Totally clueless about 6A.
ACROSS
6 Dispensing with criminal, sign away a pardon? (3,5) ?A? A?A?N (Addendum - SAY AGAIN (SIGN A(-w)AY A)* - See comments)
10 Heads to amusement park seeking enjoyment in recess (4) APSE {A}{P}{S}{E}
11 Wandering clan’s basic accommodation (5,5) CABIN CLASS*
12 Prevent others taking lives (6) RESIST {RES{IS}T}
15 Eric, a native of Mexico? (7,8) CENTRAL AMERICAN {CENTRAL} {AM{ERIC}AN}
18 Member of parliament representing nor’-east (7) SENATOR*
20 File a story in newspaper (6) COLUMN [DD]
23 Briefly examine a small earring (4) STUD STUDy
24 Popular fellow-setter returns (6) INCOME {IN}{CO}{ME}
25 Of course, it is a regular number (8) EIGHTEEN [C&DD]
DOWN
1 Passing fashion finally due to disappear (4) FADE [FAD}{E}
2 City or town in Kerala one leaves to join army (8) CALCUTTA {CALiCUT}{TA} Now Kozhikode and Kolkatta
3 Wrong catch upheld in game (6) TENNIS {TEN}{NIS}<=
4 She sportingly helps pen text often for a theatrical performer
(6-4) BALLET-GIRL {BALL{tExT}-GIRL}
5 People migrated from India sporadically (8) DIASPORA [T]
7 Reportedly be sick eating very soft fruit (5) APPLE {~a{PP}il}
13 Changes in speech interested people (10) INTONATION {INTO}{NATION}
16 Sinner he converted to saint (8) ENSHRINE*
17 Dealing with a brief argument (8) EXCHANGE [DD]
19 Steals rare ornamental hanging (6) TASSEL*
21 Second function of a pointer (5) MOUSE {MO}{USE}
23 Universal’s outside set location (4) SITE
As the first humans were supposed to have come from ‘the Dark continent’ and as shaving blades were not yet invented, I decided to portray A and E, in a colour and form other than normally drawn by most.
ReplyDelete(SIGN A(-w)AY A)*= SAY AGAIN
ReplyDeletePardon= def= SAY AGAIN
Dispensing with= deletion of w
Criminal=a ind
Sign away a is anagram fodder, after deletion of w
Quite simple for me, as I used the phrase frequently when I was an auditor with an auditory problem. Of course, come again, is more frequently used but may be capable of misinterpretation ...
Thanks KIshore, though I did think of 'Say again' I just didn't connect it with 'pardon'
DeleteThis clue is 'easy' when one is 'hard' of hearing !
Delete15 Eric, a native of Mexico? (7,8) CENTRAL AMERICAN CENTRAL AM{ERIC}AN
ReplyDeleteI took this to be: {CENTRAL} {A}{M{ERIC}AN}
It is a reverse anagram as ERIC is the CENTRAL part of AMERICAN
DeleteThis is a DD.
Delete1) Central part of AMERICAN is ERIC (reverse type)
2) a native of Mexico
Kishore,
DeleteThere is no Anagram involved here.
Correct. So it then becomes a CD. ERIC is a central amERICan.
Deleteor a CD,DD
DeleteNor is it a DD
DeleteERIC is the central part of amERICan so CENTRAL AMERICAN who a native of Mexico happpens to be. In a DD there should be two definite meanings and ERIC cannot be defined as a Central American
Let us file it under miscellaneous ;-), which usually means CD
DeleteMail received from Padmanabhan copy pasted below. I have uploaded the images in yesterday's post.
ReplyDeleteDear Col.
I was amazed by the absolute resemblance I found in Kishore's caricature of Ruskin Bond. I wanted to share it with you and request you to post them together in tom.'s blog. I am unable to do it from here due to the time lag.
Thank you & regards,
Padmanabhan
We can use the following clue from today's The Statesman do describe this puzzle:
ReplyDelete21 First-class return of traveller aboard public transport (6)
+1
DeleteA headline on today's sports pade in TH starts with a small letter. Under what circumstances is this ok?
ReplyDeleteTake Charles de Gaulle.
Delete'de' is a preposition and so doesn't take a cap.
However, when you drop Charles and refer to him as de Gaulle, it might be like saying Kunnakkudi played violin.
Anyway, de needn't still take an l/c when it is at the start of a sentence. I would expect 'ten' to be in caps in that headline.
This is my "take".
In the past newspaper offices used to get messages on teleprinters. This would be on long rolls of paper issuing out of the machine. However, as we can't wait for work until the full text of any long story rolled out and time was of the essence, they used to send it in small portions of a couple of paras. Each of these was called a take. So nearer the deadline, we would just tear off one or two takes and use them for a story that must immediately catch the edition.
Thanks, CV.
DeleteI did see Paddy's comment yesterday itself. Just as I always tail RajuU's trailing Comment.
ReplyDeleteVJ did not say K's sketch did not resemble B's. What he said was it reminded him of a corporate honcho.
The moment I saw K's sketch, I had all praise for it.
Outside of the context, I might add that technology has improved so vastly that Paddy, with a photo of his, can, by using a freeware, render a sketch of that in seconds.
And I can assure everyone that sketch will certainly be superior to mine.
DeleteOf course CV, that's exactly what I meant.
DeleteUntil yesterday I didn't even know who Ruskin Bond was, so I was hardly in any position to comment on the resemblance. Just saw that a couple of pics have been added to yesterday's post. All I can say is, well, it's a job well done. I wish I could draw like that.
Thanks, VJ. Read his stories for a unique flavour of the Terai.
DeleteOk, will check 'em out. Hope he's at least more entertaining than James Bond - one character I just can't stand. Always wondered why people go gaga.
DeleteUndoubtedly. Though, the movies were action packed, IMO Fleming's books were not very gripping. RB's books are eminently readable. No comparison betweenthe two.
DeletePl go to yesterday's blog for yet another hidden feature of yesterday's puzzle.
ReplyDeleteBtw, Deepak, Scaramanga is stii working on his visa papers.
For those who did not get the above, I suugest reading matter given under THCC Members link near the top of this page
DeleteThat's why we haven't seen him around these parts as yet
Delete6a is an excellent clue.
ReplyDeleteThe Indian crossword - or at least some clues in some crosswords - can definitely be compared to the best of those in the UK.
It is a pity that they rarely get a mention in crossword blogs where all the examples are from foreign newspapers..
+1. I feel it would have been even better if the 'a' before pardon was omitted. Really well thought out and crafted clue with smooth surface
Delete@Bhala that 'a' before pardon is part of the anagram fodder.
Deleteoh yes, absolutely. Perfect
DeleteKishore
ReplyDeleteToday's cartoon is very good. Concept/idea, panelling, drawing, colouring - everything is to be appreciated.
Thanks again. For a real rib-tickling cartoon on crosswords go to today's Calvin and Hobbes
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteThose idiots - the publishers and printers of most crosswords (the setters, let me tell you, are a good lot), whether they make you write small or not, they CERTAINLY make you read small - witness the type size in NIE crossword or ToI's NYT or - oh, so many others.
Delete"he setters, let me tell you, are a good lot"
Delete;-)
And so say all of us ...
+1
A t has escaped my copy paste in above post
DeleteBuzzer seldom disappoints and today is no exception.
ReplyDelete23D I thought might be SITU. Why is SITE a DD?
4D was the one clue which did not appeal so much. The surface seems a bit forced, besides which 'pen' is not grammatical, should be 'penning'
23D : Anno is S(-u)ITE = location
Delete4D: Isn't the best of surfaces. I intended for 'pen = to confine', but that wasn't a wholly satisfactory clue in the end.
23D: OK, that logic did not occur to me, but anyway couldn't see it as a DD
Delete4D: I agree 'pen' used as container indicator, but ball girl being singular, the agreement between subject and verb is the issue
I do not understand your issue with 4D, Bhala. She sportingly helps is singular meaning Ball girl.
Delete4D: Surface might sound a bit odd, but I too thought the wordplay was all right.
DeleteI had issues in few other clues with regard to placement of indicators like "briefly examine" for STUD, "finally due" for E etc.
Consumed by retaliation and such (2,4) I did'nt get how r & tion removed to get et alia?
ReplyDeleteI think there is no deletion in that clue. 'Consumed by' seems to be a mere hidden or telescopic indicator.
DeleteOh Thanks CV sir.
DeleteOnce again an excellent offering from Buzzer. Some amazing clues and surfaces.
ReplyDeleteToady's Buzzer didn't buzz my brains at all. Many clues, tho' cleverly constructed, a lot of ambiguity issues were there; as stated by Buzzer; SUITE -U - site-- but could also have been SITU or SITE , which is the answer--leaving one wondering where the U came in !
ReplyDeleteBALLET GIRL seemed far-fetched at first glance but could be justified only after entering the word. Where does one fit in PEN?
CALCUTTA was a good one, but isn't it now KOLKOTTA? Bengalis will be in a KOLA veri !
BRATISLAVA was again, a clever decoy-- one would buzz over the capital of Latvia as RIGA and turn around in a twist !!
CABIN CLASS: why no one recalled CATTLE CLASS of Shashi Tharur fame?
I didn't like CENTRAL: AMERICAN at all. Again, after AMERICAN struck one's mind, those seven letters gaped wide open to many possibilities !!
Sorry! SAY AGAIN? rarely heard but COME AGAIN is more often heard-- not in Kishore's pun-unintended wicked mind !! COME has a very different meaning altogether, eh?
Lastly, NOBEL LAUREATE has too many deletions and additions !! Gold for AU?
What's wrong with Gold for Au?
DeleteI know that it is a chemical symbol for gold. I was seeking the confirmation for the annotation and where does it fit in the parsing of this whole clue !!
DeleteBuzzer, to begin with, no gold prize winner (5,8)
Many clues, tho' cleverly constructed, a lot of ambiguity issues were there;
DeleteInstead of vague statements like that, what will help is a list of clue numbers and the source of ambiguity that you felt.
____________________________________________________________
SUITE -U - site-- but could also have been SITU or SITE , which is the answer--leaving one wondering where the U came in !
Universal = U
outside = deletion indicator
set = suite
location = site
How do you justiry SITU with the wordplay provided?
____________________________________________________________
BALLET GIRL seemed far-fetched at first glance but could be justified only after entering the word. Where does one fit in PEN?
I take you didn't see the discussion above about the use of 'pen' meaning 'to confine' as a containment indicator.
____________________________________________________________
I didn't like CENTRAL: AMERICAN at all. Again, after AMERICAN struck one's mind, those seven letters gaped wide open to many possibilities !!
It is all right to not like a clue, but I'm curious if you can give me one alternative to the answer (of the wide open to many possibilities that you say). Assuming you got the rest of the crossing letters right, you are looking for something like _ E _ T _ A _ , AMERICAN right?
____________________________________________________________
Lastly, NOBEL LAUREATE has too many deletions and additions !! Gold for AU?
Buzzer, to begin with, no gold prize winner (5,8)
Buzzer = BELL
to begin with no = indication that the answer begins with NO
gold = AUREATE (gold is in the verb form)
prize winner = NOBEL, LAUREATE
Please tell me what were the deletions you had to perform? It would be much better if you ask for explanations rather than assuming wrongly and blaming the setter for that.
All the clues are well written ones. I did not find any problem with them. Thanks Bhavan for the crystal clear explanation.
DeleteThank you Col. for blogging in the photo sent by me and the comments.
ReplyDeleteThank you CV for following our belated entries in the blog.