Auracaria Clueing Contest #73
FINAL RESULTS

Dear fellow cluers:

      Congratulations to KEVIN WALD (wald@math.uchicago.edu) whose clue
I have been most impressed with.  See below for comments on his and
other clues.  Kevin has expressed willingness to host ACC74.

      I consider that all submitted clues were above average, "average"
meaning to me the average level of quality *I expected*.

      Re Anagram clues:  I received a comment from one who submitted an
anagram clue but felt that he didn't expect it to win simply because it was
an anagram.  This somehow took me by surprise because I'm quite fond of
anagram clues myself.  I don't know the actual statistics on anagram clues
that are also winners in previous competitions, but I suspect that many
may fail because of poor surface reading.  An anagram forces the inclusion
of one or more words together in one sentence that is supposed to make
sense, thus straining the cluer's imagination as to what can be put around
those words.  Of course if the cluer is like me, he or she will first seek
an anagram solution simply because it is a faster way to a quick clue.  It
is a bit like the moth near a flame: save time in finding the clue and
perish by neglecting surface reading.

      Re "hiding or disguising" the theme: In stating competition
requirements, when I set out the possibility of additional merit marks to
those who would successfully "hide or disguise" the theme, I was thinking
of the many nautical words which are also used ashore in much different
meanings.  I think many have taken me so seriously in this matter that
they came up with clues where the theme was so well "disguised" it was
completely "buried" (my term to indicate that the nautical theme was lost
because all words were used in remote secondary definitions).  So to those
who have completely "buried" the nautical theme in their clue, I gave full
marks for "hiding or disguising" the theme successfully, but I also
downgraded the overall rating of the clue for failing to satisfy to some
extent minimum requirements of showing how they relate to the theme.

      Remember, if I rated your clue as `unranked' it does not mean it is
not a good clue.  It simply means that it has left me rather indifferent. 
I did not feel that I should try to rank everyone right down to the last
one.

      I thank all those who participated and hope they had a good time
clueing.  I personally enjoyed hosting the competition and have learned a
lot in the process. 

                             Jules Lafrance
                             ab388@freenet.carleton.ca


STATISTICS:

Number of contestants:                               15
Number of clues submitted:                           24
Number who indicated willingness to host ACC #74:    13


SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS (Clues are in the order they were received):

Date received: Oct 23, 1995
Entry Number: 1
E-Mail: kurtzdt@musc.edu (dtk)
Word: DINGHY
Clue: Boat needs cleaning around the tip of hull (6).
Explanation:
            BOAT = def 
            NEEDS CLEANING  = dingy 
            TIP OF HULL = h 

Comments: Well arranged container clue.  No attempt to hide or disguise
theme of competition. 
Ranking: Unranked
Willingness to host ACC74: No

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Date received: Oct 23, 1995
Entry Number: 2
Name: Kevin Wald                   * T H E   W I N N E R *
E-Mail: wald@math.uchicago.edu       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Where: Chicago
Word: LARBOARD
Clue: Wild pig, basted with hog fat and port (8)
Explanation: port = LARBOARD (two nautical ways of saying "left") 
             Wild pig = BOAR 
             hog fat = LARD 
             BOAR "basted with" LARD = LAR-BOAR-D 

Comments: Well designed clue.  Surface reading is great, I can just see the
`lard' melting around the `boar'. The word "basted" at first might be
questionable as indicator for a container clue.  But read it while imagining
the chef pouring lard over a boar and seeing it dribble down on both
sides...  Port may not be the wine to drink *with* boar, but I'm sure it
would be an excellent after meal wine, hence "`and' [as in `and then']
port". The word `port' is used in its nautical sense, i.e. definition of
LARBOARD. 
      A winning clue...  In my opinion the best of the lot.  
Ranking: The winner!  I see from the FAQ that Kevin is not a first time
winner.  Congratulations for your hat trick in Auracaria, Kevin.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes
Bonus clues & Explanations: See below in bonus clue section. 

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Date received: Oct 23, 1995
Entry Number: 3
Name: John Hakemian, aka Sailor John
E-Mail: SAILORJOHN@delphi.com 
Where: Chesapeake Isle, Maryland
Word: SCHOONER
Clue: Ron chose goulash and big beer (8) 
Explanation: Anagram indicator: "goulash"
             Anagram fodder: "Ron chose"
             Definition: "big beer" (Large mug of beer is referred to as 
                                           "schooner")
A schooner is a two masted vessel, with the rear mast equal to or of 
greater height than the forward mast. Compared to other designs prevalent
during the heyday of ocean-going sail vessels, it was a fast design, and 
therefore popular with "privateers", small pirate vessels that would 
outrun gunboats attempting to hunt them down. 

Comments: Good anagram clue, unfortunately theme is more than just
disguised, it is buried.  Although "schooner" is also a term for large beer
container, I would have preferred it if the definition somehow had been
that of the nautical variety.
Ranking: Honourable mention
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes
Bonus clues & Explanations: See below in bonus clue section.


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Date received: Oct 24, 1995
Entry Number: 4
Name: Matthew Merzbacher
E-Mail: matthew@mills.edu
Where: Mills College, Oakland CA  94613 
Word: PORT
Clue: Some wine left (4)
Explanation:     some wine    =    defn. 
                 left         =    defn. 

Comments: Short snappy clue meeting all requirements.  Nothing wrong with
it except that word selected and its double definition show a certain failure
to get imagination working for a really good clue.  The word `some'
appears to be superfluous leading a solver to think this might be a hidden
word clue (fat chance in a 3-word sentence).  Of course the word `some'
is there only to give some modicum of surface reading.   
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes
Bonus clues & Explanations: See below in bonus clue section.

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Date received: 25 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 5
Name: Brian C. Spollen                   R U N N E R - U P
E-Mail: bcs@sc.harris.com                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Where: Fishers, New York 14453
Word: SPANKER
Clue: One who administers punishment, using the sternest piece of canvas?
(7)
Explanation: 
    "One who administers punishment" = punny def. of "spanker" 
    "using" = connector 
    "the sternest piece of canvas" = punny def. of "spanker"  
                                     (i.e. the "sternest" (sternmost) sail) 

Comments: Excellent clue following the requirements of the competition. 
Theme is hidden yet definition does include the disguised theme. I have a
slight problem with the use of `sternest' in one of the senses (`furthest
back') which obviously here is understood in the nautical understanding
of the clue.  Double definition, one of which is the nautical definition, yet
this nautical definition is made to meld with the `punishment' definition.  
Ranking: Runner up!
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 25 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 6
Name: Murray W. Smith
E-Mail: msmith@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca
Where: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Word: BLUENOSE
Clue: Racy Nova Scotian presents low bow (8)
Explanation:
        Racy Nova Scotian = definition 
        presents = introduces charade 
        low = BLUE 
        bow = NOSE 
 
This is an &Lit clue: 
The Bluenose was a famous Canadian clipper ship noted for its 
unmatchable speed when it was launched in 1921 at Lunenburg Nova Scotia.

The ship had sleek lines and a prominent bowsprit which often cut  
through the waves. Nova Scotians themselves are also known as blue-noses.

For a picture of this ship, check the reverse side of a Canadian dime.

Comments: Well constructed clue.  `Racy Nova Scotian' could be either a
person from Nova Scotia or the name of the famous racing schooner.  If
`Nova Scotian' is taken as resident of Nova Scotia, surface reading leaves
to be desired (to my knowledge a performer `takes' a bow).  But if `racy
Nova Scotian' is read as the name of the famous schooner, nautical theme
is not well hidden and again I question use of the word `presents'.
Ranking: Unranked
Willingness to host ACC74: Unstated. 

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Date received: 26 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 7
Name: Dave Eggleston
E-Mail: de5360@csc.albany.edu
Where: Albany
Word: ANCHORS
Clue: Cook has corn holders (7)
Explanation:
      Cook     -- anagram indicator 
      has corn -- anagram fodder 
      holders  -- def.

Comments: Well constructed anagram clue.  Although theme is nautical and
it is well disguised, I personally feel use of the unqualified word `holders'
all by itself as anchor definition is not quite as specific to nautical
definition as I would like to see it.
Ranking: Honourable mention.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 26 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 8
Name: Lynne McCrea
E-Mail: lmccrea@direct.ca
Word: LIGHTHOUSE
Clue: A flashy building, but a flimsy dwelling (10)
Explanation:
      two meanings

Comments: This indeed is a "two meanings" clue but none of those
meanings describe the lighthouse as a marine beacon, hence nautical theme
is buried.  Yes a lighthouse flashes, but is it a `flashy building'?  One
other comment: I find the use of `a' superfluous in front of each definition,
technically this makes it a clue for "A lighthouse" and not "Lighthouse".
Ranking: Unranked
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 26 Oct, 1995
Entry Number: 9
Name: Phil Rose
E-Mail: pvr@wg.icl.co.uk
Where: U.K.
Expression: CRUISE SHIP
Clue: Looks for a pick-up joint in Canberra perhaps (6,4)
Explanation:
Looks for a pick-up    CRUISES (as in for a onenight stand) 
joint                  HIP 
Canberra perhaps       Referring to SS CANBERRA, a famous cruise ship 
                       (I'm not sure whether she's been recently retired) 

Comments: Imaginatively and well constructed clue.  Somehow the nautical
theme is buried rather than disguised or hidden.  Although the SS
Canberra might be a famous cruise ship, it is also a famous Australian
center.  I think the Australian definition of Canberra overshadows any
nautical meaning of the word I might detect.  Sorry I am not familiar
enough with cruise ships or with the story of the SS Canberra.  All I
know about SS Canberra the cruise ship is that it is NOT listed in the
latest Fodor's list.  Why is it that I have a feeling there's more to this
clue than meets the eye?  You could tell us a bit more about it, Phil.
Ranking: Honourable mention.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 26 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 10
Name: Jack Downing
E-Mail: downinfo@omni.voicenet.com
Word: SHEEPSHANK
Clue: Knotty leg of lamb? (10)
Explanation:
             A sheepshank is a knot used by sailors 
             to shorten a line. 
             "leg of lamb" = SHEEP SHANK 

Comments: Well chosen word. Efficient clue showing everything that is
required.  Surface reading in my opinion leaves to be desired.  Somehow
`knotty' is not the kind of word I would associate with a `sheep's shank'. 
Theme is not only well hidden, it is practically invisible within any part
of the clue.  Although the word `knot' is well known to be nautical,
`knotty' is not an expression which would normally be used by sailors. 
Furthermore one sees knots everywhere.
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 29 Oct 95
Entry Number: 11
Name: Brian Westley (merlyn)
E-Mail: merlyn@dgii.com
Word: JUNKS
Clue: June & Kay's crafts (5)
Explanation:
June = JUN, & = concatenate, Kay's = KS, crafts = definition

Comments: I like this clue, it does seem to have all required elements for
a charade clue.  But surface reading is not quite "it" in my opinion.
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 30 Oct, 1995
Entry Number: 12
Name: YAP Yok Foo
E-Mail: yfyap@pop.jaring.my
Where: Malaysia
Expression: AMERICA'S CUP
Clue: Morning Heather's trophy for the crafty Grand Slam (8,3) 
Explanation:
      Morning    = AM 
      Heather's = ERICA'S 
      Trophy      = CUP 
      crafty Grand Slam = def

Comments: This clue is a mixture of several components each of which
makes use of a secondary meaning.  All added up together they make up
the solution.  Unfortunately the patchwork of secondary meanings leaves
a clue with poor surface reading.  I know you could have done better Yap. 
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 30 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 13
Name: Bob Gregory
E-Mail: bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk
Where: U.K.
Word: MAINSAIL
Clue: Large piece of canvas in South Africa put in the post (8)
Explanation:
            Large piece of canvas < -- > defn
            in South Africa < -- > IN SA
            (SA being an universally accepted acronym for South Africa)
            container (PUT IN) the post (MAIL)

Comments: Nothing wrong with the construction of this clue.  However I
think the surface reading quality suffers.  I know switching `in South
Africa' around would collapse the structure of the clue, but...   Also the
nautical theme is nowhere in the definition, again "buried", not hidden or
disguised.
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes

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Date received: 30 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 14
Name: Christopher J. Burke
E-Mail: cjburke@io.com
Word: KNOTS
Clue: Heard about Barney Fife's ties? (5)
Explanation:
Heard about  =  homophone indicator
Barney Fife  =  KNOTTS  (actor Don Knotts of "The Andy Griffith Show")
ties         =  defn

Comments:  Christopher himself made the comment that he had forgotten
the actual spelling of Don Knotts' name.  That is not too much a problem
in this clue since it is a "homophone" clue.  The one thing that does
bother me though is that the nautical theme is only maintained by the
flimsy word "ties" referring of course to "knots".
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes


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Date received: 30 Oct 1995
Entry Number: 15
Name: Di Tran
E-Mail: dit@mailhost.wlc.com
Word: FLEET
Clue: Group fast (5)
Explanation:
Explanation: double defn
             group = fleet (in the nautical sense)
             fast = fleet (swiftness)
             surface: fast = abstinence from food

Comments: Extrememly short clue.  Nothing wrong with that except that it
does make for poor surface reading in my opinion.  Are we talking about
a group of fasting nuns, or are we talking about a group of panting
runners in a harriers' race?   Where is the nautical connection to this
clue?  Unqualified word "group" could be all kinds of agglomerations.
Ranking: Unranked.
Willingness to host ACC74: Yes

END OF LIST OF COMPETING CLUES

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BONUS CLUES 
Not ranked, no comments from me, most are well explained by the author:

Date received: Oct 23, 1995
Entry Number: 2
Name: Kevin Wald
E-Mail: wald@math.uchicago.edu
Where: Chicago
BONUS CLUE: COMMODORE 
 
  Piercing head or (nowadays) lower half (9) 
 
       (nowadays) lower half = COMMODORE 
           (In the US Navy, the rank equivalent to an army Brigadier  
            General used to be "Commodore", but nowadays is "Rear  
            Admiral, Lower Half".) 
 
       head = COMMODE ("head" being navy-speak for "toilet") 
       Piercing COMMODE, OR = COMMOD-OR-E 
 
BONUS CLUE: LEEWARD 
 
  Silly lad -- we're heading where the wind takes us (7) 
 
       heading where the wind takes us = LEEWARD  
            (Leeward is the direction ("heading") towards which the 
             wind blows.) 
 
       Silly = anagram indicator 
       LAD WE'RE (anagrammed) = LEEWARD 

---------------------------------
Date received: Oct 23, 1995
Entry Number: 3
Name: John Hakemian, aka Sailor John
E-Mail: SAILORJOHN@delphi.com 
Where: Chesapeake Isle, Maryland

BONUS CLUE: BARNACLES
   Heard humiliated Vietnamese were a stable power prior to the French (9)

   ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^      ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^          ^^^^^^^^^^ 
Homophone  "crushed" "Asians"         BARN    AC               LES 
indicator   = "Crustaceans"                BARN + AC + LES 
            =defn. of BARNACLES              =BARNACLES 
I don't think an explanation of barnacles is necessary, except to 
comment that just about every sailor has to deal with these one day or 
another. And about the only way to deal with them is to scrape, scrape, 
scrape and then paint your bottom with a special paint to inhibit future 
growth.

BONUS CLUE: SPINNAKER 
Colorful drifter constructed nine parks (9) 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ 
    defn of        anagram    anagram 
   SPINNAKER      indicator    fodder 
A spinnaker is the large, usually coloful, balloon-like sail that billows 
out in front of a sailing vessel when sailing, partially or completely, 
downwind. A DRIFTER is a smaller version of a spinnaker which is used at 
angles somewhat less directly downwind, particularly in light winds. 
 
 
BONUS CLUE: SCUPPERS 
Cup coverage by confused press outlets (8) 
coverage=container indicator 
confused=anagram indicator 
press=anagram fodder, anagrammed to SPERS 
 "covering" CUP = SCUPPERS 
Outlets=defn. of SCUPPERS 
Scuppers are the drains that allow sea water to flow off the deck or out 
of the cockpit back into the sea. Of course, the word has been 
appropriated by numerous restaurants near bodies of water, e.g. The 
Rusty Scupper. 
 
 
BONUS CLUE: GUNWALES 
UK segment follows piece of deck's edges (7) 
^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^    ^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
  WALES     after   GUN    defn.of GUNWALES 
The GUNWALES (pronounced "Gunnels") are the edges where the sides of
the 
sailboat meet the deck. When the boat is sailing hard upwind and heeling 
(leaning over), the GUNWALES are sometimes in the water. In most cases, 
this is not only uncomfortable for the crew, but the boat will sail 
faster if it reduces sail area to stand more upright. 
 
 
BONUS CLUE: REGATTA 
  Modeled at great race rally (7) 
  ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ 
 anagram   anagram  defn. of 
 indicator  fodder   REGATTA 
Regatta is a word that should be familiar to non-sailors. Essentially, 
it is a boat race. We have competed on PANACEA in regattas at Antigua 
Race Week in 1993 and 1994, and in the Heinekin Regatta in St. Martin 
early this year (taking a third in class!). 
 
 
BONUS CLUE: HALYARD 
Hardly a revamped elevator! (7) 
^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ 
anagram  anagram  defn. of 
fodder   indicator HALYARD 
I'm not sure this is a &lit. clue, maybe a partial. A HALYARD is the 
line that goes up to a pulley at or near the top of the mast, then down 
to be used by the crew to raise up ("elevate") a sail.  Also, while 
sailing, greater or lesser tension on the halyard can affect the sailing 
characteristics of the sail which it is attached. 

---------------------------- 
Date received: Oct 24, 1995
Entry Number: 4
Name: Matthew Merzbacher
E-Mail: matthew@mills.edu
Where: Mills College, Oakland CA  94613 

BONUS CLUE: KEEL
Midway 'twixt starboard and port in Germany, I hear (4) 
    Midway 'twixt starboard and port    =  definition, as the keel  
         is the center of the vessel, halfway between the sides. 
    port in Germany                     =  Kiel 
    I hear                              =  homonym indicator 
This one is kind of super-nautical in surface, but I liked the idea 
of using "port" in two different ways 

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