Friday Cryptic Crossword Game

[ad hoc]

Oh OK. One of those solve these things and *then* do an anagram clues. Are there any commonly available crosswords where that is acceptable practice? I'm only familiar with the Guardian (and some years ago, the New Statesman) crosswords, where you would never find that kind of solution within a solution clueing

[Kevin S]

I've seen things like 'heads must roll' which means 'anagram of the first letters' but that's always felt clear to me. I have to say I'm still a bit at sea on this one even after the explanation...

[ad hoc]

I've seen things like 'heads must roll' which means 'anagram of the first letters' but that's always felt clear to me. I have to say I'm still a bit at sea on this one even after the explanation...

It's an anagram of COULDACTA + R (for "right") + UN (which is "one in Nice" - where Nice is the town in France, not mild approval or a kind of biscuit)

[Reality Checkpoint]

ad hoc do you feel it is materially different from e.g. the following clue from Qaos in the Guardian? Genuine question - I wouldn't want to set something people find unfair.

27	DOLPHIN	No good holding stew containing pea, say, one in a pod? (7)
		a group of dolphins is called a pod anagram/"stew" of (holdin-g)* minus the 'g' for "good", and around P="pea, say"

[S. aureus]

For me the degree of difficulty in realising "no good" means removing g from holding and then anagramming it is much lower than solving the french for one correctly and then realising that it needs to be included as part of an anagram.
That being said, in both cases I'd have been trying to parse it based on what I'm assuming the answer to be rather than getting the answer straight from the parsing (hopefully that difference makes sense).

[Granthamian]

What Count Dracula would see in the mirror, when out of sorts? (3,7)

Thought this must have been solved what with all the postings after it. Anyway, I hope the clue not too abstract (or just plain flawed). If no one gets it today then I can easily change it. In the meantime here is a prompt

N - - / - - M - - - -

[ad hoc]

ad hoc do you feel it is materially different from e.g. the following clue from Qaos in the Guardian? Genuine question - I wouldn't want to set something people find unfair.

27	DOLPHIN	No good holding stew containing pea, say, one in a pod? (7)
		a group of dolphins is called a pod anagram/"stew" of (holdin-g)* minus the 'g' for "good", and around P="pea, say"

I don;t really like that clue either, it's a bit needlessly complex, but I think it involves less "do this, then do this, and then when you've done that do this" than yours did. I am genuinely interested to know if others felt the same, or they were OK with it. Maybe I've just led a sheltered life with my cryptic clues and this kind of complexity is perfectly acceptable.

[seand]

I don't really mind how a clue is constructed as long as it is explainable, but this kind of two-tier solve is generally beyond my limited ability, I used to query most of the solutions I can't follow, but I usually don't bother now. That's more a reflection of my casual interest in the thread than any kind of criticism of any of the more complex clue-setters

The great thing about this thread though is the variety of styles

[Granthamian]

Don’t know if anybody is even looking at solving this, so I’ll just simplify the clue and walk away.

What Count Dracula would not see in the mirror (7)

- - M - - - F

[seand]

Don’t know if anybody is even looking at solving this, so I’ll just simplify the clue and walk away.

What Count Dracula would not see in the mirror (7)

- - M - - - F

nice one Granthamian, and the original works well I think. I couldn't figure it out, but the answer was hidden in plain sight I reckon. Anyway........


The Belgian is not himself (7)

[ad hoc]

nice one Granthamian, and the original works well I think. I couldn't figure it out, but the answer was hidden in plain sight I reckon. Anyway........

Yes I agree with this

[Capybara]

Setback in Flemish apparently (6)

[Reality Checkpoint]

Ugly mishap around second hole, won finally (9)

[Reality Checkpoint]

Ugly mishap around second hole, won finally (9)

_ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _

[Reality Checkpoint]

Ugly mishap around second hole, won finally (9)

_ _ _ S _ _ P _ _

[ad hoc]

I rejected misshapen biscuits drawn by avant-garde painters (7)

[Reality Checkpoint]

After the Cubists, Picasso was discontented with role (3,3)

[seand]

After the Cubists, Picasso was discontented with role (3,3)

Pop art is any low hard mess (4,6)

[Duncan Gardner]

David Bowie and Andy Warhol hang out? That is A-OK (5,4)

[irony towers]

After the Cubists, Picasso was discontented with role (3,3)

That's... a masterpiece, RC.

[ad hoc]

That's... a masterpiece, RC.

Yes agreed

[S. aureus]

Thirded

[Reality Checkpoint]

Why thank you kind sirs

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

David Bowie and Andy Warhol hang out? That is A-OK (5,4)

Strange border revolt heard on Hunky Dory (6,6)

[ad hoc]

Trevor Bolder wrote about Caribbean emancipator (2,6,4)