ACROSS
1 Good to live in country’s capital (5) LAGOS (G in LAOS)
4 A cocktail place in NYC (9) MANHATTAN 2
9 Graceful, gentle and first of all, composed (7) ELEGANT (GENTLE All)*
10 In what situation, mostly a child makes a piercing cry (7) WHIMPER (IMP in WHERe)
11 Opposition rioting in Patna; normalcy ultimately hit (9) ANTIPATHY (PATNA Y HIT)*
12 Vessel from China or Taiwan (5) AORTA (T)
13 Draw an outline (5) DRAFT 2
15 Closing stage (6) PERIOD as in ".", a closing. DD
18 Foreign elements primarily hazardous — toxic (6) EXOTIC (E TOXIC*)
19 University over in Massachusetts making loss (5) MINUS (UNI< in MS), I thought it was MA or Mass. Maybe my anno is wrong
23 Pressure on America and European Union to spend (3,2) USE UP (P on US EU)
25 Best one in medical department BTW (2,7) EN PASSANT (PASS AN in ENT)
In the passing, this is familar to chess players
27 Soreness in poor rat’s windpipe (7) TRACHEA (ACHE in RAT*)
28 Fortune, eventually, is hers, perhaps (7) HEIRESS (E IS HERS)* & LIT
29 Man’s option to get around a question — one of no practical value (4,5) MOOT POINT (M OPTION TO)*
30 Seek proof (5) ESSAY 2
DOWN
1 Pull fish back in the direction of current (7) LEEWARD (DRAW EEL)<
2 Wagging cat’s tail angered a dog (5,4) GREAT DANE (T ANGERED)*
3 Paddled on top of polluted bog (5) SWAMP (SWAM P)
4 Army silent about change (6) MUTATE (MUTE about TA)
5 Groomed not too long ago (8) NEWLYWED (CD)
6 A simian mammal extremely violent — trait typical of a beast (9) ANIMALISM (A SIMIAN ML)*
7 Slash recording with Adler finally (5) TAPER (TAPE R)
Reminded me of Schloss Adler - Where Eagles Dare
8 Typical Roman building — large (6) NORMAL (ROMAN* L)
14 Hop outside old butcher shop with a vessel (9) TROOPSHIP (TRIP outside O SHOP*)
16 Guard seen roaming in overalls (9) DUNGAREES (GUARD SEEN)*
17 Celebrities not having a good time with scholarly types (8) LITERATI (gLITtERATI)
20 Please answer! (7) SATISFY 2
21 Trade practice (6) CUSTOM 2
22 State elections finally over; sensational outcome (6) UPSHOT (UP S HOT)
24 A day to muse (5) ERATO (ERA TO)
26 Train’s lovely we’re told (5) SUITE (~SWEET)
Standing in for the Colonel, I am unable to offer more comments at present, as I have to go and pay my last respects to a loved and respected relative who passed away this morning.
E&OE
17 Celebrities not having a good time with scholarly types (8) LITERATI (gLITERATI)
ReplyDelete[-g]LIT[-t]ERATI
good time = GT
celebrities = GLITTERATI
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete19 University over in Massachusetts making loss (5) MINUS (U IN< in MS), I thought it was MA or Mass. Maybe my anno is wrong
ReplyDeleteUniversity UNI
over <=
in
Massachusetts MS
Defn: making loss M{INU<+}s
This is what Deepak wrote, Venkatesh. The doubt, which is valid, is that MS is not short for Massachusetts. The correct form is MA or Mass. So there appears to be an error in the clue.
DeleteYep, there seems to be an error. MS is Mississippi and not Massachusetts (MA).
Delete15 Closing stage (6) PERIOD as in ".", a closing
ReplyDeleteI took this to be a DD.
Well, Vulcan can bring out some beauties like NEWLYWED -- the annotation is a bit out of the way ! Groomed not too long ago. Bride or groom?
ReplyDeleteSeek proof-- I first thought the answer is ASSAY-- to seek proof of presence of gold? but then SUITE was sweeter !
I have a 11 across against 5 letter words and not-necessarily cryptic clues --- Brevity seems to be Vulcan's forte?
Could have completed the crossie sooner but for the brevity of the clues afforded; but maybe, my comments are of no practical value -- Rather mute,aren't I? Or am I whimpering? Screaming? Please take them as En Passant !!
(from yesterday)
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with RajuU that in 'disheartening' words only one middle letter can be removed.
I would insist that when disheartening of a word happens, after the removal of letter or letters (any number) the reminder has even number of letters on either side, whether 1 (NuN) or more (NooN, NOminatiON).
Understand?
Everybody might be disheartened, some people have small hearts, some big.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read Kishore's notes and comments, I often hear a whizzing noise. That is made by things that go over my head.
ReplyDeleteI hear it too
DeleteWho does not?
DeleteI always kept wondering where the noise came from.
DeleteIt comes from the Navy training on their new MIG29Ks
Delete...shore sirf (ki)shore ki :)
DeleteThere are hardly any comments made by me today. Which one is causing all that sound?
DeleteSurely not Schloss Adler ...
That was a good and thrilling movie. Saw it about hald a dozen times. Good actors in it. RIchard Burton and Clint Eastwood.
DeleteWhile the movie is a visual treat, the book too is excellently gripping. They are two altogether different expriences. Some great unforgettable lines and the ease with which Major John Smith becomes Johann Schmidt is astounding. Hohenwirfen castle is amazing.
DeleteBroadsword calling Danny Boy, Willi Willi, boy what a disguise, the future Mrs sSchaffer ... So many memories from the book
DeleteSince I am feelin rather sombre, I will retire with that book now to refresh myself. Good day to all.
DeleteWell refreshed after reading chapter one featuring the hilarious Wg. Cdr. Cecil Carpenter.
DeleteKishore,
ReplyDeleteThanks for standing in. My condolences to the family.
Kishore has done a good job in not so good time and one has to appreciate his commitment. Our condolences to the bereaved family.
ReplyDelete14D- one 'O' is missing in anagram fodder. Is it from old?
Kishore, our condolences to your family.
DeleteToday is Gandhi Jayanti.
ReplyDeleteLet us also remember another great Indian who shared his birthday with him - the late prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri (October 2, 1904 – January 11, 1966), who coined the slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.
He died in Tashkhent, in the erstwhile USSR, now the capital of Uzbekistan, soon after signing the peace treaty with Pakistan.
He had lived a simple life and his life Lalita, after his death, was not much cared for, although she lived in a government-allotted house until she died in 1993.
Tashkhent to be read as Tashkent.
DeleteUnfortunately not many remember that simple man. There was a conspiracy theory about his death in Tashkent.
DeleteWould Gandhi have approved of his birthday being celebrated as a public holiday?. Should'n't we word harder on his birthday instead of sitting at home and watching blockbusters? Just my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteHaha, you're sounding like a villain in one of them blockbuster movies.
DeleteA typo. I meant work harder in the previous post.
ReplyDelete+ 1
DeleteMahatma Gandhi, a serious practitioner of "AHIMSA" of bygone era(s), will always be remembered by one and all.
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter vein, see what today's Gandhi would say : "If someone throws a stone at you, throw a flower at them. But remember to throw the flower pot with it" !
(Source from "Funny quotes")
Today's Gandhi would say : "Nonsense"
DeleteThanks, everyone, for your condolences, corrections and bearing with me. The deceased was known to some blog-members to whom I have sent a separate mail in the morning, before I left.
ReplyDeleteNice puzzle. Not very easy.
ReplyDeleteGood job done by Kishore.
14D : Hop outside old butcher shop with a vessel (9) TROOPSHIP TR{O}{OPSH*}IP
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what the butcher was doing in this clue ! Then it dawned on me that he was merely there to butcher the 'shop' into pieces and remind me that
he's not only a butcher but also an 'anagrinder' !!
Hi, Raghu !
ReplyDeleteIs the movie name "SCHLOSS ADLER" spelled correctly ? I wanted to download this picture but don't find it in Torrent Search Engine nor in IMDB.
"Where eagles dare" is the name of the movie
DeleteThanks, Raghu. In fact I saw that movie in 1968 or 1969 screened in Nataraj theatre at Patny in Secunderabad ! A nice movie no doubt.
DeleteThanks, VJ ! TYPO : Ps read VJ for Raghu !
DeleteThe castle is Hohenwerfen,MB.
DeleteMB. I too saw it at Nataraj theatre probably in 70s. Still remember the Castle secene and the fighting and the intrigue.
DeleteRoger, Kishore and Raghu.
DeleteButcher led me to think about abattoir etc. (hope my spelling is right) until the truth dawned on me late.
ReplyDeleteYes Richard- not many remember Lal Bhahadur Shastri today- a true Gandhian if ever there was one. Also not many know that today is also the date on which another Gandhian died- Kamaraj.
ReplyDeleteI was in Madras that 2nd of October to vsit my grandfather who was in a hospital in Egmore. As my grandpa had been in prison with KK we decided not to tell him the news. Incidentally, that was the time the cardiologist at the hospital spent nearly an hour with me, a high school student, and advised me to take up medicine. He was none oter than Dr PC Reddy who started Apollo.
DeleteI forget the name of the hospital, starts with M, I think. Can anybody help?
ReplyDeleteA high quality crossword (OK the odd glitch arose, maybe setter will clarify). Quite a few DDs though.
ReplyDeleteJust a few clarifs needed to understand better..
ReplyDelete10ac) Whimper = Piercing cry?.... or, if an imp makes a piercing into 'mostly where', then the first "in" is redundant... not sure..
24ac) Era = a day?
7dn) Slash = Taper? (couldn't understand this even after reading above and seeing the toon!)
The 3 clues also iam unable to zero in on..how do they work?
20 dn) please answer - satisfy
21 dn) trade practice - custom
30ac) seek proof - essay
TIA
20D : Please = Satisfy =Answer (Double Definition)
Delete21D : Trade = Custom = Practise -Do-
30A : Seek = Essay = Proof -Do-
CPC, when you see 2 by the side of answer, it means both the definitions, for eg 'please' and 'answer' give a common answer 'satisfy'. Hope you get the meaning of 'double definition'.
DeleteIn what situation leads to where
DeleteTaper means to cut down. Like Tapering of non-plan expenditure to reduce the fiscal deficit. A PC dream
Era for day is a poor usage and incorrect IMO. Unless you are talking a day in the life of Brahma or Kalpa, which could be an era.
Typo : PS 'read common meaning' for 'common answer'
DeleteSuresh @ 3:46 : Recording (may be record) =Tape and Adler finally means last letter of Adler i.e. R is taken. And the answer is TAPER. Definition being Slash (To cut).
DeleteStand to be corrected if I'm wrong.
7D : Slash also means an oblique stroke (/) Taper also means diminish or reduce in thickness towards one end as shown in the toon.
DeleteThanks MB. The cryptics like 'newlywed' and 'animalism' were excellent but the quick/dd/2 ones were beyond me. Thanks for the explanation.
DeleteMB I was responding to CPC's query on how slash= taper.
DeleteSuresh,
DeleteEra for day us OK as its given as a synonym in thefreedic.com.
I feel TAPER is not exactly slash. Also I couldn't the ref in any dic.
Sorry for spelling errors. Posting from my phone
DeleteSorry Suresh garu, instead of simply mentioning Suresh @ , I should have started my post as "some more info to Suresh @ ", would have been much better. Hope I'm forgiven :)
DeleteRaghu you are right on day and era.
DeleteRe taper. Taper = diminish = slash
But is "A day"= era ?
DeleteValid doubt Ramesh. If you were Brahma or the entire Milky Way for instance a day could be much longer than an era.
DeleteI just returned from a 12th day ceremony to offer condolences to a dear friend and distant relative.
ReplyDeleteCan this meeting or ceremony be called a function. Or is the word function to be used only for happy occasions. Could not find an entry for this in my antique edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage. Wonder if others here have an authentic answer.
Very often, I have noted people confusing 'Observance' of a day (to commemorate an event) with 'celebrations' of that day.
DeleteSorry Deepak for posting a msg which is off topic. Delete it if you feel it should not be there
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteSorry about the error in 19A. This is sheer negligence. It's one clue I just wrote without thinking all that much and in the end got the abbreviation wrong. I know it's quite embarrassing and seriously wish I got some help from TH here. Well whatever, I only have myself to blame. Should have been a little more attentive.
And wrt to number of DDs, it's just my laziness. Most of those words don't seem all that difficult to clue and still I seem to have taken the easier route.
BTW, I refer www.freedictionary.com and education.yahoo.com/reference/thesaurus/ for synonyms and definitions and I must have found taper for slash in either of the sites. The latter link's gone blank now, don't know why. I thought slash (get something down) and taper had some kind of loose synonymous connection. Or may be I was wrong.
Decrease has two meanings:
Deletei) to make less - SLASH
II) to grow less - TAPER OFF
So, this may be the indirect connect that Vulcan might have considered - SLASH = decrease = TAPER (off)
Any ideas on my 3:23
ReplyDeleteThFreeDictionary says that a function is 'An official ceremony or a formal social occasion.' So the 12th day ceremony can be called a function as well
DeleteMany DDs on a DD :)
ReplyDeleteCV: Very ''disheartened'' to see your comments . Your explanation may be valid but don't you think that the clue was flawed to the extent of not having given any additional hint about the Indian author? RKNarayan is an eminent author, no doubt, but there are so many others too with names beginning and ending in N? I agree, in cryptic crosswords, any answer can be ratiionalized after filling , in hindsight? A crossie ought to be fair and enjoyable to solve .
ReplyDeleteAgain, don't you think that Al for Capone dnd Di for princess are now too worn out to be used? There are many newcomers who may not know and hence, setters must also evolve by bringing in new terms , currently in use-- that will be refreshing > Got it?
If a setter uses an Indian term that is recorded in an English dict (such as Chambers, COD) he needn't indicate the Indianness by a term such as Indian.
DeleteIf he uses a term that is not found in an English dict, I would expect him to indicate the Indian origin.
In my opinion, Indian authors writing in English needn't be indicated as Indian.
Agree Al and Di are worn out. A setter may be well-advised to avoid it if he can. But it is easy to say alternatives must be found. Can readers suggest other criminals/princesses for Al/Di.
If it is meant that not just criminal/princess but some other 'refreshing' ind must be found, suggest them.
UK crosswords use the names of Hungarian musicians, French authors, Italian writers in wordplay. Do they indicate the country origin?
DeleteI am not defending the use of Narayan, for he is always known as R. K. Narayan and not just Narayan and so that name might not spring to our mind quickly. But certainly I don't expect it to be indicated as 'Guide' author, either.
I had suggested yesterday DI instead of AL, with an explanation. As India had a large number of kingdoms, and royalty, names of these from one region may not be well known in others. For Eg, JC would be familiar to any person from the old Mysore state, but inspite of the kingdom being one of the larger ones and a 21 gun salute state, I am sure people from other regions would not be familiar with it. Moreover, it is not a very useful abbreviation. CR for governor general is probably more familiar and useful. Let me see if I can think up some more Indian ones.
DeletePolitician might bring up only IG, JP and maybe PC. RG would have two claimants. NTR and MGR may be used, the former probably is more crossword friendly. Words like central, contract, contrition come to mind. Aircraft names like MIG are already being used, though not of Indian origin, at least being used in India. States like UP, MP, TN are being used. AP can be used as long as it can. Commercial and other institutions are already being used. LIC, AI, PTI, INS, are also being used. I used SPG recently. SAIL, GAIL, SC, ST can be used too.
DeleteINA, a well-known locality of New Delhi near AIIMS, has a popular market and houses CVC, DDA and a number of other government offices. However, none of the Delhi-ites I spoke to were aware of the reason for this name. The place does not take its name from the Indian Naval Academy or Netaji's Army. INA stands for Indian National Airways, which used to have its office there in 1930s and 1940s because of its proximity to the Safdarjung Airport. The founder was R. E. Grant Govan, a Delhi based British industrialist; he is better known as co-founder of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Cricket Club of India.
DeleteOne of the four major airlines in India at the time of our Independence, the airline had a fleet of six Vickers Viking with another nine De Havilland Doves on order. It also acquired some war-surplus Douglas DC-3 aircraft from USA at the end of WW-II. In 1953, INA was nationalised and merged into the Indian Airlines.
4 A cocktail place in NYC (9) MANHATTAN 2
ReplyDeleteCould solve this quickly as I am at Manhattan Island right now. Incidentally this word is clued differently by Textrous in THC 10593 on 12.10.12
21A. Island cocktail (9)
'ceremony' is defined as 'rite'; 'rite' as 'a ceremonial form or observance, esp religious'. 'ceremonial' as 'an act that conforms with custom or convention;'
ReplyDeleteThus, a ceremony is not just one that is held in pomp on a joyous occasion.
Re the annual tithi of deceased persons that Hindus perform, I have often heard relatives referring to it as 'ceremony'.
And function is defined as a solemn service; a ceremony; a social gathering;
ReplyDeleteCV: Would you agree that in that clue, every one got the answer first, as NAAN and wondered how? Then like Kishore and I took our own wild guess and quoted some names that came off our mind at that particular moment. I can't imagine what others did. I stand by my opinion that it was a very badly constructed clue. I may deign to accept two or three letter deletion instead of only one for '' disheartened'' !
ReplyDeleteAs for other abbreviations, In certainly don't suggest CV or RU or DG unless the solvers are from the THCC. The burden of my argument is that we ought to keep up with latter- day names so that newcomers need not grope about to realise that Al is Al capone, the Chicago gangster of the 20;s or 30;s in the US and Di is for a girl called Diana or Princess Diana( she'll turn in her grave!) . Kishore did suggest DIK for the Indian fugitive gangster, though I would neither like nor aggrandize such characters buy honouring them with a place in crosswords !! Next what? LM for Lalit Modi? or SK for Suresh Kalmadi or LPY for Laalu Prasad Yadav? I woundn't even think of JL or MGR or NTR (Is he the masala man?) Cryptic crosswords are indeed eclectic !!
I rest my case, lest the Col tells us: The correspondence on this matter is now closed !"