CCCWC November competition voters’ comments

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A clue to DEGRINGOLADE.
81 comments were received for this competition (from 9 competitors, 1 other)
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Comments on the competition
1.
Very few candidates vied for the medals. Aside from the various flaws as noted in comments, I felt there were too many unfinished ideas and too few sparklers.

Comments on the clues

1. A real dive gangsters opened in boozy Geordieland

1.	While boozy = drunken, I don't think the former could be an anagram indicator.

2. Aggravated groin and dead leg cause rapid deterioration

1.	Aggravated for an anagram indicator?
2.	Interesting, hence "merit". Would have given more but for the "and" in the anagram

3. Between the beginning of December, say, and Yuletide’s end, Drummer Boy's destined to go down like a bomb

1.	Eighteen words. This is too long, for me.

4. Dangle off ridge precariously then drop noisily in sudden fall

1.	I would associate FF with loudly rather than noisily.
2.	Not sure how "then" fits with the grammar of the clue

5. Dangle over ridge after suffering a sudden fall

1.	I'm struggling a bit with ridge being an elevated point AND the end point of a fall – from a helicopter? But the clue works.

6. Degrade lingo badly, resulting in swift decline in French to begin with.

1.	Degrade & lingo are too close to degringolade in letter arrangement, I feel. A synonym for degrade around 'lingo badly', perhaps?

7. Degrade, lingo for France's quick credit-rating breakdown?

1.	Degrade & lingo are too close to degringolade in letter arrangement, I feel. A synonym for degrade around 'lingo badly', perhaps?

8. 'Deteriorate', put in another lingo (12)

1.	Deteriorate verb. Degringolade noun. Degringoler verb.
2.	Good & lit. idea, but 'another' isn't the best choice of anagram indicator
3.	Best of the bunch in my opinion

9. Deterioration in extremely decaying orange I'd left half rotting

1.	While I get the wordplay, I'm not keen on 'extremely decaying' in the surface. Nor on 'left half' in the wordplay as 'half of left'.
2.	This is good but for the usage of extremely decaying.

10. Dogger in deal to obfuscate sudden downfall.

1.	Obfuscate is not intransitive, so not strictly accurate in the wordplay, only in the surface.

11. Double Diamond works wonders with George in L.A. dive

1.	In Ch., D = Diamonds, not Diamond.
2.	Does Double diamond abbreviate to DD?
3.	Nice to see that old slogan again and DD is neat, but "wonders" is in fact redundant in the wordplay.

12. Dreading Lego construction's collapse

1.	A clever and original anagram; I have no problem with 'construction' as anagrind.
2.	I believe that nouns are generally not accepted as anagram indicators.
3.	The noun anagram indicator lets this one down (why not 'building'?). Otherwise very good.
4.	Nice idea, but not sure of the nounal anagrind

13. Fall Collection in Paris?

1.	A D. seems to be a fall rather than some falls.
2.	Nicely misleading but I can't find any definition of degrongolade that suggests it's a series of falls

14. Fall sees leaves orange and seeds glide all over the place

1.	SEES is not in ORANGE & SEEDS GLIDE, but SEE and S are, or SEES*.
2.	Original anagram idea, nicely constructed
3.	Beautiful imagery, but can orange be a verb?
4.	Only the definition spoils this otherwise neat & original clue. "Fall" on its own is not specific enough, I think.

15. Finally the ladder going astray causes this

1.	Yes! A proper clue. Astray isn't quite right, though, I feel.
2.	"Finally the" for 'e' is a bit weak & "Finally" detracts from the surface. See 23 for how to achieve that 'e'!
3.	Nice try for an &lit, but not quite happy with the definition

16. From dangerous ridge, headlong loss of height?

1.	I don't see dangerous as an anagram indicator.
2.	'Dangerous' doesn't really indicate disorder.
3.	Can't bring myself to accept 'dangerous' as an anagram indicator, I'm afraid
4.	The &lit definition is not quite as accomplished as that in 23, but a very good clue.

17. Ginger ale spiked with odd rum going down rapidly!

1.	A backlash to the MOCKTAIL, presumably. A 'going down rapidly' may define a noun but it seems a tad unfair.
2.	Spiked seems to indicate that the 'odd' anagram should be within 'ginger ale'

18. Glider gone wrong without notice? Crash!

Smart.

19. God, Eden and a girl's diabolical fall

1.	Very clever and original reference to Genesis.
2.	Better than the 'god/garden/lie' idea I abandoned
3.	An excellent surface in an admirably economical clue, but "fall" on its own is not specific enough, I think.

20. God realigned breakdown! (12)

1.	This is missing either a def. or an anagram indicator, 'breakdown' can't be both
2.	Surface rather unconvincing.
3.	Very succinct! I'm not a fan of the anagram indicator serving as the definition too though I'm afraid.

21. Gold regained ground as Euro in freefall?(12)

1.	The topicality is a little forced, but it's a very good anagram idea
2.	Very good wordplay but I can't see "Euro in freefall" as an instance of "degringolade". The example would be the Euro not its fall.
3.	A very nice anagram & a.i., but the definition doesn't really work. A pity that it mars an excellent surface.

22. In old age suffering may come by degrees, ending with quicker ———?

1.	Clever construction but R = ending with quicker? I also suspect as a phrase this is too complex to be an &lit for a noun, but…

23. Ladder going awry's bound to end in one

1.	An expert &lit, probably the best of the 'ladder' clues.
2.	Very good & lit.
3.	A superbly neat and well-crafted &lit.
4.	Like idea for an &lit but definition a bit hard to see in a real crossword

25. Lecture's postponed about American Crash

1.	I think it's pronounced 'lard' not 'laid'
2.	I don't see Lecture's as a homophone indicator
3.	I think 'American' for 'gringo' is a bit unfair. The homophone indication seems a bit dodgy to me too.
4.	No homophone indicator

26. Quick deterioration of suspect odd ginger ale

1.	Surface a bit unconvincing.

27. Quickly drop England? E.g. Ringo, LA denizen exposed

1.	Not a natural enough surface for this idea to work, I feel.
2.	Nice try, but the surface is a bit weak
3.	well done
4.	Surface reading is a little confusing

29. Reckless, daring ego led to quick downfall

1.	Surface and linkword 'to' work against this clue.

30. Result of ladder going tumbling to earth?

1.	One of several excellent &lits. in this competition.
2.	That's it!
3.	Very nice & lit.
4.	The &lit definition is not quite as accomplished as that in 23, but a very good clue.
5.	Best of the ladder &lit clues, with a fairer definition and smoothest surface reading

31. Rid golden age thus perhaps?

1.	I can't convince myself this works as a definition I'm afraid. Anagram indicator not quite clear.

32. Rode a gelding recklessly fast downhill?

1.	(Noun in ODE though not in Ch.) I don't think this def quite works.
2.	'Fast downhill' doesn't quite seem accurate as a definition to me.

34. Shot El Gringo dead; a swift downfall.

1.	I would personally avoid using GRINGO as part of an anagram for deGRINGOlade.

35. Suddenly drop into grand Geordieland resort

1.	INTO seems to be working in the wrong direction

36. Term in French for dropping from slippery ridge headlong

1.	A clever &lit, though 'term in French' is perhaps a bit forced.
2.	This otherwise excellent &lit badly needs a question-mark at the end.

37. What's made from ladder, going tumbling to earth?

1.	Very nice & lit.
2.	"What's made from" is rather awkward in the context of the definition, but otherwise very good
3.	Second best of the ladder &lit clues, with a fair definition

38. With "Dreadful Dredge" in goal, there's a rapid drop into the relegation zone

1.	Who is Dreadful Dredge?
2.	A pity 'Dreadful Dredge' isn't a genuine footballer! The last four words are redundant in the definition.

39. With Gunnarsson’s header and ball netted, Reading led, oddly resulting in a sharp decline in performance.

1.	Nice idea but quite wordy.