My deer Scintillator, I had some problems today
*
Starred clues lack a definition but are members of the same ilk
ACROSS
1 *Not totally against what some lovers do (8) ANTELOPE (ANTi ELOPE)
5 *Toddlers on the way back (3-3) DIK-DIK (KID< in the plural)
9 A bishop’s religious pamphlet is non-realistic (8) ABSTRACT (A B'S TRACT)
10 Avoid struggle at start involved in establishing peace (6) ESCAPE (S in PEACE*)
12 Debt is done with; plan to follow (9) OVERDRAFT (OVER DRAFT)
13 *Do not take starters with beer — this will backfire (5) ELAND (D N ALE)<
14 *Chinese path that doesn’t restrict a pious person (4) TOPI (TaO PI)
Cap of AAP? Iski topi uske sar? Ab kiske sar par hoga taaj?
Cap of AAP? Iski topi uske sar? Ab kiske sar par hoga taaj?
16 Window of room sandwiched between ends of hall and lounge (7) LATTICE (ATTIC in L E)
19 Extra-large specimen (7) EXAMPLE (EX AMPLE)
21 *What’s there in a sudoku, dumbo? (4) KUDU (T)
24 *Semi-analytical solution (5) NYALA (ANALYtical)*
25 Of a protein-maker with limb or so operated (9) RIBOSOMAL (LIMB OR SO)* Not sure if the A comes from the definition part
27 *Ailing animal (6) NILGAI (AILING)* Here the * is being interpreted as an anagram indicator I think, since though the animal is a part of the theme, the definition is there in the clue. Hence, unstarred and therefore the instruction accompanying the * at the top does not apply. But still a part of the theme. DG has punctured my theory. Animal is the anagram indicator, it seems. Though I am not happy with it ...
28 Nazis passing out with MBA dictating Africans (8) ZAMBIANS (NAZIS MBA)*
29 Current passes on to a metal plate (6) SALVER Anno not clear (SILVER-I+A) I=current
30 Be involved in karate and PT coaching (4,4) TAKE PART (KARATE PT)*
DOWN
1 An unfinished puzzle about a woman being big (6) AMAZON (A MAZe ON)
2 One queries about street dancing (6) TESTER (STREET)*
3 Sensational and transparent inner is changed (5) LURID (LUCID with inner changed)
4 I’m at fault, I’ve to accept turning up without foreign material (7) PECCAVI (I'VE TO ACCEPT< -TOTE)
Has Scintillator Sindh?
6 Fashionable to go over speed limits? Caught and examined (9) INSPECTED (IN SPE(CT)ED)
7 Spectacular day strike by a jerk (8) DRAMATIC (D RAM A TIC)
8 Deeply involved to continue subduing poverty (4-4) KNEE DEEP (NEED in KEEP)
Doubly deep ... in the clue and the solution
11 Everyone else rising from dead (4) ET AL (LATE<) I think enu is incorrectly stated
15 Harp on about time, having lost parents (9) ORPHANAGE ((HARP ON)* AGE) Is the defn. ok?
17 Right to spend month’s salary for utilities (8) REMNANTS? seems the only word to fit. Maybe I have some crossing wrong MEANINGS (M EArNINGS)
18 Such paths do not meet a match (8) PARALLEL (DD)
20 Money a conductor keeps inside? (4) EURO (nEUROn)
21 Secret tale of music band being involved in grand note (7) KABBALA (ABBA in K LA)
22 *Ceaselessly pierce with tip of axe (6) IMPALA (IMPALe A)
Once a popular car in Indian films. The heroine used to have one sponsored by her father engaged in 'import-export business'
23 Secret seal and cross (6) CLOSET (CLOSE T)
26 *Steady and not tense (5) SABLE (STABLE-T)
Found a way into Scintillator’s mind today
ReplyDelete14A – {T(-a)O}{PI}
27A – Animal is the AInd
29A – S(-i+a)ALVER
17D – {M}{EA(-r)NINGS} also fits
The early bird peeked into your draft ;-)
DeleteThanks, Deepak.
DeleteThough I have physically encountered all the other creatures, I had not met the TOPI till today.
DeleteQuite TOPIcal...
DeleteORPHANAGE: from Chambers:
ReplyDelete(now usually orphanhood) the state or condition of being an orphan.
Want to 'take part' in the discussion about the cartoon.
ReplyDeleteWhen I joined the bank job in the pre-computer age, the man who was to train me at work assigned me the job of updating the passbooks and prepare handwritten statements of accounts, and gave a loaded advice, 'Take your own time. But don't keep asking too many questions and take my time.'
Another real-life anecdote from around the same time. Another senior colleague passed on some work saying, 'you do this, this, this, that and that...and rest I will take...'
And he rested.
You rest your case.
DeleteGen. 2:2
DeleteDidn't the first one say 'Please don't eat my head!", presuming you were top-ivourous.
DeleteYou have brains, K.
DeleteFast working one at that!
DeleteIf anyone offers me their head (remember Karna in Karnabharam "Matchiram dadami"), I will refuse saying I am fasting.
DeleteYou may be fating, but your brain will not.
DeleteWas the typo intentional?
DeleteBTW, on Friday Richard had made a gag about the 'sprayer' and lo and behold, just after him came the Amul ad using the same theme. RL was faster on the draw and went public before the ad made it.Good thinking, Richard.
ReplyDeleteThanks..:-)
DeleteIn the second anecdote, if the superior had said 'and others I will take', it would still have been funny. But the word 'rest' gives it an edge.
ReplyDeleteRichard, you could probably have omitted the last line 'And he rested' and left it to the imagination of the reader. After all, you had italicised the word rest.
In narration of anecdotes, one must always give it to the reader the joy of discovery of the point.
CV 8:58 Mea culpa.
Delete'And he rested' is a lift from another gag. God made man and rested. He made woman and rested. And ever since neither God nor man has rested.
Ref. my comment at 902
DeleteI hope he woke up:-)
ReplyDeleteI am not in the loop for today's CW, so I thought at least let me enjoy the comments. But alas, they are also fewre (like my filled words!)
NR, I left a message on THCC on Friday at 339pm. You probably missed it as you may not have visited THCC again on that day. I repeat it here for your convenience:
ReplyDeleteNR, your swathe of ken somehow reminds me of Dr Venkatesh from Delhi, who has a similar expanse. I have had a chance to meet him in person at the IXL finals. Have you perchance come across him?
I don't understand.
ReplyDeleteHow can 'animal' be anag signal?
He is an animal can mean he is disorganised. But I am not happy about this ...
DeleteAnimal can mean Brutal. I think it has been used before as an AInd
DeleteAnimal INSTINCT* = Tints Inc.
DeleteAn innocuous question: Can a party animal disorganized?
Corr. 'be disorganized?'
DeleteA disorganized question: Can a party animal be inoculated?
DeleteUnless he is immune to attacks...
DeleteFollowing the cartoon...
ReplyDeleteThere is this new Tamil film Pannayarum Padminiyum, where Padmini is the car that the landowner owns. I am planning to see this comedy.
A few days later, I bought a new set of beadings and asked him to replace them. After he did so, I gave him the remaining pieces of the old one and told him he could have them along with the one he had already taken and sent him packing.
Deletefewer*
ReplyDelete2 Premier Padmini owners in our blog? Or Col.'s is an earlier Fiat?
ReplyDeleteSuddenly I remembered Padmini (1932-2006), one of the Travancore sisters, others being Lalita and Ragini. Although she had acted in over 30 Hindi movies, besides 75-plus Tamil and Malayalam movies, I remember her for superb performance in Mera Naam Joker.
DeleteCol's car is a Millicento, an earlier version. More rounded in its frontal look. And usually having central hinge for both the front and back doors.
DeleteI don't have it anymore. After an unfortunate connexion between the oil channel and the water channel in the engine block, I got it repaired but was told it had a maximum life of 3 years and hence had to dispose of it. A peculiar thing about that car. The car was valued at 80k when I bought it and the seller wanted me to have it at 70k. I did not listen to him till he agreed to sell it at 90k.
DeleteBy the way, an important difference, the Col.'s car is black. Mine was white.
DeleteUnable to get this anno:
ReplyDelete4 I’m at fault, I’ve to accept turning up without foreign material (7) PECCAVI (I'VE TO ACCEPT< -TOTE)
I remember to have put a ? at the end of tote. Seems to have gone missing. I know tote only as a bag. Not sure how it is foreign material
DeleteIs it 'accept' without 'et' (foreign) & 'ive'?
DeleteI took it as a reverse telescopic with "to" deleted
DeleteIt is a reverse telescopic from "IVE TO ACCEPT" with 'OTE' deleted. Don't know what foreign material is unless it is ET for foreign and O for material
DeleteWhat's the indicator for [T]?
DeleteCan think of material (substance, stuff etc.) as the [T] indicator, but that still leaves us with 'O'.
DeleteSuppose it is not (T). I've to accept turning up can mean reversal of "I've to accept". Then T indication is not required.
DeletePardon the scratchy drawing today. With several doubts in the annos, I had little time at my disposal.
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note, the scratchy side did justice to the vintage element and 'unbeaded' doors...
DeleteTough for me :-(
ReplyDeleteCum-mon, don't say that ...
Delete:-( Raining in chennai. Got small fever. Finally took paracetamol:-D
DeleteToday's news yesterday!
DeleteThat is the only way to have paracetamolu for me
Delete???
ReplyDeleterainmon?
RAIN on MONday in Chennai...
DeleteThere is a saying in Tamil-" Pambin kal pambu ariyum". A snake knows well about another snake. Same holds good for punsters too!
ReplyDeleteIt creeps on to others at times... :-)
DeleteSir, pent up anger can be dangerous
DeleteJust completed RaiMon's special of yesterdate. Great and enjoyable. Good work Son of Rain in Malayalam, Ajeesh !! Couldn't participate as being a Sunday, I had taken a greater part of my soulmate's household chores as she's is now able to only move about guardedly, holdingon to things along the way. SHE should give me a Lame-Duck excuse, and not me !! No Dame -Luck to my rescue.
ReplyDeleteTo YE-all Cruciverbalists: Here's something interesting !! Enjoy !
ReplyDelete"Lexophile" is a word used to describe those that love using words in rather unique ways,
such as "you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", or "to write with a broken pencil is
pointless." A competition to see who can come up with the best one is held every year.
This year's winning submission is posted at the very end.
When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate.
A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.
When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.
The batteries were given out free of charge.
A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.
A will is a dead giveaway.
With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
A boiled egg is hard to beat.
When you've seen one shopping Center you've seen a mall.
Police were called to a day care Center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.
Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.
A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered.
He had a photographic memory which was never developed.
When she saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.
Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.
And the cream of the wretched crop:
Those who get too big for their pants will be exposed in the end.
Classic compilation, Raju! Each one is a gem. Thoroughly enjoyed reading them.
Delete+ 2
Delete+ 3
DeleteCan somebody explain hungry clock... Four seconds?
ReplyDeleteread- "for seconds' (second helping) When hungry,we tend to slow down.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paddy
DeleteDifficult to choose the first among equals. Thank you Raju. Most enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteHi Ajeesh ! Congratulations on your successful debut entry into crossword setting. Yesterday I couldn't spend much time on this blog and didn't go through all the comments. Today logged in late and came to know that you were the one who had set such a wonderful Sunday Special. Looking forward to many more thrillers from you ! :)
ReplyDelete@ 2:44 - Sir, pent up anger can be dangerous
ReplyDeleteIf it is taken as 'sir pent up anger' can be dangerous, this set of words can make the following anagrams:
REAPING PUNSTER
PREPARE TUNINGS
PUNGENT PRAISER
INSURGENT PAPER
REPEAT SPURNING
RETURNING PAPER
PREPARING TUNES
PERUSING PARENT
SUPER PARENTING
PEANUT SPRINGER
I am utterly confused. Which could be the intended one?
NOTA. It was just a pun on serpent, what with Slytherins in the previous two comments
Delete