Thursday, 26 November 2009

No 9698, Thursday 26 Nov 09, M.Manna

Most very good and some pedestrian clues today, looks like majority were made by the master today.
ACROSS
 1  - Look for a soft fruit (6) - A{P}{PEAR}
 4  - Influenced one Frenchman by agreement (8) - {I}{M}{PACT}ED How is ED explained
10 - Suggest using plain language about work! (7) - PR{OP}OSE
11 - Having rested, one dined, so content (7) - {SAT}{I}{ATE}
12 - He’s a monster, and so regressive! (4) - OGRE Anno pending (Addendum - OGRE<- See Chaturvasi's comments below)
13 - Put below the music to emphasise it (10) - {UNDER}{SCORE}
16 - Practice, that’s what tradesmen want (6) - CUSTOM [CD]
17 - Stay with the other forward looking person (7) - {PROP}HET*
20 - Generous party? (7) - LIBERAL [DD]
21 - Handgun carelessly used, spoilt it (6) - PISTOL*
24 - Urge a chap to become a PR man (5,5) - {PRESS} {A}{GENT}
25 - Intend to occupy a middle position (4) - MEAN [DD]
27 - Tale of wild detective who had a stronghold (7) - CITADEL*
29 - Reject society doctor getting work away from home (4,3) - {DR}{OP} {OUT}
30 - Sing after the show, disclosing shameful events (8) - {EXPO}{SING}
31 - Heavy gun mounted on carriage (6) - CANNON [E]
DOWN
 1  - Get very close to a very quiet fish (8) - {A}{PP}{ROACH}
 2  - Avant-garde VIP egress or alternative (11) - PROGRESSIVE*
 3  - No mat used for smallest particle (4) - AT{O}M*
 5  - They spend their days personally creating friction (8) - MASSEURS [CD] Good one
 6  - New patient sick, short of potassium, commonly lacking spirit (10) - ANTISEPTIC(-k)*
 7  - Some take it as refreshment (3) - TEA [CD]
 8  - Blocks the Spanish or German engineer (6) - {DIES}{EL} Good clue
 9  - Dead queen’s return proves cathartic (5) - SENNA<- )
14 - Elated when out of this world (4,3,4) - OVER THE MOON [CD]
15 - TT teams consist of cheerless chaps (10) - {SOBER}{SIDES}
18 - Animal on paling collapsed (8) - PANGOLIN*
19 - The board put on weight, due to copious seafood (8) - {PLANK}{TON}
22 - Father in pain, but brave (6) - A{PA}CHE
23 - Den is used to practice deception (5) - SNIDE*
26 - Ran out to plead for her (4) - N{O}RA* O from plead ?
28 - Make a gift to insure promptness (3) - TIP [CD]

GRID

20 comments:

  1. Had problems only with 17 ac, 5 dn, 6 dn and 15 dn.

    ACROSS

    4 - Influenced one Frenchman by agreement (8) - {I}{M}{PACT}ED How is ED explained

    I too wonder how.

    DOWN

    8 - Blocks the Spanish or German engineer (6) - {DIES}{EL} Good clue

    Though I confidently put it there, not so convinced about "blocks" = "dies". Explanation, anyone?

    26 - Ran out to plead for her (4) - N{O}RA* O from plead ?

    "O" as an exclamation like "Oh"? Just putting forth a guess.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Richard,
    See this link BLOCKS AND DIES and you will get the explanation, though it is a commercial website

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ergo is L. for 'therefore' and is used in logic to introduce the conclusion of a syllogism.
    It's reversal gives 'monster'.
    'So' in "so regressive" in surface reading is intensive but it's the def for reversal fodder.
    The reversal indicator is "regressive".
    Yes, the master is at work while the student is taking a snooze.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I must add that this is not a very original idea and that crosswords often have this wordplay for this word, though actual formulations may differ.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree with you, while some other clues also give me a feeling of deja-vu

    ReplyDelete
  6. I had a better time with today's CW than yesterday.
    The Orgre anno was enlighting.

    One clarification on 16 across
    Is CUSTOM a DD - one being what the tradesmen want (= business) & the other being practice.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I did write DD first for 16A and later changed it to CD, I think it's a very fine line and both annotations are ok.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Such clues as the above one might be classified as C & DD.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This forum appears dull today. So here is some trivia.

    'The Hindu Crossword' anagrams:

    This chorus drowned.
    Shh! Introduce words.
    Hundreds hoist crow.
    This crown shrouded.
    Now the sordid crush !
    Hi ! Shutdown records
    Ouch ! Shuts drowned.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  10. Can someone get the following three sentences anagrammed into a now-famous set of words?

    1. Oh God ! Alliance kept open.

    2. Ok, do placing a telephone.

    3. Oh, appeal looking decent.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hint:

    The answer is so familiar that one would not expect it to appear in the above form. On hearing the answer, many are sure to exclaim, "Oh, that's it !"


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  12. good one...it is
    colonel deepak gopinath

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congrats tpa, you are on the dot!

    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  14. Col

    My hope:

    You will take the above as a tribute to your efforts in running a blog like this.

    My apprehension:

    You may frown at me saying, "Arre yaar, isne toh mera naam ka kachumbar banaya!"

    ;-)


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Richard,
    No such thing. However I could not unravel your anagram!! Please oblige me by giving out the solution
    Regards.
    Deepak

    ReplyDelete
  16. But tpa has provided us with the solution above, hasn't he? It's you, who else?

    And I have congratulated him on that score!


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  17. What I meant is how do those three sentences bring out my name?
    Sorry if I appear to be a tubelight, but I just don't get it

    ReplyDelete
  18. They, not all put together, but each bring out your name: 'Colonel Deepak Gopinath', which tpa has correctly pointed out.

    You are a floodlight in terms of general knowledge, quick reflexes etc.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  19. Richard,
    I get it now, actually your opening sentence misled me, I was looking at the three sentences together because of the words 'three sentences anagrammed'!!!
    Thanks for the compliments.
    Deepak

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yes, I should have written 'each of the three sentences anagrammed'.

    My apologies for the lapse.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete

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