Thursday 10 August 2017

No 12082, Thursday 10 Aug 2017, Dr. X


ACROSS
1   Silver in swamp? That’s a fantasy (6) MIRAGE {MIR{AG}E}
4   Raced back to interrupt rogue primarily spreading rumours (7) CANARDS {CA{RAN<=}D}{Sp...g}
8   R. De Niro’s acting — Methodical (2,5) IN ORDER*
9   Largely unsettled opposition (7) ALLERGY*
11 Big break for pop group to enter A-list top concert! Fantastic (10) SABBATICAL {ABBA} in {A+LIST+Co...t}*
12 Absence of law influences troublemakers (4) IMPS IMPactS
13 Misbehave at stall (3,2) ACT UP [DD]
14 Be more truthful perhaps to provide support (8) UNDERLIE [DD]
16 Papers needed after marriage? (8) CONFETTI [CD]
18 One crazy about power of information (5) INPUT {1}{N{P}UT}
20 Perfume sample not top-notch (4) OTTO [T]
21 Where Mahatma Gandhi is exactly right (2,3,5) ON THE MONEY [DD]
23 Ones going to court? (7) SUITORS [CD]
24 Poem composed around beginning of era (7) RONDEAU {Era} in {AROUND}* Around on double duty! See comments
25 Brewing dissent? Most spiteful (7) SNIDEST*
26 Proceeded to get hitched concealing motive (6) WENDED {W{END}ED}

DOWN
1   Preoccupation with supernatural power consumes one (5) MANIA {MAN{1}A}
2   Exceptional piece of cheese on toast (7) RAREBIT {RARE}{BIT}
3   Gets ready to play snooker but fails miserably (4,2,3) GOES TO POT [DD]
5   Radical supporter ultimately fanatical (5) ALLYL {ALLY}{f...aL}
6   Drawing room? (7) ATELIER [E]
7   What murderer might do to dispose of body? Look for embarrassing information (3,2,4) DIG UP DIRT [DD]
10 Discloses — Charming in sack! Almost extraordinary (9) ACQUAINTS {QUAINT} in {SACk}*
13 Amir’s top desire — To have dismissed Virat ultimately with swing (5-4) ABOUT-TURN {Amir}{B{OUT}-{viraT}URN}
15 Commute from work leads to stress (5,4) DRIVE HOME [DD]
17 Showed contempt for oaf caught by FBI agent (7) FLOUTED {F{LOUT}ED}
19 Slogged and begged to acquire rum (7) PLODDED {PL{ODD}ED}
21 Watchdog responsible for showing fiends (5) OGRES [T]
22 Dash to start dodging animal (5) ELAND {ELAN}{Do...g}

GRID

33 comments:

  1. Thanks for the enjoyable grid Doc!
    16A was my COD!
    RONDEAU was the last one in - had the same doubt about around doing double duty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 24A Anag of (AROUND + E)* Composed is the anagram ind.

      Delete
    2. Okay thanks. My comments @ 8:36 and 8:38 below may be ignored

      Delete
  2. CV's comment repeated deleted by mistake

    In 24a 'composed' ('set') (verb transitive in the past tense) is anag ind for the word 'around' that follows it. So no double duty - when single duty itself is hard..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't understand.

      AROUND is part of the Anagram fodder as well as the indicator for it to go around E

      Delete
    2. Poem = Definition
      composed = Anagram indicator
      around = Anagram fodder
      beginning of era = E(-ra)

      So where is the indicator for {AROUND}* to go around {E(-ra)}

      Delete
    3. Hi Sir, there is no indicator to go around...Composed is the anagram indicator for what follows... it is the anagram of (AROUND + E)*

      Delete
  3. It is a bit tricky!
    I can understand
    a letter + anag of X' giving the answer
    'anag of X + letter giving the answer
    In the above clue it is
    anag ind anag fodder another letter
    won't the solver expect an instruction for adding the letter before anagram?
    I think this type of clue needs to be discussed for appropriateness.
    The col, Ramki and I (among others, maybe) were all misled and were groping.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel there should have been an instruction for addition before anagramming

      Delete
  4. There are many DDs today (including of course, the discussion above on double duty!
    Thanks Dr. I enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. anag ind - anag fodder - another letter
    this seems to lead to a charade

    ReplyDelete
  6. Disclaimer: I don't exactly remember, I may have written a similar clue. But I am raising the question here whether this sort of clue is OK among solvers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For sake of discussion, let us say the anag ind was succeeding the fodder, for instance in this clue... Around beginning of era, composed poem. There would be no confusion I suppose.

      Delete
    2. I personally see no problem.
      We have seen clues having:
      1. word+ anagram
      2. anagram+word
      3. word around anagram
      4. anagram around word
      When we can solve such clues, I don't think having a letter with anagram poses a serious problem.

      Delete
    3. So the question really is does it change if the anag ind precedes the fodder?

      Delete
    4. No problem with the construction of the clue

      Delete
  7. Satyen - can I raise this question in Facebook: 1ACross?

    ReplyDelete
  8. The verdict there is the clue is OK - 'great', in fact.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Poem composed around era's beginning (7) Would have been better in my view

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very enjoyable grid. Suitors, Confetti and Mirage were lovely :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Absolutely terrific puzzle. Great entertainment. On the money made me smile so did a lot of others clues.
    Thanks Doc.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Predictably True to your name Dr. Satyan ! UNDERLIE & DIG UP DIRT are well-framed.

    CONFETTI: Indian version in today's big fat weddings is :: Baharon Phool Barsao from atop a moving trolley on the bride & the groom ! Soft landing on the runway of wedlock; they'll realize what hit them as the take -off starts !

    ReplyDelete

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