TV World

Doctor a new direction to champion. (6)
Wasn't there a NYT crossword on election eve which could be correctly answered with either Bob Dole or Clinton.

Spot on, JD - in 1996, on election day, the New York Times ran one of history's wildest crosswords, where either the letters of BOB DOLE or CLINTON could satisfy the seven Down clues.

The setter was Jeremiah Farrell, not a name I've struck too often, and more about ths puzzle's malign genius is here:

http://barelybad.com/xwdthemes_110596.htm

Wonder if we could do the same, with the answers of NAWEEN or ANDREW? How do we set up such a challenge? Even that task alone makes my head spin.

So, DR A NEW = Andrew, also doctor A NEW direction (NE)? I am still so green to cryptics.

Here's my attempt:

Advance = leAd/leNd

Groove = treNd/treAd

Break ground = ploD/ploW

Course = teRm/teEm

Containing one letter, starts and ends with e = envElope

Piercing? = Wail/Nail

Sublime effort Nib. And even puzzle veterans would struggle to create a single cryptic clue which both ANDREW and NAWEEN could satisfy.

The NY Times relies on orthodox clues after all, that Farrell marvel using the same device as your elegant Down deceits. Fine work, 'tenderfoot'.

Very clever stuff Nib

We track back after Anna regularly shows up champion (6)

Finding track = both NE and Rd was very gratifying!

Speaking of TV world, only a few hours until my ugly mug graces your screens. ^_^

Calm down, Nib. I'm sure you'll do fine.

Emiloca would have been yours Nib
Loved the rap, although Pacholek would've called you on the conundrum rhyme
Loving seeing you up there

Theme: The greatest musician of the millenium.

Gelatinous mass: _elly / _elly
Tongue sound: cl_ck / cl_ck
Appeasing hunger: _ating / _ating
Hunk: cu_e / cu_e
Social performer: m_me / m_me
Place down: s_t / s_t
Hot: fi_e / fi_e

Nib,

You know youre now gonna be mobbed on the street for anagrams?

^ Whoops, I meant to cut Social performer from those clues.

Thanks, Mauve and dg. I'm still stuck on a decent anagram for your names...

and btw, I think you're underselling Justin Bieber, Nib

No sign of Nib on Letters and Numbers this week, but that Luke Brattoni is a nice chap ;-)

Nib: having been a caterer for 27 years, it was disturbing to discover that an anagram of my name (first+middle+sur) is "A Caterer Must Thrill Us"

And you can now work out my 6-letter middle name from that info

(Hoping it's still OK to post to this thread of the blog, been a while!) Happy new year, everyone (maybe "Yew ray happen" is more appropriate??? ;-) )

I'm not so sure it's as hard to create a single clue as you might think, DA.

One thing that stood out watching that episode is the names of Andrew and Naween have 4 letters in common (interestingly enough, another bloke's name, EWAN). So, an anagram clue that provides those 4 letters as one part of the fodder, and something else that provides either DR or NE (the remaining letters either way) might work.

With that in mind, given I'm a cluer newbie, here's my attempt (admittedly with a clunky either/or part in the clue which may break the rules, a bit more massaging might get rid of that):

Surgeon or emergency nurse head with younger Obi-Wan blended

Can I call you Eld? That's a smart piece of work, weaving the common four letters [EWAN] with their respective pairs, however a few tips for future clues:

Beware the indirect anagram. It's a no-no to suggest Ewan [the Obi-wan actor] if we need to mix EWAN.

And second, a truly ambivalent clue relies on EVERY clue element (and not alternative paths) to reach the answer.

This week, by fluke, my own clue for LASS (Girl back in Thessaloniki) also offers NOLA, a legit answer with the same components.

Hope that helps. Well done on giving this tough challenge a crack. And welcome to the site.