Monday 29 July 2013

No.10837, Monday 29 Jul 2013, Spinner


ACROSS
1 A magical mantra engineered just like this clue? (14) ANAGRAMMATICAL (A MAGICAL MANTRA)* &LIT too?
10 A poetic commendation inherent in a silken voice (5) ENVOI (T)
          An example is appended at the end of this post
11 Bird’s tail was cut off and the sound that followed was piercing (9) THRUSTING (THRUSh TING)
12, 19 Pronounce, ponder and put away the lining which children would circle on cold, frosty mornings? (8,4) MULBERRY BUSH (~MULL BURY BUSH)
          Round and round the Mulberry Bush, ...methinks there was a spider web on it ...
13 Animal that goes ‘Pop’ due to a pointed stand (6) WEASEL (W(est) EASEL) 
          Ref to Pop goes the weasel
15 Holy hippos out in the pursuit of wisdom (10) PHILOSOPHY (HOLY HIPPOS)*
16 Like the evergreen stuff that made a comeback with the sleazy Nipponese (4) PINY (T<)
          Two continuous words starting with P and ending with Y !
19 See 12 Ac.  
          (See up there, didn't Spinner tell you so ?!)
20 An effect of the recessive gene makes the British want a woman with the European Parliament (5,5) BLACK SHEEP (B LACK SHE EP)
          An African chief's wife gave birth to an albino baby. The chief went up to the white missionary and charged 
          "I black, my wife black, baby white, you white, how?" The padre, wanting to explain how albinism 
          occurs due to recessive genes, showed him the mountainside, saying "all sheep white, one sheep black,
          you black, how?". The chief, with acknowledgement of guilt, declared ceasefire with: "You no tell, I 
          also no tell".
23 The fallen man without a surname had a swelling and was extremely teary (6) HUMPTY (HUMP TearY)
          Ref to Mr H. Dumpty without his surname
25 Sybarite’s weird, unusual collection (8) BESTIARY (SYBARITE)*
27 Missing man and sailors cheat mutineer who turned his back on them (9) ABSCONDER (ABS CON DER<)

28 Game makers can consume home-food (3,2) EAT IN (EA (Ref to Electronic Arts, a video game maker, whose logo is EA) TIN)
29 Mce mce mce (5,5,4) THREE BLIND MICE (3 MICE without eyes = ~Is)
          Fell in love with this one at first sight, because love is blind

DOWN
2 Television disowning one broadcast that shows new stuff (9) NOVELTIES (TELEVISION -1)*
3 Leader of the blind community? (5,3) GUIDE DOG (CD)  
          A seeing-eye dog
4 Stakes on the Brazilian city’s odd rally raised already (10) ANTERIORLY (ANTE RIO RaLlY)
5 She’s bloody as a spirited tomato (4) MARY (CD)
          Tomato juice with spirit, vodka=Bloody Mary, not Queen of Scots
6 One who analyses the canopy (6) TESTER (2)
7 Provides an upper surface to slice bananas (5) CEILS (SLICE)*
8 Part and then unite cleanly? (7) LEGALLY (LEG ALLY)
          Not sure if def. is fully apt
9 Mountain cat and alien return to form an alliance (4,2) TEAM UP (PUMA ET)<
          Sometimes we have minced 'mountain cat' for breakfast !
14 Stylish perception needed to manage an avian enclosure (7,3) CHICKEN RUN (CHIC KEN RUN)
          Another game, though not in the same class (kindergarten) as others, and not by EA 
17 Stiff final held in one nice ground (9) INELASTIC (LAST in (1 NICE)*)
18 This other map contains a line that connects the equally hot (8) ISOTHERM (T)
19 Where you would find the left lung inside-out (2,5) BY HEART (DD)
          Knowing something inside out = knowing something by heart. This is the real objective of all those games, getting 
          the songs by heart as a memory exercise ...
21 Agassi first quit running, then started practising (6) PLYING (PLAYING -A)
22 Slogged and smashed in with a trace of roughness (6) STROVE (R in STOVE)
24 Thinker recalled unfinished summary (5) MUSER (RESUMe)<
          Reminded me of Rodin's  Le PensuerThe word play reminded me that I should complete my unfinished Résumé
26 Implicit devotee of Lord originally in a lifeless form? (4) IDOL (I D O L)

Welcome, Spinner,
Our new compiler,
A web-master or a verbal shaman,
Or deliverer of a turning Chinaman ?
Looks like you are a winner !

Spinner opened with songs and games !  

100 comments:

  1. Spinner transitions from THCC to THC, congrats and welcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Any others wishing to transit may write to me.

      Delete
    2. Spinner transitions from THCC to THC, congrats and welcome.

      Is that called cutting a ' Corner' ?

      Delete
  2. Great cluing Spinner, great solving/commenting Kishore!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why, 'cluing' is quite correct with many Britishers using that sp., though you, like myself, may prefer 'clueing'.

      Delete
    2. Thanks, Sandhya. WRT to my loquaciousness, as noted by many, I can only quote Malang Chacha, who said:

      Rashan pe bhashan bahut hai par bhashan pe rashan nahi. Isiliye jab bolta hoon to thoda zyada bolta hoon.


      And this bit from a song from Shor:
      Do pal ke jeevan mein, ik umr choorani hai.*

      In fact, when I met CV recently, I had quoted this last line to him.

      *This is the spirit I learnt from "Anand".

      Delete
  3. Welcome Spinner. A very nice offering. Loved 29A particularly.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Several good clues from Spinner. Particularly liked INELASTIC.

    What I don't like are clues like 29A which don't bend, but break the rules of cryptic clueing. There is no definition and the wordplay doesn't lead to the answer in the absence of the homophone. Even if there was some indication of i = ~eye in the clue, it is still a bridge too far. mce = m(-i)ce = m(-~eye)ice = mice without eyes = blind mice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Inspite of all that I still liked 29A. The clue says such a lot without saying as much.

      Delete
    2. GEGS for SCRAMBLED EGGS was considered a great clue at one time. Some still might. But it had/s its detractors.

      I was merely registering my voice of dissent for the clue.

      Delete
    3. Well, I don't quite agree!

      Though a stern critic of lazy, incomplete and careless clueing, I appreciate an occasional clue of this kind - which, upon solving, brings a smile on the lips of the solver.

      I have called it the occasional clue that defies some element of clueing requirements..

      If every clue has some kind of problem that it has - as you correctly say - then that CWD would come in for much criticism here.

      Delete
    4. Though there was no definition, I felt it was it was OK as it was one of the theme clues.

      Delete
    5. GEGS: Not sure where it's from, but the clue is comparatively less ambiguous. Today's 29A is a bit iffy IMO. "I" for eye is a stretch. I'm not entirely against the idea, but not a great fan either. If these tricks are used as the wordplay part to go with the definition, it'd be more appreciated.

      However, I'm okay with these kinds of clues as long as they logically lead to the solution i.e. ABCDEFGHIJKLM. (4)

      Delete
    6. I think this could be pardoned, esp. since it's Spinner's debut and give him credit for coming up with an original sort of clue. Suppose it's his 'doosra', as experts believe that you cannot bowl this without a bit of bend in the arm. Apart from this plenty of googlies, arm balls, Chinamen, straighter ones and the ocassional under armer.

      Delete
    7. Aah, you refer to the Chinaman too

      Delete
    8. Not sure whether he is left or right handed.

      Delete
    9. Pl ref. to welcome limerick with various meanings of Spinner...

      Delete
  5. Is there any risqué element in 8d?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tut-tut on behalf of all the tut-tutters!!!

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    2. It is an open and shut case !

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    3. And as long as it is done Legally :)

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    4. Otherwise, you end up married (I am unable to quote the exact legal citation)

      Delete
    5. Bunch of naughty old boys:)

      LEG: 3 stage,part, bit, section, portion, stretch, segment, lap

      Both in thefreedictionary.com & http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/

      Delete
    6. Explanation in reply to Kishore's query against 8 D.

      Delete
    7. "Bunch of naughty old boys"

      Abhi to main jawan hoon

      Delete
    8. Raghu 941: My query was wrt the defn. If ' cleanly' = 'legally' is apt. Nothing to do with legs, to which you have drawn attention to ...

      Delete
    9. Sorry. Didn't notice that. Re the def is it an American slang wherea business is 'clean' if its legal?

      Delete
  6. 28 Game makers can consume home-food (3,2) EAT IN (EA (Ref to Electronic Arts, a video game maker, whose logo is EA) TIN)

    Good anno by Kishore. Even though I solved it, I was not satisfied with my anno, till I saw this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kishore

    Your cartoons have always had great ideas. Now your art work has improved tremendously.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To use Paint or DoodleBuddy, that was the Q. I stuck to P, but I think my mouse handling has improved as the delirium tremens has considerably decreased.

      BTW, I am sure you got the name on the grave. Right ?

      Delete
    2. That's a Q worth gunning for...

      Delete
  8. Two continuous words starting with P and ending with Y !

    This blogger doesn't miss anything. Misses beware!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did miss your observation about 8d, the innocent chap that I am !

      Misses as in plural of Miss ?

      Delete
  9. I invite readers to enter just one word that starts with P and ends in Y.

    This must be done without a moment's thinking.

    PEONY

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Psychology, and its relatives form a huge gang.

      Delete
    2. WRT 901, kin include Psychiatry, Psychotheraphy, Pharmapsychology, et al

      Delete
    3. Pray, Was CV's mind still stuck on 8D when he threw this challenge ? ;)

      Delete
    4. Ramesh @1109

      Possibly

      Raghu @1116

      Why not Parthasarathy ?

      Delete
    5. Kishore @11:58
      Probably "pushy" would have been a better answer in that case :)

      Delete
    6. The longest ones I found after googling

      photolithographically, psychophysiologically, psychotherapeutically

      Delete
    7. Kishore,'
      LVs second entry describes you.' Fastest draw in the East"?

      Delete
    8. P to Y - What CVji is looking for is FUSSY not loudly but silently!

      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. He's probably 'down'on the floor !

      Delete
    2. Yes Colonel , sorry 20A

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    3. MB (lest you should scratch your head)

      I just learnt by googling that what AD means is Rolling On Floor Laughing (after reading the joke in this blog at 20a).

      I too enjoyed it, but sitting firmly in the chair.

      Delete
    4. Idhudhaan VIZHUNDHU VZHUNDHU sirikiradhaa?

      Delete
    5. Just saw 20A ! LOL !! Cracker of a joke !!!

      Delete
    6. CV Sir @ 9;23

      I did scratch my head for some time not only with ROFL but also AD(Afterdark) ! Thanks for stripping ROFL !!!
      Today I was late to join the FUN-PARTY :) I generally make my entry after 10:00 or so.

      Delete
  11. Welcome Spinner. Nice variety and liked quite a few clues. Kishore's commentary provides the perfect foil

    ReplyDelete
  12. Good opener from Spinner. Liked 29A which was more like a rebus puzzle than a traditional cw clue.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Just uploaded solution grid with theme entries highlighted:
    Here we go round the MULBERRY BUSH
    Pop goes the WEASEL
    Baa Baa BLACK SHEEP
    HUMPTY Dumpty
    THREE BLIND MICE
    MARY had a little lamb

    Did I miss any ? Pl let me know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sometimes I have other fish to fry

      Delete
    2. சும்மா வறுத்து எடுத்துடுவாரு
      Summaa varuththu eduththuduvaaru...

      (I.e., he will just fry till it's quite black)

      Delete
  14. 23D The fallen man without a surname had a swelling and was extremely teary (6) HUMPTY (HUMP TearY)

    What is the role of "was" in the cryptic reading of the clue ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is there purely for the surface reading. I understand that it's not okay for such words to be present between the different parts of the clue leading to the answer. Definitely an area I could improve on. Thank you.

      Delete
  15. Firstly, thanks to the Colonel and CV sir for all the support. Also, thank you for the 'envoi', Kishore-Ji. Also, you haven't missed any of the themed entries.

    As for 'legally' , legal=clean is marked informal usage in http://thesaurus.com/browse/legal But, legally = cleanly, in retrospect, may not be fair to the solver, I suppose. Shall try to steer clear of such usage in future.

    As for 29A, it was more a rebus-inspired clue. Though it breaks every single cryptic rule, like CV sir said, it was intended to be a break from the regular pattern (quite like a doosra, as pointed out). Like the clue for NOEL in one of Gridman's offerings. As long as a good percentage of the solvers are able to figure out the solution, I feel it is justified.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SS, you have not answered my query regarding the connotation of Spinner as enquired in the 'envoi':
      a. Spider
      b. Spin doctor
      c. Spin Bowler

      Delete
    2. I'll go for option c as I remember in his last offering in THCC, Col saying he was out playing a cricket match.

      Delete
    3. Yes, I am an off-spinner. Not a chinaman bowler, though (Those guys are vanishing from cricket, sadly) I play for Nungambakkam SC in TNCA's fifth division. That spinning, was what probably rubbed off on my clues. Also, if my work results is a nice web of clues, you may go for option 'A' as well, only, I'm four limbs short.

      Delete
  16. I was also hoping that, by the time the solver arrived at 29A, the theme would've caught on, making it simpler for him/her to decode this type of clue.

    ReplyDelete
  17. An impressive debut, Spinner. Only advice by me is bowl with a shorter run up!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Srivathsan Santhanam @ 11:15

    As for 29A, I had to Google it. Your intention to break away from the regular pattern is OK(once in a while). You see, Familiarity Breeds Contempt, hence, Variety is the Spice of Life(once in a while)!! You agree with me !? A nice puzzle. I enjoyed it. Could get pass marks !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely. Variety was the driving force behind such a clue.

      Delete
    2. "Could get pass marks"

      - The solver or the setter?

      Delete
    3. The former, who incidentally is a tyro !

      Delete
  19. I am maintaining a database of all keen followers of THC and my blog, so that if ever we have a S&B meet (S&B is Sloggers and Bloggers meet, for those who are unaware)I can send them information about it.
    Those who are interested in getting their names into the databse please send me your Name, Address, E-mail & Phone numbers so that I can add it to the database.
    This message is for all those who are new to the blog and those who have not sent me their details earlier. My e-mail ID is available in the Contact details at the top of this page.

    ReplyDelete
  20. 29A was fairly easy to solve.

    The point is does it not require a definition element, or at least a head note stating that a certain number of themed clues do not have a definition?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Since there was just one clue of it's kind, a note would've been superfluous, I felt. Since it was a clue with no meaningful words, integration of a definition into the clue was tough. Like stated above, it does break the established rules. But as a setter, I'm counting on the recreational value of the clue to compensate for the rule-breaking.

      Delete
    2. Granted. Maybe a simple 'No?' at the end of the clue would have done it without removing the entertainment value

      Delete
  21. Raghunath-Ji, point taken. Days after setting this one, it occurred to me that some of the clues might have been longer than necessary. Shall make it brisker in future.

    ReplyDelete
  22. @Spinner
    29A brought a smile after solving.Nice xword, solved without scratching or banging my head! Thanks :-)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Well I certainly enjoyed 29A ! Brought a smile to my face ...

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you :) I guess 29A has had the intended effect.

    ReplyDelete
  25. VJ @ 9:06
    Hi VJ !
    Answer for ABCDEFGHIJKLM (4) please ! I have to be spoonfed you see !!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Pass mark?- 'the solver or the setter' was the question.
    My answer- The clue!

    Felt sorry for not being able to participate in time in all the fun. Which do I like most- the CW or Kishore's remarks or all the comments? Unable to decide!

    While all of you were searching for p....y, I was wondering why all of you missed Paddy! Out of sight.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After CV's drawing attention to a risque interpretation of a clue, I think everybofy got fixated on a 5 letter word for p---y, with the same letter in the third and fourth slot..., they overlooked you. Do not despair, your rival was worthy !

      Delete
    2. Potty is worthy? Quite an oxymoron, that! ;-)

      Delete
    3. You will have to think of something better- say for example, meow!

      Delete
    4. I was being intentionally potty, Mr. Paddy! (Hence the ";-)")

      Delete
  27. 1,29a &9d wow wonderfully spun.

    ReplyDelete
  28. A good spin by SPINNER.Congrats ! I liked the 'a Magical mantra ' to spin the letters to ANAGRAMMATICAL..Very imaginative and creative . The true art of a cruciverbalist. This was the clue of my day. To turn a THC from a THCC blogger is to come of age, separating the men from the boys. Many of us are content to remain boys, as to become a man, is to take on responsibilities and remaining a boy is to refuse to grow up !! But it is fun to become a boy when you are a man, as Kishore and others have proved here.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh, BTW, for some reason the word which first came to mind, a proper noun at that, when I read Chaturvasi's post was PLINY.

    ReplyDelete

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