Sunday 24 January 2010

No 2569, Sunday 24 Jan 10

The ususl gaffe in numbering, todays should have been 2568!! Quite a straightforward one today for a Sunday CW.
ACROSS
1 - Lighten a wicked vile tale (9) – {A}LLEVIATE*
6 - Put a price on a rib (5) – {COST}{A}
9 - To walk or run away is acceptable (3,2) – {LEG} {IT}
10 - Braggart in flash trap (9) – {LOUD}{MOUTH}
11 - Friend goes with many a sailor (7) – {MATE}{LOT}
12 - A command to break old man's kneecap (7) – P{A}{TELL}A
13,15 - Undertake a task till . . .? (3,4,4,2,3,6) – PUT ONES HAND TO THE PLOUGH
19 - Went by, pleased for a change (7) – ELAPSED*
21 - Errand boy collecting wicked loot (7) – P{ILL}AGE
22 - Gad about with suitor round centre of St Ives? (9) – GALL{IV}ANT
23 - Toddler, alone, hasn't one that's full (5) – {TOT}{AL(-one)}
24 - Girl from Brentford or Isleworth (5) – DORIS [T]
25 - Look at key in surprise (3-6) – {EYE} {OPENER}
DOWN
1 - Ardent Liberal fuelling a reputation (6) – {A}{F{L}AME}
2 - Start smoking in open view at college (5,2) – {LIGHT} {UP}
3 - Quantitative data Miss World will have supplied? (5,10) – VITAL STATISTICS [CD]
4 - Suddenly everyone's in agreement, including Conservative's leader (3,2,4) – ALL AT ON{C}E
5 - Provide witty remark after end of joke (5) – {E}{QUIP}
6 - A period required after to reach end (4,2,1,4,4) – {COME TO} {A} {FULL STOP}
7 - Filthy group of soldiers briefly given cover (7) – {SQUA(-d)}{LID}
8 - Religious retreat in wood run by a spymaster (6) – {ASH}{R}{A}{M}
14 - Sailor about to collect special gunpowder ingredient (9) – {SALT}{PET}{RE}
15 - Creeping plant in home on wheels (7) – TRAILER [DD]
16 - A number, following try, cheer (7) – {HEAR}{TEN}
17 - Bishop, encouraged, asked for money (6) – {B}{EGGED}
18 - One who instructs cashier (6) – TELLER [DD]
20 - Elizabethan sailor died a dissolute man (5) – {D}{RAKE}



GRID

15 comments:

  1. No questions?
    No "Anno pending"?
    No blanks?

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is why I have mentioned that today's CW is quite a straightforward one, especially so because of the lack of names, english towns, plays, movies etc etc

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good morning, everyone.

    Col, all the above apart, it's just amazing how you manage to crack everything by deadline. Some of today's clues, esp., the long phrases, were not that easy, to be honest.

    Hats off to you.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  4. Richard

    How many hats do you wear at a time?

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Richard,
    If you notice, today's CW has very few CD's and DD's 4 in fact out of the 27 clues, I enjoy such CW's. The long phrases become easy when you have the crossings.

    ReplyDelete
  6. In 6d, 'reach end' is the def. (as required by wordplay)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Deepak
    Sorry. I made the above comment on the spur of a moment but am now having second thoughts.
    Yet to reach pucca conclusion.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Deepak - 9A the definition is 'to walk' since the answer is two words "leg it". Acceptable is Legit which is what the answer reads when put in the grid.
    6D - Chaturvasi is right. The def. is 'reach end'

    ReplyDelete
  9. My Take on

    6 - A period required after to reach end (4,2,1,4,4)

    A = A
    period = FULL STOP
    required after = position indicator
    to reach = COME TO
    end = Definition = COME TO A FULL STOP

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Vikram
    Agreed on 9A but the definition would be 'To walk or run away' and not just 'To walk'

    My take on 6D is different as shown above

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  11. I was away for lunch with a bunch of wellknown Tamil writers.
    Earlier I didn't have time to reconsider the anno for 6d.
    Deepak, you're right.
    'end' is noun in surface reading but verb as def for word reqd.

    ReplyDelete
  12. @ Chaturvasi

    Re: hats

    I keep enough of spare hats to give credit when it is due.

    This is a secret I am sharing only with you. Please keep it under your hat.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  13. @Richard,
    I think Chaturvasi is hinting at the apostrophe? Am I right? Grammar is my weak point. Should it be Hat's off or Hats off?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Quite likely, Colonel. Chats is known to come out with wit and witticisms at the drop of a hat and also for one-liners.

    I should have said 'My hat's off to you'. Just a slip of the tongue...er..key...


    Richard

    ReplyDelete

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