Guardian Prize Crossword Genius 200 Wednesday February 12Th 2020

[DaiLo]

Flummoxed on three.
10 and 12 ac, plus 2 dn
For 2 (What helps bowlers hit their mark?), words like LINE and BIAS have some connection, but hardly that sense of rightness a cryptic clue should give. Also PINS, the mark (thing aimed at) in tenpin.
As for the definition-free 10 and 12, utterly bamboozled — though others have obvs got it, I have no idea where to begin with 12 and nothing satisfyingly clear for 10. Some have said it seems bad practice to have the removed compass point clued separately in, eg DANES/DANS, but I think exactly the same is done with 'Home Counties' in 20. SO many unsatisfying things here. I hoped to see some sort of theme linking the across answers to justify them being undefined. Am I missing something obvious?
So that's 10 "... and awkward earl has another one" _ A _ _ (which could be another 'son' from the previous clue or a 'one' ... so anag ANDES ANDEI ANDEA or EARLS EARLA EARLI???)
and 12 "Joints of deer are articulated" D _ E _ , both with added compass point removed.
A hint at least anyone?

[JJ109]

12 is a sounds like "Doe Knees" = spelt Donees
Remove NE = Does

[JJ109]

10a and 2d are iffy at best
I have gone for Lars & Bias
but if you have other answers I wouldn't argue against you!

[DaiLo]

Doe knees! Oh good grief! The one meaning of articulated I hadn't thought of. And again DOES (some deer, some female deer), is inelegantly close to a definition anyway.
I've never struggled so much with a Genius before. Should be renamed the Effing Impossible ;)

[DaiLo]

I could make a case for DANES (and e s), but then DANS (levels in Japanese things)and DAES (does up here in Bonnie Scotland) are possible and thus ambiguous. So maybe LAR(E)S makes more sense.

[vesalius]

I think 12a is DOEK, a square of cloth worn on the head (Afrikaans).
Doe knees minus EES.
2d is infuriating because PINS and BIAS are equally valid.

[DaiLo]

Can't accept EES as a compass point. E, ESE, SE, SSE, S ... (me owd man were Navy and taught me the sequence every sailor had to recite). And the 'articulate' works as a 'sounds like'.
I don't feel I can enter now, having sought help, but I wouldn't be putting DOEK :)
Both BIAS and PINS make me think something's missing. But it could be a bad clue.
And I still seek a hidden message (like BORIS FAR QUEU) to give extra proof of the acrosses. I want too much, that's my trouble haha

[vesalius]

Good point DaiLo about 12a. I now think you are right. All the same the instruction clued in 19,13 is plural (pointS).

[DaiLo]

Well, every other answer seems to have a single point, cardinal or ordinal, removed, and I assume the plurality relates to the points of which there are one in every answer. But who knows how these setters' minds work? They are paid to be devious *** after all.
Good luck and happy confusion!