CWC 107 RESULTS
===============

The clues have been submitted, pored over, and judged, and the winners
selected!

The winning clue for the first word is

	Treacherous ascent to rocky ledge (6)

by Murray W. Smith, with a runner-up clue of

	Holy woman briefly embraced an extreme Catholic position (6)

brought to us by Bill Shatzer.


The winning clue for the second word is

	Captured by a freak, I'm bound in a bent position (6)

by Jean O'Conor .  Congratulations, newcomer!

	Bowed before the tree of wisdom, a British orphan of Lahore (6)

from Gail Koontz won runner-up honors.



The overall winner is Jean O'Conor!  Huzzah!
As he is unable to moderate CWC108, that task will fall to Murray W. Smith.
Thank you, Murray, and I anxiously await your selections!









Here are the clues for the first word.  The winner is marked with a
'!!', the runner-up with a '!', and honorable mentions with '*':

Closest ancestor has a position (6)
It's said a lot of laurels create attitude (6)
On the street, almost any crime starts with extreme evil attitude (6)
Position a bit of sassafras tea in front of talking female relatives (6)
*    Ascent is redirected to ledge in rock wall (6)
Aid kicks ass, and I posture (6)
*    Climber's position in complicated ascent? (6)
Star Trek captain's acne affected his position (6)
Laurels, reportedly, for a particular position (6)
Position points cant out within (6)
Enacts awkward position (6)
Laurel, once pruned by half, yields a certain limb configuration (6)
*    Rough ascent into position (6)
!!   Treacherous ascent to rocky ledge (6)
*    Attitude of holy man one year after Jesus' birth (6)
!    Holy woman briefly embraced an extreme Catholic position (6)
State a courteous, selfless point of view (6)


Here are the clues for the second word.  The winner is marked with a
'!!', the runner-up with a '!', and honorable mentions with '*':

Speak?  I'm bound, smothered with crooked arms (6)
Lose tip of limb in a knock out and have bent elbows (6)
Members' position admits Korean head of state into a British organization (6)
Defiant stance makes makes mad boa squeeze woman (6)
Part freak, I'm born with an elbow sticking out (6)
*      Elbows out one thousand naked bimbos (6)
State setter's body odour with elbows out (6)
Weak, I'm bound to conceal arms by my sides (6)
!      Bowed before the tree of wisdom, a British orphan of Lahore (6)
*      Asks if my boom is oddly bent (6)
Giving an outstanding display of arms (6)
The felled oak began instantly moving - buckling over making the limbs
     bend outwards (6)
Japanese emperor decentralized.  Military board in place - obliquely (6)
Make endless, topless limbo with hands on hips (6)
!!     Captured by a freak, I'm bound in a bent position (6)
*      Bent a Kipling storybook without permission (6)
A pair of old rockers with arms bent outwards (6)
BONUS:  Bent the anterior portions of a kidney in most bizarre operation (6)
BONUS:  Elbows out a Kipling character when half the book's written (6)






Below are the clues with explanation and commentary:



The first word was STANCE.


Closest ancestor has a position (6)
     ^^ ^^^^         ==========

===> Hidden-word clue.  Solid cryptic, but the surface escapes me:
===> I don't understand what makes the "closest ancestor" so special
===> as to note its position.



It's said a lot of laurels create attitude (6)
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^        ========
          STANS -> STANCE

===> Homophone clue.  I like the surface on this one (referencing
===> the crown of laurels that champions received in ancient times,
===> and the probability of arrogant pride that might attend such
===> repeated praise), but I have a problem with the homophone.
===> STANS has an ending "z" phoneme to my ears (as in "zebra"),
===> where STANCE has a short "s" phoneme (as in "salad").  I
===> apologize in advance if the homophone is more precise than
===> I'm judging it here (there was another entry of the same type,
===> where I was assured that some New Yorkers have the same
===> pronunciation), but, IMO, it's just not close enough to
===> garner my vote.


On the street, almost any crime starts with extreme evil attitude (6)
       ST             AN  C                         E    ========

===> Charade clue.  I might quibble about CRIME STARTS -> C, but
===> that's minor, IMO.  The surface is OK, if not inspiring, but
===> the total charade seems just too *busy*, with 4 elements for
===> a 6-letter word, with each element getting 2+ words.  Yes,
===> I'm retreating to my own aesthetic sense here.  :-(


Position a bit of sassafras tea in front of talking female relatives (6)
========          S         T               AUNTS -> ANCE  

===> Charade-homophone clue.  Eep.  I forgot to mention a bit of
===> an aversion to partial homophones.  Since I did forget, I'm
===> trying to overcome a bit of personal bias (be warned).  I
===> like the intention of the surface (the Jane Austen atmosphere),
===> but it doesn't come across that well, with "position" being
===> used for a simpler word like "place" or "set" (this quibbling
===> is focused solely on the surface, please note), and the forced
===> quality of "talking female relatives".
===> Despite my afore-mentioned aversion, I don't dislike the cryptic.
===> Minor quibble on the precision of the homophone.  *Very* minor
===> in this case, and just because I use and hear the "nts" in
===> "aunts" distinctly, as opposed to the slurring it would require
===> to match "nce"; I realize that the slurring is in fact somewhat
===> common.


* Ascent is redirected to ledge in rock wall (6)
  ASCENT --> STANCE       ==================

===> Anagram clue.  A very good one, too.  The anagram indicator is
===> clear, as is the definition.  Surface is good too, indicative
===> of a mistake made in cliff-climbing.  Honorable mention to
===> Jake Bergmann.


Aid kicks ass, and I posture (6)
ASSISTANCE - ASS - I =======

===> Deletion clue, and unusual, too.  Cryptic is sound.  The surface
===> relies a bit on the pointer the cluer had included -- "The nature
===> of modern politics?" -- and, in that case, "aide" is required
===> instead of "aid".  If, in fact, "aid" as in "assistance" is
===> used for the surface, I hear two different style voices in the
===> clue, which I find jarring (rarely have I heard "posturing" and
===> "kicking ass" coming from the same person :-) ).


* Climber's position in complicated ascent? (6)
  ==================                ASCENT -> STANCE

===> Anagram clue.  The second of the ASCENT -> STANCE cryptics.  A
===> good cryptic.  The "?" is unnecessary, IMO.  Honorable mention
===> to Bob Gregory.
===> A warning of probable bias: I gave all the ASCENT -> STANCE
===> clues awards, since each cluer gave what I thought was an
===> excellent, concise cluing with firm, appropriate surface
===> readings.


Star Trek captain's acne affected his position (6)
S    T              ACNE -> ANCE      ========

===> Charade-anagram clue.  Quibble: I'd use "captains'" to
===> indicate that both the S and T are to be used; this would
===> require "his" changing to "their" (and making it nicely
===> gender-neutral as well :-) ).  Cryptic and surface are
===> OK, except that I had no recollection of a Star Trek captain
===> gaining that commission so quickly that youth betrayed
===> his visage with unsightly blemishes. <grin>


Laurels, reportedly, for a particular position (6)
STANS -> STANCE          =====================

===> Homophone clue.  The analysis for the previous STANS->STANCE
===> clue applies here as well.  The surface here works as well,
===> with laurels presumably being used metaphorically.


Position points cant out within (6)
========  S,E   CANT->TANC inside S,E

===> Charade-anagram-container (?) clue.  I find "points" rather
===> vague for the precise S-E being sought.  The cryptic is too
===> busy, and the surface is awkward and ambiguous.


Enacts awkward position (6)
ENACTS -> STANCE 
               ========

===> Anagram clue.  Cryptic is very concise and accurate.  The surface
===> is OK, but it just doesn't have the "oomph" that the ASCENT->STANCE
===> clues have.


Laurel, once pruned by half, yields a certain limb configuration (6)
STAN    ONCE-ON                     ============================

===> Charade-deletion clue.  (Hey, a silent Stan!)  The cryptic is
===> good, and the surface is a bit odd, but good.  "A certain limb
===> configuration" is a wee bit awkward for a definition, though;
===> body carriage is as important to stance as limb position.  This
===> is a minor quibble, though.


* Rough ascent into position (6)
        ASCENT->STANCE
                    ========

===> Anagram clue, the 3rd of the ASCENT->STANCE clues.  Good cryptic
===> and surface (I imagine the scene of an amateur stargazer trying to
===> get a telescope to an optimal viewing spot).  Honorable mention
===> to Ed Coulson.


!!   Treacherous ascent to rocky ledge (6)
                 ASCENT->STANCE
                           ===========

===> Anagram clue, the 4th of the ASCENT->STANCE clues.  Excellent
===> cryptic and surface, with an especially appropriate choice of
===> anagram indicator.  The winner for the first word is Murray
===> W. Smith.


* Attitude of holy man one year after Jesus' birth (6)
  ========      ST     AN         CE (Common Era)

===> Charade clue.  Well balanced, good cryptic, and meaningful
===> surface (one of the 3 Wise Men had a follow-up visit, I
===> suppose).  Honorable mention to Kevin Wald.


! Holy woman briefly embraced an extreme Catholic position (6)
        STE          contains AN+            C    ========

===> Charade-container clue.  A sharp cryptic (I like the way
===> that "extreme" can be used on either end of "Catholic", as
===> the cluer pointed out), and the surface is appropriate and
===> smooth.  Runner-up award goes to Bill Shatzer.


State a courteous, selfless point of view (6)
ST    A    NICE-I           =============

===> Charade-deletion clue.  I'm unfamiliar with the STATE -> ST
===> construct, and I didn't encounter it in the FAQ; is that just
===> an uncommon usage?  That quibble aside, the cryptic is not
===> bad, and you used a definition different from the standard
===> position/attitude/ledge, but which is just fine.  The surface
===> is just a tad too "prim", a bit too stilted.




The second word was AKIMBO.


Speak?  I'm bound, smothered with crooked arms (6)
   AK   IM  BO               =================

===> Hidden-word clue.  "Smothered" is a good indicator, and the cryptic
===> is sound.  The surface makes a bit more sense with a comma between
===> "smothered" and "with" (as it is, I'm imagining someone tied up in
===> in a pile of mannequins).


Lose tip of limb in a knock out and have bent elbows (6)
             IMB in A KO            ================

===> Deletion-container clue.  A sound cryptic, a good definition,
===> and an excellent start at a good surface.  The surface peters
===> out, though, in including the definition.


Members' position admits Korean head of state into a British organization (6)
=================               KIM            in  A    B         O

===> Charade-container clue.  I didn't encounter ORGANIZATION -> O in
===> the FAQ either, but I've at least seen that abbrev. before.
===> Tricky definition, perhaps too tricky, and it avoids the
===> the most important facet of AKIMBO: bentness.  Adequate 
===> cryptic.


Defiant stance makes mad boa squeeze woman (6)
==============       BOA->ABO surrounds KIM

===> Anagram-container clue.  A very good definition, evocative
===> of the "bentness" I mentioned in the previous commentary.
===> I don't feel "woman" is specific enough to be fair to the
===> solver to get KIM.


Part freak, I'm born with an elbow sticking out (6)
        AK  I M BO   ==========================

===> Hidden-word clue.  The cryptic is workable, the definition
===> is adequate (although both elbows are more suitable than just
===> one for AKIMBO), and the surface is adequate.  (I thought
===> just about all babies are born with an elbow sticking out,
===> and knees, and such, so the clue reads a bit oddly.)


* Elbows out one thousand naked bimbos (6)
  ==========  A     K           BIMBOS - B - S

===> Charade-deletion clue.  OK, this one made me laugh.  It
===> made me think of  someone who just got hired for a B beach
===> movie.  Good way to work the definition into the surface.
===> Honorable mention to Kevin Wald.


State setter's body odour with elbows out (6)
 AK    I(')M      B.O.    ===============

===> Charade clue.  The cluer admitted that there exist 49 states
===> other than Arkansas (AK), but that the rest of the clue is
===> obvious.  I *still* think STATE -> AK is too far to jump.
===> I don't understand the "setter's" -> "I'm": I suspect this
===> is a UKism?  The surface reading, I'm afraid, also leaves
===> me behind.


Weak, I'm bound to conceal arms by my sides (6)
  AK  I M BO               ================

===> Hidden-word clue.  Cryptic is well-constructed, but the defini-
===> tion doesn't bring out the bentness of AKIMBO: the arms could
===> easily be seen as just hanging there.  I do like the surface
===> reading (packing guns to protect oneself from tough guys).


! Bowed before the tree of wisdom, a British orphan of Lahore (6)
  =====              BO  before    A        KIM

===> Charade clue.  I very much like the poesy in this clue, as
===> well as the Kipling mention.  An excellent clue, and runner-up
===> honors to Gail Koontz.


* Asks if my boom is oddly bent (6)
  A K  I  M  B O           ====

===> Acrostic-variant clue.  With the cluer's prodding, I saw the
===> naughty implications of this clue, which made me laugh.  Honor-
===> able mention to Pete Mitchell.



Giving an outstanding display of arms (6)

===> The cluer described this as a charade on a Weaponry Show.
===> Here you must forgive me, but I could not piece out more
===> than an excellent punny misdirecting definition.  


The felled oak began instantly moving - buckling over making the limbs
            AK       I         M        B        O    ================
     bend outwards (6)
     =============

===> Deletion-acrostic clue.  "Felled" is an iffy indicator for
===> removing the head of "oak".  The definition is sound, but
===> suffers for indicating a verb -- one does not akimbo a limb.
===> "began instantly moving" gives an odd image which hurts a
===> a reasonable surface reading.


Japanese emperor decentralized.  Military board in place - obliquely (6)
  AKIHITO           -HIT         replaced by MB            =========

===> Replacement clue.  "Decentralized" for me would indicate a removal
===> of KIHIT or IHI or H rather than HIT.  "Obliquely" doesn't carry
===> the gist of AKIMBO, either.  The surface is reasonably sound, but
===> I think the effort to make it work hurt the technical aspects of
===> the clue.


Make endless, topless limbo with hands on hips (6)
MAKE-M-E            LIMBO-L ==================

===> Double-deletion clue.  The cryptic works well, and the
===> definition is sound.  What is an "endless, topless limbo",
===> though?


!! Captured by a freak, I'm bound in a bent position (6)
                    AK  I M BO    ==================

===> Hidden-word clue.  Good indicator, good phrase to hide the
===> word in, good definition, and a great surface, with shades
===> of psychotic kidnappers.  The winning clue was brought to
===> us by Jean O'Conor.


* Bent a Kipling storybook without permission (6)
  ==== A    KIM       BOOK-OK

===> Charade-deletion clue.  "Storybook" was split in two to
===> provide the cryptic elements.  The cluer exhibited some
===> trepidation about that; it would probably have been better
===> to explicitly split the two ("story book").  The definition
===> is OK, and the surface works fairly well (although bending
===> a book is hardly a capital offense).  Honorable mention to
===> Bill Shatzer.


A pair of old rockers with arms bent outwards (6)
A   KIM     BO        =======================
 (Mitchell) (Diddley)

===> Charade clue.  Yes, the surface is nicely misleading,
===> bringing to mind decrepit furniture, but "pair of old
===> rockers" is far too vague.  I might have thought of Ted
===> Nugent for one of them and found a word with the form
===> A___TED.  (Bonus points for whomever can come up with a
===> reasonable alternative!)  Definition is good.


BONUS:  Bent the anterior portions of a kidney in most bizarre operation (6)
        ====                          A K      I  M    B       O

BONUS:  Elbows out a Kipling character when half the book's written (6)
        ========== A       KIM              first half of BOOK (BO)


--
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(aka StealthSmurf)             -- seen in a Doonesbury strip
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