guess the Lemmings level game

[ccexplore]

Don't worry about killing the thread, that's why I have the 24-hour rule as mentioned on the first post.  However, it looks like either most of everyone have been too nice to invoke it, or have too many other things going on this weekend to bother.

The forum has a pretty poor track record so far with cryptic-style clues, and yours appear to be the most complex of such clues to date.  If I have time later I will try to work on it and see if I'm able to come up with anything (like I surprisingly did last time with Proxima's).

[Clam]

Hmmm, I hope I'm not killing this thread.  A clue to my riddle... it takes a bit of engineering knowledge to get the first part, so what might 'four strokes' refer to?

Sounds like an engine then. In which case, the closest thing I can think of is The Crankshaft. If that's right though, you're going to have to explain to me how the rest of the clue fits

[Crane]

"The Crankshaft" is the correct answer.

"Under four strokes I am whole, but broken with a sharp turn into a vent."

- Well, a crankshaft is driven by a four-stroke piston engine, hence the first part of the clue.
- If broken... break the word up... you have a sharp turn - a crank (like when you crank someone's neck) - into a vent - a shaft - hence crank + shaft = crankshaft.

[Clam]

All right, that works I guess. Next clue:

T
E
G
O
T
E
M
I
T

[Crane]

Time to get up.

[Clam]

yes (I get the feeling these kinds of clues don't work with such a limited pool of possible answers...)

[Crane]

Sometimes they do.  With cryptic clues, sometimes you get them immediately, and other times it just eludes you.

Here's my next one:

Awful acne, perverse tenacity.

[ccexplore]

Hmm, probably wrong but I'll guess "They Just Keep on Coming", as it can (in a somewhat loose sense) describe both parts of the clue depending on what "they" are.

[Crane]

Haha, I like your logic there!  Unfortunately, it is not the correct answer.

[Minim]

I'll guess "Hunt the Nessy". I'm not sure about the awful acne, but by taking a look at the dictionary definition for the last two words would mean if they come together "deliberately doing something unacceptable to something that it not easy to wear down" and I think "Hunt the Nessy" meets the description perfectly.

[Crane]

Nice thought process, but not correct I'm afraid.

[Proxima]

Perseverance: it's an anagram of "acne, perverse"; "awful" is the anagram indicator and "tenacity" is the definition.

Next clue: A very brief radio show?

[Crane]

Good job Proxima - spot on!  For your clue, I will have a guess at: "Heaven can wait (we hope!!!!)"

[ccexplore]

Perseverance: it's an anagram of "acne, perverse"; "awful" is the anagram indicator and "tenacity" is the definition.

Hmm, I must admit the first word that pops into my head when I saw "perverse" in the clue is perseverance just merely to the similarity in spelling alone (didn't notice acne though), but it was also already used a few clues before, another cryptic one by Proxima no less, so I was thinking surely it couldn't be just that?

[Crane]

I probably did post that one sooner than I should have done, so apologies for that.  I did think up the clue about a week ago, but was waiting for the current clue to be answered, and unfortunately that turned out to be Perseverance too - I was gutted!