Great surface reading in most clues, specially liked 4D and 1A.
ACROSS
1 Hem and haw initially in jails and they will come down heavily (13) SLEDGEHAMMERS {SL{EDGE}{H
10 A song about cinema (5) ODEON {ODE}{ON}
11 Ten photos developed right there (2-3-4) ON-THE-SPOT*
12 I lash out with suppressed fury, directionless in heaven (7-2) SHANGRI-LA
13 Affected interest cost? Not affected (5) STOIC {I+COST}*
14 Strange dance, very unusual (7) ODDBALL {ODD}{BALL}
16 Ex British PM gave away daughter to a Middle Eastern man (7) ISRAELI
18 Insects lack a vitamin, get disease (7) RICKETS
20 It's very hot coming closer, reverse direction (7) SEARING (-n+s)SEARING
22 Novel writing? Send to those who are always studying (5) NERDS {R+SEND}*
24 Committee built poor structure (9) POLITBURO*
26 Agreement is rejected during assembly of fancy car (9) LIMOUSINE {LI{MOU}{SI<=}NE}
27 Perhaps once a water body (5) OCEAN*
28 It's open alongside by arrangement to help one who is retired (3-3,7) OLD-AGE PENSION*
DOWN
2 Pull fish up from the protected side (7) LEEWARD {LEE}{WARD}<=
3 Put down — in other words dine where they make grilled food (9) DENIGRATE {DINE*}{GRATE}
4 It could be dangerous — that is crossing Indo-Pak border from the East (1,4) E COLI {E {COL}I}<=
5 Risk takers evenly match tour with a sign (9) ACTUARIES {
6 Finds alien in trouble almost (5) MEETS {ME{ET}S
7 Rate for being in ever-changing environment (7) REPROVE {RE{PRO}VE*}
8 Robert's called regularly and you run inside — that's all there is to it (4,4,5) BOBS YOUR UNCLE {BOB'S} {YOU}{R UN}{C
9 Clinging to show it is a knotty problem (8,5) STICKING POINT {STICKING} {POINT}
15 Lean on Penny and Paddy for what it’s worth (4,5) LIST PRICE {LIST} {P}{RICE}
17 Repercussions from creations (9) REACTIONS*
19 His best friend protecting Arab, isn’t it sweet? (7) CARAMEL {C{AR}AMEL}
21 Possible routine before birth (2,5) IN UTERO*
23 It's steamy animal life as female goes for old Bob (5) SAUNA (-f+s)SAUNA
25 Fib about say a vassal (5) LIEGE {LI{EG}E}
GRID
3D is good except that you are crossing from the south.
ReplyDeleteWhy do yo say South? I meant 4D and have changed it accordingly.
Delete4d should have been from the 'south' being a Down clue.
DeleteThat will spoil the surface reading
DeleteSir, it is a down clue , so should be *south* .
ReplyDeleteArden does not agree with this difference between Ac. & down clues and uses them interchangeably.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be some doubt about reversal indicators used in across and down clues. It is a practice with many of the setters, more so among British setters, where no general distinction is made. I could not not search for such examples for want of time.However, a recent puzzle comes to mind, which was compiled by Rufus for the Guardian. It's dated 20.10.2014 Puzzle no. 26395.There are 2 'down' clues:
Delete20 D Prize returned to person picking the winning ticket(6) DRAWER
21D Jack's brother about to imbibe(6) ABSORB
About the clue in question 4D, I did think about using 'South' instead of East' but settled for the later as most of the Indo-Pak border lies in the North-South direction.
But there's a difference between 'going up' or North bound, 'lifted', 'uprising', 'from the south' as compared to 'about', returned' which are generic.
DeleteIt may be a Down clue, but when you are working out the answer mentally or on paper you always think of the answer or write it down from left to right at least that's how I look at it. I personally feel it's okay.
DeleteIs 8D fair? Not a very common phrase and the wordplay also does not lead to the answer easily.
ReplyDeleteNot a common phrase & needed some crossings to get it, but wordplay was clear. Why do you feel it does not lead to the answer easily?
Delete'Bob' for Robert and which regular letters of 'called' raises doubts. What I meant was there are doubts here as well as the final phrase.
DeleteSame with 'Penny & Paddy'. When I tried to google it leads to an Australian book by this name.One has to take P from Penny and also get 'Rice' from Paddy.
A small niggle about 5D. Actuaries are people who assess risks and calculate premiums based on them. They are not risk takers- risk takers are the insurers.
ReplyDeleteThat is right. I felt the same too
Delete17 D - Repercussion, in present usage, means 'result' or 'consequence'. ' Reaction' is an archaic meaning. So it could be misleading, although the anagram is easy.
ReplyDelete19 D Camel is Arab's best friend ok. But why only AR for Arab?
20A It's very hot reverse direction coming closer.( -n+s)earing. But reverse direction where?
2o A. Reverse direction is to change North to South.
DeleteArab is not found in Chambers. Probably available in some other dic.
DeleteArab is in Chambers XWD dictionary. Arab, Arabian, Arabic, Arabia all there.
DeleteHappy to see our Paddu in 15 d
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful surface.
DeleteWelcome to Subbarayan Subbaraman! The Gold Medalist in MA (Hons) in English from BITS Pilani. We anticipate a lot of your contribution to our Sunday special too.
ReplyDeleteI thought BITS was an engineering college?
DeleteI too was under the impression before meeting him. The courses offered are given in http://discovery.bits-pilani.ac.in/courses/fs_coursedescriptions.html
DeleteMy daughter is an alumnus of BITS. They have quite a few humanities and pure science courses.
DeleteBITS has Pharmacy, Science, Arts. There was also a museum science course, some time back. Not sure whether it exists now
DeleteNone of my nephews, nieces, their friends and my friends' children did any Arts course, so for me too M.A. (Hons.) course in English was news.
DeleteOne question. Is it still known as BITS? What does this expand to, please.
DeleteBirla Instt of Tech & Sc
DeleteI have since been corrected. I believe alumna refers to a girl & alumnus to a boy. I did not know this and the Alumni ass. of our college ( College of Engineering, Guindy now called Anna Univ.) changed its name from Old Boys Assn. to Alumni assn. since it covers both sexes!!
DeleteThank you for remembering me Ram. But I have turned into rice!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Subbaraman. I remember to have seen his comments earlier (rare though) but did not know the background.
In the clue for 12 A, the use of the word "Fury" is fallacious since "Fury" is "Anger" and not "Angry"
ReplyDeleteThe clue is fine. Fury = Anger, so directionless would still make it ANGR. I don't think Y is a direction anyway. So more a question of tweaking the annotation.
DeleteThanks Bhavan
DeleteSolved this enjoyable fare at a very leisurely pace as it is a local holiday here(Chat Puja). Found it a bit easier than yesterday's.
ReplyDeleteThe Subbaraman who posted the above comment is not the same as the one Mr Ram is thinking about.I worked in the Archaeological Survey of India and my degree is in Chemistry.
ReplyDeleteManaged to finish both yesterday and today's puzzles. Thoroughy enjoyable - clues annoed very well for me. Lot of technical clues with lovely surfaces... keeping me going through some horrible jetlag.... THANKS!!
ReplyDelete