CCCWC Christmas Special competition voters’ comments

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A clue to MOUSETRAP / HERMITAGE (Right & Left).
99 comments were received for this competition (from 10 competitors, 1 other)
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Here is the text

Comments on the competition
1.
This was a challenging comp, so credit to everyone who had a go. Most managed to produce something coherent and sound. The 'three magi' anagram was widely used, so clues had to use it well to stand out. Some like 25, 31, 32 and 38 employed it rather gratuitously with no Christmas story context. I wasn't keen on clues that define 'Mousetrap' as a play – this is clearly 'The Mousetrap'. Clues needed to acknowledge that 'mousetrap' is the subject and not the title, which only a few, like the excellent 33, managed to do.
2.
THREE MAGI was a must (and I used it myself — not for the first time!) but the wise Man need to be put into a sensible context rather than a Monty Python sketch! As is usual with double clues, a lot of meaningless stuff with over-complicated subsidiary indications — quite a hard job to find five!
3.
Happy New Year to you all — great work!
4.
A difficult one apparently, but shortlisting the qualifiers turned out to be easier than anticipated. As expected the 'Three Magi' involvement was an obvious one, so the clue needed to be really good to be set apart from others. Again as expected, the Christie play came into play, but only a couple of the clues tackled the 'The' which is part of the play's title, others ignored it and perhaps got penalised. Only 1 hidden clue 18 which held promise, but fell short. Many surfaces didn't excite. Other things being equal, avoidance of connector given preference, so breaking the clue up into multiple sentences (easy way out) given a lower score – a logical non-intrusive connector as part of a single sentence got a higher rating if there had to be a connector
5.
Unfortunately, there were about 14 'three magi' anagrams, although some were much better than others

Comments on the clues

1. A second posh group complain about boring 'Cheese & Wine' in museum

1.	The A is possibly redundant
2.	Starting 'A' seems redundant. For Hermitage, as a DD, the 'in' as a link not the best-not necessary too?
3.	What are the 'about' and 'in' doing in the actual clue? (seems they're there only for the surface read).

2. A wine grand in tradition, a most pure sort, much sought-after when it's improved in the wood

1.	The initial 'a' is possibly redundant. this clue would be very difficult to solve.
2.	Nice effort. 'in the wood' while relevant for the wine, is not quite 'in the woods'. 'Sort', being instruction, could be better placed
3.	'sort' v.t. means 'rearrange' but placed after the anag. it's a v.i. or noun (which don't mean 'rearrange'). Clever otherwise.

3. After a short time take back some cheese that lady put on with German mature wine (8 8)

1.	The 'a' is probably redundant but this has good surface reading.

4. Buddhist Lord is after an agreement to ensnare American model – a girl he met, left alone in a monk's quarters.

1.	I am not sure 'alone' can be used to subtract the L.
2.	Not convinced that 'left alone' leads to deletion of 'l', technically it would require to be left left alone
3.	Shouldn't '-L' be 'left left alone'?

5. Cheddar's celebrated mystery play relocated three Magi in sanctuary

1.	Fine clue but I don't think 'Cheddar' qualifies as mousetrap cheese!
2.	Clue would be excellent if the play's title was 'Mousetrap', but it's 'The Mousetrap'
3.	play would be 'The Mousetrap'

6. Cheesy art up some fashionable museum has a legacy attracting millions.

1.	Don't think 'cheesy' works as either a definition (wrong part of speech) or as an anagrind.

8. Distraught, three magi retreat as limitless Herod put mark on Bethlehem ensnaring stratagem (9,9)

1.	A fine surface reading but this would be very tough to solve.
2.	Nice surface, apart from 'limitless'. 'Herod, without limits' might have read better.
3.	Ensnaring stratagem? not sure what that implies.

9. Drink in allure manifest in bust come to maturity, a hint of seduction in a pout recalling role in famous West End show

1.	I think the surface reading suffers from the number of small parts involved in the clue.
2.	Surface not very convincing. Just 'drink' as def is weak. And the second def also is technically not OK

10. Every other Christmas morn, geese flutter to a sanctuary upstream round boisterous pigeonhole.

1.	Would 'in' be more orthodox than 'to'? 'Round' seems to be redundant and the Webster definition is obscure.

11. Female sorcerer bottling sex appeal in secluded location prepared Tom a super lure for Jerry?

1.	This was concise and amusing.
2.	There's no real connection between the subjects of the two clues

12. For over sixty years, the English play their game lazily in retreat

1.	I liked the way these two parts ran together
2.	no wordplay for 'Mousetrap'?
3.	The play is 'The Mousetrap' not 'Mousetrap' (see clues 22 and 33 which manage to get round that)

13. French wine from a Frenchman along with their revolting mature cheese, so mature crackers start to putrefy

1.	Lovely use of the two anagrinds.
2.	no logical connect between the two halves, plus do crackers mature?
3.	'mature cheese' bridges the gap between the two clues perfectly.

14. French wine museum surprisingly put medium Rosé with a shoddy cheese

1.	Interesting that the double definitions are followed by double word plays.
2.	Nice surface with no wasted words
3.	Excellent surface.

15. From secluded abode three Magi diverted, map's detour configured to avoid Herod's ultimate trick

1.	I wonder whether the 'mousetrap' definition at the end of the clue is sufficient.
2.	Clever wordplay
3.	The construction seems a bit forced

16. Holy place runs nightclub of ill repute!

1.	These need wordplay. Sovers would have nothing to guide them.
2.	Needs some wordplay. I don't recognise the second def.
3.	No wordplay
4.	Not a cryptic clue, just definitions and a spurious linkword. How could anyone know they'd solved it correctly?

17. I'm here suffering end tucking into concealed cottage cheese, perhaps moment to enjoy a gin?

1.	I liked the use of the 'gin' but 'tucking into' is actually 'tucked in' and doesn't work grammatically.
2.	not clear what the phrase 'suffering end' conveys on the surface

18. Internal memo: Use trappers hideout; destroy their game

1.	No defn for mousetrap
2.	can't see a def for 'mousetrap'

19. Jerry passes here being mellow after island retreat

1.	can't figure out how the wordplay gives 'mousetrap' (the trap bit) even if the def is accepted. Surface not very convincing

20. Male chases her with sex appeal and mature wine or teams up drunkenly for ropey cheese

1.	the second half appears a bit weak, and lacks a logical connect to the first part

21. "Moving star" enticer maps route, haphazardly wandering Magi (Three Wise Men) destination. (Right and Left, (9) each)

1.	The def. of 'mousetrap' is a clue to a clue, not fair on the solver.
2.	there's a problem with the grammar/construction in the second half

22. Museum recreated "Three Magi" – mixing up some art pieces. It’s quite captivating!

1.	Is 'quite' necessary?
2.	Don't quite agree with the def for mousetrap

23. Not the Agatha play! Cheese and wine party of one alone with time.

1.	The surface reading doesn't quite work

24. "Play a Course with Tiger" – sides plan out retreat to improve their game

1.	Title of play includes 'The', so for def to be accurate, this should have been dealt with. Also it should have been Tiger's sides

25. Retreat for three magi cooking this cheese, perhaps? Most use cheaper European variety

1.	A pity that 'CHEESE' is incorporated in the compound anagram.
2.	I am not keen on 'definition for wordplay' and 'of' would have worked just as well.

26. Retreat from their game, most are upset- Hard cheese!

1.	Grammatically, 'retreating' would be more appropriate?

27. Retreat! He has bamboozled irate mog, but old rogue Tom's a pure menace to Jerry

1.	Good surface reading.

28. Retreat rook in the game (losing knight)- moving piece back after shy guy's American gambit

1.	Good ideas, but 'shy' looks a bit forced in the surface reading.

29. Rodent catcher gets me rat soup somehow for a mile in legacy of a secluded home

1.	I can't see what the surface reading is getting at.
2.	It's difficult to picture this surface reading.
3.	Surface doesn't really hang together

30. This, Hamlet said's, a mystery, where we alone have to work things out

1.	Nice surface, but no wordplay.
2.	This could have been improved by wordplay.
3.	Definitions apart, where's the wordplay?
4.	Error: the comma after said's should be after 'said'. No wordplay means solvers couldn't know they had the correct answer.

31. Three magi arranged to present vintage wine; as more put out, cheap cheese is revealed!

1.	The join here isn't as seamless as perhaps it should be for a competition clue.

32. Three Magi deviously retreat to ensnare drunken tramp in river? On the contrary

1.	A difficult surface reading to picture.
2.	Not a convincing use of the 'Three Magi' construct
3.	This works nicely cryptically but the surface isn't good at all.

33. Three Magi on the move for holy refuge fashion route-map with star’s lead – finding Subject of much-played drama.

1.	Several good ideas here. Best of the magis
2.	Play's title is 'The Mousetrap', so unless the clue somehow incorporates or deletes this, one would consider the def faulty
3.	Easily the standout clue – desserved more than 5 pts
4.	Clever, but a little wordy.

34. Three Magi ordered retreat: "Stable at centre of our map possibly a deadly lure!"

1.	Very good clue, just losing out to other similar magi ones.
2.	A very nice clue but the join could have been better for me.
3.	The pick of the Three Magi offerings, I thought.

35. Three Magi, perhaps, in secluded place that holds animals – strange star up above Bethlehem too, ultimately.

1.	Rather a wordy compound anagram but the surface reading is convincing.
2.	Surface a bit awkward, so doesn't compete with the best magi clues
3.	A great effort to incorporate the Christmas theme. Falls a bit short in the def for 'mousetrap'. Selective picking of last letters avoidable
4.	Very nice work.
5.	nice clue except def. of mousetrap very weak

36. Three Magi planning a retreat manoeuvre, make route maps (9/9)

1.	Good clue, but beaten by stiff competition form the other magis
2.	Planning is not grammatically valid as an anagrind and 'make' could perhaps have been improved upon.

37. Three magi supply the woman’s child with precious metal in an isolated spot while outside the mother eats up decaying food fit only for vermin

1.	Attempting to parse this, I was lost in the verbiage.
2.	Good idea, but deviates too far from the familiar story.

38. Three magi wandering into shelter excitedly muse with port around a dangerously tempting cheese platter

1.	Despite the surface word (that could have perhaps used a different anagrind with in?) this was amusing.
2.	As indicated in the remarks 'into' doesn't cut it as a connector. A valid link word denoting equivalence would be acceptable

39. Timid person sending back portion from inferior cheese, renewing her image ultimately beat a retreat

1.	Wouldn't 'of' have been a better link?
2.	I don't think that 'wordplay from definition' is correct.

40. Trick at Augusta: casually play without the gallery, and retreat.

1.	Original idea concisely done, surface could be stronger

41. Tune up maestro: play around with Rachmaninoff's fifth and start to improvise, gaining ticket to enter Russian arts and culture scene

1.	Rather wordy.
2.	You needed to accommodate the fact that the play is 'The Mousetrap' not 'Mousetrap' (see clues 22 and 33 which manage this).

42. Wine, crab and mature cheese — more at super thrash

1.	Using 'crab' to get 'hermit' doesn't really work.
2.	Best of the 'cheese and wine party' clues.
3.	not convinced with 'thrash' as an anagram indicator, given its placement in the clue
4.	I think that 'mo' would need an archaic indicator really and I am not sure that 'thrash' works after the fodder.
5.	Brilliantly concise.