DIY COW Clue-Writing Contests

[anax]

After discussing it with a few people it seems there might be support for the idea of introducing something along the lines of a clue-writing contest.
It's very early stages, of course, as this polls forum is in its infancy, but you never know - there could be 10,000 regular visitors by this time next year. Probably not, though.
There is currently no concept of how the contest will run, whether it will merit its own voting poll etc., and it goes without saying that I will not participate - I'll just present words/phrases to be clued. I'd guess it will run on a weekly basis.
Just to test the water, I'll start the ball rolling with the first challenge:

SERPENTINE

There are no rules as such, beyond the fact that clues should adhere as much as possible to Times style. I've always believed, however, that S, M and L = small, medium and large respectively are perfectly acceptable.
Off you go, then.
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Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

[boxwood]

Endlessly pertinent SE winding river (10)

[johanssons]

Wriggling, wriggling creature on end of fork? No time for it! (10)

[anax]

With plans afoot to change the format of this (it WILL continue in some form) I'll close the first DIY COW now.

Both offerings are excellent and the only thing that swings my choice in favour of Boxwood's clue is that it feels more Times-y. Johanssons' clue is marvellously visual and would sit extremely well in a Guardian puzzle, while Boxwood has given a difficult word - Serpentine is deceptively awkward - a fine treatment.

Despite my earlier statement I couldn't resist having a play, solely because the first thing I spotted was the word PEN and its "birdlife" connection with the watery bit of Hyde Park. So in the end I plumped for:

Swan can inhabit dried-up lake in London (10)

I'll let you know when I decide how to continue the DIY COW thread. In the meantime, why not have a play with the next challenge? The word is:

BORSTAL
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Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

[boxwood]

Bore's talk sends Royal off to detention centre (7)

[penfold_61]

Flats robber content to go back to prison (7)

[wilbo]

I thought of:

Brats, upset about nothing, left in detention centre (7)

Think it might be quite easy, though.

Will

p.s. If this lets me post, I haven't requested moderator status

[johanssons]

Penfold_61 beat me to the 'flats robber' concept, so instead:

If court order starts to lose reaction transfer here. (7)

Stevo

[glheard]

Boron or sulfur? Half of powder sends boy to jail. (7)

(yikes that's awkward)
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That's the way the ginger snaps.

[penfold_61]

[wilbo]

Lab rats let loose? O for a place of confinement! (7)

Two clues is probably a bit cheeky, but I liked this one better.

[boxwood]

Royal Saint, wrapped in boa, left for prison (7)

[Cuckoo]

Endless stampede about star playing part of Rochester

BOL(T) round STAR*; def. part of Rochester

[johanssons]

[penfold_61]

[quote="johanssons"][quote="penfold_61"]

[johanssons]

[anax]

Clue-writing contest – BORSTAL
Some cracking entries for this one, and three stood out:

penfold_61
Flats robber content to go back to prison
This is my winner. It has real “Timesy” style and ticks the right boxes in several departments – it’s clever without being too difficult, makes great use of the “content” container indicator, reads well, and I’m sure would catch out many solvers who would go on to kick themselves when they see how easy the clue really is.

wilbo
Lab rats let loose? O for a place of confinement!
A brilliant effort this, as it manages to move us away from the “prison” idea and creates a very convincing alternative reading. It’s also very clever – the substitution of O for A in “lab rats” is something few setters would have noticed. I’ve awarded this second place because it reads slightly more like, say, a Guardian or Indy clue.

cuckoo
Endless stampede about star playing part of Rochester
Another cracker that creates an alternative surface image and incorporates very well observed wordplay. More in keeping with the Times than wilbo’s clue, although the “stampede about” is one of those phrases that seems desperately close to working, but not quite.

Thanks to everyone who submitted! And now, the next challenge. I’m looking for a Times-style cryptic clue for:

HEAVEN FORBID
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Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

[johanssons]

Perish the thought even if had encircling orb (6,6)

[penfold_61]

My first stab was:

Throw up twice in car after third pint? Not on your nelly! (HEAVE + N + FOR(BI)D)

But I’m told that brand names are a no-no (so no Ford), and that the “n” indicator would have to be “third of pint”. “Throw up twice in river crossing after third of pint” wouldn’t read as well so I went back to the drawing board and came up with this. Hopefully it isn’t over-laden with slang:

Not likely to pull, initially nervous of bird cracking up (6,6)

[anax]

Penfold_61 offered, I think, the best clue for BORSTAL, and I must admit I struggled to find something original. Couldn't resist the challenge though;

Youth can shoot endlessly after taking back rifle (7)

STAL(k) after <ROB

"Youth can" is a bit sneaky but at least it allowed a smooth starting phrase.
_________________
Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

[johanssons]

[penfold_61]

[boxwood]

God, no! He is starting to change National Front leader's bra video (6,6)

[penfold_61]

80% of serious bridge players favouring overcall say please, no? (6,6)

[7dNigePun]

Bore I've upset with fine hand says "Don't let it happen" (6,6)

:0)

[7dNigePun]

Don't pull naughty words beginning with F or B I'd added. (6,6)

[Cuckoo]

Have year away from boyfriend, working? Let's hope not

HAVE + BO(Y)FRIEND*; def. Let's hope not

[anax]

For me, cuckoo's close-of-play clue is outstanding and very Times-y.

Have year away from boyfriend, working? Let's hope not (6,6)

Really good surface reading that paints a convincing picture. There's a chance an editor might grumble about part of the anagram fodder being followed by an instruction to adapt the second part before working the 'gram, but I imagine few solvers would complain about it. Great work cuckoo, and many thanks.

OK, here's our next challenge:

AFRAID

This could be interesting - not too many letters to play with.
_________________
Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

[johanssons]

[quote="anax"]For me, cuckoo's close-of-play clue is outstanding and very Times-y.

What? No Gold, silver, bronze? I was hoping for an honourable mention...

[johanssons]

How to be if something went wrong in the lab? (6)

[penfold_61]

Scared of short haircut. Help! (6)

[penfold_61]

Parts of Biafra Idi Amin terrorised (6)

[penfold_61]

Princess rejected by a full-frontal artist is sorry (6)

[Cuckoo]

Reluctantly admitting lack of principle in Dresden bombing?

(R)AF RAID; reluctantly admitting

cuckoo

[johanssons]

Concerned black fear of admired regulars (6)

[7dNigePun]

Dreading a loud record is spun endlessly (6)

[boxwood]

Uneasy version of Aida in French? No, quite the oposite (6)

[penfold_61]