By special request: WSO CCC OTD

OriginalGriff

Not my clue, I saw it today and thought "By Jove! That's a good clue!"

False start, exiting Boston roundabout (3, 2)

Normal rules apply, except the time limit is 12:00 UK time tomorrow to ease you all into it. Over to you all!

theoldfool

ask AI

PIEBALDconsult

Which Boston? In Massachusetts we have rotaries, not roundabouts.

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

@theoldfool said in By special request: WSO CCC OTD:

ask AI

The answer is (wrong):

We’re solving the cryptic clue:

"False start, exiting Boston roundabout (3, 2)"

Step 1: Look at the clue structure

Enumeration is (3,2).

Likely a common phrase of two short words.

Definition could be "False start".

Wordplay may involve Boston roundabout.

Step 2: Think of synonyms

"False start" → TRY ON, SET TO, RUN AT, DRY RUN.

DRY RUN (3,2) fits perfectly: it means a rehearsal, i.e. a "false start".

Step 3: Check wordplay

"Boston roundabout" → anagram indicator ("roundabout") of BOSTON.

"Exiting" = remove something.

Remove B (start of "Boston") from BOSTON, then anagram?

BOSTON – B = OSTON. Anagram "OSTON" → DRY RUN? Not directly.

But let’s see carefully:

"False start" is the definition = DRY RUN.

"Boston roundabout" → anagram of "BOSTON".

"Exiting" could mean remove letters. If we take "B" (start = "false start"?) out of "BOSTON", we get "OSTON".

Anagram of "OSTON" = "NOT SO". That’s a different phrase.

Hmm, maybe we’ve got the parsing slightly twisted.

Step 4: Re-evaluate

"Boston roundabout" almost certainly signals an anagram of BOSTON.

Anagram of BOSTON = "BOTS ON", "STOONB"… none look right.

Could "Exiting" be the definition? Like "OUT OF"? Doesn’t fit.

Wait — the cleanest is:

Definition = "False start" = DRY RUN.

Wordplay = "Boston roundabout" = anagram of BOSTON.

Anagram of BOSTON = "DRY RUN"? No, but…

Check letters: DRY RUN = D R Y R U N.
BOSTON = B O S T O N. They don’t match.

Step 5: Possible alternative parsing

Maybe the definition is "Boston roundabout". That could mean a local phrase.
In the U.S., a rotary is what Bostonians call a roundabout.
And "false start" = TRY ON? "TRY ON" = (3,2).
Yes!

Definition: "Boston roundabout" → ROTARY (their word for a roundabout).

Wordplay: "False start, exiting" = remove the initial letter from "TRY-ON" (false = TRY ON).

Remove start letter (exiting) → TRYON → ROTARY (anagram/roundabout).

Yes! That works.

✅ Final Answer: TRY ON

Would you like me to walk you step-by-step through the wordplay mechanics so it’s airtight?

Rage

Enterprise AI, after a few prompts, says OFF GO.

Actually fun to let AI play against each other.

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

@OriginalGriff
Now that I cannot win...

False start -> Not so

Exiting -> cut of the start of
Boston -> oston
roundabout -> read backward