C5-4D Results
Gail Koontz
together because I was away two days last week, but here, finally, are
the results. I worked at guaranteeing that reasonable words would fit
around the three I added to the puzzle. Unfortunately, my choices turned
out to be rather challenging to clue. There were only ten entrants,
perhaps for that reason, but there are some fine clues here.
It was a hard choice, but the winner is Bruce McKenzie, and he has
agreed to moderate C5-4E. Doug Peterson was a very close runner-up, and
Theresa Gies' clues earned an honorable mention. (By the way, Theresa
said she is getting married this weekend. Best wishes, Theresa!)
My comments are preceded by asterisks, as are the clues chosen for the
puzzle.
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Word 1 - Hostile Muscovite held at 1-0 (8)
Hostile - definition - INIMICAL
Muscovite - MICA - refers to the mineral muscovite
held at - container indicator
1-0 - I-NIL
I-NI(MICA)L
* This almost works, but not quite. I am assuming that "his
* serve" is understood after "held." If so, this makes sense as
* a comment on a tennis match. I like the Muscovite = mica
* twist. Learn something new every day.
Word 2 - Pleasured - I grafted - I dallied (9)
Pleasured - definition - GRATIFIED
I GRAFTED I - fodder
dallied - anagram indicator
* "Grafted" in either sense doesn't seem to fit the tone of either
* "pleasured" or "dallied." Besides, I don't accept "dallied" as
* an anagram indicator. It means "flirted," "toyed," or "dawdled,"
* none of which seem to do the trick. I could see something like
* "toyed with" as an anagram indicator, but "dally" is an intransitive
* verb. (There is a transitive "dally," but it's obsolete, and besides
* it means "put off," which isn't any help.)
Word 3 - Banter is no good at a certain time of life (8)
banter - definition - BADINAGE
no good - BAD
at a certain time of life - IN AGE
BAD+IN+AGE
* Love this one! I wonder what the certain time of life is and if I've
* reached it. Will I be forced to practice solemnity?
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Word 1 - Unfriendly one, Mr. Coolidge, chases skirt in character
reversal (8)
Unfriendly = definition
one = I
Mr.Coolidge = CAL
chases = placement
skirt = MINI
in character reversal = reversal indicator ('character' indicates
the letters of MINI in the cryptic reading) => INIM/I/CAL
* I don't think I'll ever get used to "chase" as an indicator for a
* following position, even though it means "follow." If A chases
* B, then A should be in front, darn it. However, I accept that it's
* used that way and that the form of this clue is perfectly correct.
* I found the surface slightly stilted because of the "one."
Word 2 - Pleased I'd get fair treatment (9)
Pleased = definition of GRATIFIED
I'd get fair = anagram fodder
treatment = indicator
* A very nicely disguised anagram - and the phrase makes perfect
* sense.
Word 3 - Poor time to take in small talk (8)
Poor = BAD
time = AGE
to take = container indicator
in = IN
small talk = definition of BAD(IN)AGE
* I take the surface to mean that it's difficult for some reason to
* understand small talk - the listener must have his mind on
* something else.
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Word 1 - Outrageous mini with one calorie is unfavorable (8)
OUTRAGEOUS - anagram indicator
MINI - anagrammed to INIM
WITH - link
ONE CALORIE - 1 CAL -> ICAL
IS - definition link
UNFAVORABLE - definition of INIMICAL
* My first question is, "Mini what?" "Outrageous" suggests a
* miniskirt, but "one calorie" sounds more like a small bottle of
* something. I'd vote for some sort of cola, but then I wonder to
* whom and for what reason it is unfavorable. I think I'd prefer
* "harmful" for the definition. That makes me think of a small bottle
* of cola soon to be taken off the market by the FDA.
Word 2 - Rhode Island fig-date combo hit the spot (9)
RHODE ISLAND FIG-DATE ->RIFIGDATE
COMBO - anagram indicator
HIT THE SPOT - definition of GRATIFIED
* They grow figs and dates in Rhode Island? I like the definition,
* but the climate seems wrong. And using "Rhode Island" instead
* of "RI or "R.I." makes part of the fodder for the anagram indirect.
* I think that's a no-no, even though it's an easy translation.
Word 3 - Ill gain in solicited teasing (8)
ILL - not another anagram indicator!
GAIN -> INAG
IN - container indicator
SOLICITED = BADE
TEASING - definition of BADINAGE
* I don't think I've ever heard "ill gain" before. What would one
* look like? Don't the two words rather contradict each other? It's
* frequently "ill gotten gain," which doesn't suit the purpose. What
* would work for me here is "possible gain." I like "solicited teasing."
* Young girls often solicit teasing then pretend to be annoyed by it.
* (At least they did when I was one.)
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Word 1 - Alien joining in one outrageous claim (8)
Charade/anagram
alien (as an adjective) = definition of INIMICAL
joining = charade indicator
in = i n
one = i
outrageous = anagram indicator
claim = anagram fodder; thus: in + i + mical
* It feels like it should be "aliens joining" or "alien joining X,"
* where X might be "other exiles" or something similar.
Word 2 - Pleased if it turns up in terrible grade (9)
Anagram/reverse/container
pleased = definition of GRATIFIED
if it = container fodder
turns up = reverse indicator
in = container indicator
terrible = anagram indicator
grade = anagram fodder; thus: gra (tifi) ed
* Would this be a ranking or a slope? Assuming the first, "turns
* up" works well for the cryptic reading (since it's a down clue)
* but not, I think, for the surface. I don't think that "turns up in"
* can replace "results in," and that seems to be what is needed.
* Something might turn up in a paper being graded, but not in the
* grade itself. (It must be a rival's grade, or why would anyone
* be pleased?)
Word 3 - Symbol of authority wrapped in a light-hearted conversation (8)
Container
symbol of authority = badge
wrapped = container indicator
in a = i n a; thus: bad (ina) ge
light-hearted conversation = definition of BADINAGE
* I like the construction here, especially since it sneakily suggests
* that the symbol of authority is the part being wrapped. I would have
* preferred "absorbed" for the indicator.
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Word 1 - Unfriendly Cadillac I'm in isn't staying in reverse (8)
Unfriendly = def of INIMICAL
Cadillac I'm in isn't = hw fodder
staying in reverse = rev hw indicator ('staying' as in 'holding')
* I love the surface! However, as much as I like the use of "staying"
* as a hidden word indicator, the cryptic grammar doesn't seem to
* work. It really ought to be "Cadillac I'm in isn't staying unfriendly
* in reverse," which doesn't work because the definition ends up in
* the middle - and it doesn't make much sense either. Or maybe,
"Cadillac
* I'm in isn't staying in reverse - unfriendly." That makes more sense,
* but provides an awkward cryptic reading, since we have to mentally put
* commas or parentheses around "in reverse."
Word 2 - A dirge fit to unsettle the contented (9)
A dirge fit = fodder
to unsettle = anagrind
the contented = def of GRATIFIED
* I'm not fond of the infinitive here, because it makes an awkward
* cryptic reading, and the "the" is extraneous.
Word 3 - Gas off in "Time" (8)
Gas = def of BADINAGE
off = BAD
in = IN
"Time" = AGE
* I couldn't find "gas off" in either of my slang dictionaries, let
* alone a "regular" one, but I think I've heard it used to mean "run off
* at the mouth," or some such. I think I would have stuck with "Gas off
* in time," meaning "Gas [turned] off in time [to prevent a disaster.]"
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Word 1 - Unfriendly author ought to collect shiny mineral (8)
unfriendly definition
author I, the 'author' of the puzzle or the clue
ought NIL ('aught','zero')
to collect container signal
shiny mineral MICA
I + NI(MICA)L charade
* Why should he? I don't really like "I" used in this manner, since
* by the time I read it, the author is "him" or "her."
Word 2 - Delighted to eat frigid bananas (9)
delighted definition
to link to cryptic
eat frigid material to anagram. Hope 'eat' looks like
a container.
bananas anagram indicator
(Frozen bananas are an interesting low-budget dessert.)
* I'm delighted too! In fact, I like them better this way than fresh.
* Cox and Rathvon have a discussion about the use of "to" as a
* connector in _The Random House Guide to Cryptic Crosswords_.
* For me it works OK in either direction, but I doubt everyone agrees
* with this.
Word 3 - Hopper to develop clothing commercial in jest (8)
hopper BIN
to develop AGE (to mature)
clothing 'wrapping around', container signal
commercial AD
in link to definition
jest definition
B(AD)IN + AGE charade
'Hopper' in the surface taken as a name, perhaps Edward
Hopper (1882-1967), the painter.
* Good surface and reasonable construction.
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** Some very nice clues from a close Runner-Up, Doug Peterson. I
substituted
the second clue for the winner's in the puzzle.
Word 1 - Hostile leaders of Indian nations in Mexico invaded California
and
looted (8)
Hostile - INIMICAL (defn)
leaders of - acrostic indicator
-->first letters = INIMICAL
* Well, it certainly sounds like a piece of history. An acrostic
* that works nicely.
** Word 2 - Delighted to eat frigid bananas (9)
Delighted - GRATIFIED (defn)
eat frigid - GRATIFIED (anagram)
bananas - anag indicator
* And I'm delighted too - again! How often do we get exactly the
* same clue twice?
Word 3 - Popular pundit loses head after nasty teasing (8)
Popular - IN
pundit loses head - SAGE loses S - AGE
nasty - BAD
IN AGE after BAD - BADINAGE
teasing - BADINAGE (defn)
* A smooth and meaningful surface and impeccable construction.
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** A funny clue and a clever &lit. from the Winner, Bruce McKenzie.
** Word 1 - Damaging skirt returned to one silent president (8)
INIM (mini rev.)+ I + CAL (ref. Calvin "Silent Cal" Coolidge)
Note: I would prefer "Damaging skirt returned to _a_ speechless
president? (8)" but I'm not sure whether A=I is appropriate for c5.
It's listed among the permissible letter indicators in Antony Lewis's
WordWeb (British), but not in Cox & Rathvon or in Fraser Simpson.
And I'm not sure "speechless" isn't a little to tough. What do you
think? :-)
* I don't like A=I because it requires a double leap. At least
* I'm assuming it's something like A=one=I. I would have liked
* "speechless" just fine, expecially since the question mark would
* have hinted at something a bit out of the ordinary. But if you're
* going to use a question mark, why not go all the way and call
* him "zipper-lipped" or something equally slangy? In any case,
* I think this clue is very funny. I would say topical, but perhaps
* the fictional president is actually a transvestite.
Word 2 - Pleased if one is in ground (9)
GRAT(IF+I)ED
* Makes sense, even if we're left wondering "One what?" The surface
* is a bit boring, however, and I substituted Doug Peterson's clue for
* this one.
** Word 3 - Joshing and a gibe! (8)
BADINAGE (and a gibe anag.)
* I'll - just barely - accept "joshing" as an anagram indicator. It's
* worth it to get such a neat &lit., and "josh" is a transitive verb and
* so can take "and a gibe" as its object for the cryptic meaning.
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Word 1 - Cross eyed in mini mica layers (8)
surface : mineralogist discovered evidence of twinning
Cross = syn. of inimical
eyed in = hidden word indicator
mini mica layers = fodder
mINI MICA Layers => INIMICAL
* I don't agree that "cross" is a synonym for "inimical." And I
* don't really understand what a mini mica layer might be.
Word 2 - Movie rating approved content (9)
Movie rating = G (General audiences)
approved = RATIFIED
content = syn. of gratified
G + RATIFIED => GRATIFIED
* Can a movie rating approve anything? I guess it's shorthand for
* "movie rating [showed that someone] approved content." It does
* make a neatly put together clue, especially with the clever use of
* "content."
Word 3 - Jesting isn't good, i.e. about old horse (8)
surface : you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make fun of it
Jesting = syn. of badinage
isn't good = BAD
i.e. = I E
about = container indicator
old horse = NAG
BAD + I (NAG) E => BADINAGE
* I don't much like "isn't good" for "bad," since I can't substitute
* one for the other in a sentence.
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** Theresa Gies gets an Honorable Mention for her fine set of clues.
Word 1 - Like the enemy, I'm lying in particular when leaderless (8)
For INIMICAL (type = container/deletion)
Like the enemy = definition
I'm = IM
lying in = container indicator
particular = fINICAL
when leaderless = deletion indicator
*I like this clue except for the punctuation. Another comma seems
* to be required after "lying." I learned a new word here - I've never
* seen "finical" for "finicky."
Word 2 - Authorized to support program's core content (9)
For GRATIFIED (type = charade)
Authorized = RATIFIED
to support = positioning indicator
proGram's core = G
content = definition
* The surface seems to be about someone who has the right to
* approve or disapprove of an educational TV show. I like "support"
* a lot as an indicator for a down clue and, again, the double meaning
* of "content."
Word 3 - Superb ad in a "Geographic" features playful humor (8)
For BADINAGE (type = hidden)
SuperB AD IN A GEographic = fodder
features = hidden word indicator
playful humor = definition
* "Badinage" is very well concealed in this excellent hidden
* word clue.
Gail Koontz Retired in my home state
836 Mallard Rd. . . . and loving it!
Cocoa, FL 32926
gail....@quancon.com Team OS/2
Philip Rose
> said she is getting married this weekend. Best wishes, Theresa!)
Seconded!
Phil.