The Stickler Weekly 62 Solution

I think a cryptic clue is very much like an algebraic expression, where the wordplay is represented by the various symbols on one side of the equation that should equal an answer on the other side of the equation. It makes sense, then, that a cryptic clue should be completely verifiable, and able to be declared as unquestionable. However there doesn’t seem to be anything set down that allows solvers to consistently evaluate and grade cryptic clues. That is, there isn’t a formula that can be applied that will quantify a clue and give it a rating of some kind. Unlike a mathematical equation that can clearly be defined as valid and universally accepted as so, the same cryptic clue can elicit vastly different responses depending on who solves it, no matter what kind of construction is used in the wordplay. The only definitive aspect of a clue that I believe can be assessed and accepted is whether it contains a mistake – all other aspects come down to opinion. For example, a clue that may be technically accepted by all may have a suspect surface reading, making it for some a deficient clue; another may contain a definition that some don’t accept as good enough and others are happy with; yet another may be sound, read well and be perfectly acceptable to most but be considered “boring” by an experienced solver – so is such a clue a good one or not? I believe most aspects of cryptic clues are judged on a solver by solver basis, and no one clue will be considered the same way by all solvers. Note the setter doesn’t really have any control here – no matter their reasoning or justification for clue components, the solvers are the ultimate judges. A setter may be able to point to a particular definition of a word that justifies its use as an anagram indicator, but if a solver doesn’t like it, then the clue from the solver’s perspective (the one that matters) isn’t a good one.
The clue quality of “fair” that gets talked about regularly is a subjective view held by a solver and can’t be generally attached to a clue, as one man’s “fair” is another’s “rubbish”. Too often a clue is designated fair if it is solveable, which of course isn’t true, as all clues are solveable even those ones that are badly written, contain mistakes, or don’t have accurate definitions. The nature of a crossword provides cross-letters that can point to an answer regardless of the clue, making even the worst clue solveable.