Friday 14 April 2017

No 11981, Friday 14 Apr 2017, Dr. X


HAPPY VISHU AND TAMIL NEW YEAR DAY



ACROSS
1   Making taunting remarks at winter sport (8) SLEDGING [DD]
5   Predicament of bridge opponents holding rubbish (6) SCRAPE {S}{CRAP}{E}
10 Exposed due to malfunction (5) OUTED*
11 Idle chatter that’s dangerous for batsmen (4,5) CHIN MUSIC [DD] New term for me. 
12 One informing you when to come off guard duty? (9) STOPWATCH {STOP}{WATCH} Semi&lit
13 Extremist involved in shameful tragedy (5) ULTRA [T]
14 Get energy swallowing ecstasy (6) DERIVE {D{E}RIVE}
15 Maturity perhaps lacking a natural element (7) YTTRIUM MaTURITY*
18 Husband irritates leading to problems (7) HITCHES {H}{ITCHES}
20 Pilot turning around Sweden adjusts to original position (6) RESETS {STE{S}ER<=}
22 One in labour almost! Return with medicine bottles (5) VIALS {SLA{1}Ve}<=
24 Don't worry about study having rodents (5,4) NEVER MIND {NE{VER MIN}D<=}
25 Restrict consumption of alcohol! What’s the logic? (9) RATIONALE {RATION}{ALE}
26 Fantasies — remove clothes from head to toe (5) TRIPS (-s)TRIP(+s)S
27 Seduces ladies? Am not about to be modest (6) DECOYS {DamE{COY}S}
28 Heat is an irritant, leads to lack of energy (8) ASTHENIA*

DOWN
1   Strange piousness? No sin mingling with partner (6) SPOUSE PiOUsnESS*
2   Outgoing old ranger enters race (9) EXTROVERT {EX}{T{ROVER}T}
3   Flunk school subject to be remembered (2,4,2,7) GO DOWN IN HISTORY [DD]
4   One formally hanging around to kiss couple (7) NECKTIE {NECK}{TIE}
6   What diver with skin rash may do to meet required standards (4,2,2,7) COME UP TO SCRATCH [DD]
7   Like to establish strong point (5) ASSET {AS}{SET}
8   Comes out with allegation in sex scandal (8) EXCLAIMS {EX{CLAIM}S*}
9   Momentous forgetting wife’s number (6) EIGHTY wEIGHTY
16 Perception is that’s how teachers make extra money? (9) INTUITION {IN}{TUITION}
17 Shuddered? Ive worn a thin scrap (8) SHIVERED {SH{IVE}RED}
19 One going on foot caught escaping offence (6) SANDAL ScANDAL
20 Magazines to look at during short break (7) REVIEWS {RE{VIEW}St} Magazine/Review ? See comments
21 Lyrical poem by fool about city (6) ODESSA {ODE}{ASS<=}
23 Clown scratching bottom, acting silly (5) ANTIC ACTINg*

GRID

40 comments:

  1. Tricky puzzle.

    Heard about Chin music during cricket commentary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the bouncer, but did not know about idle chatter

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  2. Yes, tricky, but enjoyable. Agree with Raghu on 'Idle chatter'. Able to get it only due to crossings.
    Happy Tamil New Year's Day & Vishu to all.
    Thank you Col. for your wishes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. REVIEW: magazine, periodical, journal from http://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=review&title=21st#

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Tamil New Year's Day & Vishu to all.
    Lovely puzzle. Loved Go Down In History, Come Up To Scratch,Chin Music.
    Some clues made you smile with their witty surface. Thanks DrX.

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    Replies
    1. intuition & eighty too..wondering what would happen if one forgets one's wife's number

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    2. I needn't worry! My wife has no number.

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    3. Forgetting wife's number? How many wives?

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    4. KKR did not notice the apostrophe! Purposely?

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    5. One wife may have many numbers, my dear Koti.

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    6. Tx Vasant and Happy Tamil New Year all :)

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  5. Vishu and Tamil new year greetings to all.

    ReplyDelete
  6. There are journals on specialist subjects containing mostly serious articles by academics and scholars. One might be called The Literary Review. Magazine is OK; maybe 'journal' might have been better.
    This is only in reply to the Comment.
    As I read the clues and saw the answers I felt that the surface reading of many clues in this puzzle is excellent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Chaturvasi Sir! Your words mean a lot!

      Delete
  7. Necktie was nice too. Lateral thinking is needed for solving many clues.

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  8. Greetings to you all on Tamil New Year and Vishu.
    Thanks Dr.X for the treatment given to many clues.

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  9. Vishu & Tamil New Year greetings to all.

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  10. Happy Tamil / Bengali New Year and Vishu to all!
    Very nice crossword - thanks Dr!
    GO DOWN IN HISTORY was my COD

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  11. Happy New Year wishes to all our friends in this blog.
    Enjoyed the crossie, Doc. Very nice.

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  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin_music

    Hi guys... providing a reference to different meanings of the term Chin Music

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  13. Felt happy on having completed the puzzle. Quite tricky but enjoyable at the same time. Thanks, Doc. :)

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  14. 2 Outgoing old ranger enters race (9) EXTROVERT {EX}{T{ROVER}T}

    Does TT stand for Trinidad & Tobago... A country = race, please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Race = TT (Chambers). Stands for international Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy). Its the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world held annually at Isle of Man.

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    2. Thank you Doc. for the interesting piece of info. Did not know that though I was following motorcycle races along with F1 some time back.

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  15. Happy Tamil new year & Vishu to all !

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  16. Two long clues, involving movments in the opposite direction of the other! Nice clues.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes started the grid with them :) Tx Raghunath Sir!

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    2. Not to detract from it but just to record:
      Often, I have used in two symmetrical slots phrases that had opposites as part of them.
      Sometimes the same grid had two/three such instances.
      Of course, these will be put in long slots before the crossings take a character of their own.
      In my DB, I have not marked any grid for its feature (pangram, etc), so I am afraid I can't cite instances.

      Delete
  17. Dr X has given a delicious Vishu & Tamil New year feast for the mind !He should appear here more often for us to get used to his mind-jugglery. Superb word play.

    Particularly enjoyed cracking 29 across,6 down, 9 down and 12 across. Thanks Dr Nabar. God bless you.

    Happy Vishu to the Colonel and others who celebrate it and Tamil New Year to ye-all .

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  18. How did you manage to crack 29 A?! None of us could.

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  19. I meant 26 across= I am a bit dyslexic , you see, Paddy !

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