Wednesday, 19 November 2014

No 11244, Wednesday 19 Nov 2014, Aspartame


Sorry folks I've been disturbed by the news of a death in my wife's family. Leaving some  blanks due to that. Some iffy definitions.

ACROSS
1   Colour of mythical creature’s skin fades at last (6) ORCHID {ROC+HIDe}* Where's the Anind? (Addendum - {ORC}{HIDe} - See comments)
4   Drunk mob finally to divide into groups inside (6) BLOTTO {moB}{LOT}{TO}
9   Team breaks up, dies (4) SIDE*
10 Leader among leaders (10) HEADMASTER ? [CD]
11 The French sat back with support (6) TASSEL {TAS}{SEL}<=  Support? See comments
12 Interpretation of six geese flying? (8) EXEGESIS*
13 Grading Industrial Engineers as described by HR are key to the auditor (9) HIERARCHY {H{IE}R}{ARCHY}(~are key)
15 Dry water body reportedly has little rubbish (4) SERE R from rubbish in ~sea?
16 Ready pope regarding containment (4) PREP {P{RE}P} ?? - See comments
17 Influenced fake media nearly using newspapers (9) IMPRESSED {IM{PRESS}EDa*}
21 How is wine made from walnuts? It’s not easy (8) ACROSTIC Supposedly a definition by example??
22 Hostile African country beside borders of Gabon (6) MALIGN {MALI}{GaboN}
24 Characters ‘CDEFGHIJKL’ Jack erased for Tesla on a runway (6,4) FLIGHT DECK CDEFGHI(-j+t)TKL*
25 Standard label (4) FLAG [DD]
26 Insecurity in Jordan, Germany (6) DANGER [T]
27 Lively oriental ghost killed Indian leader (6) ESPRIT {E}{SPiRIT}

DOWN
1   Craft finally leaving during dawn without a Frenchman (7) ORIGAMI {ORIG{A}{M}In}
2   Are the cells used in this game grey? (5) CHESS [CD]
3   Without ecstasy, doctor House rose to get healing tool (7) INHALER ? (Addendum - {IN}{HeALER} - See comments)
5   Awkward bits and pieces (6) L?M?E? LUMBER [DD] - See comments
6   Boring set 11 played (9) TASTELESS {TASSEL+SET}*
7   Then, at 12:00 AM maybe… (3,4) ONE TIME ?
8   … tease and pull a little trick on male cartoon character (4,3,6) TAKE THE MICKEY {TAKE} {T}{HE}{MICKEY}
14 American president left America and travelled back inside with instrument (4,5) REED ORGAN {REa{ED OR}GAN}
16 Crisis daughter contained (7) PICKLED {PICKLE}{D}
18 Pictures that were flops on the first attempt? (7) REMAKES [CD] Not necessarily
19 Shoot broken fragments missing some now and then (7) ENGRAFT {FRAGMENTS - SoMe}*
20 It can cause instant freezing among kids (6) STATUE [GK]
23 Flier displaying criminal (5) LIFER*

GRID

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87 comments:

  1. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 08:47

    1 Colour of mythical creature’s skin fades at last (6) ORCHID {ROC+HIDe}* Where's the Anind?

    Probably: ORC: 1 any of various whales or ferocious sea creatures, eg the killer whale. 2 an ogre.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath19 November 2014 at 08:53

      Ok I was thinking of ROC which on hindsight is not a mythical creature

      Delete
    2. Kishore19 November 2014 at 09:35

      Roc is a mythical creature ...

      Delete
    3. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 09:48

      I too had ROC in mind and struggled for a long time.

      Delete
    4. Deepak Gopinath19 November 2014 at 10:01

      I always thought that Roc is an extinct bird however on checking I now see that the extinct bird is the 'elephant bird' from which the Legend of the Roc could have originated as per wiki

      Delete
    5. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 14:03

      Orc is also a mythical creature. So this clue is fine

      Delete
  2. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 08:50

    10 Leader among leaders (10) HEADMASTER ?
    Probably HEAD & MASTER as two leaders

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath19 November 2014 at 08:56

      I think he probably means Masters are the leaders and Head master is their leader

      Delete
  3. Shrikanth19 November 2014 at 08:57

    Came a cropper today. :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. SandhyaP19 November 2014 at 09:05

    3 Without ecstasy, doctor House rose to get healing tool (7) INHALER ?

    {IN}{H(-e)ALER}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 09:10

      Making it more explicit. H(-e)ALER + IN. House rose meaning IN goes above HALER.

      In is actually 'at home' and not 'house'. Why H in capitals?

      Delete
    2. Suresh19 November 2014 at 09:11

      Yeah. But how is In equal to house. In means 'at home' and not house.

      Delete
    3. Kishore19 November 2014 at 09:32

      H probably capitalised to give surface ref. to character played by Hugh Laurie in eponymous medical serial

      Delete
    4. SandhyaP19 November 2014 at 09:32

      @Raghunath: House is capitalised because it is a surname.

      I'm not sure why the setter used IN for House.

      Delete
    5. Deepak Gopinath19 November 2014 at 10:04

      In that case the D in doctor should also have been capitalised

      Delete
  5. SandhyaP19 November 2014 at 09:12

    5 Awkward bits and pieces (6) LUMPED

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bhavan19 November 2014 at 10:00

      I wonder if this is a DD clue with the answer being LUMBER?

      But 'awkward' is an adjective whereas LUMBER is a noun/verb

      Delete
    2. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 10:42

      Lumber is right I think. He was referring move in an awkward way with just awkward and other definition is bits and pieces

      Delete
    3. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 14:16

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 14:40

      I had it as Lumber and had the same Q as Bhavan

      Delete
  6. SandhyaP19 November 2014 at 09:20

    11 The French sat back with support (6) TASSEL {TAS}{SEL}<= Support?

    TASSEL: A small piece of stone or wood supporting the end of a beam or joist. (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/tassel)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kishore19 November 2014 at 09:38

      Aha, one could therefore give a small piece of wood or stone to a girl asking for a tassel for her plait

      Delete
    2. SandhyaP19 November 2014 at 09:43

      :))

      Delete
  7. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 09:50

    7 Then, at 12:00 AM maybe… (3,4) ONE TIME ?

    Wild guess: 12 AM = 1 + 2 AM = One + 2 AM where 2 AM is TIME, and ONE TIME = Then?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bhavan19 November 2014 at 09:58

      I think that bit of the clue is like an old joke:

      Q: What is the speciality of the number 2345572957596?
      A: There is no other number like it.

      Delete
    2. Aakash Sridhar19 November 2014 at 09:58

      I thought it was '12am maybe' being a definition by example of 'one time' and 'then' being the def...

      Delete
    3. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 10:49

      I took it as two definitions and a word play
      Def 1) 12am maybe
      Def 2) Then
      WP) A= one T = time . ;-) eppadi

      Delete
  8. Bhavan19 November 2014 at 10:05

    16a : PP is a standard abbreviation for Parish priest. If that means Pope or not I'm not sure.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unknown19 November 2014 at 10:23

    PP is abbreviation for pope or "papa".
    The best-known title, that of "Pope", does not appear in the official list, but is commonly used in the titles of documents, and appears, in abbreviated form, in their signatures. Thus Pope Paul VI signed as "Paulus PP. VI", the "PP." standing for "Papa" ("Pope").
    Courtesy Wiki

    ReplyDelete
  10. Unknown19 November 2014 at 10:28

    I read 21 A as WINE - Walnuts , It's Not Easy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath19 November 2014 at 10:31

      ??

      Delete
    2. Col_Gopinath19 November 2014 at 10:36

      Does that mean it's easy to make Wine from anything else? even then what connection does that have to ACROSTIC?

      Delete
    3. Unknown19 November 2014 at 10:37

      First letters of walnuts? it's not easy makes wine. Definition by example, I presume.

      Delete
    4. Kishore19 November 2014 at 11:17

      You too presume ? ;-)

      Delete
    5. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 11:21

      Acrostic has Asti though ;-)

      Delete
    6. Unknown19 November 2014 at 11:48

      Until it's accepted, it's still an presumption, even for me ;)

      Delete
    7. Kishore19 November 2014 at 11:49

      After you get rid of that CROC

      Delete
    8. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 11:57

      Kochu muthalai li?

      Delete
    9. Mukundala Balasubramanyam19 November 2014 at 12:25

      Kyaa mathlab hai?!

      Delete
    10. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 12:49

      Crocodile muthalai. .The above is the way sheela address Madhu in chemmeen

      Delete
    11. Mukundala Balasubramanyam19 November 2014 at 12:56

      Valiya upakaaramaayi! :) Tks.

      Delete
    12. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 12:59

      Haa..;-)

      Delete
    13. Kishore19 November 2014 at 13:17

      I meant ACROSTIC- CROC = ASTI

      Delete
    14. VMA Nair19 November 2014 at 13:22

      Me too.. Croc short for crocodile so kochu muthalai ;-)

      Delete
  11. Padmanabhan19 November 2014 at 12:41

    Totally swimming in unknown territory- in keeping with the CW!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Unknown19 November 2014 at 12:51

    Too many technical inconsistencies in today's CW to mention in my opinion. I hope feedback is taken sportively :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sujatha19 November 2014 at 13:05

    Very tough crossword for me! Could someone please explain 15A, 21A and 6D? I guessed 6D but couldn't figure out where tassel comes from. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shrikanth19 November 2014 at 13:30

      15A - Water Body = Sea . reportedly indicates homophone hence See - a bit of rubbish = R .. hence SERE
      21A - The debate is still on, yet ... its a definition by example .. the first letters of walnuts, its, not, easy- makes mine , hence answer is Acrostic
      6D - Tassel comes from 11 . Answer for 11 is Tassel

      Delete
    2. Shrikanth19 November 2014 at 13:33

      Sorry read as 'Makes Wine' -- Anyway I feel like I have had enough wine

      Delete
  14. Unknown19 November 2014 at 13:17

    Orchid is a colour? I thought it was a flower, and could be different colours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mukundala Balasubramanyam19 November 2014 at 13:39

      Orchid = A pale to light purple, from grayish to purplish pink to strong reddish purple.
      Courtesy : Free Dic.

      Delete
  15. Vasant19 November 2014 at 13:38

    A toughie . Could get only 9A, 11A, 12 A, 15 A, 22A, 26 A & 23 D. So what should it be called as opposed to samosa? Jalebi?(tedha hain phir bhi mera hain!)

    ReplyDelete
  16. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 13:54

    So Aspartame has put most of us on a zero cal diet today. No samosa day for me :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepak Gopinath19 November 2014 at 13:59

      Maybe a Zero Cal diet, but an unsatifactory one

      Delete
  17. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 14:00

    Hope not to face many googlies and doosras tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 14:10

      Are we padding up for Spinner tomorrow ?

      Delete
    2. Mukundala Balasubramanyam19 November 2014 at 14:30

      Yes, all set for an intriguing match tomorrow! Hoping not to be caught on a wet wicket!!

      Delete
    3. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 14:58

      Don't mind these deliveries as long they are not chucked.

      Delete
    4. Shrikanth19 November 2014 at 16:13

      As long as he bowls with half sleeves :)

      Delete
    5. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 16:31

      You mean not hiding the more than 15 deg bend?

      Delete
  18. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 14:29

    1 Craft finally leaving during dawn without a Frenchman (7) ORIGAMI {ORIG{A}{M}In} \
    I had trouble getting the anno for this clue. What is during doing in the middle?
    Here is what I had
    Craft = defn, finally leaving = removing the last character, during = ?, dawn = Origin without = C/c indicator, A Frenchman = a M

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 14:54

      Craft = defn, finally leaving = removing the last character, during = ?, dawn = Origin without = C/c indicator, A Frenchman = a M

      During in the sense 'in'.
      finally leaving = removing the last character, during (in) dawn = Origi(n)

      Delete
    2. RameshJ19 November 2014 at 17:19

      Thanks. But not very convinced. 'During' is 'in' the temporal sense. So works only if you subsititute during with in & reinterpret it to mean in the the physical sense.

      Delete
    3. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 17:33

      Agreed. But I think that's the only anno that fits

      Delete
  19. Padmanabhan19 November 2014 at 15:08

    What happened to Incognito's turn?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Padmanabhan19 November 2014 at 16:24

    Thank you Col. & K. That somehow slipped my mind. We had a Chennai spl. too.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Subbaraman19 November 2014 at 17:24

    I used to attempt THC only spasmodically earlier but am trying my hand at it rather regularly these days but have to say that today's setter may scare me away.I could solve only 4 clues even after breaking my head for a couple of hours. I was vainly thinking that my vocabulary is not bad but am learning new meanings of words. For instance, I thought ' orchid' was a flower but now I know it is also a colour.
    I always thought ' sere' ( sear) means to burn with sudden heat but in this as well as earlier occasions, I see it being used in the sense of ' dry'.
    Doctor= healer, without ecstasy, i.e without the first letter e ( no indication for the first letter of the word to be removed) and in= house and rose to mean the ' in' goes before 'haler'. All this, at least to my untrained mind,seems unsatisfactory.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mukundala Balasubramanyam19 November 2014 at 17:42

      Crossword Abbreviations : Wiki List shows -
      Ecstasy - e or x (slang names for the drug)

      Delete
    2. Deepak Gopinath19 November 2014 at 17:46

      E is a recognised abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy

      Delete
    3. Raghunath19 November 2014 at 17:54

      I think SS needs to visit Shuchi's site for a better understanding of cws

      Delete
    4. Subbaraman20 November 2014 at 16:40

      Yes. I need to know a lot more about CWs. My approach has been just rule of thumb so far.

      Delete
  22. Prabhanjan19 November 2014 at 19:27

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prabhanjan19 November 2014 at 19:29

      Had to delete my comment due to a nasty autocorrect. What I intended to type:
      Looking at all the comments here today, I didn't do too badly after all...

      Delete
    2. Navneeth19 November 2014 at 22:39

      Col., my condolences to you and your wife.
      _______________________________________________________________

      I was about to post the same thing as Prabhanjan.

      Delete
    3. Deepak Gopinath20 November 2014 at 07:02

      Thanks Navneeth

      Delete

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