Thursday 6 March 2014

No 11025, Thursday 06 Mar 2014, Sankalak's files


ACROSS
1   A brace for the runner, not really a hindrance for a beginner! (8,5) STARTING BLOCK [C&DD]
10 Aim to cover place of worship considered sacred (9) ENSHRINED {EN{SHRINE}D}
11 Dirt uncovered by harsh English (5) GRIME {GRIM}{E}
12 Physical strength as a support gets two points (5) BRAWN {BRA}{W}{N}
13 A cute berth designed for old missile launcher (9) TREBUCHET*
14 Regretted holding part of a foot totally damaged (6) RUINED {RU{IN}ED}
16 Talk foolishly of a robber in the main losing one (5) PRATE PiRATE
Read with 27A and 20A
19 Order included in Portuguese dicta (5) EDICT [T]
20 Can the duo try, however, to overcome addiction to drink? (3,3) DRY OUT*
25 If sick, tries to heal but acts cruelly (3-6) ILL-TREATS {ILL}-{TREATS}
26 A bill on ducks? Not allowed! (5) TABOO {TAB}{OO}
27 Muscular chap with an edge, a bit neurotic (2-3) HE-MAN {HEM}-{A}{N}
28 Jane with belly upset by sweet (5,4) JELLY BEAN*
29 Anticipate lecture for spitting (13) EXPECTORATION {EXPECT}{ORATION}

DOWN
2   Down under, it is an unfinished job over an obsession (8) TASMANIA {TASk}{MANIA}
3   Repeat of a show organised with hesitation (5) RERUN {R{ER}UN}
4   Natural to see some tan nicely spreading, in retrospect (6) INNATE [T<=]
5   Small, ingenious devices to treat a wet angry dog now gone missing (8) GADGETRY {wET+AnGRY+DoG}*
6   Quick delivery, perhaps a danger for a member! (3-6) LEG-CUTTER [C&DD]
7   Conservative governor catches insurer with a hackneyed idea (6) CLICHE {C}{LIC}{HE}
8   Where feeble lawyers may find a drink (3,3) TEA BAR {TEA} {BAR} (Addendum - WET BAR {WET} {BAR} - See comments)
9   A bunk for some slumber that is fixed (5) BERTH [T]
15 Ability to bear confinement after extremes of enervation (9) ENDURANCE {EnervatioN}{DURANCE}
17 Aircraft engine that Jack terms unstable without knight on board (8) SCRAMJET {JACk+TERMS}*
18 Hat for a dark royal, originally oval (8) SOMBRERO {SOMBRE}{R}{O}
21 Awkward growth on head in time unknown (6) THORNY {T}{HORN}{Y}
22 Some land, large, half reduced (5) BIGHA {BIG}{HAlf}
23 The most interesting part in a conservative capital, a cross (6) CLIMAX {C}{LIMA}{X}
24 Groom, East German, confronts the French right (6) OSTLER {OST}{LE}{R}
26 Attempt by good man for a clandestine meeting (5) TRYST {TRY}{ST}

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73 comments:

  1. SandhyaP6 March 2014 at 08:33

    8 Where feeble lawyers may find a drink (3,3) TEA BAR

    I put this as {WET} {BAR}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore6 March 2014 at 08:38

      Wet behind the ears or wetting their whistle?

      Delete
  2. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 08:36

    I too put it as WET BAR

    ReplyDelete
  3. Venkatesh6 March 2014 at 08:36

    8 Where feeble lawyers may find a drink (3,3) TEA BAR {TEA} {BAR}
    I had put it as {WET} {BAR} taking feeble = WET
    wet (Brit. informal) boneless, effete, feeble, foolish, ineffectual, irresolute

    ReplyDelete
  4. Venkatesh6 March 2014 at 08:39

    Going by trend of his recent postings, 23Dn may be the choice for cartoon today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore6 March 2014 at 08:41

      Sorry to disappoint you, Venkatesh

      Delete
    2. Kishore6 March 2014 at 09:12

      You will now see that I wanted to link the robber in the main, prate, heman, berth and dry out together ...

      Delete
  5. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 08:41

    Stumped by 22 Down ! I was looking for a word in English !! An entertaining and absorbing puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 09:11

      Got 'Bhiga' from the blog only. Reminded me of the film 'Do Bhiga Zameen'.

      Delete
  6. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 08:47

    Generally speaking...

    I have raised an important point here:

    Saddhu

    Readers may want to add reactions here in this blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore6 March 2014 at 09:00

      Your observations are in order. In fact, the double d spelling reminds me of the Hindi word for wife's sister's husband, pronounced saaDu, which becomes sadukku in Konkani.

      Delete
  7. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 09:03

    Your 'sadukku' (Konkani) is the same as 'shaddagar', I think. This is from which language?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Venkatesh6 March 2014 at 09:07

      Brahmin Tamil for 'co-brother'! In spoken Tamil, they say 'Sakalai'.

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 09:15

      CV's question popped up in my mind too. I have always wondered about its origin. Could be a variant of 'saaDu' mentioned by Kishore.

      Delete
    3. Richard6 March 2014 at 09:15

      The misnomer 'co-brother' - humorously shortened as cobra - is 'shadduka' or 'shadka' in Kannada as I have heard. As Kishore said, in our version of Konkani it is 'saaDu', while 'sadukku' mentioned by him sounds more like a puzzle. ;-)

      Delete
    4. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 09:29

      Upgrade your version, biradar!

      Delete
    5. Richard6 March 2014 at 10:00

      With my aversion for it?

      Delete
  8. Richard6 March 2014 at 09:09

    Nice crossword. Missed BIGHA, in spite of Bimal Roy and Balraj Sahni being my favourites ('Do Bigha Zameer'). An 'Indian' indicator would have helped.

    8D - No wonder many of us fell for TEA BAR with so much of chai pe charcha around.

    EXPECT-ORATION has been coughed up, if not necessarily as an answer, in this blog at least three times during the past one-month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Venkatesh6 March 2014 at 09:14

      That should be DO BIGHA ZAMEEN. Wonderful film.

      Delete
    2. Richard6 March 2014 at 09:16

      Sorry for the typo.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 09:26

      Richie must have been thinking of a Bangalore politician.

      Delete
    4. Richard6 March 2014 at 09:54

      Parents of groom and bride are 'beega' - plural is 'beegaru' - to each other in Kannada.(CV would know. ;-) )

      Curiously, 'beega' also means lock in Kannada. Now, with Kishore's known reputation for looking for minute detalis, he might unlock some connection in the wedlock.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 11:08

      Sahebrey, maduve aad mele, hosa dampatgalikke kooD- hakuvaga beegada upyoga maaDubahudu

      Delete
  9. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 09:19

    Straightaway opened page 9 to verify if it carries the second installment of sankalak and mighty pleased.Lucky CW's are preserved after one's life like photos and videos. One cannot leave behind better memoirs.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Richard6 March 2014 at 09:25

    13A - Did not know TREBUCHET as a rocket launcher. It is the name of a computer font which caught my attention more prominently in Shuchi's blog. It is smooth on the eyes. I have set it as the default font for my correspondence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 09:29

      You would have seen a similar contraption called ballista in Asterix

      Delete
  11. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 09:32

    Guvnor, this is time to talk of Shiela ki jawani in God 's own country

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 09:48

    How some has-beens become stay-puts!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Deepak Gopinath6 March 2014 at 09:52

    Rewards for ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard6 March 2014 at 09:58

      Raj Bhavans have often become rehabilitation centres for political fossils and discarded politicians, whichever party held the helm in Delhi.

      Delete
    2. Nadathur Rajan6 March 2014 at 10:39

      Gubernatorial appointments may provide protection against cases or ongoing enquiries. A posting to a far off place also takes a person who has become a handicap or an embarrassment out of the local political scene. The person may be compatible to the party in power in the state of posting.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 11:09

      It gets murkier whengoverners jump back into electoral politics

      Delete
    4. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 11:38

      And what rehabilitation ! (Remember the Hyderabad goings on)

      Delete
    5. Richard6 March 2014 at 12:10

      NDTV without five...

      Delete
    6. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 13:01

      Pat reply, pat suit

      Delete
    7. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 15:27

      Appa, how did you keep mum all these years?

      Delete
    8. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 15:31

      Out of court settlement!

      Delete
    9. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 19:04

      CV, your 327 reminded me of

      Come behind the pyramid and I will turn you into a mummy

      Delete
  14. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 10:23

    My first take on 1 Across was "STEPPING STONE", later, while solving Down clues, changed it to "STARTING BLOCK" !

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 10:41

    Talking about headgear : Yesterday it was BOATER, Today SOMBRERO. Tomorrow ...?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nadathur Rajan6 March 2014 at 10:46

      ..... STETSON?

      Delete
    2. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 10:59

      :)

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 11:10

      Zara haT-ke ...

      Delete
    4. Richard6 March 2014 at 11:28

      No language is safe in your mouth or with your mouse, buddy...

      Delete
    5. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 11:36

      Undir mojha mama ...

      Delete
    6. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 11:49

      ...artham kaaledhu, Thammudu !

      Delete
    7. Richard6 March 2014 at 12:03

      Balu, let me clear the suspense created by the master mysteriologist...

      By saying 'zara haT-ke', a familiar Hindi expression of caution to stay away or be alert, Kishore also referred to 'hat', the headgear.

      When I said mouse, he recalled a famous Goan Konkani song, 'undir mhoja mama' since 'undir' is mouse in Konkani.

      When dealing or discussing with someone like him, 'Zar haTke'! ;-)

      Delete
    8. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 12:11

      Mouse my uncle!

      From the lyrics of a popular Konkani song ...
      available at ...
      http://konkanisongsonline.blogspot.in/search/label/Undeir%20mama-goan

      Delete
    9. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 12:15

      You can hear it at that link

      Delete
    10. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 12:20

      Yes, Richard, you said it ! While dealing with Kishore, Zara Hatke, Zara Bachke hi rehana achaa hai !!

      Delete
    11. Richard6 March 2014 at 12:28

      Further to the Konkani song Undir mhojea mama:

      The tune of the Hindi song, Munna bada pyara, ammi ka dulara, sung by Kishore Kumar in Musafir (1957) was lifted from it in part. If you Google, you will get many versions. Maybe Kishore can pick the choicest.

      Delete
    12. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 12:30

      Lovely Konkani song. Thanks Kishore. The song reminded of Sinhala (Sri Lanka) song "Surangani" too. The one sung by Col Sir on his birthday bash !

      Delete
    13. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 12:39

      TYPO : Reminded me of.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 13:02

      Both of them belong to the samr genre : Baila songs

      Delete
  16. raju umamaheswar6 March 2014 at 13:04

    SANKALAK has conquered sada- KAL and acquired moksha by his crossies !

    I was scouring the old Hindu Crossies whether I could garner some oldies of his ! Alas, from 2003 to 2009, no credits have been given to the compilers as no names are mentioned. Did a few, late last night.. The standards have indeed gone up with the current crop. Y
    Those days, more of anagrams and DDs , CDs and a spattering of telescopics. Strangely, even the grid and the letters are as bleak small. NUst finish all of them soon before my eyes become
    short-sighted !!

    Todays' clue of my day:EXPECTORATION & TREBUTCHET.

    I've always marvelled at the at the'' acquired relative words" SHUDDAGAR and ORPi(A?)DI amongst Tambrams !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 13:18

      Shortsightedness should not worry you, Raju, for it does not impact viewing items close at hand ...

      Delete
    2. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 14:37

      Have a set of Sankalak (or any other setter) grids with bylines from the present or recent times..

      Then match blank grids from the past when crosswords did not have bylines.

      You can be sure you're solving the desired setter's puzzles.

      While Gridman uses six blanks, Sankalak used some 10 grids.

      ---

      So you're holding a record for the largest number of newspaper clippings of crosswords - fully solved, unsolved, partially solved, still solving and yet-to-solved crosswords?

      Delete
  17. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 14:52

    You never go outside the six grids- I mean you did not find the need for it?
    Also, some grids may be common to a few setters.
    Curious to know what Raju's total could be and how long in terms of no. of years?

    ReplyDelete
  18. PKPSwami6 March 2014 at 14:55

    Felt as if going thro'a classic. Wonderful wordplay &ashlar-work.The veteran had made my memory jog and brought on board deep-set ideas.kudos to the master-wordsmith.

    ReplyDelete
  19. raju umamaheswar6 March 2014 at 14:59

    Thanks, CV. Will try and see if I can match, on the basis of the tips given. I had offered DG to fill in the hiatus for his Sunday specials.I'm sure, there won't be any copy rights issues with the Hindu? In fact, their sales must have gone up thanks to our THCC ?! The idea is to give some fodder to the starved solvers on Sundays , if possible of Sankalak , to perpetuate his memory. Can you please tell me since when he or you were contributing? I have the collection of unsolved from 2003 to 2009 from Hindu. .

    Yes, my collections are largely unsolved, mostly fully solved, very few partially solved, and and a few unsolvable ones from my standards. Very many Times Jumbo of UK, cryptic and quick. CDs of crosswords to be solved on the computer, largest and longest crosswords, a happy blend of easy, hard and very hard cryptics.

    One life time is not enough to solve all the unsolved ones but I pick at random, suiting my mood of the moment. Luckily, they are all still safe from the vagaries of nature and white ants.

    Solved ones can be found quite sufficient to set off the cost of firewood for my funeral ,as I always quip with Sapna !

    ReplyDelete
  20. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 15:21

    To answer Padmanabhan's question -

    I have always used the same grids cyclically - grid 1 to grid 6.

    Grid 1 has slots of 10 letters and less, grid 2 - 11 letters and less aand so on till grid 6 - 15 letters and less.

    Rare exceptions are crosswords on special occasions or those having Nina or peripheral message.

    Raju - My crosswords have been appearing since 2001.

    Sankalak's since late 1980s or early 1990s. His quota has been six or even more until they were pared down to three recently.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Chaturvasi6 March 2014 at 15:24

    Padmanabhan,

    I forgot to add that the six grids of mine are created originally by me - that is, they are not just copied from a library or newspapers.They are not used by any other THC setter.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Mukundala Balasubramanyam6 March 2014 at 15:35

    18 Down : Re picture for Sombrero :

    I believe, the man in the picture, donning the SOMBRERO is none other than CLARK GABLE of 'Gone With The Wind' fame ! Don't believe me ? Then see this link. ;-)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Gable And see for yourself the similarity !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 15:49

      That's it. I have been thinking about it from the time I first saw it. Thank you MB.

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 15:51

      Kishore,
      That should tell you how good your drawing is. I don't know how many aces there are up your sleeves? You keep playing them from time to time or when the time comes!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous6 March 2014 at 16:22

      Paddy, your praise is mistaken. The sketch under 18d for sombrero is not my handiwork...

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 18:52

      It is not a photo. So I naturally assumed you must have done it.

      Delete
  23. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 15:47

    That is great!! Did you design them in such a way that it would contain an optimum mix of 4,5,6... upto 10 or 15? (6 to cover the max. limit from 10 to 15?) Lot of thought seems to have been given to this- before you started making CW's. In my opinion, that is what makes it so unique- the systematic approach and thought process. Until you had explained, I could not make out why 6? To think that I did not even notice what type of grid it is before I start doing it?!

    I should consider myself lucky to be doing all your CW's and be part of this blog- thanks to you & Col. ( though I accidentally found this blog and kept reading all the comments, I could not put in comments and take part until CV took the trouble of coming home and initiating me into it.) I have learned a lot here, learned today about grids and I will keep my eyes and ears open in future.

    ReplyDelete
  24. raju umamaheswar6 March 2014 at 17:40

    Padmanabhan @ :2:52 p.m. I started collecting from 1992. My current tally is appr : 537,154 solved:and unsolved , besides numerous books solved and unsolved and CDs etc. Not inclusive of what I do online , which, of late, I save in my PC. My collections were brought in five 27" TV catrons from Nairobi by sea, amongst other worldly belongings.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Padmanabhan6 March 2014 at 18:51

    Reads like a Guinness record! How do you keep count like that to the last no.? I am glad it made the sea voyage safely without damage. Keep it going.

    ReplyDelete

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