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From: clayton@austin.ibm.com (Clay Colwell)
Subject: PCWC 12 Final Results (LONG!)
Originator: clayton@genz.austin.ibm.com
Message-ID: <C4yyC9.16L3@austin.ibm.com>
Sender: clayton@austin.ibm.com ()
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1993 17:09:45 GMT
Reply-To: archmage@vnet.ibm.com
Organization: IBM Advanced Workstations & Systems
Lines: 650



        P C W C 1 2   R E S U L T S

The ballots are all in for PCWC 12, and the winner is clue no. 11.

------------------------------------------------
 11. A shade better than Spam (8)
------------------------------------------------

The author was Guy Jacobson (guy@research.att.com),
who can moderate PCWC 13.

With honorable mentions to 10, 2, 12 and 5.

 10. A pink elephant, as martinis were swallowed! (8)
       ---Brian Spollen (bcs@sc.harris.com)

 2. Illusion disguises elephant as mouse (8)
       ---Mark Manasse (msm@src.dec.com)

 12. Illusion confuses man's path (8)
       ---Mark Meyerson (mdm@usna.navy.mil)

 5. Specter fouls man's path (8)
       ---Mark Brader (msb@sq.com)
------------------------------------------------

Thus the moderator for next round (PCWC13) will be Guy Jacobson.
(full circle, eh?)


There were 15 clues and 19 voters; maximum total 266.0

Scores:

        Clue    total    %max   rank      mean   st.dev  median
        ----    -----    ----   ----      ----   ------  ------
          1     135.5    50.9     9       7.13    4.04    7.00
          2     176.5    66.4     3       9.30    4.69   11.00
          3      68.0    25.6    14       3.58    3.19    3.00
          4      93.0    35.0    12       4.90    3.50    3.50
          5     170.0    63.9     5       8.95    3.13    9.00
          6     136.0    51.1     8       7.15    3.67    6.50
          7      37.5    14.1    15       1.97    1.82    1.00
          8     130.0    48.9    10       6.85    3.84    6.00
          9      91.5    34.4    13       4.82    3.55    4.00
         10     178.5    67.1     2       9.39    3.22   10.00
         11     180.0    67.7     1       9.48    3.39    9.50
         12     170.5    64.1     4       8.97    2.82    9.50
         13     153.5    57.7     6       8.08    3.42    8.00
         14     145.0    54.5     7       7.63    4.39    9.00
         15     129.5    48.7    11       6.82    4.19    6.50

Vote distribution histograms:

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |                       X
           2 |  X         X          X
           1 | XX X   X X XXX XXX X  X  XX
Clue #1      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |                            X
           3 |                            X
           2 |  X                        XX
           1 |  XX  X    XX   X  XX XX XXXX
Clue #2      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |  X
           3 | XX
           2 | XX   X   X
           1 |XXXX  X X X  XX X  XX
Clue #3      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |      X
           3 |      X
           2 |  X   X X
           1 |  XXXXXXX X XX     XX  X  X
Clue #4      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |
           2 |              X   X X     X
           1 |    X X     XXX XXXXXX  XXXX
Clue #5      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |             X
           2 |      X     XXX            X
           1 |   XX X  X XXXX    XX  X  XX
Clue #6      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |  X
           4 | XX   X
           3 | XX   X
           2 | XX X X      X
           1 |XXXXX X      X
Clue #7      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |      X
           3 |      X
           2 |    X X     X      X
           1 |    X X XX  XX  X  XXX  X  XX
Clue #8      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |      X
           2 | X    X X     X
           1 | XXXXXX X X X X X X   X    X
Clue #9      |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |
           2 |                   XX  X  X
           1 |      X X  XXXX X  XX XXX XXX
Clue #10     |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |                   X        X
           2 |             XX    X     X  X
           1 |      X X X  XX    XX XX XX X
Clue #11     |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |                    X     X
           2 |              X    XX  X  X
           1 |    X      XXXX XXXXX  X  X
Clue #12     |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |              X     X
           2 |              X     X X
           1 | X    XX  X XXX X  XX X X XX
Clue #13     |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |  X   X                 X
           2 |  X   X            X   XX
           1 |  X   X   X  X  X XX   XXX  X
Clue #14     |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

           5 |
           4 |
           3 |
           2 |      X X    X
           1 |XX  X X X X XX   XXX  XX XX X
Clue #15     |_____________________________
                                  1 1 1 1 1
              0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

==================================================


Comments for clues for the word (PHANTASM) follow:


 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 1) Vocal fan stirred energyless team's spirit (8)


    The only part I didn't like was energyless for (minus E).
    That's too indirect.  Good theme though.

    Energyless? (maybe "without energy")

    Nice clue the only real fault being that "energyless" is
    probably not really a word.

    I don't like partial homophones (cluing only a part of the answer).

    This clue reads so well, the awkward word-destruction+anagram can
    be forgiven.  Nice working in of definition.

    Using a soundalike word to clue just one syllable seems wrong to me.
    Still, a clever clue with a very nice surface reading and play on "spirit".

    Only works if phan is a real word - which it is not.  Sorry.

    Reads well, no redundant words, and nice use of 'spirit' as def'n.

    Reads very nicely.  I don't particularly like mixing homophones
    with letter shuffling in the same clue, though.

    "Energyless" doesn't sound quite right to me; otherwise a good clue.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 2) Illusion disguises elephant as mouse (8)


    Pretty nice but I think it's the "elephant as mouse" that's
    disguising the illusion rather than the other way around.

    Disguises is in the wrong place to indicate the hidden word.
    I don't quite understand the surface meaning either.

    A grammatically correct, meaningful sentence.  I love it!

    The best container possible -- reads well, incorporates
    "disguises" into the surface reading, perfectly sound.

    Well, I nearly entered this exact clue.  I still like it!

    "Illusion disguises" implies that Illusion contains the word,
    not is contained by the word.

    This is good - direct and a good image of a magician's ploy.

    Good surface reading, but the cryptic meaning reverses the subject and
    object of "disguises".

    "disguises" weak container clue

    Nice hidden word.  It would be better in a cryptic reading,
    if it could have been "elephant as mouse disguises illusion", since
    it the phrase "elephant as ghost" that hides the word. Of course,
    this doesn't read nearly as well.

    Try as I might, I can't find anything wrong with this one; first place.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 3) Prime Minister shall not contract a confused ghost (8)


    A bit indirect with shall not contract having to be solved
    and then anagrammed.  Straight reading a little strange.

    This would be okay if the sentence meant something.

    Interesting construction of anagram, but surface reading a bit stilted.

    Doesn't mean much, and includes an indirect anagram.

    The dreaded indirect anagram!

    I hate anagrams-plus-anything, and the surface reading is
    too disjointed to make up for it.

    Indirect anagram (I just learned about those last week myself)

    Contracting "shall not" has a touch of the indirect anagram about it;
    in the surface meaning, it sounds like a confused ghost is some sort
    of contagious disease --- it doesn't feel quite right.

    What does it mean to contract a ghost?  Also, "shall not contract" is
    being used to mean "shall not, contracted" or "contract shall not".
    Last place.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 4) Fancy could be a bit of a white elephant as many may see (8)


    Not clear what the "may see" is doing for the cryptic reading.

    Vague definitions and pointers are definite minuses (I see the
    references, but this is one of those clues I *never* would have
    gotten had I seen it in in a puzzle).

    Decent, but it's a bit inelegant that "white" doesn't figure in the
    contained-word clue.

    A solid clue but the reading was not as natural as I would like.

    As containers go, doesn't surface-read too well;  the extra plain
    definitions (fancy, white elephant, may see) are just so much
    noise to me

    Wording is too loose for my taste.  Don't think one needs to have so
    many ways to define a word!

    Surface reading good, but you've spoiled it by using four indicators, when
    two of them (white elephant) and (many *may* see) are too abstract.  This
    leads to two steps forward, two steps back in my eyes.  Sorry, just too
    clever-clever for its own good.

    The third and fourth "pointers" in this clue don't to anything for
    me -- they just serve to make the clue longer.

    I don't think "white elephant" (useless) is quite synonymous with
    "phantasm"; with all those pointers, the surface meaning seems a
    little awkward.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 5) Specter fouls man's path (8)


    Decent anagram but solution kind of jumps out at you.

    Similar to 12, almost too easy...

    Short and sweet, but kind of boring.

    Better than the similar #12.

    Very nice short clue.

    Good except the word "fouls" is out of place in the surface
    reading

    Good clue, short and to the point.

    A solid anagram.

    I don't get much out of the surface meaning --- sounds kind of like a
    ghostly bowel movement on a sidewalk, an incongruous image at best.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 6) Vision captured by sycophant: a smile. (8)


    Cute.

    Doesn't seem to have much of a surface reading.

    A fair hidden word, not quite as good as the other "sycophant" one.

    The surface meaning doesn't scan well; "captured" doesn't sound quite
    right coupled with "vision" to me.

    A solid inclusion, with a good but not great surface reading.

    The plain reading, though a bit tortured, is correct enough to
    bring pleasure

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 7) A vision of Santa, head over heels, constrained only by distorted
    measure of speed. (8)


    Straight reading is a bit awkward.  Indirect anagram MPH

    "Constrained by a distorted measure"?

    too long and complicated

    Don't like this one - why would Santa be head over heels?  Not in love,
    I suspect.

    Not a great surface reading and a touch of the indirect anagram.

    Surface reading is too contrived (doing fine until the ending...),
    and it has an unpleasant indirect anagram.

    SANTA "head over heels" = ATNAS, not ANTAS

    I would think "head over heels" would indicate a reversal (ATNAS)
    rather than an anagram, and "measure of speed" is something of an
    indirect anagram (could be kph, fps, who knows?)

    Way too complex, and with an indirect anagram (MPH -> PHM)

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 8) Ghost haunts orphan Tasmanian (8)


    I like the use of "haunts" but the "orphan Tasmanian"
    sounds a bit strained.

    "orphan Tasmanian" sounds strange to me, although I guess
    it's gramatically correct

    Almost sounds contrived.  The reading of the clue is as big an
    indication as the words themselves...

    Gets a bonus point because I fussed with that poor Tasmanian
    orphan myself and never came up with anything as good as this.

    Too bad it had to be a Tasmanian - the rest sounded good.

    "orphan Tasmanian", while getting applause for not using sycophant or
    elephant, is rather meaningless and therefore forced.

    I don't like haunts as an anagram indicator

    An OK hidden word. "Haunts" isn't the best concealment indicator,
    and the clue doesn't read quite as well as some of the other hidden
    word clues.

    I don't see haunts as a hidden word indicator.  The surface
    reading is nice though.

    Good clue, but surface reading is a bit rough

    Plain and simple, if a bit blunt.  But quirky, for plus points.

    The winner.  No defects, *brief* as a clue should be, and a nice play
    on "haunts".

    "Orphan" as an adjective seems less proper than "orphaned" ("Tasmanian
    orphan" would also work) in the surface meaning, but then, of course
    the cryptic part wouldn't work.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 9) Is it an illusion that asthma and the beginnings of pneumonia are an
 unfortunate combination? (8)


    Kind of long but nice theme which hangs together.

    too long and complicated

    Too long, and the beginnings of pneumonia is not clearly pn.

    A very nice clue which gets away with the charge of "how many letters from
    the beginning of 'pneumonia' ?" because the anagram is well signalled, and
    it's clear that 'asthma' is the other part of the anagram, leaving only two
    letters missing.

    An involved anagrammatic construction,  not justified by the quality
    of the result.

    In the surface meaning, it would seem that the combination of these
    ailments are a matter of fact rather than illusion.

    The charade is a little awkward and the surface reading is
    not great so this clue did not excite me.

    An unconveniental clue, both in its use of filler words and in its
    anagram indicator.  Do we rate it high for creativity or low for not
    following proper form?  I rated it moderately high.

    Reads pretty well, if somewhat long_winded;  the "beginnings of..."
    construction is ok but not concise, and awkward.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 10) A pink elephant, as martinis were swallowed! (8)


     the hidden word is swallowed by the phrase, not
     the other way around.  Not quite an &lit since "a pink"
     plays no part in the cryptic reading.

     Great! - maybe the winner?

     First two words are needed to make the &lit defn work,
     but are extraneous to the wordplay.

     The &lit is a wee bit stretched, but a nice 'fun' clue.

     A nice hidden word &lit with a creative definition.  Not really a
     perfect &lit, though, as some of the words ("A pink") don't participate
     in the cryptic reading.

     "Swallowed" seems less natural than, say, "consumed"

     As with clue 2, the surface meaning is very nice, but the wrong thing
     seems to be doing the swallowing.

     A reasonable &lit but the word "were" seems to be confusing
     in the cryptic reading.

     A great "&lit." clue, I think.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 11) A shade better than Spam (8)


     Nice concise anagram.  (but what could be better than spam?)

     "better" is poor anagram indicator

     Very cute although a shade is too loose a definition for me.

     Super!  Compact, great wordplay, nice indirection on the
     definition, and definitely a shade better than the similar #15.

     Don't like the definition.

     I think shade is a little stretched as a definition, but the
     surface reading is nice.

     Solid, better construction than the other Spam clue;  but the
     surface reading is bland.

     Tied for second place.  Downgraded for the use of Spam. :-)

     This clue almost made me laugh out loud!

     better = anagram?

     Spam spam spam. I love it! And a great concise, well reading clue!

     I like the surface meaning (although anything must be at least a
     shade better :), although I'm not sure I like "better" as an anagram
     indicator.

     I really like clues that refer to my favorite potted meat food product,
     so I'm giving this clue a good score.  Nice deceptive definition; reads
     well, decent anagram.  The presence of the article "A" is a small flaw.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 12) Illusion confuses man's path (8)


     OK.  Might be easy to solve.  "confused" might be more proper here.

     Short and sweet, but kind of boring.

     Another "man's path" anagram.  I think this one reads better on the
     the surface than the other one.  Good clue.

     A good companion for my own clue 5.

     A shade better than number 5, although "confuses" seems more like
     the anagram indicator it is instead of something like "misleads".

     Very nice short clue although it would not be difficult to solve.

     Sound, clear, straightforward.  ("confusing" a "path" is just a
     bit awkward, though.)

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 13) Taken in by sycophant, a smooth kind of deception (8)


     Nice hidden clue.  I'd like it better if the comma break weren't there.

     weak surface reading

     This is good - definition is interesting, and reads well.

     Wordplay is nice, but defn is weak.  If I had to do it
     over, ;-) I'd end with "...smooth and shadowy figure."

     The best of the 'contained' word clues, since surface reading is smooth.

     Another "sycophant"; reads better than the other one.

     In the surface meaning, the two phrases lack some sort of connector
     (like "with" or "by")

     I didn't find the reading of this clue very smooth.

     Doesn't quite read right (why "deception"?  why "smooth"?);  and
     the plain definition isn't particularly accurate

     Fourth place.  Another solid clue.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 14) What one might call the leader of Hell, Satan, seen floating about
     in the evening! (8)


     too long

     All those cryptic words to get that "H" --- just a quibble, really.

     Too long an attempt at an &lit. but clever.

     First four words (also "seen"), while not technically
     extraneous, are not really necessary.  Fun clue, though!

     Nearly got my top spot, but the commas around 'Satan' make the surface
     reading too staccato.  Parentheses would have just edged it to the top.

     Quite a juicy &lit.  I like it, even though it is long and
     contrived.  The "What one might call the" part is a little weak in the
     cryptic reading.

     A little long for my tastes although it is a solid &lit.

     The decomposition is a little unclear (why "what one might call"?
     (why "seen"?) and long;  and the &lit is not sound enough (why
     in the evening?) to make up for it.

     Creative, and a good &lit, but rather wordy.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 15) Nothing is worse than Spam (8)

     This reads better both straight and cryptically than the similar #11.
     but the definition "nothing" is a little strained.

     "Nothing" is weak as defn, "is worse" is weak as anagram indic.

     Nothing is a weak definition.

     You went for surface reading, I suspect, and had to put up with a poor
     definition to get it.

     A better Spam clue than 11!

     Spam spam spam spam spam, spamity spam!  I'll have yours, I'm having
     spam spam spam spam spam bacon and spam.  This is also a fine clue.  It
     reads very well, and it is probably a true statement.  But I don't like
     the definition "Nothing" for PHANTASM; it's too loose.

     The better of the Spam clues, I think, and so true! (apologies to
     Hormel); I feel that a phantasm is slightly more than "nothing".

     True as it may be :-) the word "nothing" got to me...

     I like the spam reference, but Nothing = Phantasm?

     I really like the reading of this clue.  There are a couple of
     quibbles, though.  Nothing is a little stretched for a definition
     and "is worse" preceding "than Spam" doesn't quite sound right
     to me as an anagram indicator.

     Reads very well, but the plain definition is vapid.

     Tied for second place with its companion clue 11, even if the two do
     contradict each other!  Which *is* worse -- Spam or a phantasm?  :-)

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

--
Clay Colwell              Profound quotes?  Feh!
archmage@vnet.ibm.com     Disclaimer:  The post above does not necessarily
IBM Austin, TX            reflect the views of IBM.  These are *my* opinions!
