Alright, it's me again, with another cryptic crossword contest! If you would like to participate, you may sign up by posting here.
Sign-up deadline will be at the end of Thursday, September 20th (EST). Note that I'll probably upload the crossword and the clues roughly 24 hours from the time this was posted, so some of you can start early if you decide to (just like last time).
Ruled out.
The deadline for the contest will be at the end of Thursday, October 4th (EST). Please have your answers submitted to me via PM before then.
Scoring: There are a total of 64 entries in the crossword. Your score is based on the number of correct answers (so 64/64 is a perfect score). This is not a race; it doesn't matter if you finish first or not.
And for those of you who are unsure what a cryptic crossword is, this might be important.
EDIT:
I should also say a few things:
-When you think you're done, you should submit your answer by PM to me. NOT to a clan mod. (Any form of displaying your answers is okay, as long as I can make sense of it. You could simply have the list of clue numbers with their answers, or you can include an image of the grid, for example.
-You only get one submission. If you submit something and I check it, that's final.
-You might want to get a QuickTopic for discussion on this contest, since you don't want people eavesdropping on your answers.
Also, time is still an issue as mentioned in the Clan Council thread. I'm leaning towards the following:
Time does count for tiebreakers; if two clans get the same score, the one who submitted first will get the better ranking. One caveat: Since the actual puzzle is going to be uploaded before the signup deadline, any complete solutions submitted before the signup deadline will all be treated as finishing first. If there are any concerns, please say so.
ACROSS:
A1. Emir, a cleric holds an amazing event! (7)
A9. Star to arrive before time (5)
A15. Give money after 50% sure delay (7)
C1. Perform in, performed; it's a gas (5)
C7. A crossing cut short (7)
C15. God, write back the melody (7)
E1. Burning material in weird scene (7)
E9. Music piece - it's all around us (3)
E13. Game of chasing a dog - what's unusual? (6, 3)
G2. Insect destroyed leaf (4)
G7. Badly retains sobbing (2, 5)
G15. We heard extreme blade (5)
I1. Intervals twisting at coves (7)
I9. Star bothered Croat (5)
I15. American to stitch back flyer (7)
K1. Disappearing mix in shaving (9)
K13. Moving by tract about the French - cheer (6, 3)
M1. Bird to overturn about string (7)
M9. Remove empty jet about speed of light (5)
M15. Spirit - a statue in a long time (7)
O3. Municipal; 101; 6; 100 (5)
O9. Distribute or share initially; they fall (7)
O17. Find the dot (4)
Q1. Imperfect - sure, or one mistake (9)
Q11. Semi-matter carpet (3)
Q15. Fortress block around street near moon (7)
S1. Garden or vegetable (7)
S9. Returned nice heart; triple jewel (7)
S17. Fire to initially burn idle (5)
U1. Return; be back in a circle! (7)
U9. Guy near the French spoon (5)
U15. Annoying sprites don't give up (7)
DOWN.
A1. Creepy sphere in the center (6)
A3. Amazing, to the half (7)
A5. Camera-brand music (5)
A7. The Spanish consumed to please (5)
A9. Fruit of water flow, audibly (7)
A11. New media of trend; roam about (6, 3)
A13. Supports oaks about ship (7)
A15. Silica mostly; also for footwear (7)
A17. Initially stand up, ask a question... imagine (7)
A19. Torque - a strange circle (7)
A21. Find doctor on the side (6)
G5. Helper of commercial on mask (7)
G7. Add prison (for short) on harm (7)
H1. Call - solid, about 5, OK? (7)
H21. Part of Fundy (in gulf) is eternal (7)
I3. Artificial ponds or falls (5)
I9. Glean new perspective (5)
I13. Start to build in origin of android (5)
I15. Watcher of traveling wisents (7)
I17.Slash ancient currency (7)
I19. Improve past sheet (5)
M11. Projected bad ties ended game (9)
O3. Company nurse and company boss initially make a sheaf (7)
O5. "Haut-au-navigation" returned holding island (7)
O7. Shouted, "Around 500? There's too many!" (7)
O9. Nice to hear stage production (7)
O13. Unusually utile on border (7)
O19. Butterfly surrounds heart of bird, all heading north - it's an art form (7)
P1. Eat mostly overdue mix (6)
P21. Strangely fine empty cut to spread disease (6)
Q15. Plebe bothered by high-pitched sound (5)
Q17. Able to drive from emergency room after cry (5)
Now... if you had graph paper to do things by hand, you could work out the shape of the grid on your own. Just label the rows and columns with the numbers and letters, place words where they fit, and voila!
Or... the attached files could help, if you prefer those. There's an Excel file and a .pdf file that you can print out, or you can directly write in the Excel file if you prefer that.
OK, posting to let you know I've updated the OP with a few clarifications.
votan mentioned in the Clan Council thread (and in a brief PM discussion with me) that time should count, but only for tiebreakers. Where do you stand on this?
(Also, I decided on the "early start" system that anyone finishing before the contest officially starts (when signups end) will be treated as finishing first. Is this okay? Because this actually happened last time.)
The crossword will be uploaded roughly 9 hours from now.
Update: I came home tonight to find a complete solution (64/64) by the [Crafters] in my inbox (less than a day after the contest started). With that submission, the first prize is taken!
This puzzle is do-able, everyone! It took us about 18 hours from the puzzle being posted until we completed it and turned it in (and input from 5+ different Crafters for us to solve it).
Aurora, maybe you could offer a link to past Cryptic Crosswords you've made to help give those that are struggling some inspiration perhaps?
I thought the clue pretty clearly had it as the SHEER/SHEAR split, but again I just messed up because I didn't realize the homophone clue word would be next to the one it wasn't.
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Can we have Megiddo removed from the forum forever please?
i'm pretty sure i can find your ***** online within 3 minutes
I thought the clue pretty clearly had it as the SHEER/SHEAR split, but again I just messed up because I didn't realize the homophone clue word would be next to the one it wasn't.
Sometimes, I just make guesses based on the placement of letters.
Just like with RADICAL, we didn't have a good reason for it other than it fit and meant awesome.
We actually had wrong answers in place on certain ones for quite a while until they were disproved by other words around them.
I think we finally went with SHEAR because it had HEAR in it.
It was the last word we filled in after SOLIDUS.
I'm cool with making our QT for it public if need be. I'm sure the rest of The Crafters wouldn't mind.
Sign-up deadline will be at the end of Thursday, September 20th (EST).
Note that I'll probably upload the crossword and the clues roughly 24 hours from the time this was posted, so some of you can start early if you decide to (just like last time).Ruled out.
The deadline for the contest will be at the end of Thursday, October 4th (EST). Please have your answers submitted to me via PM before then.
Scoring: There are a total of 64 entries in the crossword. Your score is based on the number of correct answers (so 64/64 is a perfect score). This is not a race; it doesn't matter if you finish first or not.
And for those of you who are unsure what a cryptic crossword is, this might be important.
EDIT:
I should also say a few things:
-When you think you're done, you should submit your answer by PM to me. NOT to a clan mod. (Any form of displaying your answers is okay, as long as I can make sense of it. You could simply have the list of clue numbers with their answers, or you can include an image of the grid, for example.
-You only get one submission. If you submit something and I check it, that's final.
-You might want to get a QuickTopic for discussion on this contest, since you don't want people eavesdropping on your answers.
Also, time is still an issue as mentioned in the Clan Council thread. I'm leaning towards the following:
Time does count for tiebreakers; if two clans get the same score, the one who submitted first will get the better ranking.
One caveat: Since the actual puzzle is going to be uploaded before the signup deadline, any complete solutions submitted before the signup deadline will all be treated as finishing first.If there are any concerns, please say so.
A1. Emir, a cleric holds an amazing event! (7)
A9. Star to arrive before time (5)
A15. Give money after 50% sure delay (7)
C1. Perform in, performed; it's a gas (5)
C7. A crossing cut short (7)
C15. God, write back the melody (7)
E1. Burning material in weird scene (7)
E9. Music piece - it's all around us (3)
E13. Game of chasing a dog - what's unusual? (6, 3)
G2. Insect destroyed leaf (4)
G7. Badly retains sobbing (2, 5)
G15. We heard extreme blade (5)
I1. Intervals twisting at coves (7)
I9. Star bothered Croat (5)
I15. American to stitch back flyer (7)
K1. Disappearing mix in shaving (9)
K13. Moving by tract about the French - cheer (6, 3)
M1. Bird to overturn about string (7)
M9. Remove empty jet about speed of light (5)
M15. Spirit - a statue in a long time (7)
O3. Municipal; 101; 6; 100 (5)
O9. Distribute or share initially; they fall (7)
O17. Find the dot (4)
Q1. Imperfect - sure, or one mistake (9)
Q11. Semi-matter carpet (3)
Q15. Fortress block around street near moon (7)
S1. Garden or vegetable (7)
S9. Returned nice heart; triple jewel (7)
S17. Fire to initially burn idle (5)
U1. Return; be back in a circle! (7)
U9. Guy near the French spoon (5)
U15. Annoying sprites don't give up (7)
DOWN.
A1. Creepy sphere in the center (6)
A3. Amazing, to the half (7)
A5. Camera-brand music (5)
A7. The Spanish consumed to please (5)
A9. Fruit of water flow, audibly (7)
A11. New media of trend; roam about (6, 3)
A13. Supports oaks about ship (7)
A15. Silica mostly; also for footwear (7)
A17. Initially stand up, ask a question... imagine (7)
A19. Torque - a strange circle (7)
A21. Find doctor on the side (6)
G5. Helper of commercial on mask (7)
G7. Add prison (for short) on harm (7)
H1. Call - solid, about 5, OK? (7)
H21. Part of Fundy (in gulf) is eternal (7)
I3. Artificial ponds or falls (5)
I9. Glean new perspective (5)
I13. Start to build in origin of android (5)
I15. Watcher of traveling wisents (7)
I17.Slash ancient currency (7)
I19. Improve past sheet (5)
M11. Projected bad ties ended game (9)
O3. Company nurse and company boss initially make a sheaf (7)
O5. "Haut-au-navigation" returned holding island (7)
O7. Shouted, "Around 500? There's too many!" (7)
O9. Nice to hear stage production (7)
O13. Unusually utile on border (7)
O19. Butterfly surrounds heart of bird, all heading north - it's an art form (7)
P1. Eat mostly overdue mix (6)
P21. Strangely fine empty cut to spread disease (6)
Q15. Plebe bothered by high-pitched sound (5)
Q17. Able to drive from emergency room after cry (5)
Now... if you had graph paper to do things by hand, you could work out the shape of the grid on your own. Just label the rows and columns with the numbers and letters, place words where they fit, and voila!
Or... the attached files could help, if you prefer those. There's an Excel file and a .pdf file that you can print out, or you can directly write in the Excel file if you prefer that.
Official Quizmaster of The Crafters!
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So yeah, that. [Clan Flamingo] is in.
[Clan Flamingo] Tier Archivist
[15:21] <@CC> Remember, if you argue, you are an idiot.
Untrophied Wins:
Perfect MCC Scores: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------
votan mentioned in the Clan Council thread (and in a brief PM discussion with me) that time should count, but only for tiebreakers. Where do you stand on this?
(Also, I decided on the "early start" system that anyone finishing before the contest officially starts (when signups end) will be treated as finishing first. Is this okay? Because this actually happened last time.)
The crossword will be uploaded roughly 9 hours from now.
Official Quizmaster of The Crafters!
Follow Lasersharp on Facebook
The Family
Official Quizmaster of The Crafters!
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Putting the sexy in Science Fiction!
gamertag: filthychocolate
Official Quizmaster of The Crafters!
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Official Quizmaster of The Crafters!
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Official Quizmaster of The Crafters!
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Aurora, maybe you could offer a link to past Cryptic Crosswords you've made to help give those that are struggling some inspiration perhaps?
1) The Crafters - 64/64
2) Clan Flamingo - 63/64
You two are the only ones who submitted anything at all.
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First-timer unfamiliarity I guess.
Fun contest though
I'd narrowed that one down to SPEAR, SWEAR, and SHEAR, and luckily Moss nailed it for us!
I'm surprised that The Izzet didn't want in on this one.
They dominated last year's contest!
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=371336
I thought the clue pretty clearly had it as the SHEER/SHEAR split, but again I just messed up because I didn't realize the homophone clue word would be next to the one it wasn't.
Sometimes, I just make guesses based on the placement of letters.
Just like with RADICAL, we didn't have a good reason for it other than it fit and meant awesome.
We actually had wrong answers in place on certain ones for quite a while until they were disproved by other words around them.
I think we finally went with SHEAR because it had HEAR in it.
It was the last word we filled in after SOLIDUS.
I'm cool with making our QT for it public if need be. I'm sure the rest of The Crafters wouldn't mind.
A1. Emir, a cleric holds an amazing event! (7)
MIRACLE: contained in clue
A9. Star to arrive before time (5)
COMET: come + T (time)
A15. Give money after 50% sure delay (7)
SUSPEND: su (half of "sure") + spend
C1. Perform in, performed; it's a gas (5)
RADON: "do" in "ran"
C7. A crossing cut short (7)
ABRIDGE: a + bridge
C15. God, write back the melody (7)
NEPTUNE: "pen" reversed + tune
E1. Burning material in weird scene (7)
INCENSE: in + "scene" anagram
E9. Music piece - it's all around us (3)
AIR: double def
E13. Game of chasing a dog - what's unusual? (6, 3)
SHADOW TAG: "a dog what's" anagram
G2. Insect destroyed leaf (4)
FLEA: "leaf" anagram
G7. Badly retains sobbing (2, 5)
IN TEARS: "retains" anagram
G15. We heard extreme blade (5)
SHEAR: homophone of "sheer"
I1. Intervals twisting at coves (7)
OCTAVES: "at coves" anagram
I9. Star bothered Croat (5)
ACTOR: "Croat" anagram
I15. American to stitch back flyer (7)
WESTERN: "sew" reversed + tern
K1. Disappearing mix in shaving (9)
VANISHING: "in shaving" anagram
K13. Moving by tract about the French - cheer (6, 3)
BATTLE CRY: "by tract" anagram around "le"
M1. Bird to overturn about string (7)
KESTREL: "keel" around "str" (programming abbreviation for string)
M9. Remove empty jet about speed of light (5)
EJECT: "E" (empty) + "jet" around "c" (speed of light)
M15. Spirit - a statue in a long time (7)
EIDOLON: "idol" in "eon"
O3. Municipal; 101; 6; 100 (5)
CIVIC: CI + VI + C (Roman numerals)
O9. Distribute or share initially; they fall (7)
METEORS: "mete" + "or" + "S" (initial of share)
O17. Find the dot (4)
SPOT: double def
Q1. Imperfect - sure, or one mistake (9)
ERRONEOUS: "sure or one" anagram
Q11. Semi-matter carpet (3)
MAT: half of "matter"
Q15. Fortress block around street near moon (7)
BASTION: "ban" around "St." + "Io"
S1. Garden or vegetable (7)
ORCHARD: "or" + "chard"
S9. Returned nice heart; triple jewel (7)
CITRINE: "ci" (heart of "nice", reversed) + "trine"
S17. Fire to initially burn idle (5)
BLAZE: "b" + "laze"
U1. Return; be back in a circle! (7)
REBOUND: "be" reversed in "round"
U9. Guy near the French spoon (5)
LADLE: "lad" + "le"
U15. Annoying sprites don't give up (7)
PERSIST: "sprites" anagram
DOWN.
A1. Creepy sphere in the center (6)
MORBID: "orb" in "mid"
A3. Amazing, to the half (7)
RADICAL: double definition ("to the half" as in "raised to the power of 0.5" - square root)
A5. Camera-brand music (5)
CANON: double def
A7. The Spanish consumed to please (5)
ELATE: "el" + "ate"
A9. Fruit of water flow, audibly (7)
CURRANT: sounds like "current"
A11. New media of trend; roam about (6, 3)
MODERN ART: "trend roam" anagram
A13. Supports oaks about ship (7)
TRESSES: "trees" around "SS"
A15. Silica mostly; also for footwear (7)
SANDALS: "sand" + most of "also"
A17. Initially stand up, ask a question... imagine (7)
SUPPOSE: initial of "stand" + "up" + "pose"
A19. Torque - a strange circle (7)
EQUATOR: "torque a" anagram
A21. Find doctor on the side (6)
DREDGE: "Dr" + "edge"
G5. Helper of commercial on mask (7)
ADVISOR: "ad" + "visor"
G7. Add prison (for short) on harm (7)
INSTILL: "inst." + "ill"
H1. Call - solid, about 5, OK? (7)
CONVOKE: "cone" around "V" (Roman numeral) + "OK"
H21. Part of Fundy (in gulf) is eternal (7)
UNDYING: contained in clue
I3. Artificial ponds or falls (5)
TANKS: double def
I9. Glean new perspective (5)
ANGLE: "glean" anagram
I13. Start to build in origin of android (5)
ROBOT: "b" in "root"
I15. Watcher of traveling wisents (7)
WITNESS: "wisents" anagram
I17. Slash ancient currency (7)
SOLIDUS: double definition
I19. Improve past sheet (5)
EXCEL: "ex" + "cel"
M11. Projected bad ties ended game (9)
ESTIMATED: "ties" anagram + "mated"
O3. Company nurse and company boss initially make a sheaf (7)
CORNCOB: "co" + "RN" + "co" + "boss" initial
O5. "Haut-au-navigation" returned holding island (7)
VANUATU: contained backwards in clue
O7. Shouted, "Around 500? There's too many!" (7)
CROWDED: "crowed" around "D"
O9. Nice to hear stage production (7)
MUSICAL: double def
O13. Unusually utile on border (7)
OUTLINE: "utile on" anagram
O19. Butterfly surrounds heart of bird, all heading north - it's an art form (7)
ORIGAMI: "imago" around "ir" (heart of "bird"), all reversed
P1. Eat mostly overdue mix (6)
DEVOUR: anagram of "overdu" - most of "overdue"
P21. Strangely fine empty cut to spread disease (6)
INFECT: "fine" anagram + "ct" (first and last letters of "cut"
Q15. Plebe bothered by high-pitched sound (5)
BLEEP: "plebe" anagram
Q17. Able to drive from emergency room after cry (5)
SOBER: "ER" after "sob"
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