8 - Also write court details for an artist (14) - WATERCOLOURIST*
9 - Old boy follows the Kipling novel with hands-on-hips (6) - {A}{KIM}{BO<-} No reversal indicator
10 - Ocean coloured tip of the fish (8) - {BLUE}{HEAD}
13 - Big prize money (6) - BUMPER [CD]
14 - Losing heart Roy follows the short nightmare in an uninteresting manner (6) - {DREA
16 - A dejected Henry is a bit alone in this Hindu month (6) - {A}{SAD}{H}{A}
19 - Undaunted heartless pet (6) - DAR
21 - Elder one gets caught at the store in disguise (8) - {AN}{C}{ESTOR*}
23 - Roman hero takes her clues seriously (8) - HERCULES*
24 - Correct to ignore the present day (6) - UP
26 - Kind of film you are to somehow evaluate out for an adult around an old city for one interested in the arts (7,7) - {CULT}{U}{R}{E VULT{UR}E
DOWN
1 - Stimulated weak dean is trembling (8) - AWAKENED*
2 - Little bit of a male cat (4) - {A}{TOM}
3 - Extension for your and my British mail (6) - {ARM}{OUR}
4 - Prohibited for misbehaving in England (7) - {FOR}{BAD}{E}
5 - Navigator is in the city (8) - COLUMBUS [DD]
6 - Mathematician displays the merchandise outside the Norwegian capital (10) - ARCHIMEDES
7 - What you will do of property left behind (6) - ESTATE [DD]
12 - Ballot question (10) - PLEBISCITE [CD]
15 - Uniforms for the officials (8) - REGULARS [DD]
17 - Accepted the packets for the French teachers (8) - {A}{POST}{LES} A for accepted?
18 - Be patient to adopt four in the last orphanage (7) - {PASS}{IV}{E}
20 - Almost confirm one uprising in the eastern thoroughfare (6) - {AVE
22 - Stunning success of the French dance team (6) - {COUP}{LE}
25 - Medicine the doctor will first use on the girl (4) - {DR}{U}{G}
Hi,
ReplyDeleteFirst memories of the Zamzama in Lahore !
He sat in defiance of municipal orders, astride the gun Zam-Zammeh, on her old platform, opposite the old Ajaibgher, the Wonder House, as the natives called the Lahore Museum. Who hold Zam-Zammah, that 'fire-breathing dragon', hold the Punjab, for the great green-bronze piece is always first of the conqueror's loot.
—Kim
Second a question for CV:
26a Kind of film you are to somehow evaluate out for an adult around an old city for one interested in the arts (7,7)
At 22 words for 2, 86 characters for 14 (without space), and 107 for 15 (including space), has our setter set a new record, either in absolute numbers or ratio of clue:answer ?
A couple of goofs here and there, but the puzzle was OK IMO.
ReplyDeleteReading 26A made me LOL. I don't know what to think of it.
Got stuck with a few today and got impatient and entered the blog
ReplyDelete17 - Accepted the packets for the French teachers (8) - {A}{POST}{LES} A for accepted?
ReplyDeleteI took it as A-POST(LE)S, since packets was plural. However, agree that Post can be collective word for packets, and les for the French too.
18 - Be patient to adopt four in the last orphanage (7) - {PASS}{IV}{E} Adopt and PASS?
To adopt a resolution is to pass it.
Pass : To approve; adopt: The legislature passed the bill.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/Pass
Spelling as Ashada lost me time...
ReplyDeleteGood morning
ReplyDeleteNot a good one (for me) today. Stuck with lots of clues for want of annos. Plebiscite is a new word for me.
Totally unpredictable and complex way of setting typically NJ.
Mathu.
During Margazhi, as on some other occasions, I, as a committee member of a temple in Gopalapuram, am away doing voluntary work.
ReplyDeleteKishore has addressed a query to me and my answer is:
I can say which clue of Gridman has the most/least number of words/characters.
I do not have a dB of the present setter's clues nor a facility to query it so I am afraid I can't answer the question.
Perhaps Limca book of records will have some entry in a future edition.
If it has any entry for the most number of crosswords set by a person, I would like to know
whether all the crosswords are of the same dimension
whether even a 3x3 crossword set by a setter will be taken into account
whether cryptic/quick or whatever will be taken into account
whether what is published in a house magazine or regional/local newspaper or a house magazine or a freely distributed pamphlet will be taken into account with what is published in a national newspaper
Does the record book give any criteria?
Curious.
Talking of Kim, of course, cant be far behind. It is still being played, tho' the players have changed and it is now called 'The New Great Game'.
ReplyDeleteCV, thanks, my curiosity was awakened by the brief novelette penned by our setter, probably just nudging past the short story mark :-)
ReplyDeleteSolvers have become resigned to Njisms. the number of comments on the quirks have come down a lot
ReplyDeleteA quote from the Great Game : One survivor saying "I am the army ". Full info at:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_Elphinstone%27s_army
@Vasi sir, This extract from a Mumbai Mirror article should prevent your cat from dying -
ReplyDeleteShe has been featured in Limca Book of Records (2008 and 2009) for creating largest number of thematic crosswords
1) How do we get A in Akimbo?
ReplyDelete2) For 26A, what indicates that A needs to be cut from evaluate? Actually 2 'a's are gone because we have 2 'a's in evaluate and one a coming from adult.
3) I think UN in 26D comes from the slang usage of one, like '"wrong 'un" in cricket.
maddy
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response.
By 'thematic crosswords' I should think finance/business/commerce/industry/other related words. Good.
However, I think most of my questions remain to be answered.
Question on usage
ReplyDeleteCan I say "book etc."
That is, can 'etc' be preceded by just one item?
Should there be a comma after 'book'?
My understanding is that when it's a single item no comma is needed but when there are more than one item, there is a comma after the last item and before 'etc'
Could someone clarify?
I admire Kishore's patience in counting the letters/words/spaces! I left it as a paragraph to be read later and deciphered (or decoded?)Luckily able to fill in thanks to crossings.Offhand,without the help of any database,looks to be the longest ever-as far back as my memory goes.
ReplyDeleteEither we or NJ has to accept change.The former seems to be happening-as Suresh said,by seeing less no.of adverse comments.
ReplyDeleteBenkiman,
ReplyDelete1) How do we get A in Akimbo?
Only NJ can answer that.
2) For 26A, what indicates that A needs to be cut from evaluate? Actually 2 'a's are gone because we have 2 'a's in evaluate and one a coming from adult.
Kind of film = CULT
you = U
are = R
to somehow = AInd
evaluate = Anagram fodder
out = Deletion indicator
for an = A
adult = A
around = Indicator for encircling
an old city = UR
for one interested in the arts = Defintion = {CULT}{U}{R}{E VULT{UR}E(-aa)*}
Deepak (1145), awesome!! You've unraveled the clue like it's your own. Even the original setter could have done it no better.
ReplyDeleteVJ,
ReplyDeleteI really wonder if that is what NJ intended.
Ref Kishore's opener lets see if anyone can write the longest/shortest clue for 26A
Following the very interesting reports in NIE and ToI about the Swiss bank UBS's dress code for its employees, both men and women, I tracked down the entire 43-page brochure.
ReplyDeleteHere it is:
http://www.letemps.ch/rw/Le_Temps/Quotidien/2010/12/09/Culture%20&%20Societe/ImagesWeb/Dresscode_F.pdf
Deepak, I think it's perfect (considering this particular setter's style)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the clue the first time I was wondering if it was even supposed to have an anno. So confused I was.
CULTURE VULTURE
ReplyDeleteConnoisseur in the aviary? (7,7)
CULTURE VULTURE
ReplyDeleteConnoisseur goes with picture (7,7)
Civilize bird specialist (7,7)
ReplyDeleteMaster Polish aggressor (7,7)
ReplyDeleteAn Extended play for a cognoscente (7,7) (DD)
ReplyDeletecognoscente- homophone of my company :)
Despite all my efforts I could not make a clue longer than NJ's !!
ReplyDeleteA follower of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices from an old city in the sun up direction is against university student to cross the river and meet a person with expert knowledge in fine arts (7,7)
ReplyDeleteGreat Ajeesh.
ReplyDeleteExcept that it should be 'The followers' and not 'A follower' Or are you trying an NJism
ReplyDeleteRomans reduce 95 from the first letter of first word and hence get the second rhyming word to get an idiom signifying a person who others feel is excessively interested and has expertise in fine arts, maybe meaning cultivate a carrion eating bird with a name starting with the international phonetic alphabet for victory (7,7)
ReplyDelete54 words, 267 characters (without spaces), 320 (including spaces): Paddy : I just used MS Word’s word count feature.
I had better copyright it before it gets published as a full blown novel. ;-)
I aint competing for the shortest as the place seems to be already taken !
Wow
ReplyDeleteAjeesh, your ref to your Company reminds me of a series of 5 or 6 decryptions I carried out for a friend of mine working with the same company which all sounded like slogans which may have been around on the walls of the office.
ReplyDeleteLiked all the three word clues for CV, including from CV himself ! Now is the CV a CV is left to your imagination :-)
Deepak, could not avoid the math play once I realised C at the beginning of Culture becomes V in vulture. One always seems to regress back to pehla nashaa.
ReplyDeleteThanks Suresh..
ReplyDeleteKishore :) :)
ReplyDeleteWe will have to wait and watch when CV publishes his CV...
ReplyDeleteJe ne parlez pas Francais. Et toi aussi ?
ReplyDeleteKishore @ 14:24,
ReplyDeleteYou can come home and take the cake :-)
Leaders of Chile, Uruguay, Luxemborg, Tazania and Uganda, in the capital of Russia, finally commemorate the victory of the union. The League's head is thrilled at first, but, in the middle, starts to rant endlessly. He happens to be a person with excessive interest in arts (7,7)
ReplyDeleteKishore
ReplyDeleteI know very little French.
Here's the dress code, the whole document kindly translated in English by someone:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/45301801/Translated-Version-of-UBS-Dress-Code-Document
The translation might have been done using a software without any human embellishment. Not too sure.
ReplyDeleteKishore
ReplyDeleteShall we prepare a dress code for
(a)women wearing sari/blouse
or
(b)men wearing dhoti/bush shirt
in a school in India.
Trust we will have the Col's permission.
If he has any objection, we can post elsewhere the code that we attempt.
Oh, CV, my knowledge of French is quite limited. My Br had it in school and I just learnt the written,not pronounced, form of it. With Barla Cruni coming, I thought I would flaunt it !
ReplyDeleteBut what you have sent is priceless: An excerpt:
Skirts and pants are (both in position Assisi standing) to provide sufficient amplitude and be able to replace themselves. The skirt should not go back when you walk.
...
Tips and Advice
• The blouse is worn on the trousers or the skirt and scallop must be adapted to the rest of Dress-code (a few inches below the collarbone).
• The shirt must not tighten the chest, or even yawn because This helps to give a neglected appearance.
• The neck of the shirt must be worn, preferably on the reverse.Placed over the back, it nevertheless features soften.
• Wear underwear flesh-colored belowwhite blouses. In addition, we recommend thepossible, not to conceal the neck. Tracesmake-up on collars are bad effect.
• In general, a blouse is worn with a jacket. When it very hot, and after confirmation of your supervisor,you can not wear that shirt with the pants or skirt.
I was roaring with laughter and ended up making some bloopers when reading: For inst, I thought the blouses were flattening instead of flattering. :-)
CV: 1651: I am game and await Deepak's nod. I assure you I will write it in the same blithe language used by the English translation of the UBS code. BTW, I am sure it must be a machine translation, no self respecting human would have made an ass of himself/herself, as I propose to make of myself in the Indian school dress code. :-)
ReplyDeleteI am about to write the dress code for suggestion (a).
ReplyDeleteThis I will post in my own blog and give the URL here.
Then I bags (b)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCV @ 16:39
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome to post the dress code here. The translation provided is really hilarious
Dress code for female teachers
ReplyDeleteThe sari worn by female teachers must be not less or not more than 5.5 metres in length.
It must be of light colour so that it is in contrast to the blackboard on the wall behind the teacher.
The material must be neither as thin as 'vengaya sarugu' (onion skin) nor as thick as a Bhavani jamakkalam.
The sari must not have any geometric pattern nor should it contain any algebraic signs as that might put off the schoolchildren who already have enough 'gabra' of the subject.
The sari must be hitched up at least two inches above the navel.
It must not in any case be worn in the South Indian 'madisar' style.
It must have not less than ten folds at chest level. The pleats under the waist in front must be not less or not more than five. These pleats must be neither too short nor too wide.
The hem of the sari and the pallu must be long enough so that as the teacher walks it also sweeps the floor.
The colour of the blouse must match the sari. The sleeves (which are a 'must') must be long enough but must not cover the elbow so ease of movement is allowed for the teacher to write on the blackboard.
The neckline at the back must be one inch below the neck.
The buttons of the blouse must on no account be at the back. In no case should a zip be used.
Dhoti/Bush shirt code for male teachers
ReplyDeleteDhoti should be white in colur and should be affixed firmly around the waist. There should be at least 50 percent overlap to prevent accidental exposure in strong winds. The dhoti should be secured with a belt to prevent accidental release from the waist or release in case of snagging with the chair or table. Underwear also should be white in colour and not a contrast which will reveal its shape.
The bush shirt should also be a matching colour like the dhoti. Proper vests of the same colour as the shirt (not sandow type) should be worn underneath the shirt so that ugly hairs are not exposed. If wearing a half sleeve bushshirt the sleeves of the vest should not be longer than the shirt sleeves. The shirt should not be so tight that the buttons pop off in case of a sudden twisting of the torso to see which student threw the chalk from behind.
The UBS dress code is nothing new!
ReplyDeleteWhat was it in 1994?
See
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1994-02-07/
Terrible day at solving the crossword today, but I must say that I actually liked reading the clues (set by NJ), most of them anyway, which doesn't usually happen. I mean, what I usually do is read her clue, curse under my breath for making a hodge-podge of sentence, and then read it again to figure out the round-about algorithm that pops out the answer. Although I fared much better earlier in the week, getting almost every word correctly, the clues then were all meh.
ReplyDeleteDress Code for men wearing dhoti/bush shirt in a school in India:
ReplyDeleteA. Dhoti:
(i) Colour:
• Can be of any colour as long as it is white when purchased.
• We know there is water shortage, but please take care to wash at least once a year. Men wearing black/near black dhotis will not be let in wearing the same. They may leave the same in the cloak room as long as they are wearing large striped shorts underneath. Starch is optional, but remember the days you used to get nappy rash.
• Avoid using too much Robin Blue, however blue you feel.
(ii) Hoisting & Maintenance:
• Tie firmly with sufficient overlap. We do not want students/teachers/Head Mistress whistling at exposed thighs etc. If you sincerely believe what you have learnt in Physics about gravity, anchor with a belt, if you feel you cannot keep it up.
• Flying at half mast is prohibited. This also means no fighting allowed as hitching is essentially for fighting. Special exemption when playing Kabaddi and Football will be considered if the Head Mistress thinks fit. Extra care to be taken in windy months.
• Standing in front of or above air vents is strictly prohibited. You are not Marilyn Monroe or Stan Laurel to get peoples’ eyes popping or a photo in the school or town magazine.
B. Shirt:
(i) Colour:
• Same as that of dhoti. Ensure that both garments look identically coloured. We know there are several shades of white. Please try to keep your teeth of the same white colour. Only half sleeves shirt permitted.
• Other instructions pertaining to colour, starch and blue apply (except striped shorts need not be worn under the shirt)
(ii) Wear & Tear:
• The shirt is already half sleeved. Do not fold it further up. Exposure of biceps allowed only in the gymnasium.
• You may not tuck in the shirt into the dhoti except when the shirt is torn or dirty and needs to be hidden.
• You should not tuck the shirt in when the upper half of the dhoti is torn or soiled.
• Ensure the ‘rowdy’ type of banians are not used (netted, sleeveless, gaudily coloured).
• Monday should always be longer than Sunday.
Sorry, Deepak, I went ahead and composed and posted it only to see your draw was faster...
ReplyDeleteJust hilarious!!! NJ is going to claim that she has brought out the best from all of you,more particularly Kishore and incidentally claim the cake also from Col.
ReplyDeleteI only have one doubt-now what happens when the saree clad female (of course strictly as per the code) tries to enter U.S.A.? Should we give the U.S.customs a copy of the code as well?
Bhavani jamakkalam.. What s the specialty? Google leads me to Erode district wiki page :).. Also belt is a disturbance for Dhoti IMO :)
ReplyDeleteWith a ref to the cake and the US customs:
ReplyDeletePat a cake, pat a cake, Mr Pat down man,
Petticoat, petticoat, is the limit man.
Dont dare to pat it and prick it and mark it with B,
Or I will file a citizenship suit for my baby's paternity.