ACROSS
1 - Dejected kid, he resorts to rope towards the end (4,2,3,4) - {DOWN} {TO T}{HE} {WIRE}
9 - White-collar clerical workers? (7) - PRIESTS [CD]
11 - Regretting wrecking good (5) - {RUIN}{G}
12 - Margin for cereal/ton produced (9) - TOLERANCE*
13 - The very thin guy has got it all (10) - EVERYTHING [T] Kishore was searching for a T clue over 4 words the other day.
15 - Ducks seen around Sri Lanka's capital (4) - {O{SL}O}
17 - Check on king, tremble at first (4) - {TIC}{K}
19 - Ad senses us cleverly? Not fully valuated (10) - UNASSESSED*
22 - Mobile phone you see has identification film (9) - {CELL}{U}{LO}{ID}
24 - Lasso retracted on air (5) - {RIA}{TA}<-
25 - Glutted agent allowed to take drug (7) - {REP}{LET}{E}
26 - Recorded queen coming in weakened (7) - {TAP{ER}ED}
27 - The banks were corrupt to take money, says the story (6,3,4) - {BREAK{S} THE NEWS*}
DOWN
2 - Opening gold when diamond is present (7) - {OR}{IF}{ICE}
3 - Bouquets make olfactory organs happy when inhaled (8) - {NOSE{GAY}S}
5 - Story titles in a newspaper – they seal your fate? (9) - HEADLINES [DD]
6 - Drink manufacturer incorporating point in lean (6) - {WI{NE}RY}
7 - Goes easy about fasting periods (7) - {RE}{LENTS}
8 - Old timer's most accurate measure can be made here (2,6,4) - AT SECOND HAND [DD]
9 - What Nadia Comaneci got for the first time, but shouldn't it have been 20? (7,5) - PERFECT SCORE [DD]
14 - After-effects of drinking in German city around midnight on Saturday (9) - {HAN{G}OVER}{S}
16 - Trip near exotic turtle (8) - TERRAPIN*
18 - Measuring device replica manufactured (7) - CALIPER*
20 - Initially shoot pig with projectile bird (7) - {S}{P}{ARROW} Picture is for the present generation who may have never seen one!
21 - Buoyant exclamation? (6) - EUREKA [CD]
23 - Daughter's urge to let go (5) - {D}{ITCH}
Plenty of sparrows at Bangalore International airport
ReplyDeleteWrt 'ultra virus'.
ReplyDeleteAnother Latin term from legal parlance that is widely misspelt in reputed newspapers as well as on news channels is 'suo motu' (the correct form). 'Suo moto' is wrong.
Suresh @ 0900,
ReplyDeleteMust have a look next time I go there
Our old independent house in Gopalapuram, Chennai, had many sparrows flitting in and out of the hall. It was a Madras terrace with two big iron beams (imported from England) and many rafters of timber (imported from Burma) where they could build nests.
ReplyDeleteAnother favourite nesting place was the top 'cup' of the fan.
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ReplyDelete@Col.: Entirely understandable on CENACLE, b'cos, using two abbreviations / cryptic devices (as in E=English and T=Model) in one clue is generally not done, I think. I was also thinking it might be an anagram of CANCEL+E but thankfully, had not heard of CENACLE. Sometimes ignorance is bliss!
ReplyDeleteFurther to my note above, the atmosphere was suitable for sparrows and parrots to thrive because the house was set in a large compound with half-a-dozen mango trees and many other trees and plants. Now, Chennai is a concrete jungle and all the good things are gone. It's dangerous to walk on the road.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the word 'compound' is wrongly pronounced by many a PYT on TV channel.
They don't understand that the meaning of the word alters with change in stress - whether on the first syllable or the second.
veer
ReplyDeleteYou wrote:
using two abbreviations / cryptic devices (as in E=English and T=Model) in one clue is generally not done, I think.
Why not? Why should we not use two abbreviations in a charade? I don't think there is any bar.
I wanted to see how ANNULET was tackled by Gridman but I find that he has not used it even once in all of the 600 plus crosswords that he has set so far!
ReplyDelete@Cvasi sir, I did not say there was a bar but my comment was more of a hunch - I did not straightaway recall seeing charades with more than one abbreviation / cryptic device that substitutes a letter in a clue in say, the Times or Everyman. And I have seen at least one comment in diycow alluding to a similar sentiment sometime in the past though I do not recall the specific week. That, of course, does not mean there are none or that there is a rule that says so..
ReplyDeleteI understand that sparrows have disappered from most towns because of the microwave towers of mobile phone companies.Is it true?
ReplyDeleteBTW, an enjoyable puzzle today with many interesting words, 9D, taking me to the early television days.
DS
When I was about 10 years old, a sparrow had got hit by the ceiling fan blade and hurt its leg. I had put it in a shoe box after bandaging its leg. In the next couple of years, I did this about 5 times, and I think I lost a couple of sparrows too.
ReplyDeleteThen I stopped using the fan if there were sparrows around. Sadly, we do not have such issues now.
DS, talking of early TV, I am sure you will recall the radio antenna we used to hang across a room in olden days. It was like an elongated tennis net and made out of copper(?) wires. Do you or anyone here recall what that type of antenna was called. I looked for it on the net and could neither locate the name nor any picture.
ReplyDelete@Navneeth, yesterday: I thought the last word in your sentence does not exist. ;-)
ReplyDelete24 - Lasso retracted on air (5) - {RIA}{TA}<-
ReplyDeleteHow does on become at?
Kishore, We only called it an internal antenna. I do not recollect any other name
ReplyDeleteKishore,
ReplyDeleteThe term we used for radio was aerial.
Antenna i learnt after the TV came in.
DS
Oh yes, I do remember the aerial that Kishore mentions.
ReplyDeleteAerial is correct.In those days the only antennae I knew were sported by insects. Any specific name for that type?
ReplyDeleteRe 21d
ReplyDeleteI am not criticising the clue but I think that when Archimedes cried 'Eureka' he was no longer in the bathtub but was running in the streets in a state of undress.
If I may digress, where has Mr. Spiffy gone? Quit his job or has he reappeared as Scintillator (the most likely of the 3)?
ReplyDelete21D is a very good CD, IMHO. Archimedes was the person who invented both Eureka and principles in buoyancy/hydrostatics :)
I really enjoyed doing this one. It kept me involved, though on more than a couple of occasions I found some words not participating in the wordplay (for eg., "is present" in 2D, "make" in 3D etc).
ReplyDeleteThe strength of TH is the phalanx of these good setters - both old and new. They have distinct styles yet are entertaining in their own way.
Or is it the reshuffle, TH having beat the PM on the draw?
ReplyDeleteCV, your 1126 reminded me of what happenned when Spooner encountered Ursula Andress.
ReplyDeleteSudalamani
ReplyDeleteI understand that Spiffytrix has asked for a break, his work having taken him abroad where he is on a busy assignment.
Let's hope that he will come back in due course and resume his cruciverbal conundrums.
I don't agree that A invented Eureka. Wasn't that a standard Greek term meaning 'I have found it'? Please correct me if I am wrong.
ReplyDeleteSudalamani
ReplyDeleteWrt your comment at 1135.
Deadwood in clues is one thing and connector is another.
I believe that in both clues the words that you mention may be taken as 'connectors' to make the surface reading sensible.
However, while the surface reading of the second clue is plausible and meaningful, that of the first does not seem to amount to much. Does it evoke any picture?
Maybe it does, that in a market, while diamond is present, the sellers start with gold.
ReplyDeleteAgree with you on 2D and 3D, CV Sir. But my comment was because such words distracted my thinking during solving.
ReplyDeleteReg 21A, there may be no such thing as inventing a word, but surely one immediately gets reminded of Archimedes when we talk of Eureka or buoyancy.
BTW, I have a doubt in 27A. Can a word in the solution be a part of the anagram fodder as well? The word 'THE' is part of both here.
CV, you are right. A did not invent it. He merely used it in a particular scenario, which to the non Greek world, is now an exclamation with a bit of history attached to it. For the Greeks, however, I am sure it is just another bit of Greek.
ReplyDeleteJust like the Tamil word, 'Parkalam', which was edified by the late Mr Nadar.
Of course, 'parkalam' may not be well known outside the Tamil world...
ReplyDeleteKishore, Parkalam of Kamaraj or Vengayam of Periyar are only regular Tamil words which are used like any other. Is it the same with Eureka or is it just a feature of Old Greek?
ReplyDelete@Sudalamani
ReplyDeleteRe 21
You're justified in having the doubt. I think it should be avoided though setters at a pinch may resort to it - having 'the' as part of the anag fodder as well as part of the def for word reqd.
Another thing:
20d Initially shoot pig with projectile bird (7)
Now can 'initially' be applied to both 'shoot' and 'pig'. If so, how does one know that the initial operation must stop with 'pig'?
Let me not be misunderstood. All these points are raised only to appreciate the art of clue-writing.
Actually, Kamaraj's oft-used words were 'Aagattum paarkkalaam'. Roughly: "Well, let's see'.
ReplyDeleteDeepak
ReplyDeleteThanks for the word 'cenacle', which is new to me.
You know, I watched the latest US spelling bee on TV. Honestly, many words were strange. While I marvelled at the manner in which the young boys and girls spelt them out, I also thought if they would ever get an opportunity to use those words in conversation.
CV @ 13:44
ReplyDelete'...thought they would never get..' or '... wondered if they would ever get ....'. You have opted for a combination.
Yes, Parkalam of Kamaraj and Vengayam of Periyar are absolutely normal and commonly used words. But anyone familiar with their usage by these two persons would link the words to them. For eg: You would not link Vengayam with Kamaraj. My grandpa shared his cell with Kamaraj, in the days that cell was not a mobile and had a personal attachment to him. I had heard that when K said Parkalam, usually the issue was never heard of again.
ReplyDeleteI purposely did not use Vengayam as an example since it had some negative attached to it. I also recall that Periyar had a pet name for the Head Office of The Hindu on Mount Road. I am sure CV will remember that.
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ReplyDeleteI remember typing 'wondered'. Later, I may have wrongly erased 'wondered' instead of 'thought'. These messages are not exam essays nor are they finished products. Besides, readers are a clever set and can slur over the slips.
ReplyDeletePS: Now even in exams essays are gone and you have only questions with multiple choice answers where you have to tick the correct one. So one can get 100 out of 100 in the English paper.
ReplyDeleteEqually common Latin phrase might be Veni, Vidi, Vici, which in its components might be common usages, but together they remind you of JC.
ReplyDeleteAnother of my Latin favs 'Cogito ergo sum' of Descartes was further expanded by somebody (I dont recall who) as 'Cogito cogito ergo cogito cogito sum' which adds quite a bit of meaning, but is not equally well known.
Kishore
ReplyDeleteMy cousin's wife is Krishnaveni, Veni for short. I used to joke with him that on the 'boy meets girl' day well might he have said: "Veni, vidi, vici".
There was another version of Cogito ergo sum, which I leave for you to interpret;
ReplyDeleteThe first g is missing and the first s becomes a c.
Hey, CV, I remember a theatre by that name near T Nagar bus stand.
ReplyDeleteThat theatre still survives though other old ones such as Rajakumari, Casino, Midland, Paragon are all gone.
ReplyDeleteKishore 1732
ReplyDeleteSorry for the interruptus. You are very naughty.
Talking of Chennai theatres, I remember the nonstop movie at one of the three: Saphire, Emerald, Blue Diamond, where one could walk in and walk out at their leisure/pleasure. Somehow, I dont think the concept fits for a large number of movies..
ReplyDeleteCV1750, the Latins used to multiply, didn't they?
ReplyDelete8 - Old timer's most accurate measure can be made here (2,6,4) - AT SECOND HAND [DD]
ReplyDeleteHow does this clue work exactly? Understand that "An old timer's most accurate measure" is a reference to SECOND HAND (as in that for a old watch) but how is AT clued? I thought Cryptonyte was trying to get a Semi-&lit feel with the "can be made here" component but the whole phrase "AT SECOND HAND" is somewhat new to me. Thanks for clarifying..
That theatre still survives
ReplyDeletereminds me of:
"The tree is living yet!"
from Thomas Hood's "I remember, I remember"
Sorry. I think Casino is still there. One across the bridge gave way for a commercial building.
ReplyDeleteveer
ReplyDeleteI too couldn't quite parse it.
Cv,
ReplyDeleteCasino survives till date.I passed that way a couple of days back!!
Veer @ 18:32
ReplyDeleteI read it like this
Old timer is = AT SECOND HAND
most accurate measure can be made here = AT SECOND HAND
Kishore
ReplyDelete'Continuous shows' were in Blue Diamond - where I have witnessed some wonderful pictures like 'Charade', 'Rapture' and so on.
As for your other comment, youngsters walked in and walked out with companions for some quiet away from prying eyes; the film was not the thing.
NB: As far as I was concerned, para 2 has no bearing on para 1.
All this old theatre talk is bringing back some nostalgia for me. Probably the most successful theatre that made the transition from the 90's to now has to be the Sathyam complex. I think it is still considered a cool theatre. Anand and Little Anand is history. Back when I was studying in Madras, a trek (by bicycle) to the British Council library and a early afternoon movie at Anand close by was the best way to beat the heat and stay in air conditioned comfort. And then of course, there was going to the American center library and sit in the sofas there and watch some videos in their library. Don't know if these little pleasures are still around.
ReplyDeleteMy dad was a fan of Shivaji Ganesan and named my sister Shanti because that was Shivaji's daughter's name as well and also a theater still in existence (probably). Is the Devi complex, Gaiety theatre still around?
Both Devi complex and Gaiety are there, though it's ages since I went into any of them.
ReplyDeleteI too have spent countless hours in the British Council and the American library (when the latter was in the building where Bank of America is now). Neither of them is the same thing and again it's years since I went there.
Shanti theatre complex too is still there.
Talking of theatres, there was an interesting article in ToI's website today about the movie distributor business though it is colored by political affiliations. Much of the info is probably old hat to Chennai-ites and likely others here but was kind of new for me.
ReplyDeleteThese days, every time I am in Madras I learn more about what's going on in and around the City and its politics from talking to the taxi and auto drivers..
Veer,
ReplyDeleteThe history of cinema/theatres in Chennai is interesting. Shanthi, inaugurated in 1961, has the distinction of being the first AC theatre in Chennai. There is also a second theatre in the complex - Sai Shanthi.
Roxy in Purasawalkam which had screened several English and foreign films was demolished in early 2009. It was named after a New York theatre whose owners gave it that name to honour a theatre operator who helped them. This gentleman, Samuel L. Rothafel, was called ‘Roxy’ because of his unpronounceable name.
Krishnaveni is also the name of a famous female playback singer of numerous Tamil, Telugu and Kannada songs. A contemporary of P Suseela and LR Easwari, she was popularly known as Jikki. Jikki's duets with A.M.Rajah (whom she married later) used to be super hits then. Rajah died when he slipped and fell in between the tracks while attempting to board a train. Jikki passed away after a protracted illness in 2004.
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteIndependent House in Chennai