ARAUCARIA CROSSWORD COMPETITION # 68 - RESULTS

ALL THE ENTRIES

First I will list all the entries in the order they were received.
1.  Lions and this are most deadly in Bible (5)
2.  I heard and looked closely at many lions (5)
3.  And I canoe in unusually southerly waters (6, 5)
4.  Single-leggedly jump over log base and thank you for memories (4)
5.  Continent, though it is easily accessible, within fake bush (5, 7)
6.  . . . and terribly I crave after a greedy sin  (7)
7.  Figures nurse me but initially mixed up. (7)
8.  She starts toward shelter quietly? Yes! And so tired (6).
9. After every female starts patiently and nobody (3)
B1. What is stricken heatedly, or in rage? (4)
B2. But finally, I head for noble metal (3)
B3. He teaches free, or for pesos (nonzero) (9)
B4. Laziness always leads someone languid or toward him (5)

THE WINNER

When I conceived the idea for the Magnificent Seven, I tried but
failed to create a 7-word clue without any extraneous words. Thus I
stumbled on the most difficult aspect of this monkey puzzle - how to
keep down the number of extraneous word and at the same time, ensure
every part of speech is represented. I am therefore very pleased that
Kevin Wald managed to achieve this feat by his : 

    And I canoe in unusually southerly waters (6,5) for INDIAN OCEAN

Well done, Kevin for a clue which wasted no words. Kevin will have the
honour of moderating ACC #69. Watch out for his announcement in the
near future. 

THE ENTRIES & MODERATOR'S COMMENTS

1. Lions and this are most deadly in Bible (5)
Explanation:   A double definition
  Lions 	= 	definition
  this...Bible	=	definition
The word is PRIDE, one of the "seven deadly sins"
I'm not really sure if the word 'are' should be 'is'.  'are' makes the
whole clue grammatically correct, while 'is' makes the second definition
grammatically correct.

Professor Matthew, my mentor for this first attempt at moderating was
in the midst of moving to California when he clued this. If he had
more time, he would have done a bit of tweaking and  perhaps smoothen
the rather rough patch in the surface where a plural subject is
coupled to a singular subject. 

2. I heard and looked closely at many lions (5)
Explanation :
	many lions = definition
	I heard = homophone indicator
	looked closely = pried
	pried sounds like pride
	pride is one of the seven deadly sins

Robert Galejs obviously had trouble with extraneous words, not knowing
where to put the pronoun. The conjunction and preposition served only
as connecting words and under our tough rules, must be counted as
extraneous. Robert, you are in good company. "he sinks but" in my
sample clue failed the same test. 

3. And I canoe in unusually southerly waters (6, 5)
Explanation
southerly waters = INDIAN OCEAN (definition)
unusually = anagram indicator
and I canoe in =anagram fodder
Answer = INDIAN OCEAN, one of the Seven Seas (The complete list:  North
& South Atlantic, North & South Pacific, Indian, Arctic & Antarctic Oceans.)

Kevin Wald is a worthy winner with this clue which wasted not a single
word and yet managed to glide smoothly like his canoe. 

4. Single-leggedly jump over log base and thank you for memories
Explanation
Single-leggedly jump  = HOP
over                    positional in a Down clue
log base              = E
and                     second definition coming
thank you for memories = defn  (Bob Hope can't appear on TV without
                                thanking you for the memories.)
HOPE is one of the seven cardinal virtues.

Chris Burke got carried away in his nostalgia charade and forgot the
main discipline in this particular contest is to get as near to seven
words as possible.  But for some strange reasons, I quite like the
surface which reminds me of Jack Palance's single-handed push-up. 

5. Continent, though it is easily accessible, within fake bush (5, 7)
    Explanation :
Continent: definition of SOUTH AMERICA, one of the seven continents
easily accessible: OUT
within: containment indicator
fake: SHAM
bush: ERICA (a particular shrub)
S(OUT)HAM ERICA = SOUTH AMERICA

Sam Buttrey has probably crafted an unsolvable clue...equating 'easily
accessible' as OUT (why not 'not in'?) and  'bush' as ERICA (heath?)
are not really fair especially when solvers will not have the
advantage of knowing 'Continent" is a noun. Sam, you need to trim the
extraneous. 

6.  . . . and terribly I crave after a greedy sin  (7)
  Explanation
  I CRAVE "terribly" --> VARICE  "after A" --> AVARICE
                                             (one of the seven deadly sins)

Jim McLean nearly pulled it off but for the conjunction . Even the
article which I had warned would be extraneous was rendered functional
by a clever bit of construction. The surface is superb. Honourable
mention. 

7. Figures nurse me but initially mixed up. (7)
Explanation :
Figures = definition = NUMBERS
me but initially = "mb"
"nurse mb" = anagram fodder
mixed up = anagram indicator
Answer = Numbers, the fourth book in the Heptateuch

Phil Rose has managed to get the seven words in but at the expense of
a meaningful clue; both from the viewpoints of solvability and a
sensible surface reading. I knew this competition was difficult, if
only from the single digit number of participants. 

8. She starts toward shelter quietly? Yes! And so tired (6).
Explanation
She starts= s
toward shelter = lee
quietly = p
yes = y
so tired = def = SLEEPY, one of Snow White's seven dwarfs
note: the "Yes!" as used in this case would be an interjection--a part of
speech not listed in the rules

As explained, words which are not considered one of the seven parts of
speech, such as articles and interjection would be counted as
extraneous unless you craft it like Jim McLean did in Clue 6 above.
The use of the interjection Yes to stand for the letter Y renders it
functional BUT I think it is unfair and as unfair as equating No for
the letter N. But probably the biggest flaw is the unexplained sex
change going to the shelter or are you suggesting Snow White is really
Sleepy in drags ? 

9. After every female starts patiently and nobody (3)
Explanation
    After every female -- defn.  (as in chasing skirts)
    starts -- initials indicator
    patiently and nobody -- take the initials to spell PAN, the lustful God
    Pan is also one of the 7 circus sights in "The 7 Faces Of Dr. Lao"
                                          a movie starring Tony Randall

Clay Colwell can be seen to be straining to get a 7/7, but in the
process the surface suffered and the clue doesn't make much sense.
BONUS CLUES 

B1. What is stricken heatedly, or in rage? (4)
Explanation
What is stricken heatedly? = IRON (definition) (A reference to the
  proverbial "strike while the iron is hot".)
rage = anagram indicator
or in (anagrammed) = IRON, one of the seven alchemical metals
(others are silver, mercury, copper, gold,  tin & lead.)

I have to consult my dictionary to confirm the brilliant coup achieved
by the use of the word "stricken", which is a past participle
combining the functions of a verb as well as an adjective. Another 7
out of 7 for Kevin Wald. I like this surface better than the official
winner even though the use of the conjunction 'or'. may not be 100%
appropriate as 'heatedly' and 'in rage' are synonymous. 

B2. But finally, I head for noble metal (3)
Explanation
metal = TIN (definition)
finally = last-letter indicator ---> But, finally  = T
head for = first-letter indicator ----> head for noble = N
T + I + N = TIN, one of the seven alchemical metals (see above)

Kevin has done it the third time.

B3. He teaches free, or for pesos (nonzero) (9)
Explanation:
He teaches = definition of PROFESSOR
free = anagram indicator
or for pesos (anagrammed) = PROFESSORO
nonzero = remove an O
PROFESSORO minus O = PROFESSOR, one of the seven stranded
castaways on Gilligan's Island (The complete list: Gilligan, the Skipper,
Mr. and Mrs. Howell, Ginger, the Professor and Mary Ann.)

Kevin Wald has done it again for the fourth time.

B4. Laziness always leads someone languid or toward him (5)
Explanation
	laziness always -- defn.
	leads -- initials indicator
	someone languid or toward him -- initials spell SLOTH,
	                              -- one of 7 Deadly Sins

Of this sin, we certainly cannot accuse Clay of. After moderating the
PCWC #45, he still managed to sneak in two clues just before the
deadline. However, this clue suffers from a less-than-perfect surface
reading. 

FINAL WORDS

I have enjoyed tremendously this first experience at moderating. I
have to thank Professor Matthew Merzbacher for helping me get off the
starting block of the Magnificent Seven and James Lundun for casting
his experienced eyes over the results before posting. Mistakes, if
any, are mine and mine alone. I intend to write a short article for
the newsgroup to share my experience with the virgins who, out of fear
due to ignorance, always include the legend "I am unable to moderate"
in their entries. It is really not all that difficult and you can
always count on others in the newsgroup for advice and assistance. 

 YAP Yok-Foo                yfyap@pop.jaring.my
 Sunny Malaysia             Tel:603-7811648  Fax:603-7812108
