CCCWC March competition voters’ comments

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A clue to DREAMBOAT.
103 comments were received for this competition (from 12 competitors, 1 other)
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Comments on the competition
1.
Many clues immediately eliminated themselves by falsely defining 'dreamboat' as being unisex. These could have been easily rectified by using a 'definition by example' (such as "Prince Charming, maybe" instead of "Prince charming").
2.
My short list was really quite short this time! Lots of clues trying to be too clever and not managing to pull it off.
3.
I found myself awarding 1,2 or 3 points to a whole lot of clues. The total came to 16 and I knocked a one-pointer off. Nothing inspired me beyond the 3 (sort of VHC) mark. Several of the attempted anagrams or anag & lits just didn't quite come off.
4.
A dream clueword for anagrammatists this month, with clues featuring a DATE with RAMBO (6, 9 and 19), a BROAD MATE (26 and 40), a DRAB MATE + O (2, 16 and 20), BOARs TAMED (50) and MATED (44), subjects MET ABROAD (3, 4 and 48) and ABOARD (32) and MEATBOARD (7 and 30). In addition to the many anagrams a couple of entrants chose to reference BREAM DOTE in the wordplay, being the clueword's Spoonerism. The hidden BOA constrictor also proved a popular wordplay device (15, 18, 22, 33 and 51). Although the clueword isn't gender specific, more than a third of the clues (19) made reference to a male (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 10, 23, 24 and 25, 29, 30, 36, 37, 39 and 48) or female subject (9, 40 and 41) and four clues defined by using a specific example (8, 32, 42 and 43). The most popular defining words were DISH (11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 47) and HUNK (6, 10, 23, 24 and 25) and just one clue alluded to it being a rather old-fashioned term(3) …… but which one will win voters hearts ?

Comments on the clues

1. A boxer tamed rebellious old partner, cut and bruised from knockout!

1.	'rebellious' and 'bruised' are rather unconventional as reversal and anagram indicators respectively, punctuation seems to confuse wordplay.
2.	Does "A boxer tamed rebellious old partner, cut and bruised" however come from knockout or form a synonym for dreamboat?

2. Adonis found in love with drab mate, surprisingly.

1.	Adonis was male; dreamboat is male or female; so inadequately defined

3. After injury abroad met an attractive guy once (9)

1.	Surface reading seems rather arbitrary and 'after injury' is not really an anagram indicator.
2.	dreamboat is male or female; so inadequately defined

4. Amazingly attractive guy surprisingly met abroad

1.	Definition and wordplay sound, but the whole clue lacks significant meaning.
2.	dreamboat is male or female; so inadequately defined

5. An ideal vessel in which to serve sauce for a tasty dish?

1.	This would have scored more highly if the initial "An" had been omitted.

6. Arranged date with Rambo – he's a hunk

1.	'dreamboat' is male or female, not necessarily a 'he'
2.	Natural surface reading, simple anagram and definition

7. Buffet meat board offering a hot dish

1.	the clue (not the surface reading) is wrongly worded: needs either 'buffeted … offering' or 'buffet … to offer'

8. Cruise, perhaps, as a result of Spooner's fish worship?

1.	As with clue 44, the surface reading seems to lack sensible meaning (compare with clue 32).
2.	It works as a clue but the surface makes little sense to me.

9. Date Rambo slyly, foxy lady!

1.	Definition and wordplay seem rather disjointed (compare with clue 6).
2.	dreamboat = male or female
3.	Cleverly composed clue.

10. Democrat on Obama dancing tango: He is so hunky!

1.	Surface reading seems rather strained unfortunately.
2.	Not the best, I'd say, but the most imaginative.

12. Dish is perfect container for sauce

1.	Simple and effective !

13. Dish to cut out, fried bread and tomato

1.	Interesting compound anagram, though both the wordplay and the surface seem rather awkward.

14. Doctor moving amoeba to centre of Petri dish

1.	Perhaps a past tense verb as anagram indicator would improve the surface ?
2.	Original idea, reasonable surface reading
3.	Plausible surface story with 'Petri dish' nicely concealing the definition. One of the better clues of a rather weak field this month.

15. Doctor orders meat, stuffed with type of snake, dish.

1.	Surface reading seems quite awkward, wordplay requires 'ordered'.

16. Drab mate? Nothing of the sort!

1.	Very nice idea but unfortunately 'of the sort' doesn't equate to 'sort of' (compare with clues 2 and 20 and see also 43).
2.	don't like 'of the sort' as an anagrind

17. Drive a doctor has in a toe tapping dance to be a charmer (9)

1.	'has' seems unnecessary for the wordplay and 'tapping dance' isn't really an anagram indicator.

18. Fantasised about a snake charmer

1.	As with clue 22, ingenious wordplay but the definition seems imprecise.
2.	I like this, but I would have preferred it without the 'a'
3.	DREAMT too close to actual word
4.	In order to make the wordplay sound, the hyphen between snake and charmer, required for the surface, has had to be omitted

19. Fantastic date, Rambo?

1.	'Rambo' doesn't really enhance the definition, even with '?' – which the wordplay doesn't require(compare with clue 6).
2.	Best of &lits, economical

20. Finding love in an awfully drab mate, not him surely?

1.	Definition depends heavily on wordplay which doesn't require 'an'.
2.	'dreamboat' is not necessarily a 'him' so inadequately defined.

21. God-given beauty to be piece of rib – and Adam reproduced

1.	Surface reading and wordplay seem rather awkward.

22. Had a vision about a snake charmer (9)

1.	As with clue 18, ingenious wordplay but the definition seems imprecise.
2.	DREAMT too close to actual word
3.	In order to make the wordplay sound, the hyphen between snake and charmer, required for the surface, has had to be omitted

23. Horny ma bared to a hunk! (9)

1.	'Horny' isn't really an anagram indicator.

24. Hunk of bread, at most half-baked

1.	'half-baked' only refers to 'most', so there is no anagram indicator for 'bread, at'.
2.	The hyphen spoils the wordplay for me
3.	very nice idea but inaccurately clued
4.	What's "of" doing?

25. Hunk's mad to bare nuts

1.	Outrageous. Deserves some votes just for that.

26. I may be envisaged as mate, broad being aroused

1.	Definition too vague, first half of clue unnecessary for wordplay.
2.	A little forced as an &lit but worth a vote

27. Ideal catch, we hear

1.	'Dream' is used in the same sense for wordplay and def., so not very cryptic
2.	Not really a close enough homophone to lead to 'boat', 'we hear' unnecessary for definition.
3.	Almost a great clue but 'catch' (kach) and 'ketch' (kech) are not homophones (unless using a thick powsh accent).

28. In October, Adam distraught, having lost only child, a babe

1.	Surface reading seems rather awkward.

29. It sounds like her fancy lover before tea. (9)

1.	T = tea is inaccurate. Why not 'to a T'?
2.	Definition seems very imprecise, no homophone for 'dream' in wordplay.
3.	Different.

30. Looking for a sexy guy? Try the new Meat Board.

1.	Too many 'filler words' that enhance neither definition nor wordplay.

31. Magnet worry about desk drawer at first (9)

1.	Definition a little too vague.
2.	Nice idea. Desk drawer in Magnet kitchen – not sure

32. Met aboard exotic cruise perhaps?

1.	Tom Cruise has a capital C
2.	'Cruise' requires capital C to be fair to the solver.
3.	Good surface reading, anagrind well disguised with cruise collocation – but shouldn't Cruise reference be capitalised?
4.	This def. needs a capital C.
5.	I think Cruise would have to be capitalised
6.	Needs capital for Cruise. Shame, because otherwise a nice clue.
7.	Cruise beginning with a lower-case C is misleading.

33. Object of affection imagined squeezing the squeezer

1.	Surface reading seems rather awkward.

34. Old bad meat, recipe for disaster for beefcake (9)

1.	'Recipe for disaster' does not mean 'disaster for recipe, etc.'
2.	Definition seems imprecise, 'for disaster' isn't really an anagram indicator.
3.	On the surface "…for disaster for…" sounds awkward. Working in "disastrous" would've worked better, I feel.

35. One might be a "Mr Toad", unlikely, except in his own eyes.

1.	'One might … unlikely' is not a grammatical indication of an anagram
2.	Definition too vague, most of clue unnecessary for wordplay.

36. Perfect mate with a bod that attracts – Romeo, in short?

1.	Both definition and wordplay seem a little awkward.
2.	Very nice except for an unconvincing (a lack of?) anagrind.

37. Perhaps he's in bed with inamorata, lost in a whirl (9)

1.	'He's in … a whirl' is not a grammatical indication of an anagram
2.	Definition relies too heavily on wordplay which requires 'losing' and 'whirling'.

38. Pet doctor met a boa, unfortunately.

1.	Definition seems rather imprecise.
2.	Original but a little forced surface reading with "unfortunately"

39. Prince Charming drama to be animated

1.	Surface reading seems a little awkward.
2.	'dreamboat' is not necessarily a male, so inadequately defined.
3.	Nice image, simple idea, smooth surface reading

40. She is a smashin' broad, mate.

1.	Definition relies too heavily on the wordplay.

41. Smashing dame! (Ta, Rob)

1.	Partial overlap of definition and wordplay is not fair to the solver.

42. Some think Brad Pitt is me and Brad abandoned acting to set

1.	Very witty surface
2.	Definition requires 'is one', surface reading seems confusing.
3.	Rather confusing.

43. Sort of Bardot, incorporating elements of Mae West?

1.	Good idea, I'm not entirely happy with 'West' meaning 'going westward'
2.	Definition really requires 'for example' or 'say'.

44. Spooner's fish show excessive love for wonderful person.

1.	As with clue 8, the surface reading seems to lack sensible meaning.
2.	Doat is an old-fashioned spelling of 'dote,' I believe. The Spoonerism is somewhat meaningless

45. This ideal constitutes adorable mate I'd fancy

1.	Nice. A clear winner.
2.	A little clunky but good attempt at &lit.

46. This type of model may be top-rated

1.	The 'of' is superfluous to the wordplay. How about 'Model may be top rated – this type?'
2.	Best of the compound anagrams.
3.	'of' seems unnecessary (answer + X models to Y); definition seems imprecise.

47. Use this to make tomato bread dish (9)

1.	'Use' is superfluous, the clue works better without it.
2.	'Use' doesn't equate to 'mixed up'

48. Who gets her all-aflutter, met abroad? (9)

1.	First half of clue not required in wordplay, definition not really adequate.

49. Wild boar mated, producing stud

1.	Definition seems imprecise.

51. Wonderful person imagined? A snake concealed

1.	Not as good as the snake charmer clues
2.	Surface reading seems completely arbitrary – why the question mark ?