From: DKSmith@cen.ex.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.puzzles.crosswords
Subject: CWC20:  all the entries and some thoughts
Date: 16 Oct 92 09:38:08 GMT
Organization: University of Exeter, UK.


First of all, my thanks to all entrants.
Then thanks to those who provided the following list
of past words from CWC1-19 (I've left CWC20 out so
that anyone can attempt the clues unseen.

1  MOUSETRAP, CONVOLVULUS
2  DEMONSTRATE, SCHERZO
3  PIRATES, PISTACHIO
4  ENTERPRISE, KARAOKE
5  FLOUNDER, JERK
6  INTEGRATED, PARANOIA
7  MODERATE, UNREQUITED
8  STRANGER, SHOCKED, ICED TEA
9  ALTERNATE, RHYTHM
10 CONSIDERABLE, KNUCKLE
11 ELABORATE, JUXTAPOSE
12 MISCREATION, AARDWOLF
13 CONDIMENT, FACULTY
14 SULLEN, CHILDHOOD
15 PICARESQUE, COLOPHON
16 WEATHERED, EXEMPT
17 STRATAGEM, SQUEEZE
18 BULLWINKLE, ROCKY
19 CHINA, HONGKONG

And now for the winners:

Bad road encircles U.N. on all sides (6) *
 (anag)ROAD  around   UN  --> ARO(UN)D = on all sides


	Bum, returning drunk, has to live inside pipe covering. (8) *
	[ ASS + SOT reversed with BE inside;  pipe covering = defn.]


Here are all the entries for CWC20, with a * for the winners and near winners,
and a brief comment from the moderator (me).  names have been removed.

Figaro understands all sides (6)

FigARO UNDerstands, all sides = defn

=== follow on, but no indicator;  clue reads well

Our Dan Quayle's arguments wander like this (6)  *
-------                    ------
around                    ag. indicator

=== is Quayle needed (the word I mean!)

 Change our inside and yield, approximately (6)

   [anag. "our" within "a" before, "nd" after; approximately = around]

=== 'our inside' is awkward ... I'd have preferred ... and be close.

1) Bad road encircles U.N. on all sides (6) *
 (anag)ROAD  around   UN  --> ARO(UN)D = on all sides

=== one and a half definitions.  Peacekeeper for UN would be slightly more 
cryptic, but still clear enough.

  1.  Drinks for everyone I've heard about! (6)

	 drinks for everyone = a round --> around (homophone) = about

=== I thought the 'I've heard' misleading, since there is no change
of letters which a homophone seems to imply in clues.

Found Charo undressing nearby
	ARO UND         def.

=== an inclusion, without a strong indicator of such.

High mark on canon is near (6) *
 
       A (high mark) + ROUND (canon) = AROUND (near)
 
=== Unusual construction, round=canon is very cryptic, but I like it.
 
 Ancient raven overflew us, nevermore disturbing initial vicinity. (6)

 [Take the initial letters of the first six words, to get the vicinity]

=== Somewhat heavy and contrived

1. Along the side of a circle (6) *

"Along the side" = around
"a circle" = a+round

=== short and sweet

This is circulating; close to; enclosing; forming boundary !!!! (6)

-------------------  --------  ---------  ------- --------
AROUND  anag,  with     BY      outside      =    BOUNDARY & lit. x 4


=== clever, but I didn't find the clue read easily

Miss Doolittle's dog is heard nearby (6) *
----------------------------- ------
    'ER 'OUND homophone      =AROUND

=== I think that Pygmalion is well enough known to be acceptable,
and I know that in many UK crosswords, it would be clued "Eliza's dog"

	Almost decoded our DNA (6) 

	(Anagram of "our DNA")

=== short and sweet
	
	How we travel with respect to the sun and our rotation (6). *

	[How we travel with respect to the sun = defn; AND+OUR anag.]

=== a long definition for a short word

A drink for everyone in a circle. (6)

      A  +  "drink for everyone" = ROUND   
      "in a circle" = AROUND

=== short and sweet

Clues which are supposed to go together ...

Near some bullets ... (6)
def     a round 

=== concise, rather obvious

... fool holds top and hoop for protection. (8) 
    ASS  with  BEST     O inside   def

=== hoop=O?  not really a good hint.

A fibrous, serpentine wild beast. SOS! (8) *

(Anagram of BEAST+SOS. One definition of ASBESTOS in Chambers
is "a fibrous serpentine".)

=== unusual and with a hint of misleading by the (justifiable)
punctuation

Fire-proofing, at bosses' requests (8)

Fire-proofing = defn, ATBOSSES == ASBESTOS

=== requests is an unusual indicator of anagram


Is this what the boss eats to remain fire proof ? (8)
		 ---------     ----------------
		 asbestos         defn.

=== anagram not well indicated;  

 In case of explosion, seat boss by fireproof material (8)

   [anag. "seat boss"; fireproof material = asbestos]

=== 'by' is needed in the sense of the clue, but not in the clue
itself

2) Idiot has (optimally) nothing like this to protect against flames! (8)
    ASS  around BEST        O --> AS(BESTO)S = &lit. 

=== a little heavy;  could the def be 'for insulation'?

  2.  Frantically bastes so it won't burn (8) *

	 [bastes so] anag. = asbestos = it won't burn

=== neat anagram and def in a clue which makes sense

Obsess at orders for hazardous material
OBSESS AT  anag.             def.

=== neat, but the 'obsess at orders' doesn't go smoothly 

Carcinogen damages animal's outer skeleton at first (8)
 
       ASBESTOS (Carcinogen) = anag. (damages) BEASTS (animals) + OS (first
		letters of Outer Skeleton)
 
=== slightly vague and the apostrophe caused me problems
   
   Lining for kilns or oasts Seb mixed. (8) *

 [This is an anagram, flagged by `mixed': OASTS SEB = ASBESTOS, the meaning 
being `lining for kilns'.]

=== contrived 'Seb', but it makes sense

	Bum, returning drunk, has to live inside pipe covering.*
	[ ASS + SOT reversed with BE inside;  pipe covering = defn.]

=== Neat, as the clue can be read with either 'Bum' or covering
as the definition, so you need to think!

2. Crazy boss eats fire-resistant (8)

"boss eats" anagram
"fire-resistant" = asbestos

=== short and neat, though fire-resistant as a noun seems odd ... 
would 'insulation' be better?

Like to get drunk? Turn to a bit of schnapps for something that won't burn (8) *
---- --------------------- ----------------- --- -------------------------
 AS + BESOT, reversing TO +    S(chnapps)     =        ASBESTOS

=== long, and S is not obvious for Schnapps, but the first part is very nice
	
	Non-flammable fibers, as best as I can tell (8) *

	(Homophone of "as best as")

=== 'os' = 'as'?  

Mineral found in America's best oscilloscopes. (8) *

      Mineral = "ASBESTOS"
      Containment

=== nice inclusion, and possible misleading hint (wouldn't you think
of US for America?)


Good solving to all!

David S
Dr David K Smith      email: dks@msor.exeter.ac.uk  [MSOR = Mathematical
MSOR Department       phone: + 44 392 264478        Statistics and 
University of Exeter  fax  : + 44 392 264460        Operational Research]
Exeter, Devon, UK     
       Exeter --- probably the best university in the world! :-)
Newsgroups: rec.puzzles.crosswords