Too many 4 letter words in the grid. Yesterday there were a lot of opinions that Arden was akin to Sankalak's style, I do not feel so especially with regards to choice of words.
ACROSS
ACROSS
8 - Cleanse the sot (6) - SPONGE [DD]
9 - With sharp vision, we had managed to put the key inside (4-4) - {HAW{K-EY}ED}
10 - What is left, jutting out from the water all around? (4) - ISLE [T]
11 - Rent when fifty one get their quota (10) - {L}{ACE}{RATION}
12 - Complain over instrument (4) - HARP [DD]
17 - He may be seen in the mountains still showing interest (4) - {YET}{I}
18 - Nobody has time for poetry (5) - {NONE}{T}
21 - Making part of heredity to get an appraisal (10) - {GENE}{RATING}
23 - Part of London, therefore is mostly stuffy (4) - {SO}{HOt}
24 - Old Semite to look after the child in an orderly way (10) - {BABY}{LO}{NIAN*}
28 - Asleep before the count, say, is over (4) - NUMBer
1 - He may desert the cause with a job he had (8) - {A}{POST}{ATE}
2 - Admit leverage in business (10) - {ENTER}{PRISE}
3 - Drug a beautiful woman in Rome (10) - BELLADONNA [DD]
5 - We are in doubt about the pitcher (4) - {E{WE}R} this could also be from (we're*)
6 - It is soft when touched (4) - FELT &lit
7 - The journalist during various debates could wear such a hat (6) - {F{ED}ORA}
14 - It is an immoral thing to do for a first person, in parts of middle east (5) - {SIN}{A}{I}
15 - Estrange or strange against one? (10) - ANTAGONISE*
16 - A bit insane, although not present (2,8) - IN ABSENTIA*
20 - Monster will exist as a male insect (8) - {BE}{HE}{MOTH}
22 - Pass by the Spanish church (6) - {EL}{APSE}
25 - Account number follows reflected light (4) - {YAR<-}{N}
26 - Group activity with people on the floor, gyrating perhaps (4) - ORGY [T]
5 telescopes too. BTW 26d can be an &lit too.
ReplyDeleteI took 6d as DD.
26D Perhaps CV may consider this an &lit!
ReplyDeleteVenkatesh
ReplyDeleteYes, it is an &Lit. That is, we have to reread the clue for definition.
But what's the wordplay?
Hidden?
For it to be hidden, there is no 'hidden signal'.
'[P]erhaps' has no real role in the clue as there is no anag. operation.
BTW, the paper often uses in its news reports the word 'rave' to mean 'rave party' that is seen in other papers. That is correct.
I thought it was different to all the other puzzles we get to do on THC - the usage of 4 letter words. The [T] clues though many in number are all well conce(iv)(al)ed.
ReplyDeleteIn an ideal puzzle all clue types have equal presence, but we probably tend to view any puzzle with more than 3 or 4 clues of the same type as being excessive. Anagrams and charades are exceptions.
18 is my CoD
I haven't done this crossword but does it have five telescopic clues?
ReplyDeleteAn accepted convention is that a 15x crossword has one, or at the most two, hidden clues.
Once the grid is filled, clue-writing can be done in half-a-day, a day or two (depending upon the time you have at your hand).
But real work starts afterwards in studying the clues from different angles, clue-type, def, wordplay, enu, etc.
It has 5 T clues of which 4 are 4 letter words
ReplyDeleteThough I said there were too many 4 letter words I agree with Bhavan that they were well conce(iv)(al)ed
ReplyDeleteIdeally, there must not be more than four 4-letter words in a 15x grid.
ReplyDeleteAny preponderance of 4-letter slots in a grid (found usually in 13x grids) is likely to make it 'easy'. (Will solvers say whether this crossword on the whole is on the easy side?)
It is good that Gridman and some other setters avoid 3-letter words (for these may tend to repeat because if the slot is given-unknown-given, choices may be limited).
Another force to reckon with?
ReplyDeleteSeveral problems with this and I am starting to suspect this is an old setter who has taken a new by-line.
5 telescopics alright, but 4 of them do not have indicators!
Where is the anagrind for 16D?
22D: IS apse, a church?
1D: he had = ATE?
29A: What is 'after' doing? Pretty misleading!
28A: Clueless about the deletion of 'er'
13A: Where is the anagrind again? Surely it can't be about!
11A: 'their' thwarted my efforts to solve this one.
Sincerely hope Arden listens to us and makes genuine improvements. Else I feel the good work of the other new setters (whom I solved yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed) will be undone.
Though there are 12 four letter words, the clues are well worded and lucid, hence I have no grouse. However, I have a carp about the harp. To Carp is to find fault and complain, but not an instrument. To harp is to repeatedly dwell upon something, not necessarily complain, IMO, though it is an instrument. Both fit the crossings.
ReplyDeleteThe criticism of Sudalamani is quite valid on several counts. However, in the clue
ReplyDelete13 Sad talk about a Greek character reviewing a famous book (3,7)
we can take the instruction as SAD(A PI)TALK ('about' being a c/c ind) and then anag. of these letters, 'reviewing' being the AInd.
I had the same grouse about apse, S. And about your second line, I had the same feeling yesterday at 1711.
ReplyDelete29A: What is 'after' doing? Pretty misleading!
ReplyDeleteI would put it like this;
A STRA* GAL
28A: Clueless about the deletion of 'er'
ReplyDeletebefore .... is over can be the equivalent of 'short' used by some other setters to indicate an incomplete word.
Tell me if I am wrong -
ReplyDelete11 Ac - Rent when fifty one get their quota (10) - {L}{ACE}{RATION}
'Rent', I guess, is the past participle of 'rend' (= to tear, Lacerate). It should be 'rend' and not 'rent', IMHO.
Or a type, maybe?
ReplyDeletesorry, typo
ReplyDeleteRegarding my 912, I think CV's kutti bird would know more ;-)
ReplyDeleteRichard
ReplyDeleteI disagree.
rent, n. = tear, laceration.
Good MORNING, Richard. Free from your MORNING duties today?
ReplyDeleteOh now I see your 1711 comment, Kishore. Your comments are more cryptic than the clues here. BTW, your exp. of 29A was very clever, you're on the mark :)
ReplyDelete28A looks fine, as well, but NUMB may not be the same as ASLEEP, even accounting for the fact that wordweb says so. I found it very difficult to accept "the count, say=NUMBER".
Agree with CV about 13.
I saw some comments saying the other setters were Gridman's proteges. If it's true, then that's cool. Many a thanks to him. Also, in that case, this person has to be someone else's protege, I guess ;)
Of course, 'rend' = 'tear', v., but it won't lead to the ans LACERATION, which is a n.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Colonel that Arden's offering today is very "unsankalakian".
ReplyDeleteFor what it is worth, I thought it was unfair to compare Arden's clueing to that of Sankalak's yesterday - as it is to call it unsankalakian today. Two wrongs don't make a ...
ReplyDeleteBetter to let the new setters stand on their own ground.
Some intriguing comments about setters' identities in the last 2 puzzles. Going by Sherlock Kishore's guess, if Buzzer were Bhavan and Sc'tor were Shuchi, is Arden, the passionate Mumbaikar, AJ? ;)
ReplyDeleteIrrespective of whether this setter is Sankalakian or NJvian or NJ's payyan, the clues are pretty unsatisfactory. Let us hope for the best going forward.
The best thing about the guesses in the previous comment is that it is looking extremely plausible, at least IMHO!
ReplyDeleteAgree with Bhavan. We should not make it difficult for the new setters by making comparisons.It is always tough if you try to reach a hypothetical original.
ReplyDeleteLet setters be setters!
ReplyDeleteSudalamani, Though AJ referred about his mom, I have it from NJ that AJ is not her son, but nephew.
ReplyDeleteAgree comparisons are odious. Each setter has his or her own style. Any guesses on whose turn tomorrow ?
ReplyDeleteGuessing setters is merely a game,
ReplyDeleteWhy, after all, what's in a name?
Carstairs or Hotchkiss,
Gentleman or pretty miss,
Ephemeral is the notoriety or fame.
Oh, that's news to me, Kishore. So, is it some impersonator behind that ID? How did he/she know about nephew's name?
ReplyDeleteI remember a certain VJ who used to be an active commenter in these parts and an ardent supporter of NJ. Doesn't he come here these days?
As long as Kishore is visiting these parts, my CoD is a poor choice!
ReplyDeleteVJ, a young man, who attended the first S&B meet in my home (and later in a nearby restaurant) has disappeared from this place. Might have gone abroad for higher studies or business.
ReplyDeleteArden's name may not begin with an A. More likely something like RDN.
ReplyDeleteMaybe sleuths can look for this.
By the way Dale Arden is Flash Gordons girlfriend, anyone remember?
ReplyDeleteSuresh theory: (contd) there is only one known visitor here with a name starting with N.
ReplyDeleteDG theory: (contd) If they married, the resultant Dale Gordon would carry someone's initials...
I am happy comments are getting as interesting,if not more,as the CW. I had earlier expressed my misgiving that the comments section used to be in single digits on good CW days and of course full of scathing comments on other days!
ReplyDeleteTo change the subject a clue I liked in yesterday's Guardian
ReplyDelete"Money back from the Government? Would it were!"(6,3,6)"
Something we all hate and love?
To change the subject a clue I liked in yesterday's Guardian
ReplyDelete"Money back from the Government? Would it were!"(6,3,6)"
Something we all hate and love?
Not surprising, coming as it does from a CA.
Aaah, Suresh, the F&O overtures!
ReplyDeleteKishore, I loved it for sure
ReplyDeleteSuresh, guess you missed my yesterday's late message for you and Sandhya.
ReplyDeleteI saw it Richard. You said 13 and 15. What of 14 and how is your schedule?
ReplyDeleteSuresh, what I meant to say was that I would be Hyd between Aug 13 and 15. I know you will have to come all the way from Vizag. Please don't decide until I confirm. By the end of this month, I will let you know for sure.
ReplyDeleteSpeculation about tomorrow? Well, that's Schrodinger's cat for you.
ReplyDeleteCV@1200
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, sir. A shame VJ is not able to participate actively - he used to be a live wire in the community and also a good setter himself. He used to publish a puzzle in his own blog every Monday and I have solved them on more than a couple of occasions.
Also, **kudos** to all those professionals in this community who have been active forever. Having been irregular for so long, I know how difficult it is for one to pursue a hobby in the middle of a professional career. And special applause to setters like Neyartha, Spiffy and Tony for the same reason.
BTW I am very much starting to miss Spiffy. Hoping to see the start of the normal cycle tomorrow.
Off the track - in one paper I saw an heading ...ultra virus of constitution. Is it ok? 'of' should not be there imho
ReplyDeleteKeeping track of 1903
ReplyDeleteI think the correct expression is ultra vires of the Constitution. 'Ultra vires' is Latin for 'beyond the legal power or authority' (to be followed by 'of' .....)
'Ultra virus' is a medical term meaning a virus small enough to pass through the panes of the finest filter.
Over to CV
Further to 2039, off track in my own way
ReplyDeleteWhile getting a legal notice drafted by a lawyer, I noticed that he had spelt it 'ultra virus'. When I explained that it should be 'vires' he wasn't exactly happy. I asked him to look into the dictionary and he was speechless. To think he had been using the expression 'ultra virus' for over two decades...
Welcome to the 3 new setters introduced by The Hindu this week. How much nicer would it have been had they adopted pseudonyms which are Indian (like Sankalak and Neyartha)!
ReplyDeleteKishore@14:25#1,
ReplyDeleteSuresh theory: (contd) there is only one known visitor here with a name starting with N
I don't understand why that case should even be considered? It's an impossibility.
;-)