So after I figured out how many angels dance on the head of a pin
I could begin to see differences in the fine clues submitted by all
of the entrants.  In the end the winner is Pete Mitchell with the 
runner up Jake Bergman.   Honorable mention goes to Phil
("don't call me Prim") Rose.  Complete results are listed below with
my niggling, pedantic comments prefaced by an *.  

Pete will moderate section h.
=============================================================
From: Robin Hosie <robin@cs.curtin.edu.au>

TRANSEPT
~~~~~~~~

Church division first traded religious artifacts, then spent
recklessly (7) 


     Church division = defn.
     first traded religious artifacts = TRA
     spent recklessly = NSEPT 
                      TRA+(NSEPT) (acrostice + anagram)

*Nice definition but the partial acrostic seems a bit inelegant, as
*does the way the acrostic indicator works 

ANTONYM
~~~~~~~

Opposite from crazy man Tony (7)


     Opposite    - defn
     crazy       - anagram indicator
     man Tony    - fodder
                      (ANTONYM) (anagram)

*Nice and efficient, though easy.


PRIMROSE
~~~~~~~~

Straight pink flower (8) 


     straight = prim
     pink     = rose
     flower   = defn.
                PRIM+ROSE  (charade x 2)

*Rather too straightforward.  I guess primroses aren't particularly 
*straight, but still...

==========================================
From: Pete Mitchell <pwm@mv.mv.com>

Cross parents overturned church's right wing? (8)

   Anagram: (TRANSEPT) or Anagram/Charade: T+(RANSEPT)
   Cross                 = T
   parents               = (more) anagram fodder
   overturned            = anagram indicator
   church's right wing?  = definition 

   Note:  It's either a charade/partial anagram or a mildly
   indirect anagram; works just as well either way, IMO. 
   Use of '?' since the transept could actually be the right 
   *or* left wing of the church.


* It works perfectly well in the first sense, so let's just avoid 
* controversy that way.  The straight definition works just fine for me
* since TRANSEPT can refer to either of the wings in isolation.
* "Overturned" seems more like a reversal than anagram definition. Would
* "upset" work?  But overall a terrific clue.

Herb's narrative skirts the edge (8)

   Container:  P(RIM)ROSE
   Herb      = definition ("...genus of perennial herbs..." - MW9)
   's        = connector (is)
   narrative = PROSE
   skirts    = container indicator
   the edge  = RIM

*The first of several of this construction.  The 'the' is inelegant
*but not a dealbreaker.  Nice use of "Herb".


Cleopatra's man married his opposite (7)

   Charade: ANTONY+M
   Cleopatra's man  = ANTONY
   married          = M
   his              = connector
   opposite         = definition

*This is a beauty despite the "his" which is a minor flaw.  


--------------------------------------------------
From: Murray Smith <smithmw@direct.ca>

1) Patterns seen going around amen corner (8)   [TRANSEPT]
[anagram]
        Patterns = anagram fodder
        seen going around = indicator
        amen corner = definition (see Webster's Third)
        
        The allusion in the surface is to a dangerous corner for 
        an automobile - often referred to as such. The patterns 
        might be the black and yellow checkerboard indicating such 
        a corner. In fact, the amen corner is defined as being "a
        corner in the church near the pulpit". My impression of the
        amen corner is primarily from Gospel preaching, where the
        participation gets quite fervent and the choristers seated
        in what I think is also called the "Gospel side" (as opposed 
        to the Epistle side - which is to the right of the pulpit),
        reinforce the preacher's statements with a chorus of "amen".
        
* I don't think that "amen corner" is a definition of TRANSEPT.


2) Discrimination of Whites to Blacks! (7)      [ANTONYM]
[&lit]
       Discrimination of Whites to Blacks = definition by example
                When comparing the word "whites" to "blacks", it is
                clear that "whites" is an antonym of "blacks".

*This seems like it's *only* a definition by example, and not an
*&lit.  There is a surface reading which is intended to point in a 
*slightly different direction, but in that sense seems syntactically 
*deficient (shouldn't it be "by Whites against Blacks?)...


        
3) Flowery writing around border (8)    [PRIMROSE]
[container]
        Flowery = definition [adj. listed as synonym in Webster's Third]
        writing = PROSE
        around = container
        border = RIM
        P(RIM)ROSE
        
        The surface is intended to mislead the solver into thinking
        about illuminated manuscripts.

*Nicely done. The definition is fine.


_____________________________________________________
From: Brian Spollen <bcs@harriseda.com> 

TRANSEPT:

Terrain is, despite uneven portions, where a wing of the church will be (8)

   "TeRrAiNiSdEsPiTe"'s odd letters = "transept"
   "uneven portions" = odd-letter indicator
   "where a wing of the church will be" = def.

* "Despite" doesn't seem right somehow.  Makes it sound as if you should
* take away the odd letters to get the answer.



ANTONYM:

Opposite finding in army, not navy, write-up (7)

   "opposite" = def.
   "finding" = hidden-word indicator
   "arMYNOTNAvy" = phrase containing reversed hidden word
   "write-up" = down-clue reversal indicator

*First of a number of things that go on in the army not
*navy.  Given the recent scandals in both branches in the US perhaps 
*we shouldn't be singling out one branch of the Armed Forces :)
*Might work ever-so-slightly better with "written up" rather than
*"write up".

 


PRIMROSE:
 
Flower border, described in plain language (8)

   "flower" = def.
   "border" = "rim" 
   "described in" = containment indicator
   "plain language" = "prose" (thus pr(rim)rose)

* Another solid P(RIM)ROSE clue.

------------------------------------------------------------

From Phil Rose <phil.rose@zetnet.co.uk>:

Word 1:
Net traps spread out here, across the nave (8)

Anagram - NET TRAPS => TRANSEPT
indicator - spread out
def'n     -'here across the nave' ie that which is across the nave

*Well-constructed, cryptically, but the surface is quite odd.
*Springing traps in church is not usual, is it?  ("Here" is 
*surely extraneous in both readings.)


Word 2:
He ran to nymphomaniac's embrace? - Just the opposite (7)

Hidden word clue indicated by EMBRACE
he rAN TO NYMphomaniac
def'n    - just the opposite

* Lovely, but (again) the 'He" is needed for neither the surface
* nor the cryptic.  Cox and Rathvon often supply the warning
* "Punctuation may be deceiving" .  That's especially
* true here since the cryptic rendering works best if you
* run right through the question mark and dash.  Tense is a bit
* off. 

Word 3:
Plain speech written about space station raising flower (8)

Charade:
plain speech => PROSE
space station => MIR
raising       - MIR => RIM (well it is a down clue)
written about - P(RIM)ROSE
def'n         - flower

*Does anybody remember the film SILENT RUNNING?  This clue describes
*it almost perfectly.  In the cryptic rendering, "raising" doesn't 
*quite fit. 

-------------------------------------------------------
From: Frank Heys <frankheys@acslink.net.au>
===================
TRANSEPT

Create new patterns for part of church architecture (8)

Type: Anagram

Create new = anagram indicator
patterns = anagram fodder
part of church architecture = definition (TRANSEPT)

Surface: Prepare new plans for church renovations

*Why put in "Create"?  

ANTONYM

The army, not navy, has the opposite term reversed (7)

Type: Hidden Reversed Word

The army, not navy, = hides ANTONYM backwards
has = container indicator
the opposite term = definition (ANTONYM)
reversed = reversal indicator

Surface: Part of a discussion on military terminology

*Surface is a tad inelegant, the indicator is kind
*of a blunt instrument. 


PRIMROSE

A pale yellow colour is proper on the shower head (8)

Type: Charade

A pale yellow colour = definition (PRIMROSE)
is proper = PRIM
on = position indicator
the shower head = ROSE

Surface: A politically correctly decorated bathroom

*It's a new definition of ROSE to me, but I can see
*the link.  Nice work.

---------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Holmans <mholmans@dircon.co.uk>

Strange patterns in church (8)
 Strange = anag 
PATTERNS anags to TRANSEPT which is in church.

* Yes, but there are lots of things in church that aren't transepts
* Your definition needs to be a little more precise.


Reverse sustained by retreating army, not navy. (7)
Reverse = ANTONYM
sustained by = hidden indicator
retreating army, not navy = YV ANTONYM RA

* Almost a real nice clue but I don't know what kind 
* of reverse might be so sustained.

Over-demure paragon is pale yellow (8)
Over-demure = PRIM
paragon = ROSE
pale yellow = PRIMROSE

* Liver disease? The surface is rather jarring.

----------------------------------------
From: Mark Thornquist (mthornqu@cclink.fhcrc.org)

[#1] Church plans need designs, patterns [8]

     Anagram.  "Church plans need," i.e., "Need of church plans,"
     defines TRANSEPT, a requirement of the floorplan of a 
     church.

* OK.  There are better anagram indicators than "designs" but it will do.



[#2] Opposite view: how army, not navy, covers it up [7]

     Hidden, reversed.  "Up" is used to indicate reversal in this
     down clue.  "Opposite" = ANTONYM.


* I guess one is supposed to read "view: how army, not navy" all
* as the hidden word fodder, and while I agree that greater liberties
* might be allowed for this type of clue, this goes a bit too far
* for me.

[#3] During their morning service, brothers bless that which is
     best and brightest [8]

     PRIM((B)ROS)E

     PRIME is the first canonical hour, roughly 6:00 a.m.; also
     used in naming the church service occuring at that time.
     The monastic surface of the rest of the clue fits well with
     this use.
     "Brothers bless" (read b-less) yields BROS - B = ROS.
     Webster's 3rd unabridged gives definition 2 of PRIMROSE as
     "the best or fairest part or example."  I used "best and
     brightest" for the alliteration with "brothers bless" as 
     well as for its common use in denoting the elite.

* Oh brother, is this hard or what?
----------------------------------------------------------
From: David McKeegan <d@mckeegan.u-net.com>

Word 1

Pet rats nibble head decomposing in church wing (8)

Pet rats = (fodder)
nibble head = n (more fodder)
decomposing = anag indicator
church wing = TRANSEPT

* This may not be an indirect anagram, but it will do as a pinch-hitter
* until a real indirect anagram steps up to the plate.  Interesting surface,
* though.



Word 2

Bird flies up clutching heavy weight to show what *strong* is to weak 
(7)

Bird = myna
flies up = reverse indicator (for Down clue)
clutching = container indicator
heavy weight = ton
to show = resulting in..
what strong is to weak = ANTONYM
[note: ** denote speech marks]


* This is real nice.  The only flaw is that "Bird" is a weak 
* indicator for "myna".  But that is minor.


Word 3

Short woman, pregnant for the first time, got out of bed a pale yellow 
colour (8)

Short = abbrev indicator
woman pregnant for the first time = prim (short for primigravida - 
*Chambers*)
got out of bed = rose
a pale yellow colour = PRIMROSE


* Is PRIM listed in Chambers as an abbreviation
* for that other word? Or is just that other word listed and the 
* "Short" is an indicator to only use the first four letters in it?
* The latter doesn't seem like fair cryptic construction to me and 
* either way it's a pretty hard clue.


---------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jake Bergman <JBergman@domaincorp.com> 

Word 1

Cross pattern that inspired Sernin, initially! (8)

   cross              anagram signal
   pattern            anagram material
   that inspired      container signal ("breathed in")
   sernin initially   S

     TRAN(S)EPT (PATTERN anag.)

   definition &lit.  The Church of St. Sernin in Toulouse is
   an example of the Romanesque style.  That style was typified
   by a cruciform plan; the transept forms the shorter cross
   element.  I am not an architectural scholar; feel free to
   check up on these historical claims.

* I am unsure about using "cross" as an anagram indicator but in an &lit it
* will do nicely.  The bigger issue to me is whether one could use the word 
* "Sernin" to indicate the church itself. 
* One doesn't talk about "Paul" or "Patrick" in the same way.  So I went to
* the Web for sites discussing the subject.  I learned a lot, mostly that
* I don't remember all that much of the French language.  But in any case,
* I ended up at the home pages of the Toulouse tourist board and the 
* monument itself, neither of which (nor any other site I found) referred
* to it simply as "Sernin".  As it happens, the French name is Saint-Sernin,
* which, given the hyphen, and the happy coincidence that an 's' is needed,
* would have worked pretty well.  As written, then, a very ingenious, though 
* slightly flawed, clue.


Word 2

One chic model's first description of "out" in relation to "in" (7)

   AN + TONY + M  straight charade
   "description of 'out' in relation to 'in'"  is the definition

   I have it on my teenage daughters' authority that "out" and
   "in" are current terms in the fashion world.

* A very fine clue.


Word 3

Yellow shade of text written around margin (8)

   yellow shade       definition
   text               PROSE
   written around     signal
   margin             RIM

   P(RIM)ROSE container charade


* Solid, though not quite as good a surface as other of the P(RIM)ROSE 
* clues. 


-----------------------------------------
From: Keith Engers <kabe@iafrica.com>

TRANSEPT

Part of church?  Answer found in first of the religious education
exercises (8)

Part of church = definition
Answer = ANS
found in - container indicator
first of - indicator to take initial letters
T(he) R(eligious) E(ducation)
exercises = PT (physical training)
TR(ANS)E  PT

* Another partial acrostic with an imperfect indicator.  

ANTONYM

Not many different.  The very opposite!  (7)

not many - anagram fodder
different - anag indicator
the very opposite - definition
and the whole clue also serves as a definition, i.e. ALL antonyms are
different from the original word for which they are an antonym.

* Surprisingly, the only clue to use this anagram fodder.   The
* clue is ok without trying to turn it into a partial &lit, though.

PRIMROSE

Straitlaced girl makes a bloomer (8)

straitlaced = PRIM
girl = ROSE (girl's name)
makes a - link
bloomer - definition (a plant that blooms)

* The pun on bloomer as both a mistake and a flower is a Britishism,
* though none the worse for that.  Solid.

------------------------------------------------------
From: Gail Koontz <gail.koontz@quancon.com>

Mosaic patterns for part of church
(8)				anagram
	Mosaic - anagram indicator
	patterns - anagram fodder for TRANSEPT
	for - connector
	part of church - definition of TRANSEPT

* I think mosaic works as an anagram indicator, but it's close. 

Final jest is in the pen name - it has the opposite meaning
(7)	container
	Final jest  - T
	is in the - container indicator
	pen name - ANONYM
		AN(T)ONYM
	it has the opposite meaning - definition of ANTONYM

* "Final jest" technically doesn't refer to 't'. And using anonym to 
* clue antonym runs a bit close to the edge, though I think of myself
* as less strict than most about this sort of thing.

A certain wildflower for an uncertain path?
(8)			double definition
	a certain wildflower - definition of PRIMROSE
	for - connector
	an uncertain path - definition (?) of PRIMROSE

* A very lovely London Times-y kind of clue, if it weren't for my understanding
* that 'primrose path' refers more to a kind of hedonistic choice more
* than a risky one.  To lead someone down the primrose path is more like
* leading one into temptation. 