Saturday 31 January 2015

No.11306, Saturday 31 Jan 15, Spinner


A variety of clue types in both clues and answers from Spinner in a typically neat puzzle.

ACROSS
1 A country of war and destruction (6) RWANDA [WAR AND]*
4 Naughty actor is standing by ultimately comic procession formed by taking tops off (8) ACROSTIC [ACTOR IS]* + comiC
10 Analyze Generation Next’s first expert (7) VETERAN [analyze=VET + generation=ERA + Next]
11 Tea, a red liquid? Farce! (7) CHARADE [tea=CHA + A + RED*]
12 Tips from reputed engineer constructing ship’s seat (8) RECLINER [Reputed Engineer Constructing + ship=LINER]
13 Exterminator’s successful soldier (6) HITMAN [successful=HIT + soldier=MAN]
15 Mitigates by giving away hundred to charity (4) ALMS [mitigates=cALMS]
17 Poor inmate sat like a flower with no feminity (9) STAMINATE [INMATE SAT]*
20 The elderly ultimately vote in rigged op-ed poll (3,6) OLD PEOPLE [votE inside OP-ED POLL*]
21 Territory to the east, like Indonesia’s borders (4) ASIA [like=AS + IndonesiA]
24 Obtained original scotch behind Indian bars (6) INGOTS [INdian + obtained=GOT + Scotch]
25 Trains be ordered as support for a flight (8) BANISTER [TRAINS BE]*
28 Yesteryear boxer bound by commitment to couple (7) DUALITY [boxer=ALI inside commitment=DUTY]
29 Partly Asian ragman rearranged jumbled letters (7) ANAGRAM [Asian + RAGMAN*]
30 Endorsing officers have new book to sign (8) NOTARIES [New + book=OT + sign=ARIES]
31 Conquered exhausted, leaderless men (6) BEATEN [exhausted=BEAT + mEN]

DOWN
1 Loss of forever saluted characters (8) REVERSAL [T]
2 Unruly cat in funny act (5) ANTIC [CAT IN]*
3 Every other idle area will go off track (6) DERAIL [iDlE aReA wIlL]
5 Sundial initially leverages absent rooster (4) COCK [sundial=ClOCK]
6 Food’s after chief officers’ speeches (8) ORATIONS [Officer + food=RATION + S]
7 Operators on the same side? (9) TEAMMATES [CD]
8 Rinses vessels with lemon extract, primarily (6) CLEANS [vessels=CANS outside Lemon Extract]
9 Charge after ground rent is fitting (9) INSERTION [RENT IS* + charge=ION]
14 Learners interrupting a master’s dance with doubt (5,1,3) SMELL A RAT [learners=LL inside A MASTER*]
16 Unite with worker after initial meeting becoming hostile (9) MALIGNANT [Meeting + unite=ALIGN + worker=ANT]
18 Eye level is more erratic (8) SPOTTIER [eye=SPOT + level=TIER]
19 They milk the extremely endowed cheerful people (8) DAIRYMEN [endoweD + cheerful=AIRY + people=MEN]
22 Yardman essentially covered in leather and centrally buried (6) HIDDEN [yarDman inside leather=HIDE + aNd]
23 Penalty taking, a basic lesson in the end (6) FINALE [penalty=FINE outside A + Lesson]
26 Exhibit a Rotaract member card (5) TAROT [T]
27 Some soothingly resonating instrument (4) LYRE [T]


23 comments:

  1. Lovely CW with excellent surfaces bringing a smile. Had a few gaps- veteran & dairyman to cite a few. Could not wait and try further and decided to look into the blog. Thank you Spinner for the nice start for the day.

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  2. Seems to be a sleepy day. Very entertaining puzzle from Spinner. Who is conspicuously absent from the clues after a slight rap in the knuckle last time :)

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  3. It is 9.45 and I am all alone here. Saturday blues? Spinner deserves more!

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  4. Typical Spinner crossword.

    9 Charge after ground rent is fitting (9) INSERTION [RENT IS* + charge=ION] Isn't charge= ionise?

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  5. There will be a prize jumbo (19x19) special at 10:30 tomorrow answers for which have to be sent to me via e-mail by 8:30 PM on 3rd Feb. Results and annotated solutions will be declared at 8:30 AM on 04 Feb

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    Replies
    1. Wait till tomorrow. However I can tell you that the CW will be a tough nut to crack

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    2. My guess is that it's the Blog's sixth anniversary special by Doppelgänger.

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  6. Very good puzzle.. was stuck up for a long time on 28A. Clue types were nicely done.

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  7. DG sir...some solutions have been highlighted...

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  8. Enjoyed this very much - thank you, Spinner! Some very nice surfaces and entertaining wordplay. Thanks to Bhavan for the blog.

    I missed out DAIRYMEN, although it should have been clear once the crossing letters were in place. :(

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  9. Wonderful wordplay. Smooth surfaces.Pointing clues.25a - seems to be a simple anagram but def.portion is all the more appealing. Kudos to master wed designer.

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  10. Typo. Kudos to master web designer.

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  11. Appreciate the clever theme today.
    Also, I don't believe the following usages work : initial meeting = m, original scotch = s, basic lesson = l.
    Thank you

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    Replies
    1. Why do you feel they don't work?

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    2. Every single part must read as an instruction to the solver.
      Initial bit of meeting could work, not initial meeting. It's jarring. Same applies to the other 2.

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  12. Haven't been keeping well the last 4 days. Sorry for being entirely absent from the comments section. Thanks for all the feedback. I find that everyone has completely missed the clue acrostic!

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  13. To address Priyanka, I'm undecided on the mentioned usages as well, but the clue acrostic probably led to the taking of some liberty.

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