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

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!

Drunken decision results in fine detail (4,10)

Direct on the right

More modern wording might be "Drugged-up decision results in fine detail"

High Resolution, methinks


...and do you all play Wordle which I have only just started? https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html?success=true

Good call, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Dip into it occasionally - afraid it might become addictive

Wordle is definitely addictive and, in my family, has become a daily competition. I also enjoy Quordle which is a Wordle variation in which you solve four puzzles at the same time.

Just had my first shot at Quordle and managed three out of four, so a work in progress...

... and thank you Rog

Spooner's tipsy enthusiast is controller of boat (8)

Direct on the right

Enthusiast would have been fan before becoming part of a Spoonerism

merry fan -> ferryman

Very cute!

You will no doubt look cute wearing this! ===[**CDM**]===

A sparkly thank you, Lex

Large quantity of nitrogen in can (4)

Direct on the left

**(*)*

**N*

ma(n)y

Many thanks for solving this one, manxie! ===[**CDM**]===

thank you Pandie

Dog will be trained someday (7)

Samoyed (anag.)

(I did a report on them in 7th grade!)

Good one Demo ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, manxman!

Imitation Julius Caesar shifts six areas to Democrats (6)

Direct on the left, and another unconventional indicator elsewhere.

cvcvcv, vowels all different and in alphabetic order (but not necessarily consecutive alphabetically)

This is tough: I keep coming back to parody, but only because it fits and means imitation rather than with any other justification, and I keep fixating on the fact that areas is an anagram of most of Caesar (with shifts as a possible indicator), and I have no ideas about the relevance of six (vi?) or Democrats (d?)...

"parody" is correct--but figuring out why might be tricky.

"Caesar" is part of an indicator, which involves no anagrams...

(Julius Caesar would have probably preferred "three" to "six", but "mxolxv" is more like a Superman villain than a word)

I am still in the dark I am afraid: there was an old schoolboy rhyme about Julius Caesar and a lemon squeezer, and I am wondering if that might have any relevance...

U=A
I=O

... but in which word(s) and why/how? Still no pennies dropping...

L=R
S=Y

Okay, so it's the letters of Julius shifted 6 places along in the (alphabet) a (areas) to d (Democrats), Caesar presumably signifying Roman alphabet - or does it have other import here?

That looks like a very well-deserved win! ===[**CDM**]===

Caesar shifts six is a very specific indicator, but only if you know what you're looking for: a Caesar cipher with a shift of six.

Thank you for an interesting clue and that link: I did not know the history of this type of cipher, and I note in particular that JC went for the shift of 3, hence a - d.

Stacked from over-loading it, fazed (6)

Direct on the left and watch out for a slightly sneaky indicator, not to mention an answer word which was new to me...!

zaftig

overloadin(G IT FAZ)ed
Also new to me, Kevin.

Spot on Cheryl! ===[**CDM**]===

It cropped up in a Dean Koontz short story I was reading, and of course Kindle makes it easy to look words up, although finding a good synonym for the clue was less straightforward...

Thank you, Kevin!

Viewpoint of fish (5)

perch

Hmmm, I can see where you're going with that, but it's not my answer, Sue.

angle

That one didn't get away from you, Manxy! Look what you caught. ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you Sherlock

Struggle with green and red fruit (7)

grapple

Go answer Pandie ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you, manxie!

Place for putting note, in general (5)

Direct on left

Green = place for putting - re (note) in gen(eral)

A hole in one for Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you Panda Sue!

It has restrictions, unfortunately, for a poet (9,8)

Direct on the right, cccvccvcv cvccvccv

This is an anagram

Christina Rossetti Hi Lex

Hi Ed: the Belt is yours today! ===[**CDM**]===

Saw Willie Nelson's old Martin acoustic guitar mentioned on TV last night and thought of you as I always remember you being quite a fan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6IB0trJoJU

Thanks for the link, Lex - always wondered about the history of that guitar.

What was the program - would like to try and see it on catch-up

The guitar was actually mentioned on Antiques Roadshow in the context of someone bringing in a similar vintage model but in immaculate condition

Ah - tyvm. Will try and find it .

Did see part of an Antiques Road Show yesterday that featured a Fender Precision Bass, but I I'm guessing that was a different episode

Actually I think it may have been the same episode: an Irish radio presenter and musician who scraped the red paint off his Fender bass to make it look more rock and roll. I tend to catch only part of the programme while waiting to watch something else, so I may be mistaken...

...found it: 34 minutes into this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFAjUCtxpNc

Thank you Lex. And thanks for the clip about Willie and his guitar Trigger, named after Roy Rogers horse.

Long stories about the same plagues (9)

ep(idem)ics

Good one Sherlock
===[**CDM**]===

Thanx, manx!

Miracle worker has that lust around actress Thurman (11)

Direct on the left. Pretty straight forward but probably an unfamiliar word.

Thaumaturge = miracle worker - that urge (that lust) containing Uma (actress Thurman)

...a new word for me which I will now have to find an opportunity to use...

Only a miracle worker could've solved that, Kevin!

Sorry for the delay, I was visiting my newest grandbaby (#8).

Congrats, Cheryl!

Thank you and congrats, Cheryl: you are obviously now a veteran!

Comic strip character in hire car blown off course (7,5)

Direct on the left

A musical hint https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjQCvfcXn0

Thanks, Lex - Charlie Brown (anag "hire car blown")

===[**CDM**]=== and for good measure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbBr2bgAbcM

Takes me back!

A major perhaps going to the south islands (4)

Rog, are you sure about the letter count?

Not necessarily Cheryl, I get confused with big numbers...

Would you be happier with 4?

Yes, Rog, I'd be much happier with 4. Keys looks much better than Keies.

The length was obviously a key part of the answer

Nice solve, Cheryl! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog!

According to some, Hillary and Bill are corrupt (7)

Direct on left. 3 vowels all different.

cvcvcvc

liberal

anagram of Bill are

Clever clue!

Agreed. I kept trying to anagram "and Bill"

You got it, Sue! Hope it didn't hurt too much. ===[**CDM**]===

It stung, Cheryl. It stung.

Trophy given to one poor young archer (5)

Cupid

Cup = trophy
id = "oneness", who I am, that sort of thing
"Poor Cupid" was an old painting

Right answer, almost right explanation.

cup = trophy
i = one
d = poor, as a grade

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

Ah, I see - many thanks!

Group of musicians lacking safety feature (5)

Yes, really, (5)

Early hints:

Direct on the left, wordplay 2+3

OK - not a very common word

(Group of musicians) (lacking) (safety feature)
              5                    2                   3

no/net

You got it, Cheryl! ===[**CDM**]===

Neat clue and good solve!

Thanks Rog, and Kevin!

Shavers in tattered coats (9)

Varnishes = coats - anagram (tattered) of shavers in

Coat yourself in this bright, shiny belt, Kevin!

Thank you Cheryl!

Cook tasted sampling whiskey and battered flies? (7)

Direct on the right ccvccvc

Two indicators and all the letters of the answer are to be found in the clue

Well, what do pesky flies get?

Still no takers? This is an anagram with an extra letter inserted

TYVM, Lex!

"tasted" cooked, + W (NATO abbrev "whiskey") -> swatted

Rog, I thought those flies were going to dodge the batter, but you finally made the Belt... ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Lex!

Letter of zero length (7)

Oops - belated hints:

Direct on the left
Wordplay 1+6

It's all Greek to me...

omicron

Has to be!

Nice solve: ===[**CDM**]===

Efcharistó, Rog.

Current doctor provided temperature (5)

Direct on left

cc+vc+c

drift (dr + if + t)

You sure caught my drift. ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks!

Count Olaf tried to do this to dull the pain? (10)

or, if you're more into classical literature, solve this one instead:

Monks tried to do this to dull the pain? (9)

Direct on the right: Monks is not plural.

So it looks like a choice between murderous villains in Lemony Snicket or Oliver Twist, but I am still not much the wiser...

(Yes! --and both have something else in common, too...)

vccvcccvcc

or

vccvcccvc

and it's a bad pun either way.

I think I need a letter hint, or perhaps a pill for my headache...

Vowels all different: e/i/o, not necessarily in that order.

Weirdly, the Simpsons episode that first aired two days ago made (almost) the same pun.

endorphins?

As one does, apparently. ===[**CDM**]===

I don't get it! Would someone 'splain it to me?

End orphan(s) - or were you having us on?

An amusing groaner!

Thanks Lex, but I guess the problem is that I don't understand "Count Olaf" or "Monks". I live a sheltered life.

Finish cutting in angle (4)

Fish ("finish" cutting "in") - neat!

You caught that one, Rog! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Sue!

Short and sweet:
Make burn (5)

Double definition
"make" is a noun, not a verb
ccvcc

Brand

...and an almost brand new belt for you, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks Rog, and apologies for delay

Two for the price of one as it's a weekend, and as both of these gently amused us in a recent puzzle:

1. Crossword setters use these to baffle and bewilder, say (8)

2. Main computer network in roof space (8)

1. Direct on the right, but & lit

2. Direct on the left

1. Two ys

2. Word play vc(cvc)cvc

Not sure about the first one...

synonyms ??

at(lan)tic

Both on the money, so here comes the Belt: ===[**CDM**]===


... but please post the next clue on the new thread I am setting up.

Both clever clues!