2 - You ultimately will be in an enclosure exercising power (6) - R{U}{L}ING
7 - Animal spot (4) - COTE [E] (Correction after a second look - MOLE [DD])
9 - Glove needed in the tandoor (4) - OVEN [T]
10 - Pictures I shall use briefly for an artist on the rampage (13) - {ILL}{US(-e)}{TRATI{ON}S*}
12 - Not used up, you remain tidy with the headless men (7) - {U}{NEAT}{(-m)EN}
13 - Monk has developed his hub in Kolkata initially (7) - BHI{K}SHU*
15 - Alternate way, clear for the bush (4) - {A}{C}{E}{R}
17 - Father reading in the church may be thirsty (5) - {PA}{R}{CH}
18 - Reduce the colour in the best odd parts of the nerve centres (4) - {HU(-e)}{B}{S}
19 - It is mandatory to secure a job! (7) - BIODATA [CD]
21 - An abdominal hernia (7) - RUPTURE [E]
23 - Slightly annoyed by the fabric in front of the photograph of the ruler (6,7) - {COTTON} {PIC}{KING}
27 - Somehow stops dropping the loop to throw the rider off (4) - TOSS(-p)*
28 - Soon getting a point ahead (4) - {A}{N}{ON}
29 - Looks to be mostly happy over us (6) - {GLA(-d){RE}{S}
DOWN
1 - Animal is around to turn up the liquid (6) - LI{OT<-}ON ) ((Fixing a typo {L{OT<-}ION} )
2 - Peculiar red alarm is the same in the club (4,6) - REAL MADR*{ID}
3 - Topless, chic girl (4) - (-c)LASS
4 - Opponents arrive at a place not far away (4) - {N}{E}{AR}
5 - Princes’ sport (4) - POLO [E]
6 - Woman will note the handwriting on a vaccine (8) - {ME}{MS}{A}{HIB}
8 - Level the sports field (5) - PITCH [DD]
11 - Head teacher has a new notice put up in Virginia for an art form (7) - {T}{A}{N}{DA<-}{VA}
13 - Poet goes around with a bit of caution with one drink (7) - {B{A}{C}ARD}{I}
14 - Knight captures a quiet amateur in Syria scared by the members of the warrior class (10) - {K{SH}{AT}{RIYAS*} KT for Knight ?
16 - It may be the sound of angry heels! (4,4) - CLIP CLOP [E]
20 - Group of soldiers initially take Roman leaders to work (5) - {T}{RO}{OP}
22 - Convertible for a prince coming up holding designer toga (6) - R{AGTO*}P <- )
24 - Sat over with the king on an assignment (4) - {TAS<-}{K} )
25 - Draw load on the bridge (4) - PULL [DD] I suppose by Bridge NJ means PUSH-PULL Bridge and not the word PULL in Hindi which means Bridge!!
26 - Rope in the music ensemble of singers out in an hour (4) - C(-h)OIR
GRID
Hi all
ReplyDeleteA few of today's clues may have gone much above the heads of a good number of solvers. That includes me too.
Eagerly waiting to read the comments, which are likely to keep the column ticking till late evening.
Some nice clues, nevertheless.
Richard
Commenting on NJ's clues take up too much time and effort!!
ReplyDeleteTo set the ball rolling :)
ReplyDeleteGlove needed in the tandoor (4) - OVEN [T]
The clue should have conveyed 'Tandoor in glove needed', not the other way round.
Deepak, I really admire your patience and solving skills. It may have entailed the prowess found among the KSHA5TRIYAS and efforts needed in TANDAVA nritya.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Correction: KSHATRIYAS.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Thanks Richard,
ReplyDeleteHowever meeting the deadline in NJ's CW's are really a hair raising experience, I sometimes feel like I amd doing a TANDAVA !!
I should have said nail biting (sic) experience
ReplyDelete1D. Animal is around to turn up the liquid (6) LI{OT<-}ON
ReplyDeleteI guess it should be L{OT<-}ION.
Richard
Doesn't Mole fit better for 7A than Cote?
ReplyDeleteAnd also, can someone give a detailed anno for 6D?
Thanks
Richard, yes, I was all at sea today.
ReplyDelete6D let me try
ReplyDeleteMS for Woman
HIB for hepatitis vaccine HiB
Not sure where ME comes from.
@ Krishnan,
ReplyDeleteMy take:
Musical note: ME
Handwriting - short for manuscript: MS
A vaccine: A HIB (name of vaccine)
That makes woman - MEMSAHIB
Richard
Today's NJ is better than her usual ones. Maybe some reforming is taking place
ReplyDeleteRichard, thanks a lot.
ReplyDelete@ Krishnan
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that musical note is the third of the set 'Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si', the western equivalent of our own 'Sa-re-ga-ma...'. The more correct form is MI.
Richard
The musical note though it is spelt as MI sounds like ME
ReplyDeleteAfter 3 days on a roll just when I was getting the hang of it , I went for a" toss " today . Anyway after seeing all the comments I feel slightly better .
ReplyDelete1 D , I thought could be MOLTEN - same animal appearing again.
ACER was a toughie. But some good clues .- 23 D .
4D - are poles also referred to as opponents ?
Thanks
[fingers crossed] For an NJ, far few exasperating clues today [/]. Having said that,
ReplyDelete17D - Father reading in the church may be thirsty (5) - {PA}{R}{CH}
Shouldn't the answer be PARCHED ? 'thirsty' is an adjective. How do we fit a verb like PARCH for the answer ?
@Bhavan,
ReplyDeleteNJ has her own grammar book!!
@Usha,
ReplyDeleteThe opponents referred to in 4D are opponents in the game of Bridge where North(N) and South(S) are partners and East(E) and West(W) are the opposing set of partners, N and E therefore become opponents
NJ has the the most convoluted thinking and i am amazed how Col.gopinath could solve the complete puzzle in record time.hats off to you.
ReplyDeleteCol. If I may ask, how much time does an NJ CW take you?
ReplyDeleteDeepak
ReplyDeleteLogging in here after a long gap today. While on your TANDAVA-esque efforts in solving C/Ws like today's, I missed mentioning the GLARES from the MEMSAHIB, which you mentioned some days ago. It sparked off a vigorous exchange here, which almost threatened to break out into a gender war. Phew ! It was fun in any case. :)
Richard
@Suresh,
ReplyDeleteGenerally NJ takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours as a lot of internet searching has to be done to confirm if the answer is correct, in NJ and Manna's case I simultaneously work on the blog whereas in the case of the others I start on the blog after completing the CW. NJ and Manna I think are the only ones where on occasions I have left the CW with a couple of blanks
@Richard,
I can understand ... It nearly sparked off one here today as I was asked to shell a coconut in the midst of my struggle with NJ's CW
@Dr Pankajam,
Thank you.
Perhaps shelling the coconut was much easier and less frustrating than cracking the clues here. :)
ReplyDeleteRichard
Very true
ReplyDeleteas i said earlier hindu crosswords are a bit contrived and unnatural. today was a fine example.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what everyone is cribbing about. Honestly, this is the first NJ CW that I substantially solved and enjoyed too. As for the crazy clues, I generously gave them away to Colonel.
ReplyDeleteMy verdict is that, at last Niti Jagga bitidhare. I mean Nita Jaggi Jagga bitidhare!
@Colonel
ReplyDelete13 - Poet goes around with a bit of caution with one drink (7) - {B{A}{C}ARD}{I}
I thought it was {BA{CA}RD}{I}
Poet = BARD
Bit of caution = CA
One = I
@Colonel
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me how this happens?
29 - Looks to be mostly happy over us (6) - {GLA(-d){RE}{S}
@ Colonel. As I have said earlier you do take your 'job' seriously. Starting at 7am and working continuously on it is hard work. I take 1 1/2 to 2 hours too for NJ but I have no deadline so finish it with breaks by around 10 am or later if I get busy on something else
ReplyDeleteGlad to have found this site, this is fun! Thank u Col Gopinath. Sometimes, I wonder if the same compiler is masquerading under different names and enjoying these blogs.How would it be if he/she/they commented here?
ReplyDeleteI still think hindu crossword is a bit contrived inspite of all the excitement around me.
ReplyDeleteI generally do the crossword in the evening after my day's work as I have no time in the morning. I could do most of today's crossword except for GLARES and ACER and COIR.I do not have to wait for the morrow for the results after I discovered this site.Thanks Colonel.
ReplyDeleteWell done jaggu bhai. Today was a real toughie. You have come out with flying colours!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all for all the comments.
ReplyDelete@Suresh
29 - Looks to be mostly happy over us (6) - {GLA(-d)}{RE}{S}
Looks = Definition
to be mostly = Deletion indicator
happy = GLAD
to be mostly happy = GLA(-d)
over = RE
us = S (NJ special)
@Suresh,
ReplyDeleteRegarding the BACARDI well with NJ both may work
@Sumitra,
ReplyDeleteI have no problems if any of the compilers comment here, they are welcome to do so. In fact Neyartha does keep an eye when his CW appears. Sankalak did come in once.
NJ, if she is masquerading under an alias and commenting here, must be squirming under her collar with all the adverse flak that she gets
Colonel, congrats! You nailed NJ's first one in the series. It usually takes time to adapt to her convolutional thinking. I, for sure, struggled the transition from Gridman to NJ :-(
ReplyDeleteReg. 27A - How are 'p' and 'loop' related?
sumitra @vck, thought so too, 3 yrs ago- would avoid the main hindu crossword with its convoluted clues like the plague.Then, due to the persistent urging of a colleague, gave it a try, the result- irreversably hooked!Comments adding to the enjoyment!
ReplyDelete@Deepak
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. Wouldn't have managed to sleep without knowing that (s=us).
I was just posting a response to Suresh's query on 29Ac and then removed it as I saw the Col.'s response in the meantime. But on the NJ special, "us =s", wonder if it is as much an offender as some of the other NJ specials. I could actually find a reference for it in the Chamber's Dictionary as a common usage short form of us as in "Let's go".
ReplyDeleteColonel,
ReplyDeleteI think it is a good idea to maintain a list of commonly (or uncommonly, for eg. NJ) indicators and abbreviations in cryptic crosswords, as we find them in this blog. or is it too much to ask for?:-) I have a text file that I update with new found abbreviations and indicators, and I usually refer it for doing any crossword. I assume you don't need to refer for any abbreviations as you are a seasoned crossword solver, but do you ever had to maintain a list during your rookie days? if so, do you mind sharing it?
dear sumitra, i still maintain that indian express crossword is succinct and seamless than the verbal vomitus of hindu crossword.
ReplyDelete@Sembhayya,
ReplyDeleteI never maintained any lists, whatever I have is all in my head only :-)
Verbal vomitus? Strong words!
ReplyDeleteThe Hindu crossword that is published in the paper is in the public domain and is certainly open to comment and indeed criticism.
But any criticism must be constructive.
Shuchi sometimes criticises clues (like the hidden clue for OVEN today) and I sometimes do taht but we always say WHY we say the clue is unacceptable. That kind of critique is quite welcome but to dismiss someone's work in strong terms without adducing reasons is not in the right spirit.
Even accepting the strong words, if the commenter takes up every clue or even most of the clues and say why he thinks they deserve his description, why he considers them wrong or unacceptable, I will listen.
Deepak, please don't delete the comment; retain that as well as mine.
Well said Chaturvasi, I second your views
ReplyDeleteCol,
ReplyDeleteReg. 27A - How are 'p' and 'loop' related?
I'm posting this after knowing that you are still on line.
Thanks.
I agree too.
ReplyDeleteColonel,
Anno for 27A please! How are 'p' and 'loop' related? Is this another NJ special?
I mean to say: I also agree with Chaturvasi's comments in response to vck.
ReplyDeleteI think Sadaiyappan and I collided in the internet transmission, asking the same question :-)
17D - Father reading in the church may be thirsty (5) - {PA}{R}{CH}
ReplyDeleteShouldn't the answer be PARCHED ? 'thirsty' is an adjective. How do we fit a verb like PARCH for the answer ?
It works if the definition is taken as 'be thirsty' e.g. If the plant goes without water, it will 'be thirsty'/'parch'.
'in the' and 'may' are questionable, if so.
@Shuchi: Was one of the first ones I unhappily solved. I was thinking if the clue is better written as:
ReplyDelete17D - Father reading in the church may thirst (5)
At least this way the usage matches (to thirst : to parch) though admittedly, the comparison is quite poor.
A real toughie...but a good learning experience..Thanks for the explanations.
ReplyDeleteEagerly waiting for tomorrow's challenge
ReplyDelete@veer: be thirsty = PARCH is more devious, but absolutely fair. In a hard puzzle, the setter might prefer using 'be thirsty' over 'thirst'.
ReplyDeleteIf the clue could be re-written without 'in the' and 'may', now that would be an improvement.
@ Sadaiyappan
ReplyDeleteDraw a loop and it looks like a P. Like a tortoise coil or the flashback used in movies.
I hope this is the idea.
it indeed was a bit uncouth of me to have made such acerbic remarks; i tender my unconditional apololgies for the words used by me.
ReplyDelete