Need to check my specs, I'm seeing double double in this Aspartame puzzle!! Tough going in parts.
ACROSS
9 Mean things about death, for example? (5,10) VITAL STATISTICS [CD]
Cartoon by Rishi
10 “The French are good in France”— describes article in Asian country (7) LEBANON {LE}{B{AN}ON}
13 Note: C303NI forms bacteria (9) GONOCOCCI {G+CCC+OOO+N+I}*
14 Move right then hard left from home (5) ROUSE {R}{
15 Extremely fair easterner, one found in fair with royal clothes (7) REGALIA {
18 Capital of Yemen’s founder edges away with American capital (7) YAOUNDE {Y}{A}{
21 Confused foe wears empty bag (5) BEFOG {B
23 Pretentious commissioner absolving last two debts (9) OFFICIOUS {OFFIC
25 Within the house, kids… (7) INWARDS {IN}{WARDS}
26 … email drunk editor about drink (7) LIMEADE {EMAIL*}{ED<=}
29 Running cheetah slain! Run for cover (6,9) HEALTH INSURANCE*
Cartoon by Rishi
DOWN1 Eggs, all essentially egg shaped (4) OVAL {OVA}{
2 Hit back after son is hit (4) STAB {S}{TAB<=}
3 Auditor to clean one state that’s clean (8) CLINICAL (~clean){CLIN}{1}{CAL} That doesn't sound clean to me!
4 National virtue describing national leader (6) ETHNIC {ETH{N}IC}
5 Engineer entirely lost money for time, lots of time (8) ETERNITY {ENTIRE(-l+t)TY}* L for money!
6 Nuclei some researchers found could be nuclear (6) ISOMER [T]
7 Top cover that’s not on top? (8) SIDEBURN [CD]
8 Figuratively speaking, a trial with woman requires little energy, resourcefulness and evasion (2, 2, 4) AS IT WERE {A} {SIT} {W}{E}{R}{E}
11 Escape from animal that’s escaping from horned animal (5) ELOPE
15 Unsatisfactory massage by one timid boy at the centre (8) RUBBISHY {RUB}{B}{1}{SHY}
16 Wide rift mysteriously covered by rift giving cover (4-4) GIFT WRAP {G{W+RIFT}*AP}
17 Relating to sound of sound pigeon’s sounds during a fit (8) ACOUSTIC {A}{COUS(~coos)}{TIC}
19 Playing mantra? Encore! Encore! (4,4) ONCE MORE {OM+ENCORE}*
20 Scholar starts to drive rick up into drive (5) DRUID Acrostic
22 Go round or maybe around young king (6) GYRATE {G{Y}{R}ATE} Or = GATE
 |
| Cartoon by Bhargav |
27 Maybe Agony caused a nut to go nuts (4) AUNT*
28 Always used to express astonishment (4) EVER ? [DD]
GRID
A very good attempt at using the same word twice. Reminded me of the Witches’ song in Macbeth,
ReplyDelete“Double, double, toil and trouble,
fire burn and cauldron bubble!”
In 17d, you will see triple (or should it be treble, since it ‘sound’s thrice? ;-) )
A small nit with 13a. Since the character used after the first 3 is a ‘0’ (zero) and not the letter ‘O’, I for a moment interpreted it as 303 ...
21a BEFOG = FOE* in BaG. I think defn ‘confused’ leads us to be befogged
15d Does the clue correctly describe the arrangement of the components?
22d OR is a type of logic gate. But I had thought this was always written in the upper case as an OR gate, like the others NOR, XOR etc. Not sure if shifting to lower case is kosher.
Maybe 15d is RUB 1 SHY with B at the centre ...
DeleteBut then, it is not in the 'centre'
DeleteIf B is for boy, the how do we complete the 'Rub'?
DeleteThere are two B's there
DeleteIf ROUND and aROUND in 22d are taken as an example of the doubling device, then RUN and RUNning in 29a also qualifies
ReplyDeleteCV, are they playing TOMBOLA?
ReplyDeleteYes, it looks like 'Housie' party (another double?)
DeleteAn original idea, a novel idea. THC setters seem to be doing their work in a sort of competitive environment. All power to them.
ReplyDelete+1 Thoroughly agree. AD's chemical soup* (or should I say opus) just required a spark of electricity and maybe life would have been created
Delete+1.
DeleteCould the CD clues have been better written? It's a difficult art cluing CDs.
Was it a poacher who'd killed the running cheetah, looking for cover?
A special 'like' for CV 's comment using the word 'idea' twice
DeleteIt's contagious.
DeleteCV, you have captured the essence of Health insurance in your cartoon. Everything works fine as long as you are paying the premium. The moment a claim is made, everything stops working.
ReplyDeleteAgree with the opening remarks of Col.
ReplyDeleteI seem to have got into 'Double' trouble.Many answers were not convincing, a few even after seeing the blog,which is rare. But I agree it is a novel attempt and looks interesting. Glad I was able to cross the half way mark.
Yes, Kishore & CV. Our Health Insurance needs a lot of improvement- in the mindset of insurers.
+1 for both the + and - already mentioned by all. I have these additional axes to grind:
Delete25a - at home = in. house=in?
19d - indirect anagram (mantra = om)
27d - 'Kind of aunt' to define 'agony' makes sense to me but not the other way. That is like clueing 'Child' as 'Maybe brain issue (5)' since 'brain child' is a dictionary phrase.
5 Engineer entirely lost money for time, lots of time (8) ETERNITY {ENTIRE(-l+t)TY}* L for money!
ReplyDeleteYesterday we were happy to accept weight=pound=L in one of the clues, so why not money=lira=L?
And time : hour: h
DeleteIt can also be - money=pound=L
DeleteI have seen Paddy's explanation earlier too.
DeleteI normally do not pick nits. So I must thank Kishore for doing it for me in his first post. I had the same issues.
ReplyDeleteRita please send me you e-mail ID / contact number as someone who is doing an article in a magazine wants to interview a solver from up north who comments on my blog
ReplyDeleteCol.,
DeleteIf it helps, I can give you my mail id. I am also a solver from up north ( New Delhi). Of course, I don't comment much on the blog ( am a novice in presence of veterans), but am an avid visitor and do take part in the sunday specials.
Please send me your email ID and Mobile number
DeleteCol.,
DeleteSent. Pls check your mail.
Thanks.
DeleteWhen You say ,'extremely' when it is first & last and only last in some cases, as this setter has used. Please help me.
ReplyDeleteI normally take it as either and use what fits
DeleteAspartame has opened up new avenue in surface reading in cryptic clues that I.ve never come across in my years of solving.thisis why I find our setters who are unique and individualistic. Hats off !
ReplyDeleteKudos on a novel attempt.
ReplyDeleteWow... very innovative attempt. Managed to get all but 2-3... though quite a few from the def and not wordplay.. look forward to the next setter trick...
ReplyDelete