ACROSS
1 Film a retreating beast (6) ANIMAL<=
4 Male, six footer, follows direction — but is getting nowhere
(8) STAGNANT {STAG}{N}{ANT} Reminded me of Kishore's recent encounter
10 I hate okra — so swapped first course for a different vegetable
(9) ARTICHOKE {I+HATE+OKR(-a+c)C}*
11 Shock as a friend retains poise (5) APPAL {A}{P}{PAL}
12 He is on the move by plane and rail…. (7) MIGRANT {MIG}{RANT}
14 This season there’s no new branch (5) SPRIG SPRInG
15 Long time before fur could be removed (8) ERASABLE {ERA}{SABLE}
18 Free repair tools in general (3,5) LET LOOSE {LE{T LOOS*}E}
20 Refuse and dismiss (5) TRASH [DD]
23 You see low growth when workers are reduced (4,3) CREW CUT {CREW} {CUT}
25 Where would you find a ruddy American? (7) FLORIDA {FLORID}{A} &lit
26 Plunder on the way (5) REAVE {RE}{AVE}
27 Secure and mature Americans could be found here (9) ANCHORAGE {ANCHOR}{AGE}
28 Two insects get a head start, it’s huge (8) BEHEMOTH {BE{H}E}{MOTH}
29 Regret? No point with the present mess (6) REPENT PREsENT*
DOWN
1 He spreads fear placing a weapon in a tilted position (8) ALARMIST {A}{L{ARM}IST}
2 Number it with green revolution (7) INTEGER {IT+GREEN}*
3 May be Michael wants a substitute between sides (9) ARCHANGEL {A}{R}{CHANGE}{L}
5 Meet a fat French comic explaining a physical phenomenon
(3,5,6) THE RAMAN EFFECT*
6 A much sought after cup (5) GRAIL [GK]
7 Looks like losing bid for long dress (7) APPAREL APPARE(-nt+l)L Arden's love for bridge is evident
8 Ability to hold an explosive drink inside (6) TALENT {T{ALE}NT}
9 Mainly performs to that composition (3,3,4,4) FOR THE MOST PART*
16 A sports stadium or a modest building (9) ASTRODOME*
17 The bureau gets copy at the least price (8) CHEAPEST {CHE{APE}ST}
19 Secure and keep under watch as it may flutter (7) EYELASH {EYE}{LASH}
21 Inspire a friend to get in from the south (7) ANIMATE {A}{NI<=}{MATE}
24 Best to include English in study (5) CREAM {CR{E}AM}
Arden's love for bridge is evident
ReplyDeleteHe seems to like both the card and the nautical bridges and decks
Effect of excessive fluttering : can make you go batty
ReplyDeleteRef the cartoon.
ReplyDeleteOne might possibly find a needle in a haystack as it might happen to prick the searcher while rummaging. But false eyelashes? No chance.
How or when would these secret lovers emerge from their hideout?
Foreign lovers are supposed to engage in secret love in haystacks. (I remember the novel 'Love among the haystacks'. When the lovers emerge from an assignation, won't they be covered in strands of straw?
Where do Indian lovers go?
Parbat ke peeche ! The whole worrlld is our native place!
DeleteChanne me khet mein.
DeleteAll flesh is as grass, uh, in the (dried) grass.
I had to struggle a lot, but ultimately enjoyed solving and get the SW corner cleared from the blog. The surface reading of most of the clues was very good & enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteIs 22D an anagram of (SAAB) & (CAR-A)?
Swedish auto maker = SAAB
Deletehas vehcle = Insert vehicle (CAR)
not a = Delete A
beetle, perhaps = Defiinition = S(-a+car)CARAB
Kishore may remember PGW's 'Something Fresh' - the first in the Blandings Castle series. A scarab, belonging to an American millionaire Peters (whose daughter Ailine is engaged to Freddie Threepwood) is absent-mindedly purloined by Lord Emsworth when he goes to call on him. Ashe Marson (a detective story writer) and Joan Valentine (who writes a gossip column), meet as neighbours; in their efforts to have a change of direction in career, they find themselves down at Blandings, attempting to retrieve the scarab. A hilarious situation follows.
DeleteThank you Col. for the diagram of plane parts. Very informative.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kishore for suggestion to read Airframe by Crichton which dealt with all these in great detail.Excellent book.
Me?
DeleteYes, long ago.
ReplyDeleteWhich stadium is that? It looks awesome
ReplyDeleteOk, got it from the link
DeleteExcellent,Arden. Clue of my day: SCARAB--A SAAb is a good car for a Saheb!
ReplyDelete19d & 23a thought provoking. 19d the catch lies in 'flutter'.all nice clues with smooth surface.Entertaining cw.
ReplyDeleteYes,all surfaces are very smooth & meaningful.Very enjoyable.
DeletePardon me for going off track:
ReplyDeleteFor all fans of Usha Uthup : Skyfall in a Sari - with three generations on stage - herself, her daughter and granddaughter.
Thanks Richard for the Usha Uthup link. In particular, I liked the song "Shine bright like a diamond" sung by the trio i.e Usha Uthup. her daughter and granddaughter.
DeleteRichard, thanks for sharing that.
DeleteIt was my pleasure, folks.
Delete1A should lead to LAMINA. I find the 'a' intrusive when the definition is 'beast'. Of course, I had ALARMIST first and that more or less told me what the intended answer for 1A was.
ReplyDelete'Retreating film a beast would probably be very accurate, but then the surface reading suffers. Shall we call it a poetry order in stead of prose order?
ReplyDeleteFilm about a beast (6)
DeleteThat sounds good. The difference between a setter & solver!!
ReplyDeleteThe diagram of the plane parts reminds me of a Michael Crichton novel ' AIRFRAME".Some of the terms I read in the novel makes sense to me now.Thanks Col.
ReplyDeleteThe clues today were very good; soo smooth... that I slipped often enough to bruise the budding confidence !:(
ReplyDeleteagree with yesterdays view on Neyartha