Monday morning blues averted by the absence of Scintillator:-)
ACROSS
7 Gardner was just (4) FAIR [GK/DD]
8 Subcontract remodelling of courthouse after heroin was smuggled out (9) OUTSOURCE COURT
10 Get no bait manufactured (6) OBTAIN*
11 Hurry, doctor and sapper mount location in South Dakota (8) RUSHMORE {RUSH}{MO}{RE}
12 Video log you should see carefully to find hidden doctrine (8) IDEOLOGY [T]
14 What fighter pilots should not take when facing the enemy (6) FLIGHT [CD]
16 Cross city centre with drawing instrument (1-6) T-SQUARE {T}-{SQUARE} My faithful companion in college till the arrival of the mini-drafter.
21 More painful when Archie was injured (6) ACHIER*
23 Sneaker’s line on a floater? (8) PLIMSOLL [DD]
25 Key “out of this world” tavern (8) SPACEBAR {SPACE}{BAR}
27 Pour mixture into empty turbine and form a cast (6) TROUPE {T
29 It is crucial to bring in aardvark food (9) IMPORTANT {IMPORT}{ANT}
30 Muscat Sultan hid felines (4) CATS [T]
DOWN
1 Prohibit defective operating system in the Caribbean (8) BARBADOS {BAR}{BAD}{OS}
3,9 Simple, an air-crash brings a plane here (4,2,5) DOWN TO EARTH [DD]
4 Tall buildings have many of them tales, you hear (7) STOREYS (~stories)
5 Accommodate and take flight to get an insect (8) HOUSEFLY {HOUSE}{FLY}
6 Turn some grammar concepts on their head and stuff into the brain (4) CRAM [T<=]
13 Circular holes formed by pouring mixed oil around copper (5) OCULI {O{CU}LI*}
15 It runs without load and sidles around (5) IDLES
17 Artists spread colour around back-bone and make an infrequently seen flier (4,4) RARE BIRD {RA}{RE {BIR<=}D}
19 After drowning elf in spit, you begin to have inwardly directed compassion (4-4) SELF-PITY {S{ELF}-PIT}{Y}
20 Wasp or random insect hides a pouch (7) SPORRAN [T]
24 Completely concealed by Latin to Toda translator (2,4) IN TOTO [T]
26 Duplicate text of an advertisement (4) COPY [DD]
28 Expression of pain when penny falls out of purse (4) OUCH
Comments from Richard our cartoonist for today, recieved via e-mail
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
Enjoyed solving the puzzle. Managed to solve before leaving on an outstation trip early in the morning.
Liked OUTSOURCE (which incidentally anagrams to COURTEOUS also), T-SQUARE, SPACEBAR, IMPORTANT, BARBADOS, CAPRI, OCULI, SPORRAN and many others.
Doubtful about anno for 6D. Will check blog in the evening.
UNQUOTE
That squiggle at the NW of Lincoln's right eye is Richard's sign-off
DeleteMentioning NW above reminded me of the movie North by Northwest where the Rushmore monument figures near the ending of the movie. Incidentally, there NW is the airline.
DeleteIn 1996 when I went there, it was a very cold day - I was not able to see even one face completely. Just a few glimpses here and there as the swirling mists thinned momentarily.
DeleteSo you missed the misters because of mists
Deleteer......
Delete15d is my bloomer. I had initially written: Sidle around and run without load (5) with sidle* as the wordplay. In trying to set it right, I seem to have messed it up. Apologies.
ReplyDeleteA fast paced edition of Incognito. Started late & finished early. Thank you- enjoyed it immensely.
ReplyDeleteA.A.Fair is not 'fair'ly well known,if I may say so. (when compared to Perry Mason)
Our cyclist friend is mentioned on the Birthday of his state!
Did not notice the extra S in 15D at the speed of filling.
Sure ................................... sh!
DeleteAA Fair's novels featuring the detective team of Donald Lam & Bertha Cool were all fast paced. Pint-size Lam always thinks on his feet and manages to keep a step ahead of Sgt Frank Sellers.
DeleteIn page 6 of the Chennai edition of ToI today there is a story titled "Music from the sidelines, but no less melodious".
ReplyDeleteEvery Tamil film song that is mentioned therein I have heard several times and also appreciated. Even today - after several decades - I can recall the tunes and parts of the lyrics.
Somehow this habit of listening to film songs has gone out of my life. For this I don't blame myself but rather the milieu.
Those were the days when we had the transistor and these songs were played by the radio stations - by announcing the film titles, names of singers and even composers. There was no drivel from the DJ who now has no time for any of these details, there were no intrusive advertisements. We listened to the songs even as we were engaged in other activities such as cooking, washing, etc. - or even falling asleep. Sometimes I have switched off the transistor. now fallen silent, in a wakeful moment later.
Though I was not exposed to much Tamil on the radio, I empathise with what you say. I have had similar experiences with Binaca Geet Mala, Forces' Request, Aap ki Farmaish, Inspector Eagle and Hawamahal.
DeletePersonally I have not been a listener of Hindi film songs but in the years 1954-57 when we were living in Begumpet, Secunderabad, Binaca Geet Mala used to be switched on regularly by my elder siblings.
DeleteDon't we remember those radio sets that we had for years in our households? The same brands and the same models we used to notice on the tables of our relatives in other cities when we visited them.
Perhaps, what you did not mention was the quality & content of the present day songs. What I am trying to say is that you are not missing much.
DeleteDeepak's selection of the model for sporran is impeccable ! Exactly the person I would have wished to see in that slot ..
ReplyDeleteGood puzzle Kishore.
ReplyDelete1 D is probably not to the liking of one of our bloggers - reg definition.
Like Richard said about 6 D I too had a doubt. The def is spread around the fodder?
ReplyDeleteTurn some grammar concepts on their head and stuff into the brain (4) CRAM<-
ReplyDeleteI don't see any prob here.
The def, 'stuff into the brain', is separate and is in the latter part of the clue.
The rev telescopic fodder is in the earlier part of the clue.
It was Aldous Huxley who had
Ram it in ram it in
Children's heads are hollow
Ram it in ram it in
There's still more to follow.
I remember this from a book that my eldest brother had for his college study during the same period mentioned in another post above.
I thought turn some should have formed part of the def.
DeleteHowever, I'm not sure about this as then anagram/ deletion clues would not work with that logic.
DeleteCol,
ReplyDeleteThe hyper-link on FAIR leads to Elanor Garndner aka Elanor the Fair, a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's stories.
May be the following links may help:
Cool and Lam;
Erle Stanley Gardner
Though my intention was to use a pseudonym of ES Gardner, in line with the Incognito line of clues, the Col. Is well justified in giving the link he has, given that Eleanor was also called Eleanor the Fair, as given in the link. I, for one, admit I had not heard of E the F. The clue does not specify that it is an author we are looking for, so IMO, The Col. Is right.
DeleteNice try but it holds no water.
DeleteElanor Gardner was called "The Fair" for her golden hair. In this case, Gardner would stand for The Fair, not Fair.
Just look at ESG's signature given in the Wikipedia article on the writer.
DeleteTry imitating it!
Venkatesh @ 10:41,
DeleteDo you always have to put in the last word at any cost even after Kishore had guessed correctly on my intentions? As you say, if Elanor Gardner is not 'Fair' but 'The Fair' then Gardner is 'AA Fair' and not just 'Fair'. So there!!
ES Gardner's penname is AA Fair.
DeleteKishore has indicated his intent as Gardner = Fair (pseudonym).
CV, looks like ESG too, like the US govt. save money by using less ink
DeleteYou mean to say "...govt., should save..."
DeleteHello all, kindly check out this web application which I have developed for solving The Hindu Crossword interactively in the browser: http://the-hindu-crossword.appspot.com/. This is still work in progress and any kind of feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJust had a look. Looks nice. Cute to have linked answers to THCC. It would be nice if the cursor moves to next blank. I tried out from iPad. Also, pl give an email id where responses can be sent. Nice of you to have developed the app.
DeleteNice apps.
DeleteA suggestion: if it is possible that the letters always appear in caps (irrespective of whether we type in lower case or upper case), it will be helpful.
Kishore@10:27,
DeleteVenkatramans e-mail ID is given under the link 'about' in the app
Why, for now, you just depress the Caps Lock and enter the letters.
ReplyDeleteVenkatraman
Good!
I will certainly have feedback to give. Will put my thoughts together and write by this evening.
You don't mind if the feedback is given publicly here, do you? Perhaps an email contact might have been useful.
Kishore
ReplyDeleteThe cursor does move to the next blank automatically (on Windows XP desktop).
If we had to click on each blank before filling in, he would not have put it out, I suppose.
This is the bane of apps, including AcrossLite, on iPad.
This was like a Monday Rufus in the Guardian - gentle but fun! Was beaten by the parsing of FAIR.
ReplyDeleteThe IDLES clue worked so well without the last 's' that I thought the latter must be a typo. The setter's comment above was vindication!
Thanks, Incognito and DG.
Thank you for the comments! I will definitely look into the capitalization and cursor issues. You can send me feedback at venkatraman [DOT] narayanan [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
ReplyDeleteCV notes that the cursor moves in WindowsXP. I will try the app in WXP later in the evening today.
DeleteI find that it is not necessary to start on the opening blank of any slot.
DeleteYou can start anywhere.
When you have entered a letter in the last blank of the ac/dn slot, the cursor moves to the first of the left-out blanks for you to continue!
Venkataraman,
DeleteI have provided the link to your app under 'Links' on the left hand side panel of this page. I have given it the name 'Another THC app'. You want me to give it some other name?
Thank you! It might be better to call it "THC Online" since it is not really an 'app' that needs to be downloaded in the usual sense.
DeleteOkay. Done
DeleteDeepak
DeleteThanks for providing the link to THC Online.
Thanks, Col Sir, for providing the link to THC Online. A big Thank You to Venkatraman for THC Online. Its is Bold and Beautiful! And quite user friendly too!!
DeleteVenkatraman,
DeleteHow come the browser on my phone is unable to go to the application? it does not show up at all?
Thank you Venkatraman & Col. Makes working so easy. Exactly what I have been waiting for.
DeleteIs it possible to continue to the next slot in clues like 3D where it is continued in 9D. This provision is available in 'Acrosslite'. But even without it, it is so easy and excellent.
It works so nicely that I did the CW again on this and enjoyed it.
DeleteRightly said preamble, no Monday blues! Missed out on 23Across. Got 18Ac tricky 'CYCLIST' alright but couldn't parse it. On the whole, it was an entertaining crossy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Incognito.
'practices' uses Am sp.
Delete???
DeleteI got all except 23A. Could you explain the clue please?
ReplyDeletePlease click the Link 'PLIMSOLL' and you will get the answer for Double Definition : For 'Sneaker' and 'Line of a floater(Ship)'
DeleteOne can sense INCOGNITO's style from a mile ! I goofed up putting in RARA AVIS and then realized I'm the only Rara Avis who could have thought of it ! SPACE BAR and IMPORTANT were excellent and cunning cluing. OCULI is an obscure clue .
ReplyDeleteRaju,
DeleteTry out the new link -"THC on line" given in the side bar. I am sure it would solve all your problems of doing the CW on line once and for all. It is so good.
Padmanabhan,
DeleteIt will not solve the problem of a black grid whenever The paper goofs up. As this app also takes the details from the online paper
I goofed up putting in RARA AVIS and then realized I'm the only Rara Avis who could have thought of it !
ReplyDeleteMy dear Raju - I appreciate the supreme confidence that you possess! Yes, I agree that we must not only know but know what we know! But are you still thinking that you are in the non-whites section of a distant Nairobi club of a bygone age? Remember you're among a bunch of men and women with a liberal education and who know many of these foreign phrases from the back section of Chambers.
Besides, as an experienced solver you should know that you don't put down the first word/phrase that flashes in your mind. After RARA AVIS floats up, you don't just put it down but read the other part "Artists spread colour around back-bone" and try to gel the components together.
To satisfy your hubris let me cite a clue from an old HC
After two artists, Siva squashed the unique person (4,4)
which appeared in THC 8217 published anonymously.
RARA RAJU !
Delete'RARA' in Telugu translates to 'Come come'!
DeleteCV: Rara , CV ! Arre, arre arre !! RARA AVIS is not a very unusual appearance in cryptics., There is no hubris in me to be satisfied ! There are no non-white sections in the Nairobi Club either ! In fact, I was the only non-white who got ELECTED to be the Chairman and I had served the Club for 18 years and got qualified to be a Life Member !
DeleteI have this impatience with Orkut, having to flit back and forth the clues and the blanks. So i normally put in whatever strikes me first and then go on to correct when the cross clues connect. Now that good soul Venkatraman has saved my soul by devising easy online solving, my woes must be put to rest. I'd like the Metro plus quick of Guardian also to be made solvable online by him then blessings to him will be doubled !
My education was not '' liberal '' as you have put. I had my schooling and college in Bombay and whatever I have learnt about cryptic crosswords is only from the UK press and now from the THCC I'm learning Indian cluing, thanks to good and expert compilers that I find here. So there.
Thanks for your advice and I am still learning to be patient while solving crosswords. I try various methods to conquer my impatience and hurry-scurry !
Raju
DeleteOn the Guardian website you can do the Guardian quick crossword (as well as the Cryptic and other puzzles if you wish) interactively.
Not only the latest (which is streets ahead of today's TH/Guardian quick) but also any from the archives going back to several years.
Thanks CV, I'm aware of it but doing the Metro plus piece daily makes me feel good. Again, there are very many online interactive cryptics. Can you pray that I get the time to do all those ? As it is, I have so much of backlog of clippings and I prefer the pen to paper mode. One's eyes get strained too much with online solving and one gets very fatigued, though I still can read the small prints. The sheer joy of pen on paper is unmatched !! I know that Guardian's archives are reproduce din the HIndu.
DeleteWhich crtossie according to your experience is by far the toughest? The Telegraph's Toughies? or the Guardian's Weekly? Have you tried the Independent?
Times of London is the most decent of all !!
Incidentally, we have the white out pens available nowadays. Is there a device that writes from one side and corrects by the other side? LIke the olden days black and red pencils on two ends . If not, I'd like to take the patent and tell BIC to devise one for marketing !
Once during a visit to the US I picked up erasable ball-point pens.
DeleteThis pen has an eraser-tip on the other-business end. If you make a mistake, you turn the pen upside down and rub off the offending letter.
However, the ink was rather liquidy, unlike the present-day gel pens.
The letters would be faint and fade all too quickly.
I used them for novelty sake but never replenished stock.
Raju, your idea is a bit too late
Deletehttp://www.amazon.com/Puzzle-Pen-Erases-Crossword-Sudoku/dp/B0081S6480
Venkatraman
ReplyDeleteIt seems you have already introduced some changes in the light of Comments.
For I see differences in behaviour.
Now we get capital letters w/o our having to depress CapsLock.
And when once the slot is filled the color of letters changes to green.
Text of solved clues turn grey.
I like the interface and am glad to see all the essential details appearing.
Nice to see the limits of values indicated in the Select box at the top.
Very thoughtful of you to have provided link to the day's post on this blog.
My request would be:
Can you provide horizontal scroll bar for the clue text in the two separate Ac and Dn text sections? Now we have to click on the section and use rolling button on the mouse.
Another request: The app is good, it is useful, it is liked. Don't make too many changes!
Sorry - that must be vertical scroll bar.
DeleteVenkatraman
DeleteNow I notice that the vertical scroll bar does appear. The question is whether there can be separate vertical scroll bars for the Ac and Dn sets of clues.
Venkatraman
ReplyDeleteIn 'About' you write, "...tools for checking and saving partial answers are yet to be provided."
Well, the ability to save partially entered answers and later return to the puz may be useful but I would not know about the technical feasibility or otherwise.
As for 'checking' [checking answers, I presume] I don't think that would be feasible at all. If checking is possible in AcrossLite or similar sw, the solution is available at the time of formatting or creating the relevant file. That is not the case here.
Any further work with the answers available on the blog at 8-30 a.m.IST and incorporating them into the THC Online app with 'check' facility is not advisable.
This very ability to be able to do the CWD online interactively w/o the use of paper, printout, pen/pencil is great.
Answers can always be checked by visiting the blog for which you have provided the link.
In the penultimate para, read 'facility' for 'ability'. Was interrupted by a power outage and had to hurriedly finish before UPS too would stop.
DeleteVenkatraman
DeleteThe fill-in blank is of a good size. Let it remain as it is.
However, on my screen on the desktop, to be able to read some clues I have to move the horizontal scroll bar which appears automatically.
Just wondering whether the width of clue text lines can be reduced so some text spills over to the next line - while we can read the lines w/o having to scroll.
Thank you , Paddy. My woes appear to be not quite put to rest since Deepak has already poured cold water to it by saying that BLACK days will still appear !!
ReplyDeleteA conundrum for my friends to solve and advice me about:
ReplyDeleteI just received a mail from a lady I know with just one word in it:
Sajana, which in Hindi stands for 'beloved'.
What would be an appropriate response?
हाँ प्रिय Yes Dear
DeleteGiven the fact that a tryst is on the cards this weekend, I need to select my response wisely ...
DeleteDon't be misled and get carried away. It could be SAtyam-eva JAyate, NA-anritam.
Delete(Truth alone triumphs, a lie never.) By the way, what could have led her to say so?
Knowing Kishore it could be his aunt!
ReplyDeleteTime to turn to Agony Aunt.
DeleteNot my sainted aunt, Paddy!
DeleteRichard, that is why I have approached you people.
Since, there is just one word in the msg, I am unable to decide if it is a salutation, a message or a signature. But that is beside the point...
What do I do when I encounter her at the weekend?
Tell her the truth about your non-single status.
DeleteShe is quite aware of that, Richard.
DeleteWear a false moustache?
Why not just ignore the msg?
ReplyDeleteOne has to be preux chevalier at all times, and hence cannot ignore it.
DeleteBTW, all that is stated above is the absolute truth and not a figment of my imagination
I got it the first time.
ReplyDeleteFrom what you say, she must have known about the weekend meet. You have to keep that also in mind.
That meet was her suggestion. What say I take my wife along?
DeleteDefinitely. No doubt about that. That would probably be the best answer under the circumstances.
ReplyDelete