Gridman seems to be in his elements today, found this one to be on the tougher side. Didn't like some of the clues though, moreover there were too many CD, DD and E for my liking almost 50% maybe that's why I found it tough
ACROSS
1 - Foreseeing the future, one hundred and fifty vent on worker after half the voyage (11) - {CL}{AIR}{VOY(-age)}{ANT}
9 - Four out in harbour begin to haul and put out in small quantities (4,5) - {PO{UR FO*}RT}{H}
10 - One opening in skirt (5) - {A}{VOID}
11 - Speck on saltpetre (5) - NITRE [E]
12 - Snappish anger describing returning novice cricket player with one run (9) - {IR{R}{I}{TAB}{L}<-E} - Didn't like this one, seems to be NJ style
13 - Strong point as determined (5) - {AS}{SET}
15 - Playwright with it surrounding the man in Japanese city (9) - HIROSHI{M}A Anno pending (Addendum - {HIRO}{S{HIM}A} - Thanks to Shuchi - see comments below)
18 - What one might wear during a condolence (4,5) - DARK DRESS [CD] Didn't like this one either
21 - Fissure on Chennai’s top port (5) - {C}{LEFT}
22 - One whose relations may be stopped if heard already (9) - RACONTEUR [CD] This is why I do not like CD clues
24 - Revolutionary about to back drunkard (5) - {TO}{PER}
26 - What one might do with the depths? (5) - PLUMB [CD]
27 - The sort of person who is not welcome (9) - INTRUSIVE [E] UNWELCOME also fits
28 - Witty person one might see at the time of Diwali? (6,5) - BRIGHT SPARK [CD] Didn't like this one either
DOWN
1 - Submissively, with a bare head (3,2,4) - CAP IN HAND [CD]
2 - American lawyer went up last month to mature person (5) - {AD<-}{ULT}
3 - Thought of what Mirror did? (9) - REFLECTED [DD]
4 - Ergo, his transformation is like a monster (7) - OGREISH*
5 - Notice — at this place Rex is an ally (7) - {AD}{HERE}{R}
6 - Pamphlet which to sailors is theoretical (5) - TRACT Anno pending
7 - 15, for example (4,4) - BOMB SITE [E]
8 - Lied about not working (4) - IDLE*
14 - Act of cleaning tree in northern State (6-2) - SPRUCE-{UP}
16 - Somehow use recast scissors (9) - SECATEURS*
17 - It’s past amidships toward the stern (9) - AFTERDECK [E]
19 - They are honourably discharged with distinction in East Indies (7) - E{MERIT}I
20 - Expand term (7) - STRETCH [DD]
22 - Swathed soundly and transported (4) - RAPT (~wrapped)
23 - Catch senior citizen — a wealthy individual (5) - {NAB}{OB}
25 - Father’s taking one — a coin (5) - {PA{I}S}{A}
GRID
Good morning Colonel,
ReplyDelete15 - Playwright with it surrounding the man in Japanese city (9) - HIROSHI{M}A Anno pending
It's your bugbear IT = SA again.
HIRO (playwright, Dilip Hiro) SA (it) around HIM (the man)
Well colonel, Despite the CW being tougher today (It took me an hour and a half almost) you managed to post at 8.30
ReplyDeleteThanks Shuchi,
ReplyDeleteYes IT and SA get me always, I suppose I will learn to remember them. Somehow I didn't enjoy today's CW
@ Suresh,
Though I didn't like it I somehow managed to squeeze it in before 8:30, though I was left with some annotations
In a quick crossword you may have Scheme (4). The answer to this is delayed until you have had some crossings, for, at the back of your mind you will have PLAN or PLOT.
ReplyDeleteIf a solver puts down a wrong answer, woe unto him, as he might not get other answers until he suspects that the one he put in might be wrong.
Such is the clue
The sort of person who is not welcome (9)
One cannot solve this clue until one has had some crossings.
The compiler may or may not have noticed that UNWELCOME is a possible answer but anyway it's unlikely in the case of a careful compiler because a large part of the suggested answer is in the clue itself and there is also the negative derivable from 'not'.
Re 12ac, I think you dislike it because it contains many components.
I for one would say that the success or otherwise of a clue is not whether there are few or many components but whether they are handled well and whether a smooth surface reading emerges.
Looked at the matter that way take the ET/Daily Mail clue
1 Put pressure on out-of-work churchman when he seems to have dropped fruit in a rotten pile (7,4)
Many components but absolutely no confusion about it!
The following two clues might have been easy and deservedly bracketed as (E) but they are classifiable as charades thus:
ReplyDelete17 It’s past amidships toward the stern (9) AFTER (past) DECK (amidships)
11 Speck on saltpetre (5) NIT (speck) RE (on)
Regarding AFTERDECK the definition reads as 'The part of a ship's deck past amidships toward the stern.' whcih is the exact wording of the clue so I don't feel we can classify it as a charade
ReplyDeleteYou are right! I must have written that in a moment of mental aberration.
ReplyDelete