CCCWC February competition voters’ comments on Clue no. 60

CCCWC February competition voters’ comments

Clue no. 60: Who is the man with odd role in hit novels? (8)

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A clue to SHERLOCK.
4 comments refer to this clue (from 4 competitors, 0 others)
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Comments on the clue

1.	Not sure how 'novels' plays a role in the cryptic. Definition also looks a tad inadequate.
2.	I don't think the definition is adequate.
3.	What part does novels play in this?

Comments on the competition
1.
I'm listing those clues I threw straight out on the first reading and giving the reasons why. It's intended to be helpful. If you're new to the competition, don't let it put you off entering again. Although being criticised isn't pleasant it beats never seeing your clues get anywhere. And these are only my opinions; if clues in the top ten display the same features, I’m in error, not you. And I also may well have missed something, if you’ve been devious enough. 10 ‘Clouseau’ isn’t a definition to me, it’s an example and needs a ‘perhaps’ or a 'possibly’. (And I know there are those who don't agree) 13 ‘R’ doesn’t equal ‘red’ in Chambers, Collins or XWD – ‘head of red’ would be OK 14 An empty shack would be ‘sk’ 28 ‘An actor’ doesn’t seem enough to indicate ‘Sher’. A bit more help to the solver is needed, I feel. 30 That sher = tiger in Hindi/Urdu is not in Chambers nor widely known . Sher Khan was to me merely a name like Kimball O’Hara. ‘Kipling’s tiger’ would do if you could indicate the loss of ‘Khan’ somehow 34 To give just a definition (and a cryptic one at that) of words you want to be anagrammed isn’t fair to the solver. The letters should be in front of the solver, although latitude is given for abbreviations well-known cruciverbally. 36 If money = p it also = S (schillings), s (shillings), R (rupees or rand), L (lire or pounds), c (cents) and K (Krona or Krone or Kwatchi). ‘Piano’, perhaps? 39 'Ellery' (even with ‘Queen’ in the letterplay to give a hint) isn’t adequate as a definition. Would you accept 'Nero' or 'Gideon' if you had them in a clue to solve? 41 ‘In the toilet’ doesn’t suggest an anagram to me 42 RLS is perhaps OK for Robert Louis Stevenson – I can’t accept just RL 50 I like a clue to have letterplay as well as a definition. 51 Shylock was grasping, ruthless and ruthless, yes, but jealous? 52 I can’t make sense of the surface reading. 56 Erle Stanley Gardner really isn’t currently prominent enough to take just his first name and use it for a homophone. 58 I like a clue to have letterplay as well as a definition 60 ‘Who is’ and ‘novels’ are superfluous to the letterplay. And ‘novels’ to the definition.

Comments on the competition

I'm listing those clues I threw straight out on the first reading and giving the reasons why. It's intended to be helpful. If you're new to the competition, don't let it put you off entering again. Although being criticised isn't pleasant it beats never seeing your clues get anywhere.
And these are only my opinions; if clues in the top ten display the same features, I’m in error, not you. And I also may well have missed something, if you’ve been devious enough.

10 ‘Clouseau’ isn’t a definition to me, it’s an example and needs a ‘perhaps’ or a 'possibly’. (And I know there are those who don't agree)
13 ‘R’ doesn’t equal ‘red’ in Chambers, Collins or XWD – ‘head of red’ would be OK
14 An empty shack would be ‘sk’
28 ‘An actor’ doesn’t seem enough to indicate ‘Sher’. A bit more help to the solver is needed, I feel.
30 That sher = tiger in Hindi/Urdu is not in Chambers nor widely known . Sher Khan was to me merely a name like Kimball O’Hara. ‘Kipling’s tiger’ would do if you could indicate the loss of ‘Khan’ somehow
34 To give just a definition (and a cryptic one at that) of words you want to be anagrammed isn’t fair to the solver. The letters should be in front of the solver, although latitude is given for abbreviations well-known cruciverbally.
36 If money = p it also = S (schillings), s (shillings), R (rupees or rand), L (lire or pounds), c (cents) and K (Krona or Krone or Kwatchi). ‘Piano’, perhaps?
39 'Ellery' (even with ‘Queen’ in the letterplay to give a hint) isn’t adequate as a definition. Would you accept 'Nero' or 'Gideon' if you had them in a clue to solve?
41 ‘In the toilet’ doesn’t suggest an anagram to me
42 RLS is perhaps OK for Robert Louis Stevenson – I can’t accept just RL
50 I like a clue to have letterplay as well as a definition.
51 Shylock was grasping, ruthless and ruthless, yes, but jealous?
52 I can’t make sense of the surface reading.
56 Erle Stanley Gardner really isn’t currently prominent enough to take just his first name and use it for a homophone.
58 I like a clue to have letterplay as well as a definition
60 ‘Who is’ and ‘novels’ are superfluous to the letterplay. And ‘novels’ to the definition.

CCCWC February competition voters’ comments Clue no. 60: Who is the man with odd role in hit novels? (8)

CCCWC February competition voters’ comments

Clue no. 60: Who is the man with odd role in hit novels? (8)