Wednesday 12 July 2017

No 12057, Wednesday 12 Jul 2017, Vulcan


ACROSS
1   Barred cryptic, end up with one (8) UNOPENED* {END+UP+ONE}*
5   During the time that the new leader is in town (6) ATHENS {THE}{New} in {AS}
10 Article with piece of advice about a course (9) ANTIPASTO {AN}{TIP}{AS TO}
11 Small store that's fashionable (5) SMART {S}{MART}
12 Her cues exposing cheats (7) EUCHRES*
13 Male star leaving Los Angeles to join old musician (7) MAESTRO {MAlE+STaR}{O}
14 State officer and his men having a party (8) COLORADO {COL}{OR}{A}{DO}
15 Old guru first to bring about this tree (6) BAOBAB {O+BABA+Br..g}* (Correction - {BA{O}BA}{Br..g} - See comments)
18 Instrument is somewhat rusty/lustreless (6) STYLUS [T]
20 Intelligent fellow with team's backing brought about as a temporary solution (5,3) QUICK FIX {QUICK} {F}{XI<=}
22 A girl I hang out with, an Asian (7) AFGHANI {A}{F}{I+HANG}*
25 Dad's upset about the composition/collage (5-2) PASTE-UP {PA}{UPSET}*
27 Below the components of mainframe (5) INFRA [T]
28 Kind of government formed by rich guys only — every odd aristocrat basically (9) OLIGARCHY {RICH+GuYs+OnLy+Ar...t}* How do we decide to which words 'every odd' applies?
29 Everything covered the day before this exam (1,5) A LEVEL {ALL} over {EVE}
30 Try out extremely rare vehicle (8) REHEARSE {RarE}{HEARSE}

DOWN
1   Country at sea, upset with decree (5) UKASE {UK}{SEA}*
2   Topic revealed by friend visually (9) OPTICALLY {TOPIC}*{ALLY}
3   English politician's mistake disheartened the leader (7) EMPEROR {E}{MP}{ERrOR}
4   Finally, the disaster destroyed a section of Manhattan (4,4) EAST SIDE {thE}{DISASTEr}* There's an extra R in the fodder
6   Recall Greek god set as password (7) TESSERA {ARES}{SET}<=
7   Very old play (5) EXACT {EX}{ACT}
8   Channel's producer read to lead and to fight (3-3,3) SET-TOP BOX {SET}-{TOP} {BOX} Read/SET?
9   Corridor meant to protect the building (4) DORM [T]
14 Actor is flying to California and to a place in Central America (5,4) COSTA RICA {ACTOR+IS}*{CA}
16 Clean and tidy crate for a place where food is served (6,3) BUFFET CAR {BUFF}{ET CAR*}
17 Clip used in certain dress (8) SURPLICE {CLIP}* in {SURE}
19 French one fighting in a cage in the end becomes unconscious (7) UNAWARE {UN}{A}{WAR}{cagE}
21 Rat gets inside a bag, falls (7) CASCADE {CAD} in {CASE}
23 Where displaying affection/hugging is a mistake (5) GAFFE [T]
24 Hero's libido largely suppressed (4) IDOL [T]
26 One who gets money, power and yes, fame ultimately (5) PAYEE {P}{AYE}{famE}

GRID

19 comments:

  1. 8 Channel's producer read to lead and to fight (3-3,3) SET-TOP BOX {SET}-{TOP} {BOX} Read/SET?
    Probably Ready

    ReplyDelete
  2. 15 Old guru first to bring about this tree (6) BAOBAB {O+BABA+Br..g}*

    Indirect anagram?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. O with BABA + B(-ring) around it. There is no anagram.

      Delete
    2. Not the way Col. has indicated. My problem was the 'to' that was intruding- T also to be included in the fodder as it is now.

      Delete
    3. Baba is not in the same order.

      Delete
    4. It is in the same order : BA(O)BA + B(-ring)

      Delete
    5. I am not able to understand how O gets in the middle of Baba.

      Delete
    6. O baba (first)-> baba o b<- about (in reverse)

      Delete
    7. Thank you Lima. I missed the 'about'.

      Delete
    8. There is no reversal it's {BABA}{B(-ring} about {O}

      Delete
  3. Found the SE corner tough.
    Was trying to fix dining car.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A quick solve but got stuck for Baobab for a long time..finally cheated to get it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1.
      For a change, have to take the baba stance, er..cheating!

      Delete
  5. Very old play-- old= ex, play= act. exact. but very does not exactly mean exact. shouldn't it be exactly?

    I liked the composition of REHEARSE: a dead give away ! So was QUICK FIX .

    Are there any more Buffet cars in the Indian railways ? I recall with fondness the food served with silverware and cutlery with liveried waiters , in the dining cars, while the train rattled along , coiling a figure 8 , along the VOI - Mombasa belt, giving one a breathtaking panoramic view of the Tsavo East National Park. Alas , the Kenya Railways has fallen on the wayside due to sheer inefficiency by successive(?) (mis)managements !

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was only thinking of Indian Railways and was wondering about liveried waiters & silverware- until I came to the later part. There never were such things here and so canno fall on the wayside. I have only read about such things in books- Murder on the Oriental Express? Mind you, that was in the 19th century!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Royal Rajasthan on wheels has dining car. Gaaurdian calls pantry car as buffet car. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/nov/15/india-railways-pantry-buffet-car-phased-out

      Delete
    2. Thanks, a2z_lima. Any one had any experience on it ?

      Delete
  7. I saw the article. Food served out of pantry cars by attendants is not the same as fine dining experience in a dining car, sitting by the window side , watching the scenic beauty and the mosaic of changing landscapes, and changing faces and their activities , as the train runs through various states. Alas, now you have only fluted window glasses, stained by dust and dirt, covered by thick and unwashed curtains that you don't even want to touch!!

    ReplyDelete

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