Monday 25 August 2014

No 11172, Monday 25 Aug 2014, Klue Klux Klan


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 SUBTitLE
11 Pope takes down clock tower by order (5) EDICT benEDICT
12 With pickaxes initially, start off for settlement to plunder (7) PILLAGE {Pickaxes}{vILLAGE}
15 Make amends for allowing opener an extra run (4) ABYE {Allowing}{BYE}
16 Tree for distinguished humourist (6,4) AUGUST PLUM {AUGUST} {PLUM}
18 English tend to half the armiesappeals (10) ENTREATIES {E}{TREAT}{armIES}
20 Sophisticated coward lacking cognizance (4) CHIC CHICken
23 Pedestrian in favour of regular sea biscuit (7) PROSAIC {PRO}{SeA}{bIsCiut} Same query as in the special yesterday regarding fodder for regular/alternate etc
24 First lover of Austen’s heroine gets preliminary proposition (5) LEMMA {Lover}{EMMA} New word for me
26 Fish comes to pond with intrinsically Indian origins (6) DIPNOI {POND+Intrinsically+Indian}* Where's the AInd? Had to cheat for this one
27 Kill administrator by removing drips (7) EXECUTE EXECUTivE
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 INDIcaTE
3   Letting out criminals from cages is admirable (4) FINE conFINEs
4   Restores some regard for all but top two schools (10) RESTITUTES {REgard}{inSTITUTES} How much regard? Another new word
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{LEGAcy}L}
7   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 {His}{KIN+LIES}*
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 {Church}{LIE}{NT}
25 Testing stage for Indian son (4) BETA [DD]

19 comments:

  1. 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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Col. has indeed made a similar comment against the relevant clue. Perhaps you put in yours before reading the blog.

      Delete
    2. That's correct.
      Regular sea biscuit: SeAbIsCuit. Here 'it' is still left or to be specific I should not be left out.

      Delete
    3. Yes - didn't notice Colonel's comment

      Delete
  2. (From yesterday)
    A 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.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Honestly think some more attention was needed in writing clues. Agree with Col's comments.
    Felt 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.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 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?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sea biscuit: very hard unsalted biscuit or bread; a former ship's staple... thefreedictionary.com

      Delete
    2. Oh thanks. KKK, sorry for my presumptuous Comment - I should have checked.

      Delete
    3. Like the biscuit that' fell off the table and broke a leg of mine'...etc

      Delete
  5. Had 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.
    Agree with comments about surfaces.(Big) Ben seems to have been repeated- 9A &11A.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A few doubts-
    18A- "tend to half"- for surface reading should it not be 'Halve'?
    27A- Why drips for IV. Will drip not be sufficient?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 'half the armies' appeals' and 'halve the armies' appeals' have different meanings, both will work, in my opinion.

      Delete
    2. 18A - tend - to care of. They attend to half of the appeals.

      Delete
  7. 1A: The definition should be 'defining characteristic'. Differentiae is the plural form.

    http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=differentia&title=21st

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Is KKK being morbid today?"

    Like during their heyday? :D ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. First time achievement of 71% in KKK crossword. Very happy.

    ReplyDelete

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