The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC July competition voters’ comments
 
Clue no. 9: Cowardly Lion couldn't do it, needing Oz power first?

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A clue to POUNCE.
5 comments refer to this clue (from 3 competitors, 1 other)
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Comments on the clue
1.Nice surface, though the definition is perhaps rather vague.
2.Can't beat a bit of clever surface reading!
 
Comments on the competition
1.
A word that positively screams P+OUNCE, particularly with the feline meaning of OUNCE. About half the clues chose this strategy, and it felt too unoriginal for me – exceptions being 9, 36 and to some extent, 25.
2.
Given that an ounce is likely to pounce, there were lots of P+ounce clues (my own included) as one would expect. Some of these weren't very good, but I chose a variety of them to give one point or two points. However, clue 9 stood out for me and was awarded the maximum.
3.
This month's bumper field seized upon the clueword with great relish, offering clues with a splendid variety of definitions, and lits and surface readings, though relatively few anagrams. A dozen clues (*) stood out from the crowd, and it really was quite difficult to separate some of them. Definitions used in order of popularity were:

(i) Jump/leap/spring (22 clues) *****

(ii) Attack/swoop/seize (14 clues)*****

(iii) Powder (7 clues) *

(iv) Puncture/pink (6 clues) *

(v) Trace (1 clue)

The remaining 12 clues were more difficult to categorise as the definitions offered were much vaguer (7, 9, 11, 33, 34, 39, 41, 42, 59, 60, 61 and 62).

Regarding wordplay, almost a third of clues (20) used a feline indicator for OUNCE (jaguar 16 17 31* 39 40, leopard 11 25* 27 55* 59 , big cat 5* 34 54 62, cat 4 36 58, feline 42), leading to great possibilities for the surface reading and an excellent opportunity for an & lit. clue. In fact a whacking 11 clues had an & lit. structure, (11, 15, 19*, 25*, 26, 38, 45*, 47*, 59, 61, 58 (semi)), with a couple of others (4 and 42) missing out on semi & lit. status because the definition, whilst being separate from the wordplay, nethertheless relied too heavily on it to be fair to the solver. It's important that the wordplay enhances the definition in a semi & lit. clue, but that the definition part is also easily identifiable on its own.

Just over a quarter of clues employed wordplay with a monetary and/or weight element (2, 3, 12*, 13*, 21, 35, 51 and 56*).

There was a fine variety of techniques employed to indicate the preceding P, including abbreviations (power 9 11 24 39, parking 12* 16 17 31* 40 (very popular with the jaguars), penny 3 13*, soft/quietly 10 34 42 43 61 62 63), initial letters (puma 4, prey 5* 55* 58 59, panther 36, predatory 25*), middle letter (leopard 27) and final letters (jump 19*, leap 26). Not much scope for anagrams though this month, with UPON being the most popular (8, 18, 45*, 47* and 60), often combined with church for CE (also used in clues 21 and 56), and two appearances each for ONCE UP (22* and 38) and ONE CUP (32 and 48*).