CCCWC March competition voters’ comments
Clue no. 9: Characters in form one? Young angels, perhaps
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A clue to MONEY (CLASS) (Wrong Number).
3 comments refer to this clue (from 3 competitors, 0 others)
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| Comments on the competition |
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| 1. |
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| Not so much variety this month as in previous comps, but the word and clue format didn't really allow it. Everyone seems to have grasped the 'wrong number' requirements. I liked the 'form one' hidden word clues 9, 14 and 35, and 37's St Edward was original – someone knows their medieval history. Top marks to 6 though – very fluent surface and neat compound anagram. 2 is also a good clue, but I can't see how cover = class. Hope I haven't missed something obvious. |
| 2. |
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1st (4 pts) 6 — simple and very elegant
2nd (3 pts) 9 — the best of the hidden clues that used this idea
3rd (2 pts) 13 — not sure about first=one, otherwise good
4th= (1 pt each) 8, 14, 24 ('Means' has a tacked-on look), 37 (would prefer the fact that 'St' and 'Ed' leave different parts of 'most needy' to be signposted), 40 (not sure about 'last of' applying to two words), 49 (the 'o is a bit artificial, despite its use in high circles) |
| 3. |
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What is hard about composing these (curiously-named in the context of a single clue!) "Wrong Number" clues is to find a way of including the synonym of the subordinate clue-word that not only plays a valid role in the clue for the primary clue-word, but which would be entirely convincing in that role even if there were no requirement for a definition of the secondary clue-word. Most of the entries (including mine, I have to admit) fail to surmount this hurdle really satisfactorily. In 18, for instance, although the word “rank” arguably plays a valid role, the clue would be perfectly satisfactory as a clue for MONEY (and indeed a good clue with one of the more convincing surfaces) without it. The best solutions to this problem were perhaps those that used “in order” or “form of” as an a.i. Of the clues that were sound in this and other respects, very few had really convincing surfaces
5 points:
6 A succinct comp. anag. &lit with an excellent surface. To my mind, head and shoulders above all other entries.
2.5 points each:
9 A neat hidden, but “form one” would have benefitted from initial capitals.
47 A very similar approach to 6, but the use of “Columbia” to get the required CO makes for a much weaker surface.
1.5 points each
15 The use of “grand” to define “class” was a good idea. The “perhaps?” is required to make the definition sound, but, unfortunately, weakens the surface quite considerably.
26 Admirably succinct, but “form of” following rather than preceding the letters to be anagrammed is a little strained.
0.5 point each:
18 See above.
24 Sound wordplay, but a rather artificial surface.
35 The “some” device is a bit stale (and, arguably, not entirely sound, since “some of” is what is really required to convey the required sense).
42 Succinct and sound, but a rather feeble surface – the “Don Bogen” stuff would have been totally unconvincing even if I had heard of Bogen and his book. |
