Définitions énigmatiques

[FrenchForumSurvivor]

FFS, I wrote that clue especially in accordance with the guide that you posted.

Isn’t it strange how some people can see things that others don’t ?

https://ukcomics.fandom.com/wiki/The_Numskulls

Tom was there first.

The clue should contain a pointer to the answer. A simple anagram that could have various outcomes is not a cryptic clue. Nothing in that clue points to the answer.

For example:

More fed mixture ending confinement.

Mixture tells you there is an anagram and that the anagram gives you a word that means ending confinement ie freedom.

There must be a clear pointer to the answer

The answer to yours could have been Bums lure nulluks. Or many other combinations. Nothing - nothing - in your clue points to numbskulls rule. So it's not a deduction, it's a guess. Cryptic clues should be explanatory, yours isn't.

See section 9 of FFS's link. Your clue DOES NOT conform.

Sehen sektion 2.3

Replying in German doesn't help with the fact that you haven't got the point, Nifty. The second paragraph of section 2.3 says:

The starting point (that everyone agrees on – I hope) is that a cryptic clue must give the solver a fair chance of solving the clue. The clue can mislead but it must do so in a fair way. The oft repeated aphorism for the setter is “You need not say what you mean but you must mean exactly what you say”.

Your numbskull clue did not concord with the above, nor did your cricketing one. They were both 'solved' because Ally and Tom made the effort to sort the letters out, but neither of them were valid cryptic clues.

Astern Lady ASTER Nancy

Astern is just aft, Ally, fore and aft is backwards and forewords and 'madam' fits the bill.

[Nifty]

Nifty, as it says in the guide, "The starting point (that everyone agrees on – I hope) is that a cryptic clue must give the solver a fair chance of solving the clue." If we have no idea where to start, that's not a fair clue.

Two others did not seem to have any problem .
When the offending clue was written I was not aware that there were any rules that had to be followed.

[FrenchForumSurvivor]

I think a topic on using quotes/quoting posts would be useful.

[jsks]

Nifty, as it says in the guide, "The starting point (that everyone agrees on – I hope) is that a cryptic clue must give the solver a fair chance of solving the clue." If we have no idea where to start, that's not a fair clue.

Two others did not seem to have any problem .
When the offending clue was written I was not aware that there were any rules that had to be followed.

Clearly, then, you don't do the cryptic crosswords in the like of The Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian etc. There is a great variation in the nature of clues but all share the basic premise that the answer must be explicable from the clue.

Your random anagrams were not solved by decrypting but simply by rearranging the letters but your clue gave no indication of the direction to that answer.

That 2 people rearranged the letters to form the answer does not indicate that the clue was valid. Even with the answer known there is nothing in your random jumble of letters that hinted at the answer.

If you want to post random anagrams why not start a Random Anagrams thread and leave this one to those that understand how cryptic crossword clues work?

[treiziste]

I solved the anagram but I did not solve a cryptic clue.

It’s not rocket science as I simply tapped in the anagram in an online anagram solver.

[Tom]

It’s not rocket science as I simply tapped in the anagram in an online anagram solver.

Mine also said 'numbskulls lure' so I did have to make quite a tricky choice.

[treiziste]

Well numbskulls came up as the 10 letter word so I took away those letters and found the remaining letters e l r u .
A pretty meaningless task when there is no idea of an end meaning.

Anyway, my latest offering can be found on tables in houses, bars, restos et al.

[FrenchForumSurvivor]

God in bar is often found on the table (6)

Napkin?

[Tom]

Many people have been outlining the ways and means of setting cryptic clues but why can't nifty compose what clues he likes?

Définitions énigmatiques is a French title so really we should all feel very fortunate that nifty isn't posting clues with arrows attached.

[FrenchForumSurvivor]

Many people have been outlining the ways and means of setting cryptic clues but why can't nifty compose what clues he likes? Because most of us are keener on solving 'traditional' cryptic clues.

Définitions énigmatiques is a French title so really we should all feel fortunate that nifty isn't posting clues with arrows attached. I've changed that in my reply. Could change it in the OP if that might attract more players.