Mostly good surface stories from Exa. Possibly anagrams are his favourite clue type, not to mention letter selections. Overlooking indecent aunts and seduced fathers, liked CONTAINER, AIRED, ELAPSED, EXACT and ALBUM :)
ACROSS
1 Endless charm excited principal (4) ARCH [CHARm]*
3 Woodworkers take time out fixing centre parts (10) CARPENTERS [CENtRE PARTS]*
10 Boxing equipment? (9) CONTAINER [CD]
11 University-wise employment (5) USAGE [University wise=SAGE]
12 Indecent aunty casually dressing girl's husband (7) NAUGHTY [AUNTY* outside Girl + Husband]
13 Inactivity shown by Indian newspaper primarily — it's breaking live all around (7) INERTIA [Indian Newspaper + (IT inside live=ARE)<-]
14 Showed crazy idea's right (5) AIRED [IDEA* outside Right]
15 Green and red tops with dirty blue get Monsieur to complain (7) GRUMBLE [Green + Red + Monsieur inside BLUE*]
18 Questions queen with hesitation about upper class that is starting to stumble (7) QUERIES [Queen + hesitation=ER outside Upper class + that is=IE + Stumble]
21 Soft piercing girl managed (5) COPED [soft=P inside girl=COED] coed=college girl, not just girl?
24 Throw out please! Date's passed (7) ELAPSED [PLEASE* + Date]
26 Striking woman seen taking nights off drunk (7) AWESOME [WOMAn SEEn]*
27 Animal blazer left out after a fashion (5) ZEBRA [BlAZER]*
28 Left country’s ground after abrupt send off (9) EMIGRATED [send off=EMIt + ground=GRATED]
29 Destroyed poorly designed shield on record (10) DEMOLISHED [record=DEMO + SHIELD*]
30 Sure about one taking a trip (4) USER [SURE]*
DOWN
1 It may be given to beat stress (6) ACCENT [CD]
2 Reportedly see one taking vessel at join (9) CONJUGATE [~see=C + ONE outside vessel=JUG + AT]
4 Yes and no leave son confused and irritated (7) ANNOYED [YEs + AND + NO]*
5 Average relative acceleration due to gravity in space (7) PARKING [average=PAR + relative=KIN + acceleration due to gravity=G]
6 New-made oven's suitable to the French (7) NOUVEAU [OVEN* + suitable=U + the French=AU]
7 Precise cutting tool lifted to cut edges (5) EXACT [cutting tool=AXE<- + CuT]
8 Swung by visit when returning on Wednesday (8) SEESAWED [visit=SEE + when=AS<- + WEDnesday]
9 Dashed after seducing hot relative (6) FATHER [AFTER* outside Hot]
16 Doesn't speak in favour of poor openings (3-6) BAD-MOUTHS [poor=BAD + openings=MOUTHS]
17 Crushed and just half relaxed by the sound of it (8) SQUEEZED [just=SQUare + ~relaxed=EASED]
19 Set up fashionable enclosure (7) INSTALL [fashionable=IN + enclosure=STALL]
20 Talk back gulping down quarter in grief (7) SADNESS [talk back=SASS outside Down + quarter=NE]
21 Cup of tea and cereal left for Romeo (7) CHALICE [tea=CHA + cereal=RICE with Left for Romeo]
22 Play over empty track; record your high ends in verse (6) POETRY [Acrostic]
23 Drove new buggy to find dealer (6) VENDOR [DROVE New]*
25 A student with poor record (5) ALBUM [A + student=L + poor=BUM]
ACROSS
1 Endless charm excited principal (4) ARCH [CHARm]*
3 Woodworkers take time out fixing centre parts (10) CARPENTERS [CENtRE PARTS]*
10 Boxing equipment? (9) CONTAINER [CD]
11 University-wise employment (5) USAGE [University wise=SAGE]
12 Indecent aunty casually dressing girl's husband (7) NAUGHTY [AUNTY* outside Girl + Husband]
13 Inactivity shown by Indian newspaper primarily — it's breaking live all around (7) INERTIA [Indian Newspaper + (IT inside live=ARE)<-]
14 Showed crazy idea's right (5) AIRED [IDEA* outside Right]
15 Green and red tops with dirty blue get Monsieur to complain (7) GRUMBLE [Green + Red + Monsieur inside BLUE*]
18 Questions queen with hesitation about upper class that is starting to stumble (7) QUERIES [Queen + hesitation=ER outside Upper class + that is=IE + Stumble]
21 Soft piercing girl managed (5) COPED [soft=P inside girl=COED] coed=college girl, not just girl?
24 Throw out please! Date's passed (7) ELAPSED [PLEASE* + Date]
26 Striking woman seen taking nights off drunk (7) AWESOME [WOMAn SEEn]*
27 Animal blazer left out after a fashion (5) ZEBRA [BlAZER]*
28 Left country’s ground after abrupt send off (9) EMIGRATED [send off=EMIt + ground=GRATED]
29 Destroyed poorly designed shield on record (10) DEMOLISHED [record=DEMO + SHIELD*]
30 Sure about one taking a trip (4) USER [SURE]*
DOWN
1 It may be given to beat stress (6) ACCENT [CD]
2 Reportedly see one taking vessel at join (9) CONJUGATE [~see=C + ONE outside vessel=JUG + AT]
4 Yes and no leave son confused and irritated (7) ANNOYED [YEs + AND + NO]*
5 Average relative acceleration due to gravity in space (7) PARKING [average=PAR + relative=KIN + acceleration due to gravity=G]
6 New-made oven's suitable to the French (7) NOUVEAU [OVEN* + suitable=U + the French=AU]
7 Precise cutting tool lifted to cut edges (5) EXACT [cutting tool=AXE<- + CuT]
8 Swung by visit when returning on Wednesday (8) SEESAWED [visit=SEE + when=AS<- + WEDnesday]
9 Dashed after seducing hot relative (6) FATHER [AFTER* outside Hot]
16 Doesn't speak in favour of poor openings (3-6) BAD-MOUTHS [poor=BAD + openings=MOUTHS]
17 Crushed and just half relaxed by the sound of it (8) SQUEEZED [just=SQUare + ~relaxed=EASED]
19 Set up fashionable enclosure (7) INSTALL [fashionable=IN + enclosure=STALL]
20 Talk back gulping down quarter in grief (7) SADNESS [talk back=SASS outside Down + quarter=NE]
21 Cup of tea and cereal left for Romeo (7) CHALICE [tea=CHA + cereal=RICE with Left for Romeo]
22 Play over empty track; record your high ends in verse (6) POETRY [Acrostic]
23 Drove new buggy to find dealer (6) VENDOR [DROVE New]*
25 A student with poor record (5) ALBUM [A + student=L + poor=BUM]
 |
| Cartoon by Bhargav |
Good one from Exa. Strangely struggled in a few places to get the anno after getting the answer. Overall a satisfying solve.
ReplyDeleteQuite an enjoyable offering from Exa. Found North-West corner tough to tackle and struggled to parse some of the answers. Thanking both Exa and Bhavan. :)
ReplyDeleteNice puzzle and slightly tricky one from Exa. Plenty of anagrams.
ReplyDeleteJust one point about which I'm a bit doubtful:
2 Reportedly see one taking vessel at join (9) CONJUGATE [~see=C + ONE outside vessel=JUG + AT]
As 'join' is a verb how does the sentence make sense?
Liked 28a. EMI GRATED.
DeleteI read join as a noun in 2d for the surface and as a verb for the def to work
DeleteRarely for me, 100% today. Satisfying exercise.
ReplyDeleteAnd a pangram too
ReplyDeleteLol at the preamble.
ReplyDeleteIndecent aunties and seduced fathers are very plausible in most places.
Off topic
ReplyDeleteAn interesting article on a Malayali written by Yohan Chacko. You'll may remember his song 'I am a Malayali'. See the article at I AM A MALAYALI and the song at I AM A MALAYALI
From a friend on facebook
ReplyDeleteHeight of technology :
I was feeling hungry . I went to hotel and ordered two plates of idlis ....
My stomach filled with 1 plate only than I didn't know 💬 what to do next.....
Suddenly I remembered OLX.com .
Immediately I clicked a photo and uploaded it on OLX.com....
My buyer was in the next table only ..
Idli got sold with in 5 min. ⌚ With the same money I had coffee also ...
Thanks to OLX
Well sculpted,well scripted clues. Dint have to look formuch reference. Truly a week end bonanza from Exa. Thank you Exa.
ReplyDeleteGuess who came calling in today? CV !! We had a two-man blog get-together for about two and a half hours about????? crosswords , crosswords and crosswords !! We didn't even know how the time flew !! He is travelling to Madurai tomorrow setting off at 530am !! I admire his intrepid spirit to travel with his frail frame ! A ic of us both has been sent to THCC Family.
ReplyDeletePICTURE for ic above.. No, no.we didn:t have any hic hic !!!
ReplyDelete