Subject:      PCWC58 RESULTS
From:         elnitsky@coos.dartmouth.edu (Serge Elnitsky)
Date:         1996/06/09
Message-Id:   <4pfep3$ld9@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>
Newsgroups:   rec.puzzles.crosswords

PCWC58 RESULTS

Well, what do you know. The two BASK AFTER clues finished 1-2.
David Eggleston (78.57% - and, somewhat appropriately named,
for the winner of a BREAKFAST competition) gets to, um, bask
in the glory, as well as moderate PCWC59. Scott Glazer (77.29%)
receives a virtual gift certificate to Baskin-Robbins, as a
consolation prize.

Here is the complete list of clues, scores, and comments:

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

Okay then. Lots of anagrams and lots of BREAK ++ FAST clues.
So little between them. I was _very_ strict with anagrams -
unusual words or dubious or obvious indicators were harshly
dealt with, as were odd surfaces.
What with all these average clues, I can't help but think the
whole voting method can of worms will be opened again.

Mostly samey clues. A couple of oddities.

The word lent itself to many good, solid, but uninspiring clues.
I awarded bonus points for anything above the mundane.

What are all these frats? Couldn't find the word in Chambers
or Websters Compact. Same goes for the Krab.

Clues that broke "breakfast" into "break" and "fast" didn't really
appeal to me. 

A contest with clues involving frats and barfing (although
ironically, never in the same clue!).  Too many example-type 
definitions defining stuff served at breakfast, which was too 
indirect for me.  Too many charades broke the word into "break" 
and "fast" decomposing the compound word "breakfast", which isn't 
wise, with particularly harsh penalties for those who used the
"not eat" connotation of "fast", which is the exact same use
as the derivation of "breakfast".

S/C/B : Surface/Construction/Balance - these are numbers I used
to help rate each clue; each category is on a scale of 0-3.
Surface is just that, the surface reading of the clue.
Construction is the meat of the clue - the definition, the
clueing method, and the subsidiaries and indicators.
Balance is how well I feel it all fits together, and roughly
translates to "difficulty within the bounds of fairness".
Not all categories are necessarily weighted evenly, and there
is no *direct* mapping of these scores to the final scores
for the clues, as they also compare to each other; it is,
after all, a guideline for me - not a science.  :-)

I didn't like the two BARFs.  Splitting the construction
between BREAK and FAST is a venial (but not mortal) sin.  

Good word.  Led to a variety of clues.

I found this a hard word to clue, and that surprised me:
it looked so innocent!

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

1st place (score 78.57%) - clue 12
From David Eggleston <egglesto@cs.albany.edu>

    Bask after exotic meal (9)

Votes (normalized): 35 50 63 65 70 72 80 88 88 89 90 92 98 100 100

Good sound clue; but not as vivid as the preceeding BATS clue.

Good use of the multiple meanins of EXOTIC - Bizarre for the anagram
and foreign for the meal. 

More 'basking after'. Sigh.

Another nice one; almost as good as 11.  I seem to have a basking bias.

Largely the same idea as with number 11, but with a less 
clever definition and no better an anagram indicator.

2/2/1 : Very workable, if a bit on the easy side -- there just aren't
many ways to look at the clue other than the way that works.  See
how #11 turned this same concept into a truly outstanding clue.

nice job.

Solidly constructed, but less topical surface than the ones I rated
higher.

A better bask !  Good, tidy clue.

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

2nd place (score 77.29%) - clue 11
From Scott Glazer <scottgl@onramp.net>

    Bats bask after first bite (9)

Votes (normalized): 50 50 60 63 70 71 75 80 80 83 100 100 100 100

Loved the visual surface!!  And have come to accept "bats" 
as a fair anagram indicator; if crazy works, I guess bats does
too!

BATS is not really usable as an adjective here.

Hey!  Save some of that Count Chocula for me!!

I love this clue; it's getting the top vote on my ballot.  The surface
image of contented little vampire bats is wonderful; its use of "first
bite" for "breakfast" made me think up this clue, which I wish I had
submitted:
"Fate's bark is worse than first bite (9)"
where "is worse" is an anagram indicator.  Maybe not a very GOOD
anagram indicator, but worth it to get "bark worse than bite" in there.

Great surface and nicely deceptive definition; the anagram
indicator is ever-so-slightly weak.

3/3/3 : A damn nice clue!  Good surface, great misdirection using
"bats" as a noun/verb combination, and a contextually non-obvious
definition.  Yet once it "clicks", there's no doubting it.  #1

"Best hiding of anagram indicator" award.

Solidly constructed, but less topical surface than the ones I rated
higher.

Close. 'Bats' just doesn't come off here (although the surface
is lovely) for me the adjective is 'batty' .

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

3rd place (score 71.82%) - clue 5
From lee@ehiltd.dircon.co.uk (Lee McGinty)

    Fat bakers cook croissants, for example (9)

Votes (normalized): 44 50 50 50 62 70 75 75 77 78 78 80 93 96 100

Good surface and sound clue with good anagram indicator

I missed out part of my explanation. I should have said: Cook as in
to tamper with, (as in to cook the books). I suspect I'll get
marked down for that. Ah well.

Nice simple clue and the anagram fodder scans well.

I guess that's why they're fat.

Nice.

Good, but spoilt by a weak defn..

Why not "cooked" instead of "cook"?  That would clear up the

I think "cooked" would have been a better choice cryptically, 
without detracting from the (very nice) surface.  The 
definition's properly indicated as an "example type", but,
to quibble a bit, is an example of something served *at*
breakfast.

2/3/1 : Decent surface and nice construction.  A bit on the easy
side, since there is little room for misdirection.

Decent anagram, I guess, but "croissants, for example" is hardly a 
definition of breakfast

Nothing to complain about here, and brief as well.

Nice topical surface.  I would have preferred "cooked" as the anagram 
indicator.

Nearly there. 
Minor gripe -as (4)- 'cooked' would have better logic.

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

4th place (score 61.65%) - clue 17
From joe tozer <joe@tozer.demon.co.uk>

    Stab freak in scuffle for meal (9)

Votes (normalized): 23 25 25 40 40 50 70 70 73 75 78 83 86 87 100

Marked down for wierdness.  I just can't get with the "stab freak
clues.

Poor down and outs - I gave an extra vote in charity.

Good one.

An okay clue: good surface imagery; adequate definition
and cryptic.

2/1/1 : Good surface, if uninspired definition and pretty obvious
anagram.

Better use of this anagram.

I didn't like "freak" initially, but this clue grew on me.

Straightforward, but less topical surface than clues I rated higher.

Awkward words make anagram too obvious.

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

5th place (score 59.86%) - clue 16
From Gareth Williams <gw@fmode.demon.co.uk>

    Crack firm toast perhaps. (9)

Votes (normalized): 11 38 40 40 50 50 55 57 60 78 85 88 93 94

Good charade clue.... and a fitting surface!

Good clue. I could have struggled for hours trying to anagram
FIRM TOAST.

Very nice.  I never would have thought of this.

Easily the nicest of the inevitable (and too-obvious) break + 
fast charades.

Charaded compound (again); surface seems awkward (either
interpretation).

1/3/2 : Good clue, though the surface is only fair.  I like that
both "crack" and "perhaps" are potential anagram indicators
and that "firm toast" has 9 letters!  Hope it was intentional. <g>

Just not convinced by the surface.

Nice charade, but surface is not as nice as clues I rated higher.

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

6th place (score 58.56%) - clue 15
From Don Berube <kennube@tiac.net>

    Confused baker quickly makes Tiffany's meal. (9)

Votes (normalized): 20 30 30 38 44 54 57 63 63 65 67 80 80 89 100

While I'm not fond of partial anagrams, I did like the definition
better than 'Capote's meal'.

I had trouble with Tiffany. It should be an hotel perhaps.

I like it.

Silly definition.

Charaded compound (again), and the defition is extremely 
indirect without some sort of literary or cinematic flag.

2/1/1 : Not a bad combination, though "Tiffany's meal" is highly
suggestive of the answer all by itself.  Okay surface reading.

A far better use of "Breakfast at Tiffany" allusion.

We see "confused" so much in these contests, it's getting somewhat
tired, and doesn't fit the surface well here.

Nice solid charade.  I especially like the reference to Tiffany.  
Clever.

I abandoned a few of my clues because of this
awkwardly positioned adverb.
I'm old enough to react to Tiffany's quickly
but I think its time may have passed.

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

7th place (score 58.11%) - clue 22
From Philip Rose <phil.rose@zetnet.co.uk>

    Fake bra arouses holy man at wedding feast (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 20 25 25 30 50 69 70 73 75 80 96 100 100

Loved the surface, but not wild about the definition.

Though shalt not bear falsies againt thy neighbor!

While "wedding feast" is not generally thought of as being
synonymous with "breakfast," at least I have read it being
used that way (unlike "collation" which I have never seen or
heard or read being used to mean "breakfast").

"arouses" ain't no anagram indicator, and who considers 
breakfast a wedding feast?

This got nine out of ten from me, and would have gotten ten out of
ten if the anagram indicator had worked better ("aroused" instead 
"arouses" would have done it). A good, funny clue.

Great surface; weak indicator, and a definition which
requires the solver to be a little too historically astute
to be really fair.

3/3/2 : Very cute!  I'll have to take your word on your definition;
*I've* never heard of a wedding feast being called "breakfast",
and it's not in my dictionary that way either.  Still, I don't
feel it's necessarily unsolvable, and the surface is great!

Arouses doesn't qualify as an anagram indicator.  Nor does
wedding feast qualify as a straight definition on its own.

Excellent, marred only by the misdirected "arouses", which tells
you to anagram its direct object rather than its subject.

Somewhat too complicated a charade for me, and I don't like tricky 
definitions.

Several things wrong but I still love it! Good fun.
Fake bras don't quite work for me  ;-)
the words cry out 'anagram'.
Arouse _can_ mean 'stir' but not close enough for me.
The anagram indication is off (as 4)
The 'at' is also a  little off .

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

8th place (score 57.41%) - clue 8
From Ocarina Salesman <kll@lns598.lns.cornell.edu>

    Frat bakes messy meal. (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 25 35 38 38 40 56 62 63 70 80 80 86 89 100

Not as good as the other anagram clues.

Who  or what is a FRAT?

Particularly after one of their all nite parties.

A little too obvious.

What's a frat?

Simple and readable.

Adequate cryptic and definition; very believable surface.

2/2/1 : Very workable, if a bit on the easy side -- there just aren't
many ways to look at the clue other than the way that works.

Not bad at all.  Concise.

My favorite frat clue

I like short, simple clues.

Not sure how well FRAT works in the US - I shall assume it does
but it still gives a rough surface.

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

9th place (score 56.85%) - clue 6
From Kevin Wald <wald@math.uchicago.edu>

    Where one finds milk containing one thousand loud Rice Krispies, perhaps (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 15 20 25 33 33 50 60 75 85 100 100 100 100

This one is much too convoluted for my taste!

Best clue. Kelloggs' products are available in Britain too. 
I'm trying to envisage how much 1,000 Rice Krispies are. Is
it a big bowl or a little one?

Well, I guess my *son* found some milk there . . .

wordplay definition quite a bit.
loud = f ?  A stretch for me.

A clever cryptic (I would have gone for a literal "a" instead
of "one", which seems too formal here); the definition, as
with some other clues', doesn't define "breakfast" directly.

2/3/3 : Excellent clue - a fairly challenging set of subsidiaries
balanced by a moderate definition and a definite "fit".  My
only complaint is that it's *so* close to being an &lit it
almost seems a waste not to have found a way to make it one;
it would have justified the slightly awkward surface reading.

"one" should read "a" for surface flow, even if it not cryptic in 
the classic sense. 

I loved it, though the "containing" suggests gallons of milk
with a suspension, as it were, of Rice Krispies.  The scientific
literature says very little sound is produced in those conditions.

Too wordy and complicated for me, but I like the topical surface.

My favourite. The surface is great- and we do have them in the UK.
I should leave the 'one' as 'a' to read more smoothly.

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

10th place (score 53.21%) - clue 24

    Barf steak, bananas, and cereal. (9)

Votes (normalized): 5 25 25 30 38 50 50 55 60 67 69 71 80 83 90

Liked the anagram indicator... but not the definition.

The trouble is the vomit never resembles what you eat. There's
always pieces of carrot in it.

Steak and eggs, sure.  But steak and cereal???

What a surface! Now I've just got to go and . . . .

Best of the barfers.  Nice surface.

Same objections as clue #7.

0/1/1 : "Barf steak"?  I don't get it.  Obvious anagram fodder.

The definition needs an  e.g.

Nice use of bananas to indicate anagram AND complement cereal.

A better barf but I do not like the word.
It also needs a 'perhaps' or a '?' after cereal

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

11th place (score 52.88%) - clue 1

    Discarding every other morsel of barley, ask if ham's at morning meal (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 17 30 38 38 38 43 55 67 70 80 86 88 92

This is a clever acrostic clue with good surface; especially liked
the indicator, "discarding every other morsel".

Picky aren't we? I am, and have yet to find an alternator that I
like.

Nice construction, but the surface isn't too kosher.

Nice surface, but too easy; it's the type where by time you read
the first three words it is evident how to derive the answer.

A bit of a tortuous route to breakfast.

Overly long, and no payoff - it's an awkward read.

0/1/0 : Surface reading does nothing for me; clever, but too
obvious construction; blatant definition compounds the
ease of solving.

The indicator is pretty obvious

Overall, an effective clue, if long.  Didn't like the
"ham's at" rather than "ham's for" ... sounds like a
description of one of the diners.

I dislike wordy clues, but this one gets extra credit for finding
a phrase where every other letter spells breakfast.  I am impressed.

Like it! Unusual clue type, well used.
Not sure about 'morsel' - leads to a longer surface:
perhaps just 'Seeing odd barley...' ? personal taste.

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

12th place (score 50.29%) - clue 23

    Deeply moved, after opening toast? (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 17 20 29 32 38 40 50 53 60 69 78 85 88 97

Okay surface, but why the comma?  Do I really like toast as a
definition by itself??? :-(

I couldn't cut the toast open at first, but then I raised my
glass to the real surface...

Very nice.

Arg!  Two very obscure definitions within a charade isn't fair
play.  And "moved, after" while OK once I got it, just doesn't
seem a fair indicator. 

Another slightly too-loose definition; another charaded-
compound clue.  Nice surface, though.

2/3/3 : I like it.  But then again, it's my clue.  There are
others I like better.

I don't agree that the ? adds to the surface, and I am not
sure about deeply=fast, but reasonable score.

Nice surface, but the definitions are a little too tangential for me.

'Fake bra upset holy man preparing wedding feast'?
The deeply just didn't work for me and 'moved' worries me a bit.
Assuming we are talking weddings here, and alcohol ...
I wish I had thought of the following, based on yours...
Tight after opening toast?  Unmoved after opening toast?

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

13th place (score 48.04%) - clue 7

    Cereal etc. and steak? Barf violently (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 10 15 30 44 47 50 50 50 63 65 66 68 77 86

Another good anagram clue with a good surface.

This clue doesn't make me puke, not quite.

Would've like it better without the etc

The "etc." makes the surface kind of rough, and doesn't really
seem necessary.

Now *there's* some visceral surface imagery!  Good cryptic,
but I really take exception to the definition, which, lacking
any sort of "example" indicator, really directly defines "grains"
or "crops" than it does "breakfast".

1/1/1 : Just fair all the way around.  Pretty obvious anagram.  And 
what's wrong with cereal and steak, anyway?

With a better straight definition this could have been a high scorer.
Why not just say: "Morning meal with steak?..."

Well-constructed.  Surface is quite meaningful.

I have marked all the 'barf' ones down
as I would do for the UK equivalent 'hughie'
I feel it's too slangy and abrupt for a good cryptic.

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

14th place (score 47.37%) - clue 19

    Piece of chicken comprises a Kentucky Fried meal (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 0 19 20 50 50 57 69 70 70 78 80 100

Not sure I agree with AKF... shouldn't it be "first bite" of a 
Kentucky Fried...

Third such. Surely KFC is the trademark. In this clue there is no
indicator to use initials.

Finger-lickin' good clue.  Best of the BREAST+AKF genre.

I didn't like the "KF" part.

Didn't go for the KF at all.

Interesting stab at cluing "akf" and a very nice surface.
"Comprises" not much of a container indicator, though.

Nice, if obscure, use of comprise.  I don't know if one
can legally use the KF abbreviation without the obligatory
"C".  Perhaps nit-pickily, the cryptic indicator should
be "evens from" rather than "even from".

3/2/2 : Great surface (except that *quantity* is not usually a problem
at KFC, the time you have to *wait* is... <g>).  I also wonder
about the fairness of "Kentucky Fried" as KF -- I'm not sure how
universal that knowledge is.  Still, a decent clue IMO.

This is mine! I can't vote! I can't not vote! What do I
do? What DO I DO?

Dropping inconvenient letters off the end of copyrighted
acronyms is pushing the envelope.  Too bad, because
the surface of this clue was my favorite.

Not sure about the AKF.

Agree completely with capitalisation of Fried.
I react to 'comprises' as 'consists of' expecting a complete
construction so it's let down for me.

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

15th place (score 44.40%) - clue 9

    To abstain from eating beforehand is an advantage when I have oatmeal. (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 5 21 25 30 35 43 50 53 67 75 82 88 92

I liked this clue... even though it's surface is a little stilted.

How am I supposed to know you don't have oatmeal for supper? 
Otherwise a good clue.

A tad too literal.

"An advantage" = "break" a little weak; "beforehand is" an odd
indicator, and "when I have oatmeal" an iffy definition, but
a very nice surface makes up for it.

Another clue which founders on the use of "fast" in the exact
same sense as how "breakfast" is derived; a bit long-winded,
to boot.

0/0/1 : Clumsy surface with mixed verb tenses; defines "fast" as 
"to abstain from eating", which is the same meaning in breakFAST --
this by far overshadows the fact that I like "advantage" as BREAK.

Using fast in its abstemious sense. Tsk tsk

Creative, but there's a tense problem in the surface, seems
that you want "having abstained from."  I also have a problem
with BREAK as "advantage".

Solid but too wordy for me.

Spoiled by repeat definition of as (4);
nice surface, if a little long.

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

16th place (score 43.69%) - clue 20

    When frats bake rolls! (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 13 14 25 38 38 50 56 60 70 80 83 86

Guess I just don't like the frats bake anagram-- but it's fair; so
I gave it a fair mark.....

By now I'm getting worried about frats. Are they bowdlerisations
of boring old f..ts or what?

The answer to the &lit is actually "next to never"

What are frats?

Frankly, I think most frats, if they bake rolls at all,
probably do so only at dinner time; anagram indicator is
okay but not great.

3/3/2 : Very nice &lit construction.  I have to penalize it a tad
in comparison to similarly rated clues, only because no frat
*I* ever knew baked anything (except maybe themselves).  <g>

Frats don't bake rolls at any time of day, so this does
so this doesn't qualify as an &lit.

"When frats bake rolls" -- EXAM TIME
"When frats are sleeping off last night's party" -- BREAKFAST

Fairly decent &lit.

Not convinced by any of the 'frat' ones but I like the &lit.

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

17th place (score 43.44%) - clue 21

    Confused baker makes quick meal (9).

Votes (normalized): 6 13 25 25 30 38 40 40 50 50 57 58 63 74 83

Another "fair" clue  

MAKES QUICK = FAST: mismatching parts of speech.

"Makes quick" = "fast"?  I don't think so.  break + fast should
be easy enough to clue without that sort of stretch.

Here's that confused baker again.  In this case, the clue
fails somewhat because "makes quick" doesn't particularly
translate to "fast" (the "makes" is uncalled for).

2/1/1 : Perhaps you're being penalized a tad for my own ignorance,
but "makes quick"?  Overall, fairly uninspired.

Straightforward, but the "makes" is not quite right.  "Takes" would
be an indicator of the charade.  Switching "quick(ly)" and "makes"
would also make sense. 

'makes quick' does not equal 'fast'
How about '[Provide] Confused baker with quick meal?

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

18th place (score 40.44%) - clue 3

    Damage prior to speedy collation (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 11 15 25 25 43 50 50 50 55 56 67 75 85

Good surface with a sound clue.

My dict. gives COLLATION as a light meal allowed during a fast.
As such it's not one to break the fast with. Nice food-free clue
though.

Collation is a light defn for 'breakfast'.

The  first 4 words are great, but "collation" for "breakfast"
ruined it for me.

I couldn't see the connection between breakfast and collation.

Collation?  And the first of the many predictable break + fast
constructions.

The definition's obscurity (requiring a peek at my dictionary)
is probably the high point of this clue, which flaunts the
convention to avoid charading the parts of a compound word
and isn't blessed with a scintillating surface reading.

0/1/0 : Weak surface and uninspired subsidiaries combine to
form an unchallenging clue.  Don't like "collation", as
it is more often used to denote lunch or supper, yet not
misleading enough to mean anything else in the clue's context.

Well, collation is ok.

Full points for the inventive definition, which has several
meanings... none of which seems to fit the surface especially
well.

I've never heard collation = breakfast.  

OK but spoiled by definition:  collation is a snack _between_meals
and not breakfast.

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

19th place (score 39.72%) - clue 18

    Dug eating, even from sack of oatmeal, for example (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 4 6 10 13 25 25 30 50 60 69 81 90 93

After reading the explanation twice, I guess it works. But surface
seems stilted to me.

Second of the AKFs in BREAST. This one didn't attract me at all.

I didn't dig 'dug eating'

Interesting.  I like the "even" thing.

Dugs are for beasts, breasts are for humans.

I just don't see how "dug" = "breast".  Even if it does, the
charade clue is still terribly convoluted.

One nice thing about these competitions is that one learns so many new
words -- in this case, "dug" = "breast", which I had to look up. Is it
more common in the UK than in the US?

Clever cryptic construction.  Another not-quite-definition
in my book, and, without any other Beatnik flavor to this
clue, the "dug" in the surface seems awkward.

3/3/3 : Another excellent clue!  Quite difficult, I would say, but
not unfair.  Interesting use of "dug" (I'll admit, I had to look
it up).  Still, I have to favor #11, which is bit cleaner, with a
crisper "snap" (a term I just came up with to describe the moment
of seeing the answer crystallize from the fog of possibilities).

Well, dug does not refer technically to.. oh never mind, 
look it up.

Never heard dug = breast, and I suspect it is of disgusting derivation.

Nipple of a cow is not 'breast'.
Even if this is slang in your area, I should not use words
like 'tits', 'jugs' except in a 'men only' crossword.
I like the 'even' clue - and it's got you out of the AKF hole!
I can't see the second reading here:
is this the name I should call Doug?

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

20th place (score 34.68%) - clue 13

    Interrupt hasty Capote meal? (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 10 20 23 38 40 43 44 44 53 67 70

Have read this several times, and still find it a stretch to get
to Breakfast at Tiffany's  :-(  Marked down for definition.

I don't ken the Capote connection.

I will admit that I don't get it.  "Capote meal"?  The detailed
description was no help.

Yet another cluer who's rashly chosen to charade the parts 
of a compound word; one could argue that the definition is
unacceptably indirect (and the cluer apparently didn't even
bother to elaborate on the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" reference 
in the explanation).

0/1/1 : Uninspired and straightforward, except for the Capote part
which I don't see the meaning nor need for. 

Capote meal is not a *punning* definition of breakfast,
if you are referring to "Breakfast at Tiffany's", and any
way the cryptic is too close to the root sense to be a 
high scorer.

Straightforward charade, but I guess I am just stupid -- I don't get
the "Capote meal".

Unscored as I don't understand the pun reference.
Nothing wrong with 'Interrupt hasty meal'? (although not great).

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

21st place (score 31.55%) - clue 14

    Scrambled eggs, say, to make bakers fat (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 0 14 30 33 33 38 38 40 47 48 50 50 54

Loses a few points for surface reading... it could be improved 
with something more 'fattening' than scrambled eggs....but then I
don't know what's IN the scramble.

The anagram indicator is disjoint from the letters. It needs then to 
be linked in some way.

Scrambled clue has misplaced modifier.

You can't have the definition sandwiched between two halves of the
wordplay clue, can you??

I don't like this business of saying to scramble the 
definition portion of the clue to indicate an anagram.  And the
"bonus" &lit clue just confuses the issue.

Another glancing definition rather than a direct hit, with
the added flaw of locating the anagram indicator at the 
opposite end of the clue from its fodder.  I don't buy the
&lit interpretation, because "to make bakers fat" doesn't
particularly contribute to the definition.

0/0/1 : Maybe I'm just a purist, but I see this as misconstructed
since "eggs, say" is not at the beginning nor the end, and the
"scrambled" indicator is not next to the anagram fodder.   This
is too bad, as there is some serious potential for misdirection
here both with "say" (leading one toward homophone) and with
"scrambled eggs" as a definition (as opposed to an indicator).

All these suggestions for breakfast! Croissants, eggs, krab,
steak, toast.  I knew that this newsgroup was educational.

One well-placed definition (beginning or end of the clue) should
be enough.  Trying for two is unnecessary.

I guess all the pieces are here, but I thought the definition had to
be exactly at one end or the other, not in the middle.

I've never been happy with reverse anagrams without a hint
(eg 'could make') that it's a destruction rather than a
construction clue:
'Perhaps scrambled eggs could make bakers fat'?

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22nd place (score 27.20%) - clue 4

    Baker to work, not eat, at this time (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 0 0 5 20 21 25 38 40 50 56 57 69

Liked everything except the definition on this one.

Don't bakers work round the clock. The 'at this time' is super-
fluous to the cryptic part of the &lit.

Points off for no "!" &lit indicator.  The listeral clue's a
little vague, too.  Still an interesting construction.
Not too bad a definition (hey --- where's the exclamation 
point?), but the "at this time" is extraneous to the cryptic
and "not eat" is the exact connotation of the "fast" that
the compound "breakfast" is derived from --- a major taboo
in my book.

2/0/0 : Decent surface; not fond of "to work" as an indicator for
anagram, and *definitely* don't like "not eat" as a definition
for "fast", since it is the same meaning as in the clued word.
Also, the "sort of &lit, without '!'" is verging on unfair, IMO.

Uses fast in it's root sense for this word. A real nono.

Overlap without full &lit overlap is a no-no.

Nice &lit, but not quite as polished as clues I rated higher.

Spoiled by use of repeat definition:
the Fast in breakfast just means 'not eating'.
An adjective/participle would present better logic here.
A word can be 'worked' but it can't 'work'
- the ambiguity with the past tense is useful.
'Baker worked quickly at this time' ?

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23rd place (score 25.56%) - clue 10

    That cereal killer is a confused stab freak. (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 0 0 0 10 11 20 30 30 43 54 60 100

While it's a funny pun, I have a little trouble with cereal killer
as a definition for breakfast..

Too obvious an anagram. Also the definition is murdered by the
joke not quite making it - an intrusive killer perhaps.

And Toucan Sam is trying to sniff him out.

What's the function of 'That' and 'is a'?

Don't know whether to laugh or cry.  No, wait, I do.  Cry.

Looks to me like a question mark is called for in the case
of this definition, and "cereal killer" makes no real sense
to me in the surface.

1/2/1 : I'll begrudgingly give credit for the bad pun, even though
I find the surface reading weak;  a fairly obvious anagram is
somewhat balanced by the clever definition.

You're kidding, right?

Exquisite!  I just loved how the pun and the "confused" and the "stab
freak" all go together.  Inspired!

Nice joke but not a good definition.
Would work better in the tabloids.

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24th place (score 11.50%) - clue 2

    Krab feast, perhaps?! (9)

Votes (normalized): 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 13 15 21 30 33 40

This is really straining the imagination!  Don't like the surface
or the definition very much.  Or am I just being "Krabby"?

Ungrammatical double punctuation mark. This could have been a 
great clue without that and the non-word (in my experience or
dictionary) KRAB.

I'd've scored this better, but I'm in a krabby mood.

"Perhaps" is an angram indicator??

Wot's a Krab?

Krab with a K is weak, "perhaps" is a poor anagram indicator,
and who eats Krab for breakfast?

Arbitrary misspellings of innocent crustaceans do not sit well with me. 
(Unless you meant to postulate mountaineers who eat *karabiners* for 
breakfast, in which case your spelling is appropriate, according to the
OED.)

The definition's a bit too loose for my taste (literally:  I
simply can't imagine *feast*ing on Krab, or even crab, first
thing in the morning, although I suppose a bit of Newburg 
amidst a sumptuous brunch buffet would be tolerable).

1/1/0 : Don't like "krab" -- it's not in my dictionary, and it
reeks of anagram fodder, fatally undermining, IMO, an otherwise
okay concept.

I know the spelling of crab is supposed to be a joke but even 
allowing for this it's  not a good or clever clue.

Very straightforward, lovely &lit, but the misspelling of "crab" is 
a giveaway of the anagram, and possibly a cheat.

What's KRAB?
If this is some sort of Krabfest then I wouldn't eat it 
for breakfast anyway.

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And, finally, the bonus clues:

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clue 25

    Stab freak violently before lunch (9)

Lots of stab freaks here!

I shan't dine at this restaurant. The definition is weak, and the
surface is full of hate.

Hey, freaks have rights, too.  (Best 'stab freak' clue)

2/1/1 : Fairly obvious construction, even avoiding "meal" in the def.

Adequate, but not as good as other "stab freak" clues.

Awkward words make anagram too obvious.
Before lunch is not breakfast without some 'meal' indication.

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clue 26

    Interlude before quick meal (9)

Okay, but......not INSPIRED !

One tends to have a quick meal (or drink) during the interlude
not after.

Solid clue, but uninspiring.

The same charade-of-the-compound problem as many other clues;
otherwise an okay but not overly exciting clue.

2/1/0 : Okay surface, but uninspired construction and *very* easy.

Nice solid, simple, short clue.  I like it and would have rated it among
the top 5.

I like this. An ordinary, tidy clue for a simpler crossword
and one which works internationally. virtual score of 90%!

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clue 27

    Unconventional frat bakes pancakes. (9)

So-so on surface; I must have a thing against stab freaks and frat
bakes !

It must be a word. It's been said three times.

Solid clue, but uninspiring.

Really nice.  Simple, great read, sensible.  Might have
gotten top marks.

I guess the frat must be unconventional, as I've never heard of
*baked* pancakes before!  The definition lacks an "example"
indicator which would have at least partially redeemed this
very indirect definition.

3/2/2 : Pretty good.  Not much room for misdirection, but does okay.

Also very nice clue, and lovely surface.  Would have ranked in top 5.

I still don't like 'frat'.
It also needs a 'perhaps'  or a '?' after pancakes.

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------------------------------------------------------------
Serge Elnitsky, Department of Mathematics, Dartmouth College
------------ http://www.dartmouth.edu/~elnitsky/ -----------
"It is not enough to teach exponential curves to young girls
who will be impregnated like rabbits across the landscapes. 
Math does not sink in until later in life, after the damage 
is done. The only curve an adolescent understands is the 
curve of the buttock."  --  Ludwig Plutonium
------------------------------------------------------------