I seem to have gone over the edge with my 2-D theme.  I don't know if this
was just too goofy for most people or if no one was confident in their
2-D ASCII art abilities but only four people accepted the ACC82 challenge.

And the winner of ACC82 is...

David M. Tuller for:

    E
   dit
  R-rat
 ed Hitc
 hcock f
 ilm's m
  iddle
   (8)

Look for ACC83 announcement from David soon.

Here's the complete list of entries with comments...





















From: Matthew Merzbacher <matthew@mills.edu>

      A
      b
    terms
      a
      s
      i
      v
      e		(10)

Solution:
  crosswords
  first, the clue is in the shape of a cross
  secondly, the defn. "Abrasive terms" means "cross words"
  thirdly, it's part of a crossword contest

> The first of a very short list of entries.  It meets the terms
> of the contest but just doesn't do much for me...

From: "paula@interserve.com" <paula@interserve.com>

 
CLUE:  \ | / 
        _i_
        |  |   The reason for 4th of July sounds ?  (3)
        |  |
        ~~~
SOLUTION: why

the reason for = definition
4th of july = Y
sounds = homophone indicator

> Here we have a 2-D red herring.  With the image used to mislead
> but keep in context with the clue.  I don't think that a '?' is
> called for here.  I like the clue, but I was hoping for something
> a little better integrated here..


BONUS CLUE:  (NO graphics!  just visual imagery)

Dead men so decayed~  a dark moor's prize   (9)

SOLUTION: Desdemona

Dead men so = anagram
decayed = anagram indicator
a dark moor's prize = definition

> No 2-D effects but a reasonable, if gory, clue.  It's usually better
> to not separate the straight and cryptic definitions with a hyphen.
> A break elsewhere makes the clue more cryptic.

From: "David M. Tuller" <tuller@euclid.Colorado.EDU>

    E
   dit
  R-rat
 ed Hitc
 hcock f
 ilm's m
  iddle
   (8)


Edit R-rated Hitchcock film's middle (8)
^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
anag. TEARDR +       rOPe

Notice the shape of the clue is a teardrop 
and forms the definition. Not exactly a
toughie but I like it.


> Now this is what I was looking for.  The shape conveys the
> definition with the cryptic portion forming the image.  This 
> clue comes pretty close to the edge of acceptable indirectness,
> But I'll let it squeak by.  I tried to see if I could make the
> teardrop a little more recognizable, but couldn't really do much 
> better unless I went to the extreme case of:  
>
>        E
>        d 
>       i t
>       R -
>      r   a
>      t   e
>     d     H
>    i       t
>   h         c
>   o         c
>  k           f
>   i         l
>   m        's
>    m       i
>     ddle(8)
>
> which is more teardroppy but pretty hard to read..
>
> Davd Tuller gets to be the Big Fish in the Little ACC82 pond..

From: Edward Coulson <fyj@psu.edu>
                            ____________
                            |   \   /  |
             ______________ |    \ /   |
____________ |  MERGE AT  | |  R  /  R |
|          | |    LEFT    | |    / \   |
|    NO    | |    WITH    | |   /   \  |
|     U    | | INTERSTATE | |__________|
|   TURN   | |            |      ||
|          | |____________|      ||
|__________|      ||
     ||           ||
     ||
               
               

No U-turn= TRN
merge= insertion indicator
at left=A
interstate=I, which yields TR(AI)N
which is indicated in the third sign. Railroad 
indicators are round, of course, so a little 
imagination is required.

> Good cryptic and 2-D effects but I don't think a railroad sign makes
> for a good definition of train.  Also, you need an enumeration 
> somewhere.  How about adding in the #5 enumeration train?:
>
>
>                             ___________          ****
>                            /   \   /   \            **
>             ______________ |    \ /    |              *
>____________ |  MERGE AT  | |  R  /  R  |              ||
>|          | |    LEFT    | |    / \    |       _______||__
>|    NO    | |    WITH    | |   /   \   |      |(5)     |_\\_
>|     U    |_| INTERSTATE |_\__(__ __)__/______|             \________
>|   TURN   |_|            |______||____________|__()__()______\____________
>|          | |____________|      ||  
>|__________|      ||                
>     ||           ||             
>     || 

- Robert Galejs                        
