Was expecting Mover or Incognito today, so surprised to see Sankalak. True to his style, there isn't much to complain about here. A pleasant solve.
ACROSS
1 A static nation so troubled by command to get ready for battle (6,8) ACTION,STATIONS (STATIC NATION SO)*
8 Creature’s network for a cold old boy we begin baiting (6) COBWEB (C+OB+WE+B)
9 Printing material that may appear right for change (3,5) ART,PAPER (APPEAR + RT)*
11 Mineral that gives TV shows quality (9) SOAPSTONE (SOAPS + TONE)
12 Food seasoning article containing unknown trace of mineral (5) THYME (THE outside Y & M)
13 Respectable behaviour of two-hundred needy characters (7) DECENCY (CC + NEEDY)*
15 Old actor James who had a beginning around east and west (7) STEWART (START outside E & W)
17 Illness noticed in frail men typically (7) AILMENT (T)
19 Gene Kelly might have worn one (3,4) TAP,SHOE (GK)
21 The measure of a young creature with it (5) CUBIT (CUB + IT)
23 Bandit led astray in a social engagement with an unknown (5,4) BLIND,DATE (BANDIT LED)*
25 Decorated material that a girl returned to worker, oriental (8) DIAMANTE (MAID<= + ANT + E)
26 Backing dear ones at home to assume a substitute role (4,2) STEP,IN (PETS<= + IN)
27 Waugh’s work, or Gibbon’s? (7,3,4) DECLINE,AND,FALL (DD)
DOWN
1 Hated, lost right and was charged with an offence (7) ACCUSED (ACCUrSED)
2 Instrument providing a bit of beat in a rhythmic cycle (5) TABLA (B inside TALA)
3 Gesture of respect can, in a church, be so curious (9) OBEISANCE (IN A CE BE SO)*
4 Unpleasantly warm for the French putting on airs (7) AIRLESS (LES inside AIRS)
5 Feedstock for the computer (5) INPUT (E)
6 Baby’s irritation makes harpy snap unjustly (5,4) NAPPY,RASH (HARPY SNAP)*
7 Stop others following upset artist (6) ARREST (REST after RA<=)
10 Reproduce what is sent in by the correspondent (4) COPY (DD)
14 Observe opening of expo after ordering bracelet (9) CELEBRATE (BRACELET* + E)
16 Hastened to reduce expenses and prepared for broadcast (9) EXPEDITED (EXP + EDITED)
17 Covered passage providing an area to accommodate discourteous man (6) ARCADE (ARE outside CAD)
18 Engineer escorted by a giant one from Lhasa, say (7) TIBETAN (BE inside TITAN)
19 Shadow of an appendage (4) TAIL (DD)
20 In the east, rental adjustment is forever (7) ETERNAL (E + RENTAL)*
22 Net for fish, immature, in extremes of travail (5) TRAWL (RAW inside TravaiL)
24 Foremost of Greek characters (5) ALPHA (E)
ACROSS
1 A static nation so troubled by command to get ready for battle (6,8) ACTION,STATIONS (STATIC NATION SO)*
8 Creature’s network for a cold old boy we begin baiting (6) COBWEB (C+OB+WE+B)
9 Printing material that may appear right for change (3,5) ART,PAPER (APPEAR + RT)*
11 Mineral that gives TV shows quality (9) SOAPSTONE (SOAPS + TONE)
15 Old actor James who had a beginning around east and west (7) STEWART (START outside E & W)
17 Illness noticed in frail men typically (7) AILMENT (T)
19 Gene Kelly might have worn one (3,4) TAP,SHOE (GK)
23 Bandit led astray in a social engagement with an unknown (5,4) BLIND,DATE (BANDIT LED)*
25 Decorated material that a girl returned to worker, oriental (8) DIAMANTE (MAID<= + ANT + E)
27 Waugh’s work, or Gibbon’s? (7,3,4) DECLINE,AND,FALL (DD)
DOWN
1 Hated, lost right and was charged with an offence (7) ACCUSED (ACCU
2 Instrument providing a bit of beat in a rhythmic cycle (5) TABLA (B inside TALA)
4 Unpleasantly warm for the French putting on airs (7) AIRLESS (LES inside AIRS)
5 Feedstock for the computer (5) INPUT (E)
6 Baby’s irritation makes harpy snap unjustly (5,4) NAPPY,RASH (HARPY SNAP)*
7 Stop others following upset artist (6) ARREST (REST after RA<=)
10 Reproduce what is sent in by the correspondent (4) COPY (DD)
14 Observe opening of expo after ordering bracelet (9) CELEBRATE (BRACELET* + E)
16 Hastened to reduce expenses and prepared for broadcast (9) EXPEDITED (EXP + EDITED)
17 Covered passage providing an area to accommodate discourteous man (6) ARCADE (ARE outside CAD)
18 Engineer escorted by a giant one from Lhasa, say (7) TIBETAN (BE inside TITAN)
19 Shadow of an appendage (4) TAIL (DD)
20 In the east, rental adjustment is forever (7) ETERNAL (E + RENTAL)*
22 Net for fish, immature, in extremes of travail (5) TRAWL (RAW inside T
24 Foremost of Greek characters (5) ALPHA (E)
Nice one from Sankalak. Ref to Stewart reminded me of The Man who knew too much and Doris Day's Que Sera Sera. Also reminded me of Hank's comment on hearing that the French eat snails:
ReplyDeleteLast summer our garden was overrun with snails. We tried everything but could not get rid of them. We never thought of using a Frenchman
(from memory, subject to correction)
Here is the actual quote:
ReplyDeleteIf you ever get hungry, our garden back home is full of snails. We tried everything to get rid of them. We never thought of a Frenchman!
Did you hear of a patient who happened to swallow a dictionary?
DeleteThe doctors couldn't get a word out of him!
I thought he'd have verbal diary,ha!
DeleteIt is not for nothing that you are being worshipped here as the official pun-dit...
Deletei LOVE Sankalak. but for 3 i managed to finish the THC. yay!! i deserve a drink but i got to work...good day all :D
ReplyDeleteonly 3 gone phut, tri gaya?
DeleteKishore at his best, devi can't complain
DeleteOf course, with his devi-lish sense of humour.
DeleteBhavan
ReplyDeleteAs I said the other day, the cyclic order of the setters, with which we were once so familiar, appears to have gone for a toss now.
Who are the setters on the panel at present? What is the order? What is each one's quota? Has anyone dropped out? Are there any new entrants on the horizon?
We can only keep guessing!
You are right. There is no use looking for a method in this ...
DeleteOne of the cycles was Sankalak, Gridman,Anitya, Neyartha, Buzzer, Scintillator, Arden, Mover, Incognito and Textrous. This run it seemed to be going along those lines until Textrous appeared right after Arden.
Confusing yes, but I suppose its good in a way, not knowing what to expect each morning.
Where does one fit in Cryptonyte, the deliverer of a sneaky personal message to his beloved? What happened to Anitya? Where is Spiffytrix gone? Of course, it is quite some time since the non-appearance of NJ and Manna.
ReplyDeleteTo think that in the early decades it was just one lone hand who was giving the puzzle to us anonymously day in and day out. No Twitter, no Facebook, no social networking sites to bruit about about one's puzzle having been uploaded.
Working professionals can't be expected to give puzzles at any high frequency. At the most, one or two puzzles a month. That means there must be more number of setters to keep the pot boiling but then setting is not quite a universal occupation: a setter may be an expert solver but an expert solver may not have the capacity to turn into a setter.
New crosswords don't seem to last long: firstpost crossword is static at No. 77 - after which no fresh puzzle has been put up.
Mint has a weekly crossword but whether the small 11x11 grid with fewer entries can last a commute from Chennai Central station to Basin Bridge is doubtful while the Deccan Chronicle's weekly jumbo may have to be carried home at the end of the journey to finish it late in the night.
Why bother about cycles other than exercising ones, what with no cycle lanes. Unless of course you belong to the Telugu Desam Party, whose symbol is the cycle.
DeleteRe 11 x 11s and jumbos, some 15 x 15s can take several days to finish, like the Guardian Genius.
DC's weekly jumbo is fairly simple & fast (with many frequent repetitions)- also, a quickie (literally)and not a cryptic. The only other good one is from TOI on Sunday,which you said is by former IE setter.
ReplyDeleteA request not to remind about NJ & Manna since we seem to have successfully forgotten about them. At least as far as THC is concerned.
As Bhavan said, let us be ready for a surprise as long as it is a pleasant one!
Today's crossword not a disaster for me unlike yesterday's
ReplyDeleteMy view of the crossword:
Worshiped being, with natural log carved out, is re-installed and spruced up. (4)
I always love sankalaks. Good one.able to finish except for 3.
ReplyDeleteI always love sankalaks. Good one.able to finish except for 3.
ReplyDelete26 a - Related to today's NIE Across 1 Tramples relative underfoot? (7) - STEPSON
ReplyDeleteWhy no comments on such nice cartoons? I had problem opening it (blind?) till now. Maybe, a few would have had the same problem.
ReplyDeleteIf it does not open refresh the page. It works
DeleteYes . excellent cartoons and I am able to open all!
Delete