| Comments on the clues |
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| 1. A bouquet is just not in order for this Gallic hardliner. |
| 1. | Unfortunately the anagram needs an extra U. The author probably realised that too late to change it – bad luck. | | 2. | Not an anagram – missing U | | 3. | need 4 'u's for anagram to work | | 4. | Not an anagram | | 5. | The anagram fodder needs a fourth U to work | | 6. | I think you're missing a u. | | 7. | Faulty anagram. | | 8. | You are missing a 'u'….. | | 9. | Short and neat | | 10. | Anagram faulty (should be interesting to see how many voters fail to spot it!) |
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| 2. A bouquet is just thrown to embody the start of union – I'll be committed to the end! |
| 1. | Clever juxtaposition of start and end – my favourite clue here. | | 2. | Like the way the surface exploits the anagram |
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| 3. A diehard boxer whose aim is to outjab us, quiet us… |
| 1. | Where is the anagrind? | | 2. | nice working of the anagram but not sure the surface can stand the word boxer | | 3. | Nice anagram, but I don't understand how 'boxer whose aim is to' is an anagram indicator. | | 4. | It seems to me that 'boxer whose aim is to' has no role in the definition or wordplay, and there is no anagram indicator | | 5. | I don't understand how "boxer whose aim is" can be an anagrind? |
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| 4. A keen contestant's due to fight one in difficult quest to secure gold |
| 1. | what's the TO doing? due TO <> legal right / TO fight <> bout | | 2. | I like the Olympic themed surface but I don't think I'd have much joy as a solver working out the complex wordplay |
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| 5. A unique US job Titus removes in changing Gaulist hard line policy (15) |
| 1. | You defined jusqu'auboutisme! (and who's Titus?) |
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| 6. Almost fair, you heard about quarterly amateur fight; site changed by one who carries on to the bitter end |
| 1. | … and what's the BY for? | | 2. | Clue seems fair, but quite wordy and complex with an uninspiring surface | | 3. | Not a flowing surface. |
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| 7. Beauty centre-cum-boutique's just about to be one with a no-delivery policy |
| 1. | A bit clumsy but better than some | | 2. | Where did you find this definition? | | 3. | I don't understand this definition. |
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| 8. Boy Jack's quietus, year gone and beginnings of an unusually unhappy time – dreadful for one like Harry Lauder? |
| 1. | Overly obscure definition, and fairly clumsy construction | | 2. | Clunky surface and the definition is a real stretch. | | 3. | To my mind, this is too long and complex to be a suitable clue – but it was fascinating to read! |
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| 9. Did Jesus quit, about to embrace universal suffering?…He carried on to the bitter end. |
| 1. | why the DID? | | 2. | I don't think 'did' has any role in the cryptic reading. |
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| 10. Endless queue is just about moving – that's extremely unlikely to change. |
| 1. | Shame, I think you defined jusqu'auboutisme – should be 'one extremely unlikely to change' | | 2. | Seems this anagram led to the best clues. I think 14 was slightly superior though. | | 3. | Nice, and worth a point. My only concern is that I feel the definition should refer to a person. |
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| 11. Endless queue is just about formed – I'll go to the end. |
| 1. | Good clue and worth points but bettered I feel by 14 | | 2. | Short and to the point. Like it. | | 3. | Not bad – 'go on to the end' would be a better def. | | 4. | Great clue, better definition than 10 but I'm not sure how one gets to the end of an endless queue! |
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| 12. "Et tu, Brute?", quoth Julius, said to have disturbed with idle truth, an extremist? |
| 1. | Too messy | | 2. | I would find a long composite anagram like this very unsatisfying to solve |
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| 13. Fashion boutique's just clothing gold for one who takes it to the limit |
| 1. | I don't much like 'clothing gold' | | 2. | Clever anagram indicator. I don't quite get the surface meaning though. | | 3. | Nice idea for the anagram, but the surface isn't too elegant. |
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| 14. Getting agitated about queue is just not English – one sticks it out to the end! |
| 1. | I haven't awarded too many fives recently but this is worthy | | 2. | Excellent surface | | 3. | Nice surface reading. | | 4. | Excellent clue, easily the best in my opinion | | 5. | Such an easy and light surface for such a difficult phrase to clue. Well done! | | 6. | What a brilliant clue! Amongst the very best I've seen in the CCCWC. |
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| 15. He will stick to his beliefs about justice and our question without notice or become completely bemused. |
| 1. | A bit clumsy | | 2. | Surface difficult to understand. Ideally needs a second anagram indicator for the material being subtracted |
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| 16. He’s determined to continue playing tuba? Oh, Jesus – Quit! |
| 1. | Either Jesus is playing the tuba, or this clue is a bit too irreverent for me. | | 2. | I was about to give this points as quite amusing but then checked the anagram! | | 3. | Refreshingly different tack to most and works really well. | | 4. | You have an interloping h and an absent u. | | 5. | Amusing surface, but a faulty anagram | | 6. | Looked excellent at first but unfortunately the anagram doesn't work! | | 7. | wld be great if anagram worked – no h and u left over | | 8. | Beautiful surface – almost got my five points until I checked the anagram (a rogue H misplacing a U). Really feel for whoever this is! | | 9. | ANOTHER faulty anagram (to go with with #1) |
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| 17. I come out only at end of game, as United attack is thwarted? |
| 1. | Good surface, but a rather inaccurate definition | | 2. | I can't convince myself the whole clue is accurate as a definition |
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| 18. I persevere with no hint of trepidation, provoking quietus, just about! |
| 1. | Don't really see why it's an &lit … I persevere is ok for the def, so why suggest that all the rest is necessary or meaningful? | | 2. | I wouldn't baulk at seeing quietus in an answer, but it screams "anagram" in a clue. |
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| 19. I refuse to pull out odd bits of arum – bouquet is just amazing! |
| 1. | Good misleading definition | | 2. | Nice misleading definition, the anagram indicator seems a bit iffy to me | | 3. | like the 'odd bits' | | 4. | Would have scored higher with a stronger anagrind e.g. 'fantastic' |
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| 20. It's the French who use just about devious means to keep going to the end. |
| 1. | I don't like indirect anagrams, even partial ones. | | 2. | The indirect anagram gets a thumbs down from me. | | 3. | .. means one who keeps going to the end. wrong def | | 4. | I'm not keen on anagram fodder being clued indirectly. Definition doesn't make it clear that a person is required. |
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| 21. Just a US boutique – smashing, radical! |
| 1. | a little unimaginative & obvious anagram |
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| 22. Just bouquets mixed up with odd bits of umami to be found at the bitter end? |
| 1. | definition is of | | 2. | Surface is a little strange |
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| 23. Last hanger-on is best one perhaps, so is just sent a suitable bouquet |
| 1. | brave composite attempt, but did not work for me | | 2. | This would be more of a chore than a pleasure to solve for me. I'm not sure 'perhaps' is enough to indicate the anagram |
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| 24. Law, sounding cute, encompasses a posh fight; is this one which goes on to the bitter end? |
| 1. | Qute sounds like cute? Hmm. Though my main gripe would be the unlikely surface. | | 2. | What on earth is QUTE? | | 3. | The homonym part just doesn't work for me I'm afraid | | 4. | Homophone seems made up. |
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| 25. Le Pen no doubt revisited a boutique with just US outfits. |
| 1. | if revisited is the anagrind, what is outfits … or vice versa | | 2. | Definition is a matter of opinion. |
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| 26. Le ———? With one, it's quite unusual to see job abandoned |
| 1. | Beautiful. Lovely work. Cinc points. | | 2. | Brilliant – the best by a mile and deserving of more than 5 pts. A clue to win over even the most hardened comp-anagrophobic surely! |
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| 27. Maybe one going down with Titanic dancing subaqueous jitterbug after striking wretched berg |
| 1. | Amusing. Nice work. | | 2. | “After wretched berg is struck” would avoid dangling participle. | | 3. | Great image! | | 4. | Jitterbug is post-1912 I think. Nice idea though. I was amazed to find 'subaqueous' in the dictionary. | | 5. | Nice idea, with fair wordplay, but I struggle to accept the definition | | 6. | Brilliant. I reckon this clue will be striking gold rather! |
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| 28. One being intransigent about Jesus quit United Reformed |
| 1. | another about jesus quit + U …. but ok |
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| 29. One with extreme views about Jesus quit order and took up leadership of Unitarians (15) |
| 1. | Nice idea but whereas "took" is fine for the surface, it would have to be "take" to make the wordplay work. | | 2. | order or should it be ordered? don't like took up as used – wordplay sense sacrificed by making surface read ok. |
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| 30. Peculiarly just a US boutique; one that goes to the absolute limit |
| 1. | a little unimaginative & obvious anagram |
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| 31. Plum was such a believer in not giving up — being united in a bouquet is just fantastic |
| 1. | "Plum was such" seems unnecessary. |
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| 33. Radical quit union job: "Use us at Revolution!" |
| 1. | anagram components a bit too contrived |
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| 34. Refurbish a US boutique just for French extremist |
| 1. | a little unimaginative & obvious anagram |
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| 36. Split jury throws suit out with Basque extremist |
| 1. | Good surface but I don't buy split=reduced by half | | 2. | Nice and crisp – but I wasn't keen on the split = JU(ry) usage |
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| 37. Struggling, I just about half finished usquebaugh, but I won't give up |
| 1. | Nice, original idea. Once again I'm concerned about the alcohol intake of entrants! |
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| 38. This bitter-ender brusque, anti-left and right, just outrages |
| 1. | The surface reads like a selection of random words | | 2. | can't see this as &lit. And is the anagrind meant to be the 'rages' bit of outrages? Sorry does not work for me. | | 3. | Ideally needs to be 'anti's left and right' to work. Seems very unfair to have to split 'outrages' for the wordplay to work |
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| 39. Thoroughly overwhelmed, quit a Jumbo issue puzzle? Not moi! |
| 1. | does out=thoroughly? and isn't it overwhelmed BY the anagram |
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| 40. "To the end" is near perfection for a non-quitter (15) |
| 1. | You can't seriously use jusqu'au bout in the wordplay for jusqu'au boutiste! | | 2. | Using the root of the word for part if the wordplay is pretty weak! 'Near' doesn't really indicate the final letter is removed. |
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