Tuesday 29 December 2015

No 11586, Tuesday 29 Dec 2015, xChequer


ACROSS
7   Man having plenty of feudal workers (6) HELOTS {HE}{LOTS}
8   Study holding up, can't be shaken (4-4) CAST-IRON {C{AST-IR}ON}
9   Mind goes wandering a bit (8) SMIDGEON*
10 You say ruined no end? (6) UNDONE {~you){U}{NO+END}* &lit ?
11 Silly grin a nerd may sport (5) INANE [T]
12 Asiad tournaments primarily conducted here? (6) STADIA {ASIAD+To...t}* &lit
14 Sought highest office, combined front earns pride (3,3,9) RAN FOR PRESIDENT*
17 Unfortunate setback is hard to be factored into plan (6) MISHAP {M{IS}{H}AP}
18 Gleaming in silver and blue (5) AGLOW {AG}{LOW}
22 This enables big shots to cheat without an end to corruption (6) CANNON {CON} around {AN}{c...oN}
23 Shuts up with one million sterling (8) IMPOUNDS {1}{M}{POUNDS}
24 Tether an unruly cow (8) THREATEN*
25 Fuel sticks to opening in grate set back on exhaust (6) FAGGOT {FAG}{Gr..e}{OT<=}

DOWN
1   Amnesia, sadly, veils an unknown chapter — one obsessed with what it might represent (3,6) SEX MANIAC {SE{X} MANIA*}{C}
2   Barrier to act in serial broadcast (6) CORDON {DO} in {CORN}(corn = cereal = ~serial))
3   When losing weight, when pale (5) ASHEN {AS}{wHEN}
4   Spread as mounds of ferns (8) OSMUNDAS*
5   Possibly minor vices, silly child leaving home, questionable character perhaps (8) WILDCARD {ChILD}* in {WARD}
6   Healthy-looking lad, about nineteen, exhausted (5) BONNY {BO{Ni...eN}Y}
8   It connotes an unexpected fear ultimately being harboured (13) CONSTERNATION {feaR} in {IT+CONNOTES+AN}* &lit
13 Handy wool pants in no particular fashion (3,3,3) ANY OLD HOW*
15 Agitated people getting tense, cutting enemy dead (8) FOMENTED {FO{MEN}{T}E}{D}
16 Respond sympathetically to judge taking a breather while rising (8) RESONATE {R{ESON<=}ATE}
19 Weapon toting radical, say, brought up in filth (6) GRUNGE {G{R}UN}{GE<=}
20 Wash article after picking up tar (5) BATHE {BA<=}{THE}
21 Attractiveness of species provided by female (5) SPIFF {SP}{IF}{F}

11 comments:

  1. Another goof up by the guys at The Hindu online, today. Instead of the grid we have an image of the Sudoku grid and in the link to yesterday's solution we have the Sudiou solution!!!!
    See it at the link to the grid in the main post above

    ReplyDelete
  2. Could manage 19/26 only!

    5 Possibly minor vices, silly child leaving home, questionable character perhaps (8) WILDCARD {ChILD}* in {WARD}

    What is the role of 'vices' pl?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Super grid - could get samosas for breakfast :) Thanks Bhala!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is meant for only the IXL Arbiter and the winners, it seems :((

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bhala's samosas are quite delicous and dear too! Can't afford to get all of them, you see!

      Delete
  5. pant pant !! Xchequer doing all to keep us running for a while :) heaving after quite a marathon but a proudly run must say :) made good use of online tools - and got it all except 6d Bonny.. i knew it was bonny but just didnt think of nineteen as NN.. so put it down as sound...btw NN isnt really a fair abbreviation.. what is the precedence for this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Srvidya NN is not an abbreviation of nineteen.
      The clue reads ' ... nineteen, exhausted' meaning the middle of nineteen is to be removed as I have indicated in the annotation

      Delete
    2. ah.. light strikes the dull head :) Thanks Colonel .. apologies Bhala for even doubting .. :)

      Delete
  6. What a nice puzzle...instructive..teasi g..did after a long long time on pen & paper..while travelling..at a leisurely pace

    ReplyDelete

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