Tuesday 19 March 2024

No 14126, Tuesday 19 Mar 2024, Afterdark

Solution to 1D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
1   Stenographer is tawdry, lacking substance with constant small talks primarily (6) TYPIST {Ta..rY}{PI}{S}{Ta..s}
4   Seek a point (6) ASPIRE {A}{SPIRE}
9   Press coverage ultimately was massive (4) HUGE {HUG}{c...gE}
10 Ancient Greek Engineer - his dream? Vacate Crete to rebuild (10) ARCHIMEDES {HIS+DREAM+CretE}*
11 Constant hail and rain at the borders leading to a tunnel (6) CAVERN {C}{AVE}{RaiN}
12 Rice came running for dessert (3,5) ICE CREAM*
13 Function outside college? Be sure really (9) SINCERELY {SIN{C}E}{RELY}
15 Tired judge and lawyer retiring to bed discarding first brief (5) JADED {J}{DA<=}{bED}
16 Clash in college union (5) CLINK {C}{LINK}
18 One very clueless, lacking line and class to pinch a type of figure (9) ISOSCELES {1}{SO}{CluELESs}*
22 Immature, green and soulless, partying behind university (8) UNDERAGE {GREEN+AnD}*<=>{U}
23 Indulge with commanding officer, guards and stranger (6) COSSET {CO}{SS}{ET}
25 Indian cricketers, say, use lobby in trouble (4,2,4) BOYS IN BLUE*
26 Aruna belligerently strangled the first victim (4) ABEL [T]
27 Leaders from Tamil Nadu irritated regarding antagonism, devolution, equality leading to outburst (6) TIRADE Acrostic
28 Withdraw ill-made decree (6) RECEDE*

DOWN
1   Tamil Nadu's basic problem is saving north Adyar inlet, one getting huge waves (7) T?U?A?I () 
2   Irritate Kamala Harris, say, on retirement before start of election (5) PEEVE {VEEP<=}{El...n}
3   Tool found at bridge near corner road (7) SPANNER {SPAN}{NE}{R}
5   Scrap metal one pushed forward (6) SLIVER S(-i)L(+i)IVER
6   Drunk with wines essentially, Brian & Ted are footloose (9) INEBRIATE {wINEs}{BRIAn}{TEd}
7   Lift given by new valet behind the last gate on East (7) ELEVATE {VALET}*<=>{gatE} on {E}
8   Small weaknesses lead to pains masking problem by scoundrels (8,5) ACHILLES HEELS {ACH{ILL}ES}{HEELS}
14 There's no answer to son of Cesar converting to a Catholic, say (9) CONFESSOR {SON+OF+CESaR}*
17 Rugby term coined by league in Spain revealed (4-3) LINE-OUT {L}{IN}{E}{OUT}
19 Release on screen (7) SECRETE [DD]
20 Once, say Centre often picked interpreter of scriptural text (7) EXEGETE {EX}{EG}{cEnTrE}
21 Be bold enough to capture North, some damage can be repaired (6) DARNED {DAR{N}E}{Da...e}
24 Fish found on coast (5) SKATE [DD]

Reference List
Constant = PI, Small = S, Constant = C, College = C, Judge = J, Line = L, Class = U, Guards = SS, Stranger = ET, Road = R, East = E, Answer = A, League = L, Spain = E, North = N

Monday 18 March 2024

No 14125, Monday 18 Mar 2024, Vidwan

Solution to 10A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.

Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
1   Might is right example of... (9,4) AUXILIARY VERB Definition by Example
10 Almost throw up, transfixed by party disturbances (2-3) T?-D?S (Addendum - TO-DOS {TO{DO}Ss} - See comments) 
11 Shaking a leg as in a state of painlessness (9) ANALGESIA*
12 Fanciful, light-hearted fellow with aura? Yes! (4-5) AIRY-FAIRY {AIRY}{F}{AIR}{Y}
13 Starts to elbow, jostle etc. vigorously, gets sack (5) EJECT {El..w}{Jo...e}{ETC*}
14 Good! Cochin made dumplings! (7) GNOCCHI {G}{COCHIN*}
16 Asylum built around small plant (7) ALYSSUM {ALY{S}SUM*}
18 Mark as 'dealt with reprimand' (4,3) TICK OFF [DD]
20 Slippery English priest engaging liberal Knight and Earl (3-4) EEL-LIKE {E}{EL{L}I}{K}{E}
22 A large gun causing scare (5) ALARM {A}{L}{ARM}
24 Ignorant royal having time at present to follow United Nations (9) UNKNOWING {K{NOW}ING}<=>{UN}
26 Appear in panic, sadly at the last moment of crisis (9) EMERGENCY {EMERGE}{iN}{p..iC}{s..lY}
27 A spot inhabited by number one fool (5) IDIOT {1}{D{1}OT}
28 Sing softly, quietly, again with robust sea giant (8,5) HUMPBACK WHALE {HUM}{P}{BACK}{W}{HALE}

DOWN
2   Blunder golfer cherishes for experience (7) UNDERGO [T]
3   Top of CIA's rendered by very nature of the deed (4,5) IPSO FACTO
4   This Arab model could be Qatari (5) IRAQI {IRAQI+T=QATARI} [CA]
5   Daydream about one finally becoming very useful for some purpose (5-4) READY-MADE {DAYDREAM+onE}*
6   Fuzzy due to very high fever (5) VAGUE {V}{AGUE}
7   Communists capturing diocese for sows again! (7) RESEEDS {RE{SEE}DS}
8   A fact - the grids can be blank! (8-5) STRAIGHT-FACED*
9   Bar might waste rum for some boxers (13) BANTAMWEIGHTS {BAN}{MIGHT+WASTE}
15 Impact - Church lost South Africa to disease (9) INFLUENZA INFLUEN(-ce+za)ZA
17 Cry over fancy kind of shade (9) YELLOWISH {YELL}{O}{WISH}
19 Country house gossip over Adam's ale (7) CHATEAU {CHAT}{EAU}
21 This cop could be politician first (7) INITIAL {INITIAL+COP=POLITICIAN} [CA]
23 Study gum? (3,2) MUG UP {GUM}* [RA]
25 Symmetrical vessel (5) KAYAK <=>

Reference List
Party = DO, Fellow = F, Aura = AIR, Yes = Y, Good = G, Small = S, English = E, Priest = ELI, Liberal = L, Knight = K< Earl = E, Large = L, Softly = P, With = W, Model = T, Very = V, Church = CE, South Africa = ZA, Over = O, Adam's ale = Water = EAU