ACROSS
1 - Remove from power and speak monotonously about the nutty (8) - DETHRONE {D{THE*}RONE}
5 - South Africa rather fair to nature hike (6) - SAFARI {SA}{FAIR*}
10 - A blemish boy said to make out (7) - SUNSPOT (~son){SUN}{SPOT}
11 - Accountant's vehicle parked before a tree (7) - CASCARA {CA'S}{CAR}{A}
12 - We in France leave small label back for chewy stuff (6) - NOUGAT {NOUs}{GAT<-}
13 - Ordered Stuart to take the first step (5,3) - START OUT {STUART+TO}*
15 - Tilt back the bulb (4) - LEEK <-
16 - Gone flat ? A driving problem when a stepney is needed
(5,1,4) - BURST A TYRE [CD]
18 and 4 dn. - What an office boss might tell his steno less
expansively (4,1,5,4) - TAKE A BRIEF NOTE [CD]
20 - Mistake a number leaving church area (4) - APSE lAPSE
23 - Move quickly away from home to landing area (8) - OUTSTRIP {OUT}{STRIP}
24 - Which in a balloon won't make it 1 dn. (3,3) - HOT AIR [CD]
28 - Youth means determinedly to be a positive guy (3-3) - YES-MAN {Y}{ES-MAN*}
29 - Break out after cur? (8) - FRACTURE*
DOWN
1 - Such a balloon won't go up! (15) - DISINFLATIONARY [CD]
3 - Formally withdraw toll applied to engineers (6) - REPEAL {RE}{PEAL}
4 - See 18 ac.
6 - “Old inhabitant of Nineveh,” Rani says, “collapsed” (8) - ASSYRIAN*
7 - Gray topic? (7) - ANATOMY [GK]
8 - Ancient ruler — I haven't figured out. Very bad! (4,3,8) - IVAN THE TERRIBLE {IVAN THE*} {TERRIBLE}
9 - SIT ceases to produce raptures (9) - ECSTASIES*
14 - They go down digging (9) - QUARRIERS [CD]
17 - Disney film buff takes time over the continent (8) - FANTASIA {FAN}{T}{ASIA}
19 - Gear-cases? (7) - KITBAGS [CD]
21 - Tableland where Paul, in a reel, consumes beverage (7) - PLATEAU {PLA{TEA}U*}
22 - U.S. writer all but correct in rhyme (6) - POETIC {POE}{TICk}
25 - Stimulate most of the sudden growth (4) - SPUR [DD]
27 - Fuss about British vegetable (7) - POTHERB {POTHER}{B} Pother is a new word for me
ReplyDeleteI was also familiar only with Potter, which is what I generally do..
Regarding the cartoon for 24, I would like to buy one, since I usually generate quite a bit of hot air ;-)
16 - Gone flat ? A driving problem when a stepney is needed (5,1,4) - BURST A TYRE [CD]
Reminded me of one of Deepak's CBE trips.
3D- took the meaning of 'toll' as tax and got sidetracked. Probably that was what Gridman expected some of us to do?
ReplyDelete10A Is a sunspot a blemish? I do not think so. Unless the setter is referring to something cancerous.
ReplyDeletePop corn fan?!
ReplyDeleteSuresh,
ReplyDeleteSunspot is a blemish on the sun,not on the skin.Am I right?
A sunspot is just a cooler area on the sun. I cannot see it as a blemish or imperfection in any way at all. A sunspot also means a cancerous spot caused by excessive exposure to the sun.
DeleteWonder what Gridman meant.
I suppose it's a poetic take on things, just like how some people refer what are essentially lava-flow plains to be blemishes obstructing the pure 'white' face of the Moon.
DeleteLoved the cartoon on the economy.
ReplyDeleteBoth meanings are given here (incl.specifically cancerous like you mentioned)
ReplyDeletehttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sunspot
I thought, DISINFLATIONARY means the Economics word, to denote, lack of price rise. DEFLATION is taking air out of balloon.
ReplyDeleteI thought DISINFLATIONARY is the Economics word for lack of price rise. Here, DEFLATION is correct word.
ReplyDeleteSorry! Not RISE. It should be raise.
ReplyDeleteHi I am new to crosswords and this blog. I use this blog's annotations to learn of the various tricks that Gridman uses to confuse readers. Today, two clues are still unclear to me. Perhaps someone can help?
ReplyDelete10 A - SUNSPOT -- If Sun(son) is derived Boy said to from what significance does the clue part "make out" have in this?
27 A - Does Pother mean fuss?
Sridhar ji,
Delete10 - A blemish boy said to make out (7) - SUNSPOT (~son){SUN}{SPOT}
said means 'Homophone', here 'Boy said' means Homophone for SON is SUN
'to make out' means SPOT
27 - Fuss about British vegetable (7) - POTHERB
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pother
Enjoy :)
A little learning is a dangerous thing;
drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring
- DP
Sridhar,
DeleteDP has answered your queries.
Just for your info, normally links to meanings of uncommon words, in my opinion, are provided in the main post. Any word which you find underlined in the main post (except ACROSS and DOWN) has an embedded link which will take you to an explanation/meaning for that particular word.
Oops! 10 A should read as -- SUNSPOT - If Sun(son) is derived from "Boy said to", what significance ....
ReplyDeleteBlemish - A small mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something.(TFD)
DeleteNow, we have to find a suitable meaning for this word using the cryptic clue.
Let's see how cryptic this is.
Boy is also called Son
said = an indicator for "sounds like"
Son sounds like SUN
to make out = SPOT
Hence SUNSPOT is the right meaning for blemish in this context
DP, Deepak and David - Thanks a lot!
ReplyDelete