At the risk of sounding flippant, this puzzle was mostly a write in. On the plus side it was easy and there seemed to be a mini theme of sorts with geographical places appearing in some clues. I particularly liked 17D for its nice surface and wordplay even though Trust means Rely On, not just Rely. On the flip side, some of the surfaces don't mean much which some people (read me) may not like.
ACROSS
7 Revolutionary in tears brings out the torchbearers of the society (8) TEACHERS (CHE inside TEARS)
9 Possessing gin won in wrestling (6) OWNING (GIN WON)*
10 A form of entertainment from Illinois in frequency modulation (4) FILM (IL inside FM)
11 Bowmen roar excitedly for tissue that produces red blood cells (4,6) BONE, MARROW (BOWMEN ROAR)*
12 A female revenue inspector and chartered accountant get to the south of Mediterranean Sea (6) AFRICA (A F R I CA)
14 Inclination to capture back a hiding place at Cyprus (8) TENDENCY (NET>= + DEN + CY)
15 Choose to reform pilferer without the Italian (6) PREFER (PilFERER)*
16 Trades with German leader for short time and assigns a rank (6) GRADES (TRADES with G for T)
19 Bengali, reportedly tense, to get the judgment of conviction (8) SENTENCE (SEN + ~TENSE)
21 General keeps out from using glycerine for shedding tears (6) CRYING (GlYCeRINe)*
23 Peons fared poorly for someone with a severe auditory impairment (4,6) DEAF,PERSON (PEONS FARED)*
24 Ground forces depicted in popular myths (4) ARMY (T)
25 South Carolina man and setter make an elaborate and systematic plan of action (6) SCHEME (SC + HE + ME)
26 King beheaded theist for backup man (8) RELIEVER (R +bELIEVER)
DOWN
1 Faith of both Priest and Earl in Burkina Faso (6) BELIEF (ELI + E inside B F)
2 Surreptitious camera uncovering a fraudulent business scheme (4) SCAM (T)
3 A thin pliable sheet provided by bubbly barmen in Middle East (8) MEMBRANE (BARMEN* inside M E)
4 Company operating with Frenchmen in the middle is not rare (6) COMMON (CO + ON outside M M)
5 Funny idler turns hostile (10) UNFRIENDLY (FUNNY IDLER)*
6 Reforms free cons and ensures observance of laws and rules (8) ENFORCES (FREE CONS)*
8 An assembly having legislative powers sends Lawrence after Indian armed force (6) SENATE (SENA + TE)
13 I’d brought round definite change and established who I am (10) IDENTIFIED (I'D + DEFINITE*)
15 Falsely repent before Church — that is an unsupportable quality (8) PRETENCE (REPENT* + CE)
17 Trust accepted some money not so long ago (8) RECENTLY (RELY outside CENT)
18 Crone brings in small changes to someone who suppresses what is considered obscene (6) CENSOR (CRONE* outside S)
20 Required editors supporting north-east (6) NEEDED (NE + ED + ED)
22 Not showing any feeling in front of queen to enumerate (6) NUMBER (NUMB + ER)
24 Anglers regularly ignored for a prolonged period of time (4) AGES (AnGlErS)
ACROSS
7 Revolutionary in tears brings out the torchbearers of the society (8) TEACHERS (CHE inside TEARS)
9 Possessing gin won in wrestling (6) OWNING (GIN WON)*
10 A form of entertainment from Illinois in frequency modulation (4) FILM (IL inside FM)
11 Bowmen roar excitedly for tissue that produces red blood cells (4,6) BONE, MARROW (BOWMEN ROAR)*
12 A female revenue inspector and chartered accountant get to the south of Mediterranean Sea (6) AFRICA (A F R I CA)
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15 Choose to reform pilferer without the Italian (6) PREFER (P
16 Trades with German leader for short time and assigns a rank (6) GRADES (TRADES with G for T)
19 Bengali, reportedly tense, to get the judgment of conviction (8) SENTENCE (SEN + ~TENSE)
21 General keeps out from using glycerine for shedding tears (6) CRYING (G
23 Peons fared poorly for someone with a severe auditory impairment (4,6) DEAF,PERSON (PEONS FARED)*
24 Ground forces depicted in popular myths (4) ARMY (T)
25 South Carolina man and setter make an elaborate and systematic plan of action (6) SCHEME (SC + HE + ME)
26 King beheaded theist for backup man (8) RELIEVER (R +
DOWN
1 Faith of both Priest and Earl in Burkina Faso (6) BELIEF (ELI + E inside B F)
2 Surreptitious camera uncovering a fraudulent business scheme (4) SCAM (T)
3 A thin pliable sheet provided by bubbly barmen in Middle East (8) MEMBRANE (BARMEN* inside M E)
4 Company operating with Frenchmen in the middle is not rare (6) COMMON (CO + ON outside M M)
5 Funny idler turns hostile (10) UNFRIENDLY (FUNNY IDLER)*
6 Reforms free cons and ensures observance of laws and rules (8) ENFORCES (FREE CONS)*
8 An assembly having legislative powers sends Lawrence after Indian armed force (6) SENATE (SENA + TE)
13 I’d brought round definite change and established who I am (10) IDENTIFIED (I'D + DEFINITE*)
15 Falsely repent before Church — that is an unsupportable quality (8) PRETENCE (REPENT* + CE)
17 Trust accepted some money not so long ago (8) RECENTLY (RELY outside CENT)
18 Crone brings in small changes to someone who suppresses what is considered obscene (6) CENSOR (CRONE* outside S)
20 Required editors supporting north-east (6) NEEDED (NE + ED + ED)
22 Not showing any feeling in front of queen to enumerate (6) NUMBER (NUMB + ER)
24 Anglers regularly ignored for a prolonged period of time (4) AGES (A
Was a simple one today. Yesterday was much tougher. Between the two, I think I ( now ? ) prefer the tougher one. I did not get all yesterday. But every clue that I got I was happy getting it.
ReplyDelete+1. Couldn't agree more. It's in the challenge that the pleasure lies.
DeleteAgree with Bhavan's preamble on top. Could get almost all answers at first look.
ReplyDeleteABCDE : Mon/Tue showcased great ........
ReplyDeleteOppose Nicaraguan rebel on the way (8)
contra st
Delete:)
DeleteTester is sweet again. This is the 2nd THC I could crack completely. Both from Tester. Could not get anno for 8D, TE for Lawrence.
ReplyDeleteThomas Edward Lawrence
DeleteLawrence of Arabia
Pl. refer Bhavan's link for TE.
ReplyDeleteEasy walk through- no samosas for even 100%.
Liked 5D though an anagram- for the choice of words- funny,turns,hostile-anything could be an Anind.
Ramesh, where does Nicaraguan(contra?) enter into ABCDE?
Yes,got it confirmed with Wiki about the rebels. Thank you for telling me something new.
ReplyDeleteI think that the definition words in the clues were elaborate today making it very clear as to what is meant at first look itself. That made the puzzle easier. E.g. 7A, 11A, 23A, 25A, 2D, 3D, 8D, 18D etc. To add to it, when you throw in a fair share of anagrams, it simplifies further. However, I am not complaining (:))!
ReplyDelete+1.
DeleteMaking up for yesterday:
ReplyDeleteHeartless duel usually seen in black and white (10) .r.....r..
hmm..
DeleteHeartless duel usually seen in black and white (10) .r.s...r..
crosswords?
Delete:) Duel = Cross Swords , Heartless makes it Crosswords
DeleteIs it easy or hard to write easy clues?
ReplyDeleteIs it easy or hard to write hard clues?
Questions to ponder!
Anyway, any crossword is likely to have more charades than any other clue type.
Occasionally I have analysed crosswords by clue-type and posted my notes on my blog. I may have sent my Comments privately to aspiring setters.
As for having a variety, I think it must be a conscious effort while writing clues. Most lights at a glance may yield themselves for breakups for charade or c/c and the setter may proceed to write clues of those types. Unless he consciously thinks of some other type that he can use. A whole anagram? A charade with a partial anag? A charade with a foreign component? A charade with a single letter/double letter abbr.? Full reversal? Reversal of at least a part? Palindromic? Whole word homophone? A partial homophone? Telescopic? Maybe a rare graphic or illustrative? Why not an allusive? Nothing works? Then the hated straightforward or GK as it is called! Why not a FITB? Yes, fill in the blank! Can I dredge a poetic line from my memory and go in for a quotational? Unless there are such conscious queries by the setter within himself with a view to impart clue-type variety, one might have a preponderance of a particular type whether they are anagrams or any other.
I am not saying that a crossword must necessarily have a clever mix of clue-types but it is an ideal - a consummation devoutly to be wished for.
I can't analyse a bunch of puzzles all by myself - a lot of work is involved. And typing! It will be a good idea if someone or the other analyses a single puzzle of a setter, each analyser taking one crossword of a different setter. Perhaps the setter who is a visitor here can take up a single crossword of his and analyse his own puzzle by clue-type and post his findings here. A one-time exercise taking a single puzzle of a setter. No time limit - can be done leisurely.
That was Chaturvasi,the handle Rishi appearing unintentionally. I have to find out where and how that name showed up.
ReplyDeleteEasy one today, no doubt. Will take these along with some of the other tougher ones like yesterday's as they provide variety.
ReplyDeleteApart from the number of anagrams (10 out of 28), I felt clues like 16A could be made more challenging (using alternate words for Trades) rather than giving most of the answer away.
Yes, the easy goes with the hard.
ReplyDeleteWhile many separately and together may say a particular crossword is 'too easy', there are puzzles which may be classified as easy by some and hard by others depending upon the theme/an other reason/periodical carrying the puzzle.
While there is no problem in a puzzle being easy or hard, certainly we must frown if a clue is wrong or is carelessly written with no regard to grammar or surface.
I think no puzzle is inherently tough or easy.
ReplyDeleteLevel of difficulty is more a solver's than a setter's thing. For some people no crossword is tough. Well I heard that hardcore solvers - the ones that enter competitions and all - complete an entire 15 x 15 puzzle in 8 minutes or less. So what's tough for them? And a relatively inexperienced solver with limited vocabulary might take ages to complete a so-called easy one (like today's).
+1
DeleteAgree with VJ above. Some of us enjoy solving an easier CW sometimes, specially after a tougher one, like yesterday.
ReplyDeleteNo samosas, butI was glad - didn't have time in the morning, so was happy to wrap this up quickly now!
Have a good evening, everyone!