Results from ACCC #6
Summer Segment, '98
"EDUCATION"

Comments on ACCC #6 (Summer Segment):

EDUCATION is a very common word in cryptic puzzles as E_U_A_I_N fills many places. EMULATION is the only other 'common' word which fits. I was pleased to see no clues using the dreaded 'ducat' (old coin). I was pleasantly surprised overall by the originality shown in clueing this word.

End-of-term feelings reign as I judge my last ACCC - someone else will be making the decisions about your efforts for ROSH HASHANAH (3 A's and 4 H's - the very best of luck to you all, including the next judge!).

I'd like to thank Dave Fisher for inviting me to judge the Summer Segment, and the competitors who have accepted my decisions sportingly.

Guide's Comment: And I want to thank the judge for all the hard work and interesting comments. You've made the Summer Segment a success!

As always, if you care to comment on the contest, the judging, or anything else you encounter on this site, please post a message to the Bulletin Board

1.
University is mixed up in anti-coed indoctrination program (9)

Clue Type: Anagram

University = U
is mixed up in = Anagram indicator
U + anti-coed = anagram fodder
indoctrination program = Definition

Surface: Some military schools just don't want women.

Comments:

This clue has three good aspects. The surface reads well, 'indoctrination program' is an interesting definition, and U + ANTI-COED is promising anagram fodder. The problem which spoils this clue for me is the way 'mixed up' is used to indicate the anagram. It can only be read as applying to 'University', which here just means the letter U. Alternatives like: 'University is included in mixed up/confusing/weird anti-coed ...' would get round this problem without losing much of the surface.

2.
Crazy idea count is teaching (9)

Clue type: Anagram

Crazy = Anagram indicator
idea count = anagram fodder
teaching = Definition

Surface: Describes a crackpot idea that the count is promoting.

Comments: Honorable Mention

A fairly easy clue to solve, but the cryptic indication and definition are both perfectly fair, and the surface manages to create some disguise.

3.
To induce a hurling is like a totally bodacious experience, you know? (9)

Clue Type: Anagram

To induce a = Anagram fodder
hurling = Anagram indicator
is like = link
a totally bodacious experience = Definition
you know = Completely unnecessary, but I felt like throwing it in anyway for the surface, and it loosely relates to the definition if you close one eye and squint out the other.

Surface: Perhaps something overheard during a conversation between two bulimic Valley Girls.

Comments:

'To induce a hurling' is a promising beginning, once your judge does a search for 'hurling' and understands this slang meaning (not familiar in the UK, and not in WWWebster). The rest is just too wacky. 'A totally bodacious experience' is not much of a definition, even if schooldays were the happiest days of your life!

4.
Training auctioned off (9)

No explanation provided...

Comments:

The cryptic side is OK, though 'off' is a rather weak anagram indicator for my taste. The surface didn't convince me. I couldn't imagine training being auctioned off.

5.
Learning can die out in a lawless state (9)

Clue Type: Anagram

Learning = Definiution
can die out = Anagram fodder
in a lawless state = Anagram indicator

Surface: Radicals take over the government and the schools suffer.

Comments: Honorable Mention

This one just squeezed in for an honourable mention when I remembered to look up 'lawless' and found 'unruly' as a synonym.

6.
Lifelong process using, from the start, Industry, Lore and Organisation will result in elucidation (9)

Clue Type: ( Back the front ?) Anagram &Lit

Lifelong process = Definition
using = add (which really means minus)
from the start, Industry, Lore = IL
and Organisation will result in = Anagram indicator
elucidation = the anagram result but really the fodder
ELUCIDATION - IL = EUCDATION = EDUCATION

Surface: To get the &lit. I had to use the light as notional fodder and the fodder as notional light. What it's supposedly saying is: If you add IL to the light it is an anagram of ELUCIDATION so take out IL from ELUCIDATION and you'll have an anagram of the light.

Comments:

A near miss for some kind of prize, but I felt there were too many minor problems. 'Lore' didn't quite seem to fit the surface; I wasn't really convinced that elucidation and education are synonyms; and the two words are so similar in structure that one hardly needs to solve an anagram at all (after the LI is taken out of elucidation, only the D has to move).

7.
The odd AWOL nerds up coast did own training (9)

Clue Type: Hidden word

The odd AWOL = the odd gone from the following:
nErDs Up CoAsT dId OwN
training = Definition

Surface: Dissatisfied irregular army privates decided to get away to conduct their own basic training.

Comments:

Another near miss. What spoilt this one for me was the need to miss out 'their' from the sentence, which makes the surface reading look just that bit odd(!) enough to slightly give the game away.

8.
To transform a dunce to intellectual primarily requires this (9)

Clue Type: &lit.

Cryptic reading:
intellectual primarily = I
To transform ADUNCETOI requires EDUCATION
&lit. = Definition

Comments: The Winner

I just hope that this is your own work! I have a nagging feeling that it's been done before.

9.
Nude returned holding coat I misplaced. Learning process! (9)

Clue Type: Charade/Anagram/Reversal

nude returned = EDUN
EDUN = Container
holding = container indicator
coat I = Anagram fodder
tmisplaced = Anagram indicator
learning process = Definition

Comments:

The cryptic indication is nice but clues with the definition separated from the cryptic indication by a full stop need to be better than this. I think you should have looked for an alternative definition that you could include in the same sentence.

10.
Starts to impeach Clinton, due to an unsettling series of revelations. (9)

Clue Type: Anagram/Charade

Starts to impeach Clinton = I + C
DUE TO AN (+ I C) = Anagram fodder
unsettling = Anagram indicator
series of revelations = Definition (one way of viewing the education process)

Comments: Runner-Up

Topicality is nice to see. What stopped you winning was 'starts to' when you really mean 'starts of'.

11.
Dished one out with cane - leading to degree (9)

Clue Type: Anagram/&lit.

Dished = Anagram indicator
one = I (Roman numeral)
leading to degree = D
I + OUT + CANE + D = Anagram fodder

The whole clue is intended as a definition of an education, i.e., one (something) dished out with corporal punishment, etc. and which ultimately leads to a university degree.

Surface: Self-evident, I hope. Of course, the clue refers to a less enlightened era in matters scholastic.

Comments:

A good try, but 'leading to degree' doesn't work for me. As well as the 'to/of' issue shared with the last clue, I'm not convinced that 'leading to' or 'leading of' would be used in place of 'leading character to/of'.

12.
Cod auntie caught is enlightening. (8)

Clue Type: Anagram

Cod auntie = Anagram fodder
is enlightening = Definition

Surface: Anagram, plus cryptic (education is enlightening).

Comments:

'Cod auntie' is another of many intriguing anagrams, but the surface doesn't look convincing enough for me.

13.
Direction changed due to charged particle (9)

Clue Type: Anagram/Charade
Direction = Definition
changed = Anagram indicator
due = Anagram fodder = EDU
charged particle = CATION

Comments:

A near miss. 'CATION' was a great idea, as was 'changed due to'. The problem, again, was that the surface didn't look quite convincing enough.