ACROSS
1 - This roving busybody may be Dag (8) - {GAD<-}{ABOUT}
5 - A vegetable that is tempting? (6) - CARROT [CD]
9 - Group in class for keeping a tape in, perhaps (8) - {CAS{SET}TE} My COD
10 - Gnaw, as books fall in the river (6) - {NI{BB}LE}
12 - Opening set back in quarter of an acre (4) - ROOD <-
13 - Surrender having catapult that is in repair (10) - CAP(I)TULAT(E)*
15 - Detested overdraft and debt notices (6) - {OD}{IOUS}
17 - No cheat in real city of old (5) - CRETE ? Crete is an Island? Anno pending
20 - In Indian vehicle not a single lifting instrument (5) - {TONGa}{S}
21 - Western persona about cry of pain let out by retreating loafer (6) - {C}{OW}{BOY<-}
24 - Gamble all — somehow forge book having record of Rupees (2,3,5) - {GO FOR B{R}OKE*}
27 - Left winger's brisk pace (4) - TROT [DD]
29 - Vestment I own at last — nothing abnormally white (6) - {ALB}{I}{N}{O}
30 - Deliriously loves touring NYC in a state of being able to pay all debts (8) - {SOLVE*}{NCY*}
31 - Onerous time at a place where pedestrians may be walking (6) - TAXINGAnno pending (Addendum - {T}{A}{X'ING} - See comments)
32 - I'd shaken off the close-cropped youth (8) - SKINHEAD*
DOWN
1 - Obtained transport in little racer (2-4) - {GO-{CAR}T}
2 - Strongman with son in store (6) - {DE{S}POT}
3 - Blasted! Sad to hear (4) - BLEW(~blue)
4 - Beyond top army officer and artist (5) - {U}{LT}{RA}
6 - Farewell notice that is universal (5) - {AD}{IE}{U}
7 - They protect the breathers (3,5) - RIB CAGES [CD] This is why I hate CD's, I had GAS MASKS here initially and got stuck for ages.
8 - Moved unsteadily — almost crackers with Oriental Communist (8) - {TEETh}{E}{RED}
11 - Fitting task for a puzzler (6) - JIGSAW &lit
14 - They could be even scraps (4) - ODDS [CD]
16 - Company going back to dogs comes to mind (6) - {OC<-}{CURS}
17 - Cobbler's original record in sandal (4) - {C}{LOG}
18 - At party, Indian bread and piece of tikka is stale (8) - {STAG}{NAN}{T}
19 - Container resorted to at a pinch before a blast perhaps (8) - SNUFFBOX [CD] All the doctors here must be having a different picture for Snuffbox.
22 - Bordering on the group of extremists? (6) - FRINGE [DD]
23 - Remained, having been propped up (6) - STAYED [DD]
25 - Take to the jail: nationalist in wrecked condition (3,2) - {RU{N} IN}
26 - Criticism of an innings? (5) - KNOCK [DD]
28 - Kiln is justified without publicity (4) -prOVEN
1 - This roving busybody may be Dag (8) - {GAD<-}{ABOUT}
5 - A vegetable that is tempting? (6) - CARROT [CD]
10 - Gnaw, as books fall in the river (6) - {NI{BB}LE}
12 - Opening set back in quarter of an acre (4) - ROOD <-
13 - Surrender having catapult that is in repair (10) - CAP(I)TULAT(E)*
15 - Detested overdraft and debt notices (6) - {OD}{IOUS}
17 - No cheat in real city of old (5) - CRETE ? Crete is an Island? Anno pending
20 - In Indian vehicle not a single lifting instrument (5) - {TONG
24 - Gamble all — somehow forge book having record of Rupees (2,3,5) - {GO FOR B{R}OKE*}
29 - Vestment I own at last — nothing abnormally white (6) - {ALB}{I}{N}{O}
30 - Deliriously loves touring NYC in a state of being able to pay all debts (8) - {SOLVE*}{NCY*}
31 - Onerous time at a place where pedestrians may be walking (6) - TAXING
32 - I'd shaken off the close-cropped youth (8) - SKINHEAD*
DOWN
1 - Obtained transport in little racer (2-4) - {GO-{CAR}T}
3 - Blasted! Sad to hear (4) - BLEW(~blue)
4 - Beyond top army officer and artist (5) - {U}{LT}{RA}
6 - Farewell notice that is universal (5) - {AD}{IE}{U}
7 - They protect the breathers (3,5) - RIB CAGES [CD] This is why I hate CD's, I had GAS MASKS here initially and got stuck for ages.
8 - Moved unsteadily — almost crackers with Oriental Communist (8) - {TEET
11 - Fitting task for a puzzler (6) - JIGSAW &lit
16 - Company going back to dogs comes to mind (6) - {OC<-}{CURS}
17 - Cobbler's original record in sandal (4) - {C}{LOG}
19 - Container resorted to at a pinch before a blast perhaps (8) - SNUFFBOX [CD] All the doctors here must be having a different picture for Snuffbox.
23 - Remained, having been propped up (6) - STAYED [DD]
25 - Take to the jail: nationalist in wrecked condition (3,2) - {RU{N} IN}
26 - Criticism of an innings? (5) - KNOCK [DD]
28 - Kiln is justified without publicity (4) -
Hi,
ReplyDelete19a reminded me of the potent stuff (snuff ;-) which used go by the nickname of ‘gun powder’. I have seen quite a few old-timers bond over it with a great deal of camaraderie. One of the most common and non ornamental snuff boxes was a metal cylinder about 1.5 cm in dia and about 4cm tall which grandpas used to spin in front of kids to amuse them.
BLEW (~blue) was the last to fall.
17a remained.
Back to watch the RED BARON on Star movies.
31 - Onerous time at a place where pedestrians may be walking (6) - TAXING Anno pending
ReplyDeleteAT* Xing (crossing, a place where pedestrians may be)was how I took it, with walking as AnInd.
I too put in GAS MASKS and gagged for some time.
Kishor,
ReplyDeleteNow that you gave me a hint it is {T}{A}{X'ING}
31 - Onerous time at a place where pedestrians may be walking (6) - TAXING Anno pending
ReplyDeletetime - T
a - A
place where pedestrians may be walking - XING
(Crossing)
Defn: onerous - (T)(A)(XING)
17 - No cheat in real city of old (5) - CRETE ? Crete is an Island? Anno pending
ReplyDelete(con-)CRETE
17 - No cheat in real city of old (5) - CRETE ? Crete is an Island? Anno pending
ReplyDelete[-con]CRETE
COD 1a Reverse reversal!
ReplyDeleteFriends
ReplyDeleteGridman is sorry forn throwing a red herring at 7a.
Didn't see that an alternative answer with the same configuration (3,5) was possible.
Anyway, please take CD as yet another quiver in the setter's armoury (am I too arch in making this statement?)
If the puzzle held you up for a few minutes more before you went about your daily chores (writing the blog, peeling onions for your wife) or pleasure (watching movie or god knows what on the computer), so be it!
CD: Any word/phrase fewer than 8 letters should be gettable after a couple of xings. You will be prudent in leaving CDs alone until you have got those contiguous answers. But Gridman can't guarantee that the latter will all be easy as he keeps no track of the difficulty level of clues.
Oh, I forgot.
ReplyDeleteDeepak, where do those carrots grow?
Want to do some tempting with them as stick is not working.
I think CDs are necessary evil in a crossword if for no other reason, to keep the balance between clue types.
ReplyDeleteAs it is majority of the clues tend to be charades and the rest of the types get only passing mention.
Personally, CDs where they are not merely dictionary definitions but involve a clever variation or the setter's own take are indeed enjoyable (like 7D here)
Kishore
ReplyDeleteThere is a funny story poem "The Snuff-Box" that my Dad read for me when I was a boy of 12 years.
Will try to locate it in my library and type it out. Most unlikely it will be on the Internet.
CV, an answer from a self confessed 1a:
ReplyDeleteThose carrots grow in the ground.
BTW, you mean 7d not 7a in 854
Looking forward to the poem.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I do not personally have any grouse against CDs, after all a cryptic crossword is meant to be cryptic, so why not cryptic definitions. As CV rightly notes, when we sometimes jump the gun without crossings (zebra or otherwise), we shoot ourselves in the lower extremities.
Is this the one (by Alfred Noyes)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-old-gentleman-with-the-amber-snuff-box/
The snuff box also reminded of the tinder box, a fairy tale from HC Andersen.
ReplyDeleteAnother one on the lines of Mickey on a Railway
ReplyDeletehttp://myenglishcollections.blogspot.com/2009/09/mickey-on-railway_30.html
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-snuff-box/
Had a great time with the cartoon for 11d, poornachandra contemplating the ardhachandra.
ReplyDeleteKishore
ReplyDeleteI told you it won't be on the Internet.
Lucky to have got hold of the book by a little rummaging. Here is the poem:
A village pedagogue announced one day
Unto his pupils, that Inspector A
Was coming to examine them. Quoth he:
'If he should try you in Geography
Most likely he will ask - "What's the earth's shape?"
Then if you feel as stupid as an ape
Just look at me: my snuff-box I will show,
Which will remind you it is round, you know.'
Now the sagacious master, I declare,
Had two snuff-boxes - one round, t'other square;
The square he carried through the week, the round
On Sundays only.
Hark! a footstep's sound:
'Tis the Inspector. 'What's the earth's shape, lad?'
Addressing one by name. The latter, glad
To have his memory helped, looked at the master;
When, piteous to relate, O, sad disaster!
The pupil without hesitation says:
'Round, sir, on Sundays, square on other days.'
Anon
(Typed out from An Oxford Book of Story Poems, OUP, 1938)
Thanks for taking the time and effort to type it out, CV. Really liked it.
ReplyDeleteOnly a nagging doubt, was it Sunday school, else the students would have seen only the square one on weekdays.
Nice one..a bit tough too.
ReplyDeleteI got rib cages on the first go never thought of gas masks at all.
13 a is my COD.
mathu
Kishore@9.46-
ReplyDeleteIs the square 'on the square'?
Got 7d as rib cage thanks to Gridman's carrot! Carrots are useful too!
ReplyDeleteCOD-20a-Tongs.Liked the cowboy also.
CV,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the hilariously funny poem.Enjoyed it a lot.
My father used to tell a real life anecdote about his pre independence day drawing master trying to impress the English inspector of schools-"Draw a straight line AB.Bisect it into THREE parts"!
Paddy, 1011:
ReplyDeleteLet us ask the Squire, CV.
Also, your 1017 reminds me of a line from Plum:
One half of the world does not know how the other two third lives.
Carrot reminds me of the alternative pronunciation of 'carroot' that I once heard with a justification ' It is a root, isn't it? ' and a counterquestion, why call it a cheroot when it is not a root ?
Good to be back with THC! And, good to kick off a fresh cycle with Gridman.
ReplyDeleteSolvency my COD.
ReplyDeleteLiked Crete also for Zorba the Greek.
Bhavan - I have missed meeting you at Chennai. I will be there at Poone for few months from 10.03.11, stying with my daughter and son-in-law. I would like to meet you at your convenient time. If you mail your number I will be obliged. My id - muthaiah.sivanandham@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteNot a good day with the X'word. Perhaps it's the withdrawal symptoms. Having seen the answers now, I didn't like 22D, because the meanings are too similar (border/extreme). Of course this is not a case of bad cluing, but simply a personal preference.
ReplyDeleteAnd do people really refer to the tanga as a tonga? (The claim that the latter appears in Chambers in 3... 2... 1... :D)
Muthaiah @ 16.54 : I'm in Pune right now. I'd have loved to meet you too, unfortunately I'm flying out in the early hours of 6th from Mumbai. I don't have any contact number in India at the moment, but can call you.
ReplyDelete