CCCWC November competition voters’ comments

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A clue to DICKEY.
103 comments were received for this competition (from 12 competitors, 0 others)
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Comments on the competition
1.
Hi John, A Comment box which only accepted 140 characters would be a useful and time-saving refinement if that were possible. I hope you have a good Christmas. Hi Robert, I hope you have a good Christmas, too. My thanks to you both for running this site. David
2.
Surface reading in most clues leaves something to be desired. 1 3 5 13 17 33 40 42and 43 stand out positively on surface quality.
3.
Rather a confusing word. Chambers gives 8 definitions, briefly: shaky, ass, bow tie, false shirt front, leather apron, carriage driver's seat, carriage servants' seat, car folding seat. All are represented here, with a few others. All 8 have at least one alternative spelling: DICKY, DICKIE, or both. (The bird just seems to be DICKY, but I'm open to correction). As always, a wide variety of ideas. A few excellent clues and several unconvincing definitions. Good to see no dubious &lits this time.
4.
I don't like most of these clues much. It was a horrible word, and I think my clue has a dodgy definition (it's only OK if you refer to the OED!) — I should probably get 0 points but doubt whether I will. Horrible to see things like 'the third' for E, but the barbarians charged through the gates of cruciverbalism years ago. This grumpy old man will only vote minimally in order to register just this once (0.5 for 27) — but he hopes to regain his humour next time, filled with Christmas good will!

Comments on the clues

1. ——— heart could cause tragic death? Crikey!

1.	"Crikey!" seems over the top.
2.	Good & lit., but the strong competition leaves it just outside the points, I'm afraid
3.	Good comp. anag. making use of most familiar meaning of 'dickey', but 'crikey' is rather superfluous in the surface reading.

2. A donkey sounds like he's from Billericay?

1.	I didn't think "Billericay Dickie" was one of their best-known songs. (Really number one?)
2.	I liked the idea.. but wordplay not right: 'sounds' needs to be 'sounding' or etc. I liked the idea. But for r
3.	Very convoluted.

3. A front that men put on habitually?

1.	I think the solver deserves some wordplay as well
2.	Not quite cryptic.
3.	I usually think of "cryptic clues" as invalid, but "habitually" here seems worthy of a point as a clever intimation of a clergyman's collar.
4.	Nice use of habit

4. Back yard conceals empty cask that's about knackered

1.	Back yard for DY seems OK to me, but not a very convincing surface.

5. Before finale of play, Richard the Third becomes an ass.

1.	I can't accept that 'the third' means the same as 'third letter of the'. Sorry.
2.	Unsound: DICK E = 'Richard the's Third' / 'Richard Third of the'

6. Bird wrecks a day's cricket — silly act as first drop of rain falls!

1.	Chambers only gives DICKY-BIRD (sic). The umpire is a bit of a red herring. (Incidentally his nickname seems to be DICKIE not DICKY.)

7. Comedic Keystone Cops chasing a donkey!(6)

1.	Extraneous word 'chasing' spoils this clue
2.	Defines "chasing a donkey". Nice idea though.(See also 38)
3.	I'm not sure what role 'chasing' has in the clue
4.	'Cops' should be 'Cop' (two words)

8. Cooking essentially dangerous without apron

1.	Old debate: "without" can mean "outside" but does that imply enclosure? Not convinced by dangerous. (Messy, yes.)
2.	Nice, succinct wordplay. The surface meaning is a bit of a stretch.
3.	Good one, but DICEY for dangerous looks a bit dodgy.

9. Crucial medical centre's first for East End's sick

1.	Wouldn't "medical centre" normally indicate "i"? (Or possibly "edica")

10. Dangerous- having a royal in backseat (6)

1.	Why would that be dangerous? Minor quibble: it should be "back seat" not "backseat", which is an adjective (and needs a hyphen).

12. Dead mouse decapitated is not in good condition!

1.	Sound enough clue, but a statement of the obvious.
2.	A merit for an original idea

13. Detectives return to prime suspect

1.	Not sure about suspect. (See also 39). Chambers says "thought to be untrue or unreliable, dubious" which seems close. Excellent otherwise.
2.	Best of the CID clues by far

14. Detectives return with button for shirtfront

1.	Cryptically OK but surface meaning unclear – is the button a clue of some kind?

15. Did I see a clue full of faults?

1.	Extraneous 'a' spoils the clue
2.	Homophones, such as C for see, do need to be indicated somehow, and I question "did" for D.
3.	Very good, but I slightly preferred 27. One of these two will win, I bet
4.	This clue certainly is!

16. Diss Jenny? Early signs of disorder (including catcalls) kibboshed Eclair yesterday

1.	Very clever idea, although letters are not signs.
2.	Great def, but the rest is a bit forced

17. False breast not in good shape

1.	Not a convincing definition for a false shirt front.
2.	Best of the double defs
3.	Quite graphic

18. False shirt front for an ex U.S. president by the sound of it..(6)

1.	He was known as tricky Dick or tricky Dicky, but not just Dicky, so a different Richard might be better. Tricky misleadingly suggests dicey.
2.	Nixon was Tricky Dicky, but never just Dicky, I think

19. Folding seat old dairymaid carries to some farm out West

1.	I don't see how the words "to some" work in this clue, and it relies on two obscure meanings, DEY and WICK.
2.	The last five words are a step too far cryptically for me

20. For starters driver in carriage needs central seat.

1.	Wordplay is ok but surface reading is nonsensical
2.	This just defines "seat", which is too vague, although there's the germ of an &lit here.

21. Front of melodic keyboard

1.	Definition "front" is vague, although that's balanced by the fact that the intended solution is obvious.
2.	Melodic keyboard sounds artificial.

22. Frost perhaps? Cold and primal, resulting in bad condition

1.	"In" is doing double duty here – it would need to be "resulting in IN bad condition."

23. I’m partially vested in one risky holding: Kopeks (6)

1.	Clueing K by Kopecks is not supported by Chambers
2.	Good and original idea, not sure that "partially" is necessary.
3.	Lovely def, but the wordplay is spoiled by the colon

24. It's tricky keeping velocity constant in the driver's seat

1.	Unconvincing surface – why should it be tricky? Obscure reference having to do with the speed of chemical reactions.

25. Key CID action to expose false front.

1.	I don't think "action" is a good anagram indicator.
2.	I can't accept 'action' as an anagram indicator – 'in action' maybe

26. King in risky sort of seat

1.	"Sort of seat" is too vague and surface meaning is unclear.

27. Little time spent in dictionary – clue unsound

1.	Like 15, leads with its chin. This is better though, apart from "spent" which the cryptic reading doesn't need.
2.	Clever surface
3.	Great idea, could be a winner if not pipped by 15.
4.	My favourite clue by miles.

28. Maybe bow to king in risky situation

1.	"Maybe" is unnecessary, and "to" and "situation" play no part in the cryptic reading.
2.	'To' is padding.

29. Modern-day prophet wearing extremely dandy shirt? Back off!

1.	Ingenious use of the David Icke idea, although not a realistic description of the man himself.

30. Not functioning properly, busy department goes back on shift, maybe.

1.	Nice (if derogatory) alternative meaning for "busy". Moot point: something might be in poor condition but still functioning perfectly.
2.	Some nice misleading defs, but the clue ends up a little long

31. Reportedly unpleasant after detective's first collar?

1.	I fail to see a valid def for DICKEY either in 'collar' or the clue as a whole
2.	Definition "collar" not in Chambers – isn't that just part of a dickey? Surface meaning unclear.

32. Risky pinching clerk's bottom in a driver's seat (6)

1.	"Clerk" is arbitrary unless I'm missing something – crook, redneck etc might be even more risky.
2.	Sound enough but the surface meaning isn't special.

33. Rocky's tricky boxing KO's number one

1.	Brilliant clue.
2.	KO'd by some stronger clues but deserves half a point

34. Shaky and confused kid caught with ecstasy packaging

1.	Good clue, except that "packaging" is doing double duty: indicating outside letters of "ecstasy" and indicating containment.
2.	Unsound: EY is 'ecstasy's packaging'

35. Short Gilbertian sailor, not dead but feeling unwell

1.	Clever, but feeling unwell is not an accurate definition. "Not dead" should go without saying.
2.	'feeling unwell' = 'feeling dickey', not 'dickey'

36. Sleuth busy tailing crook

1.	busy=eye? crook=not in good condition? Neither of those works for me
2.	I feel 'tailing' is unsound. As a v.i. tail is in C as 'having a tail', not as losing one. If I'm wrong the clue's lovely
3.	Sleuth and busy are both detectives – why should the first should be "dick" and the second "eye"? Cryptic requires "tailed".
4.	'Tailing' can only be a transitive verb in the cryptic reading, I think
5.	I wonder why busy=eye…

37. Some police about for vital tie

1.	A vital cup-tie presumably, for which you'd expect LOTS of police. Don't like the use of "for" to link the two halves of the answer.
2.	The 'for' doesn't seem right in the clue.

38. Spasmodic Keystone Cops are quite tumbledown!

1.	Defines "are quite tumbledown". Something like "Spasmodic Keystone Cops tumbling down" might work. Nice idea though. (See also 7)

39. Suspect DJ might cover this up (6)

1.	Not sure about suspect. (See also 13). Ambiguity of DJ also perhaps a flaw.(Disk jockey / dinner jacket)
2.	Nice double def, but needs a better word than 'suspect' for a strong surface reading
3.	I like the topicality.

40. Taking a chance, when the King is introduced, to make stylish bow?

1.	Good clue, although the first three words could be replaced by "risky", "tricky", or "chancey", for example. "Stylish" unnecessary.

41. Unsound lizard theory believer taken by its conclusions

1.	Perhaps "taken in by" was intended, which would improve both wordplay and surface. Pity.
2.	Well done, I couldn't make Icke work as well as this

42. Unsteady seat behind false front

1.	Presumably the three definitions are "unsteady" "seat behind" and "false front". Doesn't mean anything though.

43. With century after day one, opener's in the driving seat

1.	Very good surface.
2.	Reads naturally, but defines "in the driver's seat".
3.	Only two cricket clue this month and this is the better one
4.	Nice one, though it is the team that will be in the driving seat.

44. Wobbly car seat(5)

1.	Nice and short, but according to Chambers it could equally well define DICKY, especially given the incorrect enumeration.
2.	Neat and elegant. Surprised this idea hasn't been replicated.
3.	nice compact clue. Shame about the arithmetical error.

45. Your loud detachable shirtfront is icky, Ed!

1.	Where's the anagram indicator?
2.	Needs an anagram indicator. Does not need "loud". Minor quibble: "shirt front" is two words. (In Chambers 11th ed.)
3.	Clue contains superfluous words
4.	There is no anagram indicator here. 'Your loud' are suplerfluous words
5.	There's nothing to indicate to the solver that it's an anagram: needs e.g. '…awfully icky, Ed'.