The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition

CCCWC September competition voters’ comments
 
Clue no. 34: Leaving tripe out, mixed purer diet's no healthier.

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A clue to SOUNDER.
4 comments refer to this clue (from 2 competitors, 1 other)
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Here is the text

Comments on the clue
1.Strictly, tripe needs its own anagram indicator as TRIPE doesn't appear in sequence in the anagram fodder.
2.Why composite anagram with contrived surface reading when direct anagrams with excellent surface readings are available?
3.Surface seems confusing, 'tripe' also requires an anagram indicator in the wordplay.
 
Comments on the competition
1.
As usual a wide variety of definitions and devices to choose from, with some clues SOUNDER than others, and less than a dozen standing out from the crowd. The more robust, reliable, fitter and generally better definitions predominated (19)(5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 21, 25*, 30, 32, 34, 36, 37*, 38, 39, 50, 53, 55 and 57), followed closely by the 'plumbers' (14)(12, 17, 19, 22, 29*, 33, 37, 38, 42, 43, 44*, 45, 51 and 54) and the swine, either individually (10)(6*, 10, 16*, 23, 24, 28, 41, 45, 49* and 52*) or in a group (7)(1, 3, 4, 18, 31, 46 and 48). Three clues were less specific about the species of animal involved (2, 26 and 27) whereas a couple of others went canine with reference to a very particular film of the same name (1 and 33). Finally, if the siren didn't rouse you (35, 40 and 52) you might be deeper asleep (14 and 20). Amongst all these, just 6 clues offered double definitions (1, 33, 37, 38, 45 and 52) but three others defied categorisation for one reason or another (7, 47 and 56).

With such a 'friendly' group of letters this month, anagrams were in abundance, popular themes being the US DRONE (9, 20, 47, 50 and 55), the RUDE SON (10, 16* and 49*) and DOES RUN (2, 6* and 27). Other combinations included DUNES OR (22 and 42), NURSED + O (3), RED SUN + O (8), ROUSED + N (17), UNDOES + R (21), DRONES + U (28), NO USE DR (32), OUR END + S (35), SEND OUR (51) and N + OR USED (57).

Other wordplay devices included O in SUNDER (11, 29 and 43), SOUR + (18 and 46) and SO + UNDER (23 and 54).

With the recent Labour party leadership election it was perhaps surprising that there were so few references to RED reversals (25* and 40) with the first of these being the only & lit. on offer this month. Just one competititor chose to hide the answer in the clue (4) and there were a couple of semi & lits. also (23 and 43).