Dateline: 11/08/99

"I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate." - George Burns

Results from ACCC #3
Fall Segment, '99-'00
"MASQUERADE"

The Winner:
Wherein Sid might be disguised as Marquis de Sade. (10)

submitted by:
bwalden@math.scu.edu
(Byron L. Walden)

Runner-Up:
False front constructed to hide vandalized square (10)

submitted by:
EAGNES@aol.com
(Eileen Lynch)

Honorable Mention:
Dizzy dame chaperons fancy square dance. (10)

submitted by:
FPasterczy@aol.com
(Frank Pasterczyk)

Honorable Mention:
Sabotage Adam's queer pose (10)

submitted by:
ehertz@patriot.net
(Ellen Hertz)

Here are the judge's general comments.

Another ACCC is over and judged, and the winners declared. Is it just me, or are the entries getting better every time around?

A lot of excellent clues but, fortunately for me, some were still (in my opinion) a little better than the others. Definitely a wonderful batch of clues. Once again I had to nit-pick to narrow it down to the winners.

Guide's Comments:

Care to comment on this contest, the judging, or anything else that you encounter here at About.com? Please post a message on the Bulletin Board

Here are the clues with the judge's comments.

1.
Unsettling drama involves mouse noises (don't ask), then me being beheaded for deception. (10)

Clue Type: Charade/Anagram

Unsettling drama = MARAD (anagram)
mouse noises = SQUEAKS
SQUEAKS don't ask = SQUE (remove ASK)
MARAD involves SQUE = MASQUERAD
me being beheaded = E
Hence: MASQUERAD + E
deception = Definition

Surface: Maybe I got what I deserved, eh?

Comments:

I can't say I approve of 'don't' as the deletion indicator. It should, strictly speaking, be 'don't do'. Other than that, the clue is fine, and has a humorous surface, which is a plus.

2.
Kind of ball made outside unusual square. (10)

Clue Type: Charade/Anagram

Kind of ball = Definition
made outside = letters to be placed outside anagram
unusual = Anagram indicator
square = Anagram fodder
Hence: MA (SQUARE) DE

Comments:

Technically sound, but the surface sense seems off.

3.
Illusury act made square change shape. (10)

Clue type: Anagram

Illusury act = Definition
made square = Anagram fodder
change shape = Anagram indicator

Surface: Magician turned a square object into something else.

Comments:

'Illusory act' (note the spelling) is not sufficiently natural phrasing to be anything but a definition. 'Illusion' would have been much smoother sounding. Not quite a magical clue, but close.

Guide's Comment:
IMO, a spelling mistake sounds the death knell for a clue.

4.
Square made to crumple under false pretence (10)

Clue Type: Anagram

Square made = Anagram fodder
to crumple = Anagram indicator
under = red herring
false pretence = Definition

Comments:

I don't like 'red herrings' (that is, words extraneous to the cryptic reading of the clue). A cryptic clue, though it may be clever and sneaky, should always play fair with the solver, and the use of red herrings is out-and-out dirty pool.

5.
Dizzy dame chaperons fancy square dance. (10)

Clue Type: Charade

Dizzy = Anagram indicator
dame = Anagram fodder
chaperons = Container indicator
fancy = Anagram indicator
square = Anagram fodder (SQUERA)
Hence: MA (SQUERA) DE
dance = Definition

Comments: Honorable Mention

The wordplay is technically sound, if not spectacular, and is brilliantly put into the surface sense of the clue. The surface is vivid and sensible, and placing the division between the straight definiton and the wordplay between halves of a common phrase is wonderfully misleading.

6.
Sabotage Adam's queer pose (10)

Clue Type: Anagram

Sabotage = Anagram indicator
Adam's queer = Anagram fodder
pose = Definition

Surface: I grew up with this guy in Brooklyn! Where does he come off introducing himself as a Count?

Comments: Honorable Mention

Technically solid, with a sensible surface. This is a good clue from a competent setter. It lacks that 'je-ne-sais-quoi' to elevate it from 'good' to 'outstanding', but it's nothing to be ashamed of, regardless.

7.
Mother's queer--nervous about a Democratic Party. (10)

Clue Type: Anagram/Charade

Mother's = MAS
queer = Anagram fodder
nervous = Anagram indicator
about = Placement indicator
a Democratic = AD
Party = Definition
Hence: MAS + QUER (AD) E

Surface: My mother is strange; she's very apprehensive about a possible takeover by the Democrats.

Comments:

There is only one Democratic (with a capital D) party. For this clue to have a sensible, grammatical surface, it should be 'democratic' (lowercase). This clue is a little complicated for my tastes, incorporating a charade, an anagram, and a container for only ten letters and no unreasonable letter patterns. Less is more, in terms of elegance. Still, not a bad clue, and not far from an honourable mention

8.
Wherein Sid might be disguised as Marquis de Sade. (10)

Clue Type: Anagram/&lit.

SID + MASQUERADE anagrams to MARQUIS DE SADE

Comments: The Winner

Unconventional (but eminently fair) wordplay with one of the most specific and accurate straight definitions I've ever seen in an &lit. The combination knocked my socks off. An absolutely brilliant construction.

9.
In disguise, Marquis de Sade is disconcerted when ID's checked (10)

Clue Type: Anagram/Deletion

is disconcerted = Anagram indicator
Marquis de Sade = Anagram fodder (with IDS removed)

Comments:

I'm not keen on 'disconcerted' as an anagram indicator, although 'checked' is fine for a deletion indicator. The use of the linking word 'in' at the start of the clue, rather than between the wordplay, and the definition is also irregular. This may throw off solvers who mistake it for part of the definition and thus try to force the wordplay to produce an adjective. A nice try, though, with an excellent surface.

10.
False front constructed to hide vandalized square (10)

Clue Type: Container/Anagram

False front = Definition
constructed = MADE
to hide = Container indicator
vandalized = Anagram indicator
square = Anagram fodder
Hence: MA (SQUERA) DE

Comments: Runner-Up

This is a sharp clue. Technically sound with a vivid surface that leads the solver away from the answer rather than closer to it. It would have won had it not met up with an equally sharp and sound clue (#8), which had the added 'Wow!' factor.

11.
Cloaked couples square dancing in windy mead (10)

Clue type: Anagram

Cloaked couples = Definition
square = Anagram fodder
dancing = Anagram indicator
in = Placement indicator
windy = Anagram indicator
mead = Anagram fodder
Hence: CO (LOSS) AL

Surface: Sticks to the Halloween theme which makes the surface smooth. 'Dancing' as an anagram indicator is quite misleading. Gee! I'll (humbly) say, it's even poetic.

Comments:

A decent clue, although I prefer simpler wordplay when possible. To be precise, it seems silly to me to anagram both halves of a container clue instead of just anagramming the whole thing. Or anagramming the half necessary to make the container clue work. And the surface seems a little flat for reasons I can't put my finger on.

Guide's Comment:
Is 'windy mead' a fermented honey drink which causes flatulence? Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Previous results (Fall Segment):
ACCC #1 | ACCC #2

Previous results (Summer Segment):
ACCC #1 | ACCC #2 | ACCC #3 | ACCC #4 | ACCC #5 | ACCC #6

Previous results (Spring Segment):
ACCC #1 | ACCC #2 | ACCC #3 | ACCC #4 | ACCC #5 | ACCC #6

Current Contest | Prizes | Annual Winners

Subscribe to The Puzzler's Newsletter
Name	Email

I hope you'll be a regular visitor to this site.
Your comments and suggestions are welcome and encouraged.

With your input this crossword feature will be a growing success.

Until next time, HAPPY PUZZLING!

All graphics are © Dave Fisher unless otherwise noted.