Thursday 4 August 2011

No 10224, Thursday 04 Aug 11, M Manna

ACROSS
1   - Well ordered retreat that takes some beating (4,6) - GOOD HIDING {GOOD} {HIDING}
6   - A Russian emperor can be an all round performer? (4) - STAR*
9   - Figures seen to be some standing right away (7) - STATUES STATUrES
10 - Reduce the charge (7) - CHEAPEN [CD]
12 - To employ woman as head of house, am I back to bear stress? (8) - MISTRESS {MI<-}{STRESS}


13 - Right ode used as an introduction (5) - PROEM P(R)OEM*
15 - Drop a quarter to dial for her (5) - LINDA {LI{N}DA*}
17 - New world amalgam of main races? (9) - AMERICANS*
19 - Carrots he produced for the old worker (9) - CARTHORSE*
21 - Not proper to curse conversion of monetary unit of Ecuador (5) - SUCRE*
23 - Led on to a past age (5) - OLDEN*
24 - Help to back an ethnic group and there'll be a tirade (8) - DIATRIBE {DIA<-}{TRIBE}
27 - Quite without reason a retiring worker is inflexible (7) - ADAMANT {A}{DAM<-}{ANT}
28 - Showing spirit, see about appeal (7) - IMPLORE {IMP}{LO}{RE}
29 - Veer about at all times (4) - EVER*
30 - Constant only having Rs. 5 and Rs.10 notes (10) - CHANGELESS [DD]
DOWN
1   - A sharp intake of breath (4) - GASP [E]
2   - Speech on surgical procedure without physical effort (7) - ORATION OpeRATION
3   - Henry has aunt coming frequently back in memory (5) - HAUNT {H}{AUNT}


4   - Young Diana's set off for ruination (9) - DISREPAIR {DI'S}{REPAIR}
5   - Slight cuts on skin (5) - NICKS {NI{C}KS*}
7   - Pudding from a pot CIA cooked up (7) - TAPIOCA*
8   - Circus boss is to call a young lad (10) - RINGMASTER {RING}{MASTER}
11 - Deprives of contents (7) - EMPTIES [CD]
14 - Choose to speak for the voters (10) - ELECTORATE {ELECT}{ORATE}
16 - Loss of voice in hysteria (7) - APHONIA [E]
18 - Architect's plan for advancement (9) - ELEVATION [DD]
20 - A dart i.e. designed to spread out (7) - RADIATE*
22 - Kitchen on a ship's deck (7) - CABOOSE [E]
24 - Language of cockney wife? (5) - DUTCH [DD]
25 - Price paid for curried puree? (5) - RUPEE*
26 - Understand it irritates you (4) - GETS [DD]



42 comments:

  1. re 'charge nurse'

    Some dictionary definitions do confirm that the person is a 'male'. But why should a nurse in charge of a section of a hospital be necessarily male?

    Is there any gender bias there?

    Is the phrase from a time when women were not in the forefront?

    ReplyDelete
  2. CV @ 8:36

    I agree with you. In our Military Hospitals all the Matrons,which you can equate to a Charge Nurse, are females, so also I think in all other hospitals in India.
    As far as nursing is concerned I think women have always been in the forefront.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 26 - Understand it irritates you (4) - GETS [DD]

    Irritates you = GETS you.
    But,
    Understand it = Get it
    How do we get GETS from this?
    Though I also wrote it down as fitting the Xings, it does not gel.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 17 - New world // amalgam of main races? (9) - AMERICANS*
    New World - Americas is fine
    But, ? Americans - they are the inhabitants, not the place.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I deleted that post to which Venkatesh has replied at 9:03. What I meant was that the clue should read

    Understands it irritates you (4)

    ReplyDelete
  6. 6 - A Russian emperor can be an all round performer? (4) - STAR*
    On first reading, the solution is TSAR*
    (an all round STAR = STAR*) Defn: a Russian emperor

    Then, on getting TAPIOCA for 7D, we have to change it to STAR*.

    This is taking a leaf from NJ's book - we have to pencil in the opposite of the natural inclination.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wrt to the queries that Venkatesh raises (one of which the Col has answered), as I read the clues and the solutions, I have similar problems elsewhere but it's futile to keep on mentioning them as we are never going to have any improvement. We will be only banging our heads against Rahul Dravid.

    Besides, usage of the language is something that must spring from within. (This comes from a lot of reading, writing, listening - being aware of it every moment.) It must be in the guts - or whichever part of our body - of the writer.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think "world" can represent its people too. For instance, we say, "The world has gathered to celebrate....," which means people have convened to celebrate.... So AMERICANS is fine I reckon.

    In case of 6A, the clue instructs you to jumble TSAR to get STAR (TSAR is the fodder and "can be" is the AInd). So it's fine. However the problem is that it's an indirect anagram, which is not acceptable.

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  9. Charge nurses are nurses assigned to a particular unit designated by the head nurse to coordinate activities on a particular shift. Also called unit coordinator or shift coordinator. They guide the staff nurses on the shift.

    Matrons in Military (and Civil) Hospitals are equivalent to Nursing Superintendents.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Agree with Venkatesh and CV sir there. Way too many clues that are basic errors - indirect anagrams (plural actually), lazy cluing with the letters presented in order right in the clue, no indication of letter picking and so on. But somehow, I get the sense that the setter is trying to chart a different course - the puzzles seem distinctly easier and hence different than the usual Manna fare of the past. Also, though there are errors, the simplistic nature of the clue allows us to get to the right answer - at least that is what I notice. Other more experienced solvers like our Col., Bhavan, Venkatesh et al solve them anyway and may not have noticed any difference.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Some terribly lazy clues HAUNT us today and a whole lot of E clues , some of which Colonel terms CD like 10A, 11D and 5D( I did not read it as an anagram).
    Must have been in a hurry packing off to the US

    ReplyDelete
  12. Shuchi gives an example of mindless clue-writing in her latest post in Crossword Unclued.

    It is a pity that an example for this should be from THC.

    But then certain setters are known for this even as they have brilliant clues in their work.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Must have been in a hurry packing off to the US.

    Suresh,

    Where did you get this info?

    ReplyDelete
  14. CV From our friend in Vizag.

    ReplyDelete
  15. 9A - Figures seen to be some standing right away (7) - STATUES STATUrES

    Just seeking a clarification: Can an abstract word 'stature' be used in plural form?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Correction: 'abstract noun' I mean.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Agree with lots of the comments above. I had TSAR but had to change it to STAR ( at least it was tsar and nor czar - I have a (unreasonable) pathological hatred of the latter)
    I dont see how you can have Americans for "new world"

    ReplyDelete
  18. Richard - I think so. "my sons are different statures" doesnt sound wrong. But will investigate further.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nice to know that we have someone knowing about M Manna. I don't think I have ever read any interview on Shuchi's blog about him.

    Suresh

    Is he a young guy or an old one? And is he planning to put paid to crosswords once he moves to US?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Attn Suresh, Sandhya and others

    Will be in Hyderabad with wifey from the morning of Aug 13 until noon of Aug 15. Will be pleased to meet you all.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Don't know Sudalamani. He is in US for a couple of months only, I think.

    If we have an S & B in Hyderabad, maybe we could invite him.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Years ago MM was on a visit to Chennai and he was staying just 2 minutes from my home. I talked to him over the phone and he was to come to my home but the meeting did not take place. I am not in touch with him in any manner.

    I think his visit to the US is temporary.

    I think he is a retired person, so you can gauge his age.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Re Richard 10:00

    Not all abstract nouns can be used in plural form in sentences.

    But some can be.

    Dave has given one example.

    Another:

    People in (fill in name of a country) are of different cultures but they live together harmoniously.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thanks, Dave and CV. I just thought of seeking a clarification.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Does anyone know if the phone application of the THC by Fundoo is going to be updated to cope with the new web layout. Mine stopped working at the beginning of July. I might be travelling over the next couple of weeks and would still like access to the puzzle

    ReplyDelete
  26. We were discussing last week about the quality of ET puzzles. In Shuchi's latest article, she cites an example of a crappy clue from DT (Daily Telegraph, na?). I know the Guardian has good standard, but which are the other ones which are as good? And is it possible for a TH solver like me to get into them and solve them? Or will I be put off by local references? Req. CV Sir and others to enlighten me...

    ReplyDelete
  27. Must have been in a hurry packing off to the US

    This cannot be an excuse. As CV informs us, these puzzles are set in lots many months ahead and are sent the week before publication to the setter for review/ reconfirmation.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Re: 12A

    I am back = I'M <- = MI
    But, can 'am I back' give us MI?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Sudalamami - afraid I am an out and out Guardian guy. But it might be worth checking out The Independent and the new "I" paper (also from the independent stable). Not sure if you can get these on line. The rest of the UK papers are either gutter press or right wing, so i don't give them house-room!
    Don't be put off by the thought of local references though. When I first started doing THC I was often stumped by indian words, but you very quickly become acclimatised and have the joy of new vocabulary and new facts.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Slight cuts on skin (5) - NICKS {NI{C}KS*}
    This is an &lit clue.

    ReplyDelete
  31. First of all, I would like to remove the impression that all setters compile puzzles six months ahead of publication and submit them to the paper.

    This is true only of long-time setters.

    G, because of his work culture, steadily sets a bunch a month ever since he started out on the panel - with no glance at the date of publication. Because six of his puzzles don't appear within a calendar month, this gap has formed over the past ten or more years.

    It may vary from composer to composer.

    In the case of newcomers and those who live from hand to mouth (esp. when there are many mouths to feed), the gap may be less.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I disagree with V's classification of the NICKS clue. Nor am I able to see how it is a c/c.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Both the Guardian and the Indie puzzles are available online.

    However, the archives of the I puzzle go back only to 15 days.

    Both can be difficult for beginners but not to most solvers on the forum.

    The Monday puz of the Guardian is at beginners' level so one might start with that.

    A better introduction to UK puzzles would be the FT puz, which again is available for free online. It is not too hard.

    Of course, UK puzzles will have UK references but to an educated person they are not too off-putting.

    My own suggestion would be for you to buy a book of The Guardian (or any other non-US) puzzles and do them leisurely. (If you are married you could buy another copy and give it your wife so she can look at the answers section and help you whenever you need help.)

    ReplyDelete
  34. I am quoted here:

    http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-brandline/article2320150.ece

    See Vox Pop at the end.

    Of course, it's just a part of what I wrote.
    If anyone wants to read the full version, write to me and I will send it.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Thanks to CV and David. The UK references, I think, will require some practice to become familiar. Hopefully I'll keep at it and keep getting better with time.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I agree with the sentiment expressed therein.TV views (be it a serial/film/short play...)should be entertaining and as you rightly say,to an extent removed from the day to day things.Yesterday I saw in a serial the death of a person was shown upto its logical end ( I was almost expecting the person to suddenly jump up!)-I mean till the point of cremation.Should we watch TV for this? And what about any kids watching such things.I shudder to think on those lines.

    If you can send me the full version,I will only be happy to read your article.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Dave

    An Indian couple in the US have developed an app for THC. It is available on the Orkut community as well as FB.

    Yes, it too did not work for a couple of days in July when the paper changed layout but they have fixed it now.

    Please see if The Hindu Crossword app works for you.

    ReplyDelete
  38. PS

    I don't know if it is a phone app. More knowledgeable people in this matter, please inform us.

    ReplyDelete
  39. PS 2

    Dave

    I visited FB where I learn from a message by Gita, my cyberian friend and the host of our first S&B in Chennai, that the THC app works on her iPhone. So it's well worth a try. The app was developed by her relatives. And it so happens that she lives in CA where she and my daughter have since become acquaintances. Gita is a guru for my granddaughter in Bala Vihar in CA (which teaches Indian culture to children born and brought up there).

    ReplyDelete
  40. Thanks CV
    will check out Facebook.
    Not sure when I will get to the crossword tomorrow - I have to collect my mother in law from the airport in the early hours, and then my daughter from the station.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Orkut app created by Chitra/Magesh works fine but the iPhone/iPad app ahs not been fixed for the newer (7/1/11) feed yet. Srini will attend to it after 8/15:

    Gita Iyerposted toSrini Ram
    iPhone/iPad THC app? Was it fixed for the newer Hindu feed, as of 7/1/11?
    26 minutes ago · Like · · See friendship

    Srini Ram Not yet. Too many deadlines to work for + travel. Am planning to work on it after August 15th. Hopefully, should not take more than couple of days.

    ReplyDelete

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