By way of reminder, the object of this game is to solve the clue presented by the previous poster and then set your own clue.

Anything from the (worldwide) crossword arena is acceptable by way of clue style, but if you stray from the pure path beware the scourge of... ...Pandora's WET NOODLE!

The puzzle could be an old favourite or something of your own making. Don't be shy: this is for everyone, not just the old hands!

There is nothing to prevent (say) a couple of related clues if offering a single clue cramps your style.

If there are multiple answers involved, there is no restriction against one person solving all and the solver of the final clue/part is the one who goes next.

Obviously you need to await confirmation of a correct answer before posting your own puzzle, but please then do so reasonably promptly: if having answered correctly you are not going to be able to set a follow-up clue within about the next 24 hours, please pass your turn to someone else so that the game does not stall.

To save the poor demented solvers from excessive brain damage , you should consider revealing one letter of the answer (in any position) when the question is set, unless the answer is very short/easy so that provision of a letter hint at the outset would spoil the sport!

If no-one is biting within about 24 hours you probably need to start dropping additional hints.

To try to give everyone a fair crack of the whip, the immediately previous setter is asked not to post a solution to the current clue within the first 24 hours.

The weighty trophy to be passed to whoever successfully solves your clue is the jewel-encrusted World Clue Federation championship belt
===[**WCF**]===

Constructive criticism and cheerful badinage are to be expected, not to mention a certain amount of national rivalry, but above all, have a bit of fun!

All things being equal, Treval's next clue should appear shortly...

Thanks Rog I'm moving house today so will be away from laptop. Can somebody else jump in with the next one.? Thanks

I was wondering whether I was tempting fate by starting a new thread on your turn...! Good luck with the move.

Here's one from a recent paper:

Drug used in an extremely severe case (8) - two es (oops! - corrected)

Thanks Lex! All done I wouldn't wish 'moving house' on my worst enemy ...stressful times.

A good SEDATIVE is what I need!!

SE = extremely SeverE
DATIVE = case

direct = drug

Hi Treval, correct: glad the belt is where it belongs.

I've always rather enjoyed moving house but I think I am a frustrated nomad at heart, and anyway most of my moves have been an exciting new chapter in life! I never really understand how a move can (apparently) rank with separation or bereavement as a traumatic experience...

Thanks! I agree with the 'traumatic experience'

From a recent paper:

Quietly sharpen script for directory (9) 1 'e'

Quietly = P
sharpen = hone
script = book
directory = Phonebook (direct)

Yep, all yours ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Treval.

Listed below are from bouts 6 to 15 inclusive.

TEAM CANADA - 83
Denis - 67
Orchid Girl - 16

TEAM UK - 78
Treval - 44
Lex - 23
Rog - 11

TEAM USA - 48
Hawkeye - 25
Pandora - 7
JohnnyK - 6
Twizgy - 6
Sondi - 3
Jimbo - 1

TEAM DOWNUNDER - 33
Koala - 20
Shroeder - 13


Crustacean is nothing to a group of whales (6)

IS0pod

Too easy...

===[**WCF**]===

===[**WCF**]===

Here are nine clues. (NB: All clues are of a similar nature but I haven't been too prissy about getting the tense etc correct so watch out)

First person to name 5 correct gets the belt - If no one gets 5 then the highest wins.

1. Adhere tightly and cut apart (6)
2. Stuck in place while moving to (5)
3. Went away and remained (4)
4. Moving rapidly but unable to move (4)
5. Examining closely by looking over hastily (8)
6. Watchful and responsible care caused an omission due to carelessness (9)
7. Support action but give penalty for it (8)
8. That was funny being overwhelmed with fear (10)
9. Add things by taking pieces off (4)

1: cleave
2: bound
3: left
4: fast
5: scanning

===[**WCF**]===

All yours Denis.

Words that have exactly opposite meanings to themselves have always intrigued me!

Mercy bocups!

Planned for in case of need, vocally spoken (7) one "e"

Day1 clue: other vowels are a and o

Wild guess: Paroled? (Double def?)

No Treval

forayed ?

sounds like "for aid"

No, OG

Day2 clue: direct = Planned for in case of need

How about FORAGED ?

It is my pleasure to answer NO

Another (An other)?

Nyet

Day3 clue: a-----d

Allowed

Sounds like 'aloud'.

Allow me to give this to you Treval: ===[**WCF**]==

Thanks Denis, that was a toughie!

2 connected clues from a recent paper.

Both for the belt please

1. Queen eats the number (5)

2. Dog one who attempts to surround the Queen (7) 1 'i'

1. E-the-R ("number" - something that numbs - love it!! )

..and similarly

2. t-ER-rier

Yep UW, I liked the 'number' bit too.

Your belt ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Treval. Bit pushed for time, so one from a recent newspaper:

Neglected in favour of number obtained first (9)

forgotten


for (in favor of) got (obtained) ten (number)

first is position indicator.

Back to the land of sun and surf it comes, Hawkeye! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, Rog!


Old couple draw on the board (9)

Stalemate
stale = old
mate = couple
direct = draw on the board

Yes Sir Treval!

Back to the land of Leprechauns and Guiness it comes.

===[**WCF**]===

Thanks

I thought this next one was very clever (but probably illegal here!)

11th letter for the ram, perhaps!! (6) No 'e'

LAMBda !

Yep Denis, well done

All yours ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Treval.

Sign of the times (6) no "e"

Factor (double def?)

Nope Treval.

Day1 clue:
Sign of the times (6) no "e"
"times" works a bit like "mothers" = momma (mom and ma)

Day2 clue: has 2 "a"

Another 'stab in the dark'!

Mayday?

Sign = mayday
may and day are 'times'?

I know, I'm clutching at straws here!!

lambda ?


lam = 1 a.m.

da = day

I don't understand the b.

Yaggotit Treval! ===[**WCF**]===

Main Entry: time
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: temporal length of event or entity's existence, period
Synonyms: age, allotment, bit, bout, chronology, clock, continuance, date, day, duration, epoch, era, eternity, extent, future, generation, go*, hour, infinity, instance, instant, interval, juncture, lastingness, life, life span, lifetime, many a moon, moment, month, occasion, pace, past, point, present, season, second, shift, space, span, spell, stage, stint, stretch, tempo, term, tide, tour, turn, week, while, year

Thanks Denis, I honestly thought Hawkeye had got it with 'lambda'.

I couldn't find 'sign' = 'mayday' in thesaurus.com

Next one from a local paper (as usual)

At this time a small number take bundle of cash to those in favour (9) No 'e'

If it was 8 in length, could be

No-wad-ays

Main Entry: signal
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: indication; authorization
Synonyms: Mayday, SOS, alarm, alert, beacon, bleep, blinker, cue, flag, flare, gesture, go-ahead, green light, high sign, indicator, mark, movement, nod, okay*, omen, sign, tocsin, token, wink

Humblest apologies Rog, it should be (8) not (9)

===[**WCF**]=== all yours

Denis, that's a synonym list for 'signal', not 'sign', or have I got my silly hat on again

Treval, Mayday = signal :
May·day –noun
the international radiotelephone distress signal,

and sign is a synonym of signal (per my list).

Not just that: mayday and sign both appear as synonyms in that list.

Huh - Does that mean we can use a synonym of a synonym as a direct?

Or even two words that appear in the same synonym list?

Yet you (Denis) told me off for using a word that was synonymed one way only...

I am just soooo confused!

I did? You sure it wasn't "get the noodle" instead of "telling off"?

Anyhow, if Mayday = sign is not acceptable, I'll take my lashes

Thanks, Treval! An easy one I think is legit:

Informant - like the police of old? (7-6)

Two "e"s

whistle-blower (double def) ?

Oooh, Denis. You did tell Shroeder off for improper use of synonyms, and here your sin is much worse than his.

20 lashes for that one.

Good one Denis. Have a nice jewel-encrusted belt to make up for the lashes!

===[**WCF**]===

AYOYE!!
Ya, must confess I always thought sign and signal were same thing,
so didn't bother looking up...20 lashes well deserved; plus I'll
ask the Cryptic Gods for forgiveness...

HOKAY; this one COMPLETELY legal (ahem!):

Town with beat song! (9,4) sorry, only one "e"

Day1 clue: direct = song (name of a song)

Nashville cats???????????????????

Nope, but kinda right idea.

Louisiana Rain ??

Nope; don't forget the one "e".

Day2 clue:
9letter word = town
4letter word = beat

Day3 clue: town is in France (contains one "a")

Chantilly Lace!!!

I reckon that crypt without clues would be next to impossible to solve. Too many towns in the world

Agree Treval; I at least should have started it off with "town in France" ...
Here ya go: ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Denis

We may question part of this next one!!

No gentleman in legal proceedings takes heavy fall (7) 1 'e'

I reckon you'll get away with it...

cas-CAD-e

Yep! Well done

===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Treval.

Attractive girl no different to our shame (9) - no "e"s

dishonour


dish(attractive girl) + on(no different)+ our

Good one, Hawkeye

Take it away... ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, Rog!

Mass producer has quantity for a run but no time (4)

Knot? (a bit of guess here)

knot = mass producer
k = quantity for a run (as in a 10K run???)
no = no
t = time

Nice try, Treval but no.

Another "no", but just in case:
mint = mass producer (of money)
mi = mile (mile race)
n t = no time

You are right, Denis. It's another NO!

salk (vaccine producer) ?

stalk = pursue = run?
with no time: s(t)alk

Similarly to salk; perhaps this one:

s(t)eed

seed = mass producer
steed = a horse

No and no again.

But you are very much on the right track.

Mass producer = direct
"quantity for a run" clues a five letter word which is missing a t (as you guessed) to get the direct.


Hint. The direct is a particular mass producer from Germany.

Bach (Johann Sebastian)!
ba(t)ch

Very clever Hawkeye

Well done, Treval!!

Thanks.

All yours again.===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Hawkeye.

This next one stumped me for ages!

Drink and take notice of Ted Hardy (12) 2 e's

Drink and take notice of Ted Hardy (12)

Drink = Stout
take notice of = hear
Ted = ted
Hardy = Stouthearted (direct)

Yep, well done.

I was sure it had to be an anagram.

===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Treval.
Ok...back to the easy ones.

Stamp out the drink (6)

sponge (double def) ?

Negative


Clue time...1 vowel

scotch
–verb (used with object)
1.to put a definite end to; crush; stamp out

I'll drink to that !!!

===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Sir K!

Last set: time for www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5D07c0dJuQ&feature=related (7)

Clue: click url to see the direct!

Day 1 clue: direct = wipeout

SO: Last set: time for wipeout (7) one "a"

Seems like it should be erasure, sure = set after (last) era = time

A bit out of practice after a chillin' out holiday in Barbados...

Hey, welcome back Lex! ===[**WCF**]===

Merci mon gars!

Sea creature from island, an endless theme, oddly (7) - probably too easy for any letter hints yet.

Manatee?

direct = sea creature
man = island (as is Isle of Man)
a = an 'endless'
tee = ThEmE (odd letters of theme)

Here you go Treval
===[**WCF**]===

Now the flame is lit we ought to start a new thread, although that is usually a bad omen for Treval!