CCCWC May competition voters’ comments
Clue no. 29: Tune to be played by human: go for trumpets
Back to competition result |
All the comments |
Other competitions
A clue to PHAT (Printer’s Devilry).
3 comments refer to this clue
Move your mouse pointer over any bold clue number to see the clue.
Here is the text
| Comments on the competition |
|---|
| 1. |
|---|
b) Clue (29): One of the few that made sense in both versions. The use of the word 'trumpets' indicated to the solver where to look for the missing bit.
Clue (3): This would have been tops had there been some indication that there was a link to speed. 'Speedy bikers often call....' rather than 'Blokes might call...' perhaps.
Clue (20): It would be difficult to make an indication to the solver what word was missing in using the construction 'coup- hatching', but it's probably a decent attempt.
Clue (14): The undevilled version looks OK, but the devilled doesn't look right. In any case, need a nymph be tall?
Clue (31): 'Top hates' is a rather clumsy phrase, but if it must be used, the word 'women' doesn't add to the clarity of the clue overall.
There are four ways that this word can be chopped up: p-hat, ph-at, pha-t, and phat. Of these the first was used 15 times, the second 10, the third 4 and the last twice. There are about 15 words beginning with HAT... in Chambers, only a few ending in ...PH, only one that I can think of ending in ...PHA and the only two I can come up with containing...PHAT... were actually used. It is not surprising therefore that the proportions were as they were, or that those which fell into each category were so similar.
Most clues were entirely predictable with little opportunity to be creative, but I was surprised not to have seen more 'toP HATs'! Most of them made little sense in either the devilled or undevilled versions.
With a few exceptions, a four- letter word is not much use in a PD clue, and PHAT must have been one of the worst of the lot. A disappointing word for one of my favourite clue types, but I look forward to the next outing with better hopes. |
| 2. |
|---|
e) A number (mine included!) had "..at" coinciding with a word ending which is to be discouraged. Several others make quite clumsy reading - before after or both!
I'm awarding 5 points to 21, by far the neatest and snappiest, 3 points to 9, 2 points to 29, 1 point to 22 |
| 3. |
|---|
m) I mark PD clues by first reading only the original (undevilled) line. I eliminate all clues where I think the original would not read naturally in a piece of prose e.g. a newspaper article. The best PD clues have a plausible meaning in both versions, certainly always in the orginal version. For me there wasn't an outstanding winner.
11. Cut Rick's cored bylaw / Cup hat trick scored by Law The undevilled version reads naturally. It's forgivable when the devilled meaning is obscure though better if plausible, better still if zanely humorous. The devilled version here is perhaps too obscure but solving it would give a nice PD (a PD penny drop).
14. Is any mall beautiful, woman? / Is a nymph a tall, beautiful woman? Nice, though the solver is expected to work out 'tall' for the original when nymphs ain't necessarily so (at least not here in Wales).
29. Tune to be played by human: go for trumpets / Tune to be played by Humph: a tango for trumpets
Nice clue that would have been more impressive if it could have been worked without the break in the middle.
6. Cheater's promoting a controversial type of bowler / Cheap hatter's promoting a controversial type of bowler The clue needs a better word than 'controversial' to allow the solver work out that the hatter is a 'cheap' hatter. It seems 'controversial' was used to suit the devilled version when it's the meaning of the original that's the more important.
13. How illiberal - error in Printer's Devilry! / Ho! Will I be Ralph, a terror in Printer's Devilry? Nice, but is 'Ho' used in natural speak? I think it's a touch unfair from what's given to expect the solver to know that 'Ho!' must be in the original.
7. Claims that he was frequently 'seen to' down Ascot, chemically refuted by abstainer / Claims that he was frequently seen to down a scotch, emphatically refuted by abstainer Nice clue spoilt by that comma. (Hopefully not Ralph's work, Derek?). Also rather too long for solving.
24. The chimp hates Tarzan but not Curious George / The Chimes, Tarzan, but not Curious George
Maybe this is better than I understand (is there a natural connection between a chimp and Curious George? It would need a note to tell me.). |
