June 18 2011
Duplicity Victory
After a sluggish start – largely due to my ambiguous ground rules – the two-faced clues surged in, with close to 20 double-dealing grids created. That was the idea – to make a 5x5 waffle square which could house two sets of answers for the one set of clues.
If that doesn’t add up, then admire the winners, each composer a rightful claimant of Mauve’s new Which game. First, with no dispute, was a blazing construction by Boniface:
1A Cords (ROPES/LACES)
4A Muslim ascetic (FAQIR/SWAMI)
5A Superstar of the 70s and 80s (EVERT/REEVE)
1D Light weapon (RIFLE/LASER)
2D Rub the wrong way (PIQUE/CHAFE)
3D Physical support (STRUT/SPINE)
Love that central Q, and the Superstar wordplay, with every clue suavely owning both solutions. A gem. Meanwhile, scoring her second Which game (gotta mate’s birthday coming up?) is RK with a late eye-catcher. Also taking a turn for the Scrabbly – with a pair of Zs in play – RK’s puzzle is equally seamless. Go on, call me a liar:
1ac. Lift notes? (MUZAK/STEAL)
4ac. Former US president (DUBYA/ADAMS)
5ac. Duck (EVADE/EIDER)
1dn. A creature with bite (MIDGE/SNAKE)
2dn. Savannah inhabitant (ZEBRA/ELAND)
3dn. An unreliable guy (KNAVE/LOSER)
Leading us to the Bronze Janus, and this was where I gnawed a while. Admired JD’s spirit – somehow making one clue render PLANB and SUSHI. Loved LR’s concision, and Mr X’s for splicing ATARI and ALBUM, or Nib for beginning with HEINZ/WORMS. Also dug SK’s ASTLE/VADER conflation, against my lawyer’s advice. But for bold ambition, on top of getting this ambiguous ball rolling, I dip my chequered cap to DC for attempting (not perfectly) to craft six cryptic clues with dual outcomes. Quite heady:
Succubus veiled about drug-free (DEVIL/DEMON)
Diviner sounds transcendent alarm, backs colourful covering (TAROT/AUGUR)
Troubled actor changes gender, bearing revolutionary (SHEEN/HECHE)
Passes tomb marking (DATES/DEATH)
Words that move seer, a Roman figure (VERSE/MAGIC)
Saddled after changing primary language (LATIN/NORSE)
Look for a more lucid, less laborious Storm next Tuesday. And please, those Three Whiches of Cawdor, give Mauve a nudge so that he can pass on your provocative prize. Congratz all round – for the brio, and the perseverance. A worthy Storm to warm the winter cortex.
Comments
RK — 18 June at 07:54AM
Gratz Bon. Great grid. You make it seem almost easy.
Thanks DA for such a challenging, multi-faceted, addictive and infuriating Storm that was also somehow immensely enjoyable.
Nib — 18 June at 05:53PM
Grand work. My favourite is 'lift notes'.
RM — 18 June at 10:00PM
Yes, good fun, though unfortunately I ran out of time before completing my grids.
Did anyone else see the delightful trash-talk in todays Guardian (Tramp)?
6D: This beats Paul's cryptic rubbish standing on its head! (8)
Anthony Douglas — 19 June at 12:16AM
They're friends, apparently.
One Wheel — 19 June at 01:28PM
This was a really great puzzle, DA.
My favourites were Boniface's light weapon, RK's double duck and the complexities of DC's puzzle. Congratulations, you three.
LR — 19 June at 04:51PM
Yes, this was a very enjoyable storm. Looking forward to the next one!
Boniface — 19 June at 05:01PM
@RM nice clueing of PULSATOR. Bring back the biff! Thanks all for the kind words and esp to DA for contriving such exquisite torture.
SK — 19 June at 09:48PM
Nice one Bon.
Mauve — 20 June at 10:17AM
Great stuff everyone. Three Which? games being sent out today (and yours from last week too Mr X)
Boniface — 22 June at 10:37PM
@Mauve - Have received Which? and will check it out. Many thanks!
DC — 23 June at 12:17AM
Me too. Thanks greatly.