I liked the crisp and concise clues from Buzzer today.
ACROSS
8 Help deal with plague (1,3,2) A LEG UP*
9 Irritation carried by skin growth cosmetics (3,5) WAR PAINT {WAR {PAIN}T}
10 Moving proton is an elementary particle (8) POSITRON*
11 Tips for brunch? Ask roti or another flatbread (6) BHAKRI {B
16 Redeeming features of Sheraton in Goa (7) ATONING [T]
19 What Rapunzel did is shed inhibitions (3,4,4,4) LET ONES HAIR DOWN [DD]
22 Say capital Australian poet (6) SIDNEY (~sydney)
24 Just batting or getting boundaries? (8) UNBEATEN
25 Common question for a musician (8) COMPOSER {COM}{POSER}
26 Nothing new purchased after spending capital (6) NOUGHT {N}{
DOWN
1 Award Oscar to Blanchett after all (8) ALLOCATE {ALL}{O}{CATE}
2 Bondage is mostly showing discrimination (6) AGEISM [T]
3 A positive promotion to attract and recruit (10) APPRENTICE {A}{P}{PR}{ENTICE}
4 Sunset Boulevard star's detailed final performance (7) SWANSON SWANSON
5 Upcoming poet is boring (4) DRAB <=
6 Caribbean jelly one put in a tin (8) JAMAICAN {JAM}{A}{1}{CAN}
7 Starter is on tray we hear (6) ENTREE (~on tray)
Cartoon by Rishi
13 Extraordinary break-in at large financial institution (6,4) RETAIL BANK {BREAK+IN+AT+L
17 Dancing we held in a city (3,5) NEW DELHI*
18 Two hours wasted on rum writer (1,1,5) H H MUNRO {H H} {RUM+ON}*
20 Computer program is buggy — redo it (6) EDITOR*
21 Draft a plan for ward? (4,2) DRAW UP {WARD <=}
23 Absolutely grand burp (4) YESK {YES}{K}
7 Starter is on tray we hear (6) ENTREE (~on tray)
ReplyDeleteInspite of the similarity of the word entree to entry, in the US and some other parts of the world, it refers to the main course and not starters. But when I checked in Chambers it informed me that in Australia starters are called entree.
Remained beaten by anno for UNBEATEN.
24 Just batting or getting boundaries? (8) UNBEATEN Anno pending
DeleteIt's UNBIASED reverse anagram of OR + UNBIASED = BOUNDARIES
Thanks. Think it's not reverse anagram, maybe a compound anagram. Anyway that's how Buzzer meant it.
DeleteIt was meant to be a compound anagram, but the clue is faulty because the position of 'or' and 'batting' are interchanged. I meant to fix it before sending, but probably forgot about it.
Delete12Ac 'tick' is also part of the Anagram Fodder.
ReplyDeleteHave added a few more photographs to yesterday's S&B Meet post, which were sent to me by Dr DS and Lakshmi
ReplyDelete22A Canberra is the capital of Australia, not Sydney.
ReplyDeleteBuzzer has not said it is the capital of Australia. He has only said 'capital Australian'. Sydney is capital of New South Wales an Australian state
DeleteThe photograph on Page 7 of today's Hindu titled 'Balancing act ahead of the budget' is amazing, so typical of India.
ReplyDeleteNo prizes for guessing:
Deletea. How many people are hanging on the other side of the train?
b. How many people on the train have tickets/passes?
+1. Like the ad for Fevicol.
DeleteIt is a wonder the compartments are visible at all
DeleteThe other side will definitely have lesser as that must be the side where the platforms come, unless all the platforms in the sector where this train operates are the low level ones, in which case we can accommodate an equal number on that side as well !!
DeleteI also feel the compartments are banking because of the load on one side :-)
DeleteWhat platforms? People just pull the chain and get off!
DeleteBut how do you access the chain while hanging out there?
DeleteEven you can see buses/jeeps overflowing like this in Bihar/Jharkand :)
DeleteThat's what I meant by the Fevicol ad featuring people hanging from a rickety old bus (I think)
DeleteDG@9: You don't have to. Someone else inside will do it for you. After all when it stops, a large number will get off and on irrespective of the existence of a platform
DeleteWill get off or drop off?
DeleteHas anyone noticed the uncrowned King sitting on top?
He might get throne off. Or he might be actually standing in the gap. But seriously is everyone holding on to some part of the train or just to another chappie (difficult of course)
DeleteIt's 'Jugaad'. We Indians are very good at it. Find a way to circumvent anything and make it work.
DeleteWow!!! This is incredible. These guys can put any tightrope walker to shame.
DeleteIs it only me or are the others also having problems with the Apps? Haven't done a proper crossword for ages now :-(
ReplyDeleteThe apps take their feed from the online edition of the paper where the CW has been uploaded, which has been taking place only around 11 AM or so for the past couple of weeks. Apps will work after the uploading is done
DeleteCV's toon reminds me of a slightly similar phenomenon that occurs in some hotels like Barbeque Nation. They have a buffet with unlimited starters served at the table. The starters are so good that people consume so much of them that they end up having little or no space for the main course.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed the free salad (unlimited) served in Italian restaurants in U.S.It is so good that you have hardly any room for the main course (whatever you call it) and that is where the 'doggie bag' system there helps in carrying home the major part. I don't know about the rates for the main course- I will now have to find out.
ReplyDeleteA certain answer in the puzzle brought to mind memories of Bindu, Padma Khanna, Helen, Faryal and others from the days of yore in Bollywood and Jyothi Lakshmi in the southern movies. ;-)
ReplyDeleteCouldn't help being plagued by them...
DeleteAnd one of 'thunder thighs' fame.
DeleteIn my opinion it's not that just some have thunder thighs.
DeleteIt depends on the angle from which one looks at the thighs. That's all.
19A- I first thought of 'Let her hair down', but after seeing the enu I had to change.Rapunzel led me there.
ReplyDeleteI too thought of filling in that. Was misled by Rapunzel.
DeleteLovely crisp clues, excellent surfaces- on the whole most enjoyable. Thank you Buzzer.
ReplyDeleteI had the same doubt about Sidney, but then remembered NSW.
Still confused about 24A. Is the solution word 'Unbeaten' or 'Unbiased'?
ReplyDeleteJust think of a synonym for 'just'
DeleteI did. So 'Just' has to be highlighted as the def. and the solution changed to 'unbiased' ( looked up as alt. for unbiassed)
DeleteDidn't realise you were referring to the anno in the blog.
Delete24 Just /// batting (=stuffing) or/// getting boundaries?
ReplyDeleteJust = Unbiased
Stuffing or
(Unbiased + or) * = boundaries
Frankly, I have not been able to get the correct anno for UNBIASED, which of course is the answer. By which I mean, an anno that satisfies me.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment ,I have a guest at home.
Please wait for my input.
Let not the setter give his anno until late in the evening or tomorrow.
He's already replied that the clue is faulty (@9.34)
DeleteI suspected that the clue didn't work but decided to be careful before saying that by carefully looking at it bit by bit. For which I needed time.
DeleteNo picture on page 7 of Delhi edition. :-(
ReplyDeleteRita see it in the link in my post @ 8:38
DeleteIt is likely that the item is used only in most of or all southern editions. Certain upcountry editions, because of less page level, may not have had them.
ReplyDeleteEven in southern editions it may not be on the same page number but elsewhere.
Some editions may carry the item but without a pic.
The pic in the web edition is uncropped whereas the one in the Chennai edition is.
It all depends on page level and space constraints.
Not just this item but any news item, for that matter.
Thanks, CV sir. I had looked through the entire paper, in case the news item/picture was featured elsewhere. Not so.
ReplyDeleteRM, try to save the pic from the link given by the Col and preserve it for posterity,. ;-) It is a pic or pick of the year.
DeleteFor all you know, you might bump into such a scenario while travelling around north and may get to click a shot yourself.
The shot in The Hindu was clicked between Patna and Gaya.
Such scenes were seen in TN when MGR died if I'm not wrong
Delete@Richard This is very common in that part of Bihar. My hubby used to travel from Jamshedpur to Patna to attend bank interviews in overloaded trains , of course inside the train :) The commuters will just pull the chain to stop it wherever & whenever they want to get down :)
DeleteLooks like this is not merely an Indian thing. Here are some similar pics from different parts of the world - mostly Asian though. From what it seems, could happen with humans anywhere in the world given the same living standards/ conditions, level of desperation etc.
DeleteWeird Stuff
Really weird stuff !!!
DeleteThe Hindu appears to be having a space or link constraint under Miscellaneous in the online edition. Three items were available in the morning when the online paper came on line, one of which was the photograph I mentioned, those three items have gone and now we have links to From the Archives, Sudoko and an article Sustaining the world
ReplyDeleteThat photo is now available at
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/gowdas-railway-budget-to-focus-on-speed-safety/article6186708.ece
as well as at
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/balancing-act-ahead-of-the-budget/article6187694.ece
Sudhakar Rao and Anuradha Rao please send me your e-mail ID immediately. I need to send you mail regarding sharing of the expenditure of the S&B Meet.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone else has details like phone number or e-mail IDs of Sudhakar and Anuradha please send it to me.
DG sir, thank you for the link. I guess this is just another commute to work for the 'hangers on'!!
ReplyDeleteSCENE: A SMALL LANE IN THE CAPITAL OF INDIA: NEW DELHI
ReplyDeleteRam was cycling with his BADMINTON RACKET. He had in the front basketa PENGUIN edition of Saki by H.H. MUNRO.
Along comes his friend Shyam in another cycle with a cap on and a beaming face.
Shyam: You know what, Ram? I just received information that I have beenselected as an APPRENTICE in the RETAIL BANKing division of ABC Bank.
Ram: Congo man! Hope it does not turn out to be a DRAB marketing job. I too have to DRAW UP a plan for my future, now that we are GROWN UPS and our studies soon coming to an end.
Shyam: OK, let’s hurry up. If we are late they may not ALLOCATE a court to us. And my dreams of continuing an UNBEATEN match record will be brought to NOUGHT!!
Did they play any starters or straight into the main course?
DeleteTravelling ke liye kuchh bhi karenge !! Reminded of my Bombay commuting days where I had only a toehold with two hands on the top, near the footboard. There were many good samaritans, who would grab you tight and drag you in, when the train used to take a sharp turn,cautioning me: sambhaal leejeeye saab ! These life-threatening travels in a first class compartment in peak hours ! If you have commuted in Bombay suburban trains, you're a survivor alright !!
ReplyDeleteTears from Tier 2 city: The article and pics on the S & B Meet are not to be seen in the Coimbatore edition ! NIce write up !
ReplyDeleteRaju manages to have a complaint every day! Take it easy. We don't get Coimbatore news,ok? (It is entirely another matter that we don't get your power cuts either!) Time to seriously think about shifting to Tier- 1 city. You can also attend our S&B meets!
ReplyDeleteIn response to an ad for men to retail parrots an applicant wanted to know who detailed them first
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any power cuts any more ! So it has become cheers city !
ReplyDeleteI killed Orkut !
Your cofession is accepted. But who framed Roger Rabbit?
DeleteAnother lovely puzzle from Buzzer.
ReplyDeleteOne small thing: 11A "Tips of" instead of "Tips for" would have been a clearer indicator, but that would have obviously marred the surface.
Deja Vu ?
ReplyDeleteComment of @ashok jayanti at 1.51 pm appeared exactly the same on 02 October 2012. The puzzle was THC 10583 by Buzzer, also on a tuesday. You can see it at http://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2012/10/no-10583-tuesday-02-oct-12-buzzer.html?showComment=1349148740331#c2640294890767065767
;-)
DeleteOoh you still remember old comments? ?
A real brainteaser. First it was a big blank. One after other as we read the clue the plot started unfolding. To mention a few 14,26,22a 3,7,15d were quite appealing.bhakri news.19 with much difficulty I could make 19a.In short a heartenig one.
ReplyDelete