Thursday 18 December 2014

No 11269, Thursday 18 Dec 2014, xChequer


An out of turn xChequer and I'm in the soup. Requesting Kishore to complete it as I have to go out to take Cocoa to my wife's school for Pet day.

Special thanks to those who chipped in with answers and annos. Well solved, everyone.

ACROSS
7   Know any foreign national? (6) KENYAN {KEN}{ANY*}
8   Resounding when mouth's almost stuffed! (8) VOICEFUL (VOICE FULl)
9   Elated state seen in heroic dancing (8) EUPHORIC {E{UP}HORIC*}
10 In conclusion, appeal succeeded (6) ENSUED {EN{SUE}D}
11 Cow died at the BBC, but that's not shown (5) DAUNT (D+ AUNTie)
12 Bring up born pest (6) BROACH (B ROACH)
14 Sailor's mock oath in airy rhyme, bit remiss to include verse (6,2,7) SHIVER ME MY TIMBERS  ((RHYME BIT REMISS)* around V)
17 Devout covering some distance to get to sermon (6) HOMILY (HO(MI)LY)
18 Fire in bachelor lounge (5) BLAZE {B}{LAZE}
22 Buzz in lively bar dance (6) RHUMBA (R(HUM)BA*)
23 Eccentric mint chewing poetic setter's on the way (8) IMMINENT {IM{MINE}NT*}
24 Meet, rest, off in planes (8) JOINTERS (JOIN REST*)
25 Is trapped male governed by reason? What an odd idea! (6) WHIMSY {WH{I{M}S}Y}

DOWN
1   Abuse the dummy winning heat hands down (9) BEQUEATH (ABUSE THE)* around Q=heat)
2   Dash north to support husband featuring in extravagant publicity (6) HYPHEN {HYP{H}E}{N}
3   Outrage essentially shown in nasal discharge (5) SNORT {SNO{outRage}T}&lit
4   Intellectuals can be drunk at times before it boomerangs (8) LITERATI {LIT}{ERA}{TI<=}
5   Alibi has me mixed up protecting respected Indian lady (8) MEMSAHIB (HASME* protecting I) part Anno pending  (T<)
6   Cauliflower head with excellent stuffing made well (5) CURED (E in CURD)
8   Offices of sovereign representative failing to meet regal commitments (13) VICEROYALTIES (VICE ROYAL TIES)
13 Duty surrounding Nazi rule fraught with insanity (9) CRAZINESS {C{R}{AZIN*}ESS}
15 Passionate opening keeping everyone initially on edge (8) VEHEMENT (E HEM in VENT)
16 Summoned after sheep ran wild (8) RAMPAGED (RAM PAGED)
19 Long flowing garments left privates unconstrained (6) LUNGIS ? {L}UN{GIS} UN constrained= UN is held in
20 Flights picked up some flowering plants (5) PHLOX (~FLOCKS=flights)
21 Diving ducks appearing as small seagulls (5) SMEWS {S}{MEWS}

GRID

61 comments:

  1. Sorry, folks, I goofed off and started solving only around 815 and was able to add precious little. Now is the time for all of you to pitch in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Will be away for some time now and will update when I get back.

      Delete
    2. I always find it difficult solve this setter. I am unaware, why?

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    3. He hides his indicators well and is quite devious in writing his clues. But nothing unfair about both. All of us find the going tough too.

      Delete

  2. Got the paper late. Fillin in whatever what possible;
    14 Sailor's mock oath in airy rhyme, bit remiss to include verse (6,2,7) SHIVER ME TIMBERS SHIVER MY TIMBERS

    17 Devout covering some distance to get to sermon (6) HO(MI)LY
    22 Buzz in lively bar dance (6) R(HUM)BA*

    DOWN:
    15 Passionate opening keeping everyone initially on edge (8) V(E)(HEM)ENT
    16 Summoned after sheep ran wild (8) RAM PAGED

    ReplyDelete
  3. 11 Cow died at the BBC, but that's not shown (5) D+ AUNT

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Raghu. Could you please elaborate this anno

      Delete
  4. 8 Offices of sovereign representative failing to meet regal commitments (13) VICE ROYAL TIES

    ReplyDelete
  5. 8 Resounding when mouth's almost stuffed! (8) {SPITE}{FUL(-l)}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, but clashes with 8d. Updating, but one of these will change

      Delete
  6. This doesn't fit, since 8D starts with V. :(

    ReplyDelete
  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, Meena. Had solved, but forgot to update

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    2. What is the connection between cauliflower head and curd? Sorry, I just managed to sit down with today's paper and I found the going very tough. Didn't understand the anno for this. Could someone please help?

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    3. Curd also means an edible head of a cauliflower

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  8. Balance is left as exercise to the reader ;-) Got to go now. Will update later.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 1D Abuse the dummy winning heat hands down (9) {BE{QUE}AT}{H}

    ReplyDelete
  10. BEQUEATHS = ABUSETHE* +Q . Q= Heat in Physics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just provided the anno, with the knowledge that Q is symbol for heat. You got the answer which was tough.

      Delete
  11. 24 Meet, rest, off in planes (8) {JOIN}{TERS}* ?
    20 Flights picked up some flowering plants (5) PHLOX (~flocks)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. jointers is correct Sandhya. (planes as in carpentry planes; device to plane off wood & joint)

      Delete
    2. though 20D is doubtful as there is no homophone indicator.an it be SHOOS or SHOOT?

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    3. PICKED UP is the homophone indicator.

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  12. 20D:SHOOT(DD)
    24A;COUNTERS=Anno Pending

    ReplyDelete
  13. 11 Cow died at the BBC, but that's not shown (5) D+ AUNT

    Why the second half of the clue?

    ReplyDelete
  14. 14 Sailor's mock oath in airy rhyme, bit remiss to include verse (6,2,7) SHI{V}ER MY TIMBERS*

    ReplyDelete
  15. 5 Alibi has me mixed up protecting respected Indian lady (8) MEMSAHIB <- (T)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well solved. was there for all to see but couldn't get it. well disguised clue as well!

      Delete
  16. On a two day break from work. Hence logged in early & was confronted with an extremely good but challenging puzzle. Thanks to Raghu & Sandhya( & Kishor & Col).

    ReplyDelete
  17. Brilliant crossie. Was very challenging, but could solve all but one. And as the answers unraveled one by one, it was sheer delight. I think getting to understand a setter's way of thinking is very useful in solving.

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    Replies
    1. Perfectly correct in all respects. I think I will have rise with the larks on the morrow and be rather sharp about it, else, ...

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    2. That's why I came a cropper today. Thought xCh was on Fri-Sat, woke up late, started off late and then realised I had to make a trip with Cocoa to the wife's school

      Delete
  18. 19 Long flowing garments left privates unconstrained (6) LUNGIS ? {L}UN{GIS} UN constrained= UN is held in

    This has bothered me whenever I've tried to use plural for abbreviations. Could I use ABS for sailors , HES for Governors, as is used here in case of Privates as GIS?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. By the way the above clue is also an &lit ;-)

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    2. ... and I can't answer Raghu's query as it's my bug ...

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    3. I am told that an &lit can have only wordplay and nothing more... Then this would be a semi ...

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    4. Well there is nothing more in the statement, it's all unconstrained if you ask me

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    5. An innocent question:
      Which garment constrains the privates of a human being?
      Suggestions invited whether you have experience of the tightening or not.

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    6. You have my support, Jock!

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    7. No comments please. "Andar waali baat hai"

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    8. Raghu: With ref to your query, please see this extract from Oxford Dictionary:

      GI2
      Line breaks: GI
      Pronunciation: /dʒiːˈʌɪ

      /



      noun (plural GIs)


      A private soldier in the US army

      As regards the other examples, my own take as follows:
      1) AB: already a contraction of ABS, which is Able Bodied Seaman, ie a sailor in singular. For plural you would need seamen, so I feel ABS for plural won't work.
      2) HE: being title, I think plural won't work, but possessive should be OK
      Just my views, could be wrong

      Delete
    9. Thank you Bhala. Thefreedictionary.com also lists plural for GI as GIs.

      Delete
  19. It is often said here that regular solvers can in a setter's crossword see the typical hallmarks or loomarks of the person concerned.
    Now can you specify any THC setter's name and the characteristics of the particular setter that you associate with his puzzle?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon: Shot and crisp clues in large fonts
      Sunnet: Thematic pangram ( though this may change, and others too may do this)

      Delete
    2. xChequer: for the reasons mentioned by Kishore in his 2:36 above

      Delete
  20. I feel xChequer has a fair sprinkling of extra padding in his clues which sends me up the garden path most of the times. Plenty of 'in' in the CW today, I counted 8 of them.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Kishore- Straight,simple but enjoyable (of late?)
    Bhavan- Well within the rules, testing the solver but enjoyable even if one cannot get the answer. Many a time I had to kick myself for not getting it after seeing the blog.
    Gridman- Special specialist!! Setter of CW's & its rules.Authentic.

    No offence meant- just off the cuff. Apologies for any unintended mistakes.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Arden: Classic, Ximenean.
    Lightning: Smooth.
    Phantom: Very good surfaces.
    AD: Good wordplay with something extra to decipher.
    Exa & MAC: The new kids on the block. Very innovative clues.
    I reiterate Paddy's apologies

    ReplyDelete

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