Wednesday 15 August 2012

No 10542, Wednesday 15 Aug 12, Gridman


INDEPENDENCE DAY GREETINGS TO ALL

Gridman out of turn with a Language special, I thought it would be Independence day related.

Starred clues are undefined but belong to the same category
ACROSS
1   - Propose girl to enter remark (8) - NOMINATE {NO{MINA}TE}
5   - Invariably Albert’s taken the course (6) - ALWAYS {AL}{WAYS}
9   - It leads to many a ‘trouble and strife’ for a Cockney (8) - POLYGAMY 


10 - Perhaps Maruti Court (6) - ATRIUM*
12 - Exhibit no fine whip (4) - LASH fLASH
13 - Lot narrate about an engine part (10) - ALTERNATOR*
15 - *Horse one cuddles, to begin with (6) - ARABIC {ARAB}{1}{C}
17 - Stoneware part of research in archaeology (5) - CHINA [T]
20 - Bye to one that is cast in Australia (5) - ADIEU {A{DIE}U}
21 - *Dirty manger (6) - GERMAN*
24 - Would Iron Man be so stubborn? (10) - HARDHEADED [CD]
27 - Backward NEC left out of criticism for certain (4) - SURE cenSURE
29 - Speak, really liking new English (6) - INTONE {INTO}{N}{E}
30 - Tom with a catalogue saying it makes a change (8) - CATALYST {CAT}{A}{LYST(~list)}
31 - I study one leading celebrity needing no introduction (6) - ICONIC {I}{CON}{I}{C}
32 - Welcoming repaired Delhi car (8) - HERALDIC*
DOWN
1   - *Write-up on the fighter (6) - NEPALI {NEP<-}{ALI}
2   - Annoy spy on street (6) - MOLEST {MOLE}{ST}
3   - *New Turkish general (4) - NAGA {N}{AGA}
4   - *Time mali’s sacked (5) - TAMIL {T}{MALI*}
6   - *The French can (5) - LATIN {LA}{TIN}
7   - One who can manoeuvre Air Taxi V? (8) - AVIATRIX* &lit
8   - *Problem at second of tests puzzled Nair (8) - SUMERIAN {SUM}{E}{NAIR*}
11 - Textile dealer is one hired briefly by the queen (6) - MERCER {MERCeneray}{ER}
14 - *Skipped either limit of Indiana campus (4) - URDU pURDUe
16 - Lion, tiger or leopard? (3,3) - BIG CAT [CD]
17 - Talk is water running out of castle in France (4) - CHAT CHATeau
18 - *Im back in terribly rakish dress (8) - KASHMIRI {KASH{MI<-}RI*}
19 - Trio belt out words of an opera (8) - LIBRETTO*
22 - Good friend holds Scottish child lifted (6) - BUOYED {BU{OYE}D}
23 - *Chapters about the Spanish note (6) - CELTIC {C{EL}{TI}C}
25 - *Rear one (5) - HINDI {HIND}{1}
26 - Avoid the first woman holding notice (5) - EVADE {EV{AD}E}
28 - Mother, yes, it’s illusion in Hinduism (4) - MAYA {MA}{YA}




33 comments:

  1. 9a The bitter halves strike again.

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  2. Happy independence day all; tough day with CW today. a big no no to questions like 1 A, 15 A, 8 D ,2D.why-oh why must gridman choose today of all days to strike his iron hammer??

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    Replies
    1. Happy Independece to all. Let's all remember the brave freedom fighters and also our valiant men and women at the frontiers who sacrificed their 'present' for our 'tomorrow'.

      Ae mere watan ke logo, zara aankh mein bhar lo pani, jo shaheed hue unki, zara yaad karo qurbaani...

      Take it easy, G3 (;-)). He had his independence in the choice.

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  3. Got all today. ;-) Had to check the blog to get the anno for 11d.

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  4. Fairly easy one today. Needed to guess polygamy.

    For some today's crossword was like:

    Can stress-eating without tango dancing cause phosphene ? (6,5)

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    Replies
    1. Seeing stars ! reminds me of comics...

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    2. Leaders of Republicans in Georgia have to be lawful.

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  5. I am generally put out by Neyartha's starred clues ! So, I thought "Why,Gridman too?!". But I had a pleasant surprise wading through different languages. I got all except Naga and I did not get a flash either for 12A.
    I was reminded of my father's quote-" As between 2 wives you will go to the wall". 2 are enough and one does not need more!!

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    Replies
    1. Strangely Naga was the first starred clue I got.

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    2. My father had another truism " No man is a hero of his wife".

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    3. But how about being the hero of his heroine?

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  6. Let me also join everyone in wishing a happy Independence Day to all. Gridman started it nicely and a big 'thank you' to him.

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  7. 11D Merc itself is short for mercenery (also mercedes). Merc briefly is MER.

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    Replies
    1. 1 - Textile dealer is one hired briefly by the queen (6) - MERCER {MERceneray}{ER

      I was alarmed whether there was a mistake here.

      I don't think so.

      Actually, 'briefly' was introduced at a very late stage.

      Textile dealer - def
      is
      one hired - MERC
      briefly - to suggest that we need MERC and not mercenary (briefly was added as I thought 'merc' is not so popular)
      by
      the queen - ER

      So 'briefly' is not redundant. The component is MERC, not MER

      The anno above perhaps needs a little fixing.




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  8. I think 'merk' has been used in the solution with 'er'. There is a small typo in the anno.

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  9. Sorry. It should be 'merc' and not 'merk. My typo!

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  10. Happy Independence day to ye-all !!

    Freedom to comment on blogs and share with each other crossword knowledge.

    Watch out for Didi though!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank God (or shoulod I say thank Didi) that we are not in WB.

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    2. Didi's Comedy Show used to appear on DD in the '80s:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didi%27s_Comedy_Show

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  11. It is no longer the Big Brother but the Big Sister too-- not necessarily in WB only !

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  12. Happy Independence day to all. Seems chennaites are celebrating independence day at t nagar.took ages to walk some distance :-(

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  13. For old Times* sake, go to:

    http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/311759_467189523299401_1856992492_n.jpg


    *Hindustan

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  14. Interesting today, and once the nature of starred clues became evident, it also became easier. Liked the link to the Cockney trouble and strife, learnt a whole lot there!

    For 18D, there seem to be two anagram indicators, perhaps one can be made redundant?

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  15. I think dress is for good surface

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    Replies
    1. Dress is to indicate that it covers the reversed 'I'm' or MI

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    2. Reversal of I'M in KASHRI (anag. of RAKISH)

      "back" is reversal indicator; 'terribly' is anag ind

      in is c/c ind (in this case content)

      "dress" may be taken as c/c ind (in this case container)



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    3. Suresh

      Your post and mine 'crossed'.

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    4. content and container (in and dress). both doing same duty here ? sorry didn't quite get it :-(

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    5. Well. Sort of. Though I would say they are doing it in combination and not independently. Your first statement on smooth surfaces is valid for the purpose.

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  16. Kishore

    Re your link to a HT story above.

    Here's a link to a story in the Chennai edition of TH. (BNG edition may not have carried it.)

    http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article3773773.ece

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the link. Though you use the word 'story' in the journalist's lingo, independence, unfortunately remains a fiction for a large number of people.

      Also, ref to EVR in your link reminded me of the ref to "Maha Vishnu of Mount Road

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