Subject: C5-4E Competition Announcement Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 19:50:13 -0400 From: Bruce McKenzie Organization: Business Information Graphics, Inc. To: James Lundon Newsgroups: rec.puzzles.crosswords COLLABORATIVE CRYPTIC CROSSWORD CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP (C5) CHAMPIONSHIP # 4 SEGMENT LETTER E Thanks to Gail Koontz for moderating the last round. And now . . . Welcome to C5; in this contest (no prizes) the idea is to construct an actual 15x15 cryptic crossword puzzle through the collaborative efforts of all the participants over a period of several months. For each installment, three new words are entered in the supplied grid and the contestants are asked to clue them. The entrant who supplies the best three-clue package wins that segment. There is, in addition to the segment Hosts, an overall moderator who has the authority to intervene should any unforeseen difficulties arise. The puzzle Champion may assume this role for the next contest. THE WORDS KISSER (21 Down) ALIAS (27 Across) ELDERS (29 Across) CLUE-TYPE PREFERENCES There are two homophones and two &lit. clues in the puzzle, so if you're going to try one of those, make it really good. Some good hidden word clues have been submitted, but there's none in the puzzle yet. There are no deletion clues. TO ENTER Please include your three clues; an explanation of how they are solved; your E-mail address; and whether or not you are able to host the next segment. Mail your entries to: mckenzie@bigmultimedia.com If you don't receive an acknowledgement from me within two days, send your entry again. DEADLINES Entries must be received no later than: midnight, your time, July 30, 1998 Results will be posted as soon as possible thereafter. THE RULES The entrants are asked to submit a separate clue for each of the three words. The clues will be judged more favorably if they observe the Clue Type Preferences (if any) that apply to this segment. When there are Clue Type Preferences, the moderator may allow his judgment of a really fine clue to override his concerns about the clue-type balance, so don't treat Preferences as an absolute. These three-clue packages are judged as a bloc, with the winner assuming (or passing on) the responsibility of filling three new words on the grid and hosting the next segment. Only one three-clue entry per contestant please. There is no spelling or clue-format protocol that we are adhering to for this contest. Whatever standard you are used to using is acceptable. The moderator may edit the bracketed enumeration at the end of the clue to a uniform look for aesthetic purposes however. This is not to suggest that this is a free-form contest, but merely acknowledges that there are many different accepted standards. Hyphenated words are acceptable as are linked words (clue may require more than one clue space), but be aware that these linked words may create unforeseen problems later on when trying to fill the grid. THE SCORING 3 points for winner 2 points for runner-up 1 point for honourable mention Benevolent points 1 additional point will be awarded to the person who agrees to host the next installment (the winner has right of first refusal). For each segment, there is only one winner whose three clues were deemed to be the best of the field. The runner-up and honourable mention points are awarded in recognition of good efforts - perhaps the best overall clue was not accompanied by two sufficiently good entries to merit first place. As these points are accumulated throughout the contest, the Champion could feasibly have not fielded any first place winners. The segment moderator may, after selecting the top three entries, replace (in the puzzle) one clue from the winning entry with a clue from the second or third place entry. This is at the sole discretion of the moderator and does not affect the points awarded. In other words the winning entry still scores 3 points, the runner-up 2 points, and the third-place entry 1 point, regardless of whether a clue from the second- or third-place entry is substituted. PUZZLE BALANCE The moderator, while preparing this announcement, should survey the types of the existing clues and determine whether they are out of balance with the following goals: Goals of Puzzle #4 ------------------ Anagram clues: minimum 15%, maximum 40% includes clues that are mostly anagram "Seldom" category (no minimum, maximum 10% each category) : homophone hidden or reversed hidden "Rare" category (no minimum, maximum 5% each category) : acrostic alternating letter The segment moderator may use his/her judgment about the frequency of the various charade techniques, and likewise about double definition clues. ------------------ [The goals statement may be freely modified by the Overall Moderator when each new puzzle begins.] Then the segment moderator will usually make a statement of Clue Type Preferences, styled something like the following example: "During this segment, in order to restore balance among the types of clues, there will be a slight prejudice in favor of double definitions and a heavy prejudice against 'hiddens'." This statement is inserted into the appropriate section of the announcement, replacing any earlier statement. MODIFICATIONS Inevitably, as the contest progresses, there will be a point where the moderator faces an impasse - there are no legitimate words which will occupy the remaining spaces. At this point (or before), the moderator can remove anywhere from one to three previously clued entries and replace them with a word/words deemed easier to work with. The choice of which word/words to remove is solely at the discretion of the host, and requires no explanation or apology. There is no time limit set on how quickly this puzzle must be completed, so please don't feel compelled to include questionable words for the sake of expediency. Also, just because a particular clue is a real knockout is not justification for leaving it intact if all the other strategic considerations point to a need to remove a particular word. If the normal completion of the current segment would leave a single word unclued, then that word will be included in the current segment, making it the final segment with four words to clue. If the normal completion of the current segment would leave two words unclued, then those words will be left for the next (and final) segment. The Champion is the one who has accumulated the most points when the puzzle is completed. That person wins bragging rights and the opportunity to choose the grid and enter the initial three words for the next contest. In the event of a tie, a joint-champion will be declared and the person with the most 1st place wins will have the right to initiate the next contest. The Host/Judge is NOT required to critique all the entries or provide a rationale for choosing (or not) the winning entries - though you may do this if you wish. A short overall commentary should accompany the winners list and updates however. ____________________________________________________________ THE GRID The grid below shows the clue answer words entered to date. ____________________________________________________________ |1 | |2 | |3 | |4 | |###|5 |6 | |7 | |8 | |_Q_|_U_|_E_|_S_|_T_|_I_|_O_|_N_|###|___|___|___|___|___|___| | |###| |###| |###| |###|###|###| |###| |###| | |_U_|###|_M_|###|_H_|###|_R_|###|###_###|___|###|___|###|___| |9 | | | | | | | |10 |###|11 | | | | | |_A_|_M_|_P_|_E_|_R_|_S_|_A_|_N_|_D_|###|___|___|___|___|___| | |###| |###| |###| |###| |###| |###| |###| | |_R_|###|_T_|###|_E_|###|_L_|###|_E_|###|___|###|___|###|___| |12 | | | | | |###|13 | | | | | | | | |_T_|_R_|_Y_|_I_|_N_|_G_|###|___|_M_|___|___|___|___|___|___| | |###|###|###| |###|14 |###| |###| |###| |###| | |_Z_|###|###|###|_O_|###|___|###|_O_|###|___|###|___|###|___| |###|###|15 | | | | | | | |###|16 | | | | |###|###|_G_|_O_|_D_|_Z_|_I_|_L_|_L_|_A_|###|___|___|___|___| |17 |###| |###| |###| |###| |###|18 |###| |###| | |_B_|###|_R_|###|_Y_|###|___|###|_I_|###|___|###|___|###|___| |19 | | | |###|20 | | | | | | | |###|###| |_A_|___|_A_|___|###|___|___|___|_S_|___|___|___|___|###|###| | |###| |###|21 |###| |###| |###| |###|###|###|22 | |_D_|###|_T_|###|___|###|___|###|_H_|###|___|###|###|###|___| |23 | | | | | | | |###|24 | | |25 | | | |_I_|_N_|_I_|_M_|_I_|_C_|_A_|_L_|###|___|___|___|___|___|___| | |###| |###| |###| |###|26 |###| |###| |###| | |_N_|###|_F_|###|___|###|___|###|___|###|___|###|___|###|___| |27 | | | | |###|28 | | | | | | | | | |_A_|___|_I_|___|___|###|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___| | |###| |###| |###|###|###| |###| |###| |###| | |_G_|###|_E_|###|___|###|###|###|___|###|___|###|___|###|___| |29 | | | | | |###|30 | | | | | | | | |_E_|___|_D_|___|___|___|###|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___| ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Host of each segment is responsible for updating the puzzle grid by adding the three new words to be clued, and removing those which became redundant. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE WINNING CLUES The Host must add the new clues to the list. If a word has been replaced or removed, that clue must also be deleted from this list. ACROSS 1) Misrepresent (in quotes) "discount" (8) 5) 9) And 'symbol of American courage' describes retiring representative (9) 11) 12) Attempting to include red in drawing (6) 13) A large semi-lizard beast from the east! (8) 15) 16) 19) 20) 23) Damaging skirt returned to one silent president (8) 24) 27) 28) 29) 30) DOWN 1) Watch regulator proclaim measures (6) 2) Point to yard after small space becomes vacant (5) 3) Drone thy dreadful lamentation (8) 4) Spoken or heard? Heard (4) 6) 7) 8) 10) Skittish moles hid in ruin (8) 14) 15) Delighted to eat frigid bananas (9) 17) Joshing and a gibe!(8) 18) 21) 22) 25) 26) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SEGMENT A THE WORDS - QUARTZ, THRENODY, AMPERSAND WINNER - Bruce McKenzie CLUE 1 * Watch regulator proclaim measures (6) CLUE 2 * Drone thy dreadful lamentation (8) CLUE 3 - Current hit show with grit and character (9) RUNNER-UP - Doug Peterson CLUE 1 - Jasper measures sound (6) CLUE 2 - Exhausted Roman leader rises, interrupting your old, sad song (8) CLUE 3 - Wilder pens drama: "Symbol of Togetherness"? (9) HONOURABLE MENTION - Gail Koontz CLUE 1 - Say volumes with an opal perhaps (6) CLUE 2 - Oh trendy, trashy, tear-jerking song (8) CLUE 3 * And 'symbol of American courage' describes retiring representative (9) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SEGMENT B THE WORDS - QUESTION, EMPTY, ORAL WINNER - Ed Coulson CLUE 1 - * Misrepresent (in quotes) "discount" (8) CLUE 2 - * Point to yard after small space becomes vacant (5) CLUE 3 Articulated part of moralist (4) RUNNER-UP - Wei-Hwa Huang CLUE 1 - Search for charged particle creates dispute (8) CLUE 2 - Vacate in contempt, yes (5) CLUE 3 - Recited morals endlessly (4) HONOURABLE MENTION - Dave Shield CLUE 1 - Search for particle that demands an answer (8) CLUE 2 - Behead that weed - Behead it? Why? There's nothing left(5) CLUE 3 * Spoken or heard? Heard (4) SEGMENT C THE WORDS - TRYING, GODZILLA, DEMOLISH WINNER - Kevin Wald CLUE 1 * Attempting to include red in drawing (6) CLUE 2 * A large semi-lizard beast from the east! (8) CLUE 3 - Revolting mold he is to destroy (8) RUNNER-UP - Doug Peterson CLUE 1 - Difficult selection from "Poetry in Gaelic" (6) CLUE 2 - Giant lizard deity? Last character I'll start to adore (8) CLUE 3 * Skittish moles hid in ruin (8) HONOURABLE MENTION - Gail Koontz CLUE 1 - Stressful striving (6) CLUE 2 - Proceed to borders of DMZ disaster - a monstrous result of H-bomb testing (8) CLUE 3 - Destroy agitated mole trapped by pretty girl (8) SEGMENT D THE WORDS - INIMICAL, GRATIFIED, BADINAGE WINNER - Bruce McKenzie CLUE 1 * Damaging skirt returned to one silent president (8) CLUE 2 - Pleased if one is in ground (9) CLUE 3 * Joshing and a gibe! (8) RUNNER-UP - Doug Peterson CLUE 1 - Hostile leaders of Indian nations in Mexico invaded California and looted (8) CLUE 2 * Delighted to eat frigid bananas (9) CLUE 3 - Popular pundit loses head after nasty teasing (8) HONOURABLE MENTION - Theresa Gies CLUE 1 - Like the enemy, I'm lying in particular when leaderless (8) CLUE 2 - Authorized to support program's core content (9) CLUE 3 - Superb ad in a "Geographic" features playful humor (8) SEGMENT E THE WORDS - KISSER, ALIAS, ELDERS WINNER - CLUE 1 CLUE 2 CLUE 3 RUNNER-UP - CLUE 1 CLUE 2 CLUE 3 HONOURABLE MENTION - CLUE 1 - CLUE 2 - CLUE 3 - * The Hosts should append their winners to this list so there is a complete record of all the winning clue-packages. An asterisk (*) before a clue listing indicates that the clue was included in the puzzle; note in the rules (above) that one clue may be substituted from the runner-up or honourable mention clue set. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE POINTS LEADERS (running tally) Bruce McKenzie 8 Doug Peterson 6 Ed Coulson 4 Kevin Wald 3 Gail Koontz 3 Wei-Hwa Huang 2 Dave Shield 1 Theresa Gies 1 *The Hosts should update this list to keep it current.