The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC September competition voters’ comments
 
Clue no. 13: Brave man endlessly upset mother-in-law

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A clue to LION-HEART.
6 comments refer to this clue (from 5 competitors, 0 others)
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Here is the text

Comments on the clue
1.Succinct and amusing.
2.Same idea as 10 but much better constructed
3.Lovely surface but carelessly imprecise with 'endlessly upset': it's 'mother-in-law' that's endless.
4.This is a nice idea, but 'endlessly' should come at the end of the clue (see clue 42)
5.Endlessly point normally to 'end'. 'Ends' needs to be used for both the ends.
 
Comments on the competition
1.
11 of this month's 61 clues referenced Richard as an example of the clue word (25, 32, 34, 36, 40, 47, 48, 49, 50, 56 and 59), though the second of these did seem rather non-specific. Of the remainder, two clues failed to define the answer as a noun (23 and 27).

As the clue word contains 9 of the 11 commonest letters in English words ('s' and 'd' being the other two), anagrams were in abundance, featuring in 32 clues. Given the subject matter, the commonest by far was the HERO/ANTIHERO clue, with 12 entries (5, 7, 15, 19, 21, 26, 28, 29*, 38, 40, 53 and 61). The interminable mOTHER-IN-LAw had 4 appearances (10, 13, 42* and 54), with LATIN HERO(33, 34 and 51) and ANOTHER + (6, 24 and 55) each featuring in 3 clues. Two clues used THIN ROLE(9 and 47) and the remaining selection each had one showing: ENTHRAL + (20) HAIR ELTON (60) HARLOT + (52) HERON + (41) HITLER + (32) HOTEL + (16) LATRINE + (35).

Three ingenious setters elected to include a reference to ON HEAT in their clues (17*, 25 and 49), and another three hid the complete clue-word (8, 30 and 50).

The wordplay in just 4 clues used IO alone to signify LION-HEART (2, 18, 23 and 31). I suspect that most entrants shied away from this device as whilst IO is certainly 'the heart of LION' (just as R is the head of RED), its use in this instance isn't really accurate.

Finally there was a reasonable selection of &lit clues this month, both full (21*, 40, 53 and 56) and semi (28, 58* and 59) as well as a nicely succinct cryptic definition clue (44).

Well done to all this month's competitors !