Too many errors to comment shall start with question marks and lets see how many we end up with. Only a few links as I am late . 3D unsolved (Addendum - 3D now solved)
ACROSS
1 - Deplore crack about exercise (6) - RE{PE}NT Does repent mean deplore?
4 - One of the family gives Rex great joy (8) - R{ELATION}
10 - Sharply provoked? (7) - NEEDLED [DD]
11 - The Queen was excavated with trimmed white coat (7) - {ER}{MINED} How trimmed??
12 - To search in the dirt (4) - GRUB Search ???
13 - He objects to patterns being changed (10) - PROTESTANT*
16 - To dupe Lawrence, make him an agent (6) - DEPU*{TE} ???? Make him an agent should be Deputise
17 - Teach me to twist the knife (7) - MACHETE*
20 - They reflect a faithful representation (7) - MIRRORS [CD]
21 - Both a painter and a sailor return to this Mid-Eastern town (6) - A{RA<-}{RAT<-} How is this Mid-Eastern
24 - Girl earned trouble from head of gang (10) - RINGLEADER*
25 - Concerned at taking charge of about an acre (4) - CARE Taking charge ?????
27 - Company at a loss facing organisation having gigantic power and influence (7) - {CO}{LOSS}I How plural ??????
29 - He faces facts — retails make up (7) - REALIST*
30 - Getting up and in smart! (8) - ST{AND}ING
31 - Complained when I had shortly broken down (6) - WHINED*
DOWN
1 - Grandee put out over Oriental apostate (8) - RENEGAD*{E}
2 - Possibly uppermost in arrogance (11) - PRESUMPTION*
3 - Has no legal force (4) - (Addendum - NULL [CD])
5 - Al takes turn at event that is happening as a consequence (8) - EVENT{U}{AL}
6 - Mother’s pea soup needs air (10) - ATMOSPHERE*
7 - Public house in quarter (3) - IN{N}
8 - Dreadfully untidy in the natural state (6) - NUDITY*
9 - Very much like to have a party again (5) - ADO{RE}
14 - Turn accountant into wreck with dispute (11) - ALTER{CA}{TION*}
15 - I tried less to become free of infection (10) - STERILISED*
18 - Action taken about production of a specially designed garment (8) - C{RE}ATION* Where's the garment???????
19 - Bore witness at the match, ‘e’d concluded (8) - AT{TEST}{ED}
22 - A summary that is exact but endless (6) - PRECIS(-e)
23 - Robin Hood had a cheerful band (5) - MERRY [CD] Yes we know he had, so what????????
26 - Accountant quiet where money is concerned (4) - CA{SH}
28 - The French have an open country under grass (3) - LE{A}(-n)
Good morning Colonel. My 2c on the ?s:
ReplyDelete1A: RE{PE}NT Does repent mean deplore? - Both can mean regret.
11A: "trimmed white coat (7) - {ER}{MINED} How trimmed??
"trimmed" = decorated with ermine. The issue here is: "trimmed white coat" is looking for nounal solution, but ERMINED is an adjective.
12A: To search in the dirt (4) - GRUB Search ???
A lesser-known meaning of GRUB is to search by digging (e.g. grub for potatoes).
This is a straight definition, nothing cryptic about it.
16A: To dupe Lawrence, make him an agent (6) - DEPU*{TE} ???? Make him an agent should be Deputise
ReplyDeleteBoth "depute" and "deputise" can stand for "make him an agent". But here, the clue can work only if "agent" is the definition and DEPUTE a noun (apparently in Scotland, deputy = depute), since "make" has to be the anagrind.
Still not a likeable clue and I don't know if this breakup was the setter's intention, but at least it explains away the big errors.
18 - Action taken about production of a specially designed garment (8) - C{RE}ATION* Where's the garment???????
This clue needs a fashion-conscious eye :) "Rani Mukherjee wore the latest Sabyasachi creation", etc. The definition is OK by me, but again the wordplay is shaky - if the breakup is as we interpret - C{RE}ATION* - then c/c indicator isn't in the right part of speech and anagrind placement isn't OK.
I have ?s on many other parts of this crossword. M.Manna's becoming increasingly disappointing!
Shuchi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarifications. Yes I do agree that M Manna is trying very hard to go NJ's way