Aspartame takes me on an amusing musical. I muse: 6a, though not starred and having definition, could be a part of the theme... Any others? There also appears to a theme other than the stated one: That of football in the clues ...(highlighted in yellow, there could be more)
Setter's Note:
*Starred clues all belong to a common category. There is no definition for these clues.
ACROSS
6 It’s played by 3-50 per cent of Mordor church — a hum basically (7) MORCEAU (MORdor CE A hUm)
As mentioned in the clue, here's a bit of 3's composition
7 Brachylogy is to talk, say, about isotopy often (7) BREVITY (IsoTopY in VERB<, talk being an example)
9 Monster created biz mantra (5) ZOMBI (BIZ OM)* alternative spelling of Zombie
10 Most foul wet decks I scrubbed (9) WICKEDEST (WET DECKS I)*
1211 Pattern of teasing (7) RIBBING 2 Clue No.is printed wrongly as 12 Ribbing, plays football, not soccer, I gather ...
13 Following one auditor, revolutionary used a fencing acknowledgement (6) TOUCHE (~TWO CHE)
15 Say, Brazilian football club lost top form, then hired Erica (5,8) SOUTH AMERICAN (ERICA in SOUTHAMPTON-top*)
19 Leading Hungarian attacker sprinted to evade Neymar’s chase (6) HASTEN (acrostic)
20 Spoil vehicle about to be used for tilling (7) TRACTOR (ROT CART)<
23 Government body built poor constructions (9) POLITBURO (BUILT POOR)*
24 Sweeping stroke from midfielder wearing belt (5) SLASH (L in SASH)
26 Trainee dingoes found wanting (7) NEEDING (T)
27 Reproduce songs about to be broadcasted (7) ENGROSS (SONGS RE)*
DOWN
1 A strange plant (4) ARUM (A RUM)
We just had it a week back in the Sunday Special
2 Ancient banking house applied science to remove brunette’s heart (6) MEDICI (MEDICIne)
3, 14* Bad glove with uneven design (6,3,9) LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (BAD GLOVE WITH UNEVEN *
Tongue in cheek: We have two anagram indicators (one at either end) for the same fodder, and I am not referring to "Bad" ...
4 Legendary footballer needs boy to get one Italian spice (8) PEPERONI (PEPE RON I)
5 This can end badly and become a letdown (10) DISENCHANT (THIS CAN END)*
6* German footballer (not Italian) found in departmental store (6) MOZART (OZil in MART) but how does not Italian, lead to deletion of il, since there is no reference to 'the' ...
7* Support finally withdrawn by Henry (4) BACH (BACk H)
8 Stay at terrace to contribute to endless talk (6) YATTER (T)
CGB will now remember Yeeta's Yatters ;-) I am not sure it matters ...
12 Crosswords person (10) BOOKSELLER (CD) ref to the bookshop
16 Intent is to build a place in China (8) TIENTSIN (INTENT IS)* had to cheat for this ...
17* Present utensil on the radio (6) CHOPIN (~SHOW PAN)
18* Indian god’s lacking a … (6) BRAHMS (BRAHMa'S)
21 Reserve German police officer was embraced by a Pole (6) ASSIGN (A N around SS IG)
22 Support part of the society (4) RUNG 2
25 Excited girl enters Goa and returns (4) AGOG (G in GOA)<
Setter's Note:
*Starred clues all belong to a common category. There is no definition for these clues.
ACROSS
6 It’s played by 3-50 per cent of Mordor church — a hum basically (7) MORCEAU (MOR
As mentioned in the clue, here's a bit of 3's composition
Intro to Bagatelle No.25 in A Minor (Beethoven), better known as "Fur Elise"
7 Brachylogy is to talk, say, about isotopy often (7) BREVITY (I
9 Monster created biz mantra (5) ZOMBI (BIZ OM)* alternative spelling of Zombie
10 Most foul wet decks I scrubbed (9) WICKEDEST (WET DECKS I)*
13 Following one auditor, revolutionary used a fencing acknowledgement (6) TOUCHE (~TWO CHE)
15 Say, Brazilian football club lost top form, then hired Erica (5,8) SOUTH AMERICAN (ERICA in SOUTHAMPTON-top*)
19 Leading Hungarian attacker sprinted to evade Neymar’s chase (6) HASTEN (acrostic)
20 Spoil vehicle about to be used for tilling (7) TRACTOR (ROT CART)<
23 Government body built poor constructions (9) POLITBURO (BUILT POOR)*
24 Sweeping stroke from midfielder wearing belt (5) SLASH (L in SASH)
26 Trainee dingoes found wanting (7) NEEDING (T)
27 Reproduce songs about to be broadcasted (7) ENGROSS (SONGS RE)*
DOWN
1 A strange plant (4) ARUM (A RUM)
We just had it a week back in the Sunday Special
 |
| Illustration by Bhargav |
3, 14* Bad glove with uneven design (6,3,9) LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (BAD GLOVE WITH UNEVEN *
Tongue in cheek: We have two anagram indicators (one at either end) for the same fodder, and I am not referring to "Bad" ...
4 Legendary footballer needs boy to get one Italian spice (8) PEPERONI (PEPE RON I)
5 This can end badly and become a letdown (10) DISENCHANT (THIS CAN END)*
6* German footballer (not Italian) found in departmental store (6) MOZART (OZ
7* Support finally withdrawn by Henry (4) BACH (BAC
8 Stay at terrace to contribute to endless talk (6) YATTER (T)
CGB will now remember Yeeta's Yatters ;-) I am not sure it matters ...
12 Crosswords person (10) BOOKSELLER (CD) ref to the bookshop
Illustration by Rishi
16 Intent is to build a place in China (8) TIENTSIN (INTENT IS)* had to cheat for this ...
17* Present utensil on the radio (6) CHOPIN (~SHOW PAN)
18* Indian god’s lacking a … (6) BRAHMS (BRAHM
21 Reserve German police officer was embraced by a Pole (6) ASSIGN (A N around SS IG)
22 Support part of the society (4) RUNG 2
25 Excited girl enters Goa and returns (4) AGOG (G in GOA)<
Adding to the football list could 3-50 of 6A ever be a game score? 3-50
ReplyDeleteI think after last World Cup, the England team would have been exhorted to play like Spain. This time they did ! Unfortunately, it was probably due to the fact that Spain played like them and both had surprises in store for them. As did Portugal today morning, just managing to squeak in one in 90+4.30 to equalise
DeleteSmall quibble
ReplyDeletePeperoni is plural of Peperone chilli
6D should have been "German footballer (not the Italian) ...
ReplyDelete@ Kishore: Here is an LP which I have listened to hundreds of times in the past:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0cUqeoeFvw
Awesome! Do you still have it?
DeleteVentures had some great guitar work. There was an old theatre Lighthouse in Hyderabad, which always used to play The Ventures during interludes. Can never forget "Walk Don't Run."
DeleteAnd 'Tequila'.
DeleteNot very difficult to remember the lyrics of that song, Raghu !
DeleteYeth!
DeleteFortunately Ventures were basically an "instrumental" band. I don't have a ear for lyrics in any song and even if I do listen, forget it the next moment.
Delete'The Shadows (from Bombay I think) played a lot of Ventures music.
Ah, I am sohappy there is someone else like me. I love to hear Western instrumental as I just cannot follow the words in songs unless they are exceptionally clear! I still remember the LP "Discotheque a la carte" that gave me pure joy when I listened to it several decades ago in my sister's home in Jamnagar or Vizag. That was by James Last.
Delete2 themes in one! Too much air above my head ( I wish it could be 'hair'!) Enjoyable nonetheless. Must have been tough compiling it.
ReplyDeleteCV's cartoon takes me to the leading platform bookseller in Mylapore. Lat I heard he was seriously ill and in hospital. Does anyone have any latest news about him? For those out of Chennai, he was THE leading bookseller- more of second hand textbooks of Engineering,medicine,computers what not. Amazing part is that one must hear him mention all the authors, titles etc. though he is an illiterate. He could spot any book (out of the thousands he has) in a few seconds.
ReplyDeleteOnce when the Chennai Corporation was intent on removing all encroachers he received the maximum support (from the city's elite) allowing him to continue.
When my grandpa used to stay in Madras, I used to get a lot of books from Kumar, a waste paper dealer who used to have his shop near the Panagal park end of Usman Road in Mambalam, who used to keep stacks of books for me to choose from. Later Moore Market was another treasure trove. Both fixtures of Madras are, however, not a part of Chennai.
DeleteRishi's cartoon could be a tribute to R.K. Azhwar: http://www.chennaibest.com/discoverchennai/citylifestyle/bazaarbuzz/oldnew.asp
ReplyDeleteThank you Bhargav. Exactly what I mentioned.
DeleteIt now looks like the decision to provide the link to the days CW after a 24 hr time lag is permanent
ReplyDeleteI think that is called flogging a dead horse
DeleteNot your comment, their action!
DeleteMaybe the influence of Cockney slang in crosswords, after Brahms I was looking for Liszt...
ReplyDelete23 Government body built poor constructions (9) POLITBURO (BUILT POOR)*
ReplyDeleteI think constructions/ construction (like in the last THC: edifice) is a noun. So can it be an anagrind?
Actually 'built' also is an anagrind!
DeleteBut built is a part of the fodder too
DeleteYes. Just an observation.
DeleteAdvice from the 'home department' here. The football has pentagons and not hexagons !!
ReplyDeleteYes, that is one of the errors I messaged you about. But please inform MHA that nowadays you have so many patterns, so why not hexes.There are two more errors in the football. Looking forward to the report.
DeleteI initially thought I will redraw, but then decided to let it be a puzzle...
We are old school you see, so pentagon it is
DeleteQuiz the Gruha Mantri on the remaining two errors ...
DeleteI am not much into balls, but I think that not all penta- or hexagons in the pattern are white. There are blocks as well.
DeleteWhile congratulating her on spotting the first
DeleteYes, CV, that's correct. One more to go
DeleteYes, new design specially selected by Brazil for this world cup.
ReplyDeleteThe Brazuca football is made in Sialkot Pakistan
DeleteI understand that for each World Cup football, the design of the ball changes. Is it so? Can anyone give me a link to a site that gives all the balls?
DeleteI like this year's, for those lines on the ball swirl into a coloured blur when it rolls on the ground or flies in the air.
Looks like themed puzzles have become like the norm here.
ReplyDeleteSo does this mean that the THC app for iPhone/Android will not work anymore ? :-(
ReplyDeleteNot until the link to the CW is restored in the online paper
DeleteWorld Cup Balls can be seen HERE.
ReplyDeleteAh finally a football theme (to go with music composers). Really enjoyed solving this one from Aspartame.
ReplyDeleteCpl of small things:
1. Is Pepe already a legendary footballer :)
2. In 5D, letdown (in one word) is a noun whereas disenchant is a verb.
Agree with both. I thought of Pele but that did not work. Pepe, if I may say so, is only a minor legend ...
DeleteWasn't Pepe Red carded in the first few minutes of his game against Germany? That's kinda legendary ;)
DeleteYup, he was. I saw what had happenned ;-)
Delete1. Maybe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepe_(footballer,_born_1935) ?
Delete3. 9A, 27A are indirect anagrams?
I had the same two issues raised by VP, so just adding a +1.
DeleteThanks to the setter, blogger, and cartoonists for an entertaining time overall!
To amplify on my reservation about 5d: It's not just about "letdown" as one word (that could be misleading wordplay), but the fact that it is preceded by an article ("...can become a letdown") which can only make it a noun.
DeleteThese were the mistakes in the ball in the toon:
ReplyDeletea. Shape of patches: While Mrs G was right about the pentagon, she was partly right. The traditional ball had patches in the shape of pentagons and hexagons, 12 of the former and 20 of the latter.
b. Colour: Rightly noticed by CV and mentioned using the crosswordese word 'block'. The pentagons are usually coloured black.
c. Perspective: The size of all the patches in the toon are identical. Though all hexagons would be of identical size (as would all pentagons), when we measure them, the perspective is different when we view it from one side. The patch right in the middle of our perceived circle would be large and the others would be progressively smaller and 'tilted' as we proceed to the circumference of the circle.
So, in effect, a 3 dimensional goof up on the part of the cartoonist....
Also, there are too many patches. Not a patch on the real thing ...
DeleteC.G. BHARGAV8:53 am GMT+5:30
ReplyDelete@ Kishore: Here is an LP which I have listened to hundreds of times in the past:
Groovy man!
Kishore: This is the tune that I have for my door bell. So rang a bell instantly ! I have the LP of this and I play it very often at home at nights !
ReplyDeleteAre you learning to play ? Any one teaching you? I have three organs bought for my son and daughter when they were kids. The boy is talented to play and also in tooning ! I have dusted out my mini-organ and want to tickle the ivories. When, oh. when? Kal ho na Ho? Shall do so soon. . That was the title of the program in the All India Radio in Bombay -English segment that I used to tune in to late nights . This crossie is a classics special and hence will be my favourite Shall get down to doing it in a while !
Yes, I am learning.
DeleteCV, Paddy, Bharghav, and Kishore: Wde seem to be sharing a lot of common interests !
ReplyDeleteCV's cartoon brought back to my mind so many fond memories of street-side book sellers . In Nairobi, all my afternoons, as a bachelor , used to be spent on the side walks , browsing books stacked , especially one African burly bully's. He would recommend some books of my choice and tell me to borrow them and then return -payment only if I'm happy and satisfied ! The bookshops in Nairobi were being run by Gujeratis, second generation immigrants, and when enquired of any title of my interest, would merely and nonchalantly tell me: Mane Khabhar Natthi, Thiya Jo vi lo ! I don't know; look over there ! Hence I made friends with this African seller from whom I used to buy priceless Bound Editions of Readers Digest, for a loot, These were in mint condition, unopened, but with the typical shelf-smell. I have still preserved all these. There have been many friends that I made on these side-walks, fellow book worms, amongst them Indian and African judges with whom I had made bonds , exchanging notes on good books. I have a bound edition of South African Digest books of several months of the fifties ! Oh ! those were the days !
Thanks to dear Deepak, we can revive so many of our past memories through this blog.
As for music, how can we ever forget the good old days of Ventures, Beegees , James Last, Connie Francis's Pretty Little baby sung so endearingly and all those Christmas carols by Jim Reeves-- Bimbo - Bimbo, where you gonna go-e-o !! YUMMMMM !!
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
ReplyDeleteA note of music gains significance from the silence on either side. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writer (1906-2001)
From Anu Garg's Word a day mail today ! Coincidence?
I would have expected both the themed crossword and that quote to appear on Saturday 21 June, since that was World Music Day!
DeleteRaju- Another comon interest- AWAD
DeleteA question about the clue for 6a: "basically" can be a synonym for "essentially", but can it replace the latter to mean the centre ("the essence") of a word? I would have thought "basically" in a clue would indicate "at the base", which would mean the starting letter(s) of the word.
ReplyDeleteThis is how the word has been handled by Raghu, who is extremely careful about his selection of words, in THC 10866 (The Phantom):
DeleteEuropean politician’s allegiances; commitments basically are most hollow (8) EMPTIEST {E}{MP}{TIES}{commiTments}
Chop removing core and fillet basically into say extremely, long strands of pasta (10) VERMICELLI {VER{MInCE}{fiLLet}I} ~very
Have any of those who are sitting on the fence for the S&B Meet on 6th July changed their minds?
ReplyDeleteIs there like an outer date for sending in the confirmation?
DeleteAt least a couple of days before the event so that catering arrangements can be finalised
DeleteI will not be coming
DeleteAn old joke remembered-
ReplyDeleteMan A : I know the score of every match before it starts.
Man B : How?
Man A : They always start with 0- 0 !
This is w.r.to Kishore's comment in the cartoon
I left out an important word in the first sentence of the conversation-
ReplyDeleteman A ; I know the score of every match even before they start.
That's odd, since 0 is not even or odd. Bot when it is 0-0, they are even! Even at the end of many matches they are still at that score...
DeleteThe online paper has updated the CW with clues only. No grid still.
ReplyDeleteThose who see this please go to the Crossword in the Miscellaneous page of the Hindu (Link to the miscellaneous page is available under Links (THE HINDU) on the panel on the left hand side of this blog) Under comments please comment about the absence of the CW. I have already commented. Lets make a hue and cry about it so that someone listens. The comments are moderated which means someone is reading it before it gets approved. Hopefully if lots of comments come in someone will take notice.
DeleteExcellent quote from the interview Crucible has given to Alan Connor of The Guardian:
ReplyDeleteQuote begins
I sometimes think of [crossword] setters as failed writers reduced to spending forever shaping and reshaping five-to-twelve words, telling very short stories condensed into single sentences. In fact, when I read I see words before I see sentences: structure before meaning, the bricks before the wall. Could this be the reason I compile crosswords rather than do what I'd really like to do: just write?
Quote ends
I was thinking about something similar today, about the art of crossword setting, while solving the crossie. However, if I, the solver, were able to "...see words before I see sentences: structure before meaning, the bricks before the wall", then I would not think very highly of the setter. :D
DeleteRaju Umamaheshwar @ 1:35
A note of music gains significance from the silence on either side. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writer (1906-2001)
I wonder what John Cage would have made of that quote. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY7UK-6aaNA