Tuesday 31 October 2017

No 12150, Tuesday 31 Oct 2017, Incognito


It's the end of the first Wizarding War today. (Thanks to Google)

ACROSS
8   Ferocious carnivore's mark of injury (4) SCAR [T]
9   Old student's priest gets daggers (5) OBELI {OB}{ELI}
10 Hand over money to cover Riddle's penultimate drama (4) PLAY {P{r..dLe}Y}
11 Gad! Ron's turned into a legendary creature (6) DRAGON*
12 Housekeeper moulded hard clay (8) CHARLADY*
13 Coaches may be found near this dais (8) PLATFORM [DD]
15 At home, little sister starts to take a firm stand (6) INSIST {IN}{SIS}{To}
17 State's old media (7) EXPRESS {EX}{PRESS}
19 Endlessly lunges in Don's prison (7) DUNGEON {D{lUNGEs}ON}
22 Rubber found in Riviera seraglio (6) ERASER [T]
24 Complicated MIT poser for pretender (8) IMPOSTER*
26 Attend to clergyman around 1 (8) MINISTER {MIN{1}STER}
28 Elixir container No.1 returned (6) POTION {POT}{NO1<=}
30 Leaders of explorers prosecuted in China? That's a long story! (4) EPIC Acrostic
31 Trouble prince (5) HARRY [DD]
32 Evil mutation is still despicable (4) VILE*

DOWN
1   Maple: Initially, a Canadian emblem, right? (4) ACER Acrostic
2   More intelligent boy's correct English reading (8) BRIGHTER {B}{RIGHT}{E}{R}
3   Carried nothing to island (6) BORNEO {BORNE}{O}
4   Gladly receive leading witch and a couple of elves accompanied by tailless space traveller (7) WELCOME {Witch}{ELves}{COMEt}
5   Sweet French friend follows last robber wearing crumpled suit (8) TIRAMISU {r...eR}{AMI} in {SUIT*} Most popular sweet amongst CW Setters
6   Lists letters of 'Abracadabra', 'Alohomora', 'Riddikulus' and the like (6) SPELLS [MD]
7   For starters, wizard Aditya nullified Draco's magic baton (4) WAND Acrostic
14 Gallivanting begum left Luxembourg building for Egyptian city (5) LUXOR LUXembOuRg Building was not required
16 Some ships to Netherlands rock (5) STONE [T]
18 Damaged yachts sailing around Costa Rica (8) SCRATCHY {S{CR}ATCHY*}
20 Vets Goa's fantastic range (3,5) GAS STOVE*
21 Sign on line in newspaper's morgue, for example (7) LIBRARY {LIBRA}{RY}
23 Ishan releases first attacker and goes round to capture Gaunt's final college informer (6) SNITCH {ISHaN} over {g..nT}{C}
25 Couple of letters from Parvati Patil about an unknown fruit (6) PAPAYA {PAr...i}{P{A}{Y}Atil}
27 Rascals, I am at police station (4) IMPS {I'M}{PS}
29 Billy Bunter's leaves the messengers at Hogwarts? (4) OWLS [DD] Why leaves? (Addendum - {OWL}{S} - See comments)

GRID

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55 comments:

  1. Ramani31 October 2017 at 08:37

    Thank you Kishore for hand-holding me through your nice clues and made me to solve within 20mins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 08:55

      +1.
      Wish he sets more for IXL- so we can be sure of our answers and do it fast as well!

      Delete
    2. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:06

      Thanks. Some may feel it is not tough enough for a competition...

      Delete
    3. Col_Gopinath31 October 2017 at 09:08

      Kishore is setting for IXL?

      Delete
    4. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:09

      I don't know. He hides things from Incognito

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 09:28

      My wild guess!

      Delete
  2. Col_Gopinath31 October 2017 at 08:40

    I'm off to Sri Lanka for a 6 day holiday starting tonight. Expect some delays in the posts in case I run into wi-fi problems, though all the hotels where we are staying have promised free wi-fi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vasant31 October 2017 at 08:53

      Happy Journey!Have an enjoyable trip

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 08:59

      Have a good trip and enjoy.
      Admire your commitment to 8.30 schedule- come rain or shine,from wherever you are thanks to Wi fi.

      Delete
    3. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:05

      Have a great time! And polish up your Surangani!

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 09:31

      Brings to mind the good old song 'Surangani...'

      Delete
    5. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:41

      DG sings it well!

      Delete
    6. Col_Gopinath31 October 2017 at 10:14

      Thank you everyone

      Delete
    7. Rita Mathur31 October 2017 at 11:03

      Have a great holiday, Colonel!

      Delete
    8. Deepak Gopinath31 October 2017 at 12:52

      Thanks Rita

      Delete
    9. Ramki Krishnan31 October 2017 at 18:15

      Enjoy your holiday Col!

      Delete
  3. sree_sree31 October 2017 at 08:45

    29d billy bunter is owl. Leave s from messengers(owls) to get owl.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath31 October 2017 at 08:52

      Good one

      Delete
    2. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:05

      Billy Bunter is The Owl ...

      Delete
    3. sree_sree31 October 2017 at 09:14

      oh, that way....isn't he the fat owl of the remove.

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 09:30

      So, leaves have to be read as leave S?

      Delete
    5. sree_sree31 October 2017 at 09:35

      no. I am not in synch with THE setter.

      Delete
    6. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:38

      That indeed is the full title in all its glory. The intended anno is:

      THE OWL'S - THE = OWLS

      Delete
    7. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:39

      The gloriousness of the title is terrific! - as our mutual friend Hurree (Harry?!) Jamset Ramsing would say

      Delete
    8. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 09:41

      :-)
      Sometimes I miss the significance of articles (a,an,the) in clues.
      Thank you.

      Delete
  4. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 08:53

    Not clear still.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 08:57

    Oh! It is Halloween special?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:08

      Strictly speaking, it is not. If not already identified, theme will be clearer when more theme words and clues get identified. But yes, it is a happy coiyit turned up on Hallowe'en

      Delete
    2. sree_sree31 October 2017 at 09:22

      James and Lilly killed. Harry got the scar. (the cursed child?)

      Delete
    3. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:37

      Is that a Riddle?

      Delete
    4. sree_sree31 October 2017 at 09:59

      tom riddle, I thought.

      Delete
  6. C.G. BHARGAV31 October 2017 at 09:37

    Dear JM Sir,

    Well and wish to hear the same from you.

    Reached Dulles after an EPIC journey.
    Oh Boy! The thermocole MINISTER was seated near us. Safe journey but lost my LUXOR pen. Maybe some VILE person took it. I know not. It does not matter
    because my son-in-law will get me many papermates.(Sir is it papermates or playmates?) Enjoyed watching Enter the DRAGON during the flight. It was nice to see a old lady sitting near the exit and saying " WELCOME to the United States of America to each one of us.

    Thanks for your tips. I know I can borrow any number of books from the LIBRARY. Will get the HARRY Potter books. I shall teach grammar to my grandson and see to it he SPELLS it right. I remember and will say "To err is human. Always have an ERASER handy".
    You said not to say rubber but I forgot to ask you why.
    You left no STONE unturned and gave much information. My wife will not ask petrol for the GAS STOVE. Sa sa ri ri ga ga ma ma PA PA. YA she will teach carnatic music and get dollars. She is excited and cant wait to see the CHARLADY arrive in her own car!!. She is keen to learn to PLAY rummy.

    With your encouragement we are out of the DUNGEON for six months and can enjoy TIRAMISU when taken to P F Changs.

    Nothing more to pen. Actually typed on my new ACER laptop.

    Keep writing Sir.

    Yours in friendship

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:41

      The thermocole minister?! Ha, ha!

      Delete
    2. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:46

      The IRS is definitely interested in getting its hands on some of those dollars ...

      Delete
    3. Kishore31 October 2017 at 09:49

      There are surely several JM fans here, but did you catch the Mrs JM column a couple of weeks back?

      Delete
    4. C.G. BHARGAV31 October 2017 at 09:58

      No. Began reading only last Sunday after seeing your comments elsewhere...

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 10:37

      Initially, i did not get the JM part until some Bootham gave me the tip.
      Yes, I have been reading his letters for a while now and enjoy his writing...and all.
      Best of CGB so far. But I still don't get the thermocole part.

      Delete
    6. Kishore31 October 2017 at 11:06

      There was a news item a few months back of a TN minister spreading thermocole on a lake to prevent evaporation...

      Delete
    7. Padmanabhan31 October 2017 at 11:55

      Yes, I remember. Thank you Kishore.

      Delete
  7. Rita Mathur31 October 2017 at 11:01

    Thanks Incognito for a quick and enjoyable crossword today - a walk in the park!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rita Mathur31 October 2017 at 11:02

    Have a great holiday Colonel!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kolluru Koteswara Rao31 October 2017 at 11:05

    Have a safe and enjoyable trip Col!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kishore31 October 2017 at 11:11

    Please have a go at my Hallowe'en special at

    http://www.1across.org/2017/10/31/boo/

    ReplyDelete
  11. uryazhs31 October 2017 at 13:06

    Thanks incognito.Harry potter theme was enjoyable..

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mona Sogal31 October 2017 at 13:36

    Good, entertaining grid Kishore Sir!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Lakshmi Vaidyanathan31 October 2017 at 16:07

    @Col Happy & safe journey:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ramki Krishnan31 October 2017 at 18:14

    Loved the Harry Potter theme - thanks Incog!
    MINISTER (from the Ministry of Magic), LIBRARY (which Hermione visits often to learn of Polyjuice potions and stuff), EPIC (the whole series!) also fit the theme IMO :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore31 October 2017 at 18:43

      Thanks, Ramki. Yes, they do. Also IMPS. In addition to Riddle, Draco, Gaunt and Parvati Patil in the clues.

      Delete
  15. raju umamaheswar31 October 2017 at 18:39

    Bon Voyage Col: Have a great holiday ! The ever peripatetic Col ! When will your lust for wander rest ? But Vasant is for ever on Busman's holiday ! Isthere any town that he has not visited ?

    I am perpetually pathetic staying put in Koyamuthur !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath31 October 2017 at 19:17

      Thank you.
      Look who's talking. Who went to Japan and the US?

      Delete
    2. raju umamaheswar31 October 2017 at 21:52

      Those were not holidays but call of parental duty, may I say ? I don't like holidays and extesive travels, especially in these days of advance booking and hassles at the airports, not to speak of the high costs.

      Delete
  16. Unknown1 November 2017 at 15:50

    Enjoyed the HP theme
    thank you :)

    ReplyDelete

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