Welcome to Skulldugger who débuts with a challenging yet entertaining puzzle. The theme is self-evident. There are quite a few clues to savour with plausible surfaces like 5A, 22A, 2D, 5D, 14D, 17D and my favourite 20D. The indirect anagrams in 12A & 7D and equating an adjective to a noun in 19D are slightly jarring. Probably 2D needs an American spelling indicator and 19D a French indicator, but a setter's first puzzle is no place to be overly critical. Looking forward to the next puzzle.
ACROSS
5 Steadies ship initially said to belong to 4’s alter ego (6) SWAINS (S + ~WAYNE'S)
6 Lass, last to move up, gets stuffed (6) ECLAIR (CLAIRE with E moving to the front)
9 Mark Hamill straitjacketed in 4’s city’s 1 (6) ARKHAM (T)
10 He assists the Spanish Premier, overwhelmed by antipathy (8) HELPMATE (EL + PM inside HATE)
11 Governs us first and foremost with heart of pure guiding light (4) GURU (pURe inside G + U)
12 Distractedly cuing 4’s 10 trouncing in piquet (10) RUBICONING (CUING + ROBIN)*
13 Social elevation contingent on genuflection? (11) BEKNIGHTING (CD)
18 Was selected when corrupted Lee palmed the last of my coin (10) EMPANELLED (LEE PALMED + N)*
21 Primarily great Oriental Bactrian incubator (4) GOBI (Acrostic)
22 Two-thirds of feline’s time allotted to Schrodinger’s cat? (4,4) HALF,LIFE (FEline is half of liFE)
23 Leading financial auditors’ profits after tax returns increase (6) FATTEN (F + A + NETT<=)
24 Surrounded by hotties, lie straddling the foxiest (6) SLIEST (T)
25 Selina, primarily sporting 4’s paraphernalia, wears a dirty look (6) SCOWLS (S + COWLS)
DOWN
1 Institution’s academic met Lawrence on the river (8) MADHOUSE (MA + DH + OUSE)
2 Entrance for Wayne Manor demolished! New way out (6) ENAMOR (waynE MANOR)*
3 i.e. awry ecliptics lacking centre (8) SCILICET (ECLIpTICS)*
4 Vigilante’s black soul (6) BATMAN (B + ATMAN)
5 Say, Black // night light 6) SIRIUS (DD)
7 Jack affected seamen’s rolling gait (6) RATING (RN + GAIT)*
8 Chandler’s eternal rest? (3,3,5) THE, BIG, SLEEP (GK)
14 Most love-starved desperate housewife at home (8) NEEDIEST (EDIE inside NEST)
15 Being of a nocturnal bent, he disregarded the howling (5,3) NIGHT,OWL (The HOWLING)*
16 Imbibing the last of the Jim Beam, promises to give up whiskey. Might be pap! (8 6) SMEARS (M inside SwEARS)
17 Constantly fantasise about turning up in mistresses’ boudoirs (6) OBSESS (T<=)
19 With milk losing appeal finally, formula’s beginning to gain acceptance for those keeping abreast (2,4) AU,FAIT (AU LAIT with F for L)
20 Dent’s partially deformed physiognomy (6) DEFACE (DE + FACE)
ACROSS
5 Steadies ship initially said to belong to 4’s alter ego (6) SWAINS (S + ~WAYNE'S)
6 Lass, last to move up, gets stuffed (6) ECLAIR (CLAIRE with E moving to the front)
10 He assists the Spanish Premier, overwhelmed by antipathy (8) HELPMATE (EL + PM inside HATE)
11 Governs us first and foremost with heart of pure guiding light (4) GURU (
12 Distractedly cuing 4’s 10 trouncing in piquet (10) RUBICONING (CUING + ROBIN)*
13 Social elevation contingent on genuflection? (11) BEKNIGHTING (CD)
18 Was selected when corrupted Lee palmed the last of my coin (10) EMPANELLED (LEE PALMED + N)*
21 Primarily great Oriental Bactrian incubator (4) GOBI (Acrostic)
22 Two-thirds of feline’s time allotted to Schrodinger’s cat? (4,4) HALF,LIFE (FE
23 Leading financial auditors’ profits after tax returns increase (6) FATTEN (F + A + NETT<=)
24 Surrounded by hotties, lie straddling the foxiest (6) SLIEST (T)
25 Selina, primarily sporting 4’s paraphernalia, wears a dirty look (6) SCOWLS (S + COWLS)
DOWN
1 Institution’s academic met Lawrence on the river (8) MADHOUSE (MA + DH + OUSE)
2 Entrance for Wayne Manor demolished! New way out (6) ENAMOR (
3 i.e. awry ecliptics lacking centre (8) SCILICET (ECLI
4 Vigilante’s black soul (6) BATMAN (B + ATMAN)
5 Say, Black // night light 6) SIRIUS (DD)
7 Jack affected seamen’s rolling gait (6) RATING (RN + GAIT)*
8 Chandler’s eternal rest? (3,3,5) THE, BIG, SLEEP (GK)
14 Most love-starved desperate housewife at home (8) NEEDIEST (EDIE inside NEST)
15 Being of a nocturnal bent, he disregarded the howling (5,3) NIGHT,OWL (T
16 Imbibing the last of the Jim Beam, promises to give up whiskey. Might be pap! (8 6) SMEARS (M inside S
17 Constantly fantasise about turning up in mistresses’ boudoirs (6) OBSESS (T<=)
19 With milk losing appeal finally, formula’s beginning to gain acceptance for those keeping abreast (2,4) AU,FAIT (AU LAIT with F for L)
20 Dent’s partially deformed physiognomy (6) DEFACE (DE + FACE)
Great job Bhavan, I don't think I would have been able to crack this by 8:30
ReplyDeleteAt 830, I had 3 pending, 19d, 8d and 12a. Good cracking by Bhavan.
DeleteI would not have got even that far, had I not been a diehard Batman fan. It was not in Wayne.
DeleteNice theme with not only the answers but clue refs. to Harvey Dent, black night light, etc.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Skullduggery! As The Count of Monte Cristo would say: Number Two
Too vague...seems setter trying hard to be hard.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the vagueness is true with many themed crosswords. As a solver if you know/catch on to the theme it becomes easy, otherwise a struggle.
DeleteI think we should give Skulldugger some more time and puzzles before pronouncing them hard/easy/vague etc.
Yes, You are correct. I could not spot the theme and i have notread 'Batman'.
Deleteboy.happy to have managed around 40%.
ReplyDeletethe normally numbero uno richard, MIA today??
good day all
MIA = Me Intermittently Away.
DeleteSkuldugger also says 'Let the games begin'
ReplyDeleteThanks Colonel, I noticed the unusual shape of the grid and made a note to look at the perimeter, but was lost wrestling the clues to blog in time.
DeleteI dont want to be Two Faced about this, but in Dent's case it is 'the face' that is 'defaced'.
ReplyDelete@Colonel: Oh, didn't notice the message till you mentioned!
ReplyDeleteWELCOME SKULLDUGGER!
ReplyDeleteThank God I was away for a few hours early morning to drop a visitor and crossed the Rubicon for some time. Had I been at the desk, I would have racked my nerves and dug my skull over answers.
ReplyDelete13A - Nice reference to the practice of kneeling down by the newly decorated Knight, followed by 'Arise, Sir.....' from the Royalty.
23A is dedicated to Kishore. 19D could remind one of Bollywood villain Shakti Kapoor.
@ Bhavan, indeed you are a super genius. Not many would have completed today's cw. I fully agree with your note on the need of indicators for French and American versions, and it applies to GURU as well, though the word is universally accepted now.
23A is dedicated to Kishore.
DeleteAgree that fatten would apply to moi, but 'auditor' no, since I am out of practice.
By the way, where is the definition for 21A GOBI? Remembered a discussion on cabbage and cauliflower here some time ago. :)
ReplyDeleteI think the ref is to the habitat of the Bactrian camel, making it a sort of &lit.
Delete.. the desert and not to the vegetable
DeleteFar far away!! Unfortunately, did not know Batman well enough!
ReplyDeleteHaving been used to 'indigenous' clues & words, I was all at sea and missed even Guru thinking that everything was ET for me! Great job, Bhawan!
A wonderful learning experience,though. Lot more to learn and consult wicki about.
Fun fact: Mark Hamill voiced the Joker in the 90s Batman cartoons, giving an additional level of excellence to 9A.
ReplyDeleteI don't want skulldugger again. He spoiled my day.
ReplyDelete'
Skuldugger was tough ... Barely managed to solve half! Many thanks and hats off to Bhavan, for putting me out of my agony! Lucky I get down to this CW after 10 am!
ReplyDeleteCheers and have a great day all!
@Maradnusro: Don't be disheartened - after trying a couple of this setter's crosswords, you will get the hang of it :)
ReplyDeleteMore than a crossword puzzle, it was a MENSA quiz!!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to Sankalak's turn.
Fully agree with maradnusro.
Skulldugger would have caused brian hemmorage to many today
Great opening by Skulldugger. It was tough going for me even after figuring out the theme. Lots of holes in North grid. The southern odyssey was smoother.
ReplyDeleteToday's crossword was a
An extraordinary person starving around Madrid oddly. (9)
'Humdinger' was also tough- in keeping with the CW I suppose.
Delete:)
DeleteMore wrong than tough :(
DeleteTester was termed too easy. Skulldugger as too tough. Setter's don't seem to be winning either way :)
ReplyDeleteSetter's soliloquy : To be or not to be (tough/easy)
Is it a tight rope walk?
DeleteNot just that. If you manage to solve a crossword set by a setter considered to be tough, then you go around asking if the setter has deliberately 'dumbed it down' ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, wait for the next round and I might be back on the hated list.
DeleteI have no hated list. I just have easy, manageable & hard. Setters keep flitting between these.
DeleteI think this should be mandatory reading for all setters.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend this too
DeleteThanks. That was a useful link
DeleteI put in BROOTS for Batman in the beginning and managed to just about finish now.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Bhavan to crack this one so fast. Wonder what more skullduggery we can expect.
After a late breakfast, tried this muesli crossword by Skulldugger;ugh !got my bheja made into a kulfi and enamoured by his skullduggery of American English. Very cruel to the solvers as we were all taken by surprise by a new compiler being 18 ACROSS . A new development most welcome. Why don't we'all reserve our criticism and get used to his idiom ? The 24 and 26 ACROSS can wait,before e put him to 8 DOWN. Until then, we can do with a bit of SKULL-DIGGERY?
ReplyDeleteGetting used to ORKUT, provided it gets loaded !
Welcome to the new setter. Despite being a huge batman buff, struggled mightily. Tough one up front, keep them coming - maybe Lord of The Rings next ? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a beginner, so was really tough today
ReplyDeleteCol and other bloggers in Bang-a-lore:
ReplyDeleteI intend to foul up and infest the Bengalooru firmament between 26th and 29th of this month. Would love to meet those who prefer my abominable company to a quiet ambience. 27th afternoon and the whole of 28th I may play chor-police and if anyone can catch me, I'm available. Shall contact nearer the visitation time. I expect a swarm of blogcust around me.
Glad to hear you are coming to Bangalore Raju, keep an evening free to meet up at my place.
Delete25A in NDTV sports news report today:
ReplyDeleteNew York: As he stood on the precipice of history, three games from becoming the first British man to win a Grand Slam tournament since 1936, Andy Murray scowled.
should not 22A be one third instead of two third
ReplyDeleteGood point.
DeletePhew, toughie and can't remember the last time I had 4 left before I yielded. Got the Batman theme, but put in Gotham instead of Arkham and lost the plot. And though a Harry Potter fan, would have not made the association with Sirius Black that easily.
ReplyDeleteGood one, a couple more and possibly can get into the setter's skull!
Hello ,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fine welcome. It’s gratifying that a lot of you liked it, quibbles notwithstanding. I’d like to try and address some of the nits, if I may.
Ximenean cluing requires anagfodder be explicitly provided, but I think this is only because providing synonyms to anagfodder can be exasperating and unfair to the solver. This is because words often have numerous synonyms and the solver has to try and anagram several of these to get to the answer. Therefore, in 7d, when I used seamen for RN which was part of the anagfodder, I do think it is unfair. Mea Culpa. However, when the anagfodder is not directly provided but is indicated by something that does not admit of ambiguity or multiple anagfodder possibilities, I think it would not betray the spirit of Ximenean cluing to use such constructions(though it betrays the letter). Therefore I think ‘43rd president of the United States was very confused’ for HUBS (BUSH*) would not be unfair. 12A is this kind of indirect anagram, so I’d stand by it.
As for American and French indicators for 2 and 19, I do not think they are necessary. My belief is, if a word/phrase has long since passed to English from other languages and is in the major English dictionaries, it IS English and can be used with abandon in Xies without any allusion to their provenance. I find THC’s non-acceptance of American spelling rather petty, not unlike the Americans’ own unwillingness to use the internationally accepted lexicon in Scrabble. But these are personal ‘anything goes’ attitudes that might well irk purists and rile editors.
I would love to hear what everybody else thinks.
The 19d adjective-noun equation is unpardonable and I stand duly chastened.
22 Two-thirds of feline’s time allotted to Schrodinger’s cat? (4,4)
Both fe and li are thirds of feline (hence two thirds) and halves of life. The hyphen in that clue is not mine. I don’t know how it snuck in.
Glad you got so many of the references. 25a, btw, is a nod to Catwoman.
Finally, I thought I’d share that while I’d picked the handle Skuldugger(single L) the powers that be published the Xie under Skulldugger(double L). I’m thinking of keeping Skulldugger though. It’s grown on me.
Good of you to drop by and clarify things Skul(l)dugger.
DeleteAgree with most of what you said.
Given that THC hasn't set store by one dictionary or the other, I suppose it is reasonable what you say about American spellings.
With regards to the French connection, I should have made it clearer - I don't have a problem with Au Fait, but the French word for milk. As far as I know, Au Lait hasn't made it to an English dictionary yet ( I checked Chambers and OED only). Correct me if I'm wrong.
As for indirect anagrams, my own idiosyncrasy is that single letters are fine to be indicated in such a way but not > 1.
I'm eagerly waiting for you next puzzle.
Cheers
Good to have the elaboration from setter. But not convinced with halves of lives (printer's devil accepted), as any one half would probably fit better!
DeleteHaving said that, was easier for me to accept 19 as is. Cafe au lait is so common in restaurants everywhere.
I too don't know how the byline came by but if your original term was a coinage from 'skulduggery' then there should be no problem in reconciling yourself to the printed version since I find that 'skullduggery' is N Am spelling and duly recorded in Chambers. And you like US spellings and ask why they should not be used in the THC grid. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteIsn't 'au lait' very familiar to us from the phrase 'café au lait'?
ReplyDeleteBhala
ReplyDeleteApologies. I had not read your 6:37 when I wrote my 7:25.
It's not so much that I like US spellings; I just don't dislike them enough to forbid their use in Indian Xies. Too, our continued obeisance to the British strain of English seems a colonial hangover in a time where a healthy percentage of Indians' exposure to the language comes from Hollywood,CNN and other non-British sources. I don't dislike British English, just its hegemony in the grid. Indians today don't look at 'characterize' and 'honor' and say "That's not spelled right." The MS Word monopoly means we are prompted to Americanize our spellings more often than not. The times they are a-changin'.Perhaps THC should too.
ReplyDeleteI am of course aware of the alt. spelling of skuldugger and had considered it previously. After all, it's not everyday one gets to choose a cruciverbalist pseudonym. And far from having to reconcile myself to SKULLDUGGER, I now think I prefer it.
Anyhoo,this whole thing reminds me of Ogden Nash's The Lama:
The one-l lama,
He's a priest.
The two-l llama,
He's a beast.
And I will bet A silk pajama
There isn't any Three-l lllama.
Today's Xie and the acoompanying blogs are both entertaining, the latter being easy to the mind. Welcome Skul(l)dugger. May we get accustomed to you. Thanks THC for ushering in a new crop of setters. Thanks Col. for the lively blog.
ReplyDeleteI shall post a Reply to Skuldugger 8:02 PM under Wed blog.
ReplyDeletehey. . thanks for the amazing puzzle post . was really entertaining. hope to see some more such updates.
ReplyDeleteFree Online Quizzes