CCCWC June competition voters’ comments

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A clue to FAULT.
77 comments were received for this competition (from 11 competitors, 1 other)
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Comments on the competition
1.
Nice to see you're back and winning again, Robert I'm also most impressed, John, with your automatic system to remind people who have saved but not submitted. Tremendous service to the customer
2.
Thought in general that the selection was below the usual high standard this time. Nothing leaping out at me, and more than usual just confused me, with in some cases, neither clue nor exaplantion making much sense to me! (I accept this may be more down to me than the clues) I was going to try and steer clear of the ones obviously related tennis ones, but my favourite was 40 which does obviously touch on tennis, but it's a lovely concise effort which would make me smile if I came across it in a puzzle.

Comments on the clues

4. A service call?

Good CD.

6. At first free and unconditional, love takes little time to blemish (5)

1.	'Takes' looks like part of the acronym. Clumsy construction

8. Bad service from Basil, we hear, lacking Polly's finish.

1.	I don't think 'Basil' alone is a sufficent clue for FAWLTY.
2.	"Fawlty" really comes from the same root.
3.	Basil's name being a pun on 'faulty' reduces the clue's ingenuity
4.	Well worked clue. I liked this a lot…. and it made me smile

9. Broadsheet has a leading union lawsuit settled out of court?

1.	'has' being a weak indicator, lets this clue down a bit.
2.	excellent surface reading and "settled out of court" is superb
3.	I do like the idea here, but not happy with 'settled'. Faults are called when the ball lands, not settled?

10. Censure highfalutin translation. (No dear, not much used)

1.	This one is beyond me. Really cannot get from the clue to the answer.

11. Clipping court's centre line, fine ace close to what?

1.	A brave attempt at an &lit, perhaps somewhat over-engineered.
2.	A nicely constructed & lit.
3.	Fantastic one, but second to 36, I thought, in the confrontation of &-lits.
4.	Read it numerous times, and I'm afraid I just don't get this.

12. Clue discovered – turns into big problem

1.	'uncovered' would be a lot better
2.	Another well worked clue.
3.	'Uncovered' would have conveyed the setter's intention better

13. Court verdict on Riefenstahl's last bit of triumphalism worried heads of Universum Film Aktiengesellschaft

1.	Hopelessly innovative…
2.	Too wordy for comfort

14. Crack strike force ousts fool from leadership (5)

1.	It took a few reads to decide that I really like the clue but perhaps that is a good sign.
2.	Clever but very difficult. I don't think letters at the start of a word constitute 'leadership'

15. Cup with mostly-mature boob!

1.	"Mostly mature" would be ADUL(t), and not happy that "cup" is an adequate definition of FA
2.	Good spot about boob, but spoilt by the unclear indicator 'mostly'. Better handled by 7.
3.	I think 'cup' needs to be qualified

16. Damned character loses soul initially for the devil's finale in trap below ground

1.	A clever idea but the clue is too wordy

17. Error – flat unlet intermittently

1.	Not quite happy about surface reading

18. Even if he had kept in line and been without original sin, Faust would still have made such a dumb move.

1.	Too wordy
2.	21 words for a single letter substitution clue is OTT

19. Failing to 'eave into paper bag! (5)

1.	Made me smile and worth points but I am not sure that I would have cracked it!
2.	Bag is not playing any role in the wordplay. 'into' seems sufficient.

20. Failing voice is lost by start of spring

1.	This gives 'AULT' doesn't it?
2.	An interesting device, which I wouldn't consider too unfair. Merit for originality.

21. Failure before the end is nothing

1.	Simple and efficient.

25. Games organisers last month failing to meet expectations

1.	Like the topical reference and elements combined well in clue
2.	"Game organisers" would be more apt.
3.	Good idea, but I can't have 'games organisers' = FA

26. Half let off flatulence with flapping crack?

1.	Nice idea, but not sure about "half let off" in surface reading

27. Hatful could make me hot

1.	Where's the definition?
2.	Where's the definition?
3.	There's no definition (does that 'fault' make it & lit.?)
4.	I fail to see the definiton.
5.	Where's the anagram indicator? The subtraction indidcator? Where's the definition??

28. Inadequate tennis play is Federer's first, at last

1.	I do not think @ is a valid indicator for 'a'
2.	I don't think @=a any more than &=et
3.	Is A=@ a valid definition?
4.	@ is not a.

29. Miss Murray makes nothing in the end.

1.	My favourite clue this month

30. Mistake from Taufel unfortunately, and England's opener has to go

1.	Great spot about Taufel, but could have been constructed better. The removal indication's not exact and the 'and' is a needless padding.
2.	Nicely misleading.

31. Nibble that is essentially trefa, ultimately

1.	'Essentially' usually indicated the exact center of a character string.

32. Out of court blunder ? You can't be serious !

1.	The MacEnroe quote adds nothing to the clue though.

34. Problem experienced turning base into precious metal

1.	A superb clue with an immaculate substitution. Alchemy indeed!
2.	Interesting idea. I'm not quite sure about using "precious metal" for Au since it's a bit indirect; would have preferred simply "gold"
3.	Good misleading substitution clue

35. Rafa ultimately admits error on court.

1.	A little too easy to solve I feel

36. Result of foot crossing a centre-court line?

1.	I can't see 'crossing' in the sense of 'straddling'- apologies if I am wrong on that. Also a 'dodgy hyphen'I am told!
2.	Good idea. 'A court's centre line' would have made a better cryptic reading
3.	Delightful and perfect!

38. Roguish Artful Dodger finally leaves for San Andreas, perhaps.

1.	Excellent surface, but the definition is very obvious.

39. Seedy show off playing awful shot results in this

1.	Surface reading seems slightly clumsy, but nice comp anag; would prefer conditional for definition as "this"

40. Server error (5)

1.	Nice misleading definition; would have liked to have seen a cryptic indication combined with it
2.	Simple but works for me
3.	This looks like a straight definition to me
4.	an outstanding economical clue
5.	My favourite. A lovely, concise cryptic definition. Well done.

41. Slight offence caused by out of place flatulence? Not half!

1.	Very amusing and neatly done.
2.	The best of the flatulence clues! Never thought I would say that!

44. Spot large bears stripping mule

1.	I really like this clue and would smile having solved it.
2.	Very good one, but somehow I'd have preferred "stripped mule" to indicate 'UL'.

45. Spring gives start to female bug (5)

1.	A very neatly handled substitution.

46. That's from a futile shot?

1.	Surely ie is for that is (to say) not that's as belonging to!

49. Veers?

1.	Clues are meant to be solved. This is impossible!
2.	How does 'fault' come into the picture? Pretty indirect…

51. What (at the very least!) Blatter was at – and half of FIFA – last month

1.	A very neat topical reference – which, I think, would have worked fine with the (at the very least!).
2.	Topical and clearly from the heart