Friday 7 December 2012

No.10638, Friday 7 Dec 12, Gridman

That has to be the most 'cryptic(s)' crossword I've ever tackled!

 ACROSS
1 Breakdown from army officer’s mistake (8) COLLAPSE (COL + LAPSE)
6 To a Greek character, this is wine (4) ANTI (chiANTI) where is the definition?
9 Lacking key, strung from a chat on a line (6) ATONAL (T)
10 Girl’s blow causes revulsion (7) DISGUST (DI'S + GUST)
13 Handy pointer fuels it up somehow (6,3) USEFUL, TIP (FUELS IT UP)*

 14 A mere change in Turkish title (5) AMEER (A + MERE*)
15 Liberationists’ extremely uncanny trick (4) PLOY (PLO + Y)
16 Not during business time (3,2,5) OUT, OF, HOURS (CD)
19 As said when the speaker wants to make his intention clear (1,4,2,3) I, MEAN, TO, SAY (E)
21 Seamstress leaves small vessel (4) EWER (sEWER)
24 Opening musical passage (5) INTRO (E)
25 Come after? On the contrary! (2,2,5) GO, IN, FRONT (CD)
26 Complainer // is a mad dog (7) GROWLER (DD)
27 Jelly fruit // for Shakespearean character (6) QUINCE (DD)
28 “__I do fear thy nature”: Lady Macbeth (3,1) YET, I (GK)
29 This hour is the last moment (8) ELEVENTH (CD)

 DOWN
2 Moving – with the traffic light being green? (2,3,2) ON, THE, GO (C&DD)
3 Form a queue to talk about new German (4,2) LINE, UP (LIP outside NEU)
4 Communist committee built poor presentation (9) POLITBURO (BUILT POOR)*
5 Finish // part of legend on carton (3,2) END, UP (DD)
7 French novel? (7) NOUVEAU (CD)
8 The price of money for a borrower (8,4) INTEREST, RATE (CD)
11 Hit the man and wrap up (6) SWATHE (SWAT + HE)
12 How one looks with eyes upraised (12) SURPRISINGLY (CD)
17 Woman slave quailed so terribly (9) ODALISQUE (QUAILED SO)*
18 What you would do when using a hose – not when using a kind of mosquito repellent? (6) UNCOIL (DD)
20 If one does, all the prepared dishes would be before one (4,3) EATS, OUT (CD)
22 Hard but impressive design for printing (7) WOODCUT (CD)
23 A place to work away from the rink (6) OFFICE (OFF ICE)
25 Stuff // an empty space? (5) GORGE (DD)
LINK TO SOLUTION GRID
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22 comments:

  1. Deepak Gopinath7 December 2012 at 08:35

    8CD's, 6DD's, 2E's and 1GK didn't impress me one bit. Good thing it was Bhavans day to blog today

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nadathur Rajan7 December 2012 at 08:36

    22a The quote from Macbeth is
    "Yet do I fear thy nature;. It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness."
    An oversight from Gridman?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepak Gopinath7 December 2012 at 08:40

      I was just going to write that the 'I' is already there!!

      Delete
  3. Dr.gayathri Sreekanth7 December 2012 at 08:43

    yes @ nadathur rajan. i too think it was an oversight... it could have been YETI based clue... ( geez! i am beginning to think like a setter). cryptic but easy day, on the whole

    good day all


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi7 December 2012 at 17:46

      The quotation was checked. Instances of "Yet I ..." are found on the Internet and also in reputed US crosswords. Perhaps this text is taken from 'modern versions' of Shakespeare for students who can't cope with the original.

      I am offering no excuses. I must have checked it with the original Shake.

      The extra I is also regrettable.

      Delete
  4. RameshJ7 December 2012 at 09:16

    Found the going tough. Got a few words wrong today.

    ABCDE :
    A dismal countenance presented at the beginning of the weekend ? (6-5)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Krishnan7 December 2012 at 12:06

      Monday blues ?

      Delete
    2. RameshJ7 December 2012 at 12:35

      hmm ..
      Clue :ABCDE from Dec 3 to today are all connected in some fashion.

      Delete
    3. Krishnan7 December 2012 at 13:16

      Friday blues ?

      Delete
    4. VMA Nair7 December 2012 at 13:18

      Please read last Mondays abcde ;-)

      Delete
    5. RameshJ7 December 2012 at 13:33

      Krishnan @1:16 First half is right

      Delete
    6. VMA Nair7 December 2012 at 15:16

      second part .
      come back of Java ?

      Delete
    7. Krishnan7 December 2012 at 15:20

      Friday faces I presume

      Delete
    8. VMA Nair7 December 2012 at 15:22

      decaf <--

      Delete
    9. RameshJ7 December 2012 at 15:41

      :) Friday Faced it is. Of course nowadays Friday is a day to look forward to.

      Delete
  5. Rengaswamy7 December 2012 at 11:50

    6 To a Greek character, this is wine (4) ANTI (chiANTI) where is the definition?
    While agree with you that it is like ANITYA clue, this clue still drives us to the correct answer once the cutting letters are available. Yes, we have to sweat it out first to get then cutting letters and then only we can find the answer. If definition is there it makes solver's life easier, but with no definition, when solver gets the right answer, he gets more pleasure in his achievement than when the definition is present.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Deepak Gopinath7 December 2012 at 14:10

    Read about Shuchi's Q&A session at the Guardians Crossword blog at

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/crossword-blog/2012/dec/06/crossword-blog-cryptics-india

    ReplyDelete
  7. B.V.K.7 December 2012 at 14:14

    Hello Pros - I've just started with THC...love it! Any tips?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RameshJ7 December 2012 at 14:23

      I am not a pro but just filling in for them..

      Here is a site I would suggest.
      http://www.crosswordunclued.com/

      On the right hand side of this blog you will find links for Beginners. That would be a very good starting point

      Delete
    2. B.V.K.7 December 2012 at 14:28

      Thanks a lot Ramesh, I was looking at some of the links mentioned here. The site you mentioned looks helpful.

      Delete
  8. VP7 December 2012 at 15:54

    Made a few mistakes and left a few gaps today. For some reason, I thought Go in first fitted 25 quite well !!
    Off for the weekend, will be back Monday

    ReplyDelete
  9. Amar8 December 2012 at 23:06

    Very helpful links at here, No words to say Thanks, such a great help Ramesh
    Thanksso much.

    ReplyDelete

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