Crisp opener from Arden evokes lots of memories and images
DOWN
21 Opening with gold provided diamonds (7) ORIFICE (OR IF ICE)
ACROSS
1 A display floor used on occasion, for playing pranks (5,5,3) APRIL FOOLS DAY (A DISPLAY FLOOR)*
10 Feasted over some good Enid Blyton books (5) DINED (T<)
We, as kids, used to virtually feast on The Five Findouters, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven,
The Adventure series, Mallory Towers, St.Claire's etc. etc.
We, as kids, used to virtually feast on The Five Findouters, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven,
The Adventure series, Mallory Towers, St.Claire's etc. etc.
11 Thereby resolve topic about the couch (4,5) IPSO FACTO (TOPIC* about SOFA)
12 Top performer’s got one retaining charge (9) CAPACITOR (CAP ACTOR's got 1)
13 Restrict to graze over park (5) SKIMP (SKIM P)
14 Wear and see for years in the moon (3,2,2) TRY IT ON (Y in TRITON)
A moon larger than some past and present planets !
A moon larger than some past and present planets !
16 Arranges topless dance and collects (7) GARNERS (aRRANGES)*
18 He takes a call on a crucial tie (7) DECIDER (2)
20 Keralite putting on a Japanese sash? Capital! (7) NAIROBI (NAIR on OBI)
This clue created vivid imagery. I visualised a certain un-named Keralite wearing an Obi posing
with a samurai sword ready to be unleashed. Use your own imagination - do I have to draw everything ? ;-)
This clue created vivid imagery. I visualised a certain un-named Keralite wearing an Obi posing
with a samurai sword ready to be unleashed. Use your own imagination - do I have to draw everything ? ;-)
22 A joint organisation (5) UNION (2)
The names used are not only of comical nature but also may evoke memories in some of you of the
Army, mountaineering, Company law (Kershaw Leese & Co.Ltd), PGW ...
Army, mountaineering, Company law (Kershaw Leese & Co.Ltd), PGW ...
24 German girl’s into plastic consumption (9) INGESTION (INGE'S INTO*)
26 Fusion is extremely sexy, the sins vary (9) SYNTHESIS (SexY (THE SINS)*)
27 Order some eggs benedict (5) EDICT (T)
For the Pope emeritus !
For the Pope emeritus !
28 Araucaria could be a pet for many (7,6) ENGLISH SETTER (2)
We met Everyman and Rufus just 5 days back in Afterdark's Sunday Special as the last across clue
DOWN
2 Will doctor apply some gas inside the array? (7) PANOPLY (APPLY* with Nitrous Oxide inside)
3 Pointed out the boy after he was caught inland (9) INDICATED (ED after C in INDIA, a land)
4 Black-out makes it dim (5) FAINT (2)
5 Go on trees producing hormone (9) OESTROGEN (GO ON TREES)*
6 Separates as one moves his head away (5) SIFTS (ShIFTS)
7 A writer’s attribute (7) ASCRIBE (A SCRIBE)
8 Seduced a guest — it could be based on experience (8,5) EDUCATED GUESS (SEDUCED A GUEST)*
9 Range over the Scottish isle, note they are very kind (13) COMPASSIONATE (COMPASS IONA TE)
Iona reminded of Iola Morton from the Hardy Boys and Chet written by a large number of authors
under the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon (the same thing holds for Nancy Drew and Carolyn Keen)
Iona reminded of Iola Morton from the Hardy Boys and Chet written by a large number of authors
under the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon (the same thing holds for Nancy Drew and Carolyn Keen)
17 Check again when Honour gets in (9) REINSPECT (RESPECT gets IN)
19 Girl finds herself in a feature on hair styling (7) CHIGNON (G in CHIN ON)
There is a famous lady from Yangon,
Who sports a well recognised chignon.
She's Aang San Suu Kyi,
But, pray do not ask me,
If she likes a well-done fillet mignon.
There is a famous lady from Yangon,
Who sports a well recognised chignon.
She's Aang San Suu Kyi,
But, pray do not ask me,
If she likes a well-done fillet mignon.
21 Opening with gold provided diamonds (7) ORIFICE (OR IF ICE)
23 Nothing without greeting — nothing at all (5) NIHIL (becomes NIL without HI)
Aut caesar aut nihil ...
Aut caesar aut nihil ...
25 Fights for breath as phosgene, for example, is extremely poisonous (5) GASPS (GAS PS)
Syriously speaking I thought it was Sarin ...
Syriously speaking I thought it was Sarin ...
Miss America has agreed to sit in my future crosswords as often as I allow her. For free!
ReplyDeleteLucky you !
Delete;-)
DeleteRemembered Manmohan Singh's Miss India episode ...
For people unfamiliar with the episode:
Deletehttp://www.tatasteel100.com/people/wings-for-nation.asp
Kishore I must say your repertoire of memorabilia is nonpareil
DeleteThanks for the compliment. Co-incidentally, yesterday's TH carried a photo of Manmohan Singh, Aga Khan and Tata (all current versions) at the Humayun's Tomb post renovation
DeleteThis clue created vivid imagery ..... do I have to draw everything ? ;-)
ReplyDelete... and luckily for me I am a Menon ;-)
Namalda aasaami, alle ?
DeleteAlla
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menon_%28subcaste%29
DeleteIs the info in wiki incorrect? Or is it a set subset situation? If so, then using superset description also works.
I went through that article and now I don't know what I am :-(
DeleteWelcome to the boat !
Delete(From yesterday. I am putting this in here so those who missed late-evening Comments and those who don't usually go back may do so, if they wish, as there is the setter's response to some criticism.)
ReplyDelete"SUITE - U - site -- but could also have been SITU or SITE, which is the answer -- leaving one wondering where the U came in !"
When I read the above statement I wondered how on earth the clue could lead to SITU. I did not respond, as it was too puzzling.
The setter's response is under yesterday's post.
We can hold our opinions of the clues but if we make a Comment we should be able to back it up solidly.
We might write hastily and carelessly but later if we realise that we were wrong, we must perhaps withdraw the remark.
Kishore
ReplyDeleteWhat is the source of the limerick at 19d? Moolaikkaaranpaettai that Kishore is? That Tamil term மூளைக்காரன்பேட்டை, which I have borrowed from a brand-new Tamil newspaper, I translate as:"The ghetto of the brainy fellows".
Written by self about 25 minutes back. Wanted to rhyme chignon and mignon and start with a young lady from Saigon, Yangon, or whatever. Checking wiki on chignon informed me that the lady mentioned in the limerick sports a chignon. Hence, picked Yangon. Of course, had to drop the 'young'. I was not sure if she is non-vegetarian, and hence left it to speculation.
DeletePl substitute first sentence with 'Composed by self around 815am.'
DeleteCV,
ReplyDeleteMy imagination started running wild(about laptop etc.) when I started reading your opening comment about Miss. America agreeing to sit....., but landed with a thud after reading that it ended in CW!
Bhavan & CV : YESTERDAY'S PUZZLE
ReplyDeleteThanks for your explanation and parsing. I normally solve in Orkut (which is such a strain, flitting from one to another, unlike Across Lite ) and then,go through the comments in the THCC. Though I solve so quickly and answers are put in instinctilvely, and then verified, I am not very good in classifying the answers by annotations, a technique which I have come to learn only from the THCC. Thanks to all of you. Once having solved, I move on, content with the fact that I have cracked. The only convoluted cryptic clues that I found hard and eliusive are the ones set by Araucaria. Here in the THCC, I find a variety of clues , baffling at times and rationalised afterwards, I enjoy them , no doubt. NO intentions of criticism of any setter, as I appreciate that all and any types of cluing is the very essence of such crosswords--- more the merrier and challenging too !!
SITU: What struck me was the answer, expressed as: IN SITU and hence the query. Is SITU used in isolation without IN?
Please , Setters, take my positive comments as a pat on the back and negative ones as unintentional but constructive---even to me when I get a feed back ! I do understand how difficult it is to be different, challenging and elusive while compiling! I have tried and failed to persevere in setting.
Get it? Got it? Good !!
Today's Arden's was indeed a gem in setting a puzzle . Set with diamonds, rubies and emaralds and sapphires. Bravo !! An exercise in 8 down !!
ReplyDeleteGASPS, IPSOFACTO, NARCISSUS and OESTROGEN , -- they took my breath away, felt good in reflection and shot up my adrenalin !! Hence, they are the clues of my day !!
EMERALDS
ReplyDeleteKishore:
ReplyDeleteI wonder how and when you get the time to post the comments and annotations, draw appropriate cartoons and also inspire yourself to compose small poems --with a time- bound schedule for posting. How do you recall all your quotes in a jiffy and connect them to the clues or answers? Pelmanism? Penmanism ?or is it Punmanism?
;-)
DeleteThanks, RajuU. You remarks are appreciated.
ReplyDeleteToday there was this news about a crossword setter in the Guinness Book of World Records:
http://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.in/2013/09/no10883-friday-20-sep-2013-arden.html#comment-form
RajuU is conferred with the title "Vaarththaisiththar" - Expert playing with words.
ReplyDeletePelmanism! I remember those little books lying about our old house when my father was with us.
28A : I wonder, why have our Indian Setters taken a fancy for English Setters, of late !? It was AD on Sunday and Arden today !!
ReplyDeleteFor other bloggers' benefit, Pelmanism was a mental training magazine( in the earlier decades of 50's?) that my dad used to get from UK -- Memory training for recollection,retention(memory only!)and recollection exercises --- small booklets that I still preserve, duly brown-paper- wrapped as a memory of my father. These are the modern day soduku( I never go the spelling straight!) several triangles and circles in various shapes and of course some word puzzles to boost thought association and memory recalls.
ReplyDeleteI have a very poor memory recall, especially of names ) and episodes and wonder how many stand-up comedians and punsters manage to pull off their stunts so promptly and profusely ! I, of course, thank myself forgetting all those adversaries for their bad thoughts and deeds against me. I not only forget but also forgive them( as they know not !)
CV : As for the 'honorific'' how do you pronounce this tongue-twister Tamil word? Thanks anyway. Tamil not coming that easily for me , you see I try ...
CV @ 7:24,
ReplyDeleteThe link that you have given is to this page only !!
Here is the correct link
Deletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/10321758/Guinness-Book-of-World-Records-for-Telegraph-crossword-setter.html
Guess who must be fretting and fuming!!!
CV & DG:
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for the link. One more item for my memorabilia. It takes all sorts to make this world but only a specific and special kind to make a world or national record !! While I enthuse at this with every one, I also feel great that someone is keeping this art alive and spreading the culture of cryptic crosswords . I feel humbled and pygmied, and bow my head to this achiever !! May he live many more years to come to keep us all enthralled and entangled in his web.