Good, but found it tough going, at the bottom right corner.
ACROSS
1 - Opponents cackle wildly over jewel (8) - {NE}{CKLACE*}
5 - Floods alligator milieux (6) - SWAMPS [CD]
9 - Mr. X is also in fair (2-3-2) - {SO-{AND}-SO} My COD
10 - Wickedness in a revolutionary is abused (7) - {RE{VILE}D}
11 - The hedge plant formed an odd line (9) - DANDELION*
12 - Good to be in bike outing for low hill (5) - {RID{G}E}
13 - Farmland pest eats away core of material (4) - VOiLE
14 - Overcome by years, faulty gut creaks (3-6) - AGE-STRUCK*
17 - Thing given away to Cockney girl by politician (9) - {OFF}{hER}{TORY} Shouldn't this have been 'things'. New word for me.
19 - Barely brown part of piecrust (4) - ECRU [T]
23 - Broadcaster, more just, less loud (5) -fAIRER
24 - Produces chromosome unit and charges (9) - {GENE}{RATES}
25 - Account set in a different manner for private quarters (7) - {BILL}{ETS*}
26 - Italian seaport majestic to a great extent (7) - IMPERIAl
27 - Fisherman begins losing in fury (6) - {ANG{L}ER}
28 - Wrong a good, almost stern, woman (8) - {A}{G}{GRIm}{EVE}
DOWN
1 - Almost clear, so involved in rise — and sudden drop (8) - {tN{OS}EDIVE} <-
2 - Medium trench? (7) - CHANNEL [DD]
3 - One who's taken in (6) - LODGER [CD]
4 - Those times just before the curtains will be brought down? (7,6) - CLOSING STAGES [E]
6 - Fence-sitters, say, in sort of trousers getting no publicity (8) - WAVERERS Anno pending (Addendum - {Wad{AVER}ERS} - See comments)
7 - Sweet-sounding Gridman to see retreating detectives (7) - {ME}{LO}{DIC<-}
8 - Turn blue over bad end in treacherous Andes (6) - {SAD{D}EN*}
10 - Grading takes well the sort of grass that grows fast (4-9) - {RANK-{SPRING}ING}
15 - This stays the execution (8) - REPRIEVE [CD]
16 - Foreign newspaper heads splashed summer item (8) - {SUN}{SHADE*}
18 - A number said to support a front runner (7) - (~four){FORE}{LEG}
20 - Set a camp-bed by the lake (7) - {COT}{ERIE}
21 - Beat and butcher bad Greek character (6) - {LAM}{BDA*}
22 - Padre dressed by right cloth dealer (6) - {DRAPE*}{R}
ACROSS
1 - Opponents cackle wildly over jewel (8) - {NE}{CKLACE*}
5 - Floods alligator milieux (6) - SWAMPS [CD]
9 - Mr. X is also in fair (2-3-2) - {SO-{AND}-SO} My COD
10 - Wickedness in a revolutionary is abused (7) - {RE{VILE}D}
11 - The hedge plant formed an odd line (9) - DANDELION*
12 - Good to be in bike outing for low hill (5) - {RID{G}E}
13 - Farmland pest eats away core of material (4) - VO
17 - Thing given away to Cockney girl by politician (9) - {OFF}{
19 - Barely brown part of piecrust (4) - ECRU [T]
23 - Broadcaster, more just, less loud (5) -
24 - Produces chromosome unit and charges (9) - {GENE}{RATES}
25 - Account set in a different manner for private quarters (7) - {BILL}{ETS*}
26 - Italian seaport majestic to a great extent (7) - IMPERIA
27 - Fisherman begins losing in fury (6) - {ANG{L}ER}
28 - Wrong a good, almost stern, woman (8) - {A}{G}{GRI
DOWN
1 - Almost clear, so involved in rise — and sudden drop (8) - {
2 - Medium trench? (7) - CHANNEL [DD]
3 - One who's taken in (6) - LODGER [CD]
4 - Those times just before the curtains will be brought down? (7,6) - CLOSING STAGES [E]
6 - Fence-sitters, say, in sort of trousers getting no publicity (8) - WAVERERS Anno pending (Addendum - {W
7 - Sweet-sounding Gridman to see retreating detectives (7) - {ME}{LO}{DIC<-}
8 - Turn blue over bad end in treacherous Andes (6) - {SAD{D}EN*}
10 - Grading takes well the sort of grass that grows fast (4-9) - {RANK-{SPRING}ING}
15 - This stays the execution (8) - REPRIEVE [CD]
16 - Foreign newspaper heads splashed summer item (8) - {SUN}{SHADE*}
18 - A number said to support a front runner (7) - (~four){FORE}{LEG}
20 - Set a camp-bed by the lake (7) - {COT}{ERIE}
21 - Beat and butcher bad Greek character (6) - {LAM}{BDA*}
22 - Padre dressed by right cloth dealer (6) - {DRAPE*}{R}
1 - Almost clear, so involved in rise — and sudden drop (8) - {tN{OS}EDIVE} <-
ReplyDeleteContinuing in the same vein as Deepak's comment yesterday in respect of the Thong Seal:
And Deepak's cartoon shows me getting into a pool..
6 - Fence-sitters, say, in sort of trousers getting no publicity (8) - WAVERERS Anno pending
ReplyDeletesay = AVER in
trousers = WADERS (-ad)
Kishore,
ReplyDeleteThat would create a great splash!
Thanks Bhavan,
ReplyDeleteI was really stumped by that, there are days when somethings just don't click. I got only a couple in the first pass so had to go for a walk and come back.
I'd rate today's as better than yesterday's. So from fair & square to good & entertaining.
ReplyDelete@Col : I know what you mean. I too had trouble with the NE corner and could complete it only after a break.
ReplyDeleteWhat is Rank Springing. I could not find this word anywhere
ReplyDeleteSuresh,
ReplyDeleteNor did I, however Rank by itself means something that grows profusely, so also Springing
CV is unable to post here, so here is his comment sent to me by e-mail.
ReplyDelete'Offertory' could be just money. So I think 'thing' is all right.
It seems you and Bhavan found different quadrants difficult. Will look at them.
But let me tell you that I never set out to make a puz 'easy' or 'hard'. It depends upon the gridfills - at which stage I don't bother about how I am going to clue the given words.
This was set several months ago. While rechecking it the prev day, I could not figure out what wordplay I had used for MELODIC. I simply rewrote it and notified the publisher so I may not be in any embarrassing situation.
Deepak 845:
ReplyDeleteIf all the trees were one tree...
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/mother-goose-nursery-rhymes/if-all-the-seas-were-one-sea.html
CV via DG 900:
ReplyDeletePray, what was the earlier clue?
'rank-springing' is an old word. Likely to be in 1813 Websters (not available online w/o subscription).
ReplyDeleteJohn Wycliffe has: "...and no rank-springing grass forces upon our imagination the recollection that it owes its dark luxuriance to the festering remnants of..." (rest of quote not available).
It just means 'wildy-growing' as a weed does.
Sorry for springing this on you with rank thoughtlessness.
CV@14:22 ......morality which foment beneath"
ReplyDeleteThat completes it. But it is a way out reference
Cv sir, a good, tough puzzle is very welcome occasionally. I enjoyed the challenge of trying to figure out solutions like rank springing and waverers etc., though i could not finish before the blog went up at 8.30. Even the easier ones were well disguised. For me, as a sidelights to your first note, melodic was first in. Thx.
ReplyDeleteThank-you, Veer and everybody else.
ReplyDelete