 I'm not sure about "peak" but I like the idea involved.
#2 The ? makes the gong much more acceptable. But however superficially attractive the surface is, in the end it's hard to see much sense in it. Elevation to the Lords, maybe, but an award? |
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k) 4 pts to no. 39 (nicely coherent surface). 4 pts to no. 19 (likewise, good misdirection). 3 pts to no. 5 (clever alternative way of providing the def.). 3 pts to no. 4. 1 pt to no. 44 (my favourite of the 'indeterminates'). 1 pt to no. 34 (had potential but phrasing felt under-honed).
Several seemed to be cluing "dinner" (the meal), rather than "dinner time" (the moment scheduled for it). Some strained anags. One clue which was very similar to my own, I disregarded for fairness' sake. Special mention (but not points) to no. 45, whose explanation made me go "ouch!" |
