M for Matahari.
ACROSS
1 Hat Maria threw for an Indian sounding female spy (4,4) MATA HARI*
5 Scientist claims to be a French father (6) AMPERE {AM}{PERE}
10 Seas to which spymaster lead an Indian naval ship (5) MAINS {M}{A}{INS}
11 Heard that when a fairy tale character went after a city, it got a timekeeper (9) METRONOME {METRO}{NOME}(~gnome)
13 Most gentle melodist composed, not winning Oscar (7) MILDEST MELoDIST*
15 Sonnet was re-written, after dropping first stanza, by a musical group (5) NONET sONNET*
17 Unbelievable sick government order sent back to an American state (9) ILLOGICAL {ILL}{OG<=}{1}{CAL}
20 Also, Lok Sabha implements… (5) TOOLS {TOO}{LS}
23 American purchase was camouflaged by returning some steak salad (6) ALASKA [T<=]
26 Adamant like a porker, Chief Editor (9) PIGHEADED {PIG}{HEAD}{ED}
28 Gland found in burial place (5) CRYPT [DD]
29 Temporary overdraft American King got was from dawn till end of day (2,4) TO DUSK {T}{O D}{US}{K}
30 Injured doe limps and collapses (8) IMPLODES*
DOWN
1 Mummy, mummy! Bachelor was consumed by a reptile (5) MAMBA {MA}{M{B}A} Clue reminded me of the old Modern Bread ad on the radio:-)
3 Speed shown going around heats (5) HASTE*
4 Shrimps have an edge (3) RIM [T]
6 Take up a second job to get some brightness at night (9) MOONLIGHT [DD]
8 Sees and chats about snail appendages (9) EYESTALKS {EYES}{TALKS}
14 Worm, which is one-tenth of a centipede (9) MILLIPEDE [CD]
15 Dark location for late entertainment (9) NIGHTSPOT{NIGHT}{SPOT}
16 Edentate like a paper tiger (9) TOOTHLESS [DD]
22 Egged to take drug mixed with energy (5) URGED {URG{E}D*}
24 Los Angeles officer went back to a pub (5) LOCAL {LOC}{AL}<=
25 American cars are small three-wheelers in some parts of India (5) AUTOS [DD] Why some parts, they are in all parts on India, like cockroaches.
Nightspots seem to be popular with setters. Mover went there yesterday and Incognito today.
ReplyDeleteNice cartoon for LLTT, Deepak. With just two eyes, we have problems. What if we had many eyes and EYESTALKS ? We would have to disentangle them regularly.
ReplyDeleteM for many - Many Ms today?
ReplyDeleteIncognita getting better and making more and more samosas for the weight conscious.(Those who are conscious of their weight, but mindless about it)
ReplyDeleteNot to worry next week which will have a number of non-samosa days, so all the excess flab can be shed on those days.
DeleteAbove comment posted in Bengali style.
ReplyDeleteAgain involving many Ms in your post?
Delete1A took me to JS days when Ingrid Albequrque (later day Star Dust fame)wrote a series of articles on history's most famous( and infamous) women under the title HERSTORY (in Kishore's style)in the International Women's Year
ReplyDeleteHERSTORY as in Aval Oru Thodarkathai?
DeleteIt was indeed a Thadarkathai for 9 weeks with 9 different characters.Quite informative.
DeleteNice clues esp.19 &29a 6 & 8 d help us brilliantly brings out things news to us.Quite an entertaining puzzle.
ReplyDeleteReg.18d some people may not relish the clue since it might hurt somebody sentimentally
ReplyDeleteWhen doing crosswords, I sometimes fill up an Across entry downwards. I wonder what this disability is called, other than carelessness.
DeleteI don't see what sentiments it will hurt?
Delete12:14 nobodyknowswhatitis syndrome maybe...
Delete25 American cars are small three-wheelers in some parts of India (5) AUTOS [DD] Why some parts, they are in all parts on India, like cockroaches.
ReplyDeleteThe setter probably means that they are called AUTOS in some parts of India, rikshas/rickshaws/autorikshaws etc. in others. In Delhi, they are usually called scooters. I remember a Delhi chappie who had come to Bangalore complaining to me: Arre yaar, pareshaan ho gaya, yahaan ke scooterwale gaadi hi nahi rokte hain.
He had been standing at the kerb shouting 'scooter' to wide eyed glances from passing scooterists.
The ones with the motorbikes in Delhi used to be called 'Phat Phati's'
DeleteA guy asked the Librarian to locate the book, "Phycho, the rapist" for him. After 15 minutes the Librarian came with a book and fired the fellow to learn to pronounce properly and said the book is Psychotherapist. I think CW setters can take a clue from here for setting. (or it might have appeared already in some CW!!)
ReplyDelete8 Sees and chats about snail appendages (9) EYESTALKS {EYES}{TALKS}
ReplyDeleteLifted from Reader's Digest - April 2013, page 38, under the headline: SITE SUICIDE
Every business needs a good website. Make sure your URL doesn't blow it for you, as it did for these companies.
(Travel site) Choose Spain = choosespain.com
(Advice columnist) Benjamin Dover = bendover.com
(Educational site) Teachers Talking = teacherstalking.com
(IT company) IT Scrap = itscrap.com
LOLOLOLOL
DeleteNice to see all is quiet on the western front. You are right about the profusion of the Ms. I was probably reading Dial M for Murder.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Mr Rengaswamy's suggestion, I had penned down a clue on similar lines when the newspapers were full of reports of rapists:
Curer, will get slandered if one leaves a gap after the first three letters (9)
It has been included subsequently in a puzzle which should come somewhere around the end of the year. However, there is no psycho involved in it.