ACROSS
1 - The day is bad in France, and gloomy (6) - DISMAL {D}{IS}{MAL}
4 - How good you are to give support (8) - STANDARD [CD]
10 - A composer of colourful music? (7) - STAINER [CD]
11 - One authorised to get the freezer thawed out (7) - OFFICER {OFF}{ICER}
12 - Topless ladies — a sign of what is to come (4) - OMEN wOMEN
16 - Possible danger in a fertile region (6) - GARDEN*
17 - Man with skill takes dollar to sing Vedic hymns (7) - MANTRAS {MAN}{TRA<-}{S} Reversal indicator for ART?
20 - Stir violently for silver found at gallery (7) - AGITATE {AG}{I}{TATE}
21 - Have right to start finding ancient Greek standard coins (6) - STATER Anno not clear
25 - They may be found in a creel, squirming (4) - EELS [T &lit]
27 - Music master (7) - MAESTRO [E]
29 - Splash the rower (7) - SPATTER [DD]
30 - Cosmic particles that blinds reality and fills one with romantic illusions (8) - STARDUST [DD]
31 - Pass over the trumped-up story of the dog (6) - COLLIE {COL}{LIE}
DOWN
1 - Drive out with one in the new dogsled (8) - DISLODGE {D{I}SLODGE*}
2 - Alarm in front of house? (5,6) - STAGE FRIGHT [CD]
3 - Either way it was of some worth in India (4) - ANNA <->
5 - Apricot for a pound found in this fervidly hot region (8) - TROPICAL {TROPICA*}{L} AInd for 'Apricot'?
6 - III health is what the drunk driver is in (2,3,5) - NO FIT STATE [DD]
7 - Luminous discharge of electricity caused car crash (3) - ARC*
8 - Mournful piece of music (5) - DIRGE [E]
9 - A packing case (5) - CRATE [E]
14 - A bit mad being in a flat (11) - APARTMENTAL {A}{PART}{MENTAL}
15 - Repeatedly went over a tree — tried to shape it (10) - REITERATED*
18 - Tots in a quarter, specially designed (8) - STATIONS {STATION*}{S} What's the definition?
19 - Don't lose that quiet shyness (8) - PRESERVE {P}{RESERVE}
22 - A shady walk back by southern animals (6) - LLAMAS {LLAM)(A<-}{S}
23 - British dope looking out for money (5) - BRASS {BR}{ASS}
26 - Do include, these days, a deep border of wood (4) - DADO {D{AD}O}
28 - An important date of an age (3) - ERA [CD]
20 - Stir violently for silver found at gallery (7) - AGITATE {AG}{I}{TATE}
ReplyDeleteWhere am 'I' coming from?
Should it have been:
20 - Stir violently for silver found at a gallery (7) - AGITATE {AG}{I}{TATE}
What's in an 'I' for our setter?
ReplyDeleteCV, Venkatesh:
ReplyDeleteContinuing form yesterday:
Yes, I paraphrased him to mean exactly what CV said.
If I was not, I could not think. ;-)
847
ReplyDeleteWhen followed by FF, it means 'Identification'.
3 - Either way it was of some worth in India (4) - ANNA
ReplyDeleteAnna is worth a great deal in India today.
Suresh 09:28
ReplyDeleteAh, I saw it coming!
This is atrocious!
ReplyDeleteCheck out 19D here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25215/blind
A number of other clues have not appeared for the first time. In fact, Col has appreciated the clue for STAGE FRIGHT the last time it came around (Feb 2010).
ReplyDeleteSo, this seems to be a total rehash business for Manna.
Quite sickening to see the number of E and CD (without adequate wordplay)clues from this setter.
ReplyDeleteAny solver would legitimately expect that a cryptic crossword has cryptic clues as the name suggests, with adequate wordplay to enable the solver parse the clues for the solution.
I was confused with the def for "stations" too
ReplyDeleteThought quarter might be being used as a verb, but it is the wrong tense.
Still searching for the missing I in agitate too ...
25A is lifted as well... :(
ReplyDeletehttp://bigdave44.com/2010/06/21/dt-26272/
Unless Manna has an agreement with Rufus I don't understand how he can get away with such outright use of the latter's clues !
ReplyDeleteManna probably mistook THC for 'This day That Age' column. Many other clues come from 2006 TH puzzles. Why should he take the pains for a new grid-fill? He could repeat the same puzzle itself. No one will find out!
ReplyDeleteWish someone infuriates Rufus with mail containing a comprehensive filched list. Only then will TH people take notice. Terrible shame this for THC! :(
3 - Either way it was of some worth in India (4) - ANNA <->
ReplyDeleteSetter lost a small distance for a coin
I had always got a feeling of split personality about manna's crosswords. If half the clues are nicked then this could well explain the phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteRufus is one of my favourite setters, so at least he has the taste to steal from the best.
How long has this been apparent?
For years!
ReplyDeleteSee Comments under
http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2011/09/what-bodyguard-could-mean-in-cryptic.html
(Skip some posts relating to the post itself.)
With ref to my comments in the above blog, it is felt that the number of swallows has increased to a critical mass.
ReplyDeleteBut who's to tell TH that summer has officially arrived?
ReplyDeleteFrom reading the above mentioned blog it would appear that they are ignoring the matter when it is raised.
I agree with Sudalamani. Lifting clues verbatim from
ReplyDeleteothers is shameful, though recycling old clues may be OK.
See the link below 'this has to stop'
http://anaxcrosswords.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/this-has-to-stop/
After spotting APARTMENTAL, thought of seeking a clarification.
ReplyDeleteIn India, many establishments carry the name DEPARTMENTAL STORE. I feel it should be just DEPARTMENT STORE, since it has departments for different commodities. Departmental (as an adjective) would mean something to do with a department or government agency.
Eyeopening articles on plagiarism. I tend of think that a setter derives equal pleasure in creating an original, well crafted clue, as much a solver does in solving it.
ReplyDeleteAgree on the reusing of clues after some timeframe would be OK, but plagiarizing verbatim is truly ridiculous.
One of the blog posts mentioned some setters dish out as many as 2 cryptics a day, possibly resulting in plagiarized material. IMO, this output is quite insane for what is supposed to be a very creative work.
Clue from an old Times (of London) crossword published today in HT.
ReplyDeleteRefrain from being unenthusiastic about everything? (5)
Those who don't do that puzzle, try solving. Give the anno.
The clue-type? Quite unusual for which I don't think there is any classification now.
I have provided the anno elsewhere.
I guess it should be AVOID. I had to get
ReplyDeletethe other letters A_O_D!
From not=O + AVID? Or could be somehow from
spanish 'nota vida'?