Another good one from xChequer. I filled up 'slippers' at 4A and beat around the bush to search for 6D.
ACROSS
1 See 15 ac.
4 Queen wears casual trousers with loafers (8) SLACKERS {SLACK{ER}S}
10 Grant meant to be distributed without regressive tax (9) ALLOTMENT {A{LLOT<=}MENT*}
11 See 15a
12 American city fashionable earlier (7) CHICAGO {CHIC}{AGO}
13 Following spinner's introduction, two men caught at cover (7) SHEATHE {S}{HE}{AT}{HE}
14 Nip small children (4) TOTS
15 & 1ac., 11ac. Offer things of value to people who don't appreciate them? Sensible to scrap, few are involved (4, 6, 6, 5) CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE* Never heard this phrase before
 |
| See the Pearls cast after these swine !! |
20 Friends hit back (4) PALS <=
23 See-saw overturned? Height of nonsense (7) EYEWASH
26 Religious traveller, around fifty, sanctimonious and resolute (7) PILGRIM {PI}{L}{GRIM}
27 Hong Kong university receives excellent poem (5) HAIKU {H{A1}K}{U}
28 Rivals work from either direction before spreading net in opposite directions (9) OPPONENTS {OP<=>PO}{N{NET*}S}
29 What one perhaps does with old tyres, dreadfully serrated? (8) RETREADS*
30 Fools taking time to show strengths (6) ASSETS {ASSE{T}S}
|
DOWN
1 A combination of two animals: binturong and red panda? (7) BEARCAT {BEAR}{CAT}
3 It's allowed by Russia, a liberal tradition (6) RITUAL {R{IT}U}{A}{L}
5 Much described universal flower (5) LOTUS {LOT{U}S}
6 Pampered, yet firm on son to be prepared with education (8) COSSETED {CO}{S}{SET}{ED}
7 Electronic reference book for law (5) EDICT {E}{DICT}
8 They search; there are limits to knowledge that wise men possess (7) SEEKERS {SEE{K
9 Adjusted cap on the monument for dead soldiers (8) CENOTAPH*
17 Change positions to bring up variety (9) REARRANGE {REAR}{RANGE}
18 Prayer certain to bring joy … (8) PLEASURE {PLEA}{SURE}
19 … if meteorological condition's sound (7) WHETHER (~weather)
21 Savoury snacks from Assam, so fresh (7) SAMOSAS*
22 See 2 dn.
24 Prince Victor has bounce (5) EVICT [T]
 |
| Cartoon by Rishi |
GRID
23 See-saw overturned? Height of nonsense (7) EYEWASH {SEE+SAW}*{H}
ReplyDeleteWith a different take: EYE (WAS<-)(H)
Sorry. I put that down without checking
DeleteA good one from Exc. Liked the way 1 d was defined, taking care to name two animals of the same family.
ReplyDelete'of the same family' is extraneous in my comment above.
DeleteGood one from xChequer!
ReplyDeleteCast pearls before swine - there is a Hindi idiom meaning the same: Bandar kya jaane adrak ka swaad.
Keeping the pearls intact, another one that would fit the bill is
DeleteBandar ke gale mein motiyon ki mala
Pand(h)i kemi telusu, panneeru vaasana (A Telugu saying) Means : What does a swine know about the smell of perfume?!
DeleteTYPO: 6D {C}{S}{SET}{ED}
ReplyDeleteThanks, corrected
DeleteKarpoora vasanai kurangukku theriyuma? - is the Tamil version.
ReplyDeleteMeaning: Can the monkey recognise the smell of camphor?
Is it not donkey ? Kazhudaiku teriyuma karpoora vasanai
DeleteIs it not 'Kazhudhai' ?
DeleteVJ, you're right!
DeleteSorry for the mistake, influenced by the Hindi version above.
The word order too is as rendered by you.
The English proverb comes from the Bible:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gospelchapel.com/Sermons/Archives/Mount/70_169.htm
Quite a teaser. XChequer will be chuckling with his own 21D
ReplyDeleteTAKING THE DOWN CLUES IN ORDER.
ReplyDelete(PLEASE NOTE THAT CV is an imaginary CRUCIVERBALIST)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CV and his dumb friend on a pleasant evening:
CV: Come on let us go to see the BEARCAT.
Friend: BEARCAT?
CV: YOU HAVE TO FILL IN THE BLANKS. It is an anagram you ….
Friend: Oh, come on. This has become a RITUAL with you. Can’t you just
Say LOTUS eyed, long…… Anyways, thanks for having me COSSETED.
CV: OK, don’t try to EDICT that…
Friend: You mean it need not be CITED* ?
CV: Good, good. You seem to be learning….
Friend: Thanks. After all we are SEEKERS….
CV: Now turn right into CENOTAPH Road. Watch out the smoke
Coming out of that idiot’s TAILPIPE.
Friend: How I wish they REARRANGE the traffic here. It should be a
PLEASURE to drive.
CV: WHETHER or not they do that, I am sure we can have our SAMOSAS today.
Friend: Be careful there, else they may EVICT us!!
Good one again. I hope CV and his friend enjoyed the BEARCAT*
DeleteCG,
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it. well done.
For those outside Chennai who may not place the context of CV's cartoon for Evict- a lot of it is going on here thanks to Metro Rail. Many fully/ half demolished houses in many places.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to nearly get 21D in a Xchequer CW. Did not get the longest anagram though. many good surfaces- enjoyed the spinner's introduction in 13A.
ReplyDeleteFilled in 'Opponent' correctly, but could not parse it.
Slacks in 4A- we are more used to shirts than trousers!
After yesterday nail biter, this turned out to be fairly smooth sailing in xChequer's craft today. Some very nice clues indeed. I am not a big fan of the 'lift-and-separate' type of clues, but the clue for EYEWASH uses the technique very nicely (although the hyphen helps to mark the separation point!).
ReplyDeleteThanks to xChequer, DG, and the cartoonists for a fun start to the day!
My first entry - CAST PEARLS BEFORE SWINE - had me chuckling as it reminded me of one of my favourite Dorothy Parker stories. When going in to dinner at a party, a young actress dramatically paused and bowed to let DP pass her, saying "Age before beauty!" DP swept past her with the reply: "Pearls before swine!"
ReplyDelete21 Down day for me today! At last, I could crack a puzzle from xChequer!! I think he has lowered the bar by a few notches. All in all, a beautiful offering from xChequer.
ReplyDeleteThanks xChequer, for a satisfying solve/day. :-)))
Lowered or not, it is most enjoyable today.
DeleteCertainly :)
DeleteI remember having come across the phrase 'Cast pearls before swine' at high school level. Nice pick of a graphic. The contents of the sign are hilarious.
ReplyDeleteOnce Dorothy Parker was attempting to go through a doorway at the same time as glamorous socialite and playwright Clare Boothe Luce.
“Age before beauty,” said Luce while yielding the way. “And pearls before swine,” replied Parker while gliding through the doorway.
it is your turn for telepathy!
DeleteI posted the above before refreshing the page. Abhay has already posted about this anecdote at 10:05.
DeleteYes, Paddy, turned out to be almost telepathetic!
DeleteSimilar to the tamil phrase which means "Does an ass know the smell of camphor?"
Delete23A : See-saw overturned? Height of nonsense EYEWASH {EYE}{WAS*}{H}
ReplyDeleteI think WAS requires reversal indicator pl.
Sorry, didn't notice Raghu's comment @ 8:39.
DeleteIn reply to CGB's write-up above -
ReplyDeleteThe first (and only one) BEARCAT* that I, CV, saw was in 20a in Madras in the Sixties when I was a student.
It - PALS - was on the first floor of an old building opposite the Mount Road Head PO.
I think the restaurant is still there but the allure that things hold at certain times to certain people is lost to those self-same persons at other times. Now what was your allurement?
Non Chennai-ites may be wondering what allurement CV is alluding to.
ReplyDeleteThose allurements were available in Bangalore as well, I too saw one in the 70's
Delete"Talk of the town" ! (DD)
Delete"Three Aces"
DeleteCV's cartoon-
ReplyDeleteThese tyres are not meant to be retreaded!
Recycled?
Deletecycled away!
DeleteCGB, a genuine doubt, reg your cartoon.
ReplyDeleteDoes the question in the toon end with 'hide' or 'show' pl?
Neither! It ends with "DECLARE" !!
ReplyDeleteNote: She is a baggage-less passenger.
DeleteNoted :)
DeleteEnjoyed this run from XChequer.
ReplyDeleteQuestion regarding 1D: Wouldn't the def: "binturong and red panda" imply that the solution be in plural form ?
VP - not sure it should necessarily be so. Thing is, some sources say bearcat is 'binturong', others 'red panda'. So you could say there are two definitions, and it seemed to fit the wordplay.
DeleteHaving said that, this was a word I did not find amenable to clueing (the definition part), would have changed it but was stuck with the crossings, and did not want to do major surgery
That happens sometimes. Some words are quite difficult to clue.
DeleteThanks Bhala. After your explanation, read a little more about bearcats and it makes sense now in the context of this clue. To be honest I did not know that a Red Panda was called a bearcat until I saw your clue today :)
DeleteJust to get clarity on my original question, let me give an example which is more straightforward: If the def. part of a clue reads "Peter and Paul", should the answer lead to SAINT (or) SAINTS (or) is it that both forms are acceptable ?
Things seem to quiet on the THCC front.
ReplyDeleteCame across this interesting word-game today and thought of sharing with everyone here.
Put three letters in front of and the same three letters in the same order behind each of the following groups of letters to form single words that make sense.
...ERTAINM...
...ENTIALN...
...ERGRO...
...ACHA...
...SH...
...AU...
...X...
Each member may restrict the contribution to a single entry so that others too can get a chance.
Get cracking, folks!
The first sentence should read, 'Things seem to be....'.
Delete1st one 'entERTAINMent' (by Richard!)
DeleteBingo, MB, to begin with!
DeleteCould get the next three too on my own, but struggling with the last three! :)
DeleteYou have company, brother! I too am...
DeleteFinally left with the last one and even NET is of no help! Looks like a real tough one!!
DeleteNo wonder I too struggled. It is a proper name.
DeleteBED au Bed
ReplyDeleteGreat!
Delete2nd one
ReplyDeleteESS ENTIALN ESS
Superb!
DeleteNo 4 BLEachaBLE
ReplyDeleteSpotless!
DeleteInteresting cw.clues with long phrases 15a&2d add much spice.10,12,13 a 8,17d equally appealing. Nice day. Nice puzzle thanks to xchequer.
ReplyDeleteUND(ERGRO)UND
ReplyDeleteI have cracked them all. Here are some clues formed by me but not in the same order, jutst to make it simpler. Why keep suspense for long?
ReplyDeleteSurpass the voice factor
Detail the feline to find human being
Dig deep and German connection is found.
Paddy has found the 'and' connection in Germany.
DeleteOut sh out
ReplyDeleteWhat is last one ?
ReplyDelete... X ... MAN X MAN - Manxman is a citizen of Island of Man. (I referred to de-tailing the Manx Cat to get MAN).
ReplyDeleteI have another set of these. If you are all interested, I will post tomorrow afternoon, when the daily dust settles.
'outshout'- Exactly what is being done in anews channel debate at the moment!
ReplyDeleteYes, 'Und' is and in Germany. I did not realise it until you pointed it out.
Awaiting the 2nd batch tomorrow.
Me too :)
ReplyDelete