===[**WCF**]=== Chain Crypt - Bout 69

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! :bunny:

Next clue:

Organise mate with alternative arrangement in this! (6,1,5)

Menage a trois (anag "organize mate") - a true &lit??

Correct young Rog! Here you go
===[**WCF**]===

Thanks, Lex

Transfer a trainee after a month (5)

decal
dec=month
trainee=l

Nice one, Manxman One belt coming at ya:
===[**WCF**]===

Thanks UW

UFO's flying around front of convention center (5)

fo C us ; fo us = ufo's (flying) C = front of Convention

On the previous: why is trainee=l ?

Good Denis===[**WCF**]===
Trainee=Learner=L
like a person learning to drive is a trainee

Hmmm...always thought that if 1st letter (abbreviation)
is used, the word abbreviated had to be in the clue;
like: Transfer a learner...
Doesn't seem fair to use 1st letter of a synonym;
like anagram of synonym not allowed...
Sharpen the noodle, Sue

OK; next one:
Study for test (9) one "e"

fot

Yeah, I'm a little confused but I don't want to make assumptions.

How is trainee = L? Is that commonly accepted in some field? L is not an abbreviation for "learner" according to dictionary.com.

I'm also guessing that Denis's word is "for", not "fot".

Yes..."for"; typo.
The "t" is next to the "r" and I have wide fingers!!

Well, even if L was an accepted abbreviation,
wouldn't the word "learner" have to be IN
the clue?

Yes, Denis. I was just trying to start from the beginning.

Study for test (9) one "e"

Early 1st day clue: double definition

I plead UK rules. "L" is a common Brit abbreviation for learner (all unqualified drivers have to have a big "L" sticker on their cars) and has been extended in crosswords to cover synonyms of "learner".

Like a ring can be "O" (that's not an abbreviation), a clergyman is "DD" (doctor of divinity), "RA" is a painter (Royal Academy) - not true abbreviations but commonly-accepted shorthand forms. So "Peculiar ring attached to vicar (3)" is a legit clue for "ODD"

I throw myself on the mercy of the noodle-meister. If found guilty I ask for 2362 other offences to be taken into consideration

Anyway, manxman understood it

2363

Denis, I figured it was a double definition but the problem is that there are many possibilities that fit:

Reasoning, ascertain, discharge, operation

All 2363 offenses heard and dismissed.

Thanks Sherlock; I'll reclue:
Illness test (9)

Day#1 clue: 1st letter = b

breakdown

This should prevent a breakdown: ===[**WCF**]===

Well put Denis

Thanks, Denis.

Head of ram in grave with one horn (8)

Trombone = horn
r = head of ram
in
tomb = grave
+ one

Hi Treval, haven't seen you here for a while!

Treval, you can slide this on for size. ===[**WCF**]===

Hi Lex, good to be back!

Thanks Sherlock.

I'll probably get a noodling but here goes:

The root angle to switch pi (6)

Turnip = the root - turn (angle) + ip (switch pi).

The root is probably a bit noodle-worthy: a root would be better.

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

Good point about the/a

Thank you.

Unconventional sandals in racy holiday destination (6,7)

Canary Islands

anag. (unconventional) sandals in racy

Yes indeed! Here is your costume:
===[**WCF**]===

Thank you, Lex!

Some letters about an item on a menu (6)

Omelet - hidden word - S(ome let)ters

I won't hide your belt, Koala! ===[**WCF**]===

Thank you Sherlock.

Furriers finally cleaned stole (6)

swiped
s+wiped

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

Thank you Koala

Witty writing wherein one farm animal rides another backwards (7)

e PIG RAM ?

Hey, nice of you to pay us a visit, Treval!

Sent by Canada Post ===[**WCF**]=== Hope it arrives soon CD

Merci M'sieu.

One times one equals an even number?(3)

Ten (an even number) dodgily (Denisly) expressed in Roman Numerals as IXI (one times one), being 9 + 1.

Enough for the belt, BUT not my explanation:
one Times = T (letter #1)
one Equals = E (letter #1)
aN even = N (letter in even position)
number = TEN

two diamonds only: ===[*WCF*]===

I was expecting a maths based twist from you on this one rather than a mere devious wordplay!

Shadowy figure who pulls the strings and makes enemies cringe (8,5)

What's that "i" doing at end?

Waiting to be edited out!

I'm going to slightly reclue this (trying to remember the actual wording of the clue as I saw it a week or two ago in a paper):

Shadowy senior figure behind the scenes who pulls the strings and makes enemies cringe (8,5) - a foreign expression

Another hint - it's an anagram.

Also I'm surprised Denis hasn't jumped on this as it's French!

I knew the answer because I had seen this one
not long ago (was it here?), so didn't "cheat"!

Proof as a hint: Lord Grey in Paris...

Final hint before all is revealed, the four es are positioned thus:

e_ _ _ e _ _ e * _ _ _ _ e

I picked two words with four e's, "enemies cringe" and got
eminence grise. Anagram.

Salut K.

Merci bien, Curly! Voici la babiole:
===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Lex. I have never heard 'babiole' before.

In Fargo, rig amidst paper craft (7)

origami (hidden word)

In "Ontario jouale", it's la belt!
We'd be run out of the province if we used babiole!

I dug "babiole" out of the dictionary to mean bauble or trinket - is that incorrect?

It's probably correct, but I never heard it before. My French is not as good as Parisian French, we grew up using slang French.
Ex: I say joual instead of cheval, which is very wrong.

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

All yours mxm.

Merci Curly

Animal hides gold trophy in tree (9)

P or cup INE

or3 1. the tincture, or metal, gold:
represented either by gold or by yellow.

Well done CD....===[**WCF**]===

Thank you kind Sir.

Pretty woman eats one pastry (6) no "e"

Danish
dish (pretty woman) eats(around) an(one)

And here ya go Treval: ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Denis.
Next one from local source:

Clasp journalistic Lothario (5,4) No A

Press (journalistic) Stud (Lothario)

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

Thanks Treval...nice to see you back with us.

Cast is not involved in this argument (5)

Woo Hoo ... a stumper !!!



Clues
No 'a', 'i' or 'e',
No 'x', 'y' or 'z'

Throw, this - is + row

Ah, good one Treval...I got stuck looking for
a 7letter word = cast and containing "is", leaving
definition of "argument" after removing the "is";
nice clue, Koala!!

Throw this around yerself Treval.

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

Thanks, clever little clue Koala.

Next one from local source. I found this one a bit strange and wonder what you folks think about the legality of it.

Musician finds daughter even more stranger? (7) 1 e

It looks as if it might be John (presumably Lennon, musician) + D (daughter) + oe (even letters of more), but I would expect that to be two words.

John Doe = unnamed person = stranger.

Afraid not Lex, 1 part of what you said above is correct.
I think it is legit. Bit of British slang involved

Still possible for us unfortunates on the poor
side of the pond?

Hope so Denis.

Starts with the 'd'
It's a type of musician as opposed to a famous musician

D(aughter)RUMMER

adjective
Word forms: rummer, rummest
(British, slang) strange; peculiar; odd

YIKES!!
Stranger with large wine glass (6) !

well done Denis.

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

Thanks Treval.

Cooks create alcoholic dessert (9,6)

chocolate éclair (anag.)

===[**WCF**]===
Pick it up at Toronto Pearson International Airport;
Treval sent it to me by plane; plane stops there...

Thanks CD

Able to assimilate when out catching ball (9)

Sorry I've missed giving clues

1. one 'e'
2. direct is on the left

ABS orb ENT ; orb = ball, ABSENT = out

All yours

Merci a lot.

2 for the belt;

1: Dessert item: 25% off (made in France) (7)

2: Claire stands on her head to get dessert! (6)

1. Parfait = dessert - part (item) with 25% off + fait (made in French)

2. Eclair = dessert - Claire with her "feet" above her "head."

Will fit you PARFAITement ===[**WCF**]===

Merci!

I'm career chef originally a product of France (5,7)

Creme fraiche(anagram)

Here you go: a stone's throw across the water
===[**WCF**]===

thanks Lex

Element of drunk one absorbed in stink (7)

Clue time:

2 i's
Direct on the left

Treval, please tell me that "SIlicoN" is not the
answer...going nuts trying to make it fit!!

It's not silicon Denis. 3rd letter is a 't'

Lithium?

LIT(drunk)H i(one) UM

Hum = stink?

Are you using a special Irish thesaurus?
(now well-known that I use my own Canadian one!!)

Thought is was lithium but couldn't figure out hum, however, in a dictionary is the following....

hum...(British & Irish, slang) an unpleasant odour

Hum is still used to mean stink or pong, usually in reference to an unwashed person, although this is probably now a relatively old-fashioned expression.

I was more foxed by lit to mean drunk or drugged.

Well done Denis. ===[**WCF**]===

Thanks Treval.

Substitute stage player makes entrance (6,5)

Pearly gates(anagram)

Here's the "pearly" belt: ===[ooWCFoo]===

Thanks Denis.

2 from a local source for the belt:

1. Clean back adhesive part of plant (3)

2. Stable employee mostly feminine (3)

2. lad (LADy)

Correct! One more for the belt!

Clue time . Direct on the right. No a,e or i

(dub)bud ?

Gum? (adhesive)

No to both. Denis, you have 2 of the 3 letters

Bur = sticky part of plant, being reverse (back) of rub (clean).

I think that the clue actually works both ways, so that the answer could also be rub.

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

Your belt Lex. I agree Lex about it working both ways. I wonder if there is a 'rule' for these type of clues.

Thank you Mr T!

Given that it is a three letter clue, in the crossword grid the ambivalence may be a plus.

About time for a new thread: the next clue will be there.