ACROSS
1 - Sailor turns to brother to alter the garment (8) - {BA<-}{TH{ROB*}E}
1 - Sailor turns to brother to alter the garment (8) - {BA<-}{TH{ROB*}E}
5 - Prize money (4) - CASH [DD]
9 - Work in a tent on the main road in the borders of Gurgaon (8) - {CAMP}{AI}{GN}
10 - Charge for the final part being broadcast (6) - {PRO}{T}{ON}
12 - Calm the student in University with a couple of learners (4) - {L}{U}{LL}
13 - One who goes underwater has information about this French conflict (10) - {DIVER}{GEN}{CE}
15 - Graph drawn on the magistrate card (7,7) - SCATTER DIAGRAM*
9 - Work in a tent on the main road in the borders of Gurgaon (8) - {CAMP}{AI}{GN}
10 - Charge for the final part being broadcast (6) - {PRO}{T}{ON}
12 - Calm the student in University with a couple of learners (4) - {L}{U}{LL}
13 - One who goes underwater has information about this French conflict (10) - {DIVER}{GEN}{CE}
15 - Graph drawn on the magistrate card (7,7) - SCATTER DIAGRAM*
17 - Caliph comments on the laudable skill developed (14) - ACCOMPLISHMENT*
21 - Agree to keep in touch (10) - CORRESPOND [DD]
22 - Reminder to regularly teach in the house (4) - {E}{C}{HO}
25 - Supporter on the banks of the Zuari is the first to leave for the country (6) - {BRA}{ZI}{L}
26 - A number Tom will not mention out to the young person (8) - {(-tom)NINE*}{TEEN}
27 - Very favourable kind of greeting, overheard (4) - HIGH(~hi)
28 - Bird in Florida is caught out coming injured (8) - {FLA}{MINGO(-c)*}
21 - Agree to keep in touch (10) - CORRESPOND [DD]
22 - Reminder to regularly teach in the house (4) - {E}{C}{HO}
25 - Supporter on the banks of the Zuari is the first to leave for the country (6) - {BRA}{ZI}{L}
26 - A number Tom will not mention out to the young person (8) - {(-tom)NINE*}{TEEN}
27 - Very favourable kind of greeting, overheard (4) - HIGH(~hi)
28 - Bird in Florida is caught out coming injured (8) - {FLA}{MINGO(-c)*}
DOWN
1 - Fasten the hook (6) - BUCKLE [CD]
2 - Language spoken by that odd mother-in-law (5) - {T}{A}{MIL}
3 - Proper note for Albert (4) - {RE}{AL}
4 - Grab over to remove the rare reed of an instrument (7) - {BAG(-r)*}{PIPE}
6 - Letter in-flight (10) - AEROGRAMME [E]
7 - Fast and without warning road accident (3,3,3) - HIT AND RUN [E]
8 - Guard the wall (5) - FENCE [DD]
11 - Transfer initially some equities not delivered (4) - {S}{E}{N}{D}
14 - Grim man set to treat the speech disorder (10) - STAMMERING*
16 - It may be the main reason to undertake pest control treatment! (9) - COCKROACH [CD]
18 - Striding gait in antelopes (4) - LOPE [T]
19 - Timepiece is again out of the laundries in a mess (7) - SUNDIAL(-re)*
7 - Fast and without warning road accident (3,3,3) - HIT AND RUN [E]
8 - Guard the wall (5) - FENCE [DD]
11 - Transfer initially some equities not delivered (4) - {S}{E}{N}{D}
14 - Grim man set to treat the speech disorder (10) - STAMMERING*
16 - It may be the main reason to undertake pest control treatment! (9) - COCKROACH [CD]
18 - Striding gait in antelopes (4) - LOPE [T]
19 - Timepiece is again out of the laundries in a mess (7) - SUNDIAL(-re)*
20 - Island tunnel around the new circuit (6) - BOR{N}E{O}
21 - Firm supporter of the snake (5) - {CO}{BRA}
21 - Firm supporter of the snake (5) - {CO}{BRA}
23 - Class in East Africa is initially not dirty (5) - {CL}{EA}{N}
24 - Regularly see farms in a line (4) - {S}{E}{A}{M}
Smooth sailing today for no clues are ambiguous. That's quite an 'accomplishment'
ReplyDeleteGood morning friends
ReplyDeleteJust repeating what I commented a few days ago: 'Give the DEVI her due'. Some good clues and a few nice anagrams: 13A, 15A, 28A, 14D, 16D, 19D etc.
However,
9A - Can 'work' mean 'campaign'?
22A - 'Echo' and 'reminder'?
18A - a bland clue
21D and 25A - 'Supporter', which seems to be this setter's pet clue, appears twice here, that too at the same crossing. Inspired by 'buy-one-get-one-free' offer?
Richard
I think this setter has to let go of his/ her obsession with "initially" and "regularly." Too many of 'em this week already.
ReplyDeleteIs 10A really a proper clue? Protons are charged all right, but can "proton" really define "charge?"
And I'm not sure if 23D is a fair one... or is it? The word to be defined is "not dirty" and the same "not" figures in "initially not" as an indicator.
Dan
ReplyDeleteTo respond to your query on 23d.
I agree with you.
Class in East Africa is initially not dirty (5)
"not" is doing double duty there.
Not quite elegant. Unsatisfactory, in fact. Maybe against accepted conventions as well.
Good morning friends, yes today it was little better. Dan : You can add "supporter" too, she used it twice today.
ReplyDeleteInitially and Regularly are the trademarks of NJ's CW's I don't think she will ever let go of them.
ReplyDelete23D if you go as per the indicators in the clue becomes {CL}{EA}{I}
ReplyDeleteIt would have been so easy to clue it as "Class in East Africa is initially new and spotless"
ReplyDeletefinally, did well with an NJ crossword missing only 'proton'. Because of going on a wrong track as Dan has pointed out..
ReplyDelete10A: Protons are charged all right, but can "proton" really define "charge?"
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this. Another similar error is more common - ION defined as 'charge'. It isn't frowned upon so much, maybe since solvers have got used to it.
22A: 'Echo' and 'reminder'?
A good definition. "Flared pants are an echo of the 60s style."
23A: Class in East Africa is initially not dirty (5)
Tried to parse it differently, but it didn't lead anywhere. Class = CLAN, and so on.
Colonel, "regularly" is indicator of what ?
ReplyDeleteAll the comments are valid, but relative pinpricks to the solving person in comparison to the stakes that are usually driven through the solver's soul. Today, we can say poor clue, identify what's wrong with the clue, solve it and move on, rather than stare dumbfounded at the link between clue and solution..
ReplyDelete@Krishnan,
ReplyDeleteRegularly in NJ's CW's indicates picking of alternate letters as in 24D
Thanks Colonel.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLooks like I got immune to all the above fallacies.
ReplyDeletethe most understandable clues of this series from NJ today .managed to solve completely and wondered whether it was really from NJ.
ReplyDeleteMy confidence level has been restored today . Reg 13 A , I can understand diver and the answer being divergence for conflict. Is information referred to as GEN . And what is CE ?
ReplyDeleteTks
@veer, cake with nuts on?
ReplyDeleteanno for pro in proton?
ReplyDelete@Usha -
ReplyDeleteCE is "this" in French..
I am not sure about "Gen".. help! somebody :)
@VCK -
The "for" in the clue is "pro".. as in "Pros and Cons"
thanks sagar.
ReplyDelete@dan, i have seen one or two clues in the past where charge has been used as a definition for proton, cation......
@Sagar - Gen is an informal term for information
ReplyDeleteMissed out on PROTON and FENCE. otherwise not Bad
ReplyDeleteWell, I have reservations about some clues.
ReplyDeleteTake
Sailor turns to brother to alter the garment (8)
'Sailor turns' is BA
'to' may be taken as connector
'brother' is BRO
'to alter' gives ROB
'the' is THE
The solution is BABROTHE
Looked at differently the reading can give
BA BRO and an anagram of THE (take your pick)
Could someone say how the solution BATHROBE is attained.
@chaturvasi, you are right; but i dont think you can be too fastidious with NJ.
ReplyDeleteOne has to be fastidious with any setter.
ReplyDeleteThe crossword is in the public domain and is subject to scrutiny and comment.
had a look at NIE crossword after a long gap. nice and succinct clues. but the problem is too much repetition from the past. thats where i think hindu scores over NIE.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the setter of the UK-syndicated crossword in NIE tends to repeat his clues from time to time.
ReplyDeleteAnd they may also appear in the 15x15 crossword in the Guardian or the Daily Telegraph.
His clues are known to be clear and concise.
He has a partiality for cryptic definitions and double definitions.
15a - is there anything like 'magistrate card'?; even if it is only for purpose of anagram, shouldn't it be a genuine word or phrase?
ReplyDelete@vck: Cake with nuts on top (6) {MAD}{CAP}
ReplyDeleteSimple word with a really nice word play for the clue, I thought. Thanks for following up. Also, figured it was appropriate to yesterday's discussion on grammar and rules because of the use of the word "on" to indicate that MAD is on top of CAP (acceptable because it is a down clue as specified).
15a - is there anything like 'magistrate card'?; even if it is only for purpose of anagram, shouldn't it be a genuine word or phrase?
ReplyDeleteA valid point!
You're absolutely right in saying that the anagram fodder should be a realsitic phrase.
You see these anagram generators have no brains. You put a string of letters in the software and ask it to anagram and it will throw up endless possiblities, among them
...
card magistrate
'''
magistrate card
...
It doesn't bother whether this is a real phrase or not.
@vck: The syndicated puzzles are repeats but if you are looking for a challenge you should check out the Hindustan Times epaper - they have the Times crossword syndicated there - a repeat it is, but unlikely that you may remember even if you had solved the puzzle.
ReplyDelete@veer, thanks; real nice one!
ReplyDelete@veer, will have a look. thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have started a forum for solving HT/TT crossword.
ReplyDeleteHere:
http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?rl=cpl&cmm=99084770
Today four of us completed the puz in quite reasonable time.
following up on ajay's comments yesterday, i think the only way to justify or sympathise with NJ's quality or lack of it, is to realise that she has to manufacture clues day in and day out which obviously is a big ask unless she has a huge 'clue bank'. as ajay had put it - quality, quantity trade off.
ReplyDeleteveer
ReplyDeletevck was not talking of wholesale repetition of old puzzles in their entirety.
The ET is guilty of that and my email to the editor has elicited no reply (not that I expected one).
I think vck was talking of repetition of clues verbatim in the same setter's work, the puz itself being a new one with fresh grid-fills.
@CVasi Sir: Completely agree with you on BATHROBE. There is nothing in the clue to indicate that BRO* has to be placed inside THE - I had to wait until the crossings were filled in before filling in "Bathrobe" and putting down NJ's thoughts as the anno. and not the anno. from the clue.
ReplyDelete@veer, as chaturji had pointed out i was talking of a few clues which i have seen a million times like the LASSO one today in NIE.
ReplyDeleteThe setter's 1000th puz for The Guardian appeared the other day. He has written over two million clues. So can we say repeats are inevitable.
ReplyDelete@chaturji, thats incredible!
ReplyDeletePlease read the wikipedia entry on Roger Squires.
ReplyDelete@ chaturji, i didnt mean to doubt the veracity of your statement. it was just a statement of wondrous disbelief!
ReplyDeleteI do understand. I just wanted to bring your attention to the write-up.
ReplyDeleteI had even come to know about a very recent addition to it by a friend.
@chaturji, sure i will look up.
ReplyDelete@CVasi Sir: Given that you have set and published over 600 puzzles in your heyday, you must not be all that far behind Rufus in mileage - probably ahead at some point in the past. Maybe you could provide a sample of 2-3 puzzles that you had constructed in the past so we can try our hand at solving - maybe post in your blog / Orkut?
ReplyDeleteI can never be compared with Rufus.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can never go anywhere near his output.
He is a far more versatile, professional setter.
And I can only dream of a UK paper accepting and publishing a cryptic crossword from me.
But I can tell you that if I present a crossword to you I will be proud of that work and though you may not think highly of a clue here or a clue there, I don't think you will tear it to pieces.
As for giving you a sample of a crossword set by me, let me think how I can do it.
@CVasi Sir: Of course! I give 100% to everything I do and hence am naturally proud of even my modest accomplishments - being a published setter such as yourself is a holy grail that for me, is several bridges too far. I have utmost respect for what you have done, or for that matter even what a setter like NJ does, in spite of her faults noted ad nauseam here. Criticism of clues or output is one thing - I think I can always offer my opinion in that regard but respect for another's accomplishments is not open to opinion but only for an acknowledgement of a lifetime of effort to get there.
ReplyDeleteAnother opinion of mine:
Recently, I have been thinking of the origin of cryptic crosswords and how to this day, they are staying true to their British development. Most, if not all, abbreviations, definitions etc. are British. What prevents it from being Indian in our puzzles - like using our own NDA (National Defence Academy) in Pune as part of clues rather than going to Sandhurst and RMA? Sure, it will be harder to figure out initially but eventually we will have a cryptic vocabulary, that while being true to English Grammar and Ximenean rules for clues will also be original. We can still use accepted English dictionary references and not have to use Indian language solutions (Yojana, Insan etc. come to mind) to make a puzzle Indian.
THC composers do occasionally use Indian components such as NDA that you mention.
ReplyDeleteThere was this CHO in a Sankalak crossword. That was introduced and used many times by a then anonymous composer. We have had ASH in the past!
Admiral Katari and many subsequent compilers were very wary of Indian words in the grid but later setters opened up.
But I am of the opinion that the Indian element must not be overdone. A judicious use adds pep.
The other day a HT/TT puz had INDRA.
THC has had the same word. Here is THC clue:
If rain lashes around the top of the dome, is it due to him? (5)
And Indra in clues:
Indra forged nothing new in firedog (7)
So Indra orders a pressing tool (7)
Indra exchanges foreign currency (5)
Hi everyone, very late as usual. but come back late and only do the crossword quite late so thats how it is. Crossie was an improvement but improvement does not mean an easy crossword. It means all those eureka and atta boy moments. FAIRLY EASY but not overall great. the usual bloopers were there got bathrobe by filling in the rest. Proton evaded me so did fence in a rather strange way. But fairly easy.
ReplyDelete@vck I think that is surely the problem the copiousness if it all
Other comments for tomorrow.
good night