Sunday, 22 December 2013

Special, Sunday 22 Dec 2013, IXL Finale preliminary round CW


Three answers per commenter with annotations upto 8:30 AM on 23 Dec 2013.
For academic interest please answer the following
   1. How many answers you had left after half an hour.
   2. How long you took to complete the CW.
Answer the above provided no help was taken by you from any other source like Google etc when you were solving. 
I had 15 left after the 30 mins we got at the Finale.

ACROSS
9          Refurbished shrine stocks the last of church wine (7)
10        Concerning daily - in theory (2,5)
11        Stray one leaves source of potency and associates with books (7)
12        Boy goes over a sod that's turned - what's-his-name? (2-3-2)
13        Being on a circuitous path, go untired, maybe zigzagging (9)
15        Tired out, each exits in an unexpected direction (4)
17        All Mira discarded is a bracelet (7)
20        Fellow pupil (7)
21        Draw together in criticism, say (4)
22        Where females are scarce? (9)
26        Such a secret is sure to be out (3-4)
27        Rent row leads to a storm (7)
29        Indian uncle's examination is stretched to the limit (7)
30        One holding on to something, by changing sides, becomes a sycophant (7)

DOWN
1          Language in which two boys described leader of Rameswaram (9)
2          Hang on, say, with some importance (6)
3          Split competitor doesn't complete (4)
4          Talk about tiny, half-broken Indian earthenware (6)
5          Entrusts prisoner with placards (8)
6          South Indian father with a large sum  nearly hit a region in the U.S. (10)
7          Back number (8)
8          Wrong note introduces nothing in basic education (5)
14        Having no education, a French boy's without character (10)
16        Nothing to pay for panel in vessel's side above water (9)
18        Greek hero rounded up by usual enemies (8)
19        Owns up and lets in two without a shred of warranty (6,2)
23        Observe section without head going astray (6)
24        Fruit - nothing need be added to this and stirred for a seasoning (6)
25        Said in France pair heard the same (5)
28        Bear with bishop having gone off to fetch rubble (4)



To attempt the CW on a separate page follow the link IXL FINALE PRELIM CW

Enjoy

69 comments:

  1. 11 Stray // one leaves source of potency / and associates with books (7) {V[-i]AGRA}{NT}
    DOWN
    1 Language/ in which two boys / described leader of Rameswaram (9) {D(R)AVID}{IAN}
    2 Hang on, say, // with some importance (6) WEIGHT ~wait

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. concerning - ON
      daily - PAPER
      Defn: in theory (ON) (PAPER)

      Delete
  3. 12 A Boy goes over a sod that's turned - what's-his-name? (2-3-2) {SO-{A}N}{D-SO*}
    29 A Indian uncle's examination is stretched to the limit (7) {TAU}{TEST}
    6 D South Indian father with a large sum nearly hit a region in the U.S. (10) {APPA}{LAC}{HI(-t)}{A}

    ReplyDelete
  4. 4D : talk about tiny, half-broken Indian earthenware (6) CHATTI {CHAT}{TIny}

    ReplyDelete
  5. 8D- ERROR
    Wrong- Def.
    Note- er
    nothing-O
    Basic education- RR (Reading,wRiting)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On right track
      Note - E
      introduces - Insertion indicator
      nothing - 0
      Basic education - RRR (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic)

      Delete
  6. OR
    If note is only E, basic education can be RRR -Reading,wRiting, aRithmetic

    ReplyDelete
  7. 30A- CRINGER
    Sycophant- Def.
    One holding onto something- CLINGER
    Changing sides- R for L

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have about 13 or 14 left after a split 30 minutes. Split, meaning I had a short break in-between. 13 or 14 because I need to verify a few answers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We didn't have the luxury of verification

      Delete
    2. I know. I filled in as in the competition guessing where I had to and on checking the answers found I found a few mistakes. That is how it became 15.

      Delete
  9. 9A: RHENISH : shrine*+(churc)h
    26A: ILL KEPT (CD) guesswork
    29A: TAUTEST (TAU+TEST)

    Could get 18 in half hour but then no pressure

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very true Bhala. Pressure does funny things to you. I missed out on some obvious ones due to this reason.

      Delete
    2. Bhala, A small correction for 9A:
      'Stocks' is a Containment Indicator.
      So the Anno works out as:
      Refurbished - AnagrInd
      SHRINE* stocks the last of church (H)
      Defn: wine R(H)ENISH*

      Delete
  10. 18D Greek hero rounded up by uSUAL ENEMies - MENELAUS (<=)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I had 16 left at the end of half an hour :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are in good company Sandhya, I had 15 left Shuchi came in after me so she must have had 15 or more left as well. Mohsain who came first had 5 left so the others must have had between 6 and 14 leftover.

      Delete
    2. I had seven left

      Delete
    3. That means Dr V had six left

      Delete
    4. I did not count but I got very few in the top-right and bottom-left of the grid.

      Delete
    5. Erratum: That should have read '...top-left and bottom-right of the grid'.

      Delete
    6. I missed 4 (9a,11a,1d,2d). "Riva" was a lucky guess :)

      Delete
  12. Done with google but stuck on 3D

    ReplyDelete
  13. I was yet to open my account at the end of half an hour ! Intention being to see off the new ball !! And now I'm on my way to get my third run !!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. 9 A Refurbished shrine stocks the last of church wine (7) RHENISH ( I solved this from the crossing letters )
    25 D Said in France pair heard the same (5) DITTO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 25D Anno:
      Said in France DIT
      pair heard ~two TO
      Defn: the same {DIT}{TO}

      Delete
  15. 3D has to be RIVA(-l) There is a place called Riva in Split, Croatia. A bit of a far out reference.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A small aside from a Dravid fan.
      1D-two boys could be Dravid & Ian without the help of Rameswaram! (esp. Bangalore being the venue)

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. In CWs 'boys' means we should think of names of English boys only ! Girls are exception : )

      Delete
  16. 27A : Rent row leads to a storm (7) TORNADO {TORN}{ADO}

    Rent = torn, Row = ado Rend(V)

    Def : Storm

    ReplyDelete
  17. 5D- CONSIGNS
    Entrusts- Def.
    Prisoner- Con
    Placards- Signs

    ReplyDelete
  18. 14 D Having no education, a French boy's without character (10) UNLETTERED UN(= A in french ) + LETTER ( Character) + ED {(= Boy) Without } (Anno given by Col Sir - :) )

    ReplyDelete
  19. 7D : EPIDURAL [ CD ]
    22A: MANGALORE. [CD]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, Colonel, I have no clue as to which kind of clue it is.

      Delete
    2. Thanks Colonel. Also Congratulations on your win yesterday. Well deserved. Your blog is a daily source of fun, enjoyment and enlightenment for me. Thanks and keep it going on and on and on.......

      Delete
  20. Replies
    1. MB: U R right
      nothing to pay FREE + panel BOARD
      Defn: vessel's side above water (FREE)(BOARD)
      This is the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level

      Delete
    2. Thanks, NR Sir. Your timely corrections in some of the Annos is of immense value to most of us here !

      Delete
  21. 17 left after 30 minutes. Poor show by me.

    ReplyDelete
  22. 28 Bear with bishop having gone off to fetch rubble (4) (-b)RUIN[/b]

    ReplyDelete
  23. 24 Fruit - nothing need be added to this and stirred for a seasoning (6) O {RANGE}*

    anagram of ANGER with O

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Add another O and anagram it to get Oregano

      Delete
    2. Thanks suresh. That makes sense. Orange+O leads to Oregano which is used for seasoning.

      Delete
    3. 24D In the clue, it should be 'needs' - nothing 'needs' to be added.
      22A As such, the clue (where females are scarce) would lead to MEN galore. Setter's licence!
      3D Split would have normally led to RIVE. But, RIVA[-L] comes easily from the wordplay and is supported by Xing of VAGRANT. Being a place in Croatia, it is a bit NJesque. May be a clue for NINA, VIVA, LIMA or MICA would have fitted equally well, as this was to be solved without any aid.

      Delete
    4. 'Nothing need be added' is grammatically perfect english.

      Where females are scarce, men are galore, shortened to men galore I see nothing wrong with that.

      Riva is 'a cleft in rock' - See chambers

      Delete
    5. 1) I had taken it as nothing need to be added and, hence, made the comment. On review, I stand corrected. We are talking of the use of the word "need" as a modal verb, i.e., without "to" infinitive. We know, of course, that it can be a normal verb - "nothing needs to be added..." is fine. This is the form generally preferred. However, the version "nothing need be added..." though very formal is, nevertheless, also correct.
      2) I rechecked - the name of the city is still MANgalore. May be CGR can clarify.
      3) The clarification on RIVA is welcome (c.f. Suresh@12:25). This reflects the strength of this forum.
      Thanks galore to CGR (aka CV) and Col for joining together to give us this humdinger of a CW on its Centennial.

      Delete
    6. NR,
      You're right on MANGALORE, my mistake

      Delete
  24. That's it then all answers in. From your comments it appears that around 50% appears to be the par score after 30 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Completed the grid in less than half an hour except for DRAVIDIAN and VAGRANT-- got mislead with RIVE for RIVA -- only these three were left out. I'm sure, under a time-constraint ambiance, one would go crazy !! I am never good at exams and time-bound tests. Liked MANGALORE as only yesterday in my congratulatory message to the Col and the other contestants I had used the word BANg-Bang- GALORE and it was easy to fill in. Didn't know that CV was the compiler.

    This final crossie was far more easy than the other previous eight rounds ! At least to em !

    Fun , though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everything is Maya, RU. I have acknowledgment from IXL for the following time submitted. Please note that the puzzles, though scheduled to come on at 1030 came on at different times (for ex. round 1 came on at 1036)

      1 1049 (I was first in this round and it came on at 1035, so 14 mins)
      2 1101 (I goofed up here)
      3 1047
      4 1056
      5 1048 ( I was the first in this round, it took 16 mins)
      6 1052
      7 1104
      8 1133

      So it has been a wide fluctuation. Sometimes you know things and sometimes you don't, which makes one feel it is relatively easy or tough. So according me my above timings, No.8 was definitely tougher than this puzz. At least for me. Whereas I can claim 1 and 5 to be easy. But really, speaking, I probably cottoned on first to what they were talking about. That's all.

      For real 'tough', please try the Guardian Genius or Crossword Centre puzzles of Nov. or Dec.

      Delete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Instant wordgame
    Add two more lines - a rhyming couplet to that in Kishore's cartoon.
    Mine:
    Inside, the warders may secretly keep track
    Of me, outside my wife keeps me on the rack!

    ReplyDelete

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