ACROSS
1 - String of words — not involving a rigorous stretch? (6,8) - SIMPLE SENTENCE [CD]
8 - One needing oxygen for the energy to cure the English bore beginning to extemporise (6) - {A}{EROB*}{E}
9 - Officer and worker accept award from resident (8) - {OC}{CUP}{ANT}
11 - Should a voter care, however, to show an exaggerated response? (9) - OVERREACT*
13 - Journalist, outwardly more than satisfied, is put to sleep (7) - {S{ED}ATED}
15 - Imitate and try to match a bird tardily (7) - {EMU}{LATE}
17 - The aloofness of a stand-by (7) - RESERVE [DD]
19 - Courageous, like Manekshaw perhaps (7) - BAHADUR [CD]
21 - If damp, it will be a disappointment (5) - SQUIB [CD]
23 - Draw attention to superior brightness (9) - {HIGH}{LIGHT}
25 - Expound notes by writer (8) - {DE}{SCRIBE}
26 - Position assumed when girl is ousted from intervening space (6) -
27 - The Marx Brothers at Mahalaxmi! (1,3,2,3,5) - A DAY AT THE RACES [CD]
DOWN
1 - Areas of darkness created by a daughter in public displays (7) - {SH{A}{D}OWS}
2 - Regret dropping note in a sort of code (5) -
4 - It could be black in a formal dinner (7) - NECKTIE [CD]
5 - Ladies' bags to suit English design (5) - ETUIS*
6 - Where clothes may go hang (4,5) - COAT STAND [CD]
7 - Workers' protest, a hit (6) - STRIKE [DD]
10 - Poet reportedly not admitted (4) - BARD(~barred)
14 - Deliberately concealed, or did I guess wrong? (9) - DISGUISED*
16 - To pad furniture hurts Pole badly (9) - UPHOLSTER*
17 - Stay and get note on team (6) - {RE}{SIDE}
18 - Public display of a piece of evidence (7) - EXHIBIT [DD]
19 - Sacks for silver in the outskirts of Bahamas (4) - {B{AG}S} I wonder if this blog's secretive Bahaman follower is still around?
20 - Contemptible people get time in rebuilt resort (7) - {ROT{T}ERS*}
22 - Rather foolish to leave weapon in empty buggy (5) - {B{ARM}
24 - Information one beginning to comprehend relating to a factor in heredity (5) - {GEN}{I}{C}
Hi friends:
ReplyDeleteNo grouses or grumbles today. One of the rarest days when most of the clues could be solved by surface reading. Google had a holiday today. Whichever were left in the end could be worked out with the help of crossings.
Some intelligent clues and anagrams.
AEROBE looked tough at first look, but melted at once. BAHADUR, DISGUISED, A DAY AT THE RACES, LIBERATOR etc. were gems.
Nice puzzle today. Like Richard said, most of the clues could be solved just by reading the surface.
ReplyDeleteLiked 23A and 10D a lot. Was clueless on 27A for some time, but crossings helped eventually.
19 - Sacks for silver in the outskirts of Bahamas (4) - {B{AG}S} I wonder if this blog's secretive Bahaman follower is still around?
ReplyDeleteYou had better watch out, Deepak. Since there is no response to your repeated requests, I have an apprehension that it could be a certain's country's espionage agency keeping track from a surveillance ship. ;-)
Must have been someone holidaying in the Bahamas, as the dot has stopped growing in size.
ReplyDeleteSrinivasaraghava has just revealed the identity of the two new THC setters on Orkut.
ReplyDeleteTo me, the only source of bemusement was 8A:
ReplyDelete8 One needing oxygen for the energy to cure the English bore beginning to extemporise (6)
which sounded laborious to read, and to be honest not very convincing to arrive at AEROBE.
Richard @ 8:45,
ReplyDeleteHe seems to be incorrigible, I deleted a similar post of his on my blog yesterday. On the ORKUT group he has done this despite the owner's (Chaturvasi) advisory against revealing names.
Richard @8.45 : I have mixed feelings about revealing others' identities.
ReplyDeleteI would think SPIFFYTRIX or CRYPTONYTE or any other setter for that matter would deem it fit to do so themselves in these forums.
AEROBE. Why A and what is it with the English?!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Deepak. If setters choose to go by pseudonyms, it's probably 'cause they wish to remain anonymous. I think this should be respected. And if the identity is revealed, it might put additional pressure on the setters to perform better. It could work both ways IMO.
ReplyDeleteBhavan @ 8:54,
ReplyDeleteThe very fact that someone is using a pseudonym is for the reason that they do not want their identity to be revealed. If they reveal it on their own it is a different issue, but doing so without their approval would be totally incorrect.
Suresh @ 8:59,
ReplyDeleteI think the 'A' is from Atomic Energy as regards the English I think it is there just for the surface.
@Suresh 8.59 : Ditto doubts.
ReplyDelete@Colonel 9.00 : True, and I agree.
Could this be a possible explanation for 8A?
ReplyDeleteOne needing oxygen for the energy - def = AEROBE
to - connector
cure the - anagram indicator
English bore = A bore - anagram fodder (English = Anglo)
beginning to extemporize = E
AEROBE
A could also be 'Helmholtz free energy', whatever that means It is represented by A. Look up Wiki if you are interested.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree that identities should not be revealed. It is an intrusion into their private space
ReplyDelete8 - One needing oxygen for the energy to cure the English bore beginning to extemporise (6) - {A
ReplyDeleteOne-A
needing oxygen for the energy - def = AEROBE
to - connector
cure the - anagram indicator
bore = A bore - anagram fodder
beginning to extemporize = E
I felt the English is reduntant ,here or if e is taken from English ,beginning to extemporise seems reduntant.
Dr Pankajam, I felt that one of the possible explanations could be
ReplyDelete(anagram fodder) English bore = A bore* = AEROB
English = Anglo = A
Just my explanation.
In your anno, clue word is between word plays. I think that's non-standard.
VJ @ 9:07,
ReplyDeleteYour anno seems to be the correct one
I do not think that A is a standard abbreviation for English. And this is Sankalak and not NJ. Something is wrong here or we are missing something
ReplyDeleteGood Morning all
ReplyDeleteColonel's headline said it all. A pleasant offering, absolutely no reference required. But I missed aerobe thoroughly.
Hi hari hope we got our acts right today...I am too concerned about the setters identity physically but on their clueing pattern only.
Hope the rhythm was not disturbed due to frequent change in the setters in the past week.
who is there tomorrow Gridman?
Good day
Mathu
I agree with Suresh's comments.
ReplyDeleteI had interpreted it this way:
Ad-lib (To engage in improvisation, as during delivery of a speech) is a synonym of "extemporise".
A comes from the beginning of ad-lib.
"To cure" is anagram indicator.
(E(nglish)+BORE+A)* = AEROBE - One needing oxygen for the energy (Defn)
I think there is an error in the clueing, which happens occasionally with even the best of setters
ReplyDeleteI too feel there's something odd.
ReplyDeletein your anno, clue word is between word plays. I think that's non-standard.
ReplyDeleteagreed and thanks VJ .All of us feel something odd about this and probably we need Sankalak to explain.
YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy first complete CW!! That too without references (except a couple of confirmations)! That too in just about 35 mins flat!! Wooohoooo!!!
Can u guess that I'm stoked?! hehe. To celebrate, I shelled a pomegranate, and am enjoying the "fruits of my labor" as I type this.
@Mathu 10:03 - You said it! :) Got the whole grid w/o errors for the first time.
@Richard 8:30 & VJ 8:36 - Agree w/ ur assessments totally.
@Sankalak - THANK YOU! ... for not trying to be overly tricky and giving us amateurs a chance to feel good about ourselves! :-)
@ Col: Actually took the time to enjoy the cartoons and additional info provided (Mahalaxmi Racecourse! never knew..). The cartoons were hilarious, especially the OVERREACT one! Btw, the DISGUISE toon didn't show up for some reason. The text is there, but no image...
ReplyDeleteThx to all for helping me achieve my milestone. :-)
Cheers!
@ Gita: Thanks for the WP article link yesterday. Great read. :)
ReplyDeleteHari,
ReplyDeleteCongrats.
If the disguise cartoon link doesnt work, here it is again
http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/cga/lowres/cgan644l.jpg
Hari, well done!!! It's just the beginning :)
ReplyDeleteIt must feel great Hari. Now you will start doing it everyday almost.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deepak, VJ, Suresh. It does feel great! Can't believe how long it took from "almost-complete" to complete! haha.
ReplyDelete@ Suresh: Might be wishful thinking, but am sure as hell gonna try! :)
@ Col: got the toon now. funny! :)
ReplyDeleteNo Hari I am serious. The first time is the most difficult
ReplyDeletecongrats hari
ReplyDeletecan anyone please congratulate me for leaving just two unfulfilled as like my thirst for solving the whole grid? Just for fun. I am happy the way i am and looking forward for a joy of elation one day...
I must thank all the veterans of this blog for my "marked" improvement in solving and in responding. by the way in my earlier post i typed as i am TOO concerned instead of I M NOT TOO CONCERNED. SORRY FOR THE TYPO
GOOD DAY
Mathu
VJ
ReplyDelete11A Cartoon:How is it? (in Rajni style?)
Hari & Mathu : great going... I am yet to catch up, though I fared well today.
I've always enjoyed Sankalak.
@ Dr D Srinivasan
ReplyDeleteThanks
Super (When it is rajni Super is inevitable atleast in tamilnadu )
All the best and like to have you too.
Mathu
Dr DS, it was funny.
ReplyDeleteMadhu, well done!!! It's just a matter of time and practice you know.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's more about loving what I do, than completing the crossword. If it eventually happens, awesome, otherwise I'd just revel in the fact that I've tried and learned something new.
Well said VJ
ReplyDeleteIt gives us a sense of elation when we get the right word and solve a part of the grid. on a lighter side it would not even match the feeling we have (atleast i have) at the time of our appraisals and increments.
Open heart i am telling you till the time i visit this blog i am not aware of the annos involved in each and every clue. i just have thesaurus for some sort of help. But deciphering the clue....no way...Thanks to Shuchi's blog i pass muster now a days.
the best thing is i have a chance to interact with people like Richard (Opulent Asst regional director), Colonel, Hari, Shuchi and other fellow bloggers which i value a lot.
happy to be a part of this blog.
mathu
From pass muster to past master is a short stop Mathu
ReplyDeleteCongrats Mathu! :)
ReplyDeleteClearly, you are just a short stop away! :)
Dr. DS 'n Suresh: Thanks!!
Like the Emperor in Amadeus says: too many notes.
ReplyDeleteHi Col sir,
ReplyDeleteI have been off crosswords,other leisure activities and life in general for the last one month or so due to other commitments at work. It seems I ve been rather unfortunate to miss a lot of interesting things that have been happening on THC/your blog during my absence :( Just now read the posts and comments of the last three days, sure made for interesting reading( have there been other new setters I missed in the interim?) or are Spiffytrix and Cryptonyte the only ones? If there were others I missed out, would you please let me know the dates of the same.
Hi Anish,
ReplyDeleteSpiffytrix and Cryptonyte are the only new setters. Spiffytrix was there for two days and Cryptonyte for one. Don't know if anyone's quota is going to be reduced or whether the rest will have the same.
Mathu 15:49
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sentiments. For my part, I would say that although I started following this blog from June 2009, I mustered courage to take part here only after Aug '09. I would give full credit to this forum if I have regained my skill in solving after years.
Suresh/VJ,
ReplyDeleteYou still seem to persist with your view on there being a mistake, even after my clarification on the Anno for AEROBE at 10:09.
[i]English - E
beginning of ad-lib (extemporise) - A
To cure - anagram indicator.
(E+BORE+A)* = AEROBE - One needing oxygen for the energy (Defn)[/i]
Venkatesh,
ReplyDeleteYou are not Sankalak, you have your views others have theirs, so don't try to force your views done someone else's throat.
I also do not agree with your annotation.
Venkatesh A is not a normal abbreviation for ad lib just as it isn't for 'English'
ReplyDeleteIf you can prove this I willaccept
It is not even in NJ's infamous list
ReplyDeleteUnless Sankalak drops in or someone else (personally expecting CVasi or Shuchi) has a different explanation, AEROBE isn't going to be allowed to breathe easy !
ReplyDeleteAdding myself to the dissatisfied list.
In the explanation by Venkatesh, we have to consider the first letter of a synonym of the word offered in the clue. Is that an accepted/normal practice? Can't recall if I ever came across clues like that before.
I think Sankalak/ R had once come over here and apologized for wrong cluing. If I remember right, he's even given his annos a couple of time. I wonder why he hasn't done it this time around. Are we really missing something? But I seriously doubt that.
ReplyDelete