Wednesday 13 March 2013

No 10719, Wednesday 13 Mar 13, The Phantom

Welcome to the Phantom after his tests runs on the blog. Too many annos evade me today besides being stuck for 25D.
ACROSS
1   Rehashed version of revolution involving revolutionary? To the contrary (8) RICOCHET RICO{CHE}T Anno not clear (Correction - RECYCLED {RE{CYCLE}D}- See coments)
5   Steel like spirit perhaps? (6) METTLE(~metal)
9   African chap about to meet Indian leaving his capital initially for capital of Botswana (8) NAMIBIAN {NAM<=}{I(-nd+b)BIAN}
10 Touch down east of Indian state on a plateau (6) UPLAND {UP}{LAND} Is there such a word? It's not there in the BRB. (See comments)
12 Old guy looking excited, starts to leer at girls (4) OGLE {O}{G}{L}{E}
13 Breathing aid at valley’s medical department for boxer returning from hill (10) VENTILATOR {V}{ENT}{ILA<=}{TOR}
15 Responsibility on wife as husband’s lost on peak (6) WEIGHT {W}{hEIGHT}
17 Some elements in Macedonia, Greece concur (5) AGREE [T]
20 Inhume, place six feet under (5) INTER [E]
21 Question arose after recurrence of issue about one’s skipping date (2-4) NO-SHOW {NO-S<=}{HOW}
24 Present boxes, baked ham pies not top grade, for half the world (10) HEMISPHERE {HE{HaM+PIES*}RE}
27 Bet on the Spanish to fall in line (4) RELY {R{EL}Y}
29 Dictator; afraid, closet is opening, failed to get away still (6) CASTRO {C}ASTRO Anno pending (Addendum - {faRAid+ClOSeT}* - See comments)
30 With a wave refuse (without one’s method) to meet seductive woman (8) BRANDISH BRAN{DISH} Anno pending
31 Licence allows right for the first time to guardian (6) PERMIT Anno pending (Correction - PARENT {PA(-t+r)RENT) - See comments)
32 Hooker asks client at last to come in next into vacant saloon (8) SLATTERN {Sal{LAT{T}ER}ooN}

DOWN
1   Nonsensical drama on losing an article has no purpose (6) RANDOM {DRAMa+ON}*
2   Reserved rooms, mini-meals, with no initial advance? That’s attractive (6) COMELY {CO{MEaLs}Y}
3   Actor’s line describes Rubik essentially and the form of his creation (4) CUBE {CU{ruBik}E}
4   Hack bids goodbye travelling North to dodge (5) EVADE Anno pending (Addendum - {ED AVE <=} - See comments}
6   Banish, denying right to outcast coming up over bridge (5) EXPEL {rE{X}PEL<=}
7   Scam connected with betrayers (8) TRAITORS Anno pending
8   Recommends death for Arabs refusing to start (8) ENDORSES {END}{hORSES}
11 Figures losing energy and still standing? (6) STATUS {STATUeS}
14 Honey overpriced? (4) DEAR [DD]
16 Very excited to be in Guangzhou! But missing Arizona State University (4-2) GUNG-HO {GUaNGzHOu}*
17 Work on new article coming up shortly (4) ANON {AN}{ON} Anno not clear (Addendum - {A}{N}<={ON} - See comments)
18 One taken before retiring dilute with a dash of gin bottoms up as limit (8) NIGHTCAP {NIG<=}HT{CAP} Anno pending (Addendum - {NI{G}HT<=}{CAP} - See comments)
19 Spray a mist oe’r through an airbrush (8) ATOMISER*
22 Old age characteristic to watch, absorbing nothing (6) SENILE {SE{NIL}E} That should be 'Senility' as per the definition. (See comments)
23 Execute a stroke as in square-cut in cricket? (6) HYPHEN [CD]
25 Signal the one in thirty? (5) S?R?I (Addendum - SIREN [DD] - See comments)
26 River and mountains describe the country (5) RURAL {R}{URAL}
28 Equipment to incorporate new connection (4) KNIT {K{N}IT}


67 comments:

  1. Welcome Phantom. Quite devious and enjoyable even if I'm stumped for a few annos.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1 Rehashed version of revolution involving revolutionary? To the contrary (8) RICOCHET RICO{CHE}T Anno not clear

    version of revolution = CYCLE
    revolutionary = RED
    rehashed = re(cycle)d

    ReplyDelete
  3. 29 Dictator; afraid, closet is opening, failed to get away still (6) CASTRO {C}ASTRO Anno pending

    Not sure what "opening" and "still" are doing, but (afraid closet - failed)* = castro.

    ReplyDelete

  4. 4 Hack bids goodbye travelling North to dodge (5) EVADE Anno pending

    ED AVE <

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, sorry, Phantom, forgot to welcome you. All the best.

      Delete
  5. 31 Licence allows right for the first time to guardian (6) PERMIT Anno pending

    Licence = Patent with R for T = Parent (guardian)

    ReplyDelete
  6. 18 One taken before retiring dilute with a dash of gin bottoms up as limit (8) NIGHTCAP {NIG<=}HT{CAP} Anno pending

    dilute = thin
    dash of gin = g
    limit (v) = cap

    ni(g)ht <= + cap = one taken before retiring

    ReplyDelete
  7. 25 Signal the one in thirty? (5) S?R?I SIREN (DD)

    ReplyDelete
  8. 10 Touch down east of Indian state on a plateau (6) UPLAND {UP}{LAND} Is there such a word? It's not there in the BRB.

    It is present in the 12th edition I'm using:

    upˈland (noun)

    1. Inland, hilly or high-lying country
    2. Upper or high land, as opposed to meadows, river-sides, etc (N American)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Bhavan, a closer look and I found it. I too have the 12th edition

      Delete
  9. 17 Work on new article coming up shortly (4) ANON {AN}{ON}

    ({A}{N}<-){ON}

    ReplyDelete
  10. 22 Old age characteristic to watch, absorbing nothing (6) SENILE {SE{NIL}E} That should be 'Senility' as per the definition.

    Again from Chambers:

    senile (adjective)
    Characteristic of or accompanying old age

    ReplyDelete
  11. If Phantom makes an appearance, I'd like to hear his thoughts on these:

    5 Steel like spirit perhaps? (6) METTLE(~metal) Can't see a satisfactory homophone indicator, plus the definition appears in the middle?

    23 Execute a stroke as in square-cut in cricket? (6) HYPHEN [CD] Was this meant as a hidden clue? If so is there too much padding?

    25 Signal the one in thirty? (5) Nowadays most cryptics refer to other clues using numbers only, so 30 instead of thirty might be deemed fairer to the solver.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In 5D I took 'like' as the indicator and 'spirit perhaps' as the definition

      Delete
  12. 2 Reserved rooms, mini-meals, with no initial advance? That’s attractive (6) COMELY {CO{MEaLs}Y}

    Deletion indicator for S?

    ReplyDelete
  13. In 30A

    refuse (without one’s method) Does Phantom mean Refuse = BRAN to be used as it is and not at RANDOM (without one's method) ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw the first part as:

      refuse = BAN
      without = c/c indicator
      one's method = R (from the three R's) ?

      but not convinced yet.

      Delete
  14. Bhavan I thought you were holidaying? Or is it that you have free time as Amudha is out shopping ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Colonel, got back yesterday, so back to normal :)

      Delete
  15. Do not quite get the anno for HYPHEN,if that is the answer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phantom is pointing to the hyphen in 'square-cut'

      Delete
  16. Welcome to THC!
    Got the feeling it is complicated due to long winded clues. Though able to fill in most of them, not at all sure of annos. Expected to be clearer after seeing the blog, but no! I am not the only one to be confused? Anyway, did better than I expected on first look.
    Hyphen- Does The Phantom mean that it is part of a square (cut?)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Replies
    1. 7 Scam connected with betrayers (8) TRAITORS Anno pending

      I am giving a rather far fetched anno which may not be Mr Walker's intention:

      Scam tainted = TRAI operaTORS

      may be cocking the snook at the multiple G scams

      Delete
  18. Incidentally the setter (as per the print and the epaper) is credited as THE PHANTOM, whereas in the blog he is a mere PHANTOM

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks Col, Bhavan and Kishore for the welcome. Grateful to Col for letting me test the waters so to say on his blog. Shall try and address some of the issues raised by Bhavan and other members

    'Refuse (without one’s method) Does Phantom mean Refuse = BRAN to be used as it is and not at RANDOM (without one's method) ?'

    Bran=husk= Chaff: 'refuse' in noun form as written by Col. (and not of the recycled type. As bran is recycled nowadays to produce oil, hence alluded to the 1 AC clue -albeit in words, to qualify 'refuse/ bran' not being recycled, imagining objections to bran being called as refuse). Thinking about it now, this reference might not have been required and if it was required- indicated with 1 AC. Apologies for leading you a wild goose chase

    Steel like spirit perhaps? (6) METTLE(~metal) 'Can't see a satisfactory homophone indicator, plus the definition appears in the middle?'

    I meant this in the way Col's put it. Perhaps, perhaps could have been replaced by reportedly

    23 Execute a stroke as in square-cut in cricket? (6) HYPHEN [CD] 'Was this meant as a hidden clue? If so is there too much padding?'

    Stroke =punctuation mark = HYPHEN and also found in square-cut.
    By padding do you mean 'in cricket' was superfluous? I thought it was only to give the sentence completion.


    25 Signal the one in thirty? (5) 'Nowadays most cryptics refer to other clues using numbers only, so 30 instead of thirty might be deemed fairer to the solver.'
    I have no clue about this. And if this is convention, point is taken

    29 Dictator; afraid, closet is opening, failed to get away still (6) CASTRO {faRAid+ClOSeT}*
    Have used 'is opening' as Anagrind. as in break, tear, split, crack, rupture etc, Adding 'still ' to make the sentence plausible, before 'failed' would not work as it would have been anag fodder
    20 Inhume, place six feet under (5) INTER [E]
    Meant this as CD as Place six feet under and inhume both lead to INTER

    ReplyDelete
  20. As regards the by line I changed it to The Phantom as comics and movies on him are titled The Phantom.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Disappointed with you, Phantom. ;-) No reference to our favourite Diana Palmer in your first offering. You might have to face rebellion back in the skull cave or tree house or wherever you live now.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Any ref to Diane Palmer and I'll face rebellion from the real life Diane(not in the skull cave), but over here in civilisation. Shall try if possible to accommodate Hero, Devil and Guran in future offerings

    @Col,

    TRAITORS: Think of all the synonyms and you'll arrive at the anno. I've observed usually by this time you'd get from message from Ajeesh with the anno?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Welcome back, Bhavan. You were being missed here when it came to annos. All the very best to you and Amudha in your new abode.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Richard.

      You flatter me regarding annos. With people like Colonel, Kishore, CV and Sandhya around, I'm sure no anno would have gone unexplained!

      Delete
  24. 7 DN,TRAITORS

    Anno is similar to the BATS anno of yesterday's THC.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Welcome Phantom. Very enjoyable opener, though I must admit I did not get a couple of words and several other annos until I saw the blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you liked it. I was expecting a lot more brickbats. I hope the next CW would appeal to all. above.

      Delete
    2. Sorry. Ignore 'above' from the previous post.

      Delete
  26. 'RATS'is a synonym for traitors and is similar to bats. That leaves a 4 letter word ITOR or if reversed ROTI. But I am not able to connect it with scam.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sorry RATS for betrayers here.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Macs: coats. Scam : turncoats

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course! A la Lloyd King. Don't know if this device is used in crosswords generally.

      Delete
    2. Good but toooo muchh :-P

      Delete
  29. Suresh,
    In a Buzzer C W artificial was used in a DN clue as EDAM: MADE UP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Which is fine and similar to BATS. The 'fodder' is presented as it is. Here the solver has to get a synonym of the reversed fodde etc....

      I have no problem, being a puzzle, which is why I brought up Lloyd King.

      Delete
    2. I've no idea whether this is an unfair clue? Leave it to you guys to say.

      Delete
  30. Oui is yes in French? It will come up in Phantom's next puzzle!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thank you Suresh for introduction to Lloyd King puzzles:-)

    ReplyDelete
  32. @Padmanabhan,

    I could not make out what you meant in your comment?

    The attempt was to answers which are commonly used. Except for SLATTERN, I think none of the answers led you to search for a word in some obscure corner of a dictionary to arrive at the solution. IMO one can learn new words somewhere else, but the CW is purely a puzzle to work out the answers for even the simplest of the words. One did not even have to refer to dic for any of the answers or the words in the clues, though I concede a couple of the clues could have been worded differently for better understanding.

    I'll aim to provide CWs with smooth reading and simple answers in future also.

    Hope the members like the puzzle today.

    ReplyDelete
  33. With the crossword becoming more and more difficult,day by day,I am losing interest.Once in 10 days,it is proving easier to me.This was not the position,say,one year back and earlier.Punch is also lacking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't get disheartened. The next couple of weeks will raise your spirits as it will be Sankalak followed by Gridman. About lack of punch, i don't think you are right, there is plenty of it in the CWs of the new setters.

      Delete
  34. I never said I did not like the puzzle. I only felt the surfaces were a little complex and difficult to follow at first. Second point was that though I could fill in some words, I was not sure of annos. One thing I have learned from this blog is that one's answers are not complete unless he is able to explain with proper annos. I was found wanting today.

    I have learned a lot of new words by doing CW's and I have no complaints about new words at all.

    Also, I have found it takes a few puzzles for me to follow the setter's thinking or shall I call it modus operandi. Maybe I will be able to do your next CW better!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I didn't think you did not like puz. I did not understand yr comment re. Oui.

    ReplyDelete
  36. like Le for the French oui may come as yes in French in your next puzzle.that's what he meant I think

    ReplyDelete
  37. Welcome Ghost who walks. Nice cw.

    Found the going tough today.

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com