Zipped through this one today.
ACROSS
ACROSS
1 - Fake seers approved secret listeners (13) - EAVESDROPPERS*
9 - Faction with point of differentiation that is questionable (7) - SUSPECT {S{USP}{ECT}
10 - Rent fuss causing a storm (7) - TORNADO {TORN}{ADO}
12 - Notice Fed issued on going over to the other side (9) - DEFECTION*
13 - Messy attic rearranged and made orderly (10) - SYSTEMATIC*
15 - Alternate boot disc for the audio system? (4) - OTIC bOoTdIsC
17 - Right, is king in danger? (4) - RISK {R}{IS}{K}
19 - Alcoholic beverage consumed with hesitation gives freedom (10) - LIBERATION {LIB{ER}ATION}
22 - This will tell how much was achieved — 20? 100? A royal 500? (9) - SCORECARD {SCORE}{C}{A}{R}{D}
24 - Fool abducting student twice (5) - DUPLE {DUP{L}E}
25 - Lace doctor's drink (7) - ENTWINE {ENT}{WINE}
26 - Fast paced activity taking turn in bidding (7) - AUCTION {A{U}CTION}
27 - Seasoned thief prepared well to be in no danger (2,3,4,4) - ON THE SAFE SIDE*
DOWN
2 - Helps a ship first with direction (7) - ASSISTS {A}{SS}{I'ST}{S}
3 - Look at ship's make-up? (8) - EYELINER {EYE}{LINER}
4 - Went out with ex (5) - DATED [DD]
5 - Dismissed for a duck, almost throws recklessly at English. Completely inappropriate (3,2,4) - OUT OF LINE {OUT}{O}{F LINg}{E}
6 - Quiet one but snappy on plagiarism (6) - PIRACY {P}{I}{RACY}
8 - Partnership causing worry about partner's hip? (5,7) - JOINT CONCERN {JOINT} {CONCERN}
9 - Women of the cloth in mass see trees differently (12) - SEAMSTRESSES* We are an 'S' short with an extra 'E' in the Anagram fodder. Or is it because of a typo of 'trees' instead of 'tress'
14 - Armies tan in battle; they make things lively (9) - ANIMATERS*
16 - Bolts should have head of duralumin and not lead for enclosures (8) - PADDOCKS {PAD{-l+d}DOCKS}
18 - Silence! Nothing's right, net returns should be cut (7) - SHORTEN {SH}{O}{R}{TEN<-}
20 - Meant that the little devil fibbed (7) - IMPLIED {IMP}{LIED}
21 - Taste of mackerel is heavenly (6) - RELISH [T]
23 - Battle between daughter and female — a short one (5) - DWARF {D}{WAR}{F}
The p word seems to be the flavour of the season. Apart from 6d here today, ET 5064 today has:
ReplyDelete10 The game plagiarists play? (8)
Ditto. Finished quite quickly today. Liked the clues for SUSPECT, TORNADO, LIBERATION, DATED, RELISH
ReplyDeleteReally loved the wordplay in this clue from today's Hindustan Times :
ReplyDeleteWhat you need to spell BAD? Given up? (9)
Quick one today but nevertheless fun!
ReplyDeleteLiked liberation, dwarf, auction and suspect
Re: Seamstresses, it was indeed a typo from the paper's side.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tony. In line with suspicions.
ReplyDeleteLiked use of 'Women of cloth...'
Maybe Ramadhyani's comment on Kingfisher airlines kept me from the right answer to 8D till the end.
ReplyDeleteSuresh, ;-). Going concern, growing concern, going, gone...
ReplyDeleteThe huge and obvious anagrams made the puzzle easy. Very good puzzle, especially coming after the pain yesterday.
ReplyDelete8D is very funny. Just one grouse in 9A: 'With' as a containment indicator. I was looking for a charade...
I have a doubt about 8D-
ReplyDeleteWhy partner's in the middle?
worry-concern
hip- joint
Oh! Is it the breakup of "partners-hip"?
What is the problem with 'with' as a containment indicator, Sudalamani?
ReplyDeleteSuresh, ;-). Going concern, growing concern, going, gone..
ReplyDeleteI hope it is not gone till this month end. I am flying on them to Bangalore.
Agree with Suresh. "with" meaning having or possessing is fine as a containment indicator.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to nitpick I'd ask:
25A if ENT means a doctor. Isn't it a department in a hospital?
5D will "almost throws recklessly" give FLIN(-g) or FLING(-s) ?
Hmmm... Will take that statement back ;) Said so as I was looking for a charade...
ReplyDeleteJust read through yesterday's comments. Looks increasingly like Arden is one of the Dobsons ;) Did have an inkling sometime back. Native Indians may not use DEE, LE HAVRE, OKINAWA etc with ease in xwds. Not to mention the unheard-of pseudonym.
Also to answer Navneeth: Feynman used that algo for physics problems and not crosswords! If thinking hard and writing it down is all that is there, we do not need a solving blog at all.
Simple puzzle today. Thanks Tony
ReplyDeleteEminently solvable but lacked zing! I mean take 9A for eg: what does this sentence mean apart from just being a collection of words!
ReplyDeletesorry meant 9D
ReplyDeleteI hope it is not gone till this month end. I am flying on them to Bangalore.
ReplyDeleteOptions:
a. If gone before VTZ dep
b. If gone before BLR dep
c. If gone either way enroute
d. None of the above
Hope for d but pack your chute.
@Bhala
ReplyDeleteI quite liked the link up between women of the cloth ( female priests) and mass. I do admit the end is a bit convoluted but I can forgive that due to the earlier clever wordplay.
Really enjoyed this one, although it was pretty easy ..
ReplyDeleteLiked 19D a lot: at first glance, was listing the ones I drink :) Good its Friday already ...
@David 11:42
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I'm probably nitpicking (not seeing the forest for the trees!)
@Bhala There's a typo in the clue, it should read "tress" instead of "trees". I was getting at women of the cloth having to cover hair in a mass but I guess it got lost somewhere :)
ReplyDeleteIn yesterday's puzzle by ARDEN-- Did any one notice a wrong cluing? I didn't find any one complaining?
ReplyDeleteLook at 11 Across: The flea doctor had pain(7) DAPHNID and now look at 4 down:Walk a little, covering the base(6) ALKALI-- here , it becomes ALKADI ,if 11 across is correct.
Unpardonable error for a compiler-- an arduous job it was from ARDEN.Almost caused 18 down-- EMBOLISM due to this 5 down-- ALLERGEN, was almost to 6 down- CHICKEN OUT- made 19 across of my grey cells -- NOODLES
Raju,
ReplyDelete1A is DAPHNIA (anagram 0f had =+ pain) and not DAPHNID
Also to answer Navneeth: Feynman used that algo for physics problems and not crosswords!
ReplyDeleteWell, if it can be applied to something comparatively harder as physics, then why not crosswords?
If thinking hard and writing it down is all that is there, we do not need a solving blog at all.
Well, until a few years ago, no one did. ;-) And actually, one doesn't necessarily need it either. (No offence meant, Colonel.)
Good one Kishore
ReplyDeleteCol., if you zipped through this puzzle, wait till you see today's - you are going to be done before you even realize you had started!!
ReplyDelete