Monday 7 May 2018

No 12310, Monday 07 May 2018, Afterdark


ACROSS
1   Supervisor starts to question staff with hesitation (10) TASKMASTER {To}{ASK}{MAST}{ER}
6   Tendency to live by the book (4) BENT {BE}{NT}
10 Does BP fluctuate when tea is brewed in a vessel (9) SPEEDBOAT {DOES+BP+TEA}*
11 Its a joke to let go of female to be on right track (5) SPOOR {SPOOf}{R}
12 Out chasing a wide, perhaps heartlessly ruled! Next is not out, a ripping yorker to begin with. Amazing (13) EXTRAORDINARY {EXTRA}{O}{ RuleD}{IN}{A}{Ri...g}{Yo...r}
14 Desire to be in nylon garter (4) LONG (T)
15 Slow down, drive avoiding the median. Maintain speed following safety mark seen on lane ends (10) DECELERATE {DrivE}{CE}{LanE}{RATE}
17 Fortune-tellers are sarcastic, hold nothing inside and can almost read heartless devils (5,5) TAROT CARDS {TAR{O}T}{CAn}{R}{DevilS}
21 Set up model first and shoot (4) STEM {SET*}{Model}
23 Notice crowd in some odd area having a gin cocktail and mudslinging (5,8) SMEAR CAMPAIGN {SoMe }{AREA}* around {CAMP}{GIN*}
25 Animal discovered through DNA left over (5) ELAND {T<}
26 Not out to receive coaching but gain instinct (9) INTUITION {IN}{TUITION} Not out=in already used once in 12a
27 Bird's tail clipped at the top (4) TERN {sTERN}
28 Crowd centred around English king causing hindrance (10) DETERRENCE {CENTRED* around {E}{ER}

DOWN
1   Set off to market before teabreak to get tile (10) TESSELLATE {SET*}{SELL}{TEA*}
2   Aspartame has two smalls at ten and half beer later (9) SWEETENER {S}{WEE}{TEN}{be.ER}
3   My identity was almost suppressed in the centre (6) MIDWAY {M{ID}{WAs}Y}
4   Plague on the rise engulfing Colorado (7) SCOURGE {S{CO}URGE}
5   Join at ten to dance and drink (7) ENTWINE {TEN*}{WINE}
7   Poe repaired axes with adhesive, perhaps (5) EPOXY {POE*}{X and Y}
8   In India, you join navy for change (4) TURN {TU=you in Hindi RN}
9   Bolt at the end of race gets second point (6) ESCAPE {racE}{S}{CAPE}
13 For each individual facing trouble at the end, a bit of narcotics these days provide stability (10) PERMANENCE {PER}{MAN}{t...l E}{Na...s}{CE}
16 Friction is almost common after a teacher starts to get one working (9) ATTRITION {A}{Te...r}{TRITe}{1}{ON}
18 Latest sample sent across border (6) TRENDY {TR{END}Y}
19 TV slot's objective is to have one right episode basically (7) AIRTIME {A{1}{RT}IM}{e...dE}
20 Plan to close early and have a peg with new recruit (7) DRAFTEE {DRAFt}{TEE}
22 Prisoners with empty stomach become more agile (6) SPRIER {PRIsonERS*}
23 One step in song and dance covers the essence of drama (5) STAIR {ST{drAma}IR}
24 Seam pulled up, basically tampering on direction (4) WEST {SEW<}{Ta...g}

GRID

23 comments:

  1. Hi I have a query for 12A, the clue for extraordinary.
    Out = O?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think that works Prasad. So will 'In' be abbreviated as i? At any rate, not listed in Chambers, hence the query.

      Delete
    2. cricket score card observations have been used before. in the context of clue o from i/o, ro (run out) i how i took it.

      Delete
  2. Typical AD puzzle. Couldnt parse 12A.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When a batsman stays at the end of an innings, their score will be, say, Shrikanth (n.o.) 234.
    Of course, nowhere is O used for 'out'. In cricket score card, o is over.
    In the context of the clue, however, I think we can accept o for out.
    The clue is verbose, though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The bouncer and the dancer - Part 28

    SS the EXTRAORDINARY had effectively slipped out of many such situations.

    The LONG and short of the present situation was that they had to abandon their breakfast MIDWAY.

    SS quickly removed the cards from the table and placed in front of a TRENDY guy whose attention was TURNED WEST towards a PYT. (What an INTUITION!)

    SS being a TASKMASTER asked Kayal and Lily to follow him and quickly and the slipped out.

    They reached a nearby lake and seeing a SPEEDBOAT quickly went down the STAIR, BENT their way inside and made good their ESCAPE.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Suspense grows?Who is the trendy guy?Where did the threesome go?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I enjoyed solving Afterdark puzzle. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am proceeding to USA for a few months and story will continue after a gap of 2/3 days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bon Voyage!We'll miss the story for sure.

      Delete
    2. Bon Voyage!
      Suspense grows- Vasant, I am sure we will not miss the story altogether but receive it with a jet lag. He enjoys writing it as much we enjoy reading.

      Delete
    3. Like in South Indian movies, few scenes will be shot abroad. Probably, CGB will pen the future episodes from there, ha ha!!

      Delete
    4. Have a safe and healthy trip CGB!!!

      Delete
  8. 27A would like clarification. stern (as in stem to stern of a ship) means backside.So, how can it be "clipped at the top";rather should it not be at the back?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi. Tail= Stern;
      Clipped at the top = clip the top letter of Stern = (-s)TERN.

      Delete
  9. That's right but how is stem = stern when stern means back ( usually of a ship)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tail means back doesn't it?
      Tail=back=stern

      Delete
  10. Oh, yes. I lost sight of the tail completely-very stupid of me. Thank you, Vasant!

    ReplyDelete

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