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Diabolically Arcane

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Triple Treats

9 October, 2011

What’s not to like? Last week’s Storm was a stand-out. Over a hundred posts, plus the bonus of a philosophical side-trip, and some ten Dabblers putting their best three clues forward. Before I wheel out the shortlist, and my top three, a few hints that may apply:

  • Is there any surplus word in your clue?

  • Does definition agree in case with the solution?

  • Is every signpost fairly implanted?

  • Deletion clues are usually one letter only, unless hinted otherwise.

  • Anagrams are usually deemed too derr with a 3-letter answer, though okra’s AIM was true.

  • And lastly SK, not naming names, but I myself have been custard-pied by thinking 99 is IC in old Rome. Turns out the bugger is XCIX which ain’t going to fit into any English word I know, worst luck. So beware.

Enough chalk-and-talk. Let’s walk the walk. The shortlist:

NAG – Middle manager is a workhorse [Off and away with okra. Though this can be pared into: Hassle middle manager]

TEN – It leads to eleven next! [So it does LR: neat.]

ROB – Astro Boy hides loot [Great choice of defintion, KM – reads v well]

AXE – Guitar break [RobT puts the Stratocaster down]

KEY – Cardinal in a Beehive? [Savvy Kiwi-ese from Boniface]

JUS – Simply reduce sauce [Cordon bleu, Sam – this is a superb clue.]

ADD – Total inability to concentrate [Geoff Bailey, um, well you know – ]

CAT – Indelicate creature [But they’re so prissy, Em!]

The Winners –

BRONZE for NIX – Duck back in ten [Reads like a fridge message, Sam – lovely stuff]

SILVER for EGG – Key part of getting preggers! [LR is lord of the &lit. A smirk-worthy gem]

GOLD for DAW – Hunk flipping bird [Kudos, KM – your maiden gong. The central sigpost makes this extra tricky, and the surface sense is hilarious.]

Don’t agree? Place your Brownlow votes [3 points for favourite, then 2 and 1 points for your next two] and let’s see who wins the Popular Vote.

A great laboratory. Or I should say lab, keeping to the theme. Big tas, all.

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