Tuesday 25 May 2010

No 9851, Tuesday 25 May 10, M Manna

ACROSS
1   - A company unreasonably circumscribed by design (7) - {PLA{TOO}N} How can a Platoon be a Company, it is a sub-division of a company?
5   - Vocal disapproval from Tom or Kitty (7) - {CAT}{CALL}
10 - Tyrant was fortunately posted abroad (6) - DESPOT*
11 - Rush off from the violent youngster (8) - {TEAR}{AWAY}
12 - Animal demolished the fibre of the abaca plant (6) - MANILA*
13 - Country achieving equality in a pronounced way (8) - THAILAND Anno pending (Addendum - (~tie){THAI}{LAND} - Thanks to Maddy)
14 - Attended, getting the two ten out (4,2) - WENT TO*
15 - Hot move by sailors to make points (6) - {THO*}{RNS}
18 - It may assist the arrest of bleeding (6) - STASIS [CD]
20 - A sailor is given a mark (6) - {TAR}{GET} Given and get ?
23 - The rat taking a delivery scoffed (8) - APOSTATE Anno pending(Addendum - {A}{POST}{ATE} - Thanks to Richard)
25 - Tries a form of literary persiflage (6) - SATIRE*
26 - The container, a tin, tries to open (8) - {CAN}{ISTER*}
27 - To rush about the Home Counties can be a problem (6) - {TEA{SE}R}
28 - Hanging makes little impression on writer (7) - {PEN}{DENT}
29 - Rent-a-party storm (7) - {TORN}{A}{DO}
DOWN
2   - Make room to manoeuvre (6) - LEEWAY [CD]
3   - Will they entertain on only the best ships? (3,6) - {TOP} {LINERS} [CD]
4   - Survive to the tenth wicket perhaps (7) - {OUT}{LAST
6   - A hold-up a worker finds very hard (7) - {A}{DAM}{ANT}
7   - Method of progress that is faster in water than on land (5) - CRAWL [CD]

8   - Discovering that a listing is about right (8) - {LEA{R}NING}
9   - Modern painting's condition (5,2,3,3) - STATE OF THE ART [DD]
16 - Prepare excessively for performance of extra coach (9) - {OVER}{TRAIN}
17 - Sorting post, a boy can cause a hold-up (8) - {STOP*}{PAGE}
19 - Extremely tough fight to get a bronze (7) - {SPAR}{TAN}
21 - Teacher turning up with man leaving seat for food (7) - {RIS<-}{OTTOman}
22 - "A companion of the devil” is about right (6) - {F{R}IEND} Nice clue
24 - Watched to collect information (5) - SPIED [CD]

17 comments:

  1. Good morning everyone

    The puzzle appeared tough at first look. But the clues 'melted' one by one, esp., with crossings.

    Liked the clues for APOSTATE, CANISTER, TORNADO, FRIENDS and a few others.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 23A - The rat taking a delivery scoffed (8) - APOSTATE Anno pending

    A delivery - A POST
    scoffed - ATE ('scoff' is another word for 'eat')
    = APOSTATE, a deserter, rat

    ReplyDelete
  3. Enjoyed STATIS, CANISTER, STOPPAGE, TORNADO, THORNS, ADAMANT, STATE OF THE ART and OUTLAST

    MERGANSER had come in Sunday’s CW as 2d - Misguided rangers coming after me, a fish-eating duck. It had also come in Saturday Bangalore ET 4343 as 4d ‘Nothing wrong with unusual German service that gets the bird‘ with the anno: German ser(-vice)*

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  4. 13 - Country achieving equality in a pronounced way (8) - THAILAND Anno pending

    Could it be
    achieving - Land
    Equality - Tie

    Hence homophone(in a pronounced way) of Tie+Land

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1a As the Col rightly knows, a platoon is usually around 30+ men (3 sections plus bosses) whereas a company is around a 100 men (3 platoons +bosses), so one third of a company would be a better definition.

    20a If we are given one thing, we get it. Get it? (pun intended)

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  6. 837 typo STASIS

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  7. Nice pun used at a few places - list and lean (8D, train and coach (16D - here of course, courtesy English language. A rare word. They mean almost the same, both in teaching and railways).

    But, of course, Deepak, I have the same reservations about 1A and 20A. Besides, I took THAILAND (13A) with the help of the crossings. Can't figure out anno.

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  8. @Kishore,

    Though you feel you have given it, I still don't get it!

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  9. When I posted my comment @ 8:47 I hadn't refreshed the page and hence missed Maddy's 8:41 post. His anno on THAILAND fits perfectly.

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  10. 18 A - It may assist the arrest of bleeding (6) - STASIS [CD]

    STASIS is anagram of ASSIST

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  11. Good one Svemuri, I didn't notice it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Re Jeffrey Archer clue:
    Gathering of those in favour of buccaneering (10)

    Giridhar answered CONSPIRACY correctly. The anno is interesting:

    Clue=Gathering of those against anti bucaneering (for=against anti)
    =Gathering of those against//anti bucaneering
    =conspiracy//cons-piracy

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  13. @ Col 856: It is twice blest:
    It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

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  14. Interesting explanation, but I don't see why it cannot work as a standard cryptic definition.

    Conspiracy: Group of conspirators = Group conspiring to engage in a shady activity (here, which happens to be buccaneering) IOW "Gathering of those in favor of buccaneering."

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  15. Kishore,

    I went to the answer from buccaneering = piracy, gathering = some kind of meeting, 10 letters, and then jumped on 'Conspiracy'. I was not sure and hence the question mark at the end. I was not convinced conspiracy(more a meeting of minds) could stand in for a gathering. So no points here for me. This is the first time I am coming across a double negative in the clue.

    ReplyDelete
  16. @ Giridhar: Full marks to you. In fact, the further twist is that the book is a conspiracy. So the author is laughing in his sleeve(s) when giving us this clue. Many such hidden stuff in other books too. For eg: In EGB

    @VJ: Agree with you, but more fun in the convoluted method :-)

    ReplyDelete

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