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 to follow shortly from current trophy holder Urban Worrier

Thanks, Lex!

Official desk to cart around (10)

Direct on the left
It's not an anagram of "desk to cart"
cvcvvvccvc

bureaucrat

bureau / crat (cart around)

Indeed, young manxman! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you my good man

Be full of cheer for astronomer (5)

direct on the right

B(rah)e

Well done Sherlock

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

Thanks, manxman!

Refuse to dress, period (7)

Direct on the left. 3 vowels.

Thanks, Cheryl

Garb-age

This belt is not garbage, Rog. Wear it well. ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Cheryl - never doubted it for one moment!

Technical and prescient if iconic internally (10)

Direct on the left.

Cheryl would be proud of me

Scientific - hidden word (Cheryl's favourite)

Aw, Lex - you cracked my incredibly tough hint!

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

Nice one, Rog!

Thank you Rog!

One we rather liked in a recent puzzle

Popular instruction to assistant to act for absent boss, how petty! (13)

Direct on the right, four of the same vowel, vccvccvcvcvcc

Insignificant
In (sign if i can't)

Nice crypt, Kevin!

Spot on Cheryl! Here you go ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Kevin!

Writer's pony found within confines of stable (6)

Direct on the left. Only 2 vowels. cccvcv

Scribe = writer - crib (a synonym for pony, much to my surprise) contained by se (confines of stable)

Yes indeedy, Kevin! Confine this to your waist. ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you m'dear!

US footballer paid for an iffy doctor, according to Spooner (11)

Quarterback (bought a quack)

Well scored Rog! ===[**CDM**]===

Loved it, Lex!

One that Mrs. Worrier and I solved but took us a little time to justify it:

Barman lacking originality (5)

Direct on the right, wordplay 3+2, cvcvc

I think I have it, but I'll leave it until later to give someone else a chance, my own hint meanwhile being to read barman as two words...

Looks a pretty good hint to me, Lex!

Ban/al as no one else has shown any halloween fangs...

Indeedy! Back to you... ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you my ping-pong opponent!

Left to worry and grow weak (8)

Direct on the right cvccvvcc

wordplay 1 + 7, no duplicated letters

languish

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

Thank you, Lex!

Excited from eating lemons (7)

I'm all atingle at this clue ...

There's a definite glow about you. ===[**CDM**]===

Many thanks, m'dear!

One that relies a bit on Britslang:

Bargain vegetable is without equal (4)

OK - direct on the left, wordplay 7 - 3 (cvcccvc)

Feel free to look up synonyms for "bargain"

Couldn't get to this yesterday but now I can put you out of your misery, Rog.

snip
parsnip minus par

I'm only happy when I'm miserable!

Nice solve, Cheryl. We particularly liked that one 'cos it was short and sweet, no wasted words and a nice surface. ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog!

Bo-peep, e.g., and her strawberry roan returned (6)

Direct on the left. 2 vowels, both the same.

Herder (Bo-peep eg) - her + red (strawberry roan returned)

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

Thank you Cheryl!

Paper regularly follows a lead on trainee (10)

Direct on the right vcccvccvcv

apprentice

paper regularly (every other letter) = ppr
follows A
lead on = entice

Cute clue!

All yours Panda Sue (or perhaps I should say Grasshopper)! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Kevin!

Rich silk in fancy robe worn by rotter (7)

A cad in a dishevelled robe made of brocade

Makes me think of Carol Burnett walking down a lovely stairway wearing brocade curtains along with the curtain rod.

Well solved, Rog! ===[**CDM**]===

Never seen that, Sue - sounds hilarious. Will look on YouTube

(Found it - love it!)

Fake painting if one spies top of landscape (10)

Early hints:

Direct on the left, wordplay 3+2+1+3+1

Hmm - maybe this helps:

Wordplay        3    2   1      3                1
Fake         painting if one spies top of landscape (10)

art/if/i/cia/l

Phew - saved my bacon again, Cheryl

One completely non-fake belt coming at ya! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog!

One learned leader in flowers and molds (6)

Builds = mo(u)lds - buds (flowers) containing il (1 + learned leader)

I built this for you, Kevin! ===[**CDM**]===

And very well constructed it is: thank you!

Poles perhaps from Poland wanting land in Barking instead (9)

Direct on the left vccvcvcvc, all vowels used except u

Wordplay 4 + (6 - 4) + 3, the first 4 and the 3 being parts of a 7 letter word anagrammed

I'm guessing it's "antipodes" (Poland-land in a barking "instead"), but "antipodes" = "poles"?

Correct Rog! I was also foxed by this clue but no other word would fit the outline on the grid and when I checked the meaning of antipodes I discovered that it means two points directly opposite each other on the globe (hence down under, etc), so including the North and South Poles, give or take some magnetic variation.
Put this round your central globe: ===[**CDM**]===

Fairy Nuff, many thanks!

A groaner we both liked:

Capital recovery truck is a tourist attraction (5,2,6)

Tower of London

Excellent!

A capital solve, m'dear! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog. That was a clever clue.

Finish cutting in angle (4)

Direct on the right.

"Finish" cutting "in" -> fish (angle)

You had to cast a long line for that one, Rog! ===[**CDM**]===

I did in deed, Sue - spent a lot of time faffing about with the other sort of angle

Playing role in list is not too bad (9)

Direct on the right and an anagram inserted into a simile

Tolerable = not too bad - anagram (playing) of role within table (list)

Indeedy, young Lex!

Over the seas to the Isle of Man: ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you

Images from deceptive musical artist (9)

Direct on the left, one indicator, one vowel is repeated but not any other letters - cvcvcvccv

Wordplay 7 (shuffled) + 2

With the aid of a dictionary, simulac+ra

Must be honest, never heard of it!

Correct! ===[**CDM**]===

Not an every day word, but all part of the brain training: I have been introduced to a number of new words both in crossword clues and through Wordle/Quordle/Decordal (which have become part of my daily routine)

LOL! Kevin, my coworkers thought I was nuts when I told them my routine after Wordle is Dordle, Quordle, Octordle and Sedecordle. Maybe they're right.......

Much appreciated, Lex!

Sturdy condition - no valves (5-5)

Have just tried Cheryl's selection: Sedecordle is probably a step too far, but Dordle (Dawdle? ) was fun and Octordle may replace Decordle!

Direct on the right, think electronics...

Perhaps I could chip in with more hints

cvcvc-ccvcv
12345-16768

Start and end letters in no particular order: EDSS

solid-state

Don't know what I'd do without you, Cheryl! ===[**CDM**]===

You're most welcome, Rog!

Insensitive hobo in tatters, holding title of a knight, flipped (7)

Boorish = insensitive - anagram (in tatters) of hobo containing (holding) ris (title of a knight reversed)

I present you with this belt, Sir Kevin. ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you m'lady!

Hound intrinsically adorable (9)

per se cute

Clever...

Elegantly executed!

And herewith the Bauble ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Lex. I agree with Rog.

Incense makes a green fog (6)

enrage (anag of a green)

I'm not mad at that, Sherlock! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Sue!

Paper hair net disheveled one who'd been groomed (4, 8)

Heir apparent
anagram

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

Thank you Sherlock

Everything else, without a clue (8)

Rem(a)inder

Well done UW, without a clue
===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, manxman - will remember that for the next "Disemvowellimg"

Hazard makes mine drop (7)

Pitfall = hazard - pit (mine) + fall (drop)

No pitfall there then, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===