Thanks to Bob for a copy of the results. James. ++ An interesting debut as moderator. I had scheduled the competition around my other commitments with some care, but had overlooked that people would not be getting the acknowledgements they expected. My other major mistake was not to make it clear that I had put all the clues into a standard form i.e. with a full stop (or period) before the "(6)". In my opinion this is the correct way to punctuate them. Unfortunately one voter failed to realise what I had done, and he penalised everyone whose clue ended with a full stop rather than a question mark or an exclamation mark. (Nevertheless, clues penalised in this way filled the top 9 places!) My apologies for these glitches. The main thing I appear to have got right is the choice of word, about which several people made approving noises. I decided I wanted 1) a common word, 2) a word which would discourage anagram clues, and 3) a word with a lot of different meanings. BISHOP filled the bill pretty well. I was delighted someone used the meaning about filing a horse's teeth (though disappointed that this was only in a bonus clue). Other meanings that I don't think anyone used include: * a hot drink of red wine flavoured with bitter oranges * any of several kinds of colourful African weaver bird * to let milk burn while cooking * to murder by drowning * to tamp down paving stones I found the selection of clues varied and interesting, and the voting (as ever) pretty interesting too. (As usual, one clue I rated very highly finished three-quarters way down!) However, I'm delighted that the competition produced a worthy winner in the person of David McKeegan, to whom my sincere congratulations. The runner-up was John Bryan, who has kindly agreed to moderate PCWC88. Thanks to all who participated, and I'll do it better next time, if I ever get the chance. (I'll find a word less amenable to "hidden" clues, for instance.) Now stand by for the full results... ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall Comments on the Contest ------------------------------------------------------------------- A good word, which I enjoyed trying to clue, and a lovely set of clues to judge. Thanks. Phil Rose (Ph.) Hope. the. moderator. enjoyed. his. vacation. All. those. full. stops. looked. really. odd. Comments with (jb) are those of Jake Bergmann. A pretty average set of clues, with a couple of real standouts. I docked two points off every clue with 0) an extraneous punctuation mark Not a bad set of clues, but no standouts IMHO. What a great set of clues to judge. Both piety and variety! I compliment the cluers and the moderator (for selecting a great word). I could come in near last, with a reasonably solid clue. ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Results of the Voting ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st place (score 72.96%) - clue 16 Entrant David McKeegan AC/DC's dance piece. (6) Votes (normalized): 55 56 57 65 75 80 96 100 Definition of "piece" works better in #7 than it does here. Ph. Love the construction. "Piece" is too unspecific to be a fair definition. (jb) Excellent construction, using one slang term for a bisexual to clue another such term. "piece" is a little bare as the def'n, but doesn't harm a very good clue with a concise, meaningful surface as well. I like a good short clue, and this is one. This is nice and short, with an appropriate use of slang. I'll admit the definition is fair - to a chess player, who differentiates (I think) a piece from a pawn; enough for a solver? ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd place (score 71.63%) - clue 18 Entrant John Bryan Charlie Parker's jazz absorbs his funky church leader. (6) Votes (normalized): 34 43 60 70 70 78 90 100 100 Probably a jazz pedant requires the reference to Charlie Parker, I don't think I do. Nothwithstanding that a good clue. Ph. I'll take your word for the jazz. Good clue. I don't think 'funky' suits the surface very well. Or maybe I just don't like the word itself. (jb) Nice construction and pleasing surface A partial anagram I can love! Excellent construction and surface. My winner. Nice 'n solid Nicely constructed. Surface seems a little stilted though nicely done ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd place (score 70.25%) - clue 3 Entrant Doug Peterson Rabbis hope to contain high-ranking clergyman. (6) Votes (normalized): 33 43 55 67 80 90 95 100 Accurately constructed clue. The definition is a bit stronger than the next one. The surface seems to suggest some Judaeo- Christian skirmish. Ph. Very nice construction, lacks pizzazz. (jb) An easy clue, but perfect in every way. I have no problem at all with the 'to-infinitive' indicator. My winner Better hidden word construction than #1, but surface fell flat despite some great possibilities. Solid. This would be a good clue for a real puzzle, which makes it an unlikely candidate in this contest (when people know the answer, they tend to over-judge some contorted entries). Subtly sinister surface. Question 'to contain' as HW indic. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4th place (score 66.50%) - clue 8 Entrant Dave Shield Encore! Dance, your Eminence. (6) Votes (normalized): 36 40 55 57 57 75 88 90 100 Another great clue, probably third. Another wonderful clue. This time simply constructed. Ph. Quite effective. I like short clues. BIS might be a little difficult. (jb) Pretty good Good charade idea, but if you're going to use a French term, you must include some kind of an indicator, like "Encore, Henri!" "Your Eminence" isn't a bishop, it's what you say to one. "Eminence" alone, would be OK, or "Eminent figure". don't think 'your Eminence' defines Bishop and bis = encore might be a bit obscure ------------------------------------------------------------------- 5th place (score 60.04%) - clue 19 Entrant Jake Bergmann See administrator's sister about to jump. (6) Votes (normalized): 38 40 43 43 50 56 71 100 100 Is "sib" as established a moniker as "bro"/"bud" or "sis"? Also I think that the Bishop will have a lesser cleric to run his administration. Ph. I thought this was great until I discovered that sib = blood relative, and isn't short for sibling. Very nice surface and super def Finally got that "See" def'n nailed in this one. Picky, but "sister" may not clue "sib" without an "e.g.". I don't like the indirection of SISTER -> SIB, which is then used as fodder Very clever definition. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 6th place (score 59.99%) - clue 1 Entrant Harold Strom harold.strom@utoronto.ca See head poking from cannabis hopper. (6) Votes (normalized): 25 33 40 50 57 65 71 98 100 The definition is clever, but although "poking" makes a good surface, somehow fails to indicate a hidden word. Ph. Pretty good. 'Poking' is weak. If you keep your cannabis in a hopper, you're going to be found out pretty soon. (jb) Nice def. Dubious indicator. Senseless fodder. Fairly obvious hidden word; definition is obscure and a trifle off. Great defn, great surface, great cryptic. I'd prefer a simple "in" to "poking from", but that's picking nits. Even if they use hop-picking machinery or hoppers cars in large-scale marijuana production, I can't believe they call them cannabis hoppers. But this is a funny idea, and the defn. is very cool well-disguised defn, but overall surface doesn't do much for me ------------------------------------------------------------------- 7th place (score 59.93%) - clue 13 Entrant Phil Rose Ambivalent lovers dance for Church leader. (6) Votes (normalized): 40 43 43 45 49 70 90 100 This is mine, but I prefer #8. Ph. Excellent. A nice Renaissance flavor. (jb) Nice Good charade. "Bis" may be unfamiliar to some out in Kansas. Good def added deception by using a common first-letter indicator. I wouldn't describe Bi-sexuals as "ambivalent", not to mention that "Bi" and "Ambivalent" are strongly rooted together. Not sure I understand the explanation Why is Church capitalized? ------------------------------------------------------------------- 8th place (score 56.16%) - clue 15 Clergyman involved in club is hopeless. (6) Votes (normalized): 15 43 44 50 57 60 67 80 90 Given this week's events in Northern Ireland, this clue strikes a chord. Good well constructed hw. Ph. Smoothly written, but involvement in a club doesn't sound all that damning. (jb) Fair hw Best of the 4 hidden word constructions, and a decent surface as well. Nice, but very easy. Solid. Another nice HW ------------------------------------------------------------------- 9th place (score 54.34%) - clue 10 Piece by Queen: `Bohemian Rhapsody' redone without May, and `Hero' remixed. (6) Votes (normalized): 14 18 43 44 50 60 70 95 95 Too long, but otherwise good. I just don't like this type of clue, so it gets an average score. Ph. Of course, the construction is over-elaborate, but IMO a great surface can compensate. One of the great clues in PCWC history was in PCWC 8 (may have won, I forget): As he left Diana, Charles turned red (8) where anagram-subtraction was also used effectively. Sorry I can't remember the author's name. (jb) Lovely def. Wonderfully complex construction; how did you think of it? Only trouble is, it looks like *two* pieces by Queen Gee! An anagramic deletion clue! Shades of Cruciverbalist. I felt the surface fell from its own weight. I don't know whether to throw up or to applaud. Great defn. and surface, but I just can't buy the massive anagram-deletion. remarkably clever, but just what is happening in the studio is unclear in this heavily punctuated clue. Sounds like two pieces to me How about : One of two pieces by Queen: ?Bohemian Rhapsody? (redone without May); and ?Hero? remixed.(6) [the King being the other piece ?by? the Queen] impressive anagramming feat--how do people come up with these? ------------------------------------------------------------------- 10th place (score 53.32%) - clue 9 Starts by its sire, holiest of pieces! (6) Votes (normalized): 0 11 14 19 75 86 90 90 95 I still have the doubts I had when I wrote this. A fair definition, albeit with redundant information, and as an acrostic works. The surface somehow lacks a certain something. Ph. After reading Fraser Simpson's thoughtful review of the team crossword competition, I'm not inclined to give flawed &lits quite as much slack any more. Here, there's a misplaced appositive ('sire' is not the 'holiest of pieces'), and the indicator "starts" is missing a possessive, e.g., "starts of". (jb) Very, very nice. Half a point lost for the lack of possession in the indicator. Not a big deal in such a clever &lit. My runner up How about several question marks? A convincing explanatory pitch, until you get to the "its", which blows it, since one chess piece owes no allegiance to another. Good &lit. I prefer no question mark. Anybody who says otherwise can stuff it. Should be 'starts of' or similar ------------------------------------------------------------------- 11th place (score 48.75%) - clue 6 Priest initially began intemperance sermon holding onto pulpit. (6) Votes (normalized): 5 25 30 44 50 55 65 79 86 Too long; long words are always a hint it's an acronym. I'm not a fan of acrostics really, but a good clue nonetheless. Ph. Reads rather well, but for the redundancy of 'initially' and 'began'. (jb) Fair acrostic effort. That 'initially began' looks pleonastically tautological In an acrostic, surface is everything; this one falls quite short. I prefer "acronym" vs. "charade" (which is more general). Doesn?t the initially point to priest? nice acrostic ------------------------------------------------------------------- 12th place (score 45.35%) - clue 7 Piece is sort of jazz cover of his arrangement. (6) Votes (normalized): 5 19 29 30 43 45 50 88 100 Whose arrangement? Lackluster. Also, though this is minor, one usually does not cover an arrangement. You cover a song with your own arrangement, or you copy someone else's. Wonderful clue! Definition is plain, but beautifully wrong-foots the solver. The cryptic part is well set out. Ph. When you write "cover of," you're failing to instruct the solver to DO something with the cryptic elements. "Covering" might be better. "Piece" is such a polymorphous word that I don't think it's fair as a definition, either. (jb) Hmm. More iffy indicators. I can live with 'arrangement', but I don't like 'cover of' Don't like unmodified "piece" as definition of bishop. Hate partial anagrams. Great surface makes up for impossibility of clue (I don't think that I could ever hope to solve this one without knowing the answer in advance). Don't think 'piece' is enough of a def. "cover" should be "covers" to indicate a container--also an extraneous "of" in there ------------------------------------------------------------------- 13th place (score 42.90%) - clue 20 Bob is hoping at the intersection he can cross diagonally. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 11 29 35 40 50 65 71 85 The hidden word indication doesn't work. The definition is clever, but needs work. Ph. Phrase order is wrong ("at the intersection" comes at the wrong point in the sentence.) Don't care for the indicator much, either. (jb) Nice try. The indicator is creative, at least. And the def is excellent Fairly good hidden word, with a good definition that might give the solver one of those "aha!" experiences. Surface doesn't scan too well. Your indicator doesn't work for me. Love 'Bob is hoping' but I don't buy the HW indic. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 14th place (score 42.46%) - clue 11 One protector of King Joey. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 0 10 30 45 57 70 80 90 Why "one"? Is there someone called "Bishop Joey"? And the other definition is weak. Ph. Terse and effective. I like both halves. (jb) I'll need more of an explanation than just "(d. def.)" to make sense of this one. I assume Joey Bishop is somebody? Joey Bishop is reasonably well-known to older adults, but cluing a surname with a common given name is not a good idea...do you really think that "Frank" is a good definition for "Sinatra"? I'd leave off the "One". Took me a minute to get it, I'm sad to admit. I'm sad to say that Joey = Bishop works for me, but I'm optimistic enough to think that it won't for most people. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 15th place (score 40.86%) - clue 2 First in broadcasting: "One small jump for a man..." (6) Votes (normalized): 5 25 29 33 45 50 70 70 I'm not sold on a man = piece. Good otherwise. I thought it was "One small _step_ for man...". Use of man is a bit too vague a definition, and the 4-part charade make this a tad convoluted. Ph. The surface is the best of the group. The definition needs a lot of help. (jb) Flawless cryptic construction. Major problem with the def. In chess, a man is a pawn. Didn't like "a man" = BISHOP without a game qualifier or hint Prefer "Broadcasting first", which is cryptically sounder. "a man" isn't a great defn, but the masterful surface makes it forgivable. surf is a bit awkward "man" or "piece" is not specific enough to indicate BISHOP ------------------------------------------------------------------- 16th place (score 34.63%) - clue 4 Bad start is not ending hope for clergyman. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 4 22 25 29 40 57 60 75 A bit too clumsiliy worded for my taste. A three part charade, with one part en-clair. Also the surface is a tad week. Ph. I'd accept 'unended', but 'not ending' makes one wonder, "Who?" (is not ending it). Good surface. (jb) The indicators don't really do their job properly, and the surface is clumsy Ugly charade. "not ending" can't be a curtailment indicator when it *precedes* the word. Beaten by better charades. I don't like "not ending hope" -> HOP grammatical probs awkward syntax ------------------------------------------------------------------- 17th place (score 33.87%) - clue 17 See holder, being first, is bound. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 14 16 20 32 43 44 45 90 Another hidden definition, and it is a three part charade with 1 en-clair. But the grammar of the surface is confused. Ph. 'Holder'? Also, no sense in the surface. (jb) It looks like that definition should be misleading, but it isn't "Being first" is not the same as "first of Being". Somewhat obscure definition, and a little off at that. Very nice clue. awkward surf, even if hop = bound ------------------------------------------------------------------- 18th place (score 28.91%) - clue 21 Oversee small AC/DC outlet. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 0 6 10 11 25 43 80 85 The definition is too clever. It requires a translation from "over see" to "the person over a see" which is not signed at all. Maybe the "small" is superfluous - see #16 Definition would be bad enough by needing to be parsed apart, but even then it doesn't define a noun. (jb) Another donut. The fact that there is no definition is, imo, a fatal flaw Don't understand how "small" fits in; I don't think you can split a word arbitrarily into two others and get a definition from it. I love "oversee", though it's pretty tough. Funny. "oversee" does not define BISHOP ------------------------------------------------------------------- 19th place (score 28.27%) - clue 14 After "beheading", I store knight's neighbor. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 5 14 29 33 45 50 50 "After" is a positional indicator. I think the "beheading" charade to be brave. Unfortunately this braveness does not extend to the surface - Ph. Surface needs a lot of work. "Store" is not the verb you would usually use in this context. (jb) You'll get short shrift from a lot of people for that 'beheading' indicator. Not from me though - I'll give you short shrift for the meaningless surface Just who got beheaded here, you or the neighbor? any clue attempting a pun needs a question mark, but that wouldn't help the solver here. Abstain. My clue, which will get it's butt deservedly kicked. Like the def. but not the surface ------------------------------------------------------------------- 20th place (score 28.19%) - clue 12 Master of sacred court, British one, with grass on. (6) Votes (normalized): 0 10 14 18 29 33 50 50 50 Slang is a bit too uncommon for my taste. I like the definition, and I suppose that "grass on" works as well as "grass" for "shop. The surface is well out though. Ph. Interesting, but the surface doesn't integrate well (the middle phrase seems stuck in) and the slang SHOP is too regional for a general-audience crossword. (jb) OK structure. Hard surface Lack of sufficient UK vernaculor would make make this clue unsolvable, buteven with that, the surface hops and chops and makes little sense. Not much surface flow, I'm afraid. But I learned what "to grass on" means. Surf doesn't quite work ------------------------------------------------------------------- 21st place (score 27.90%) - clue 5 Tutu says "Ta-ta, spicy Posh". (6) Votes (normalized): 0 0 0 0 11 29 40 71 100 Great surface; a top-notch clue Wonderful surface imagery. Did you here the one about the archbishop and the singer? Unfortunately, it's a definition by example, for which I need some indication. Desmond Tutu is also an archbishop. I don't regard "spicy" as a fair anagram indicator, and a homophone should indicate the sound used in the answer. Ph. Too unlikely (jb) Oh dear. A partial non-homophone and un-indicated def-by-example earn this clue a donut Def needs an "e.g.". Partial homophone/anagram clues flunk with this scorer. An indirect homophone! I could forgive you, if it were BY-SHOP, but it's BI-SHOP (rhymes with FISH-OP). It ain't fair to use 'says "ta-ta"' -> BYE -> BI (rhyme: lye) -> BI (rhyme: lid). Bye-Shop? 'Says' isn't quite right, anyway interesting surface, but the partial homophone doesn't wash ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments on the Bonus Clues ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonus clue -1 Clergyman to perform cosmetic surgery on nippers. (6) A mite too jargoned. Ph. I would like to thank the writer of this bonus clue for expanding my vocabulary. Good clue, too Wow! This is educational stuff! ------------------------------------------------------------------- -- James A. Lundon, DSC, Ballybrit Business Park, Ballybrit, Galway, Ireland. mailto: james dot lundon at dscie dot com. phoneto: 353+91+760541. All opinions expressed here are my own, unless otherwise mis-stated. *************** How many of the Mr. Men can you name? *************** From - Sat Nov 21 17:13:31 1998 Received: from dsc001.dscie.com (mail.dsc.ie [194.125.37.252]) by irwell.zetnet.co.uk (8.8.7/8.8.5) with ESMTP id QAA14085 for ; Tue, 10 Nov 1998 16:18:56 GMT Received: by DSC001 with Internet Mail Service (5.5.1960.3) id ; Tue, 10 Nov 1998 16:16:33 -0000 Message-ID: From: "Lundon, James" To: Subject: CCC (317): PCWC91 results Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 16:16:30 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.1960.3) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Mozilla-Status: 2001 Thanks to fyj for a copy of the results. Formatting is a bit askew because of line wrapping. James (8th place finisher in PCWC91). ++ Here are the results from PCWC 91. Sorry they were held up; I'm having strange interface problems between the UNIX, the office PC and the home PC. Anyway Will Johnston is the winner and to him congratulations as well as all of the top placers. Will has agreed to moderate PCWC 92, and you'll be hearing from him in due course. Thanks to all the entrants and especially the judges without whom this competition would not be possible /ec ------------------------------------------------------ OVERALL COMMENTS: It must have been a difficult word, since, excuse my frankness, a sorrier group of clues I have seldom seen in a PWCW. I've signed my comments (jb) -- Jake Bergmann As a newcomer to this group, I am saddened to see the creativity of so many clue-writers suffocated by the strict enforcement of arbitrary 'rules' by the North American majority. Craven adherence to concepts such as 'surface meaning' and 'grammatical correctness' only serves to stifle the imagination. In this competition I have rewarded cluers who had the courage to stand up to these cryptic fascists, and to strike a blow for artistic freedom by flouting their absurd laws. I've signed my comments W.B. Nice selection of clues. great word, Ed. A lot very good entries this round, which means some clues which would normally score very high suffer a little by comparison. My comments are signed with -tg- for Theresa Gies. An excellent group of clues, no real "dogs" in the bunch. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st place (score 81.52%) - clue 1