60 definitions in 53 clues ! How can this be ? Quite simply, this month there were 5 double definition clues (13, 14, 24, 29* and 39) and one clue with three definitions !! (50). With multiple meanings, the clueword did lend itself to this approach, though in practice these clues struggled to achieve a smooth surface. Most setters chose to define a car crash of the minor variety that used to be prevalent in Australia, with 29 appearances, including all of the multiple definition clues. A further 3 clues defined the Aussie terms for a minor upset (43 and 53*)and a surfing accident (11). Almost as popular as the antipodean meanings were the tonsorial ones, 22 clues defining the hairstyle itself, once again including all the multiple definition clues, and a further 2 the transitive verb (28 and 44*). Two clues used the baseball meaning (5* and 50), one referenced Lara B ([clue 41) and one & lit. clue seemed to define a dilapidated car (38).
It was perhaps surprising that almost half of the 'minor crash/accident' clues did not contain an Australian indicator (14). Competitors that took the trouble to include this solving assistance came up with a variety of ways to achieve their goal, from the straightforward 'in Australia' (13 and 39), 'Aussie' (45* and 47) and 'Down Under' (14, 32, 40 and 49) through the more geographically specialised 'Darwin's' (7 and 31), 'Victorian' (1), 'Alice Springs' (3), 'of Hobart' (10), 'in Perth' (19), 'in … outback' (20), 'in Glenorchy' (26) and 'in Launceston' (48) to the highly original 'Dame Edna's' (29).
There were just 5 &lit clues this time (10, 20, 38, 44* and 48) and a further clue was semi &lit, with the wordplay enhancing the definition (26). The latter featured 'container' wordplay, also employed by 5 other clues (2, 25, 35, 41 and 49*). Three clues featured the Jane Austen character Mr. Bingley (12, 30 and 37), and the most popular ideas for anagrams were 'broken leg' (1*, 15, 20, 32 and 52), BELGIAN – A (8, 9 and 42) and BEING + L (4*, 48 and 53).
Overall, a good selection of clueing techniques employed and a dozen clues vying for the points. |
