Monday, 1 February 2010

No 9754, Monday 01 Feb 10, Gridman

ACROSS
1 - Relish idle trip with Bill on return to the limits of Changanacherry (8) - {DELI*}{CA<-}{CY} )
5 - Bird soft on admirer (6) - {P}{LOVER}

9 - Vehicle big uncle in India brought back to youth centre in island-nation (7) - {VAN}{UAT<-}{U} ) TAU being father's elder brother in North India
10 - Child said to be defeated in the evening (7) - (~son){SUN}{DOWN}
11 - Catapult fish aboard: most wanted (9) - {S{LING}S}{HOT}

12 - Throw the ambassador a greeting (5) - {HE}{AVE}
13 - “But to be young was ___ heaven!" (Wordsworth) (4) - VERY [E]
14 - As pointed out, it’s the exact opposite (9) - ANTIPODES*
17 - Designate the servant in front part of a book (5,4) - {TITLE} {PAGE}
19 - But Gridman finds the hairy creature (4) - {YET}{I}
23 - Release one French writer (5) - {UN}{PEN}
24 - Actually, fashionable sort of TV show (2,7) - {IN} {REALITY}
25 - Everything involved in novel report (7) - {SHE}{BANG} Nice clue
26 - Assert variously about eastern tablet (7) - TESSERA*
27 - Sort of guest begging, with rupee lost (6) - P(-r)AYING
28 - Wedding song my Helena played (8) - HYMENEAL* New word for me.
DOWN
1 - Forming separation, caller loses eminence in joint (8) - DI{VISI(-tor)}VE
2 - More ungainly learner, Kiran races around farther end of lane (7) - {L}{ANKI{E}R*}
3 - Attack daily’s empty grange (6) - {CHAR}{GE}
4 - One isn’t awake when one is surprised thus (6, 7) - CAUGHT NAPPING [CD]
6 - Midday meal? No time for midday meal! (8) - {LUNCH}{EON} Nice one
7 - Break instrument at tea-break (7) - {VIOL}{ATE*}
8 - Assign top of roles for finale (6) - {R}{ENDER}
10 - Doing nothing while posing for a photograph? (7,6) - SITTING PRETTY [CD]
15 - Scheme ain’t yielding fruit (8) - {PLAN}{TAIN*}
16 - A place for civic gatherings (4,4) - CITY HALL [E]
18 - Lack of veneration of one politician breaking tie with youth to begin with (7) - {I}{MP}{IET*}{Y}
20 - It isn’t looking good (4,3) - EVIL EYE [CD]
21 - Builds hurriedly — the score is high! (4,2) - RUNS UP [DD]
22 - Young female has buttermilk drink with last bit of pickle (6) - {LASSI}{E}


14 comments:

  1. Good morning, everyone !

    Took a little longer time looking for some rarely-used words like SHEBANG and TESSERA.

    Clues I liked: 9A, 19A, 10D, 20D and 22D.

    13A: Brought back memories of childhood and college days. Wordsworth is said to have referred to the French Revolution while wrote these lines.

    Such tender poetry with the gory event in the backdrop? Can someone throw some light on this contrast?


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  2. Correction: '...while he wrote these lines.'


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  3. 9A - Vehicle big uncle in India brought back to youth centre in island-nation (7) - {VAN}{UAT<-}{U} ) TAU being father's elder brother in North India

    The clue 'big uncle' immediately brought to mind TAU by which name the late deputy prime minister Devi Lal from Haryana was commonly addressed.

    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1DN: Though the Anno is provided I am curious how "caller loses eminence" is solved as "visi{-tor}". I understand the designation of "caller" as "visitor" but do not understand how "loses eminence" is tagged as "-tor". Also what does "in joint" imply here (I am guessing it is cluing the breakup of visitor by the joining syllable)? Thank you for educating me on this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @veer

    Forming separation, caller loses eminence in joint (8) - DI{VISI(-tor)}VE

    Forming seperation = Definition
    caller = VISITOR
    loses = deletion indicator
    eminence = TOR = hill etc
    loses eminence = VISI(-tor)
    in = connector
    joint = DIVE (seedy joint etc)

    so we get the required answer DI{VIS(-tor}VE

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Colonel

    Thank you for the breakdown. Helps me immensely as "TOR" is a new word to me. In fact, it did not occur to me that "tor" could be a word even after seeing your anno, hence my anguished post.

    ReplyDelete
  7. TOR is very often used in cryptic crosswords, to mean peak or hill.

    I remember a setter on an occasion used TOR twice to creatively lead to the word TOR+MEN+TOR.


    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Richard
    Slowly, but surely, I am accumulating my vocabulary especially as it pertains to the little tricks in the Cryptic crosswords. Of course, I have some years to go before I get the dexterity that you and other commenters in this blog possess. But, being here reading this blog, helps me and in no small measure. CVasi did put the fear of god in me in saying elsewhere that he has been doing them since the 60's and that would most certainly be before I was even born!! Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I happen to have the dB of Gridman's 600 crosswords and when I checked it up I found that this setter has not used TORMENTOR even once in any grid of his. And yet he is one - at least occasionally, no?

    ReplyDelete
  10. @ Veer

    Just to assure you that there was no intention to look down upon anyone, since I too acquired some skill quite late, much more so after joining this blog. Your words show a sincere sense of modesty and humility. Keep it up !

    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  11. @ CV

    I salute your sense of humour. As you said, Gridman did torment us a bit today.

    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  12. Somebody please explain the anno of SHEBANG.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sandhya.
    There is a novel by Rider Haggard by the name She.
    Bang is a report or noise

    ReplyDelete

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