It's one of those days today when the mind is blank. xChequer has me totally floored, not able to make any headway. Sorry for an almost blank CW. A couple of breaks also did not clear my mind.
ACROSS
1 A cricket batting order? (6) INSECT {IN}{SECT}
4 Marked pages in articles ripped apart (8) SCRAPPED {SCRA{P}PED} Pages? APPARENT {A}{PP}{A}{RENT} - See comments
10 Trash pile, rubbish in bad shape (9) SCRAPHEAP {S{CRAP}HEAP*}- See comments
11 Streetwalker wearing a new skirt (5) APRON {A{PRO}N} - See comments
12 Unreasonable limit (7) EXTREME [DD] - See comments
13 Event over, Oscar ceremony’s ending in a grand manner (7) ROYALLY {R{O}{Y}ALLY} - See comments
14 Enjoys insults (4) DIGS [DD] - See comments
15 Corrupt leader at trade union gets busted (10) ADULTERATE {LEADER+AT+TU}*
19 Appropriate pause at end of session does follow (10) COMMANDEER {COMMA}{N}{DEER}
20 Batsman’s first edge possibly bowler’s edge (4) BRIM {B}{RIM}
23 Point combined and developed (7) EMERGED {E}{MERGED}
26 Maybe bend and lock with secure code (7) HAIRPIN {HAIR}{PIN}
27 Express sorrow without energy or reverence (5) PIETY {PI{E}TY} - See comments
28 Ballroom reggae? (9) DANCEHALL [DD] - See comments
29 Ordered a number in demand (8) NEATENED {NE{A}{TEN}ED}
30 Speaks complete sense at first (6) UTTERS {UTTER}{S}
DOWN
1 Seat contested and won by independent as a substitute (7) INSTEAD {IN{SEAT*}D} - See comments
2 Plan huge returns after shaky start (9) STRATAGEM {START*}{AGEM<=}
3 Secret message in rejected photograph referring to a lady (6) CIPHER {CIP<=}{HER}
5 Document copy, part of pair (5) PAPER {P{APE}R} - See comments
6 American carefully considered termination of holiday in New Zealand (8) ANALYZED {ANAL{Y}ZED*} - See comments
7 Recruit limited by will or nerve in retreat (5) ENROL [T<=] - See comments
8 Photographic process, colour, endlessly hyped (7) TINTYPE {TINT}{hYPEd} - See comments
9 Resisted action to circumvent key mission (8) DEFENDED {DE{F}{END}ED}- See comments
16 Nurse gathering energy pierces limb drawing blood (8) LEECHING {LE{ECHIN}G} ? {LE{E{CHI}N}G} - See comments
17 Kite flying near a pole (9) AEROPLANE*
18 Sobers perhaps, having imbibed spirit and ale, ignoring a waterspout (8) GARGOYLE {GAR{GO}Y}{LEa} - See comments
19 Degrade revolutionary writer about article (7) CHEAPEN {CHE}{A}{PEN}
21 Crushes minute fishes (7) MANGLES {M}{ANGLES} - See comments
22 Most comprehensive work in other words (6) WIDEST {W}{ID EST} - See comments
24 Soldiers revolting in each cleansing procedure (5) ENEMA {E{NEM<=}A}
1 Seat contested and won by independent as a substitute (7) IN(STEA*)D
ReplyDelete7 Recruit limited by will or nerve in retreat (5)
ReplyDeleteENROL{T<-}
4 Marked pages in articles ripped apart (8) SCRAPPED {SCRA{P}PED} Pages? APPARENT PAPER* in AN
ReplyDelete10 Trash pile, rubbish in bad shape (9) SCRAPHEAP*
11 Streetwalker wearing a new skirt (5) A(PRO)N
12 Unreasonable limit (7) EXTREME 2
13 Event over, Oscar ceremony’s ending in a grand manner (7) ROYALLY RALLY around O Y
14 Enjoys insults (4) DIGS 2
10 Trash pile, rubbish in bad shape (9) (SCRAP)(HEAP)
ReplyDelete12 Unreasonable limit (7)EXTREME [2]
14 Enjoys insults (4) DIGS [2]
10 Trash pile,// rubbish /in bad shape (9) {S(CRAP)HEAP*}
Deleterubbish CRAP in bad shape (SHAPE*) = SCRAPHEAP (Defn: trash pile)
18D Sobers perhaps, having imbibed spirit and ale, ignoring a waterspout (8)
ReplyDelete{GAR{GO}Y}{(-a)LE}
27A Express sorrow without energy or reverence (5) PI{E}TY
5 Document copy, part of pair (5) P(APE_R
ReplyDelete6 American carefully considered termination of holiday in New Zealand (8) ANALYZED
7 Recruit limited by will or nerve in retreat (5) ENROL <T
8 Photographic process, colour, endlessly hyped (7) TINT hYPEd
9 Resisted action to circumvent key mission (8) DE(LEAD)ED
21 Crushes minute fishes (7)
ReplyDeleteM (ANGLES)
7 Recruit limited by will or nerve in retreat (5) ENROL <=T
ReplyDelete21 Crushes minute fishes (7) M ANGLES
ReplyDelete25 Chief magistrate received money for scam (5) DO(D)GE
28 Ballroom reggae? (9) DANCEHALL ??
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a DD:
Delete1.A building or part of a building with facilities for dancing.
2.A style of dance-oriented reggae, originating in the late 1980s. (Freedict)
8 Photographic process, colour, endlessly hyped (7) {TINT}{h YPE d}
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete22 Most comprehensive work in other words (6) {W}{ID/EST}
6 American carefully considered // termination of holiday in New Zealand (8) ANAL(Y)ZED
ReplyDeleteY in ZEALAND*
I thought American is used to indicate the spelling variant. But z in analyzed is only British, right?
Delete9 Resisted // action / to circumvent key / mission (8){DE(F)(END)ED}
ReplyDelete10 Trash pile, rubbish in bad shape (9) SCRAPHEAP*
ReplyDelete10 Trash pile, rubbish in bad shape (9) (SCRAP)(HEAP)
My anno would be S(CRAP)HEAP*
That's correct. I took it that way while solving but messed up when posting.
DeleteJust like APPARENT was also wrongly analyzed at first
Delete4 Marked pages in articles ripped apart (8) SCRAPPED {SCRA{P}PED} Pages? APPARENT PAPER* in AN
ReplyDeleteCorrect anno= A(PP) A RENT
4 Marked pages in articles ripped apart (8)
ReplyDelete{A{PP}A}{RENT}
Sorry, didn't realise Kishore had posted the correct anno.
DeleteThat's all right. We all have been working parallely and at cross purposes, like ants, but managed to finally crack the whole thing. aut Caesar aut nihil...
DeleteThanks to everyone. I hope I never have one of these days again :-(
ReplyDeleteChin up, Deepak! Cheers!
DeleteI shudder to think hoe you must feel.
That was a typo for 'how'. I was in the same boat a few days back and recovered only around 815 and feverishly tried to set things right.
DeleteI've never had such a bad day. I used to have such days for the Sunday CWs but never this bad.
DeleteThanks for the feedback ( for yesterday's CW). I missed joining you folks on the woman hunt and other adventures. Apologies in advance for polluting Bhala's space with response to yesterday's CW. Will do that after today's is done and dusted
ReplyDelete16 Nurse gathering energy pierces limb drawing blood (8) LEECHING {LE{E(CHI)N}G}
ReplyDeletenurse - CHI
(Chi Eta Phi is a professional association of nurses)
gathering
energy - EN
pierces
limb LEG
LE{E{CHI}N}G
DeleteEN: enrolled nurse
CHI: energy
LEG: limb
I think Chi= Energy ( From Chinese Qi )
DeleteEN= Enrolled Nurse
Sandhya's fingers move faster than anyone can see :)
DeleteAgree with SP and RJ
Delete{LE{E(CHI)N}G} is right; here, EN stands for nurse and CHI for energy. Thanks to Sandhya and RameshJ
DeleteSandhya's fingers move faster than anyone can see :)
ReplyDeleteAnd having writ move on to the next
Nobody can beat you!
DeleteIn the meantime a couple of claps for the setter.
ReplyDelete+2
DeleteMy orkut and fb did not shoe the grid tody too. What about you, Col.?
ReplyDeleteIt did show up in Facebook.
ReplyDeleteHad a Q about 5D : Document copy, part of pair (5)
ReplyDeleteDocument = Defn
Copy = Ape
Part of Pair = PR ? and if so how is containment indicated ?
copy APE
Deletepart of
pair PR
Defn: document P(APE)R
Part of is the containment indicator, PR comes from Pair
DeleteThanks Venkatesh & Col.
DeleteHere, 'part of' is a content indicator.
DeleteSee: http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2009/02/container-and-content-indicators.html
xC,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on having a PANGRAM.
Where's the PANGRAM?
DeleteExcept for Q.
Deleteand V.
DeleteWhere is F?
ReplyDeleteF is in 9Dn DEFENDED
Delete... and J.
Defended. But seriously, not pangram
DeleteJ, K, Q and V are missing
ReplyDeleteFour short of a Pangram. It would be interesting if some clues could be modified to get in the missing letters.
DeleteXYZQ usually turn up, but I usually see J as a trigger to look for a pangram
DeleteFor example, K and V can be worked in by making 19D CLEAVED; 24D EMEER; 29A DARKENED; 27A VEERY
DeleteI suppose Venkatesh meant it is an 'exceptional' PANGRAM ;-)
ReplyDeleteExceptionable!
DeleteWhat xC would have heard a long time ago: tallied subject to a difference of Rs .... :-)
DeleteSeveral good clues today, but enjoyed 19 Ac the most. Particularly, for the way DOES (noun, pl. of DOE) was cloaked to read like a verb.
ReplyDeleteWould it not be deers then?
DeleteThe plural for DEER is DEER.
DeleteThanks Venkatesh
DeleteBut some would say that it's an unfair clue. Had it been Does at the beginning of the sentence it'd have been acceptable. This style ain't generally favored.
DeleteNot sure why you consider it unfair, or which general convention is being referred to. I do try to test my clues for fairness to the solver and thought it passed. If there is a specific issue, will do my best to clarify
DeleteAt a loss for words!! Trying to justify even with a filled grid.
ReplyDeleteOne of the few things I could justify is w.r.to yesterday's discussion about she/ her.3D- 'Referring to a lady' for 'her'.
Today's Metro Plus has two quickies and also a great idea to make money...
ReplyDeleteVery challenging, and after a long time a flawless CW. IMO IN SECT was the best being so aptly worded.
ReplyDeleteNothing novel here. It is a repeat of an Everyman clue which appeared in Sunday THC 2609 on 14.11.2010.
Delete1 - Batting order in cricket, say (6) – {IN}{SECT}
When did Raghunath say it was a novel clue?
DeleteI think it's too much to say the latter example is "a repeat" of an earlier clue.
DeleteI can understand if it is said the wordplay in today's clue was seen earlier.
If a clue appearing in one crossword is the same, word for word, elsewhere, then we can say it is a repeat.
Crossword setters do try to use different word breakups for a given word but sometimes it may not be possible or it may have been simply used again.
For INSECT Gridman's clues so far have been from the very prosaic to tolerable attempts:
5 Spider, mosquito or fly (6)
5 Creepy-crawly about to be featured in inside picture (6)
16 Fly perhaps in group (6)
26 It is of interest to an entomologist (6)
Each different but nothing as good as today's.
Ah, if I'd been aware that a similar wordplay had been used for the same answer, might have done it differently. The word does seem to lend itself to be expressed in that fashion.
DeleteActually, this puzzle had been completed some months back, and in the interim I came across shades of this wordplay in a Buzzer puzzle, leading to the solution 'INFORMATION'. At that time I was debating whether to change before submission, but finally decided to stick with it since the definitions were different. As CV says, it may simply just happen
Bhala, wouldn't it have been better had the clue been written in such a way that question mark was placed after Cricket instead of having it after Batting Order? Well this is a definition by example and hence, IMO, it'd have been more appropriate had there been a question mark after Cricket, which happens to be an example of INSECT.
DeleteIt could be done in different ways for sure. Even without the question mark, it would work. I added the question mark as an indicator for some lateral thinking
DeleteThere's no lateral thinking required for BATTING ORDER. BATTING is IN and ORDER is sect. What's not straight here is the definition part as it's defined the order way around (definition from example). In this game, indicators (here, question mark) are generally placed next to fodder. So had the doubt. I'd have to check.
DeleteAnd BRIM too.
ReplyDeleteResponding to Afterdark's Qs:
ReplyDeleteBrit spelling is ANALYSED and DEER is plural too.
Thanks Raghu
DeleteIn my opinion I would rate this CW as the best since 04 Feb 09, when I started this blog.
ReplyDeleteHigh praise coming from you Col, not sure if I am worthy of it, but thank you very much indeed
DeleteYou are being modest! It was a very interesting and challenging crossword.
DeleteIt was tough crossword without it being obscure. I think you fully deserve Col.'s praise for this effort. Looking fwd to the next scorcher in the month of May.
DeleteNot all words terminating in -ize can be termed as US sp.
ReplyDeleteThere are some words which even in Br Eng end in -ize. E.g., 'fertilize'.
I can't say why!
'Analyze' is US sp, however, and today's setter has indicated it while clueing the word clue though we might expect total avoidance of US spellings in gridfills.
CV, point noted, what I do try to ensure before filling is to see whether the spelling is accepted in standard dictionaries like Chambers, Oxford, Collins. I have deleted many a word that does not conform to this. Also try to make sure that the solver is duly warned.
DeleteTaking away American spellings alone may be a bit of an overkill I feel, and also somewhat selective. If we extend that logic, we should probably not incorporate American usage of words while clueing (or to stretch a point, Australian, Scottish.....). For consistency therefore, I just check if the standard English dictionaries mentioned allow the spelling and usage
As long as it has been indicated, there should be no problem. I'd consider it as a way of speaking rather than an American spelling, as you would with clues involving Spooner, Cockney or a drunk (slurring).
DeleteActually I see no problem even if it is not indicated as long as it there in a Standard Dictionary of English
DeleteI was clean bowled lock, stock and barrel. Lots to learn indeed.
ReplyDeleteVery good crossword, Bhala
ReplyDeleteToo many good clues to name them all here :) Really lovely crossword. Spent well over an hour on this and enjoyed every bit of it. Thankfully it was on a Saturday and could devote the time for this.
ReplyDeleteKishore: On your comments on Mango and its use: I had written earlier to the papers re:Aam Aadmi and Banana Republic; : How the aam aadmi gets a raw deal: aam ke aam gutli ke daam !! with the netas sucking away all the juices and leaving the aam aadmi with a mere gutli !!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY NEW VIJAYA VARSHAM!
ReplyDeleteKishore@10.09- about 2 quickies in today's Metroplus,
ReplyDeleteI should have known better than to take a straight meaning to his comment! By the way, the second quickie is not the way to make money but to regain lost money! (that is what it says anyway!)I am not too sure if it is applicable in India.
Jo paane ke liye kuch khota hai, use Baazigar kehte hain.
DeletePar Punjabi mein jo khota hain, Hindi mein use gadha kehte hain...
Gadha is a donkey?! (Ass in other words?)
DeleteIn Hindi, khota means loses
DeleteIn Punjabi, khota means donkey
as in the fav. cuss Khote da puttar
Time to bring out the dead.
ReplyDeleteRegarding yesterday's unanswered questions
13A Cup with cocain mixed drink (9) CAPUCCINO
I fell into the internet trap here & ended up "inventing" a word. My apologies for not verifying if such a variation really exits. I verfied cocain, but did not do it for the gridfill.
Note to self : Trust the net but verify
25A Scientist’s woman wearing filleted topaz (5) HERTZ
Is woman = her ? I think that is ok. http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2013/04/clueing-really-long-solutions-in.html seems to support it where Female=her is used
Can topaz be filleted ? Good question. I agree with the blog comments. A better choice of subtraction indicator is called for, for this clue to work.
4A Perhaps flying towards the North (8) SCOTSMAN
One of the versions had this as "Perhaps flying towards the North from London". On hindsight, I should have left it there instead of making it more cryptic.
14A Measure the limit of sound (7) MAXWELL
I think this clue works. Max = the limit of. Sound= well
Can sound be well ? As an adjective it seems fine.
For 25A : Can wearing be used to indicate adjacent placement ?
DeleteI think it can. While 'wearing' indicates covering when used with clothes. The same is not true when used with accessories. You wear a watch, a lip stick, an ear ring or glasses.