| Comments on the competition |
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| 1. |
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| I couldn't see any outstanding clue but thought there were several reasonable efforts. Of the several 'hiddens', I felt 35 was the most effective and awarded it 5 points. Both 6 and 7 used the E(CO)NOMY anagram quite effectively, my slight preference for 6 reflecting the awkwardness of 'initially lacking' in 7. With hindsight, I wonder whether something like 'Care of __ supply could sort economy' works even better. I gave 2 points to 24 for the neat use of 'pulling rank', perhaps the best example of a definition for CLASS. I've also given 1 point to clue 41 but don't understand why 'irregularly' was chosen. 'regularly' would both improve the surface – a ref. to supposed Yorkshire meanness – and be more in accordance with standard wordplay. I would have given it 5 points with this alteration. |
| 2. |
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If 3 had included an apostrophe, (bees'), then perhaps the English would be fairer to the solver but it wouldn't make any sense, so I gave it no marks.
4 is described "& lit", but I don't agree.
I thought 11 used unnecessary words to include FORM. It did not read as a conventional clue to MONEY.
The first part of 13 is clever, but I don't understand "netting low returns".
Japanese ——— 19 does not necessarily indicate YEN, it could be anything!
23 lacks a definition for MONEY.
I don't understand 25, ("certainty – indispensible,", does not indicate anything to me, sorry!)also "social rank" for CLASS is two words, which disqualifies it.
My marking was as follows:
24 5
29 4
34 3
30 2
6 1 |
| 3. |
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| A hard challenge with anags of economy minus co and hiddens using Form One standing out as the best ideas. For me, 6 wins by a mile. |
| 4. |
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| Not so much variety this month as in previous comps, but the word and clue format didn't really allow it. Everyone seems to have grasped the 'wrong number' requirements. I liked the 'form one' hidden word clues 9, 14 and 35, and 37's St Edward was original – someone knows their medieval history. Top marks to 6 though – very fluent surface and neat compound anagram. 2 is also a good clue, but I can't see how cover = class. Hope I haven't missed something obvious. |
| 5. |
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| I thought 6 and 47 were the best clues, although almost identical even in the explanation. I couldn't decide on a winner so 3 points each. I also liked 1 18 and 34 awarding them 2 points. |
| 6. |
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1st (4 pts) 6 — simple and very elegant
2nd (3 pts) 9 — the best of the hidden clues that used this idea
3rd (2 pts) 13 — not sure about first=one, otherwise good
4th= (1 pt each) 8, 14, 24 ('Means' has a tacked-on look), 37 (would prefer the fact that 'St' and 'Ed' leave different parts of 'most needy' to be signposted), 40 (not sure about 'last of' applying to two words), 49 (the 'o is a bit artificial, despite its use in high circles) |
| 7. |
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| Not very good this month. Could not find enough to allocate all the points even! |
| 8. |
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| A lot of similar clues (including some very like my own). Quite a good mix, including the usual over-long clues and over-long explanations … if it takes that long to clue or to explain, you have probably lost most solvers' attention. |
| 9. |
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What is hard about composing these (curiously-named in the context of a single clue!) "Wrong Number" clues is to find a way of including the synonym of the subordinate clue-word that not only plays a valid role in the clue for the primary clue-word, but which would be entirely convincing in that role even if there were no requirement for a definition of the secondary clue-word. Most of the entries (including mine, I have to admit) fail to surmount this hurdle really satisfactorily. In 18, for instance, although the word “rank” arguably plays a valid role, the clue would be perfectly satisfactory as a clue for MONEY (and indeed a good clue with one of the more convincing surfaces) without it. The best solutions to this problem were perhaps those that used “in order” or “form of” as an a.i. Of the clues that were sound in this and other respects, very few had really convincing surfaces
5 points:
6 A succinct comp. anag. &lit with an excellent surface. To my mind, head and shoulders above all other entries.
2.5 points each:
9 A neat hidden, but “form one” would have benefitted from initial capitals.
47 A very similar approach to 6, but the use of “Columbia” to get the required CO makes for a much weaker surface.
1.5 points each
15 The use of “grand” to define “class” was a good idea. The “perhaps?” is required to make the definition sound, but, unfortunately, weakens the surface quite considerably.
26 Admirably succinct, but “form of” following rather than preceding the letters to be anagrammed is a little strained.
0.5 point each:
18 See above.
24 Sound wordplay, but a rather artificial surface.
35 The “some” device is a bit stale (and, arguably, not entirely sound, since “some of” is what is really required to convey the required sense).
42 Succinct and sound, but a rather feeble surface – the “Don Bogen” stuff would have been totally unconvincing even if I had heard of Bogen and his book. |
