Tuesday 2 November 2010

No 9989, Tuesday 02 Nov 10, Sankalak

ACROSS
1   - Too good to be criticised (5,8) - ABOVE REPROACH [CD]
10 - Figure reduced in a stroke at Eden Gardens (6,3) - {SQUARE} {CUT}
11 - Did Rajaji have five shillings? (5) - {CR}{OWN}
12 - A barrier ending with advantage (5) - {H}{EDGE}
13 - A desire on the silver screen for public transport (9) - STREETCAR [CD]
14 - Hastings in an underground labyrinth (6) - WARREN [DD]
16 - An adhesive with which to insert text on the screen (5) - PASTE [DD] From 'Cut & Paste'
19 - In a mine it has changed by twelve inches (5) - {SHA*}{FT}
20 - Staff escorts artist returning from conditional liberty (6) - {P{AR<-}OLE}
25 - A star showing rapidity of thought about musical key (9) - {CELE{B}RITY}
26 - They are not genuine (5) - FAKES [E]
27 - For insurers, it is permitted (5) - {LIC}{IT}
28 - Power of the grey cells (9) - INTELLECT [CD]
29 - Elements not favourable, yet earthworms dance (6,7) - STORMY WEATHER* Reminds me of a limerick from school 'There was a man from Madras, Whose ............"
DOWN
2   - The limit batsmen love to go over (8) - BOUNDARY [DD]
3   - Liveliness shown in victory, ever changing (5) - {V}{ERVE*}
4   - A break from silly secrets with time lost (6) - RECESSt*
5   - It takes a saint to criticise a boyish man (5,3) - {PETER} {PAN}
6   - Group of players roar wildly around a box (9) - {OR{CHEST}RA*}
7   - Option for the semi-rich, beginning to order diamonds (6) - {riCH}{O}{ICE}
8   - Directions to bite or abstain (6) - {ES}{CHEW}
9   - Inhale drug of a type containing nitrogen (5) - {S{N}ORT}


15 - He likes to display what he has (9) - EXHIBITOR [CD]
17 - A liking for preparing tiffin in extremes of adversity (8) - {A{FFINIT*}Y}
18 - Call for attention, misusing reel and hook (4,4) - LOOK HERE*
21 - German imitation (6) - ERSATZ [E]
22 - Cook, just short of boiling, to confine calories contained in hollow seed (5) - {Se{CAL}eD}
23 - Note of assent on the spot, before time (6) - {PLACE}{T} New word for me
24 - Harry Potter's moaning ghost, evergreen (6) - MYRTLE [DD]
26 - Some French meat which I felt was wrong (5) - FILET*

67 comments:

  1. Hi folks

    An enjoyable puzzle. ABOVE REPROACH, SQUARE CUT, STREETCAR, SHAFT, CELEBRITY, STORMY WEATHER (What an anagram!), PETER PAN, LOOK HERE, AFFINITY were all well clued.

    15D - Perhaps EXHIBITER is allowed. But EXHIBITOR is more common a spelling, according my observation.

    Many evergreens like MYRTLE appear to have cropped up during the past few days.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi
    Had to confirm PLACET by looking it up. Reminded of ‘A Streetcar named Desire’. ERSATZ, FAKES, EXHIBITOR and SQUARE CUT made me check out whether it was a (PETER) PANgram, but thought only Juliet was absent. Did anyone find her ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Deepak, cartoon link for 9a gives a Copyright message.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Deepak
    I know a limerick that starts: "There was a woman from Madras"
    I won't classify it as vulgar.
    You can guess the rhyme used in the second line.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ICW: Write a cryptic clue for ERSATZ.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 11A - As I mentioned here a few months ago, I am a great admirer of the late CR - Bharat Ratna Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, who was one of the greatest statesmen India has produced.

    The policies of the Swatantra Party which he founded were being dubbed as pro-rich and capitalistic during those days. Ironically, the same policies are being pursued by the Government of India (NDA regime included) since the 1990s. The story of modern India would have been different if they were to be adopted during CR's time.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kishore,
    The copyright message is in the cartoon. I have not used the cartoon but only provided a link to it. It's like the link they have provided for any search engine to find it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 11a Vic and her crown reminded me of Kipling Poem where I was once told that the reference to 'a person small' was probably a ref to the said queen and her diminutive height.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A neat puzzle.

    Some new words and usages - ERSATZ, MYRTLE, PLACET, WARREN.

    Liked SNORT the best.

    For a long time, I was wondering why CR = Rajaji. Need google's help. It's a shame really.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Paper tigers at zoos would make a poor substitution (6)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree, Deepak, that you have done the correct thing as you have been in the past, but when I clicked it, I got a screen (not the cartoon) which said:
    "Someone tried to hotlink a copyrighted cartoon without permission....."
    i.e. it objected even to hotlinking.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The traces when mixed with Zinc instead of Carbon produced a foreign imitation.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Satya
    Great!
    But where is the ind. that it is a T clue?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Deepak
    You're influenced too much by a certain setter.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kishore,
    The link works for me. In case you still dont get it use the following to see it http://www.offthemarkcartoons.com/cartoons/2001-06-05.gif

    ReplyDelete
  16. Tears off the last letter. It's a fake (6)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I too am susceptible to influence:

    Leaders of earlier regime shone at the zenith, getting artificial matter (7)

    ReplyDelete
  18. "Umm.., a planet without vessel", Zacharias intially said, in replacement.

    ReplyDelete
  19. VJ:
    Yours is better than what Gridman had once:
    Substitute sheds tears on receiving the last letter (6)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yes, Deepak, I did use the link provided. Just wanted to tell you what popped up. I don't know if others got the same message.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Richard and Kishore
    Good ones.
    I am really glad to know that there is so much clue-writing talent here!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks, Chaturvasi, competition could be healthy.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I liked Satya's clue best. Though ers-at-z begged panthers, tigers, badgers, and the like at zoo, paper tigers matched the ersatz concept wonderfully.

    ReplyDelete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. To cure the problem pointed out by CV in Satya's clue, maybe it can start with "Hidden", but the concept makes me overlook the issue.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Another tearjerker

    Tears tears.Conclusion is unreal (6)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yesterday I attended the event in which The Hindu Best Fiction 2010 was presented. The recipient's acceptance speech was superb and had the audience laughing.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Typo: The number of letters mentioned in the clue in my 08:51 post should be (6).

    ReplyDelete
  29. The artist mixed citrus peel to create imitations

    ReplyDelete
  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Typo: The number of letters mentioned in the clue in my 08:51 post should be (6)

    Which gives me a handle for my post:

    http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2010/11/so-slips-might-not-show.html

    ReplyDelete
  32. Initially backward zombies take any silly rotten eggs as substitutes.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Paper tigers at zoos produce poor substitution

    ReplyDelete
  34. Chaturvasi, Gridman's ERSATZ... Neat surface. Liked this clue a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  35. 30 posts in just as many minutes!

    How come no one thought of a jumble of RA and ZEST?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Gets it wrong in hearing. The whole thing lacks nothing in replacement (6)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Wear longer skirts. :-) Similarly applies for longer sleeves, shorter vest sleeves to avoid the 'Sunday is longer than Monday' syndrome and ensure that Monday is longer than Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Satya/Deepak
    I don't think "produce" or "would make" is a proper hidden ind.
    Besides, "paper" is a redundant word playing no part in the hidden fodder.
    As Kishore said the idea is truly wonderful.
    VJ
    I still think that today you've walked away with the trophy.
    Kishore
    Your reverse acrostic is a great idea. Wondering whether it follows rules/conventions. Can't say now. But for ICW, it's wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  39. My show was slipping...er...sorry, a tongue of the slip...

    ReplyDelete
  40. Wear longer skirts. :-)
    Kishore
    Silly you!
    Do you look at the knees?

    ReplyDelete
  41. I am sorry, I had to be away from the computer for a while.

    CVsir, I agree with your assessment, as always.

    By the way, I was solving an old Gridman's puzzle and ran into this clue:

    Tab a count? (9)

    Even after I saw what the answer was, could never figure out the anno. I will appreciate any help.

    ReplyDelete
  42. One of the invisible followers of the blog. Thought would try my hand at writing a clue. :)

    Shaves off a model to yield a inferior one (6)

    ReplyDelete
  43. Tab a count (9) RECKONING [DD]

    ReplyDelete
  44. Lost all that I typed because of some sudden problem.
    Will try to recap.
    VJ is right.
    One def is the tab that you might get at a hotel. It's 'reckoning'.
    The second def is 'a count' - which is also 'reckoning'.
    The surface reading suggests a check on a nobleman to see what he's up to.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Modesty prevents me from raising my eyes...

    And stand away from upward draughts of air or tuba players.

    ReplyDelete
  46. CVsir, what are your thoughts on the The Hindu Best Fiction Award 2010 winner Serious Men ? BTW I read you review of the Tamil novel Irul Thinnum Iravugal in today's The Hindu. It was nice.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Could someone give a link to CVasi sir's article, please?

    ReplyDelete
  48. VJ and CVasi sir, thank you for your help with the clue.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Satya: Are you looking for this article :
    http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2010/11/so-slips-might-not-show.html

    ReplyDelete
  50. Krishnan, Thank you for the link.

    ReplyDelete
  51. URL for my book review mentioned by Krishnan above:

    http://www.hindu.com/br/2010/11/02/stories/2010110253221600.htm

    * * *

    Krishnan: I am yet to read the prize-winning novel.

    ReplyDelete
  52. @Richard 8:39

    Touche for your comment. Rajaji's opposition to License Raj and Nehru's blind socialist leaning is well-documented. After 30+ years, it took a certain Manmohan, Narasimha Rao and Chidambaram to repeal those atavistic policies.

    Kudos to CR.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Smani 12:16 Thanks for your appreciation.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Sorry for late coming. Stuck up somewhat. I am happy to note that i missed the words which others found a bit tough...

    Whats diamonds doing in CHOICE i got confused a little bit but left with no OPTION i filled choice. LICIT is also a new word for me apart from ERSATZ, MYRTLE, PLACET.

    On the whole an enjoyable puzzle took me just half an hour to fill all except the words mentioned above.

    Mathu.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Mathu, ILLICIT is more familiar to many of us what with Illicit Liquor, and other similar phrases. Be gruntled(not disgruntled) ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  56. Kishore & Colonel

    Now i got it. I too aware of ILLICIT but never strike to me about LICIT. Infact there seems to be a spell error in printing of yesterdays grid (TOKEN) printed as (TDKEN) or is it my optical illusion.?

    by the way someone please enlighten me how to use dictionary effectively when looking for a word. Thesaurus might be helpful but only to some extent. What would be a good dictionary to be added to my book shelf?





    Mathu

    ReplyDelete
  57. Well, Madhu if you want a dictionary to adorn your book shelf then look for an Oxford Dictionary with a leather backed cover. It will look really smart.
    If you want one you can use regularly, then Chambers (it comes in one volume, has more entries per page and is used by Gridman) or Oxford (a little more expensive, bigger lettering and used by yours faithfully)

    To use it just remember that the entries are in alphabetical order.

    ReplyDelete
  58. thanks suresh.

    by the way i liked that alphabetical order...

    mathu

    ReplyDelete
  59. My dictionary from the mid-80s failed me! PLACET is not listed in it. That was the only word which I could not complete, even though I checked for the word twice.

    Even with most of the clues solved, LICIT and MYRTLE took a fairly long time because I did not approach their respective clues correctly.

    As for ERSATZ, it was new and I had to use brute force to fill it up (with the aid of the crossings).


    Colonel@08:46, Zinc is Zn. :-) A bit of Zinc, perhaps?

    ReplyDelete
  60. Oh, and I sort of guessed CROWN based on the structure of the memorial at Guindy, rather than use the proper anno. :D

    ReplyDelete
  61. For the record, the latest version of Wordweb available in the Net has a free add-on of the Chambers dictionary. The copy, though pirated, comes with a keygen to license the copy.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Just off-track - no offence please.

    Limerick time:

    Once a tourist from Brunei
    Landed in the city of Chennai
    When someone said, 'Vango'
    In the local lingo
    He replied,
    'Tamil maloom nai'.

    ReplyDelete
  63. CV

    An enjoyable limerick about the grass eating grey ass with long ears.

    There was also an "Ode to the Llama":

    The one-L llama, he's a priest,
    The two-L llama, he's a beast;
    And I'd bet a silk pajama,
    There isn't a three-L lllama.

    ReplyDelete
  64. That should read:
    The one-L lama, he's a priest,

    ReplyDelete
  65. Navneet, If you had read Harry Potter ( I have read all of them) You would have had no problem with Myrtle.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Suresh, I suppose so. (I have watched most of the films, but still I'm not a fan who would have got it immediately.) There was a time not very long ago when The Young World quiz used to carry a question from HP as Q No. 15 every week. I felt it was rather unfair for those of us who didn't fall for the hype.

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com