*Spooner, that is!

He has to dig deep - from today right back through to early 1977 - to find 22 who debuted in that period who might trip him up. As befits a man of the cloth, his selections are not about winning - there's the odd champion here but quite a few are boys whose flame burnt quite-to-very briefly, and not altogether brightly, for the Red and Blue.

And while he didn't pick a Weid 'ere, you might 'ave to go there.

So, who of you will turn out to have 'Coached the show'? ('coached', synonym 'taught', sounds like 'tort' / 'show', synonym 'seem', sounds like 'seam') - that is, to 'Tort the seam', as this Rev might have said?

Single-figure gamers

1. 'Skinny mountain lakes'     2. 'Heel, [censored]!'     3. 'Alley-boy band'     4. 'Hay, gathered by May'     5. 'Irritater in the coven?'

Double-figure gamers

6. 'Batman's hit on creep'     7. 'Cask cutter'     8. 'Ms Burnett, getting more silly'     9. 'Banjo-strummy strumpet?'     10. 'Get another gaoler?'     11. 'Lament blemish'     12. 'Fish provides extra strength'     13. 'Grumbly Scottish icon'     14. 'Lacking reception?'     15. 'Greek's eighth of sixteen in chess'     16. 'Cat-cleaner brand'

100 gamers

17. 'Lobby Grandad? Fine!'     18. 'Carpenter's joiner?'     19. 'Cry to wicketkeeper Maddocks?'     20. 'Smash into little bits'     21. 'Tired and poor' (though the exact opposite)

200 gamer

22. 'Qualifying and grand final Saint hero'

My apologies for probable political incorrectnesses (looking at you, 9? And maybe 8?) and borderline censorables (2, and 21 (RIP))

Tim

Edit: I see 2 is censored!😄 It was, shall we say, a homophone of 'Prymke without me'?

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 20224 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

Jeepers, I thought some of my brainteasers were esoteric!

If I have this right, 22 would be Brad Green (Grad + Breen).

15 is, I suspect, Peter Thorne.  (Eighth letter of Greek alphabet is Theta + sixteen in chess = Pawn)

2 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Jeepers, I thought some of my brainteasers were esoteric!

If I have this right, 22 would be Brad Green (Grad + Breen).

That's it, Mr Stone! One of the easier ones, as no homophoning involved, and I guess the 200 games shrank the pot.

Anyway, you're away!

2 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

15 is, I suspect, Peter Thorne.  (Eighth letter of Greek alphabet is Theta + sixteen in chess = Pawn)

On a roll!👏

3. Nick Carter

8 minutes ago, mo64 said:

3. Nick Carter

'Fraid not 😔 I  see what you did there though. Nice!

Cryptic hint: always be suspicious of punctuation!

Edited January 7, 20224 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

11 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

'Fraid not 😔 I  see what you did there though. Nice!

Cryptic hint: always be suspicious of punctuation!

Damn. And I thought that was a gimme. This is heaps tougher than todays Age cryptic xword.

5 Mitch White

16 Dom Tyson

20 Jack Watts

18. Darren Kowal

7 Darryl Bourke

21 Sean Wight

12 Rod Keogh. Rackham out.

8. Darryl Cox ?

8 Daryl Cumming, being the 1977 guy?

3. Wayne Lamb

If Q1 is still on the board, I'll have a go at Tony Barnes (Bony Tarns).

Are you able to edit your original post Timothy to show the correct answers and those that are still unsolved?

Just now, Demonstone said:

If Q1 is still on the board, I'll have a go at Tony Barnes (Bony Tarns).

Are you able to edit your original post Timothy to show the correct answers and those that are still unsolved?

Will do, Ds!

Very well done again, you, and @Mazer Rackham, particularly, and @mo64. And with only 3 competitors atm, you're all podium!

17 and 19 are killing me. All I can think of is Lobby Loyde and Len Maddocks, but can't get the connection.

Single-figure gamers

1. 'Skinny mountain lakes' TONY BARNES (Bony tarns)     2. 'Heel, [censored]!'     3. 'Alley-boy band' WAYNE LAMB (Lane-WHAM!)    4. 'Hay, gathered by May'     5. 'Irritater in the coven?' MITCH WHITE (Witch mite)

Double-figure gamers

6. 'Batman's hit on creep'     7. 'Cask cutter' DARYL BOURKE (Barrel dirk)    8. 'Ms Burnett, getting more silly' DARYL CUMMING (Carol, dumbing)     9. 'Banjo-strummy strumpet?'     10. 'Get another gaoler?'     11. 'Lament blemish'     12. 'Fish provides extra strength' ROD KEOGH (Cod reo)     13. 'Grumbly Scottish icon'     14. 'Lacking reception?'     15. 'Greek's eighth of sixteen in chess' PETER THORNE (Theta pawn)     16. 'Cat-cleaner brand' DOM TYSON (Tom Dyson)

100 gamers

17. 'Lobby Grandad? Fine!'     18. 'Carpenter's joiner?' DARREN KOWAL (Karen dowel)   19. 'Cry to wicketkeeper Maddocks?'     20. 'Smash into little bits' JACK WATTS (Whack jots)     21. 'Tired and poor' (though the exact opposite) SEAN WIGHT, RIP (Worn sh**e)

200 gamer

22. 'Qualifying and grand final Saint hero' BRAD GREEN (Grad Breen)

More than half way there, folks. Any other combatants out there? And @mo64, it's a 'no' to Lobby Loyde but the Maddocks is Len!

Edited January 7, 20224 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

I reckon 17 is Paul Hopgood.

 

Just now, Demonstone said:

I reckon 17 is Paul Hopgood.

 

Indeed it is! Hall. Pop. (Good)

Are you there, @WalkingCivilWar?😉