No pictures today have to rush to the station to catch the morning train back to Bangalore.
ACROSS
1 - Notice a nominal change in an important indicator of how the economy is doing (8,6) - NATIONAL INCOME*
8 - Very sweet but cloying in sentimentality (6) - SYRUPY [DD]
9 - Deadly stuff in a bomb (8) - SHRAPNEL [E]
11 - Here’s Lara, prepared for practice (9) - REHEARSAL*
12 - Half of a ton (5) - FIFTY [CD]
13 - To produce milk is a performance in a dead milieu (7) - L{ACT}ATE
15 - Communist, reportedly lovable creature (3,4) - RED DEER(~dear)
17 - Death-dealing fliers … (7) - BOMBERS [CD]
19 - … as well as second-grade English teams (7) - {B}{E}{SIDES}
21 - Entertainers drop a thousand for drug-takers (5) - (-am)USERS
23 - A good beer (ale), fizzy, is pleasant (9) - {A}{G}REEABLE*
25 - Top and tip of cucumber fit to eat? Easy to believe (8) - {C}{R}{EDIBLE}
26 - Leading actor, with leaders in vegetarian establishment, may go without food (6) - {STAR}{V}{E}
27 - While decorating set, I stumbled upon playwright’s instruction to actor (5,9) - STAGE DIRECTION*
DOWN
1 - Gateway for pulmonary activity (7) - NOSTRIL [CD]
2 - Set fire to a portable light source (5) - TORCH [DD]
3 - Refuge for unfortunate children in Agra, new hope for change (9) - ORPHA{N}AGE*
4 - It administers medicine to one knight in good health? Right (7) - {I}{N}{HALE}{R}
5 - Tea, doubly strong, from husks of grain (5) - {CHA}{FF}
6 - Dangerous situation where soldiers may fear to tread (9) - MINEFIELD [CD]
7 - One with a role on stage (6) - PLAYER [E]
10 - Insular area that may mislead in part (4) - ISLE [T]
14 - Efficient business representative beginning to equip camp accommodation (9) - {CO}{MP}{E}{TENT}
16 - Depict spy wrongly as bad-tempered (9) - DYSPEPTIC*
17 - Combination meal for a group: that’s about right (6) - B{R}UNCH
18 - The way everyone, educated, caused an obstruction (7) - {ST}{ALL}{ED}
19 - Inter-city (4) - BURY [DD]
20 - Illicit liquor-shop sees engineer steeped in radiance (7) - SHE{BE}EN
22 - Croon about western rhythm (5) - S{W}ING
24 - Indian sweet served in a Malabar fishmonger’s (5) - BARFI [T]
GRID
Good morning everyone
ReplyDeleteSolving was smooth and enjoyable. Salutes to Sankalak.
The ones I liked: 1A, 13A, 23A, 25A, 1D, 5D, 19D AND 24D.
20D SHEBEEN is a new word for me.
But I have a minor grouse:
6D Dangerous situation where soldiers may fear to tread (9) MINEFIELD
This is a wee bit uncharitable to the armed forces - be they of any country - since they wager their lives to defend the nation.
The clue, cleverly set though with obvious allusion to the 'where angels fear to tread' analogy, could have been put in a more polished way. e.g.'Dangerous situation soldiers had better beware of' or 'Dangerous situation where soldiers need cautiously tread'.
Deepak, perhaps you could comment on this, after you reach Bangalore, of course. Other friends are welcome to differ. I know, it is a crossword after all.
Richard
Richard
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that the clue could have been worded in the manner that you suggest so that it is not demeaning to the soldiers.
Thanks, Chaturvasi.
ReplyDeleteRichard
I don't think that the clue is demeaning to soldiers at all. Fear is a natural survival instinct and while a soldier may cautiously step into a minefield if necessary, I would be surprised if there was no fear.
ReplyDeleteAfter all discretion is the better part of valour
ReplyDeleteQuite a easy one today. I9D nter-city stumped me.
ReplyDeleteSankalak puzzles are boring! They never last more than 15 minutes. Give me those cryptic, 8-hour ones that require some research ..
ReplyDelete@Gita I sometimes feel the same way. I am able to finish while I work out on my cycle
ReplyDeleteAm I the one who missed the obvious here? Was it not supposed to be NJ after Neyartha? Does this mean, please oh please tell me, NJ is a goner?
ReplyDeleteFair, well-constructed and easy - Sankalak's puzzles are very good to cut one's solving teeth on. If only he'd do away with the non-cryptic clues!
ReplyDelete@Satya: No cause for jubilation yet. The sequence is Gridman (6) – M. Manna (7) – Neyartha (2) - Sankalak (6) – Nita Jaggi (10).
Richard,
ReplyDeleteI would tend to disagree with you
"Courage is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of it."
Enjoyed quite few clues today. As Suchi says good ones to cut my teeth on.
Got most of them excpet Shebeen & Bury
@Shuchi: Thank you for pointing out my mistake.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty atrocious at reading between the lines. I point that out because I'm wondering whether the word 'yet' that you used conveys more than what meets the eye. :-)
Thanks again Shuchi.
Satya, I am an optimist, that's the only explanation for my use of 'yet'. Nothing more to read between the lines, alas :)
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteBack after a trip to Coimbatore.
Regarding the discussion on minefields, I think there is no doubt that there will be fear when one enters into an activity where one's life is likely to be at stake. I should know best as one of the roles the Corps, of which I was part in the army, is dealing with mines, laying, lifting as well as breaching.
The situation during war however is totally different and soldiers do things without a second thought for fear of their life. Such is the life we lead in the army.
Like the usage goes "best after sliced bread"
ReplyDeletewow, I love this THC