Keep Billowing, xChequer !
DOWN
ACROSS
1 Cocktail, iced, dispensed in Hong Kong possibly (7) SIDECAR (ICED* in SAR=Specially Administered Region, like HK)
Remembered Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
5 Consequently accepted managerial qualification restriction (7) EMBARGO (ERGO accepts MBA)
9 Formal document of privileges covering a club card (9) CHARACTER (CHARTER covering A C)
10 Convincing force of argument for one about to pursue record (5) LOGIC (1 C pursuing LOG)
You must trust my logic on this anno
11 Out-and-out scholar ran tutorial houses (6) ARRANT (T)
12 Pulled up second edition, binding no longer fresh (7) SCOLDED (S ED binding COLD)
I once had to scold my socks
14 Spoils life situation without love (4) LOOT (LOT without=outside O)
15 Obsession with one working aspect (10) COMPLEXION (COMPLEX 1 ON)
Ref. cartoon below
19 Flourished, unique identity overcoming ruin at a point (10) BRANDISHED (BRAND overcoming DISH(=ruin) E)
20 Facts a bit contrary (4) DATA (A TAD<)
22 Way stores freely give a holy text (3,4) RIG VEDA (RD=road stores GIVE*,A)
Not only veda, we even rig elections
25 Bedraggled unit collapsed, definitely lacking guts (6) UNTIDY (UNIT* DefinitelY)
27 Trace element in geologic core (5) TINGE (T)
28 Upset, furiously burst in, departed (9) DISTURBED ((BURST* in DIED) Typo corrected
29 Long-established mysterious group (4-3) DEEP SET (DEEP=mysterious SET)
30 Right exit to go back (7) REGRESS (R EGRESS=exit)
DOWN
1 Groom, say, refusing a church (4) SYCE (SaY CE)
2 Attack repulsed, a hero knocked up the runs (9) DIARRHOEA (RAID< AHERO*)
When you periodically run for the throne
3 Perhaps tie and whip half-raving prisoner (6) CRAVAT (CAT=whip having RAVing prisoner)
4 Cycles from Central Station complex (9) ROTATIONS (fROm STATION)*
5 Observers described royal circuit courts (5) EYRES (EYES describing R)
6 Inflated charge is outstanding (8) BILLOWED (BILL OWED)
7 Rapidly spread fashion died (5) RAGED (RAGE D)
8 Unplanned outsourcing primarily replaced a person from the West (10) OCCIDENTAL (ACCIDENTAL-A+O)
Would a Westernised Oriental Gentleman qualify?
13 Worked out at length, filled with joy, filled with wind (10) ELABORATED (ELATED filled with BORA)
16 A sign of something coming before it appears on the computer screen (9) PRECURSOR (PRE CURSOR)
17 Bombed a building, somewhat short echo not heard (9) INAUDIBLE (A BUILDINg E)*
18 Unoccupied head’s state of inactivity (8) IDLENESS (IDLE NESS=head)
21 Threaded ends of short crosspiece (6) STRUNG (ShorT RUNG)
23 Grade beginner before granting admission to new class (5) GENRE (G ERE granting admission to N)
24 Inspect underground opening to check shaft (5) AUDIT (U in ADIT)
26 Poems on desk left unfinished (4) ODES (On DESk) See comments
26 Poems on desk left unfinished (4) ODES (O DESk)
ReplyDeleteTook this as {O(-n)}{DES(-k)}
Works better this way. Otherwise On=O may not be accepted.
DeleteCrossword - :)
ReplyDeleteCartoon - :P
Excellent, Xchequer!
ReplyDeleteAlways have a Q re abbreviations. E for echo. Is it in Chambers Xwd book of abbrs?
Re anno for 26D. I think O is from O(-n). Is it a typo in the anno?
Sorry. Didn't see Sandhya's post.
DeleteE for echo. Is it in Chambers Xwd book of abbrs?
DeletePhonetic alphabet: Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo ...
It is in XWD - that means it would also be in that long list.
DeleteWhich one our setter relies upon, I don't know.
Let me hasten to add that while XWD is respected by setters, many of the abbrs. there would be the ones used in what are called 'advanced cryptics' such as Azed, Genius, Mephisto, etc.
But wherever they are used, the question is: is it a valid, generally acceptable abbr.? Kishore above has said where E for Echo comes from.
Finally, let me add that the long list put up on the Internet may have been augmented indiscriminately by others later. So circumspection is needed when referring to it.
While solving I usually refer to Chambers and crosswordunclued's list. What is the Internet list you refer to?
DeleteRaghunath
DeleteThe long list is floating about somewhere on the Internet. Sorry I can't trace it immediately. But it is one that you needn't necessarily consult.
Reliable, but less compendious, lists are on the Internet.
No, I have no inclination to refer to that list.
DeleteIn case of abbreviations, instead of just sticking to Chambers, I feel we can also refer to some of the other popular and reliable dictionaries around the world, like, OED, Collins, Merriam Webster, Cambridge etc.
DeleteWe do! We just mention Chambers as it's "the crossword addict's favourite tool" as was once mentioned in its preface.
DeleteIn fact, a specs sheet that we received from TH said that they expect words that go into the grid to be in a standard dictionary - which is not specified.
Remembered Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
ReplyDeleteYou forgot Jai and Viru from Sholay
Hum 'ye dosti' ko kaise bhool gaye ?!
DeleteI always had a soft corner for Connery. Didn't bond with the other Bonds that well.
DeleteOne person I always wanted to see as Bond was Christopher Lee. He did appear in the Man with the Golden Gun, but as the villain !
DeleteSir Christopher Lee would have been too poker faced as Bond. Wonder how many Bond girls would have shuddered at the thought of kissing the Count!
Delete+1 for Sean Connery.
DeleteIn " The Man with the Golden Gun" Christopher lee was much more impressive than Roger Moore, who played the role of James Bond.Lee did not look frightening at all.He would have made a much better James Bond
DeleteI was completely lost today. Solving xChequer needs a lot of concentration. absolutely no freebies :)
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, it is an excellent puzzle.
Delete22 Way stores freely give a holy text (3,4) RIG VEDA (RD=road stores GIVE*)
ReplyDelete(RD=road stores GIVE*)A
28 Upset, furiously burst in, departed (9) DISTRUBED ((BURST* in DEAD)
DISTURBED
DIED ?
DeleteYes, DI(STURB*)ED
ReplyDeleteBURST* in DIED
Kishore
ReplyDeleteRe your cartoon.
Not only the concept but the drawing, its perspective from above and the placement of bubbles - all are good. Congrats.
+1
DeleteBut the makers of the well-known brand which has been spoofed may not be amused.
Thanks, CV and Richard.
Delete@R: Not really. Doom is being forecast for their opposite camp, so that's good for them.
Regarding the overhead perspective:
DeleteKhuda bhi aasman se jab zameen par dekhta hoga ...
Is Aflatoon ko kisne banaya sochta hoga...
DeletexChequer has checkmated me today ! -(
ReplyDeleteCould complete the bottom part alone. Nice puzzle but had unfamiliar words like BORA, SAR, SYCE and EYRES. How do we get OWED from 'is outstanding' in BILLOWED? Otherwise the solutions and the clues look convincing.
ReplyDeleteThink along the lines of money being owed.
DeleteCarryover from yesterday. I wanted to respond to Ramesh's comment on the clue for MARRIAGE.
ReplyDeleteDear Ramesh
You can clearly see that there is less ambiguity on whether 'I-do' is a wedding vow than on whether MARRIAGE is as your clue had defined. To my question on who decides what is marriage, your answer seems to be the Hindu Marriage Act. I am not sure if this Act is followed in practice. I do not see registrars registering marriages ensuring if seven steps are taken around the fire. If PRAJAPATI can be defined as a 'Hindu' God, why could not this clue also mention the religion or the Act?
There was no intention whatsoever on my part to prick you regarding your definition for MARRIAGE. I can understand a compiler's opinion on something may differ from what goes in to a clue and my comment of narrow outlook only referred to the clue and not you.
Regards
Madhu
Thanks for the clarification regarding the 'narrow outlook' comment. Prajapati had the Hindu God indicator as there are a ton of Gods ( Hindu, Roman,Greek, Egyptian,Norse ...). If it was a well known Hindu God, I might have been OK with just using God.
DeleteTaking steps around a fire is an uncommon enough action not to merit a hint. The only other instance of taking steps around a fire I can think of right away is the wily gnome dancing around the fire, leading to his eventual destruction. Looks like VJ is right, even fairy tales seem to suggest that nothing good comes from taking steps around the fire.
BTW some of the folks that issue marriage certificates, need no other witness apart from Gandhiji
DeleteOn further research, it appears that the priest's signature is required for issuance of a marriage certificate. Looks like he is the guy ( or she is the gal) who certifies that all the customary rituals have been performed.
DeleteTypos corrected. Thanks, all.
ReplyDeleteRequest setters, who would like cartoons to be drawn for their puzzles, to send in their puzzles on the previous day to kishoremrao@ hotmail.com. It will give me more time to select a word and draw.
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance.
This can be sent even when I do not blog.
DeleteDiarrohea was a well-constructed clue-- Why is it called runs? Because, when afflicted by it, we always RUN and keep running !!
ReplyDelete