Saturday 31 August 2013

No 10866, Saturday 31 Aug 2013, The Phantom

Was 'winded' googling and reading the long winded clues.
ACROSS
8   Gratify Henry’s ilk no end leaving to fool around (6) PANDER  Anno pending (Addendum - P(-h)(-ilk)ANDER - See comments)
9   European politician’s allegiances; commitments basically are most hollow (8) EMPTIEST {E}{MP}{TIES}{commiTments}
10 Highway 78 perhaps missed out marker (8) MILEPOST {MI}LEPOST Anno pending (Addendum - {MI}{L{EP}OST} - See comments)
11 Prophet and priest on outskirts of Judea, heading for Haifa (6) ELIJAH {ELI}{JudeA}{H}
12 Blonde frayed at the edges, with silver lining; sign of seniority (3,3) OLD AGE {gOLD {AG}En}
13 Resurgences of servitude binding one vassal, beginning to return, as year ends (8) REVIVALS {yRE{VI}VALS}<= Not sure of Anno See comments
15 Ridicule report about garment and casual wear (1-6) T-SHIRTS {T-{SHIRT}S}(~tease) I thought ridicule report would be 'tsk', rom tsk-tsk? See coments
17 We declined carnation from a girl, back in USA (7) FLORIDA {FLOweR}{IDA}
20 New independent national character, for instance, reflected in African (8) NIGERIAN {N}{I}{GE<=}{RIAN<=} (Addendum - {N}{I}[{GE}{RIA}{N}<=] - See comments)
22 Mammal in Manila harassed (6) ANIMAL*
23 A road crossing short alley at an angle (6) ASLANT {A}{S{LANe}T}
25 Opera scripts in book, strangely written, without covers (8) LIBRETTI {LIB}{wRITTEn}* Lib from Library? Then it should have been books.
26 Poisonous plants perhaps brought about the end of Socrates? (8) HEMLOCKS [GK]
27 Clears peculiar looking membrane around the eyes (6) SCLERA*


DOWN
1   Exceptionally prepared sir, and — voila — see pasta dishes! (8) RAVIOLIS {SIR+VOILA}*
2   Ground stroke featuring Nadal, in the centre, raises excitement levels (10) ADRENALINE {NADAL+IN+REE?}* ?(Addendum - {A{naDal)RENA}{LINE} - See comments)
3   Hollow in wood? Nothing in it! (6) GROOVE {GRO{O}VE}
4   Ultimately length etc., perhaps a measure, couple finally needed, for unit of area (7) HECTARE {H}{ETC*}{A}{measuRE}
5   Turmoil in Indian state; unending happiness cut short by gangster (8) UPHEAVAL {UP}{HEAVen}{AL} Unending and then cut short to remove two letters?
6   Court order with conditional decree, carried by Tunisian (4) NISI [T]
7   Mule revolts, beset by pain and torture (6) ASSAIL {A{SSA<=}IL}
14 Chop removing core and fillet basically into say extremely, long strands of pasta (10) VERMICELLI VERMIC{tELLIf} Anno pending (Addendum - {VER{MInCE}{fiLLet}I}(~very) - See comments)
16 Three panelled artwork showing travel by Greek goddess of fortune, briefly (8) TRIPTYCH {TRIP}{TYCHe}
18 People using drawing boards are mainly designers of roof supports (8) DRAFTERS {D}{RAFTERS}
19 Girl’s report announces agenda for expert maybe (7) ANALYST (~anna}{ANA}{LYST}(~list)
21 Rhythmic march on foot (6) INSTEP {IN}{STEP}
22 Is she superior born, to be protected by President’s security service? (6) ABBESS {A{B}BE}{SS} Why 'Is she'?
24 Jack, the French expert (4) ABLE {AB}{LE}


106 comments:

  1. 14 Chop removing core and fillet basically into say extremely, long strands of pasta (10) VERMICELLI VERMIC{tELLIf} Anno pending

    VER(MInCE)(fiLLet)I ~very

    ReplyDelete
  2. 15 Ridicule report about garment and casual wear (1-6) T-SHIRTS {T-{SHIRT}S} I thought ridicule report would be 'tsk', rom tsk-tsk?

    Ridicule = Tease (~TS)

    ReplyDelete
  3. +1 for the tag line. Some Anno's are iffy. But some good clues too.

    Still unable to get the anno of 12A. I took blonde frayed at edges as lond + ag and I wasn't getting old age.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 13 Resurgences of servitude binding one vassal, beginning to return, as year ends (8) REVIVALS {yR{E{VI}VALS}<= Not sure of Anno

    It is correct - need to remove the bracket before E.

    {(-y)RE{V}{I}VALS<-}

    ReplyDelete
  5. 22D - ABBESS is feminine of abbot. The question format could be just a trap.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Highway 78 perhaps missed out marker (8) MILEPOST
    MI (highway) + EP (reference to 78rpm musical records) with LOST (missed) on the outside

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gratify Henry’s ilk no end leaving to fool around (6) PANDER
    PHILANDER (to fool around) - H (Henry) IL[k]

    Isn't gratify = "pander to" instead of "pander"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Double wow.

      You're right, Chambers defines Pander as, To indulge, gratify (with to)

      Delete
  8. 5D Unending and then cut short to remove two letters?

    Clues like indeed cause TURMOIL.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It seems no-one has noticed the personal Nina that is in the solution grid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just noticing and also the information is noted .

      Delete
    2. Ah! So we know who he is.

      Delete
  10. I thought 78 rpm records - the earliest that we had in our homes with the gramophone - was 'standard play'. EP and LP came later. Will someone clarify?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EP should be 45 LP was 33 if I remember right

      Delete
    2. 78 rpm was the standard size for some time. Long Play (33 1/3 rpm) and Extended Play (45 rpm) arrived much later, I guess. I have a collection of all of them at home here, most of them in good form. My gramophone is giving a little problem. Will have to get it set right soon.

      I am sending pictures of the gramophone and the three different sizes of records to Deepak. Maybe he can give a link later during the day.

      Delete
    3. This leads to my doubt and why I raised the question:

      Can '78 perhaps' get EP?

      Delete
  11. Phantom - the clues are so long, one forgets what you started out with!!
    Finally completed this CW, without being sure of many annos.
    Should I say there was no thrill in the chase?
    Good morning all - have an enjoyable weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 2 Ground stroke featuring Nadal, in the centre, raises excitement levels (10) ADRENALINE {NADAL+IN+REE?}* ?

    Ground = ARENA
    STROKE = LINE
    With D from centre of Nadal

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brilliant.

      Suresh for having made out the Anno

      The Phantom for awesome cluing.

      One doubt, is the placement correct? D comes inside Arena but the suggestion comes after stroke.

      Delete
    2. AD: Treating it as "Ground Stroke" featuring D instead of "Ground " + "Stroke featuring D" leads to the right answer.

      Delete
    3. But if that is so then Arena line is not a single word. As ground stroke one would think of a drive or something.

      Delete
    4. It's a charade of ARENA LINE with D inserted. How does it matter whether ground stroke is one word or two?

      Delete
  13. Tough, tougher and toughest ! I surrender Phantom !! May be you wanted to test the solving skills of Suchi, Sandhya, CV, DG, Kishore,
    Bhavan et al :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I should say it was more of a test to get proper Annos for all the solutions. :)

      Delete
    2. Only SANKALAK & GRIDMAN make puzzles keeping solvers in mind and do not challenge the solvers. Others try to test our skills.

      Delete
  14. Re 2D: I had the anno as:
    Ground - Arena
    Stroke - Line
    Nadal in the centre - D

    ReplyDelete
  15. @The Phantom: Thanks for removing your mask :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Further to my 10:36 - Just sent pics of gramophone end three types of old vinyl discs to the boss.

    78 cannot certainly lead to EP.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Not bad, I guessed it right then. I had this suspicion that Raghu was Phantom a couple of months ago and it's turned out to be right.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here though I didn't connect Phantom and Raghu , I always thought Raghu will be a setter.

      Delete
    2. Raghu is a setter and also like a setter's nightmare... well, with his curious doubts, questions, analyzing of clues and all.

      Delete
    3. Good that Raghu is around to keep the setters on their toes. His questions/feedback is always welcome

      Delete
    4. VJ,

      That's how we all learn.

      Delete
  18. So DP is not the only one to see TP's face !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DP ? and TP ? Are they from outer space ? :)

      Delete
    2. No from Eden, Jade hut and the golden sands of Keela-Wee

      Delete
    3. Well,..errr, my tubelight is not glowing :-)

      Delete
    4. Kit Walker rings a bell ?

      Delete
    5. ureka ! got it !! 'wife' and 'writer' !!!

      Delete
  19. One by one cats are jumping out of the bag :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. May be there are many rats available in this blog to feast upon !!

      Delete
  20. 17 We declined carnation from a girl, back in USA (7) FLORIDA {FLOweR}{IDA}
    {FLO[-we]R}{ID/A <=}
    a girl back = {A DI}<=

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That makes for another equation wrt to my 1107:

      DP=DI

      so TP has managed to rope in his better half into this CW too !

      Delete
    2. I rag u not !

      Delete
    3. I knew you'd point out to TP's better half, but Bhavan's comment has me now deflated:)

      Delete
  21. LV wrote: "One by one cats are jumping out of the bag."

    So is this a group of solvers who are also setters or setters who are also solvers?

    Can anyone list the members/commenters who are also setters of THC?

    In UK-based blogs too setters visit blogs and write comments but very occasionally. Only THC setters unabashedly visit blogs and comment. But without their intervention it is doubtful if this blog would have attained the stature that it has.

    Also it seems Indian setters are more forthcoming and friendly. Is it a national trait?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are like that only. And the whole world is our native place.

      Delete
    2. Here is my list

      Gridman : Chaturvasi
      Buzzer : Bhavan
      Incognito : Kishore
      Lightning : VP
      The Phanthom: Raghu
      AfterDark : AfterDark
      Sunnet : RameshJ

      Sankalak,Arden,Neyartha have occasionally been seen on this blog I think

      Delete
    3. There is one more to this list . Fairly active :)

      Delete
    4. Oops Forgot xChequer : Bhala

      Delete
    5. Rather two more I know of. But I am not sure whether they are OK revealing their identity . Hence I am not naming them either.

      Delete
    6. I have a few guesses too, but since they have not disclosed their id ...

      Delete
    7. Ramesh why do you say AD=AD, and not the real name?

      Delete
    8. One more solver on whom I have a suspicion of being a setter is Venkatesh. And Spinner also comments here , though not very frequently. As Srinivasan Santhanam.

      Delete
    9. Kishore@12:13, because I do not know.

      Delete
    10. Maybe it is not known, with my handle also being the same. Well for records , I am called Shrikanth

      Delete
    11. Would like to add....

      Scintilator: Shyam
      Textrous: Vinod Raman (I think he's posted here a couple of times)

      Delete
    12. Mover : Mohan Verghese ( I am not sure if he has ever commented on the blog )

      That leaves Skull, Klu, Vulcan and Aspartame as the only setters whose ID is still a mystery.

      Delete
    13. ...and it seems almost all the setters are from South India !

      Delete
    14. I am a West Indian !

      Delete
    15. Since when have Bangalorians become West Indians ? :-)

      Delete
    16. I am from the Konkan ...

      Delete
  22. It is encouraging to see some setters sending their puzzle for making the cartoon.
    One said:
    Of course cartoon is needed

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sandhya's 8.42 - Can garment be T Shirts ? Wouldn't it be just T Shirt ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 15 Ridicule report about garment and casual wear (1-6) {T-{SHIRT}S}(~tease)
      Garment = SHIRT
      TS is about (around) SHIRT

      Delete
  24. 25 Opera scripts in book, strangely written, without covers (8) LIBRETTI {LIB}{wRITTEn}* Lib from Library? Then it should have been books.

    Book = Lib (Latin Liber which is also the root word for library)

    Nice intricate clueing Raghu, but I cannot muster any enthusiasm for definitions like "in USA" for Florida. It is not grammatical or accurate.

    It was also odd to see T-SHIRTS clues as SHIRT inside TS because when breaking an answer into parts, it is weak to have a wordplay component be the same as the final answer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Point taken wry to T SHIRTS, I too would have pointed out that in someone else's clues. So I concede that's big goof-up. On 'in USA' I think I have seen that kind of usage in some crosswords though I'm not sure about that.

      Delete
    2. Raghu, forgive me if you thought I was trying to deflate you.

      The reason I don't like such a definition is because it has no equivalence. I can't think of any context where you can replace Florida with 'in USA'

      I'm going to Florida
      I'm going to in USA

      Clueing a location as 'place/city/town/village in xxx' makes more sense to me.

      Delete
    3. I think it works if the following example is considered.

      "The place is Florida."

      "The place is in the US of A."

      Delete
    4. Bhavan, the 'deflated' comment was said in jest. I have no issues with what you wrote.

      Delete
  25. Venkatesh/SR/whatever other handle he has is an expert solver, commenter, researcher, critic and initial poster in crossword blogs. I don't think he is a THC setter.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phew, the mask is finally come off! To answer some queries raised:

      25 Opera scripts in book, strangely written, without covers (8)
      LIB: Book (from Chambers)
      lib. abbreviation 1 liber (Latin), book. 2 librarian. 3 library.

      5 Turmoil in Indian state; unending happiness cut short by gangster (8)

      Happiness: Heaven (from Chambers). Undending: HEAVE(n), Cut short by gangster: HEAV(e) +AL

      22 Is she superior born, to be protected by President’s security service? (6)
      I just framed the clue in Q form. Is it not acceptable?

      My anno for : 20 New independent national character, for instance, reflected in African (8)

      N New, I: Independent, AIR: Character, N: National, EG: Say ;

      On the Q on EP: This is from Wikipedia:
      EPs were released in various sizes in different eras. The earliest multi-track records, issued around 1919 by Grey Gull Records, were vertically cut 78 rpm discs known as "2-in-1" records.

      Delete
  27. The travelogue that CV is writing of Madurai is enthralling. He paints a vivid word-picture of the place! I wonder whether he had occasion to sample Jigarthanda, that unique sweet dish of Madurai! Some trace the origin of this cold flavored milk served with badam pisin and a special ice cream to the Burmese milk faluda. Introduced to Madurai, the faluda has undergone changes and metamorphosed to the current popular format.

    To attempt an answer to a query posed by him:
    In Madurai, for every festival of the Meenakshi temple, one particular street around the temple is used for the celebrations - Aadi veedhi, Chithirai Veedhi, Avani veedhi, Maasi veedhi, etc.

    There are four vadampokki streets one at every Maasi Veedhi (street) junction; thus, we have Kezha, Mela, Vadakku, and Therku Vadampokki streets.

    Vadam is the sturdy long rope used pull the charriots.

    During the Chithirai Thiruvizha (festival), while making the turning, those pulling the two big chariots manoeuvre the vadam moves through those four streets to enable the chariots to make the sharp turn from one Maasi Veedhi (street) to the other and then to the next. This is how they say the name came about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...and so far four have been spotted ! Two (Female) and two (Male) !!

      Delete
    2. I had added my bit on that about Madurai on that day. But it was too late. Would have got missed out.

      Delete
    3. I have been doing some work on Madurai . Anyone interested in reading a bit and provide feedback may send their mail ID to t.shrikanth@gmail.com. I will mail whatever I am upto

      Delete
  28. Col/ Richard,
    What's wrong in deleting the last two letters? I'm sure you'll agree to the anno I provided at 1.17. It is more precise than the 'some' used in some puzzles.

    5 Turmoil in Indian state; unending happiness cut short by gangster (8) UPHEAVAL {UP}{HEAVen}{AL} Unending and then cut short to remove two letters?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Phantom unmasked !! Though I did manage to solve all, couldn't get down to parse a few , which are rather convoluted- a la NJ? Where's this setter now? bring her along to join the merry gangs of Crypticpur !! !!

    I blogged once or twice here about the mystery behind the enigmatic aura of anonymity of the setters. Where's the need? Setting up a cryptic puzzle is a creative and painstaking job and why then should one hide one's identity? Take credit where it is due ! Why be a pseudonamy or a benami when there's no need to be a badnamI like all those nefarious characters who hide themselves ! CV can clarify if I am wrong: Writers and some eminent journalists used this ploy by appearing in different papers with adopted names to evade Income tax- a sidestep to to hide the pittance they used to earn. Crossword setters do not have to !!

    P'haps, The Hindu is not read pan- Indian and hence the setters are predominantly from the south of Vindhyas to the exclusion of others ?

    ReplyDelete
  30. Deepak's comment on re-entry of Shuchi : Great Shuchi. Long time no see.

    Great, Shuchi or Great Shuchi? or both?

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com