Tuesday 25 March 2014

No 11041, Tuesday 25 Mar 2014, Scintillator


Found wanting for many annos.

ACROSS
1   Model on inclined planes walks heavily (6) TRAMPS {T}{RAMPS}
4   Eccentric rule supersedes ancestry of native Aussies (8) ABNORMAL {AB(-original+normal)NORMAL} (Addendum - {AB(-origin+norm)NORMAL} - See comments)
9   Enlightened by some prayer in a Mass (6) LITANY {LIT}{ANY}
10 Prevent smuggling in ecstasy pill not allowed in a bar (8) ESTOPPEL {E}{STOP}{PELlet}
12 Leaders in vehicle surveillance (8) VANGUARD {VAN}{GUARD}
13 Fields in a large region, not any bit small (6) STADIA ? Anno pending (Addendum - {aS{TAD}IA} - See comments)
15 Patch up with a flirtatious woman (4) VAMP [DD]
16 Piece of item written in blog lying rather generously (10) OBLIGINGLY {OBL{I}GINGLY*}
19 A Vedic chant uttered out hard gave protection (10) VACCINATED {A+VEDIC+ChANT}*
20 Queen possibly is worried on losing throne eventually (4) CARD {CAReD}
23 Second shot in Guardian excludes vehicle (6) RETAKE caRETAKEr
25 Bald one taking part in flawless jobs makes off quickly (8) SCARPERS Anno pending (Addendum - SCOOTERS {S{COOT}ERviceS} - See comments)
27 “Understand,” they said, “girl will be required to get cover” (3,5) SEA SHELL (~see she'll)
28 Heavy vehicle’s no good (6) TAXING {TAXI}{N}{G}
29 Gumption, which some say, is needed to make food (8) SANDWICH {SAND}{WICH}(~which)
30 Depression and respite (6) RECESS [DD]

DOWN
1   In the telly, find one depression rising to reach capital (3,4) TEL AVIV {T{EL AV 1<=}V}
2   Vehicle without transmitter is powerful on its own (9) AUTONOMIC {AUTO}{NO}{MIC}
3   Frustrated kid kept out of medical field (4-2) PENT-UP {P{ENT}-UP}
5   Broken sculpture (4) BUST [DD]
6   I do not do carving of a tusk (8) ODONTOID*
7   Was roaming on a motorcycle (5) MOPED [DD]
8   A hypnotic for babies (7) LULLABY [CD]
11 A spring harvest in the year for Bedouin, say (7) ARABIAN {A}{RABI}{AN}
14 Freedom for male children to be untruthful when talking? (7) LICENCE (~lie sons} ?
17 Enrage VIP by spreading rumour (9) GRAPEVINE*
18 Rich king was in disguise in a poor man’s ride (8) RICKSHAW {RICH+K+WAS}*
19 Alternate universes without nuclear energy and corruptive influences (7) VIRUSES UnIVeRSES*
21 Plans to include Indians in good number? On the contrary (7) DESIGNS {DESI{G}{N}S}
22 Venue: Pub on top of amusement centre (6) ARCADE Anno pending (Addendum - LOCALE - {LOCAL}{amusEment} - See comments)
24 Can a researcher be roped in to teach? (5) TRAIN {T{RA}IN}
26 Drawback reportedly in forming alliance (4) BLOC (~block)

71 comments:

  1. Missed just a few for want of time. No patience left after 8-30 am.

    ABNORMAL, ESTOPPAL (iffy about anno), OBLIGINGLY, VACCINATED, VIRUSES, BUST, MOPED, ODONTOID, LULLABY, GRAPEVINE were all good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 13a STADIA =fields anno not clear possibly bit=TAD ,in large region ASIA, not any= -A , aS(TAD(IA
    25a SCOOTERS COOT IN SERviceS
    22d LOCALE LOCAL amusement

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The E comes from the amusEment centre

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    2. In that case what's the role of 'small' in 13A

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    3. I am myself not fully convinced about 13a, though 'bit small' could ref to tad

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  3. Odontoid reminded me of the odontoid process at the upper end of the Axis vertebra and providing the swivel for the Atlas vertebra.

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  4. 11 A spring harvest in the year for Bedouin, say (7) ARABIAN {A}{RABI}{AN}

    In this, I was stuck for the anno for the AN part of it, till I realised an is short for anno=year and that anno was the anno

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think there was a Lulla family in the school where I studied in Coimbatore. Suresh may remember them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember Suresh for an entirely different clue! Any guesses?

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    2. First person I thought of as well when I read that clue :-)

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    3. That's a moot point! Sorry for the typo ;-)

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    4. And I kept thinking of eagles and did not get the answer

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  6. 13 Fields in a large region, not any bit small (6) STADIA ? Anno pending

    Suppose this is what Kishore meant:

    Large region: ASIA Not any bit: Remove the first A, TAD: small goes inside S(TAD)IA.

    Probably an indicator for removal of the first A from ASIA is needed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is exactly what I meant, but as Deepak says, the 'small' problem remains

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    2. Not ANY bit: Bit of ANY: A (ny)
      Small: TAD.

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    3. On second thoughts

      Fields= Definition = STADIA
      in a
      large region = ASIA
      not = Deletion indicator
      any = A
      bit = Inserticator
      small = TAD

      {(-a)S{TAD}IA}

      Delete
    4. Is A: ANY in 'any' dictionary?

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    5. Kishore 8:47 - The bugbear raises its ugly head...

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    6. Yes, infectious bug!

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    7. I think "in" that comes after "fields" is the indicator for insertion, that is, inside ASIA without A (not bit of any), there is TAD (small). Not sure how valid is A for any

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    8. That's what has been expressed earlier. And A for ANY is not valid I think. Even if it is valid there are two As in ASIA so an ind too is needed.

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  7. 24 D: Couldn't get Researcher: RA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took it as Research Assistant.

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    2. Research Assistant: RA in which dic?

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    3. In US universities, two types of scholarships are available. TA and RA. In Teaching Assistantship, the student has to teach junior classes for a certain number of hours a week in lieu of the scholarship he gets. In Research Assistantship, no teaching is required and the student can get paid just for being 'attached' to a Professor, who, of course, may put him through the grind. The assisted scholars are themselves referred to as TA and RA.

      Of course, Royal Academician also fits, though all may not be doing research.

      Delete
  8. Replies
    1. Ladies' participation has become so sparse here. :-(

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    2. Just shows the fairer sex is busy with other things :P

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    3. Maybe those things are better than crosswords. :-)

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    4. As long as you don't cross swords with others !

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    5. Plain laziness! Just watching is fun enough!

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    6. Tut, Tut! Girls will be girls!

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    7. What a relief! We all thought you were all angry with the rest of us...

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    8. ...but nothing heard from up north !

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  9. 19D - I need a clarification from CV. Maybe this was discussed here once in the past.

    'Alternate' is very often used to mean 'alternative'. Please see here and here.

    And in this clue in particulat, the usage of 'alternate' runs the risk of being mistaken in the sense of 'oddly' or 'regularly' in the crossword context.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alternate : Substitute which is also an anagrind. As regards the second point, I suppose it's all in the game.

      Delete
  10. Today's puzzle was too 28 Ac for an average solver like me :(

    ReplyDelete
  11. This refers to CV sir's comment in this blog http://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2014/03/no-11036-wednesday-19-mar-2014-buzzer.html?showComment=1395199393538#c9197981968771021192
    "
    Papers seem to carry the feature for the sake of carrying. Take the Brand crossword in BL. Good, but the font size used for clues is rather small. They can easily print the solution in run-on paras and the space saved by removing the grid and making use of large white space alongside the present grid can be utilised to increase type-size of text.
    It can't be argued that the present blank space is 'scribbling pad'. In any newspaper there is plenty of white space elsewhee on the page, esp. in advts. for the solver to scribble.
    "

    I had written to the editor of Businessline's Cat.a.lyst in this regard and this is his response..

    "Hey Sowmya,

    Am travelling and hence the delay in responding.

    Nice to get so many positive comments and some negative ones. Please tell the group members, that we are not carrying the crossword for the sake of carrying one.

    We believe that it's genuine value to our readers and our readers have told us that too :-)

    As for the font increase, Malathi must have already checked with design. Or else, it will be initiated when I am back.

    best "


    Its good when the editors listen and incorporate feedback:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder why in the Hindu, the Crossword section has wasted available space on page 7 at the top, with the caption VARIETY/ NORTHERN REGION ? What do these mean? Again, they used to occupy a cosy clippable corner always date- lined ! Helps buffs like me to keep track of my clippings if they restored the original formats. A far cry in the wilderness?

      Delete
  12. MB 10:45 Don't be too modest

    ReplyDelete
  13. Col,
    I think anno for 4A should read as:
    { AB (-origin+norm) AL} , ancestry = origin, rule= norm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's correct, V. I am sure DG wlll update it.

      Delete
  14. 14d: Not sure how the clue leads us to license ~ lie sons.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly why DG has put a ? behind the anno

      Delete
  15. Off the track ! Yesterday's query re "Tombola Numbers." Please see my reply posted today in yesterday's comments column.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Response to Deepak. I do not recall any Lulla family in CBE.

    I do remember Little Lulu from the comics though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember the Big Lulu in Ernakulam!

      Delete
  17. Me too off the track:

    Further to yesterday's discussion on 'Savitri' for 73 in tombola calls, I had heard this a few years ago. Could be an old one for some of you.

    At an adult literacy class in rural Maharashtra, a young adult was asked to recite a random sequence of numbers - 70, 82, 89, 99:

    He said: Sevanti! Yeti tu? Yeti nai? Nai toh nai...

    ReplyDelete
  18. For Bollywood aficionados:

    Veteran Hindi star Nanda (75) passed away today. She will be long remembered for her roles in Teen Deviyan, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Gumnaam, Bedaag, Ittefaq, The Train, Shor and many others. RIP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Insaan ko aana hai, aa kar chale jaana hai,
      Badal hai ye kuch pal ka, chaa kar Dhal jaana hai.

      A being has to come, and after coming depart,
      A cloud for some moments, to fly across the sky, and disappear.

      Delete
  19. I would say ITTEFAQ was easily her best. A very good movie too.RIP.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Too hard for me today. Barely got more than half... Live to fight another day, I guess...

    ReplyDelete

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