Wednesday 25 June 2014

No 11120, Wednesday 25 Jun 2014, Exa


I am not posting the clues as mentioned yesterday as the link to the CW is once again missing from the online edition of The Hindu. My apologies to those who access the CW through the online edition as you may not be able to enjoy this blog henceforth.

ACROSS
1  Sorry = APOLOGETIC Anagram of POLICE + GOT + A with Suspect as AInd
7  Trick = SCAM Acrostic from show child another magic
9   Contrasted = COMPARED  Anagram of POEM + CARD with Twisted as AInd
10 In = ABOARD A + BAR over Old = O + Date = D
11 Circle = SPHERE Cryptic definition
12 A good many = UMPTEEN Drop with top off = dUMP + Shirt = TEE + New = N Seems to be confusion in the order of TEE and N
14 Test = PROBATION Anagram of BAT + IN + POOR with Conditions as AInd
16 Transport = TAXI Thanks = TA and Team = XI
18 Condemn = DOOM Prayer = OM after Work = DO
19 Spread = CIRCULATE Anagram (solution Aind) of CURTAIL within (parting) ends of cheese = CE. Spread is superfluous
22 Cake = BROWNIE Cheese = BRIE over(sandwiches) Have = OWN
24 Stick = ADHERE Anagram  of HEAD + Over = RE with out as AInd
27 Cut = PIERCE Anagram(bananas) of RIPE with this in French =CE
28 Make out = DECIPHER HER after anagram of EPIC + start to date = D with unfolds as AInd
29 Questions = ASKS Thousand = K in Idiot = ASS
30 Glasses = TELESCOPES Afternoon primarily = A removed (taken off) from Anagram (Built AInd) of TO + SEE + PLACES

DOWN
2  Succeeded = PROSPERED Revolutionary = RED after President = P + ROSE over Power = P
3  Fall = LAPSE Anagram of SAMPLE without beginining of make = M with Rum as AInd
4   Covering = GARMENT Telescopic from ciGAR MENThol
5  Course = TIDE Reversal of Change = EDIT
6  Spells = CHARMS Maps = CHARTS with M instead of T
7  What's lacking = SHORTFALL Small = SHORT + Fall = TRIP
8  OK = AGREE Time = AGE over over = RE
13 Connection = LOGIC Soldier = GI in LOCk
15 Frequent readers = BOOKWORMS Report = BOOM over anagram (Novel AInd) of WORK with starting from summer = S
17 Monkey = INTERFERE Anagram of IF + RENT + hERE with Extravagant as AInd
20 Fortunes = CHANCES Necklaces = CHAINS without I outside church = = CE
21 Split = BISECT Moment = BIT over half a second = SEC
23 Falls = RAINS Artist's + RA'S over (drawing in) Home = IN
25 South African car = HIPPO Greeting = HI + anagram (casually as AInd) of pop = PPO. Couldn't find any SA car with this name on the net.
26 Star = IDOL Gir = DI with See = LO reversed (rising)

58 comments:

  1. What happens to be the problem with TH?

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    Replies
    1. No idea. I have written to the Readers editor but there is no response

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  2. It's not only the CW even Sudoku is missing from the online edition today

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    Replies
    1. I am afraid I have unmentionable fears ...

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  3. 19 Spread, as you have rightly indicated, is the defn. Hence, not superfluous...

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  4. Update on THC Online: Most crosswords starting from No. 6631 (Jan 1, 2000) are available on the website (http://the-hindu-crossword.appspot.com/).

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  5. Looks like the other cartoonists felt the same way as I did !

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    Replies
    1. (World)cup hangover? I may add Wimbledon also to the list.

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    2. While at Wimbledon it could be nail-biting, world cup games are turning out to be something else ;)

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    3. If you are LS, it could be arm biting

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    4. A timid end to a very literal case of back-biting. Neither was there a fightback nor a biteback

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    5. Kishore @ 1:07

      Reminds me of Mike Tyson biting Holyfield's ear!

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  6. Shades of Exchequer in this very well constructed crossword by Exa. Some excellent clues. Unusually large number of anagrams (12) both full & partial

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  7. From the free dictionary HIPPO:

    South African an armoured police car

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    Replies
    1. I understand from the net that it is an armoured personnel carrier

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    2. The “Hippo” was the first mine protected vehicle produced in South Africa, built on a modified Bedford truck (1961) chassis. These vehicles were an interim solution and were not popular with the troops, being slow and cumbersome. Although not favoured, the vehicles fulfilled their task. This Mk1-M series based on the 1970 Bedford chassis, replaced the “R” series of which 150 (1974) were produced for the South African Police, and were used in South West Africa /Namibia. A further 120 were manufactured for the SADF. The vehicle was withdrawn from service in 1978. To date South Africa is the leading manufacturer of mine protected vehicles. Vehicle displayed is waiting for refurbishing.

      http://www.saarmourmuseum.co.za/lesakeng.html

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    3. That page calls it an armoured truck with a capacity of 2+10

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    4. Fund of interesting info. Thank you Kishore.

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  8. Kishore 9.08
    Even comments are not forthcoming!

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  9. Kishore/ Col.
    Sad to see blog without clues. Can some of us take turns to type out the clues in a word file and sending it you? I raise my hand first. No point in depending on TH anymore.

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    Replies
    1. The Colonel have done that in the past when required, by one typing the across clues and another the down ones. But we have abandoned that now, not because of any physical constraints to type them out, but because of possible copyright issues. Thanks for your offer. Though highly appreciated, the issues mentioned above continue.

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    2. Let us try to get official permission from TH to avoid copyright issues. After all, intentions are genuine. Copyright issues will be for the grid/ clues or both?

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    3. Who will give that permission. The readers editor has not responded to my emails

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    4. I have a thought. Why not subscribe to epaper ? We can share the annual subscription

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    5. I don't think it has got anything to do with copyright when a sister publication is happily allowing online solving. Could be plain indifference. And if it is a copyright issue, the paper need to take the first step informing us so. Till then we can have a disclaimer

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    6. Don't know whether it is worthwhile. Should we request Mover to speak with the head honchos of Hindu ?

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    7. The epaper has got a specific Copyright clause, we checked it that's why Bhavan has stopped posting the clues. He has an epaper subscription. It would be a good idea if Mover can get us the permission to at least type in the clues if he cannot get the online edition restored.

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    8. I will speak with CV today and we will try to reach Mover on this regard. How I wish someone from the paper attended the July 06th meet ...

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    9. I just sent a mail to Mover's official mail ID. Hope his PA passes that to him.

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    10. With all these copyright discussions, I was wondering that as setters we have never got into any such agreement with the paper. So whose property it is now? Just read today that YouTube has pulled down two videos of an artist rendering Thiagarajar Krithi's claiming copyright violation as one record company owns copyright for one particular artist's rendition of the same Krithis.

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    11. There must be a catch somewhere that it becomes their property once you submit it for publication in their paper.

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    12. Three of our meets were covered by The Hindu, once at Chennai and twice here in Bangalore. Cover at Bangalore was organised by Richard and by CV at Chennai if I'm not wrong. Those articles however may not even be seen by those who take decisions on copyright issues.

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  10. Oh no :-( yesterday's joy proved to be extremely short lived .

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  11. QUoted below is an excellent letter written by PP to the Readers Editor

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    Sir,
    The cruciverbalists around the world who are diligently, delightfully pursuing the marvellous, mind-stimulating pastime of solving crossword puzzles published in The Hindu for many decades are now seething in rage at the shabby treatment they get from the prestigious newspaper regarding the callous indifference shown to the sentiments and sensibilities of a quiet, educated, refined and patient section of its readers. We are dealt with unwarranted, shocking insults and inconveniences. The insults are many and continuous- the puzzle was being tossed from page to page- it couldn't yet settle down to a safe corner. Irking to a mind with discipline, safely settled to a comfortable habit. The grid square size changed God knows for what reason-the magazine section on Sunday has the luxury of comfortable grids while the local setters' puzzles not worthy enough in your opinion of a decent size. These are minor complaints compared to the recent atrocities- nonavailability of the puzzle online! Outside TamilNadu the paper has no big clientele/readership. Most readers with avid interest in the ancient, high-grade fare offered by the newspaper who happen to live outside TamilNadu are solely depending on the online edition. Why did you decide to deny them their simple, harmless, daily pleasure? Atrocious! A crying shame! And an undeserved injustice done to meek enthusiasts who maintain successful, soul-satisfying, intellectually invigorating blogspots and personal threads in many online sites! If you had some understanding of the type of communal bonding and the mutual aiding of improving general knowledge, if you had an inkling of the kind of intellectual pleasure derived from this pastime you will mend your recent erring ways and help us get out of the warpath we shall resort to.
    Pavalamani Pragasam.

    Unquote

    Let us all write and ensure that we are heard

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    Replies
    1. I suggest we all use differently worded letters of protest. Otherwise there could be a risk of mass deletion.

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    2. PP's letter was only meant to show you what she had written. I don't want anyone to reproduce that ditto in their letter. please express your own sentiments

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    3. The ID for immediate reference:

      readerseditor@thehindu.co.in

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  12. Feel depressed to see the blog without clues. Could complete the puzzle but the joy is missing. Nice one from Exa.

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  13. Replies
    1. +2
      felt anagrams were just the right amount though.
      But tricky for sure.

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  14. Now the CW appears in online edition!!!

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  15. I just took a chance and spoke to someone in the CW section of TH. He was very polite and promised to verify and with me on line, when he opened the site the clues were there but not the grid. I explained to him our predicament and he promised to help.

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    Replies
    1. That means that the CW is being given last priority and is being added to the online edition much later in the day.

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  16. Solving the Hindu after a while. I was taken back by the tightness of each clue with every word serving a purpose. Nothing extra. Liked about every single clue. Standards have gone up!
    I had the small niggle with 25 d too. Vehicle would have worked better.

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    1. BTW, thoroughly enjoyed the misdirection in clues 10A 28A 3D 17D.

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  17. Surprise! There is a reply to my e mail to The Hindu-

    Sir,

    Thanks for the interest in our Crossword section.

    Due to some design issue, the grid could not be published online from our end for some days

    We have already be in touch with concerned people and will try to solve the issue asap.

    With regards

    Internet Editorial
    The Hindu

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    Replies
    1. Paddy,
      What is the email ID to which you sent mail

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  18. readerseditor@thehindu.co.in

    But I went through the comments below the CW (on line) section of TH. There was this link automatically on top of my mail

    http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/the-hindu-crossword-11120/article6144833.ece#.U6p0xrwlTJU.gmail

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  19. Col.,
    I have forwarded the mails to your ID.

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  20. Saw PP's excellent letter to the Hindu. congrats .Imagine there is a Readers' Editor in place ! I'm buying the paper now and almost lost my cool when I could not see the crossie one day-- means it keeps migrating from end to another. Or is it they trick to make you ruffle through all the pages so that their advertisers get their value?Less of pages with news and views but more of Ads is what we see ! Can any one confirm that the Hindu is the costliest among the dailies?As rightly pointed out by PP if they can give an excellent place, font size and grid for the Sunday eds why not daily? The Hindu has a core readership in the form of all of us who solve the crosswords. Why not some of you in Chennai go on a delegation to their office and voice our grievances? CV can lead the group.

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    1. A pertinent doubt: the page changing often is a trick to make us ruffle through all pages so that their advertisers get their value! Can't be completely dismissed as far-fetched or improbable. Anything is possible in this age of the Mammon and mad race for money! Anyway inconsiderate about orderly-minded sane people, no doubt about it.

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  21. I have no gripe against ads and marketing but of late, newspapers have ceased to be purveyors of news and views. At times, even the traditionally allocated first page for news headlines are invaded by full page ads or half-page fold-ups by ads.This has become a common practice for all the newspapers. So much in your face ! Even the health or other features of readable interest are lifted off from foreign syndicated sources . Readership is apathetic. How can any diligent crossword solver pardon the miniscule features that appear in the Times of India each day? What purpose does it serve? They are mere fillers of space ! Standards have plummeted indeed !

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  22. thanks for putting up the err.. solution Colonel..Hope those who had the paper enjoyed it..
    btw CV sir, another 'stick' variation for ADHERE :)

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  23. The grid is up on TH website.

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  24. Wrote to the RE (by email), but did not get a response.

    Nice puzzle from Exa with many good clues to savour.

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