[johnx2]

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

erm, quick draws was meant to be an answer. ah well, back to your clue (on which I'm stumped).

[superfurrymonkey]

I should come clean and say the answer to my clue does not really exist. The words though are real and I'm sure I've had clues of that nature, well almost sure. 

[grumpycrumpy]

I should come clean and say the answer to my clue does not really exist. The words though are real and I'm sure I've had clues of that nature, well almost sure. 

Eh ? ........

[johnx2]

I should come clean and say the answer to my clue does not really exist. The words though are real and I'm sure I've had clues of that nature, well almost sure. 

Eh ? ........

Protection you might find in your crack? 5,5

Deconstruction time…

Okay so I think this clue’s a pun: the answer will mean both “protection”, and also something “you might find in your crack”. Both have many synonyms and could relate to codes/hacking/climbing/contraception/whatever. Hence my first wrong answer of “Quick draws” (not really protection, not really two five-letter words, and only ‘draws’ might you find in your crack. But still I thought worth a try. Hey ho.)

So what if it’s not a pun? The definition has to be either “protection”, or “protection you might find”; or “crack”, or “find in your crack”.

What else is there to work with? Well “crack” could be an anagram signifier but where do we get ten workable letters?

Nope, nothing happening. 

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

I should come clean and say the answer to my clue does not really exist. The words though are real and I'm sure I've had clues of that nature, well almost sure. 

So. Give us some of the letters in the answer.

[Duma]

I should come clean and say the answer to my clue does not really exist. The words though are real and I'm sure I've had clues of that nature, well almost sure. 

What if the clue to the clue was a little cunning? - Green Alien? the piece of protection exists, but not the martian? not in a crack though - seems an unlikley solution.
Come on sfm, we need letters.

[SA Chris]

Small Alien?

[johnx2]

Small Alien?

It's protection Jim... 

But don't see the crack connection...

Ah fuck it, I'm feelin' cryptic, put it in a clue!

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

What we gonna do now?


Seriouisly, shall we let the first one along to suggest a clue with "Small Alien" and run with that?

[Duma]

I thought green alien was better. :sulk:





But yeah, we need to move on. Alternatively first person to do a new clue with "protection"?

[john horscroft]

I'm with Duma, so:

Green when oriental gnu mixes with Gore free alien  (7)

[johnx2]

No ingénue retreats when he can’t find this (3)


[Final edit. Highlights of previous versions include, on the basis you've got to have rules, that "green alien" shouldn't've been separated and that if not, and wrong answers are the way forward, then "Miller and Kane’s quick draw standoff? Lunchtime spliff over Otley. (5,5)" is still somewhere upthread  .]

[john horscroft]

Kinda thought it wouldn't take you long to knock that one off John   

[johnx2]

erm, yeah thanks, I think. You can see there were 30 minutes between posting and last edit, 30 hard minutes of . That's longer than I give the Guardian crossword on the train back to Ilkley. Not saying I finish it mind. (Got close today  as it goes, but that's Rufus.) 

[john horscroft]

...yep, bit of a Rufus fan myself.  At least I've got more chance of finishing that than bleedin' Araucaria.... 

[johnx2]

No ingénue retreats when he can’t find this (3)

Ah come on, it's three letters long which means that no more than 19,136 guesses are required.

I  could have said "backs off" or even "climbs down" rather than retreats...

[Falling Down]

I saw this one today and it made me laugh.

"Confused yarns about GI and Gee Gee reveal someone who knows how to score." (4-5)

[tommytwotone]

No ingénue retreats when he can’t find this (3)

Ah come on, it's three letters long which means that no more than 19,136 guesses are required.

I  could have said "backs off" or even "climbs down" rather than retreats...

Pro...?

[johnx2]

yep


It's a pun. No ingénue = definition, a 'pro' being the opposite of an 'ingénue', and I tend to retreat when I can't find it. Twice on Saturday as it goes I should stick to crosswords.

[tommytwotone]

Hmmm, solving clues is tricky, it would appear writing them's even harder!

Anyway:

Swimming pro takes a dip in French waterway and strangely ends up feeling worse for it! (7)

NB: I really hope this is OK - first one I've tried...feedback welcome.

[Duma]

I saw this one today and it made me laugh.

"Confused yarns about GI and Gee Gee reveal someone who knows how to score." (4-5)

 

[tommytwotone]

I saw this one today and it made me laugh.

"Confused yarns about GI and Gee Gee reveal someone who knows how to score." (4-5)

 

Nice - just got that one myself!

[tommytwotone]

OK - cleaned it up a bit in the light of non-response.

Pro swimming in French river isn't feeling any better...au contraire! (7)

[tommytwotone]

Right, so I'm assuming my clue writing isn't up to scratch!

I was aiming for...

Pro swimming (anagram of pro in) French river (Loire) = word meaning "isn't feeling any better" = Poorlier

[SA Chris]

I assumed the obvious one and was hammeirng the Seine route, and coming up with nothing.