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!

Here are three clues keeping the theme of the last couple, and all three answers are needed to claim the belt:

1. Entrance in endless dance of little value (9)

2. We wagged no tails in dance of little value (6)

3. Dessert of little value (6)

1: BAgateLLE(T)
3: peanut (double def) ?

1. BAgateLLE (Thanks Denis)
2. Gewgaw (anag. of 'we wagg' less 'ed' -no tails)?
3. Trifle (Double deffer)

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

Actually it was meant to be w(e) wagge(d), the "tails" of both words being removed, "in dance" of course being the anagram indicator. I wanted to do something around the idea of "we wage war" with "war " as the anagram indicator, but I could not devise any sufficiently neat way of substituting another g for the extra e!

Glad to see that my efforts seem to have kept you pros guessing to at least some extent for at least a few minutes...

Thank you Lex.

Assume as a fact one is in the mail (5)

Posit

direct = assume as a fact
post + 'i'(one) within

Yep...new word for me...never heard it before.

Good one Treval.

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

Thanks, it's one of those words that only seems to turn up in crosswords!

Next one from a local source:

Judge with trouble takes holiday escape (9) 1 'e'

J(udge)ailBREAK

Yesss. 35 mins Denis Well done, I found that one tough.

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

Thanks Treval.

Cartoon character yelling this in vicinity of insane asylum creates minor flood? (7) 1 "e"

Day 1 clue: direct = cartoon character

Peanuts (Pee, nuts!)

What cartoon was 'Peanuts' a character in?

Clever clue Denis! I always find those homophone clues so hard to construct.

Here ya go Pandora; nice solve! ===[**WCF**]===

Just "Peanuts", Treval; a Charles M. Schulz comic strip.

Thank you muchly! That was a funny clue, Denis, but Treval has a point. Peanuts is the name of the comic strip, not a cartoon character. But then the clue wouldn't have read right, right?

An easy one:

Murderer I caught in Canada (4) no j's

Cain

I in Can.

Apologies on "peanuts"; my bad.
I assumed there was a character named Peanuts
in that strip: shudda check.

It's all yours, Hawkeye! ===[**WCF**]===

No worries, Denis. Who'd want to punish a Birthday Boy? Hope you have a good one.

Thanks, Pandora

Happy Birthday, Denis.


Cartoon character in France an unqualified success. (4,3) no a's

Enjoy the day, Denis!

Cartoon character in France an unqualified success. (4,3) no a's

Day 1 Hint

Direct = unqualified success

Yer gettin' mean Hawkeye!!

HOME Run (un being an in French)

Congrats, Denis. Back to you===[**WCF**]===

I didn't mean to be mean.

I have great difficulty in figuring out whether my crypts are too easy or too hard. In this case, I showed it to my wife who solved it in two seconds; so I thought it must be easy.

On reflection, I should have realized that she is both a huge Simpsons fan and speaks fluent French.

What "had me" is "unqualified success" = home run.

Hokay; here we go:

Woman in France has hot body! (5) no j,k,q,x,y,z

from dictionary.com (see definition #2)

home run 
–noun
1. Baseball . a hit that enables a batter, without the aid of a fielding error, to score a run by making a nonstop circuit of the bases.
2. a complete or unqualified success: trying to hit a home run at the box office.

I wasn't questioning the legality whatsoever;
I was "stuck" because it never occured to me:
I think it's a heck of a good crypt.

I agree that it was a good and legal clue, although probably easier for the US contingent because of the baseball reference.

Denis, this is a bit of a stretch, but is the answer to yours sheen (she = woman + en = French for in, meaning beauty/radiance)?

From: Denis
To: Lex
Answer: NO

Day 1 clue: one "v"

Fever

&lit

Eve in Fr.

Before your clue I was going to say "Ashes"

she in as (French tu as) Ashes=hot body which I thought was very clever but a little morbid.

Good solve Hawkeye! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, Denis.

OK, hopefully, this one is not difficult


Low degree of difficulty in prose, as in essay. (8)

prosE, AS IN ESSay

Direct = low degree of difficulty

You got it, Treval..

Back to you===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Hawkeye

Next one from a local source which I thought was very clever:

Insurance professional really exchanges two lefts for a right (7) No 'e'

PRO vi SO = direct ?

PRO = professional
SO = really
I'm stuck!!

Afraid not sir

1 of the letters in PROVISIO is in the answer but not in the same location.....

Undaunted, He comes back and hits the Irishman with:
Actuary !
really = actually - ll(2 lefts) + r(right) = actuary

Delightfully cruel crypt!!

Very good! That was tough.

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

Thank you Sir Treval.

"In that matter and in retrospect" he replied (5)

"In that matter and in retrospect" he replied (5)

retrospec(t he re)plied

There = In that matter = direct

DownUnder goes da belt: ===[**WCF**]===

Thank you Mr. Denis

Dock perhaps, on a technicality (6)

Detail? (double def)

Talking of technicalities.

If we are docking tails I think the verb is "tail" not "de-tail"

I think I sense a wet noodle coming soon.

I suppose 'technically' it's not correct Mr H, but I reckon the word 'perhaps' allows us a little bit of artistic license

No noodle today. I think the perhaps identifies the possible pun.

Ok. I guess I am the one who nees the noodle lash for being too pedantic.

No worries, Hawkeye. Questioning the fairness of clues is part of the fun.

Ummm...Good one Treval.

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

Thank you, thank you...

Next one from local source (we'd probably question part of it here):

Finish up with creditor, being gifted (7)1 'o' BTW (7) not (6) Apologies

Finish up with creditor, being gifted (7)

ENDowed


Creditor=owed is a bit of a stretch, Person owed would be OK

Do you think "up with creditor" = owed?

Aah! I think you are right, Pandora. In which case, good clue. Well spotted!

Well solved Hawkeye and well explained Pandora. I, like Hawkeye had missed the 'up with'.

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

Thanks, Treval.

Mean antagonist tone. (7) no a's

Mean = Connote (direct)
antagonist = Con
tone = note

Yes indeed, K!

Back across the Pacific comes the much traveled belt===[**WCF**]===

Wonder how many anagrams/synonyms like tone=note there are...

I was thinking exactly the same thing earlier Denis, the only other one I can remember is EVIL = VILE

With a bit of googling I discoved these are called aptagrams.
Adobe/Abode is another example.
More frequently you can find phrases that anagram to something else closely associated
e.g Statue of Liberty / built to stay free

Ah yes, like....Mother in law / Woman Hitler

Treval, I didn't know you had met my mother-in-law.

Thank you Mr H. Eye

Place in the hall, ie upstairs (4)

in the halL, IE Upstairs

direct = place

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

Thanks

Begin sailing when stage is empty (4,3) No 'i'

I'll be away from pc for most of today so if you solve it, please take the belt and post another crypt

Cast off! Mrs Lex got that one

I'll help myself to the Belt ... ===[**WCF**]===

This one's a linked twosome from a paper a couple of weeks ago which foxed us for a while. Gramatically suspect in one direction: be warned! No letter hints at this stage.

1. Appropriate objective for 2 (4,3)

2. Evangelist's soldiers: they 1 (8)

1. Take aim

Take = appropriate
Aim = objective
Direct = what marksmen do

2. Marksmen

Mark's men
They take aim

Very cute, Lex!

Hey, nice, Hawkeye...that was quick!!
I was struggling with matthews (matthew's) = evangelist's,
and getting nowhere fast! Agree, very cute, Lex.

The 1st one could be nicely on its own this way:
Target an appropriate objective (4,3)
target = take aim

Well solved with no letters - we had some.

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

Thanks, Lex. I got lucky. First thought that came into my head was "Mark the Evangelist".

Next one.

Who or whom possibly got the Anglican to speak ? (9) no a's

pronoun CE = speak

C.E. 
1. Chemical Engineer.
2. chief engineer.
3. Church of England.

who = pronoun; whom = pronoun sometimes

Bravo, Denis! Well solved.

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

Merci Monsieur; 2 easy ones pour la belt:

1: Drunk near TV lounge (6)

2: Reply by the 2nd, pretty please (4)

Day 1 clues; directs = lounge and reply

1. Tavern (anag)
2. RSVP ?

Good stuff, Mr K! ===[**WCF**]===

RSVP = reply
R = 2nd of pRetty
SVP = please

Thanks Den.

Give praise for the leg you break (6)

Eulogy

anag. leg you

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

Thanks, Mr. K

This one is a combination of a crypt and geometry.

Construct a tenth order three-dimensional figure with four faces (11)

a tenth order = tetrahedron (construct = indicator) = three-dimensional figure with four faces

Wow! That was fast, Denis! Of course I should have realized that I had an ace geometer just waiting to pounce.

Back to you ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Sir H.

Special list of chicken calls! (6,5) one "e"

Whoops...2 e's:
Special list of chicken calls! (6,5) two e's

Well 24 hours is up so I guess I can answer

Yellow pages.

Belt being delivered to you via UPS (found them in the Yellow Pages):
===[**WCF**]===

UPS delivered, thank you D.

Coward gets first victory in the middle of the story. (5)

No(v)el

I like this one.

Thanks, Pandora, I am glad you liked it.

Over to you ===[**WCF**]===

Thank you, sir! Two easy ones:

Sunshades don't open when daylight hours begin (7)

Gore and Eisenhower no different (5)

no r's

(d)awnings
ALike

Thass sho nuff a coupla cuties!

Back to you, Denis.

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

Thank you, thank you...

Singer using pay toilet? (6,4) no "e"

Johnny Cash ?

YA! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Den...

Hit man whose arms hang back? (10)

Hmmmm....hint time...

Hit man = direct
one 'e'

GUNS linger ! Nice on, K!

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

Thanks Mr Beerholder!

2 easies for the belt:

1: Sinless starters? (7)

2: Celebrity can't serve dinner? (7)

Both with one "e"

These are really clever Denis

Novices (no vices)

Notable (no table)

Thanks Treval; here ya go: ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks

Another easy one from a local source...

The first European heavyweight was German (6) 1 'e'

Teuton

T(the first) + EU(European) + TON(heavy weight)

All yours, well done ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, Treval


Singers of a certain type do this when Elvis Number One is in the dance (6) No a's

sEwing ; ye olde Singer sewing machines .... ??

Brilliant solve, Denis! I thought I might be the only person to remember Singer sewing machines.

Back to you===[**WCF**]===

We had a really old one when I was a kid;
kind of propelled by my mother's feet!

First can-can spectacle on TV (11) one "e"

Day#1 clue: direct = TV
I'm a little uneasy with just "TV" as direct:
it's more something related to TV's...

Cablevision

C(first can)+able(can)+vision(spectacle)

Nice one, Mr. D., but I doubt that our Transatlantic and Australian friends would be familiar with this word.

YAHOO! Sweet revenge.

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

Very cruel, Denis. But probably not as cruel as this.



Take off! Head East! Time's right! Paradise! Nice! (7) no a's

Day 1 Hint

All punctuation in this clue is designed to mislead.

...12.39...12.40...12.41!

GOOD by E (I think)

direct = take off

time's = times = by
right paradisE = E
("head east" is position indicator; places byE at end)
nice = GOOD

Sorry , Denis. Very creative but not even close.


right paradisE = E is correct but everthing else is wrong

E(ast)X(times)E(right paradisE)CUTE(nice)

execute = take off head

Phew!!!!
You should be executed for this torture.

Perfectly solved, Denis! Well done!

I did warn you it was a cruel one.

Back to you===[**WCF**]===

Merci Bocoups.

Pandora (ie Susan!) yelling at old Archers (5) no "e"

Day#1 clue: homophone involved!

Sioux?

Direct = old archers
Yelling- homophone indicator
Sue homophone = sioux

I think this is illegal. Can't have a homophone of an abbreviation (sue/susan). Also, "Pandora" has no relevance to the clue except it's cute for a Gameboomer clue.

Hasten to add, I don't mean "Pandora" is irrelevant.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Good solve! ===[**WCF**]===

How many lashes, Pandora?

How could I assign lashes to this one?

I think it's more legal if you leave out the (i.e. Susan!) part. Legal for here, but no place else.

Thanks, Denis.
Thanks, Pandora (=sioux)

Easy one

Carries out belongings. (7)

Effects (double def)

Yes Mr. T. Back to the Emerald Isle.


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

Probably time for a new thread: this still seems to keep a few of us amused, but does anyone else want to take over and/or suggest a variation on the theme?

BTW if Pandora=Sue=Sioux and Sioux=Banshee (as in Siouxee and the Banshees), does this mean Pandora=Banshee?