[johnx2]

The clue's great. Though the only answer I can see so far is 15 letters long, albeit I can't source the first part of the word so it must be wrong I guess...

[nik at work]

Definitely 13.

[nik at work]

Johnny Dawes theory of the leftward drop of strangely shaped balls should one lose an electron (13)

Perhaps better written as:
Johnny Dawes theory of how strangely shaped balls drop left should one lose an electron (13)

or indeed:
Johnny Dawes theory of how different shaped balls drop left should one lose an electron (13)

Sorry for tweaking.

[nik at work]

OK so I seem to have killed the thread. Clue time.
The word is a "Johnny Dawes theory", it may not technically be an actual word in the dictionary type word but it is certainly a word I've heard several times. That may break the rules of crypticosity but the rest of the clue gives you the word pretty much letter by letter.

[johnx2]

Okay this is how I tried and failed to find a solution...

Different shaped balls drop left = anag of bal; (anag of ballsdropleft seems unlikely)

Lose an electron = cation (taking an ‘e’ out of ballsdropleft seems unlikely)

Johnny Dawes theory = was always clearly the deffn.

(The lack of an apostrophe implies it’s a theory about Johnny Dawes rather than a theory he propounds. But I’d assumed this was just an error - ooooh! Handbag smiley.)

 Which made me think of panthers, senna, declumsification and mad shit. But the ‘bal’ makes me think of balance, or baloney. Non the bleedin’ wiser.

[nik at work]

You're getting there, balls drop left leaves bals not bal to be anagramised

cation is spot on

"should one" gives the missing three letters.

so you have:

anag of bals + "should one" three letters + cation

(sorry about the missing apostrophe)

[SA Chris]

In spite of the



I still can't get it.

[nik at work]

I'll come back with more this afternoon if it's still unsolved.

[johnx2]

what does it rhyme with?

[GCW]

-ation, one would expect.

[nik at work]

I'm guessing it's the should one bit that is causing the trouble as I can't imagine if you had that you'd struggle to at least make a reasonable stab at the answer.

"Should one" could be rewritten as another two word phrase using three letters

"Should x=y, then..." could be written as "???? x=y, then..."
"One likes chips" could be written as "???? like chips"

Johnny Dawes has a theory where you use your momentum to make steep ground feel less steep thus improving poor holds.

An anagram of bals + two-words-three-letters that can have the same meaning as "should one" + cation

Would rhyme with "All in one nation".

If nobody can get this now then either you're all a bit rubbish or I'm shit (it's probably me that's shit isn't it?).

[GCW]

But surely everyone likes chips?

[SA Chris]

I've got it, but fooked if I can think of a clue.

[johnx2]

I'm still stuck on what you might call the JD theory of how sitting in front of the telly eating lots of chips, drinking beer and smoking fags helps you put on a couple of stone ala wayne and waynetta...

[dakdak]

You're getting there, balls drop left leaves bals not bal to be anagramised

cation is spot on

"should one" gives the missing three letters.

so you have:

anag of bals + "should one" three letters + cation

(sorry about the missing apostrophe)

YES! First time I've ever solved a cryptic crossword clue.
Also first time I've written one, sorry if it's shit:

Slabification avoids lady of the night to end detection (10)

[Duma]

No offence, but I'm not sure it counted as cryptic by that stage of spoonfeeding. Effort coming up with a clue using it though.

[johnx2]

...there's loads of ways you could clue it. Top of the head you could do: slabification’s one, a term for the messy consequences of the Matrix’s protagonist’s love of a tree trunk would be another. (9) (neologism, ha ha )

I can't see how the current clue works but then as demonstrated above, I'm slo.

[dakdak]

Is it clue time?

[johnx2]

Yes please

[dakdak]

Slabification avoids lady of the night to end detection (10)

"Slabification avoids" is the definition
"lady of the night" and "to end detection" make up the other bit that gives you the word...

The definition's not very good really but hopefully the other bits give the word without tooo much trouble

[superfurrymonkey]

Not sure if this is right "Protection"?

Protection you might find in your crack? 5,5

[johnx2]

Dunno if this is right. Dunno if this clue could be any easier...


Miller and Kane’s quick draw standoff? Lunchtime spliff over Otley. (5,5)

[johnx2]

@dakdak - good and fair clue btw

...anyone still reading this thread and want a clue? 

[superfurrymonkey]

Is quick draw the answer to my clue? Because if it is it aint right!

[Duma]

I was assuming it was quick draw s?