Friday, 5 November 2010

No 9992, Friday 05 Nov 10, Nita Jaggi

Have to go out early to take my m-i-l for a blood test so no pictures/cartoons.
ACROSS
4   - Cheer the accountant of a company put on board (8) - {AC}{CO}{LADE}
8   - Fuel runs out of steam in the flue every second (6) - {DIES}{E}{L} How did every second LE get reversed.
9   - Short formation of a word (10) - ABBREVIATE [E]
10 - Emotion described in the novel is not new (4) - LOVEn*
11 - Throw things at the gym officer (4) - {PE}{LT}
13 - Talk about the different species that is unknown to Henry (6) - {SPEECis*}{H}
15 - Withdraw the notice from the magazine without Alan (7) - {AD}{JOURNal}
17 - Sketch out half of the trailer (4) - CARToons
18 - Corner number is correct (4) - {NO}{OK}
19 - Intention to appoint the popular girl (7) - {MEAN}{IN}{G}
21 - Irksome behaviour is not right for an igloo dweller (6) - ESKIMOr*
22 - Overcome the rhythm (4) - BEAT [DD]
25 - Ask for the hunted animals on telephone (4) - PRAY (~prey)
26 - Taking heed from the gangster hovering around an empty hut in the condition of flu (10) - {TH{O}UG}{HuT}{FUL*}
27 - Smart-looking clownish character is not a heartless con (6) - OWLISHcn*
28 - Place where surfers hang out? (8) - INTERNET [CD] Put Seashore here and wasted ages
DOWN
1   - Film category not for minors (5) - ADULT [E]
2   - Fall collection? (6) - LEAVES [CD]
3   - Boy, a Balkan native is initially energetic (5) - {SLAV}{E} What's the connection between Boy & Slave, if Boy is the definition ?
4   - First ask the two bishops about the occupational therapy for Big Brother (5) - {A}{BB}{OT}
5   - Different scores of a new colour (7) - {CRESSO*}{N}
6   - Be about the region lit in darkness (9) - LOITERING* Darkness as an AInd !!
7   - Tracking down the French note in the city regularly to start off an operation (9) - {DE}{TE}{C}{T}ION Anno for ION pending (Addendum - ION comes from start off operatION - Thanks to Bhavan's clarification at the ORKUT group)
12 - Free to leave behind (5) - LOOSE ?
14 - Indian princely state (9) - RAJASTHAN [E]
15 - Set down a time for the clan to receive a note (9) - {A}{T}{TRIB{UT}E} What note is UT ?
16 - Wash off the resin anyhow (5) - RINSE*
19 - Aquatic bird in the shrubby wasteland he will first notice (7) - {MOOR}{HE}{N}
20 - Clever to notice the violent riots briefly (6) - {AD}{ROITs*}
22 - Set the bridge opponents outside the charity event (5) - BEneFIT
23 - Permit every one around primarily in the water park (5) - {ALL}{O}{W}
24 - Legendary stories my teacher had scripted initially (5) - {M}{Y}{T}{H}{S}

64 comments:

  1. HAPPY DEEPAVALI to one and all here

    Time for all puzzle crackers,
    Not to go crackers
    over salt or savoury crackers
    and burst fire crackers.

    (Interpret it whichever way you want it !- whether the ‘not’ extends to the last line or not

    Did not get 5d. Liked OWLISH(-c(-o)n)*. ESKIMO not a politically correct work, I knew it as Inuit. INTERNET was nice, but DIESEL had no reverse/anagram indicator to say that the LE from flue goes that way. AD-ROIT* was adroitly done. I felt PE-LT was good, but SLAV-E for a boy? Does this BEFIT. NO-OK to that. SPEEC(-ie)-H was OK.

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  2. A happy Deepavali to the Colonel, THC Solvers' Regiment and their families.

    May the festival of lights bring happiness and prosperity to all and may Good always prevail over Evil.

    Asatoma sadgamaya
    Tamasoma jyotirgamaya
    Mrityorma amritangamaya
    Om shantih, shantih, shantih, Om


    From untruth to Truth
    From darkness to Light
    From death to Immortality

    May peace prevail universally.

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  3. 12 - Free to leave behind (5) - LOOSE ?

    DD Free, leave behind (an article somewhere)

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  4. Kishore, I'm confused. "leave behind something" is LOSE ain't it?

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  5. 12D - LOSE as a verb is very often misspelt as LOOSE. Is the same syndrome found here? Looks like.

    LOOSE is never a verb. Its verb form is 'to LOOSEN'.

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  6. Further to my post, LOSE = leave behind
    LOOSE = free (adj), but not in the sense of gratis.

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  7. I have lost it !

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  8. Thanks Richard. I think that clarifies....

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  9. I thought NJ was improving after the last session. But she is back to her old ways today.

    Congrats to Deepak for some of the annos like BEFIT.

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  10. Bhavan has clarified at the ORKUT group that start off (-operat)ION is the origin of the ION in 7D

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  11. Suresh, my sentiments exactly. Some doubtful clues and she's insisting on using her standard roundabout techniques to indicate deletion.

    BTW, Happy Diwali everybody!

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  12. And again Bhavan's clarification on the note UT in 15D
    ut: the syllable naming the first (tonic) note of any major scale in solmization. eg : do/doh (wordweb)

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  13. Agree with Suresh about NJ's relapse. Really pathetic clueing.

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  14. 3 Boy, a Balkan native is initially energetic (5) - {SLAV}{E}

    Most dictionaries list boy as an offensive usage for a man servant. NJ couldn't find a better way to clue it ?

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  15. Happy Diwali to all of you.

    Richard @8:30, it is very nice of you to quote that Sanskrit shloka, my friend. If my memory serves me right, you had said a few days back that you were not a religious bigot. How wonderful it is to have known a magnanimous soul like you, my friend. Please accept my warm applause.

    Spiffytrix, Tony, Neyartha, CVasi sir, and any other crossword compilers, could you please give us an estimate of how long it takes to prepare a puzzle?

    I ask this because, based on google search, NJ seems to be a doctor (I could be wrong), and for her to be able to churn out 10 puzzles every month as it used to be, and 6/7 in the new cycle - wouldn't that be an excruciatingly painful task? Why would she accept a task like that? That guy Amjad Khan of the famous Gabbar Singh role, apparently developed all sorts of health problems due to one and only one thing - exhaustion! Why would NJ want to exhaust herself in a similar way?

    An old poem in Telugu says, "Ganga govu paalu garitadainanu chaalu, kadavadainanemi kharamu paalu" which means, "a ladle full of a fine cow's milk is enough; what use is a bucket full of donkey's milk?"

    On this fine Divali day, may I request Ms. Jaggi to take it easy, just contribute 3 or 4 puzzles, do a thorough job in each of them, and make this an enjoyable experience both for us and for her?

    Peace.

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  16. ...so no pictures/cartoons.

    However, the Colonel did manage to get in half a picture. Get the picture?

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  17. Happy Deepavali.

    What is planned for tomorrow as there will be no paper?

    We eagerly look forward to THC 10,000 which will come up on Nov 16.

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  18. Satya @ 9:36,

    I pity the patients who go to Dr NJ if your research is true.

    You are talking about exhaustion? No way with NJ. You should see the junk she churns out for the DNA an english newspaper of the ZEE group published from Bombay & Bangalore besides other places

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  19. For tomorrow, like last time I shall put up the TOI Cryptic from last Sunday, restricted to 2 PP. There will be no grid.

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  20. A wise-looking dullard is termed an OWL.

    By using owlish (like an owl), would one convey the meaning of 'smart looking' as suggested by NJ at 27A?

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  21. 19A Does MEAN mean APPOINT?

    9A Short formation of a word would be ABBREVIATION and not ABBREVIATE. ANOTHER NJism?

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  22. Happy Deepavali to All - I am enjoying it all the more as it is my first in India in about 20 years. Sharing it with everyone here makes it more of an occasion.

    Talking about today's puzzle, I probably filled more clues by guesswork than any major decoding of the cryptic. So, in that sense, I was quite impressed with my guesswork being validated by equally convoluted word play. Maybe, in addition to the usual CD, DD, *, T etc. we need a "G" category for guesses for this setter's puzzles. I have a hunch it will run her charades close.

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  23. Deepak (950), it's possible that she might be a good doctor i.e. if she's really one. Can't take that away from her.

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  24. Happy Diwali to all visitors of this community!

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  25. Thanks, Col.

    The alternative could be a vintage THC from Admiral's days, if someone has one (CGB, Suresh or Kishore might have) and can pass it along to you.

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  26. Suresh,

    ANOTHER NJism?

    19A Does MEAN mean APPOINT?

    It is possible that NJ might have used 'appoint' (ordain) as an AnagrInd for IN MEGAN!

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  27. Happy Deepavali to all of your and your near and dear.

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  28. Thanks, Satya 08:36

    My apologies for digressing:

    Just a few days ago, I had been asked to present a paper (in Kannada) on communal and social harmony from a Christian perspective at a seminar organized by a weekly on the occasion of its silver jubilee.

    I quoted profusedly from the Vedas, Upanishads and the Holy Qur'an to put across the point there is just one God and the entire world is a family - Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. I ended the presentation by singing Asatoma sadgamaya in full.

    A functionary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat who responded to my paper and a former BJP MLA who was the moderator both spoke highly about the way I presented my views.

    (Satya: I am happy to recall that you have picked up a little of Kannada and Tulu. It might interest you, having lived in our territory for some years, that I was born in a Konkani-speaking family, grew up among Tulu-speaking communities, studied in Kannada medium up to SSLC and later pursued English literature studies and journalism. Was the blowing of the trumpet too loud and blaring?)

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  29. Read 'profusely' in the place of 'profusedly'.

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  30. Richard, that's a great gesture. Really nice!!

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  31. Richard, that trumpet was music to my ears. In fact, the Prayer of St Francis almost says the same words, plus some more.

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
    Where there is injury, pardon.
    Where there is doubt, faith.
    Where there is despair, hope.
    Where there is darkness, light.
    Where there is sadness, joy.

    Also Genesis:1:3 - And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Fiat Lux)

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  32. Thanks to you too, Kishore.

    On the same lines is Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's 'Where the mind is without fear', besides Cardinal Newman's 'Lead kindly light'.

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  33. Here is an interesting article by the Reader's Editor Shri K Narayanan (with inputs from CV):

    http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/02/19/stories/2007021903921100.htm

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  34. Venkatesh@10:08 - Interesting thought and if that is what is in NJ's mind she must be really FOXy

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  35. Richard asked, Was the blowing of the trumpet too loud and blaring?

    No Richard. Absolutely not. I always like to hear people speak of their accomplishments. I just feel good that way.

    By the way, while at KREC, I participated in a competition called, "Kannadetharagaagi kannada maathanaaduva spardhe (Non Kannadigas' Kannada Speaking Competition)" and, ahem, clinched the top prize.

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  36. Oh, that was superb, Satya (10:35)

    Venkatesh 10:29 - Thanks for that thread. Made interesting read. Compliments to the author and CG Rishikesh.

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  37. ON FAMOUS ADMIRALS

    One family in India has produced four admirals for the fleet of the Zamorin – the 16th century Hindu ruler of the Malabar kingdom. The Ali Marakkar family.

    Pachachi Ali was the greatest of Zamorin's Admirals, famed as he was for strategic victories over the superior Portuguese navy of Vasco da Gama.

    Kunhali III built the Marakkar Kotta at Kottakkal (Pudupattanam). This was further strengthened by his successor, Kunhali IV, who took over in 1595.

    All four of them were given an honorary title, Kunjali (or Kunhali. [This name has been adopted, by the Indian Navy, for its helicopter station in Mumbai.]

    It is very unfortunate that Zamorin joined forces with the enemy - the Portugese - to defeat Kunhali. In 1600, he surrounded the fortress with his army and with the support of the Portugese fleet commanded by Andre Furtado. Despite surrendering on the promise of pardon, Kunhali IV and his men were taken to Goa and executed.

    The stragies perfected by these generals were used in World War II and also by India in the 1971 war with Pakistan.

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  38. Richard asked, Was the blowing of the trumpet too loud and blaring?
    I always believed that you have to blow your own trumpet,since nobody else will blow it for you.

    Whether it is musical of cacophonous depends on the skill of the one blowing it.

    Your last sentence reproduced above spoilt the melody.

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  39. Thanks, Venkatesh, for the article. It echoes (though it is earlier in time) most of the grievances recorded in this forum in the recent past.

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  40. That makes me coin 'precho', an echo which precedes the subsequent sound ! I know I am not only stretching language but also some fundamental laws of physics. Or am I ?

    Suppose a sound is made and it is recorded by a microphone, converted to electicity/light, transmitted across space at a supersonic speed (electrical/electro-magnetic/light speed being more than speed of sound), reconverted back to sound at a remote place, before the original sound reaches there. Well, is that a precho?

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  41. Two fallacies in above, one that can be beaten and one that cannot.

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  42. Venkatesh 10:59

    That is interesting. I did not know that Kunhali was a title which was given to the admirals from the Ali Marakkar family.

    Some years ago, I did a bit of research into the history of my city, Mangalore, and about the rule of Abbakka, queen of a kingdom called Ullal, a southern suburb of Mangalore across the Netravati river.

    Her original name is said to have been Abhaya Devi, but in common parlance called Abbakka. When her little kingdom was besieged by the Portuguese, she sought the help of the Zamorin kings of Malabar. (I guess they are referred to as Samudri kings in Malayalam.)

    We find the names of Kunhali and Kutty Pokare, under instructions from the Zaamorin, as having come to the aid of Abbakka, who incidentally hailed from a Jain dynasty called the Chowta.

    Sometime in 1618, in coordination with the Moplah and Mogaveera (traditional fishermen) warriors of Mangalore, Kunhali and Kutty Pokare are believed to have inflicted a spectacular defeat on the Portuguese forces, who had to beat a retreat to Goa.

    Later on, they marshalled more forces from there and eventually vanquished her. Her defeat is partly atributed to an act of treachery on the part of her own family members.

    The act of joint operation by Muslims (Moplahs), Hindus (Mogaveeras) and Jains (the queen's supporters) fighting alongside against the foreign invaders is even now quoted to underline how unitedly and harmoniously different communities of this area lived for centuries.

    If you can throw some light on this part of history, I will be grateful to you. Instead of cluttering this forum, you can email me at RLASRADO@GMAIL.COM (all in lower case).

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  43. I am sorry I can't give an old crossword from Admiral Katari times.
    There was a time when I used to solve The Hindu Crossword on paper every day and complete it (I don't rememeber any day when I did not finish it; that was when the Admiral was composing it and composing it anonymously.)
    I had a massive collection of paper clippings but at some stage when they had curled up and yellowed, I threw the pile away.
    My habit of collecting waned at the time when a second composer joined the Admiral and whose work left something to be desired.
    I have seen CGB collect paper clippings, I shall ask him if he still has them. I met him earlier on this Deepavali Day but he is away from computer.

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  44. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  45. This crossword used to appear in double column. To begin with it had the caption The Hindu Crossword Puzzle No. xxxx.
    Solvers are waiting for the impending landmark when this feature enters five digits.
    I distinctly remember it entering four digits when the double column width could not accommodate all the required characters. At that stage the word 'No.' was dropped. I don't remember when the word "puzzle" was dropped - whether at the same time or some other time.
    I was an outsider, working with Indian Express. But I was a very keen follower of THC, often writing to the paper's editor when rare mistakes happened (not the sort that we notice nowadays). I have also written when I was very happy, suggesting that the particular crossword could be included in The Best 100 Hindu Crosswords (if ever such a collection was published!). Once or twice I met senior editors at their desk (including Mr K Narayanan) who received me graciously though they knew where I was working.

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  46. Let's look at the bright side.
    Which do you think is the best clue in today's crossword?
    Name one and give reason.

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  47. I was surprised to find myself finishing this grid fairly quickly (by my standards!), but not without the many moments of head-scratching about the clue structures.

    Missed out on SLAVE and CRESSON (my dictionary listed it as a colourless to yellow chemical substance).

    LEAVES was cute. Did not like ABBREVIATE (should have ended with -ION instead of an E)

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  48. Did not like ABBREVIATE (should have ended with -ION instead of an E)

    Navneeth
    You're absolutely right!
    It is then the compiler's solution, not solver's.
    The clue, "Short formation of a word (10)" can lead only to a verb and not a noun.
    Should one be an expert in grammar to see this?
    If a compiler lets this pass his/her hands thus, it's nothing but carelessness and a contempt for his/her solvers.

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  49. CV@16:49 Surely you meant "short formation of a word(10)can lead only to a noun and not a verb"

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  50. Thank you, Suresh.
    The noise from a 10,000-wallah must have distracted me.

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  51. Hi all,
    Like I mentioned at 9:52, tomorrow being a holiday for the HINDU, I will be putting up the clues of last Sunday's TOI Cryptic, I shall be providing the grid this time around.
    Each commenter is permitted 2 answers, annotations should also be compulsorily indicated in the solution.
    The main post I shall continouosly update with the solutions as and when they are posted.
    The restriction of 2 PP will be reviewed at 10 AM in case some remain unsolved

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  52. Hi all,
    Slight change in programme.
    One of my regular visitors here has sent a special Diwali CW for publication on my blog.
    I will be publishing it at 8:30 AM tomorrow instead of the TOI cryptic.
    This CW will have the restriction of 2 PP till 10AM after which I shall review.
    Name of the setter is being witheld as requested. Please give your honest comments about the CW as well

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  53. The TOI Cryptic will be published at 4 PM

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  54. Double delight on the weekend?

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  55. 24 - Legendary stories my teacher had scripted initially (5) - {M}{Y}{T}{H}{S}

    Why "My" completely and just the initial letters from other words?

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  56. Ajeesh, maybe if the clue was set as Legendary stories my Yankee teacher had scripted initially (5) it would have been OK.

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  57. Maybe, NJ intended it as a charade + acrostic clue type in which case MY + THS would make sense, if a tad unfair / unXimenean.

    Btw, is S&B II still on for the 28th?

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  58. Interesting!! Looks like I might have to miss out on both the puzzles 'cause I'm off this weekend. Have fun, everybody.

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  59. 25 minutes to go ...waiting for the Diwali CW

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