Newsgroups: rec.puzzles.crosswords
Subject: CWC104 - Results
Organization: MV Communications, Inc.


                               CWC 104 - Results

==>  SPOILER ALERT:  THIS POST CONTAINS ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS FOR
==>                  THE CWC 104 CONTEST.  IF YOU ARE ONLY INTERESTED
==>                  IN THE WINNING CLUES OR THE CLUE LIST WITHOUT
==>                  ANSWERS, DON'T READ PAST THE CLUE-ONLY SECTION
==>                  (~LINE 80).


The clues are in and judged, and the winners are:

Quietly yearning for fling (5)

by Kevin Wald, (runner-up Brian Spollen,
honorable mention to Bill Shatzer).

"Dear, grabbing a tiger's tail is quite risky" (10)

by Bill Shatzer (runner-up Kevin Wald,
honorable mention to N. Edward Coulson, Clay Colwell,
and Bob Gregory).

The overall winner is Kevin Wald, who will be hosting CWC 105.
Congratulations, Kevin!

++  Winning entry
+   Runner-up entry
*   Honorable mention
=====================================================================
Clues only for word #1
----------------------
Slogan: "Put up a tent!" (5)
++Quietly yearning for fling (5)
I hear urine caused scratching after a position change (5)
It can be the key angle to sell tar and resin (5)
Black material and carbon found in core (5)
Toss out sticky black stuff (5)
Level playing field? (5)
Cast of the Sound of Music? (5)
Tarry residue from rolling up joint in Conneticut (5)
Quiet irritation is the key (5)
+The appeal of salesmen's strike, when done right (5)
*A sound heart without a bit of cholesterol (5)
Black market! (5)
Throw the sound of one's voice (5)
Market position for tar product (5)
Cover stop, it changes! (5)

BONUS CLUES:
Tilt forward to spit champagne briefly (5)
Reel-cast (5)
Leading promoters lust for a persuasive spiel (5)
Asphalt paving is the cheapest highway initially (5)
Toss tar from pine trees (5)
=====================================================================
Clues only for word #2
----------------------
Dangerous sprinter returns in Christly fashion (10)
+Our caper is awfully dangerous (10)
Our caper is kind of dangerous (10)
Insecure before auto debts consolidated (10)
*Very dangerous if praying takes Indy driver in wrong direction (10)
*First protest about car loan payment promises to be tricky (10)
Initial payment of vehicle loans is touch and go (10)
*Like teeth before they are decayed and insecure? (10)
Stir rice soup with a roaches head in?  This recipe could be risky! (10)
Before the vehicle, debts became risky
Before reindeer lost Blitzen's leadership on thin ice? (10)
++"Dear, grabbing a tiger's tail is quite risky" (10)
Earlier automobile invoices are unwarranted (10)
Insecure sterling showing up around the state of Whitewater (10)
In a dangerous position as croupier rolled (10)
Unsafe, but doesn't need filling yet (10)

BONUS CLUES:
Shaky arrival in particular (10)
Uncertain, before decay sets in? (10)
Darling, skirting Arkansas is risky (10)
Before the automobile, promisary notes were not secure (10)
=====================================================================

A note on the judging:

I only awarded one honorable mention for word #1 (as opposed to three
for word #2).  While this may appear as a statement that the clues for
word #1 were somehow inferior, let me say that this is not the case.
In fact, there were many clues that could easily have been awarded
honorable mention; it was difficult to know where to draw the "line".
Specifically, there were a number of very clever double definitions.
What I noticed, though, was that my top few clues for each word 
represented different constructions, and this struck me as a fair and
logical breaking point.  To wit:

Word #1:

Winner:     P+ITCH charade
Runner-up:  double definition
Honorable:  PITH+C container

Word #2:

Winner:     PRECIOUS+AR container
Runner-up:  anagram
Honorable:  PIOUS+RACER reversal/container
Honorable:  P+RE+CAR+IOUS charade
Honorable:  PRE-CARIOUS (punny) double definition

Thanks to everyone for providing such excellent and entertaining
clues!

Clues, explanations, and critiques for word #1
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Slogan: "Put up a tent!" (5)

Double definition:  1. a slogan, a pitch (slang)
		    2. to put up a tent is to pitch (a tent)

==>  Good attempt, and probably solvable, though neither definition
==>  in my opinion is flawless.  A slogan is a catch-phrase, used
==>  mostly to draw attention and/or recognition, while a pitch 
==>  tends to imply more of a persuasive presentation.  "Put up"
==>  is a valid definition, but "put up a tent" is technically not.
==>  One does not say, "We just pitched" (in the context of 
==>  putting up a tent).  If you said "put up, as a tent", that
==>  would be more correct (though granted it would not fit this
==>  particular surface).  Also, the '!' in the absense of an
==>  &lit clue is misleading.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Quietly yearning for fling (5)

      fling = PITCH (in the sense of "throw")

      Quietly = P (in musical notation)
      yearning = ITCH
      P + ITCH = PITCH

==>  This is a beautiful charade.  Simple and effective construction,
==>  good surface, and excellent twisting of parts of speech with
==>  "yearning" and "fling" (verb/noun in surface, noun/verb in
==>  cryptic.  Winning entry by Kevin Wald <wald@math.uchicago.edu>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I hear urine caused scratching after a position change (5)


I hear            = homophone indicator
urine             = pee (P)
caused scratching = itch
after             = word following indicator (ITCH follows P)
position change   = defn.

==>  Hmm.  Without getting into a discussion on the relative merits
==>  of partial homophones, which I don't necessarily mind if I think
==>  they're fair, I don't think this one works.  As a solver, I'm
==>  looking for word that sounds like, but is spelled differently than,
==>  a word that means "urine".  I don't believe the letter 'P'
==>  qualifies, as there is no indication that we are looking for
==>  anything other than a word, and the "word" for 'P' *is* "pee",
==>  which is not a homophone ("pea" would be).  Does this make sense?
==>  I'm also a little uncomfortable with "caused scratching" = "itch".
==>  At best, the tense is off (would define "itched"), and even then
==>  it feels more like a cause-and-effect than a definition (after
==>  all, one can certainly itch without scratching).  Finally, the
==>  "after" is technically redundant (since a charade clue is, by
==>  definition, in order unless otherwise specified) and misleading
==>  as it appears to place the "caused scratching" after the
==>  "position change".
---------------------------------------------------------------------
It can be the key angle to sell tar and resin (5)

It can be - i.e. Pitch can be
The key = pitch
Angle = pitch
To sell = pitch
Tar = pitch
Resin = pitch

==>  Cute.  Certainly the word most lending itself to a "quintuple
==>  definition" probably since "PORT" a while back.  I assume
==>  it's safe to say that there is little precedent in judging
==>  this type of clue, but I'm going to take the initiative and
==>  say that, in concept, I don't find it unfair.  I *do* think
==>  however, that it must be virtually flawless (i.e. the solver
==>  *must* be able to be 100% sure of his/her answer once solved)
==>  and to this end I would say that the extraneous words (in this
==>  case, the "It can be") must be removed.  I think just:
==>  "Key angle to sell tar and resin (5)" would work fine.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Black material and carbon found in core (5)

Black material=definition
carbon=C
found in=container
core=PITH

==>  I like the PITH + C construction.  I find "black material" to
==>  be touch vague for a definition as there must be literally
==>  hundreds of black materials.  Also, I find the surface
==>  curiously unfulfilling: in core of what?  :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Toss out sticky black stuff (5)

    Double-defn clue: "toss out" and "sticky black stuff"

==>  Note here how the inclusion of "sticky" significantly narrows
==>  the field of possibilities in the definition.  Solid double
==>  definition with a workable, if not particularly inspired, surface. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Level playing field? (5)

Level    playing field
-----    -------------
  |           |
defn 1     defn 2

Also (just about) an &lit

==>  Tough one for me.  Firstly, not being familiar with cricket, I would
==>  not have recognized the "playing field" definition.  Also, while
==>  pitch does mean "to establish the slope of", it seems to me that
==>  it implies *creating* a slope or pitch, rather than removing
==>  (leveling) one.  (I'm sure someone will enlighten me if I'm 
==>  wrong <g>).  Very nice surface!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cast of the Sound of Music? (5)

 PITCH = Throw or CAST
 PITCH = musical sound/timbre

==>  Another very clever surface for a double definition.  My only
==>  problem here is equating the "sound of music" with "pitch".
==>  Pitch is just one element of a each particular note of music.
==>  Music involves pitches, dynamics, tempos, and other factors.
==>  A violin and a trumpet can play a note of the same pitch, but
==>  it is certainly not the same sound.  Perhaps I'm being too
==>  picky here, but I feel that if someone clued "the look of
==>  a painting" to mean "color" it would be the same issue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tarry residue from rolling up joint in Conneticut. (5)

Explanation:
Tarry residue = Pitch
rolling up = reverse letter order
Joint = hip
 in Conneticut= put "ct" in

==>  Spelling aside, "joint in Connecticut" would be "C(HIP)T",
==>  which would reverse (and "rolling up" is really only an
==>  applicable indicator for a down clue) to "TPIHC".  Good
==>  work, though, trying to select words applicable to a
==>  surface theme.  It made me wonder whether one could have
==>  used "tarry" in a way that seemed like "to wait" in the
==>  surface reading; would be good misdirection.  Also, it
==>  is standard practice to leave off the final punctuation
==>  unless it is a '?' or '!' used to indicate specific clue
==>  types.  I did this for you in the "clue only" section.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Quiet irritation is the key

Quiet      = P (music)
Irritation = ITCH
Is the     = Definition indicator
Key        = Definition (as in music)

Surface    = Sorry, baseball or cricket fans, not my first thought.

==>  Decent charade.  Surface is unfulfilling:  the key to what?
==>  Also, don't forget the enumeration "(5)" after your clues;
==>  I added this for you in the clues-only section.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The appeal of salesmen's strike, when done right (5)

    "the appeal of salesmen" = def. ("sales pitch")
    "'s" = link (short for "is")
    "strike, when done right" = def. (baseball ref.)

==>  Nice.  Longer than your average double definition which
==>  makes it misleading by default.  I also like the way the
==>  comma breaks the clue in a different spot than the double
==>  definition break.  Runner-up for Brian Spollen <bcs@harriseda.com>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A sound heart without a bit of cholesterol (5)

a sound = defin.
heart = PITH
without = placement indicator (outside of)
a bit of cholesterol = [C]holesterol

PIT+C+H

==>  Excellent clue with a solid surface.  "A sound" is a bit vague,
==>  as pitch is one quality of a sound, more than the sound itself.
==>  Still, a solvable and well-put-together clue.  Honorable mention
==>  to Bill Shatzer <bshatzer@orednet.org>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Black market! (5)
	
	Black = def. (v.t. - make black)
	market = def. (v.t. - advertise or sell)

	*note - this should be considered as an &lit. The Shorter OED
	lists a couple of suitable definitions: 'PITCH n. - II.8(b)  the
	quantity of a particular commodity placed for sale in a market
	or other similar place.'; or 'PITCH n. - III.12a   ... esp. a
	spot in a street or other public place where a street vendor
	sells wares or has a stall ....' Chambers defines it 'PITCH n.
	a station taken by a street trader etc. ....'

==>  I wouldn't consider it an &lit as nothing about "pitch" necessarily
==>  implies illegality, which "black market" does.  I'm also a touch
==>  uneasy about the first definition.  I can find "pitch" as a verb
==>  meaning "to cover in pitch", but pitch isn't *necessarily* black,
==>  though "pitchy" *does* mean black.  I'll give you the benefit of
==>  the doubt on the double def, but not on the &lit.  Excellent
==>  surface for a double def!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Throw the sound of one's voice (5)

double definition
  Throw = PITCH
  the sound of one's voice = PITCH

==>  Another great double definition surface.  Same argument about
==>  "sound" vs "pitch".
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Market position for tar product (5)

Double definition (slightly punny)

Market position - the site on which a market trader pitches their 
stall (or booth)
tar product

==>  Decent double definition.  Your first definition caters more to
==>  the British side; might be bit less obscure as just a verb:
==>  "Market a tar product (5)".  Still, not bad at all.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cover stop, it changes! (5)

	Cover - hidden word indicator
	stop, it changes - hiding place for PITCH
	Cover stop, it changes - definition of PITCH
		(a stop being either a fret on a stringed instrument
		or a hole on a wind instrument)

==>  Very clever &lit attempt, with a difficult (but accurate)
==>  definition.  My only hesitation here is your indicator.
==>  "Stop, it changes" *covers* "pitch".  "Pitch" is *covered*
==>  by "stop, it changes".  Somehow, neither of these cases is
==>  actually indicated by the clue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Tilt forward to spit champagne briefly (5)

Tilt forward   = defn.
sPIT CHampagne = fodder
briefly        = hidden word indicator

==>  I don't doubt that "briefly" is used as a hidden word indicator,
==>  but to me it is more accurately an abbreviation or truncation
==>  indicator.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Reel-cast (5)

    "reel" = def. (verb)
    "cast" = def. (noun)

==>  Not bad, though "reel-cast" is not in my dictionary.  Is it really 
==>  a word?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Leading promoters lust for a persuasive spiel (5)

	Leading promoters - P
	lust - ITCH
	for - connector
	a persuasive spiel - definition of PITCH

==>  Good charade.  Good surface.  Good clue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Asphalt paving is the cheapest highway initially (5)

	Asphalt - definition of PITCH
	paving is the cheapest highway - first letters spell PITCH
	initially - first letter indicator

==>  Pretty simple acrostic, but they usually are.  In a tougher
==>  clue I might not have made the jump from asphalt to pitch;
==>  I'm no expert on bituminous and resinous substances, so I
==>  don't honestly know if they're the same or not.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Toss tar from pine trees (5)

   Toss = defn.
   tar from pine trees = defn.

==>  Good double definition, with a humorous (granted,
==>  in a sick sort of way, but what's your point?) surface.  :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
=====================================================================

Clues, explanations, and critiques for word #2
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dangerous sprinter returns in Christly fashion (10)

Container/reversal:
Dangerous = precarious
sprinter = racer  ----> returns (reversal indicator) -----> RECAR
in = container indicator
Christly fashion = PIOUS
----------------------------->  P(RECAR)IOUS

==>  "Christly" could define "pious", but "Christly fashion" becomes
==>  an adverb, and would define "piously".  Other than that, a
==>  good construction with an interesting surface.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Our caper is awfully dangerous (10)

      dangerous = PRECARIOUS

      awfully = anagram indicator
      Our caper is (anagrammed) = PRECARIOUS

==>  Solid anagram, with the fodder tailor-made for the definition.
==>  Runner-up for Kevin Wald <wald@math.uchicago.edu>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Our caper is kind of dangerous (10)

Our caper is = fodder
kind of      = anagram indicator
dangerous    = defn.

==>  Did I mention that the fodder was tailor-made?  A weaker
==>  indicator makes this a slightly inferior clue to the
==>  one above, in my opinion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Insecure before auto debts consolidated (10)

Insecure = def.
before = pre
auto = car
debts = IOU's
Consolidated = (pre)(car)(ious)

==>  Decent charade though the "consolidated" is unnecessary, and 
==>  thus detracting.  Granted, it helps the surface.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Very dangerous if praying takes Indy driver in wrong direction (10)

(that's what happens if you close your eyes...)

Very dangerous=definition
praying=PIOUS
takes=container
Indy driver=RACER
in wrong direction=turn RACER around=> P(RECAR)IOUS

==>  Excellent construction with an amusing, if a touch awkward,
==>  surface reading.  You may be surprised (I know I was) to
==>  note the attributed etymology of "prayer" (L. precaria/precarius).
==>  Who'd have thought...  :-)  Still, worthy of an Honorable mention
==>  for N. Edward Coulson <fyj@psu.edu>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
First protest about car loan payment promises to be tricky (10)

------------- ----- --- ---------------------       ======
      P        RE   CAR       IOUs                   defn.

	Charade clue.

==>  Good charade.  I don't tend to like unclued portions (i.e. "car")
==>  that could easily be clued ("auto", for example).  Also, some
==>  will argue that "first protest" is not the same as "first of
==>  protest", but I've always considered it pretty fair in context.
==>  Good surface.  Honorable mention to Clay Colwell <eris@bga.com>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial payment of vehicle loans is touch and go (10)

Initial      payment   of   vehicle   loans  is   touch and go
------       -------   --   -------   -----       -----------
  |             |      |       |        |              |
indicator       P      RE     CAR     IOUS           defn

==>  Similar to the clue above, but a bit weaker.  "Loans" define
==>  occurrences of lending; "IOUS" are documents.  Related, but
==>  not the same.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Like teeth before they are decayed and insecure? (10)

 CARIOUS = (Collins, Chambers etc) - DECAYED (teeth/bone) (from  CARIES)
 PRE - before <prefix>
 <and> INSECURE = defn

==>  PRE+CARIOUS was actually the only submitted construction that I
==>  hadn't forseen.  I'm assuming, from the '?', that this was meant
==>  as a punny double definition as opposed to as a charade.  (As a
==>  charade, we have the problem of "like teeth" being either 

==>  superfluous or misplaced).  As a double def (Pre-carious/precarious)
==>  it works well.  Nice job.  Honorable mention to Bob Gregory 
==>  <bobg@cullen.demon.co.uk>.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Stir rice soup with a roaches head in?  This recipe could be risky! (10)

Stir = anagram indicator
rice soup, a, and r (roaches head), anagram fodder
risky = precarious

==>  Euughhhhh!!  :-)  Seems like kind of a struggle generating the
==>  anagram fodder.  "This recipe could be" is an unfairly extraneous
==>  phrase, especially when an "a" earlier on in the clue is
==>  so significant!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Before the vehicle, debts became risky

Before   = PRE
The      = Padding
Vehicle  = CAR
Debts    = IOUS (Plural of IOU (I Owe You))
Became   = Definition indicator
Risky    = Definition

Surface  = Now I'm bankrupt!
Clue for PRECARIOUS:

==>  And *after* the vehicle they weren't?  :-)  Okay construction,
==>  though I'm not convinced that "debt" and "IOU" are equivalent.
==>  Don't forget your (10) enumeration at the end of the clue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Before reindeer lost Blitzen's leadership on thin ice? (10)

     "before reindeer?" = "pre-caribous" (punnily)
     "lost" = subtraction indicator
     "Blitzen's leadership" = "b"
     "on thin ice" = def.

==>  Yikes!  I think expecting anyone to get from "before reindeer"
==>  to "pre-caribous" is a long shot at best.  This is too bad,
==>  because the definition itself is my favorite of the group.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dear, grabbing a tiger's tail is quite risky" (10)

dear = PRECIOUS
grabbing = placement indicator
a = A
tiger's tail = R [the "tail" of "tigeR"]
is quite risky = defin.

PREC + A + R + IOUS

[surface: perhaps a mother's advice to her zoo keeper son??]

==>  Excellent.  Nice weaving of fodder and indicators into a
==>  smooth and meaningful surface.  And let's face it, the
==>  advice is pretty much valid for anyone!  :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Earlier automobile invoices are unwarranted (10)

	Earlier = PRE
	automobile = CAR
	invoices = IOUS
	are = superfluous indicator
	unwarranted = definition

==>  I don't quite understand how "unwarranted" is a definition 
==>  for "precarious".  Also, invoices and IOUs aren't the same.
==>  In fact, aren't they pretty much opposites?  An invoice is
==>  a "UOMe".
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Insecure sterling showing up around the state of Whitewater (10)

container
  Insecure = PRECARIOUS
  sterling = PRECIOUS
  showing up around = container indicator
  the state of Whitewater = AR (Arkansas)

==>  What is "insecure sterling"?  Silver with an inferiority
==>  complex?  :-) Is this the same as "unsecured", which I assume
==>  in this context would mean "uninsured"?  Good construction, 
==>  with topical (if possibly U.S.-biased) subsidiaries.  I
==>  think a more direct "shows up" would flow better.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In a dangerous position as croupier rolled (10)

Anagram

In a dangerous position - definition
as croupier - fodder
rolled - anagram indicator (cf the anagram wheel that a lot of solvers use!)

==>  "Precarious" is an adjective.  "Dangerous" is an adjective. 
==>  I wasn't an English major, so I'm not sure what "in a dangerous
==>  position" is -- maybe a prepositional phrase or something?  But
==>  it doesn't seem to be an adjective.  The very fact that one could
==>  say "in a precarious position" would seem to me to preclude the
==>  phrase from being a definition of "precarious".  Otherwise, one
==>  could rephrase it as "in a in a precarious position position".
==>  Still, not a bad clue.  Interesting fodder.  Curious surface.  I
==>  guess I picture a craps table where the guy who collects the bets
==>  decides he's going to roll the dice, too.  I suppose that would
==>  be "dangerous" for anyone with their money down...  :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsafe, but doesn't need filling yet (10)

	Unsafe, - definition of PRECARIOUS
	but - connector
	doesn't need filling yet - definition of PRE-CARIOUS

==>  Decent double definition, though the surface seems to lack
==>  something.  There is not enough there to figure out what
==>  is being referred to, and I find it curious that something
==>  (whatever it is) could be unsafe, but not need filling *yet*.
==>  The implication being what, that it's okay to be unsafe so
==>  we won't fill it (which I assume fixes the "problem") until
==>  it gets *really* bad?  Also, I think a '?' is in order here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Shaky arrival in particular (10)

	Container clue (AR in PRECIOUS)

==>  Good container.  Surface doesn't seem to mean much.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Uncertain, before decay sets in? (10)

     "uncertain" = def.
     "before decay sets in? = pre-carious = punny def.

==>  Another pre-carious double definition.  I'd lose the comma.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Darling, skirting Arkansas is risky (10)

	Darling - PRECIOUS
	skirting - container indicator
	Arkansas - AR, so PREC-AR-IOUS
	is - connector
	risky - definition of PRECARIOUS

==>  Is this a slam against Louisiana or Missouri?  :-)
==>  Nice container.  This would have been in the running
==>  as a regular clue!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS:
Before the automobile, promisary notes were not secure (10)

  Before the automobile, promisary notes = pre-car IOUs
  not secure = defn. (as an investment term)

==>  Another good one.  Not much to offer here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------