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 giving a hint as to letters when the question is set, unless the answer is relatively 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 are encouraged 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!
Next clue:
Inspired by a recent crypt posted here:

Try to close trap door second time (4) no "e"

I'll take a wild "shot" here

close trap = sh
door second = o
time = t

try = shot

Yepper; inspired by recent sh = not a word.===[**WCF**]===

I hadn't seen that one. Interesting.

Game is a bit of silliness comprised by minstrels (9)

billiards

b(illi)ards

Hmmmmm. Nice surface sense, but "a bit of silliness" = illi? That's pretty vague. It might look good when you've got the answer in hand, but when you're trying to solve the clue, it's too vague. Lashably vague.

So sorry, Cue. One lash.

Ouch! I thought that type of clue was commonplace. "a bit of" or "some of" to mean part of an adjacent word in the clue. Sorry, P.

Good answer manxman. One of my favorite games! Here you go. ===[**WCF**]=== Please excuse the lash mark across the back of it

Thanks Cue. No problem re the lash mark, it goes well with the 5 that I received recently

In making 3000 from 1000, 1000 is shaky (9)

Direct is on the right

Aha! Took me a while to "see" this one!

Main Entry: shaky  [shey-kee]
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: trembling ********
Synonyms: aquake, aquiver, ashake, faltering ....

******** TRE m=1000 BLING ; 3000 from 1000 = trebling (tripling).

That's it This is yours ===[**WCF**]===

Cool clue and well solved!

Also impressed with sh + utter recently.

Thanks MxM.

Ferret searches end perfectly (5) no "e"

Day#1 clue: direct on left

Day#2 clue: s---- ; s = searche"s" end

The answer word is a seldom used word.

Day#3 clue: st--t

stoat

toat= to a t (perfection)
very tough one CD

This'll fit you to a t: ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks CD.

Goes off when retreating--before military's first assault (5)

clue: no 'e's

storm?

goes off when retreating = rots <> stor
first of military - m

Good one Cue
This belongs to you now ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, manxman

Okay, now that I read this again I'm thinking that it may be noodlish..so

I have dirty toilets for decoration (9)

Unmask former spouse with model (6)

expose

former spouse = ex
model = pose

M istleto E
Looks pretty good to me;
maybe "flushing" instead of "dirty" and "carry" instead of "have"...

Good solve, Cheryl. Wear this so you're not too exposed ===[**WCF**]===

Denis, I was thinking about this last night. I originally had flushing but dismissed it for whatever reason. Would "collect" work instead of "have"?

I think your original one is just fine, Cue. Gross, but fine.

Decorations are a mess: toilet overflowed! (10)

Nice, that's a bit less "gross".

Thanks, Cue!

Toy stereo found in bed (6)

oyster (hidden word)

That's the one, Manxman! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Sherlock

Rodent's limb carried by climbing cat (6)

Rodent's limb carried by climbing cat (6)

Rodent = Marmot (dir)
limb = arm
carried by = cont. ind.
climbing = rev.ind.
cat = tom (mot)

Well done Koala
All yours.....===[**WCF**]===

I never heard of a marmot. Interesting. They're some pretty big squirrels!

Thanks MxM.

A dish tips over a headmaster for the overall picture (8)

I've got a newbie question for anyone here...

These types of puzzles are bizarre and near unsolvable to me. They seem to be like how I've heard British style crossword clues are. Is this right? I've worked American style crosswords all my life but have had almost no exposure to British ones.

Thanks and I now return you to your regular puzzle solving.

These types of puzzles are bizarre and sometimes near unsolvable and highly addictive. Only practice helps. Trying to create them also helps.

Yes, they're also known as Brisith style crosswords. The British tend to have more relaxed rules about what's fair game and what's not. The Americans stick to a more structured set of rules (see the link at the beginning of my cryptic clues threads).

At the core of each is a love of the Engish language and its many novelties.

Thanks for the reply and pointing out the link. I haven't read it yet but I will. From my quick glance I think it will be very helpful.

Thanks also for your patience. I noticed that CanukDenis had mentioned "(worldwide) crossword" which should have tipped me off.

I think once I get used to the quirks and the signals I may have a chance.

CAUTION: highly addictive. Proceed at your own risk

Woo Hoo...a stumper.

Clue time...

1. Direct on right.
2. No 'e'
3. No 'i'
4. No 'u'

A dish tips over a headmaster for the overall picture (8)

PAN (a dish)
OR (tips OveR)
A (a)
MA (head MAster) : DownUnder masters have 2 heads?

All yours MAster...

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

Merci M'sieu...

Rodents go blind after removal of part of eyelids?(4)

Day#1 clue: part of eyelids = i

Part of eyelids = i? Like part of noodle = o?

*puts pot of water on to boil - big pot*

These 2 recently appeared in your "cryptic clues":

5. Tidbits of mushrooms stuffed with pinch of sage (7)
in solution: pinch of sage = s

12. Southern cornbread and a piece of chicken stored in jars (8)
in solution: piece of chicken = c

So does that mean that "part of eyelids" MUST = e (1st letter)?

I'll change my clue then:

Rodents go blind after removal of fifth of eyelids?(4)

Yes, e or ey, or eye. You can fairly take up to the first three letters, I'd say. Otherwise, the segment needs to be written differently.

Agree because you wield the noodle!
Otherwise, disagree (but without being disagreeable!).

Denis, you're never disagreeable. You just can't clue a single random letter out of a word. Not even in the UK. That's why we use words like first, last, ultimate, initially, or else abbreviations.

I don't want to "win" because I wield the noodle, I want to win because (a) I'm female and (b) I'm right.

Yes dear.....

...I'm waving the white flag...

Well, probably "too wordie like", so I'll rewrite the clue:

Rodents held in possum icebox! (4) one i

mice (hidden word)

mice (hidden word)

How did the other ones work?

Hahaa! Beaten by seconds.

Great minds think alike

OK, what was the answer to the first one you wrote, Denis?

mice - i : no more i (eye), so blind ; AHEM!!

Before ya'll jump all over me, I saw one where
"h to o" (H2O) was used to represent water!

Here ya go MxM: ===[**WCF**]===

Thank you CD. Good luck with the noodle

Place prophet on Ganges boat (6)

If I give him the appropriate number of lashes, he won't survive. Especially with the relish I'll apply to the task in this instance.

Ten lashes, Denis.

Rodents go blind after removal of part of eyelids?(4)

rodents (direct) = mice

So... the rest makes no sense and is not a cryptic clue. Removing the i from mice leaves mce.

You're confusing wordplay with cryptic clues, I think.

Outch! I will not abuse cryptic clues no more, no more...

Can I borrow your triple-thick longjohns, MxM?

Of course you can CD--standard issue here. Although it is a bit chilly here today

Place prophet on Ganges boat (6)

Put-Eli

Well done UW
You can sail away with this ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, manxman!

Nice easy one:
Depressed - as a result of a pillow-fight? (4,2,3,5)

down in the mouth

double definition/pun

Indeed, young Pandora!

An early Christmas present: ===[**WCF**]===

Thank you Santa!

Quiet touch up for roads (5)

Nervously: pitch (tar) (double def)?

Since quiet = low-pitch...

I like that answer, Denis. Quiet is a low pitch.

My answer is a bit more devious than a double definition.

paths

quiet = sh
touch = tap
up = reversal ind.

Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. And don't forget to wear the belt:

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

Thanks, Sue!

Pacino fan is finished (3,4)

all over

al+lover

You were all over that one, manxman! Here you go! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Sherlock

Bearer of gift about to open box (6)

Pretty sure it's "Caspar" (one of the 3 magi).
spar = box.
but can't see how "to open" = ca (or ac)...

Good one Denis.
About=circa=ca
to open means ca is first then spar

Here is my gift to you....===[**WCF**]===

Geesh...feel guilty cause I didn't have full explanation;
but if you insist...!!

Sleep until 2:12 (5)

"Sleep until 2:12 (5)" - dozen

Like it! 12 is the direct, "until 2" = n.

Here tizz, special edition: ===[******WCF******]===

Slick!

I'm dazzled, Denis

Told to belong to the family (7)

By the belt, or by my outstanding clue?

related (double def.)

Take it away, Cheryl! ===[**WCF**]===

I've given Denis's extra bling to the Rest Home for Bewildered Crypt-solvers...

Thanks, Rog!

Mails a rotten sausage (6)

Salami (anagram)

shroeder! Nice to see you!

Hi Sue. Just got the opportunity to pop my head in for a quick visit.

And the belt passes to you, shroeder! ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Sherlock. A nice easy one just to make sure I don't feel the lash of Pandora's wet noodle!

Iron man? Not! (6)

female

fe+male

Well done ManxMan

Here's da belt ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks shroeder

Heart of trial judge is angry (5)

(tr)i(al) rate

Nicely done CD.
I rate that this belongs to you ===[**WCF**]===

Merci MxM

Comedic Keystone Cops chasing a donkey! (6)

Early Xmas clue: "Cops" is an indicator of some kind...

Comedic Keystone Cops chasing a donkey! (6)

Hidden Word = Come(dic Key)stone

Dickey = Donkey (dir).

Special delivery by Dickey: ===[**WCF**]===

I've not been around much lately (inconvenient stuff called "work" interfering) and have been looking through the last several pages with interest and amusement, especially the blind mice exchange!

About time for a new thread, so Koala please put your next clue on Route 66 Bout 62.