By way of reminder, the object of this game is to solve (and briefly explain) 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 too far 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!

For those unfamiliar with crossword clues who want to give it a try, there is plenty of guidance online, for instance http://www.gameboomers.com/Garden/CrypticCrosswordTypes.htm and https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/premium/xword/cryptics.html as well as a quite entertaining and instructive book (not just for beginners) available from amazon http://www.amazon.com/The-Times-Crack-Cryptic-Crosswords/dp/0007546521/ref=dp_ob_image_bk and no doubt elsewhere, and for those who like British Crosswords you may like to try these (which are free): http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords and https://www.ft.com/crossword. English setter John Halpern's website may also be of interest www.johnhalpern.co.uk.

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 18 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 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 should start dropping additional hints, and 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.

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.

The weighty trophy to be passed to whoever solves your clue is the jewel-encrusted CanukDenis Memorial Championship Belt
===[**CDM**]===

This thread is so named in honour of our late dear friend Denis Borris (aka CanukDenis) who was an ever cheerful and quick-witted presence on this forum, posting many an iffy crypt just to stir the pot, and intrigued by all things linguistic, mathematical and beyond.
RIP CD - we hold you in our hearts as we play on!

Next clue:

Wood entirely in foil (9)

forest/all

Clever...

No foiling you, Panda Sue! ===[**CDM**}===

(That one was courtesy of the Saturday Telegraph a few weeks ago)

Great choice, Lex!

Scoundrel buries it by the Spanish fortress (7)

"cad" with "it" buried, plus "el" -> "citadel"

The birthday boy is on fire today! (As is his cake)

I thank you, m'lady

Make sure friend is in a winning position (9)

check/mate

Happy belated birthday, Rog!

Thanks, Cheryl!

A reward for your winning position: ===[**CDM**}===

Thanks, Rog!

1, xi, ∀y - f. Or, how one traverses the Cartesian plane due north, for example (7)

Cheryl, has Denis by any chance come back to haunt/possess you...?

I had the same thought

This totally reminded me of Denis when I saw it, so had to post.

Direct is on the right. Everything hinges on your knowledge of mathematical quantifiers. (big hint)

That's easy, my knowledge of them is zero!

All I could think of is vectors, formula and bearing...

What is the symbol for the universal quantifier? What does it mean?

axially
a,xi, (for) all y

Yes, manxman! This belt is only for you, though. ===[**CDM**}===

Thank you Sherlock

Seal gets in trouble (6)

signet (gets in)

Correct you are Pandie
===[**CDM**]===

Thank you, manxie

100 mph, e.g., in jalopy (5)

C/rate

That was fast, D! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Sue!

Let cat out of bag, but toss in second bag. (5)

Purse = bag - cat removed from (let out of) capture (bag) with s (second) inserted (tossed in)

Purrfect, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you D

Spurs for feline one is inclined to say (9)

cat/a/lysts

Well pounced! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you, Lex!

Color street and a road (8)

st and a rd

Your colors, my dear Sue. ===[**CDM**]===

It's been a banner year, Cheryl!

They can be funny, that is, in shackles (7)

Direct on the left

Iron(ie)s

You nailed it, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you!

A clue I saw recently which made me think of Denis:

Offer solution to (E x 10) + (50 x 10) (6)

extend (E x TEN + D)?

(I like "expand" better for the definition, but extend better fits the construction.)

On the money! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks!

Alien caught in lie hampers disfunctional humans (11)

Direct on the right.

4 vowels.

A toughie, at least for me: I even tried googling "dysfunctional humans" (on the basis that it might be the definition, rather than just humans) and it led to this - no help with the clue, but quite interesting https://www.amazon.com/Dysfunctional-Humans-Philippe-Boucard-ebook/dp/B077PGHGWN

You have the correct direct. "Dysfunctional countries" would have worked too.

_a__e__a_e_

bask(et)cases

That's the one! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks for all the hints

Live-in physician, after the first month (7)

Docto(be)r

You stitched that one up nicely! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Sue!

Spooner's very long about-face (1-4)

U-turn (spoonerism: too yearn)

That's the one! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Sherlock!

A trillion guns of war, perhaps. (8)

Overkill as a sort of double definition?

Not my answer, though yours is a good one.

Direct on the right. Sadly, this would never fly in most crosswords...

ATrifles? Not sure if this can be written as one word

You're on the right track, Lex! (The A at the beginning of this one is somewhat superfluous, too.)

...because most cryptic crosswords are British...

...so the answer probably features some of that semi-literate alternative US spelling...!

Bang goes the "special relationship"

Hey! I'll have you know I'm at least half-literate!

(...not only American in spelling but incorporating outdated American slang, too!)

Theaters = of war perhaps - t (trillion) + heaters (guns)

My excuse is that it's been a long time since I read Mickey Spillane

...and I had to fight my computer's spell check which wanted to see theatres!

Well, lookie what we have here: ===[**CDM**]===

Neat - see no problems at all, Mr D!

Just what I was looking for - thank you!

Rescue attempts almost always upset guards (8)

Definition on the left - no US spellings or slang

"Attempts almost" = trie(s) which is guarded by an upset "always" (ever->reve) which gives us (tarrah!) retrieve. Phew!

cvccvvcv - three of the vowels are the same and there are three indicators

Repeat after me: "I must scroll back"

Rog, you must have been posting that answer at the same time as I was composing the next hint!

Correct you are my boy, and here you are ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Lex

Failed to make contact in fog, say (6)

missed

More a hit than a miss, Cheryl! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog!

All of France embraces me after one moment, between plays (4-3)

Direct on the right. 4 vowels, all different.

Time out: Tout [french for "all") surrounds i (one) + me

Absolutely! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Sherlock!

Amber, for one, to commit apostasy again? (5)

Resin = amber, for one - re sin (commit apostasy again)

Correct again, which I suppose means you are rewrite.

===[**CDM**]===

Thank you: I will consider myself duly remarked!

Friend in hot pants gives encouraging cry (5-2)

Definition on the right.

Two vowels and y, and two indicators

The answer makes me think of hunting and aerial dogfights as portrayed in boys' comics of yesteryear...

"Ally" with an anagram of "hot" -> tally-ho

Your reward for the chase: ===[**CDM**}===

Gracias, Lex!

Not having the will, at home, to try tea blend (9)

In (at home) + test (to try) + ate (anagram of "tea") : intestate

Where there's a will there's a belt, Mr D

===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog! (And where there's a belt, there's a belt...way?)

No victory in Vietnam disaster, in candor. It's monstrous. (9)

I think this must be manticore, a mythical monster, being an anagram (disaster) of Vietnam without v (no victory) + cor (in/with candor) - another one requiring US (mis)spelling to work!

The English language is, after all, a bit of a chimaera.

Congrats, Lex!

===[**CDM**]===

Thank you kind sir!

What one has to start a fire pit going? (8)

Definition on the left vcvcvcvc

Two is, no other letters repeated, all letters visible within the clue

Was struggling with "what one has" then realised the direct was a lot longer

A fire pit -> aperitif

You may now move on to the main course: ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Lex!

Record of Tim dancing might embarass (9)

Direct on the right, one indicator, wordplay 4+5

disc/omfit (of Tim)

Good one, Cheryl! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog!

Flexible enemy surrounds little lady with bad back (8)

Direct on the left. 3 vowels.

2 container indicators. Kinda like a turducken.

I had to look up turducken, it looks delicious.(lol)

Foldable = flexible - foe (enemy) containing (surrounds) ll (little lady) with dab (bad back) inside

Fold this around your waist, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Remi, I've seen one that even has an egg smack dab in the middle!

Thank you Sherlock!

Apologies for delay, but here is the next clue:

Theatre regularly ignored Friends character? Blow it! (9)

Definition on the right, wordplay 3 + 6

cvccvcvcv and one of the consonants is c, two vowels are the same and otherwise no letters are repeated

Fuller version of wordplay 7- 4 + 6

The reference to a character from Friends is just what it seems, a name in six letters, with three letters before it to make something you can blow

harmonica
har (every other letter of theatre, Brit spelling, of course) + Monica

That's the one, and here you go: ===[**CDM**]===


I had overlooked the fact that the clue is slightly off-key in US (mis)spelling!