Welcome to our new setter Prasenjit. Those from CCS at Facebook will know him.
Three answers per commenter (with annotations) till 6 PM.
ACROSS
7 Placard
announced periodic function (4)
8 Key
valuation after mortgage payment results in relocating (10)
9 A delay held up festivity (4)
10 Award for Singapore or the Vatican
without yes or no? (8)
11 Originally, I sermonise main doctrine
(3)
12 Sarawak Indians, in essence, related by
blood (4)
13 Crisis - Russia is mounting eastern
attack, sources state (6)
14 Stalemate in relationship (3)
15 Open a cylinder (4)
16 Plateau found in some sandy terrain (4)
17 Each reversed exercise iteration (3)
18 Back in prison robe (6)
20 Faction supporting extreme cultural
traditions to begin with (4)
22 Consume prime servings of feast (3)
23 See 16 Down (8)
25 Bimetallic missile? (4)
26 Skeleton in a lab turns around, circles
twice and creates uproar (10)
27 Colour oozing from dilute crude (4)
DOWN
1 Seize reportedly
intoxicated sailor (6)
2 What a dentist
gives and a consultant gets (8)
3 After Nov,
storage company faces liquidation (10)
4 (& 21 Down)
At server farm (4,6)
5 Lash the Italian
immersed in soulless music from the East (6)
6 Looking back
within, had negative feelings about the program (6)
10 Immediacy
overwhelms second-rate hero (9)
13 Colour of copper
tetrachloride for example (10)
16 (& 23 Across)
Deny it! It helps defend against eyewitness testimony (8,8)
18 Bromide content
of organic lichen (6)
19 Delicate
ingredient of coffee blend (6)
21 See 4 Down (6)
24 Russian monarch
taken in head over heels by Barbra Streisand (4)
The interactive Across Lite version will no longer be embedded in the main post. It is available at the following link PS 1
Enjoy.
7 Placard announced periodic function (4) Sine (sign)
ReplyDelete11 Originally, I sermonise main doctrine (3) Ism
ReplyDelete19 Delicate ingredient of coffee blend (6) Feeble
ReplyDeleteOn first glance: plenty of embedded type clues.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Raghunath. Shall reduce in future grids and shall add one or more anagram clues for variety.
Delete9 A delay held up festivity (4) GALA {GALA<==)
ReplyDeleteAnno : {GAL A <--}
Delete16 Plateau found in some sandy terrain (4) MESA [T]
ReplyDelete27 Colour oozing from dilute crude (4) ECRU [T]
24 Russian monarch taken in head over heels by Barbra Streisand (4) TSAR<= [T]
Raghunath, I realised 'terrain' was an extraneous word in 16 Across but could think of no way to eliminate it. Any suggestions?
DeletePlateau found in some sandbars
DeleteThanks, Col. I'd considered 'sandbars' but learned from wikipedia that sandbars are often near a coast whereas mesas never are. In retrospect, though, I agree with you that 'sandbars' would still be preferable to 'sandy terrain'. I'd even briefly toyed with 'Plateau found in some sand (4)'. Would that have been acceptable to solvers?
Delete14 Stalemate in relationship (3) TIE (DD)
ReplyDelete12 AKIN (T)
ReplyDelete14 TIE (DD)
13A: CRIMEA(Acrostic)
ReplyDelete20A:SECR(Acrostic)
25A:(AG)(NI)
8 Key valuation after mortgage payment results in relocating (10) EMI G RATING
ReplyDeleteCorrection:20A:SECT
ReplyDeleteLike Lightning's clue on Crimea, PS's clue is excellent!
ReplyDeleteYes, 13ac is excellent.
DeleteClue-writers in India show great promise and it is regrettable that Indian newspapers are not harnessing their skill in any clear, thoughtful and orchestrated manner.
Even clues from well-constructed Everyman crossword are printed (like in today's paper) in a 'moddhai' form - that is one block, one chunk, without any space above and below headers such as 'Across' or 'Down' or printing clue numbers in bold type. Such formatting is easy nowadays unlike when we had Linotype - yet even in those days we printed matter in a better form.
Thanks for the kind words, Raghunath & Chaturvasi ... these mean a lot to a new grid setter! :)
Delete18 D CLICHE (T)
ReplyDeleteThe grid might be OK for a crossword in a blog, but for publication in any paper, it should avoid two, three and four 'unches'.
ReplyDeleteIdeally, every other letter in a slot must be checked.
That said, some grids like the 13x13 BL cwd in Think page or the 13x13 in NIE have three unches. These are syndicated crosswords supplied by setters to agencies not the ones that are published in newspapers after approval by a crossword editor. (Some early grids in TH too have three unches before any guidelines were laid.)
Hope I am not considered a party pooper. I am writing this only in the spirit of healthy criticism.
I have already pointed that out to Prasenjit.
DeleteIndeed; grateful for your feedback, Colonel & Chaturvasi. Shall avoid three/four unches in future grids. Hope I can also avoid two.
DeleteWELCOME PS ! :)
ReplyDelete26 A Skeleton in a lab turns around, circles twice and creates uproar (10) HULLABALOO { (HUL LAB L ) OO }
Did you mean this:
DeleteHULL A BAL<= OO
Yes , Thanks Raghunath.
Delete18 Bromide content of organic lichen (6) CLICHE (T)
ReplyDelete5 Lash the Italian immersed in soulless music from the East (6) CI (LI <-) UM (MUSIC-S <-)
ReplyDeleteSUBSTITUTE FOR MY POST 10.50 ALREADY GIVEN BY AJEESH AT 10.47
Delete1.D.HIJACK. (HI~HIGH)(JACK)
ReplyDelete2.D.DECIMATION. {DEC}{IMATION}
ReplyDeleteSORRY IT IS 3D
DeletePrasad, would you consider 'After Nov' as a fair clue for 'Dec'? This is the first time I tried such a clue.
DeleteDoubt on 5 Down: since it is a down clue, is "from the east" for reversal indicator OK?
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right, Vasant. My oversight. Had originally allocated this clue an 'across' slot, subsequently moved it to a 'down' slot and overlooked editing the reversal indicator. Shall try to avoid in future.
Delete16&23 A. MISTAKEN IDENTITY .CD.
ReplyDeleteCA Prasad @ 11:10: I took it as (Deny It)*
ReplyDelete16D & 23A-
ReplyDeleteMistaken Identity
(deny it it)* . Anagram gives Identity
Reverse anagram?
OOPS: I mean (Deny it it)*
ReplyDelete6D : Looking back within, hAD NEGAtive feelings about the program (6) AGENDA (T<--)
ReplyDelete2D- Retainer (DD)
ReplyDelete8A- How is G for key?
ReplyDeleteMusical note (key) G
DeleteThank you Richard.
Delete10D : Immediacy overwhelms second-rate hero (9) CELEBRITY {CELE(B)RITY} Def : Hero
ReplyDeleteWelcome Presenjit!
ReplyDelete15A – {A}{JAR}
26A reminds me of MB. ;-)
ReplyDeleteNot Baloo, the bear !? :-)
DeleteThe Jungle Book character is Bhaloo, if I am not mistaken.
DeleteYou are always right ! :-)
DeleteNice start PS!Got all before 12:00; some sort of record for me.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, Vasant! Thanks. :)
DeleteThanks, Richard! :)
ReplyDelete18A- Caftan (alt.spelling of Kaftan)
ReplyDeleteRobe- Def.
Back- Aft
Prison- Can
My 3
ReplyDelete4 & 21D - DATA CENTRE [CD]
13D - {COMPLEX}{ION}
At is at centre of dATa
DeleteLeftovers
ReplyDeleteAcross - 10, 17, 22
I see glimpses of P.C.Sarkar magic in Prasenjit Sarkar's clues today ! Keep it up PS !!
ReplyDeleteBilkul sahi kaha aapne, Sarkar!
Delete:)
DeleteCol, I took 4 & 21 D as GK rather than CD.
ReplyDeleteCol & Vasant, I had intended 'server farm' as the definition and 'at' = centre of 'd(at)a' = 'data centre' as the wordplay. Neither general knowledge nor a cryptic definition. Just a standard two-part clue.
DeleteWhat is the indicator to tell the solver that AT is centre of DATA and why should I be thinking of DATA in the first place? This looks like finding the answer and then reverse engineering it.
DeleteYou're totally right, Col. That is why I included only one such clue in the grid. 'Server farm' as the definition is the only way to derive the answer. Since 'centre' is part of the answer, I couldn't have included the indicator in the clue itself (just as in a reverse anagram clue, the anagrind is in the answer and, hence, the clue itself cannot have any indicator). Shall avoid such clues in future grids if not considered standard.
DeleteThanks a lot for your generous words, dear MB!
ReplyDeleteI have the answers for all three remaining ones. Have 2 left in the quota. But not sure of annons. ;(
ReplyDelete10A Award for Singapore or the Vatican without yes or no? (8) {CIT(-y)}{(-n)ATION}
ReplyDelete17A Each reversed exercise iteration (3) REP<-
22A Consume prime servings of feast (3) fEAsT
Oh, a whiff of fresh air! I had the same answers in mind. Thank you, Sandy.
Delete17A I guess REP is short for REPEAT.
DeleteOr, more commonly, for 'repetition', Richard eg '12 reps of a dumbbell curl or until failure'.
DeleteThanks PS
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Ajeesh! :)
DeletePS: Your Reply: That then was a fantastic clue!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vasant!
DeleteNow that all clues have fallen, it is cross-examination time::-)
ReplyDelete27A Colour oozing from dilute crude (4)
The adjective form is 'diluted'. Maybe a better word could have been chosen.
Richard, even 'dilute' is an adjective eg 'dilute hydrochloric acid'. There is always room for a better adjective though. :)
ReplyDeletePS:
ReplyDeleteKhoob Bhala.
A word of advice for 9 A: delay held up festivity (4) GAL A<=
Held up works much better in a Down clue.
Yes, Raghunath; thanks. This was another lapse on my part. Shall take care in future grids. Instead, 'A delay brought back festivity (4)' would have worked technically in an across clue although the surface would lose meaning.
DeleteThanks to everyone who tried solving, to everyone who posted answers and to everyone who gave feedback and a big THANK YOU to Colonel for his support! Please look forward to a better grid the next time!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Prasenjit Sarkar ! We need the likes of you. Raju Prasann hua !!
ReplyDeleteMy COD: MISTAKEN IDENTITY
You sent a red herring on TSAR where I put in initially SERB-- Barbara Streisan -- BS monarch ER - The humble pie that I ate was bitter !!
Thank you very much, Raju. Hope the 'Tsar' clue was fair. I did think it was rather lengthy though no word was extraneous in my view! :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome PS and congrats on your first grid here. Quite a few nice clues:) Particularly liked 22A:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sowmya! Happy you liked 22 Across. Guess one or two such clues per grid should be acceptable.
DeleteThank you PS, thank you Col. and thanks a lot for everyone who made it lively today. I could come in only off & on and was partially in. Enjoyed reading all comments.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Padmanabhan!
DeleteI seem to be late to the party, but here are my thoughts anyway:
ReplyDeleteGood surface readings and sound grammatical wordplays in general. Liked GALA, CRIMEA, TIE, HIJACK and FEEBLE.
Agree with the rest about abundance of acrostic and hidden clues and the lack of enough crossings letters in 8a & 26a.
Like CV, I don't wish to be seen as a killjoy, so hope this feedback is taken in the right spirit:
7a and 17a - with the indicators in the middle and both def and wordplay components being the same length, there is no way to be certain which is the right answer until crossing letters are available. So SIGN or PER are equally valid answers. Best to avoid such ambiguity by placing the indicators carefully.
22a : A new way of indicating letters for selection. Unfortunately 'prime' as an adjective means first. Prime -> Prime number positions -> letters at 2,3,5 seems a few bridges too far for me personally.
26a: 'in' is misleading. Can't see how it can be a link between wordplay components. For me, 'in' works as a hidden word indicator or insertion indicator or a link between def and wordplay.
1d: Just an observation - some setters avoid homophone clues crossing each other in a grid.
2d: Is 'What' on double duty?
Looking forward to your future puzzles.
Regards
Bhavan, thank you very much for taking time to give your itemised feedback. Appreciate it especially since I know you have a newborn in the family who must rightfully be demanding your attention!
Delete2D: You're right; 'what' is performing double duty. Thought it was more elegant than 'What a dentist gives and what a consultant gets'. I avoid double duty words religiously when one duty is as part of the definition and the other as part of the wordplay. But I agree with you that, even in a double-definition clue like this, when the two instances are as part of two separate definitions, I should have avoided double duty. Shall do so in future.
1D: Did not know of this convention. Shall try to adhere to it now that you have made me aware of it. Thanks!
26A: Agreed. Was tempted to use 'skeleton' in the context of 'lab' hoping to make the surface narrative. Should have tried harder to find a 'neutral' connector here or, more likely, given 'skeleton' up and used some other relevant wordplay for 'hull'. Shall be stricter with myself in future.
22A: Learned this unconventional use of 'prime' at Facebook CCS recently. Disregarding the surface meaning for the moment, would you have considered 'Consume prime letters of feast (3)' technically legit?
7A & 17A: Bhavan, I used 'periodic function' and 'exercise iteration' as the definitions and 'placard announced' and 'each reversed' as the wordplays, implying 'placard (when) announced) and 'each (when) reversed'. I do agree that the wordplays and definitions are equal in length and, hence, difficult to distinguish but is it totally incorrect to place adjectival anagrinds and homophone indicators after the fodder?
8A & 26A: Yes, as I have already promised Chaturvasi and Colonel above, I shall avoid 3/4 unches immediately and 2 unches in due course (hopefully).
Excess of telescopic clues: Guilty as charged. These are actually my favourite class of clues, just as anagrams are for many setters. I avoid anagrams strictly as you may have noticed but shall need to resume using now.
Best regards.
22A: Learned this unconventional use of 'prime' at Facebook CCS recently. Disregarding the surface meaning for the moment, would you have considered 'Consume prime letters of feast (3)' technically legit?
DeleteI'd take any CCS invention with a pinch of salt personally. Unfortunately that revised clue still doesn't work for me. Prime letters of [fodder] to me suggests first letters of following words (in the plural)
7A & 17A: ... but is it totally incorrect to place adjectival anagrinds and homophone indicators after the fodder?
No, for me they are fine. The problem is not with these indicators preceding or following the fodder. It is about ambiguity.
7 Placard announced periodic function (4)
You want us to read it as :
'Placard announced = periodic function'. I'm saying 'Placard = announced periodic function' is also a valid way of reading it. You can remove such ambiguity by placing the indicator, wordplay and def in such a way that there is no confusion as to what was intended. So for example:
Function placard announced (4) or
Reversed each exercise iteration (3)
Col, May I know, what is C C S given in the header intro?
ReplyDeleteRam, CCS is Cryptic Crossword Society at Facebook, a Group with more than 6700 members. I am one of the Admins. Feel free to join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/cryptics/10151734218499364/?notif_t=group_comment_reply#!/groups/cryptics/
DeleteCryptic Crossword Society at Facebook
DeleteSimilarly I am unable to get the points narrated by CV Sir @ 10.48. The grid seems to be symmetrical. Additional conditions are to be complied with, it appears. Can someone explain?
ReplyDeleteSee the words at 8, 15, 16 & 26A and you will get what CV means. Too many 'unches' which leads to absence of crossings
DeleteThanks PS and Col
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteClue for 13 Across is very nice.
I think whatever had to be said has been said.. I too was going to mention 'prime' being an adjective in the clue context.
Just to add my comments on the 16A telescopic. If a certain clue type doesn't work, losing the idea is the best thing. There are always others to choose from. :P
Welcome :)
Thanks, Aakash. Yes, when a certain wordplay idea does not work, there is no dearth of alternative wordplay ideas or even clue types. Cheers! :)
Delete