Saturday 26 July 2014

No. 11147, Saturday, 26 July 2014. Afterdark

Standing in for Bhavan this morning, I had an engaging time with this crossword.
To make this post participatory, I am leaving some  clues (answers provided) to be annotated by my readers. One visitor, one anno, please.
In Clue 24dn, Afterdark does a 'lift and separate' on his name. Hope he has pulled himself together now.

ACROSS
1    Prompting to include five top educators for research... (13) INVESTIGATION  - insertion of  V E in INSTIGATION
10    …one saw joy in trouble? No chance in hell (2,3,4) NO WAY JOSE - anag. of ONESAWJOY
11    Mention about accepting Head Honcho's principles (5) ETHIC - insertion of H in ETIC (rev. of cite)
12    Lie about crackhead's passion (5) CHEAT - cha. of C HEAT

                                                                        Cartoon by Rishi
13    Changes model's right replies from woman to female (9) TRANSFERS - cha. T R ANS(-w+F)ERS
14    Domain of Samajwadi Party leaders in this stage (6) SPHERE cha. SP HERE
16    Worry about having no currency? (4) EURO - cha. of EUR (rev. of RUE) O
19    Say, a mammal left you in the past (4) ONCE - deletion  O(-u)NCE
20    Reasonable to deny credit for eatable (6) EDIBLE - deletion  (cr)EDIT
25    Begged to stop including surprise elements, for starters (9) ENTREATED - anno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)
26    Lived with newlywed first lady over time (5) DWELT - cha. of DWE (anag, of WED) L T
27    Star Sapphire recreated, perhaps out of bones (5) TARSI - anno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)
28    Since tail was operated, it's rigid (9) INELASTIC - anag. of SINCETAIL

29    Lament about strange scrooge's integration in group of companies (13) CONGLOMERATES  - anno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)

DOWN

2    Capital in a modern and ancient Greek town without a leader of people (3,5) NEW DELHI - cha. of NEW DEL[p]HI
3    Wrongly type to include girl’s country (5) EGYPT - insertion of G in EYPT (anag. of type)
4    Fish tourist cooked without iodine (6) TROUTS - anag. of TOUR[i]ST after deleting I
5    Explosives danger quashed by Emergency Services (8) GRENADES - cha. of GRENAD (anag. of danger), E S
6    Having assessed, trustee replaced headmaster who was revered (9) TREASURED - anno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)
7    Atrociously overcharges the grave dug out for earth pigments (6) OCHRESanno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)
8    Broken casks had new refreshments (6) SNACKS - insertion of N in SACKS ( anag. of casks)
9    Digital money exchanged initially by accountant silently (1-4) E-CASH - cha. of E CA SH
15    In other words, outfight the drunk Engine Driver's performance (9) RENDERING anno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)
17    Routine arrangement to get nuclear particle (8) NEUTRINO - N (nuclear) in NEUTRIO (anag of ROUTINE)
18    Engineer joined new senate, but he didn't attend (8) ABSENTEEanno. to be provided by any reader :: (Since attempted; see Comments)
21    Draw a crumpled necktie with first knot loose (6) ENTICE - anag. of NECTIE after deleting K from necktie
22    City harbour replaced British chief with Portugal's (5) PERTH - sub. of P for B in BERTH
23    Sound equipment set dismantled again by the Disc (6) STEREO - cha of STE(anag. of SET) RE O
24    Affix After Dark's initials in this place (6) ADHERE - cha. of  A D here
                                            Cartoon by Bhargav
26    Play medico went with wet nurse lacks finish (5) DRAMA -  cha. of DR AMA[h]


146 comments:

  1. Bingo! Completed the puzzle dot on time! Thanks, After Dark, for making my day with your simple and elegant corssy. :-)))

    ReplyDelete
  2. Engineer joined new senate, but he didn't attend (8) A(B)SENTE(E)*

    Engineer: BE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. B&E not together? Is this kosher or indirect?

      Delete
    2. I do not think it is correct cluing

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    3. Actually I don't agree. Joined can be taken as fused. I stand by this

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    4. But if we are taking synonym/abbreviation to join with anagram fodder it is indirect right?

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    5. I am unable to recall , but I remember seeing a few clues like this. Let me check and share them with you.

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    6. But I have also seen clues in UK crosswords where, if the two letters of a string are to be entered at different places in another word, an indication to that effect was given.

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  3. 25 Begged to stop including surprise elements, for starters (9) ENTREATED
    Stop: END.
    Surprise: TREAT
    Elements starter: E

    EN(TREAT)(E)D


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  4. 27    Star Sapphire recreated, perhaps out of bones (5)  TARSI

    (Star sapphire-perhaps)*

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  5. Special at 10:30 tomorrow by DaVinci

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  6. 29A- (Lament scrooge)*
    About & strange being Aninds.
    Thank you AD for a nice enjoyable outing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is a third AnInd in 'INTEGRATION', and the definition should be 'group of companies' and not just 'companies'

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    2. I would expect "groups of companies" for CONGLOMERATES.
      A conglomerate is a group of companies.
      Conglomerates is plural.

      Delete
    3. This one was tricky. I bounced this off with Kishore before cluing, yet could not get it well. Chambers said conglomerate = company .http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=conglomerate&title=thes. So I thought companies will suffice. Later added 'group' ..

      Delete
  7. CV,
    Nowadays Headmaster has been replaced by Principal. Also, he may be taken to task for displaying the 'Spare the rod...' in his room! HM also used to be the abbreviation for Headmistress.

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  8. 6D Having assessed, trustee replaced headmaster who was revered (9)

    TR replaces M (head master)
    in MEASURED (having assessed)
    to give TREASURED (revered)

    ReplyDelete
  9. 17    Routine arrangement to get nuclear particle (8) NEUTRINO - anag of ROUTINE

    Second N from nuclear?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. See:
      http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=n&title=21st

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    2. When you say 'n-blast' you mean 'nuclear blast'.

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    3. You've included 'nuclear' in the def, whereas it's part of wordplay.

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  10. So most of the clues for which I expected readers to supply annotations appear to have issues or at least to raise questions.

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  11. 15 In other words, outfight the drunk Engine Driver's performance (9) RENDERING
    (ENGINE DRIVER)* - VIE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I was posting my comment along came Sandhya's anno, coincidentally, having 'the' before 'drunk'.

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    2. Is "rendering" = 'putting in other words' rather than 'in other words'?

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    3. Probably 'putting in other words'.

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    4. Hmmm. The definition I intended was 'Performance' .. In other words was used to indicate that 'vie' is not in the same order. Bt I think it doesn't work well

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    5. There are times when it's difficult to phrase the apt definition and other times it's difficult to write clues for a simple def.

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  12. Use of 'the' unnecessarily, complicates matters in some cases.

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  13. AD is the expert in (A-B)*=C

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  14. 7 Atrociously overcharges the grave dug out for earth pigments (6) OCHRES {OverCHaRgES} i.e 'Overcharges' minus 'grave'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the 'the' I was referring to at 9.37.

      Delete
    2. The correct Anno for 7Dn OCHRES, I think is : {overcharges - grave}*

      Delete
    3. After Overcharges*, 'grave' is to be deleted. Clue leads us to believe 'the grave' is to left out.

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    4. Yes, the 'the' could have been avoided here.

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    5. Raghu has a point .. That is misleading.

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  15. O/T

    There is a cartoon by Keshav on the Editorial page of TH. Whose face is it that is drawn underwater? It has a moustache. LBS? If LBS, why him?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seconds after I saw the cartoon, I first noticed the dark patch at left underwater and then quickly saw the head. The white kulla atop as the ship is a great innovation.
      I don't think any particular man is intended. At best it can only be a typical partyman.
      What is the broad intention of the cartoonist?
      That the ship is sinking and the man at the helm is unwilling to steer the party anymore and has deserted it. But will the boat go ashore?

      Delete
    2. What the Congress Leadership needed was heads without caps.
      It seems they only have caps without heads!! (They have nothing at the top)

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    3. I think that is a nice of way of expressing it.

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  16. There is a small innovation attempted in the gridfill .. Check Across clues :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aha! AfterdarKishorEtceterAfterdark ;-)

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    2. Don't know what you're talking about. Help!
      Anyone other than AD and K.

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    3. 10 & 11, 12 & 13, 14 & 16, 19 & 20, 25 & 26, 27 & 28 for example.

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    4. Raghu, it works with all the across ones from 1 to 29.

      AD, next time try an ouroboros ... Like using conversazioni (if it is Chambers) instead of conglomerates ...

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    5. Took some time to decipher it, but finally got it! Nice spotting, Raghu!!

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    6. One more enjoyable new gimmick from Afterdark! Looking forward to many more...

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    7. Kishore has a different angle by including 1 & 29. Don't know whether we both saw the same thing and whether MB and Ajeesh too saw the samethings?

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    8. I can't find any connection btn 1 & 29

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    9. K meant 1&10 , 10&11 to 28&29

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    10. There is no connection between 1 and 29, though there is between each clue and the next. If 1 had begun where 29 ended, we would have an ouroboros like I mentioned earlier.

      CV, look at how I have linked AD's name with mine earlier ....

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    11. OK. Its complete with that word like conversazioni to make the circle

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    12. Well done, Ajeesh! You have a sharp brain!! It's another thing, Kishore has the sha(r)pest brain!!!

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    13. AT LAST...
      I have figured out what is going on.
      But why should people be talking so long in riddles?
      Someone could have mentioned it without others having to remain puzzled so long.
      But I am also NOT revealing what I have noticed.

      Delete
    14. This I did before reading Kishore's response above.

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    15. Just to let the suspense linger and accord the joy of discovery to others. A feline striptease of sorts before the pussy cat is unpacked

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  17. Latecomers:

    Please see main post.
    As of now, annotations need to be entered for two more clues.
    Any reader may attempt.
    No same person can give more than one anno.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where Sir? I don't see any. I saw one 7Dn OCHRES and gave the Anno. :)

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    2. Thanks. I am acknowledging it in the main post.

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  18. 1 Across clue : Correct definition needs to be highlighted pl.

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  19. All pending annos. provided by readers, I think.

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  20. Another OT

    This refers to the piece 'Preceptor's advice' (Faith, July 26).

    The teacher tells the student that he must always speak the truth but at times it may be prudent to remain silent and not speak the truth. So far so good.

    In the latter part of the article, it is mentioned that a sage said that no cow had entered his ashram (when, in fact, one had).

    Is this not a lie?

    Shouldn't the sage have kept quiet - without uttering a word so while he may not have spoken the truth he would have remained truthful?

    Is there a mistake in the article?

    Can anyone clarify to me?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a case of rarest of the rare. A cow from the outside world entered the inside of the hermitage.So, an example of what can happen outside of the hermitage is brought right inside the hermitage. Here the Sage becomes one like in the outside world. He had to lie to safeguard the cow. Had he remained silent, the man would have gone searching inside the hermitage! IMHO, there is no mistake in the article.

      Delete
  21. Afterdark

    Congratulations on using a hitherto-unused trick in your gridfills.

    Many TH setters are doing innovative work - whether truly appreciated by the editors/publishers or not. But solvers are!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks CV Sir. As we speak there is a mail from Hindu appreciating the puzzle. :) maybe this was read !! But I don't want to cast aspersions.

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    2. Solvers' appreciation- thanks to the blog. Again, Thank You Col.

      Delete
  22. Across clues of Afterdark is Crossword ANTHAKSHARI. Kudos, Afterdark!!!

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  23. Raghunath, appreciate your fielding questions and comments posted late *ahem*... extremely late into the night. :-) It takes a while before I give up on a grid.

    I'm not as big a cricket buff as I used to be, say, 15 years ago -- the disillusionment came with the Cronje affair, but I did enjoy 21D. And 13A had me wondering how the last four managed to get knocked out in the semi-final! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had thought somebody would raise that point about the last 4 not making it, as in a semi final last 4 do make it, but seems yesterday people were busy elsewhere. That was one clue where I tried my best to make it plausible, but apparently it was not so. I then thought of the last four from the bottom of the table that don't make it.. But then why it should change anything? Thought of our PM also in the clue but felt it was not proper.

      Delete
    2. Injured Anil dropped from ODI semi-final, resulting in changes (8)? Although it does makes the answer all the more apparent.

      Delete
  24. Great AD!
    In Tamil poetry it is called 'Andhadi'. In a long series of poems, the last word of the firast poem is the first word of the next. Andham is end & aadhi is the beginning. Sometimes they string 100/ 200 verses on these lines. While reciting it makes it easier to go on to the next verse. DS may have more to add on this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Paddy. Maybe should try once for both across and down. Will do.

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  25. Afterdark: Excellent! That the exceptional letter remarked daintily!!

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  26. Good show AD! Some way to innovate!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bravo AD! Keep. Cooking up things ...

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    2. Thanks Kishore and Raghu. In a field full of stalwarts like you all in cluing, I decided to take the gridfill route :)

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    3. I am no stalwart, Shri, just a Hobbit amongst Brobdingnagians

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    4. And you've seen me. I'm too am quite small compared to the above said Brobdingnagians.

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    5. There is too much of modesty at play here. :) I won't hesitate to say that I innovate on grids. And you guys obviously clue well. Raghu's last two were mindboggling. And I know incognito and balderdash are 2 different guys :P

      Delete
  27. OT
    Received through facebook

    Tamil Names ..This is an absolute rib-tickler !!

    If Parsis can have their name as per the profession, why can't we have it? (After all we are not Britishers to have Barber, Cook, Side Bottom, etc...)

    Doctor -- Vaidyanathan
    Dentist -- Pallavan
    Lawyer -- Kesavan
    North Indian Lawyer -- Panjabakesan
    Financier -- Dhanasekaran
    Cardiologist -- Irudhayaraj
    Pediatrist -- Kuzhandaisamy
    Marriage Counselor -- Kalyanasundaram
    Ophthalmologist --Kannayiram
    ENT Specialist -- Neelakandan
    Diabetologist -- Sakkarapani
    Nutritionist -- Arogyasamy
    Hypnotist -- Sokkalingam
    Mentalist -- Budhisikamani
    Exorcist -- Maatruboodham
    Magician -- Mayandi
    Builder -- Sengalvarayan
    Painter -- Chitraguptan
    Meteorologist -- Kaarmegam
    Agriculturist -- Pachaiyappan
    Horticulturist -- Pushpavanam
    Landscaper -- Bhuminathan
    Barber -- Kondaiappan
    Beggar -- Pichai
    Bartender -- Madhusudhan
    Alcoholic -- Kallapiraan
    Exhibitionist -- Ambalavaanan
    Fiction writer -- Naavalan
    Makeup Man -- Singaram
    Milk Man -- Paul Raj
    Dairy Farmer -- Pasupathi
    Dog Groomer -- Naayagan
    Snake Charmer -- Nagamurthi
    Mountain Climber -- Yezhumalai
    Javelin Thrower -- Velayudam
    Polevaulter -- Thaandavarayan
    Weight Lifter -- Balaraman
    Sumo Wrestler -- Gundu Rao
    Karate Expert -- Kailaasam
    Kick Boxer -- Ethiraj
    Batsman -- Dhandiappan
    Bowler -- Balaji
    Spin Bowler -- Thirupathi
    Female Spin Bowler -- Thirupura Sundari
    Driver -- Sarathy
    Attentive Driver -- Parthasarathy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ;-)

      Guess which one of them visits THCC ...

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    2. The sumo wrestler reminded me of Thai Nagesh, whose real name was Gundu Rao, and who was actually a Kannadiga

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    3. Could not understand:

      Karate Expert -- Kailaasam
      Kick Boxer -- Ethiraj
      Batsman -- Dhandiappan
      Bowler -- Balaji
      Spin Bowler -- Thirupathi

      Delete
    4. Gundu Rao, a Tamil name? Hopefully none of the news channels get a whiff of this contrO-versy. :D

      But when you look at it, many of the names actually mean or are connected to the things in stated English (in a divine sort of way). Not puns as much as they are facts.

      "Female Spin Bowler -- Thirupura Sundari"

      This is an old one. Her full name is Balathirupurasundari. :-)

      Delete
    5. Bowlaji? Thiruppi (turn) thi? Dhand (stick - bat? ) appan?

      Delete
  28. Replies
    1. CG- many cannot understand your joke. "Indunesan' was an old scandal sheet and I think it was banned some time back.Nesan is a friend.

      Delete
    2. Yes. I purposely wrote HINDU NESAN, in reply to Kishore's 1:52. And all of us know that our own HINDU NESAN is none other than you !! Regarding Indunesan at one time it became very famous for carrying the story of murder of a famous actor in serial form? (You may remember the names).

      Delete
    3. If THCC had a Newshour, topic for the evening would be "Was Bhargav trying to polarize the blog?"

      Delete
  29. Today's AD puzzle reminded me of the prize puzzle by Vernon in Nov.2013 at Derek Harrison's Crossword Centre in which there was a serpentine grid with no across or down clues. The clues were serially numbered and every answer had one or more letters at the beginning which were shared with the previous answer ( in the same order). The first answer had the last letter of the last answer, in effect forming a closed loop, which crossed itself several times. Also, as one solved the puzzle, one realised that some slots had to be filled with 2 letters each, which lead to a further discovery.

    The puzzle is available at
    http://www.crossword.org.uk/ouroboros.html

    ReplyDelete
  30. CV's 12.28 about today's article under "Faith"-
    It is a lie and the next sentence the justification- otherwise the cow would have been killed- is given. It is said that that if one lies to save somebody,it is equivalent to truth. There is a Thirukkural under the chapter 'Vaimai' (Truth)- Kural no.292- which states this point specifically. It says if the lie does "Kutram theenndha nanmai" (benefit without a blemish) it may be treated as truth.This may sound like end justifying the means, but if the end is good and does not harm anyone it is allowed.
    I mus thank TH for one thing- they have not yet separated the Faith column (earlier titled Religion) from the CW page. Missing it now is difficult.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Raghu at 1.58- to the extent I can

    karate- 'kai' lasam 9Hand)
    kick boxer- 'etti' raj (etti udaikkirathu is kick with feet)
    Batsman- Dhanda (can be bat- remember some of us may have played Gilli- Dhandu when we were young)
    Tirupahi- 'thiruppu' is turn. Hence the feminine gender is Thiruppira' sundari.
    Bal (L)aji or (Bowl)aji

    ReplyDelete
  32. This is a very old one, but I see that they keep adding to the lsit.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Kishore @ 1:52 Reg Guess which one of them visits THCC ...

    These are the ones who visit THCC regularly : Doctor, Dairy Farmer and Attentive Driver. Who are they? I leave it for others to make a guess!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MB garu, aap ke bilkul oopar ek hai!

      Delete
    2. Nannu kurinchi maatladuthunnara ? :D

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    3. Rainmon ask MB sir or Kishore . They will translate it for you ;)

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    4. Kishore @ aapne theek kaha hai !

      LV @ Nissandhehanga! :)

      Ajeesh @ When translated LV's query : Are you talking about me?

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    5. Are you talking about me? Says LV, Ajeesh.

      BTW, one of my correspondents who admittedly nags me sometimes has just signed off a mail to me with a new pseudonym: Nagamma

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    6. Kishore - you can add - "One who teases everyone a lot - Raghavan" - not naming names here:):)

      Delete
  34. Last year, AD had the same grid on the same date, i.e.26th July !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is it more than a coincidence? A jubilee of sorts?

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    2. Any chance of it being a Saturday?

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    3. Actually Colonel's link in PPs thread took me to that puzzle :)

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  35. With this, today's comments have touched 125

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 4 or 5 controversial clues and a small innovation always does that

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  36. Wonderful puzzle AD:) I remember you mentioned you were planning one, but didn't pick it up immediately when I solved it. Great to see it:) Keep Innovating:):)

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  37. After Dark: Posting my comments late in the evening. Congrats on a beautifully conceived grid. How much time did you take ? Do you follow any specific software system or device ?

    I still maintain that THCC is very unique with its multi-talented compilers and I wish we get a world wide spread of more solvers participating here. Is the any way or idea with any one? I know that we are on www and hence all the more reason to spread our reach.

    Keep up the good work with our innovative construction. I pull my collar up for the Col and his followers in this blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Raju. Its the same crossword compiler. Maybe about a couple of hours to get the grid right.

      Delete
  38. What is the recvord of nthe highest number of postings here? Today, mine is the 134th !!

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  39. Shrikanth @ 2:12 And I know incognito and balderdash are 2 different guys :P

    Two sides of the same coin! Heads & Tails!!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Fantastic puzzle AD - enjoyed solving it & really nice innovation on the gridfill. I believe you had set a double (or was it triple) pangram as well. Wonder which one was tougher !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks VP. Without trying to be modest, I think the cluing in this puzzle is kind of pedestrian. Sometimes it happens when you are fixed on the gridfill . the triple was obviously a nightmare :)

      Delete
  41. For some time, a sort of INVESTIGATION was carried out to find out what is so unique in this crossword. Could it be deciphered in a jiffy? NO WAY JOSE. Leave the ETHIC part of our behavior.
    For , some had to turn a little bit of CHEAT to observe how the end letter of an across clue TRANSFERS into the first letter of the next across clue!! Who knows? This SPHERE of knowledge may soon be aped by other setters also. Their crosswords may cross the borders of our country and could fetch them money in EURO too! ONCE this is done, then there is no stopping.
    An apple is EDIBLE, a nice crossword is savourable!!
    Soon our setters will be ENTREATED to bring in more such innovations.
    After having DWELT on the innovative trend that has set in maybe we should
    meet at a Five Star Hotel, climb the STAIR* get into the bar for some beer along
    with the gentle music from the SITAR*.
    Long after, we shall have etched in our memories: Wow, our crosswords are no longer rigid, no more INELASTIC. They have taken wings and flying high in the sky.
    Who knows, our setters may soon gather together and form Global CONCLOMERATES !!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Nice going CG in your own innovative way. Keep them coming.

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  43. Ha Paddy commented in between :-D

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  44. Seeing so many posts, thought I should comment .Thoroughly njoyed the puzzle & the unique gridfill!Crossword antakshri!

    ReplyDelete

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