Is KKK being morbid today? Was scratching around for a while till things fell into place. Learnt some new words today.
ACROSS
1 I define raft gone to pieces by its defining characteristics (11) DIFFERENTIA*
9 Expand the street passing through Big clock (7) BROADEN {B{ROAD}EN}
10 Removing it from caption makes it understated (6) SUBTLE SUBT
11 Pope takes down clock tower by order (5) EDICT
15 Make amends for allowing opener an extra run (4) ABYE {A
16 Tree for distinguished humourist (6,4) AUGUST PLUM {AUGUST} {PLUM}
18 English tend to half the armies’ appeals (10) ENTREATIES {E}{TREAT}{
20 Sophisticated coward lacking cognizance (4) CHIC CHIC
23 Pedestrian in favour of regular sea biscuit (7) PROSAIC {PRO}{S
24 First lover of Austen’s heroine gets preliminary proposition (5) LEMMA {L
26 Fish comes to pond with intrinsically Indian origins (6) DIPNOI {POND+I
28 Dismissal from the faction might lead to death (6,5) FIRING PARTY {FIRING} {PARTY} 'might' or 'will' ?
DOWN
2 Write to signal loss of accountant (6) INDITE INDI
3 Letting out criminals from cages is admirable (4) FINE
4 Restores some regard for all but top two schools (10) RESTITUTES {RE
5 The aristocracy source opium for upright leader who is marriageable (8) NOBILITY N(-u+o)OBILITY
Cartoon by Rishi
6 Criminal, sick, held most of the endowment (7) ILLEGAL {IL{LEGA7 Sailor from North East confined, denied… (9) ABNEGATED {AB}{NE}{GATED}
8 … harmony of American university found in modest surrounds (6) COMITY {CO{MIT}Y}
13 Restraining the brusque, sickly (10) CURTAILING {CURT}{AILING}
14 Freed; lost initial nervous predisposition; became thin (9) EMACIATED EMAnCIpATED
17 First of his kin lies injured in European capital (8) HELSINIKI {H
19 Countermining characters at destinations (7) TERMINI [T]
21 Croon into hidden microphone? Rubbish! (6) HUMBUG {HUM}{BUG} Into is misleading
22 Head of church’s perjury of sacred text to patron (6) CLIENT {C
25 Testing stage for Indian son (4) BETA [DD]
23A Yesterday it was pointed out that in a clue where oddly is being used no letter should be left hanging after the answer is derived. Would it not be valid for 23A as well when regularly is the suggestion
ReplyDeleteThe Col. has indeed made a similar comment against the relevant clue. Perhaps you put in yours before reading the blog.
DeleteThat's correct.
DeleteRegular sea biscuit: SeAbIsCuit. Here 'it' is still left or to be specific I should not be left out.
Yes - didn't notice Colonel's comment
Delete(From yesterday)
ReplyDeleteA famous butler - this might fetch Jeeves or any other as per the given enu.
A famous Butler - cap for b is not necessary to fetch Jeeves.
A famous Butler - this will fetch Samuel because the b is cap and it refers to the Englis novelist.
The above is my considered opinion and I will be happy if at least one co-member agrees with me.
I agree
Delete+1
DeleteHonestly think some more attention was needed in writing clues. Agree with Col's comments.
ReplyDeleteFelt some surfaces seem implausible:
9 Expand the street passing through Big clock (7) ? Maybe 'via' would have been better for 'through'.
5 The aristocracy source opium for upright leader who is marriageable (8)? Probably could have used 'love' for 'opium'. Atleast 'love' and 'marriageable' have some connection. 'opium' & 'upright leader' do not go together.
I too thought the surface reading of some clues left something to be desired. Take 23a itself: what is a 'sea biscuit'? What is a 'regular sea biscuit' (as well as an 'irregular sea biscuit')? Why should a pedestrian favour that?
ReplyDeletesea biscuit: very hard unsalted biscuit or bread; a former ship's staple... thefreedictionary.com
DeleteOh thanks. KKK, sorry for my presumptuous Comment - I should have checked.
DeleteLike the biscuit that' fell off the table and broke a leg of mine'...etc
DeleteHad lot of problems in NE corner and 1A. Happy to have cleared most except the fish and the August part of plum. Of course, I was doubtful about a few enu's.
ReplyDeleteAgree with comments about surfaces.(Big) Ben seems to have been repeated- 9A &11A.
A few doubts-
ReplyDelete18A- "tend to half"- for surface reading should it not be 'Halve'?
27A- Why drips for IV. Will drip not be sufficient?
'half the armies' appeals' and 'halve the armies' appeals' have different meanings, both will work, in my opinion.
Delete18A - tend - to care of. They attend to half of the appeals.
Delete1A: The definition should be 'defining characteristic'. Differentiae is the plural form.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=differentia&title=21st
"Is KKK being morbid today?"
ReplyDeleteLike during their heyday? :D ;-)
First time achievement of 71% in KKK crossword. Very happy.
ReplyDelete