Comments on the clues |
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2. Bad backache is going on and on. |
1. | I don't like backache for back ache. The surface reading is improved but I think the cost a little high. | 2. | "Backache" might tip the scales as fair if ache were to be reversed. "Back ache", as per other clues, would be better. | 3. | Backache is an aching back, not a backing ache! | 4. | This doesn't work if backache is one word |
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3. Bewitched but unwed, divided or whole |
1. | There are too many steps required here that make it quite unfair on the solver. Conventional clues would not use techniques like this. |
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5. Complete name in register not recorded initially |
1. | "initially" is superfluous |
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7. Complete Tour de France racer in lingerie avoids lake |
1. | Interesting surface but a little too nonsensical! | 2. | Surface not entirely convincing. |
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8. Endure marathon from start to finish |
1. | I don't think I would understand this even when I had the answer | 2. | "Enduring", rather than "endure", should be the definition. |
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9. Enduring bad back ache |
1. | As commented elsewhere, back ache is 'correct' but loses the surface reading that backache provides. Nice idea but doesn't quite work. | 2. | Neat, but a less imaginative treatment of the idea than 28 |
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10. Enduring itch after burning |
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14. Entire song's so lacking after Olivia briefly joined ELO |
1. | Excellent idea but not quite as smooth a surface as some of the others. |
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17. Fish surprisingly, love to be eaten whole (8) |
1. | I like this, but it needs a comma after "Fish" to read correctly – am I being too picky? |
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18. For eternity orpine is a given, lol! |
1. | What's the anagram indicator here? | 2. | No anagram indicator – and "For eternity" isn't an accurate definition. | 3. | There is no anagram indicator here. |
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19. Forever foolishly falling over? Far from it! (8) |
1. | Doesn't there need to be an indication that FAR is also split? | 2. | Livelong is an adjective, forever an adverb. A pity. This is otherwise very neat. |
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21. From here to eternity |
1. | A bit more explanation of how this is supposed to work would have been helpful. | 2. | Don't see how the explanation applies – not a correct def anyway. |
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22. Gonville prepared for term for the whole length of the day. |
1. | "Term" appears superfluous. |
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23. Harry novel described by one girl, at length, as tedious |
1. | Love the idea, but I can't see how g=girl. |
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24. Having really bad back ache, can be a really tiresome time. |
1. | A pity that 'really' is in there twice. | 2. | "A really tiresome time" defines a noun not an adjective. Just "tiresome" would have been both sound and crisper |
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25. I love Nigel to play around with – not, that is, "till death us do part" |
1. | I don't like the instruction to subtract ie where these letters do not appear consecutively in the anagram fodder |
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26. In snowfall, I've longjohns stretched out! (8) |
1. | An amusing, if somewhat implausible surface reading |
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28. It's difficult to get out of bed with bad back ache |
1. | Great surface and definition. | 2. | Spot on, the best of the back aches |
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29. It's hard to put down cracking novel set in local situation |
1. | I wouldn't associate plants with being put down when they're killed. | 2. | The definition is much too vague to be fair, lacking an equivalent of 28's "bed". |
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30. Lively song, beginning without ending and ending without beginning, seems to go on forever. |
1. | long-winded but original | 2. | I can't envisage how a song could do that |
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33. O Nigella! Not a cook concealing neckline that's whole |
1. | Nice idea but the definition is rather forced in |
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34. On reflection, the ending of "Enduring Love" is about love somehow enduring! |
1. | The reference is perhaps a little obscure, but a clever idea skilfully executed. |
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41. Poet's staying the course, hopelessly in love with heartless girl |
1. | Best of the heartless girls |
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42. Poet's tedious and protracted, revoltingly bad – try this for a change? |
1. | I am not sure 'try this for a change' works as a subtraction indicator |
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44. Tedious grovelling leaves king uneasy |
1. | Shouldn't it lose king, rather than leave king? |
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45. Utter last wish |
1. | Nice and concise! | 2. | Original and concise | 3. | Succinct. 3 points. |
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47. Very long North Atlantic fish swallows French bike. |
1. | Not keen on "long" being in both the clue and the answer. | 2. | Difficult to picture this surface reading! | 3. | …like a fish needs a bicycle | 4. | Shame 'long' appears in both definition and the answer. Surface a little strange |
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48. Vivid abstruse word, 'nychthemeral' |
1. | Wittily tongue-in-cheek. Brilliant. Best of the bunch. |
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49. Volleying out, Murray finally lost in epic marathon? |
1. | Miles the best clue, in my opinion. | 2. | An excellent and (fairly) misleading surface; "in epic" for "poetic" a little weak, however. |
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51. Whole Methuselah did famously |
1. | I like this … but I have difficulty with "whole" as sufficient definition | 2. | It took me a while to work out the surface reading – very good! | 3. | Excellent clue, I'm concerned about the entrant's alcohol intake though! |
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