Friday 16 October 2015

No 11527, Friday 16 Oct 2015, Incognito


Note: Starred clues have no definitions but share a common theme.

ACROSS
7   Spy an investment (4) BOND [DD]
8   He might have an ace up his sleeve, playing a harpischord in absence of old Indian husband (9) CARDSHARP {A+ hARPiSCHoRD}*
10 Horrified Turkish leader is on the street (6) AGHAST {AGHA}{ST}
11 Southern trekker is an exhibitionist (8) STRIPPER {S}{TRIPPER}
12 Disastrous when talc is spilt around Indian millet (8) TRAGICAL {TALC}* around {RAGI}
14 Tell, for example, an author (6) ARCHER [DD]
16 Weaving machine energised in Britain? That's a mistake (7) BLOOMER {B{LOOM}{E}R}
18 Dancer going around in Turkey (7) DERVISH [CD]

21 Get going, leaving it dancing and get a drink (6) EGGNOG {GEt+GOiNG}*
23 Rose breed mutation seen around the Spanish laboratory initially (8) REBELLED {BREED}* around {EL}{La...y}
25 Announce: “Setter is in favour of shelled creature” (8) PROCLAIM {PRO}{CLA{I}M}
*27 Game bird (6) GROUSE 
29 At first, friend went after Indian Telephone Company (9) INITIALLY {IN}{ITI}{ALLY}
*30 A type of bovine food (4) BEEF

DOWN
1   Silly poetry about heartless doll embracing mad George (8) DOGGEREL {DolL} around {GEORGE}* &lit
2   Papers each carry; that's a thought! (4) IDEA {ID}{EA}
3   Type of acid made by hermit in absence of Sulphur (6) ACETIC AsCETIC
4   Fight to take away the French ... (7) WRESTLE {WREST}{LE}
5   ... identity used, before giving your password (8) USERNAME [CD]
*6   Food fish (4) CARP
*9   Physical exercise by First Lady (5) PEEVE {PE}{EVE}
*13 Green coloured horse (5) GROAN {G}{ROAN}
*15 Six entered erstwhile Kolkata briefly (5) CAVIL {VI} in {CAL}
17 Bonus from great model individual surrounded by self-help group (2,6) EN GRATIS ??? around {GREAT}* Anno not clear (Addendum - EX GRATIA {EX} {GR}{A{T}{I}A} - See comments)
19 They sow in ploughed demesnes (8) SEEDSMEN*
*20 Perambulating — perambulating avoiding taipan (7) GRUMBLE {pERaMBULatinG}*
22 Sounds like Alexei Maximovich Peshkov's town in Russia (5) GORKI {~ gorky)
24 Enemy aircrafts usually encountered on golf courses (6) BOGEYS [DD] There are some more meanings for bogey
*26 Child's cot (4) CRIB
28 Circles roundabout in front of Royal Bank of Scotland (4) ORBS {O}{RBS}

GRID

43 comments:

  1. Thought 17a was EX GRATIA, didn't spend too much time annotating, just filled and moved on

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bhala
    You beat me to it but nevertheless I will post my Comment written in Notepad and brought here:

    17 Bonus from great model individual surrounded by self-help group (2,6)

    The setter's solution is EX GRATIA :: EX GR. A(T I)A
    from: EX; great: GR;
    model: T; individual: I
    self-help group: AA

    A charade with 5 components if my count is correct.

    a) In a charade what is the maximum number of components that you are comfortable with?

    b) If the number is less, does the clue become more accessible?

    c) If the number is more, could it still be easily solved if written clearly as in this instance?

    d) Have you encountered any clue where components have been more than the 5 here?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. a) Haven't thought about it
      b) Yes
      c) Doubtful
      d) Don't remember

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    2. Except for b), did the above sound like our politicians?

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    3. b, as DG says is definitely yes. Other questions, I leave it others

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    4. No comment. I haven't got the official version. Let it come, I will ask my PA to study it. Then I will come back to you. (Thought) But meanwhile you might probably go to some other TV channel.

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    5. "It is not for me to comment on the internal matters of another party, but .......xyz" or " i feel ......xyz, but it is sub-judice, so I cannot comment on it"

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    6. Remember one setter who usually wrote 5 or more charade components & no one enjoyed her puzzles!

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    7. Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?

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  3. Bhala

    You BIFD the answer EX GRATIA- a term used elsewhere.

    Let me bring that in here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CV, you beat me to the anno -- I started looking at the wordplay after Deepak's posting, and yes, agree with the parsing. It should be 17d btw, apologies

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    2. That clue has a history. Can narrate it in my memoir.

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  4. These online sales are useful in a way.

    This week's raddi should fetch more at 'pazhaya paper kadai' with the phenomenal rise in the page level.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder if it catapults the 'scrap value' as defined by ABC beyond the 'net realisable value' of the concerned issue, rendering it as a non-certifiable part of 'Net Paid Sales'....

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  5. "Bhala beats CV!" ;-)

    BTW, though crossword folks usually accept Company=Firm, Bonus=Ex Gratia, Bhala as a CA might disagree as these words are not synonymous in legal/accounting parlance. A company is usually an incorporated entity, with limited liability and subject to the Companies Act, while a firm is an unincorporated entity, with unlimited liability and subject to The Indian Partnership Act. Similarly, Bonus refers the to the statutorily payable as determined under The Payment of Bonus Act, while Ex-Gratia is the amount an employer may voluntarily give in appreciation of the employee's performance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That reminds me of a clue which I saw in an old THC CW which I will use as a Sunday Special after IXL

      He may remove people from unfriendly ball (7)

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    2. That reminds me of Zaheer Khan who announced his retirement today.

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  6. Can AA be classified as a self-help group? It's more of a 'mutual-aid group in my view.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why not? Myself gets help from hisself (maybe herself too in these empowered days) and vice-versa. What you have is self-help.

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    2. Self-help - The act or an instance of helping or improving oneself without assistance from others.

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    3. I think Deepak has a point. But why have a group for self help of an individual. The self would refer to the group and its members, imo. Please see
      "Self-help groups, also known as mutual help, mutual aid, or support groups, are groups of people who provide mutual support for each other. In a self-help group, the members share a common problem, often a common disease or addiction. Their mutual goal is to help each other to deal with, if possible to heal or to recover from, this problem. "
      http://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-a-self-help-group/

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  7. There are some more meanings for bogey

    One of those Pongal days?

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  8. But it is a special to TN. Strange to others.

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  9. Thank you Kishore for a nice CW though I missed Dervish and the S word. But I have no beef,carp,peeve,groan,cavil,grumble or crib. For a change enjoyed all of them.

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    Replies
    1. Paddy - Did you miss seedsmen or stripper? If the latter, ayyo paavam.

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    2. No pavam. I did not miss the miss!

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    3. If you missed the stripper, paavam. If you got the stripper, paapam. If the stripper was female, she is probably in trouble. If the stripper was male, you are in trouble.

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    4. You mean, in any case it is trouble all around. Then 'Papam' is on you for writing the clue in the first place!

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  10. About other meanings of 'Bogey' one as a golfer Col. would like to avoid.

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  11. Reg. pongal holidays in TN- it is almost like a Durga Pooja in Cal. or Ganesh Chaturthi in Bombay with Kanum Pongal and Tiruvalluvar joining the fray, making it just short of a week.

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  12. Absolutely no complaints incognito! Loved doing todays crossie...the unstarred were ones were as enjoyable as the starred ones..with the bonus clue taking the longest time

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  13. How come? Like Bhala said it just jumped up- with that enumeration it cannot be anything else. Probably because it is bonus declaration time with festivals coming up. No one is satisfied with the calculated bonus as K explained. They always want ex- gratia- higher the better.

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  14. Liked ARCHER very much. Thank you Incognito for the samosas. Put STREAKER first; CARP made the amendment. Enjoyed the CW

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  15. Ah incognito made a xword you really csnt crib cavil be peeved over :) didnt realize that in exgratia the ex is from. Thanks for the explanation. Dervish took me a bit ... the crossings took me to the word but didnt know the meaning. Plus didnt know it was place. Thanks incognito

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  16. Paddy :But I have no beef,carp,peeve,groan,cavil,grumble or crib. Holy cow !! You have used the unholy word BEEF!! Beware ! Big Bro' is watching !! Bee faaaar
    and steer clear !!Then you have no fear .

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  17. Yesterday, late night, I solved the puzzle. Incognito's work is not for the ignoramuses but only for the cognoscetis !! Very yum yum and delectable.

    Does the setter's work reflect his personality ? With ego, alter ego and Id? I think so. He is one and Gridman is another ! Or am I psycho babbling ?

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  18. Logged in late. Happy to get samosas! As usual an enjoyable fare! Thank you, Incognito. :-)))

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    Replies
    1. Watch out, MB! There is another MB lurking hereabouts

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    2. Peeped into yesterday's comments and found another MB i.e. Mohan Biswas! I remember I had come across his comments maybe a couple of weeks back.

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  19. Folks, this was composed several months back before beef became subject of much discussion. Anyways, no stand is taken in the clue, pro or anti. It's just another word from a non-compose composer, as analysed by Raju

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