CCCWC January 2014 competition results
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60 clues entered. 53 votes cast (46 competitors, 7 others).
HOLMESIAN
…and so the 2014 competition gets under way – and what a close run start to the year! Some familiar names fill the podium, with last year's 4th placed in the Annual competition, John Appleton, making an early bid for this year's contest and squeezing home by just one point! Well deserved for an inventive clue.
The unlucky runner up was David Harry with another entertaining anagram – tough luck David, but still an excellent effort.
Richard Saunders was only 2.5 points back in third with his clue that had an ingenious and apposite surface reading.
Last year's Annual winner, Mike Baker, makes his intentions clear for this campaign, securing 4th spot, just 3 points further adrift – he could be the one to beat yet again!
Final podium place, again just 3 points back, went to John Tozer's clue which cleverly threw the scent away from the famous detective.
Well done to all for an excellent start to 2014! Good luck for the rest of the year.
Incidentally, I was inspired to choose the clue word whilst watching an episode of the recent excellent Sherlock series. I completely overlooked the fact that I had set you SHERLOCK in a previous competition! – but it was back in February 2011!
| Pos | No. | Name | Clue | Explanation | Points | Merits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | John Appleton | Fan of Private Eye, me – Ian Hislop endlessly funny | Def = "Fan of Private Eye"; (ME + [ i]ANHISLO[p])*; Ref to Ian Hislop being editor of that esteemed organ. | 44 | 4 | 4 |
| 2 | 2 | David Harry | Am I going round with lens? Oh, I might be | anag. 'am I lens oh' & lit.: lens as in magnifying glass | 43 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 31 | Richard Saunders | Like Sherlock he nails criminal, getting medical officer involved | HE NAILS MO* Dr. Watson | 40.5 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | 34 | Mike Baker | Maiden in predicament needs ace to crack crime – in this manner? | M in HOLE + A in SIN | 37.5 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | 18 | John Tozer | Hamelin so foolishly employing a maverick problem-solver | anag.; ref. The Pied Piper | 34.5 | 2 | 2 |
| 6 | 35 | Dave Parfitt | Male on run together with his mystery lover? | MALEON + HIS all anag.; run together = 'to mingle or blend'; def. = 'mystery lover?' (i.e. a lover of mystery stories) | 31 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 | 37 | Alex Beaton | Manhole is repositioned after the actions of Baker Street resident (9) | Manhole is = fodder, repositioned = anagram indicator. After the actions of Baker Street resident = definition ('after' being used as synonym for in the style of, Baker Street resident being Sherlock Holmes). | 30 | 3 | 2 |
| 8 | 21 | Martin Price | Heinous, heartless Moriarty's in a hole, like his nemesis. | Anag (M[oriarty]'s + "in a hole")/def. | 25 | 4 | 4 |
| 9 | 53 | Simon Shaw | "The Lion's Mane" is essentially ——— novel | Anagram less outside letters, & lit. | 24.5 | 3 | 9 |
| 10 | 3 | Steve Randall | As an expert in pipework he mans oil supply | Def + anagram of "he mans oil" (supply: in a supple way) | 20.5 | 5 | 4 |
| 11 | 24 | His hero could deduce husband is no lame vagrant | His hero could deduce = definition (using Holmesian as noun); husband = H + anagram of IS NO LAME, vagrant as anagram indicator | 20 | 3 | 1 | |
| 11 | 56 | Watson finally holes one – a master playing like his idol (9) | [(watso)N HOLES I A M]*. Def like Watson's idol. Surface referring to Tom Watson. | 20 | 2 | 1 | |
| 13 | 5 | As Private Eye's exemplar, Ian follows millions in difficult situations | As Private Eye's exemplar = def; HOL(M)ES + IAN (Hislop) | 18.5 | 5 | 3 | |
| 13 | 10 | Clever redesign of Milan shoe. | Anagram of Milan shoe | 18.5 | 1 | 7 | |
| 15 | 13 | Devotee of Sherlock takes central role in broadcasting his name. | H(OL)MESIAN…His name(anag)…central r(ol)e | 17 | 1 | 3 | |
| 16 | 22 | Henry resolved anomalies expressing a characteristic of fictional detective | H(Henry)+(anomalies-a)*; expressing = squeezing out(in cryptic); 'characteristic' used as noun in surface and adj in cryptic | 16.5 | 2 | 3 | |
| 16 | 60 | Without a bit of diplomacy, Ian H seldom fails the Private Eye devotee | anag less d fail = cease to work properly (ODE); Ian Hislop, PR Eye magazine editor | 16.5 | 4 | 2 | |
| 18 | 11 | Coppery with a lemonish twist? (9) | coppery – like a policeman – a lemonish – anagram twist – anagrind | 15 | 2 | 8 | |
| 18 | 27 | I'm on leash, straining, following noted fiddler with nose | (IM ON LEASH)*; def: Holmes is a well-known violinist with a flair for detection | 15 | 2 | 2 | |
| 20 | 19 | Has mole in disguise followed detective from the Strand? (9) | Has mole in – anagram fodder, disguise – anagram indicator, Followed detective from the Strand? – definition (Holmes was serialised in 'The Strand' and Chambers defines Holmesian as – a devotee of Holmes) | 14.5 | 1 | 4 | |
| 20 | 32 | Like sleuth on short vacation suffering brief amnesia | hol(s) + amnesi(a)* | 14.5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 22 | 7 | Ash expert's in a flap after onset of epidemic in trees | *IN A after E in HOLMS; def. Ash expert's (refs. Holmes' monograph) | 13.5 | 0 | 2 | |
| 23 | 26 | I'm a fancier of Doyle's sleuth; unfortunately, "The Lion's Mane" is missing the conclusions of past flatmate Watson. | def.+anag.(unfortunately)of Thelionsmane-t,e,n. *In A.C.Doyle's The Adventure of The Lion's Mane, Holmes had moved to Sussex and Dr Watson was absent. | 13 | 2 | 5 | |
| 23 | 33 | Lion’s mane jellyfish ultimately involved, seeing McPherson’s final exit, in this sort of adventure | (LIONS MANE + H – N)* where H = jellyfish ultimately, N = McPherson's final. In "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane," Holmes solves the cause of death of a man named McPherson – the sting of a lion's mane jellyfish. | 13 | 1 | 2 | |
| 23 | 48 | Simon Hale played like Sherlock (9) | SIMONHALE*. Ref. Simon Hale, composer and musician, is primarily a keyboard wizard but plays a bit of violin like Sherlock. | 13 | 1 | 3 | |
| 26 | 25 | Holness: I am not first sax playing on Baker Street | (HOLNES(s) I AM)*. Ref urban myth that Bob Holness played the saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street. | 11 | 0 | 7 | |
| 26 | 29 | Jack's fan blew on his meal | *(ON HIS MEAL) anagrind: blew {exploded}. Def: "Jack's fan" (n. devotee of Holmes ~ 'Jack' = 'detective') | 11 | 1 | 1 | |
| 28 | 6 | As the detective I enter the Ashmolean without opening up. | 'As the detective' (def), I + (A)shmolean (anag), (cf Morse/Oxford) | 10.5 | 4 | 3 | |
| 29 | 20 | He begins cooking semolina for Dick's admirer? (9) | H(e)SEMOLINA* Def: 'Dick's admirer' | 10 | 2 | 3 | |
| 30 | 40 | Method used, despite time pressure, to solve "The Man with the Twisted Lip" so? | (THE MAN + LIP SO)* – T – P; &Lit – Ref Holmes story | 9.5 | 1 | 3 | |
| 31 | 59 | With no end to trouble, drug-injecting man is manic like someone trying to solve The Final Problem | HOLe+M(E)SIAN (man is)* | 7.5 | 0 | 1 | |
| 32 | 14 | Doctor: "He ails, mon, like an obsessive genius." | He ails, mon anag. | 7 | 1 | 2 | |
| 33 | 16 | Eccentric male is in love with drawing fantastic conclusions from the scantest evidence | anagram of MALEIS contained in HON (love); semi-&lit | 6 | 1 | 2 | |
| 34 | 8 | At first light, breaking into house, Welsh girl is just like a detective | At first light = l ,breaking into house = ho(l)me, Welsh girl= Sian Just like a detective= Holmesian | 5.5 | 4 | 2 | |
| 34 | 36 | Man is whole, not needing women fussing, according to a clinically minded bachelor | anag less w | 5.5 | 2 | 1 | |
| 34 | 51 | Tangled net is sprung in The Lion's Mane surprising this ardent fan | The Lion's Mane is a short Holmes story. Anagrammed minus net gives the answer. | 5.5 | 3 | 2 | |
| 37 | 23 | He's initially on Isle of Man in disguise – fathom out how to describe his method | H(e's) + (ISLE OF MAN)* – F(athom) | 5 | 3 | 1 | |
| 37 | 43 | My idea what's on? Sounds like a Simon Hale medley. | Homophone 'My idea what's on' / 'My dear Watson' (indicator = sounds like); a Holmesian phrase. — Anagram 'Simon Hale' (indicator = medley) — Ref: Simon Hale, BAFTA musician who has worked with many chart topping acts. | 5 | 0 | 5 | |
| 39 | 9 | Before national opener, heartless Argentine footballer interrupts Spanish greeting—with good reason? | def: "with good reason"; HOL(MEsSI)A+N ("heartless Argentine footballer" = ME(s)SI, "Spanish greeting" = HOLA, "national opener" = N) | 4.5 | 2 | 3 | |
| 39 | 12 | Deductive net loss for revised account of "The Lion's Mane" | anagram of THE LIONS MANE minus NET. Name of story in the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. | 4.5 | 1 | 3 | |
| 39 | 45 | Perhaps Watson played Hermione as learner – not regarding Harry! | Harry Potter theme. The actress Emma Watson plays the young wizard Hermione Granger. (Hermione + as + l)* – (re)*; played and Harry = anagram indicators. Perhaps Watson = definition by example. | 4.5 | 3 | 3 | |
| 42 | 28 | In the manner of Sherlock, a German gets mixed up in 'Shalom' mystery. | In the manner of Sherlock – def, a German (EIN) gets mixed up in 'SHALOM' (fodder) mystery – anag ind. | 3.5 | 0 | 2 | |
| 42 | 39 | Means to describe one erratically following leads to hound offenders logically | H O L then MEANS* about I, & lit. means as noun in surface of clue | 3.5 | 0 | 1 | |
| 42 | 47 | Simon Hale appears like Little Richard? (9) | anag(appears)of 'simonhale'; like 'dick' (little richard) (dick = detective) | 3.5 | 0 | 4 | |
| 42 | 50 | Starters in hotel offering light meals: eggs – scrambled, in aspic and à la Benedict? | First letters + n (= “and” – see Chambers). Definition: “à la Benedict [Cumberbatch]?” | 3.5 | 3 | 2 | |
| 46 | 30 | Like him alone's working it out? | Anag ind by 'working it out'/solving | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| 46 | 44 | Now and then the only broadcast name is of Conan Doyle's sleuth | Alternate letters of (t)H(e)O(n)L(y) + (NAME IS)* | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 48 | 46 | Pi + 1 = a number (using intellectual detection method!)(9) | Direct = intellectual detection method. pi = private Investigator = Holmes; 1 = i; a = a; number = n | 2.5 | 0 | 3 | |
| 48 | 49 | Small island with half-Indonesian addition? It's a conundrum worthy of Sherlock! | Holm: small island, OED, plus "esian" plus def. | 2.5 | 0 | 2 | |
| 50 | 38 | Manholes I adjusted for fan of fallen detective. | Anag of MANHOLES I | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 50 | 54 | This nut, groupie's leader, all atwitter, could get sleuth moaning | Composite anagram: HOLMESIAN NUT G = SLEUTH MOANING | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 50 | 57 | Watsonian teammate? It's a type of synthesis. | double def: Watsonian teammate might be Holmesian?; type of synthesis (From the thefreedictionary.com: synthesis = 3. Philosophy a. logical deduction). Watsonian FC is a famous rugby club in Edinburgh, the birthplace of Conan Doyle. | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 53 | 4 | As one deductive woman disrespectfully receives seminal fluid. | def: As one deductive = Holmesian . HO = disrespectful term for a woman, receives SEMINAL fluid* = (HO)LMESIAN. | 0.5 | 2 | 5 | |
| 53 | 15 | "Doctor Watson, this answer is elementary!" … when, at new season, nemesis – Moriarty – all reveals. | Anag ("doctor") &lit. (+ Homage to the keenly awaited new season of Sherlock.) watson holmesian answer is elementary = when at new season nemesis moriarty all | 0.5 | 1 | 5 | |
| 53 | 41 | Method used to solve Lion's Mane puzzle: first, Hardy's prime number eliminated (9) | "Method used to solve" is the definition. Wordplay: (first) H (Hardy's prime) + anagram of LIONSMANE minus N (number eliminated). The Adventure of the Lion's Mane is a title of a Sherlock Holmes short story (which gives a topical surface reading but maybe breaks the rules by verging on an &lit clue). Hardy was a famous Cambridge mathematician | 0.5 | 0 | 3 | |
| 53 | 55 | To his friends Hislop admits mantra about Left is a characteristic of Private Eye (9) | h(o(l)m)es ian | 0.5 | 4 | 2 | |
| 57 | 1 | A sleuth with a solemn hi arrests the suspect. | Anagram: a solemn hi | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
| 57 | 42 | Middle follows whole of one devoted to life of PI? | middle = MESIAN, whole = HOL, PI = Private Investigator | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 57 | 52 | The French man running through and carrying note by the house is detective-like. | HO (house) + LE (the French) MAN (man) running through (L)M(E)AN and carrying SI (note) = LME(SI)AN is HOLMESIAN (detective-like) | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 57 | 58 | Watson's colleague's mixture of dna helix trimmed with metal oxide semiconductor | HOLMESIAN (Watson's colleague's) is anag of dNA HELIx + MOS (ref Crick and Watson) | 0 | 0 | 1 |