Wednesday 10 December 2014

No 11262, Wednesday 10 Dec 2014, Scintillator


It's one of those days and I've been beaten black and blue.

ACROSS
1   Take a look at government network these days (6) GLANCE {G}{LAN}{CE}
4   Isis' role possibly in a catastrophe (3,2,3) ACT OF GOD [CD]
9   Dereliction showing what's left behind (6) RELICS [T's] (Correction - RELICT [T] - See comments)
10 A delinquent half undone working with unknown bitterness (8) ACRIMONY {A}{CRIMinal}{ON}{Y}
12 Bird (turkey) gets an attempt to sweep across (8) TRAGOPAN {TR}{A}{GO}{PAN}
13 DJ playing duet involving kiss... and hug? (6) TUXEDO {TU{X}ED*}{O}
15 Dip into honey fudge (4) DUCK ?
16 Copper nearly fast; criminal head nailed by genuine aggression (10) TRUCULENCE {TRU{CU}{LEN{Cr...l}t}E}
19 Relationships without commitment? They could be damaging! (10) CASUALTIES {CASUAL}{TIES}
20 Skillful people, they avoid racket in court (4) ACES [DD]
23 With it, promising person gets reduced profit (6) (Addendum -  INCOME [CD] {IN}{COMEr} - Thanks to Kishore)
25 Sincere on embracing new party leader, as women do? (3,5) HEN PARTY ? {HE{N} {P}ARTY}
27 Hiker's companion, finally back to sleep, wants bed (8) (Addendum - KNAPSACK {bacK}{NAP}{SACK} - Thanks to Kishore)
28 Reflect in the morning with spirit and energy to solve puzzle (6) ENIGMA {E}{NIG}{MA}<=
29 Born, married, possibly ash at last — a useful growth? (4,4) NEEM TREE {NEE}{M} {TREE}
30 European country deploying Navy to label boundaries (6) DEMARK DEnMARK

DOWN
1   Sad tragedy went around in circles (7) GYRATED*
2   All grooms heading out in marriages (9) ALLIANCES {ALL}{fIANCES}
3   Holy cow fed with distasteful peeled nuts (6) CACHOU Anno pending (Addendum - CUCKOO {C{yUCKy}OO} - See comments)
5   In the driver's seat, avoiding hollow swagger (4) COCK Anno pending (Addendum - COCKpit )
6   Disgustingly, I sold you for redemption (8) ODIOUSLY*
7   Try using English to comprehend big mad man (5) GOOSE {GO}{OS}{E}
8   Well, that's no place for alcoholics! (3,4) DRY HOLE [CD]
11 Repeats from memory standard abridged tale over (7) PARROTS {PAR}{yROTS}
14 Cheer Ms. Messy, a shrewd planner (7) SCHEMER*
17 Racing around to secure a gold up in an American state (9) NICARAGUA {RACING* around A}{AU<=}
18 Monkey and rodent poked by opponents (8) (Addendum - MARMOSET - {MARMO{SE}T} - Thanks to Kishore)
19 Be afraid to acquire sophisticated knowledge (7) (Addendum - CHICKEN {CHIC}{KEN} - Thanks to Kishore)
21 Leon doesn't show scurry; Karl about to make merry (7) SKYLARK  {trotSKY}{LARK<=}
22 Drunkard to live off on others' money (6) SPONGE [DD]
24 Church managed to occupy stretch (5) CRANE {C{RAN}E}
26 Unsatisfactory cinema fails to impress in climax (4) (Addendum - ACME CinEMA* - Thanks to Kishore)

GRID

36 comments:

  1. Nice to see a Hen Do after all those Stag parties ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, i did solve 25 - A, as HEN PARTY, but got confused, as i thought, that, one cannot use the word, appearing in the clue. Please clarify.

      Delete
  2. 25A Your anno is correct, Deepak. the qm can go!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Was foxed as party appeared in the clue as well as the answer

      Delete
  3. 3d might be nuts=CACAOS, but I am not able to get the anno

    ReplyDelete
  4. This crossword is for the birds ...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Re: I've been beaten black and blue

    I've been beaten black and blue
    I've been plagued with the bird flu
    Lots o' birds in this lot,
    Plenty to put in the pot,
    To end up making hot, spicy, bird stew

    ReplyDelete
  6. 3 Holy cow fed with distasteful peeled nuts (6) CACHOU Anno pending

    CUCKOO?
    -y(UCK)-y is distasteful? What's COO?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your answer and anno appear to be correct. Another word for the theme.

      Is the Chief Operating Officer in a concern the 'holy cow', not to be bothered or blamed?

      Delete
    2. Coo! with the exclamation mark is the same as saying Holy cow.

      Delete
    3. Bingo, Suresh. Lor' love a duck!

      Delete
  7. 12 Bird (turkey) gets an attempt to sweep across (8) TRAGOPAN {TR}{A}{GO}{PAN}

    turkey is unfair. Should have been with a T.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1 Decapitalisation is a no-no, I think, as the rules stand at present

      Delete
    2. I don't quite get the rules of capitalization. Turkey, the bird should always be with a T is it?

      Delete
    3. TR is for Turkey (international car registration)

      Delete
    4. I feel Turkey for the nation (as you have indicated by TR) should be capitalised and not the other way round. Here small case is used leading us to think that it is the bird. But i have read here that false capitalisation is allowed.

      Delete
    5. As far as the US President is concerned, this year he pardoned turkeys Mac and Cheese, from decapit(alis)ation

      Delete
  8. 13 DJ playing duet involving kiss... and hug? (6) TUXEDO {TU{X}ED*}{O}

    Is Hug =Love= O?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See wiki for hugs and kisses. represented aS XOXO. x for kiss and o for hug

      Delete
  9. 17D- "American state' makes one think of one of the 50 states of U.S.A. and not a central American country. Meant to mislead?
    gave up midway and looked in to find even the blogger beaten black & blue. What happens to lesser mortals? 8.30 AM still leaves a few in doubt. Well, we live in hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 23 With it, promising person gets reduced profit (6) INCOME [CD]

    Couldn't get this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. with it = IN
      promising person= COMER, gets reduced = COMEr
      profit = income

      at least that's how I thought it worked, E.& O.E.

      Delete
  11. Dead and gone. Can feel vultures toying with my brain.

    ReplyDelete
  12. A few good clues . Couldn't enjoy btw . 9A composite telescopic :-D ? S from ?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Respected elders,

    I regularly solve 'Hindu Crossword' and follow this blog.

    Recently I came across Hindu BusinessLine 2way crossword.

    Where can I find the solutions of The Hindu BusinessLine crossword solutions ?

    Could any please help me.. 2way crossword seems rather interesting.

    Thanks in advance.
    Durga Prasad

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As far as I know, at present, there is no blog/message board/social networking group that publishes answers with annotations to the THBL two-way crossword.
      Elder

      Delete
    2. Error in signature in above message. Eldest would probably be more correct.
      Best Regards DP and CV,
      Elder for some, younger for others.

      Delete
    3. All relative numbers , eh? Like they say, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter. Its all a question of mind over matter !!

      To me, I'm as young as I'm away from death !!

      Delete
    4. Let some pro start one (blog) or include one more section in this blog :)
      Just a suggestion to consider as THBL is a sister website of THE HINDU.
      Sorry if I'm wrong.

      Regards
      Durga Prasad

      Delete
  14. Re capitalisation etc. today's Guardian cryptic has a clue with lent without the capitals and it leads to fast as part of the answer.

    Against convention?

    It did not bother me.

    ReplyDelete
  15. if 26 D had been climaxed... the answer as per the intended anno might have been an interesting one...

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

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