From: rt@ukc.ac.uk (R.W.Thearle)
Newsgroups: rec.puzzles.crosswords
Subject: compilation of clues for cwc19
Summary: the rest
Date: 12 Oct 92 22:33:53 GMT
Reply-To: rt@ukc.ac.uk (R.W.Thearle)
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.


	Here (at last!) are the rest of the clues for CWC19, together
	with some comments, unsuccesful witticisms and non sequiturs.
	Names omitted to protect the innocent; asterisks mark
	winners and near-winners.

				Roy


		CHINA

The most popular clues here were of the hidden word type, with varying degrees
of success:

	1. It's in a hutch in Asia. (5)
	[inclusion:     CH IN A + two places to find China.]

	1. Leach in acid to expose plates (5) *
	[hidden word]

	1. Reveal kitsch in Austrian Empire (5) *
	[hidden]

	1.  Fine pottery can be found in Munich, in any boutique
      	[CHINA      (hidden)             muniCH  IN Any]

Of the four, I think I prefer the second; I have doubts about "reveal",
"boutique" seems superfluous, and I'm sure China wouldn't fit inside a hutch
(unless it was built for a really BIG rabbit!). Two people
used anagrams of ACHIN(g):

	1. Crazily, endlessly aching for distant land (5)
	[anag of ACHIN(g); defn = distant land]
 
 	1. Aching, breaking, lacking good start in this country (5)
   	["Aching" anag., subtract "g" (start of "good"); country = China]

I suspect that the first might be better as "Crazy, endless aching ..."; the
second is OK, but reads slightly oddly. The other anagrams were of CHAIN:

	1. Chain reaction could lead to this syndrome! (5) *
        [CHAIN anag. & lit. 
        (reference to ``The China Syndrome'' a popular movie
         about a nuclear reator meltdown.)]

	1. A broken chain makes teacups. (5)
        [anag of CHINA; defn = teacups]

The first one uses an appropriate anagram indicator to good effect, and
has a sensible surface meaning; the second one is fun, but would seem
to lead to a lot of wasted tea. The next clue is a charade:

	1.  Feature a rose. (5) *
	[Feature = chin, a, rose = China.]

Short, sweet, and to the point; the definition may be a little suspect,
however. Finally, the only double meaning clue submitted:

	1. A country setting? (5). *
  	[(Lit. & lit. -- "setting" in the sense of "tableware".)]

which would have won, if only place-settings didn't include cutlery and glassware.


		HONGKONG

After the fairly standard treatments used for China, the entrants seemed to
have a bit of trouble with this one, and produced a selection of highly
unanticipated ways of assembling the appropriate letters. Three people noticed
that overlapping HONK and GONG produces the desired effect:

	2. Sound horn and bell for overthrow of Mass. Bay colony. 
   	[HONK    +   GONG;          KG -> GK       def.]

	2.  Sound of horn mingles with cymbal on island city *
	[HONK    anagrammed with GONG      HONGKONG]

	2. The sound of frustrated motorists and a Bhuddist temple's bell
	overlap here! (8) *
        [HONK overlapping GONG &lit.
        (refers to the admixture of modern congestion and ancient
         Chinese culture in HK)]

The idea of using "overthrow of Mass." to mean reverse K and G is cute,
but "Bay" appears to be superfluous (Hong Kong is an island). I think the
2nd one doesn't need to be read as an anagram to work, and both it
and the 3rd one might have won if they had been the only ones using that 
idea. Predictably, large anthropoids featured in some clues, but
generally led to some straining:

	2. Movie king is under a bit of nausea in swine flu strain (8)
        [KONG after [N(ausea) inside HOG] = flu strain]

	2. After bong, big ape trades bible for heroin in Chinese city (4,4)
          [bong + kong - b + h = Hong Kong =  Chinese city]

	2. Son of Lord Greystoke originates with ape colony (8). *
	   ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^      ^^^
   	[     Hon.              G               Kong]

B for Bible and H for heroin are a little dubious as definitions, and
using "Greystoke originates" to represent G spoilt what was otherwise a
potential winner ("Greystoke's origin lies with"?). Henry Kissinger
made two appearances as HK, once solo and once in a duet with Greta Garbo (GG)
in two clues with bizarre surface meanings:

	2. On the South China Sea, Henry Kissinger introduced two song clips (4, 4)
        [(SONG -> ONG; twice, introduced by H K)]

	2. At twelve, Henry Kissinger and Greta Garbo begin fighting in British
	port. (4,4)
        [NOON (at twelve) + HK (Henry Kissinger, begin) + GG (Greta
        Garbo, begin) -> (<Anagram>, fighting) = HONG KONG (British port)]

I must admit I'm not keen on using initials in this way unless very
clearly defined as such, and neither of these are; however tastes vary,
and some may disagree. Next, a couple of swine:
 
	2. Pig eats most of Thailand city and North at Eastern port (8)
	[HOG (Pig) around (eats) NGKO+N (most of Bangkok=Thailand city + North) =
  	HONGKONG (Eastern port)]
 
 	2. Will Nanking go hog-wild without gain for this city? (8) *
   	["Nanking go hog" anag, subtract "gain"; city = Hong Kong]

Using "most of Thailand city" for NGKO seems a bit too vague (no telling
which bits are missing); the 2nd one suffers from "gain" not being 
present in the anagram in the right order (or described as being anagrammed
before removal), and "Will" seems out of place. Finally, the only clue
which not only managed to avoid even to hint of exotic places, but
contrived to be completely the opposite:

	2. 1's neighbour tangles ends of green netting with hook. (4,4) *
	[1's neighbour = Neighbour of China and HK has the right number of letters;
	tangles -> anagram of ends of green netting (g,n,n,g) with h,o,o,k.]
Newsgroups: rec.puzzles.crosswords