This edition covers:

1. The review of the November Extra 3D puzzle

2. The results of the WC clue writing competition

3. The results of the RPM grid design competition

4. Prizes and Trophies

5. A reminder about upcoming deadlines

Clues and Grid by Puck

Theme: BREAD

The winner of the November Extra puzzle was Richard Green of Powys, Wales.

Your comments on this very clever puzzle, set and clued by PUCK, show it was very tough. I’m not sure I agree with those who put it as the most difficult of the year, that in my book was ECLOGUE’s September puzzle, but it certainly was a toughie. For the record ECLOGUE’s puzzle marked the creation of the PEELERS (police) and we had to peel the ends from each solution before entry into the grid.

Rather than my normal puzzle review I thought it might be interesting to talk through the genesis of Puck’s puzzle. The original plan was for me as MANG to construct a suitable grid for the Tie-break puzzle and for Puck to clue it. I finished my grid in late August. Sadly Puck rejected it, nice idea he said, but “I just cannot make it work”.  We were running short of time and I was a little edgy about how to fill the void. Puck himself rode to the rescue with this puzzle.

Puck sent it to me for an initial test solve and I freely admit it was a hard solve. The test solving process between a setter and a new test solver is a bit like an intricate and wary dance between partners new to each other. To be honest it was my second test solve of a Puck crossword but the first was pretty straightforward.

One debate we had prior to the test solve was over whether or not the clues should be in alphabetical order as is usual in the Calendar. Because it was a tie breaker we eventually concluded that an extra degree of difficulty was in order.

As a rule in a test solve the vast majority of clues solve pretty readily and there is no discussion necessary but some clues, often crux clues and dear to the heart of the setter, generate serious debate. The sparring is normally, and indeed was on this occasion, good natured and all part of the enjoyment. Nonetheless it is genuine enough.

I initially questioned seven clues. Five of these Puck properly defended and they remained as originally set. Two we debated quite earnestly. The first of these was Clue 27 originally clued as “Like strange pain beginning to bloody hurt, by the sound of it” for BAKED.  My problem was the definition “Like strange pain” where strange was used in the sense of foreign. The final clue I felt was much fairer: “Like Nancy’s pain: beginning to bloody hurt, by the sound of it.”

The second clue was a clever use of two lots of word play to help in solving an obscure word. The clue was “Writer’s penning name for players who cut 9 (BREAD) before start of session” for PONES. The fate of this clue remained unresolved between the two of us.

After refinement the crossword then went off to a second and more experienced tester and I see that PONES became PANTS in the final grid. I also noticed that one or two clues that I had nodded through were further refined in the final grid.

The end result was, as your comments confirm, tough and enjoyable but fair and a good test for the year end challenge.

Grid solution

The Instructions

The November Extra puzzle is also the Tie-break Puzzle for the 2020 3D Crosswords World Championship. To qualify for the World Championship, solvers must have successfully solved at least 12 of the 2020 puzzles (which may include the August Extra). This Tie-break puzzle must be correctly solved in order to win the World Championship. It can also form the 12th qualifying puzzle to secure entry.

World Championship entrants must also write and submit two cryptic clues, one each for a word and a phrase obtained from within the solutions of this puzzle. The word to be clued should be found at 5aw, 6d (3-5), with the phrase located at 6d,6ac (5,5).

The winner of the World Championship will be the solver whose combination of clues is judged to have shown the most originality and creativity in their clue-writing, whilst maintaining a good and fair standard of cryptic cluemanship.

The word and phrase to be clued were:

TIE-BREAK and BREAK BREAD

The Results

There were 35 entries for the November Extra Crossword and 21 entries for the 3D WC clue writing competition.

The clues were assessed and marked by Shirley and Charles Curran. Shirley sets professionally as Curmudgeon and Chalicea. 

Two solvers sent in an outstanding pair of clues and stood out as potential winners of this year’s championship. These were Hamish Symington, and Nick and Sarah Inglis. It was extremely difficult to choose between these two entries but after very careful reflection first place was awarded to Hamish.

Peter Aylmer, Steve Trollop and Jack Nichols each received VHC for their entries for TIE-BREAK.

⭐ Winning Entry: Hamish Symington

A beer kit is brewed – it settles (3-5)

ABEERKIT*

Very Highly Commended. This is concise and has a good surface reading. The setter has seen the potential of the anagram used in a plausible context as the beer can settle and the 'tie-break' settles the dispute. 

Commune's schoolmaster appearing with ball, introducing a couple of rules (5,5)

B[R]EAK B[R]EAD

Very Highly Commended. There is a fine surface reading here - the BEAK with the BEAD adding a pair of R(ules) to the game. We especially like the adventurous use of 'Commune' as a definition for BREAK BREAD, whilst using a different meaning of the word in the surface reading.

⭐ Runners Up: Nick and Sarah Inglis

Becker tirade not resolved by net cord and this decider (3-5)

BECKER TIRADE NOT is an anagram of (resolved by) NET CORD + TIE-BREAK (this decider)

Very Highly Commended. This was a convincing compound subtractive anagram with the amusing retrospective look at Becker's tirades. We were not totally convinced by the 'net cord' but know how difficult it is to get a perfectly convincing surface reading in a difficult construction like this. The setter(s) avoided using dictionary synonyms of 'tie' or 'break' - flaws that weakened several of the other clues, we thought.

Celebrate Eucharist with a dark beer transubstantiated by bishop (5,5)

Definition: Celebrate Eucharist. 

Anagram (transubstantiated) of A DARK BEER after (by) B (bishop)

Very Highly Commended. We were delighted to find another clue that went beyond the 'share a meal' definition, then continued the religious context by using the B(ishop) for the B and a splendid anagram word 'transubstantiated'. A superb clue that stood out.

⭐ VHC Clues for TIE-BREAK

From Peter Aylmer:

"Harris is responsible for this tripe" - oddly, judge gets Trump's second term (3-5)

T(r)I(p)E (oddly) + B[R]EAK

Very highly commended. This clue really scored, particularly as we are clue-judging on the eve of the inauguration of the US 'tie-breaker' Kamala Harris so the definition was spot on.  The wordplay was very clever with odd letters of tripe giving the TIE then Trump's second (R) being inserted into BEAK (judge). The surface reading is amusing (but horrifying - please never let it happen!). 

From Steve Trollop:

Slyly take endless bribes to determine the winner (3-5)

Anagram (slyly) of TAKE BRIBE(s)

Very Highly Commended. The setter has seen the possibility of a highly relevant surface reading using the idea of bribes to secure the prize, and has constructed a concise and really clever anagram with the appropriate anagram indicator 'slyly'. (He needed to start his clue with a capital letter, of course.)

From Jack Nichols:

Secure recipe in Bake Off decider (3-5)

TIE + R(ecipe) in anagram (Off) of BAKE

Very Highly Commended. This is a superbly concise clue with an excellent surface reading and the clever insertion of R into Bake (off = anagrammed) in the wordplay, giving BREAK so neatly serving its double purpose in the surface reading. 'Tie' in the sense of 'equal in competition' and 'secure' come under the same headword but the setter has used them in a sufficiently different way to get away with that small flaw, we feel.

On behalf of the 3D Team I would like to thank everyone who entered. If anyone would like to know the judges’ comments on their entries please write to me at: calpuzacc@gmail.com.

The Instructions

The task is to design a 3D Grid suitable for inclusion in the 2022 3D Calendar Puzzles publication. The RPM is in memory of Ray Parry-Morris, who designed many successful 3D grids. Anyone may enter.

The Results

There were 5 entries for this year’s competition. The submissions were initially marked and graded by Nora, who designs for us as Bozzy, and reviewed by our crossword editor Puck, who sets for, amongst others, the Guardian.

Nora writes:

The grading below cannot show how close all our decisions were and the dividing line between the levels is tiny, but we are in no doubt we have made the awards in the right order.

When judging, we have many things to consider: how well the grids and themes work; what needs to be done for it to become part of our calendar; and, most importantly, how much our solvers will enjoy their solving.

We have a completely new and amazing grid design from Nick & Sarah, one of our popular Seven Dials from Garry, and rectangular grids from Pam, Hamish and Max. We love innovation and intricacy but we also need to maintain excellence with the 3D grid design most loved and used in our calendar, and Pam’s grid was as close to perfection as we could wish to see.

⭐ Winner: Pam Dudgeon (Patch)

Pam has created an excellent, clear and simple grid design which fitted our brief entirely. All the words fit their own place in the grid, there is one very pertinent snake and no bars or overlaps. It is very much in the mainstream of an ideal 3D crossword puzzle, straightforward and easy to follow and we had no reservations in awarding this first place.

⭐ 2nd: Nick & Sarah Inglis (etc)

Nick & Sarah’s grid is a marvel of design and innovation. The presentation gives clear and concise explanations and helpful notes. Our reservation is that the sheer inventiveness of the grid and its directions could be over-complicated for those of our solvers who prefer more traditional grids, although once the penny drops it sorts itself out beautifully.

⭐ Joint 3rd: Garry Stripling (Gin) and Hamish Symington (Soup)

The grid Garry has presented is clever and well-developed. The design contains a reasonable number of accommodations but several of the snakes are rather too disconnected and there is a very high clue count. Garry has made an interesting and innovative use of the core cells within the design.

Hamish has given us a well designed grid with some excellent helpful ideas on how to make it work best. All the words fit their own place in the grid apart from two. The anniversary is rather obscure and there are few truly themed words but Hamish has been inventive in how to approach their use to good effect.

⭐ 5th: Max Liversidge (MaxL)

With a really high percentage of themed cells (72%), Max has certainly used a lot of ingenuity in his interpretation of the theme, but the percentage is reached at the cost of a loss of thematic clarity. It also led to more than half the solutions containing accommodations (snakes, overlaps and bars). We were pleased to see use of the Word template, which made the job for our Crossword Editor easier.

As with so many things the Covid-19 virus has seriously impacted on our plans for presenting the 3D Championship trophies. Historically there has been a get-together with the winners and, after a suitable celebration lunch, the magnificently designed trophies have been awarded to the victors. I say magnificently designed advisedly. Our President, Eric Westbrook, creator of the entire 3D Crossword initiative, designed and created them himself. They currently rest with the 2018 winners, having last been awarded during 2019. The 2020 presentation for the 2019 winners was unavoidably cancelled. Current uncertainty means that we cannot yet schedule anything for 2021. However we are hopeful that by the autumn things will have settled down and a get-together lunch and presentation will be possible. In the meantime Nora is designing certificates for the 2019 and 2020 winners which will be sent direct to them.

Vouchers will be awarded to the winners and book prizes to the runners up of the 3D World Championship clue writing competition and the RPM Trophy. Nora will be in touch with details separately.

1. Curmudgeon’s February 2021 jigsaw. The hints and tips have been released and, for those who haven’t managed to complete the jigsaw a directed version will be released on the website on 23/2 with a deadline for completion of 28th February.
   
   
2.  Our Araucaria anniversary tribute puzzle is now available online as a February Extra. The deadline for completion is 15th March. The winner will receive a year’s subscription to 1 Across which has kindly been donated by the 1 Across editorial team.

3D Calendar Puzzles
3dcalendarpuzzles.co.uk