Relief after the fiasco yesterday. Spinner has spun some amazing stories today with no googlies.
ACROSS
1 Chauvinist sets about taking a side (6) SEXIST {SE{XI}ST*}
4 Eager for painkiller before start of game (8) ASPIRING {ASPIRIN}{G
10 Summon phoney friends with love but forget Spinner (4,3) SEND FOR {FR
11 Play involving singing and dancing is calm, with a bit of uptempo (7) MUSICAL {M{U
12 Freak sailor meets average criminal (8) ABNORMAL {AB}{NORM}{AL}
13 After triumph, Germany sidelined footballer? (6) WINGER {WIN}{GER}
15 One billionth newborn a national obsession, primarily (4) NANO Acrostic ;-)
20 Cook pesto stew at a confectionery store, maybe? (5,4) SWEET SPOT*
21 Fastener or fast runner? (4) BOLT [DD]
24 Raiganj, a guaranteed sanctuary for cat variety (6) JAGUAR [T]
25 Spinner’s against Spinner for the time being (8) MEANTIME {ME}{ANTI}{ME} My COD
28 Church vocal performance ending with hymn sung by congregation (7) CHORALE {CH}{ORAL}{
29 Chapter is, in a nutshell, covered by electronics engineer (7) EPISODE {E{P{IS}OD}E}
30 A rainbow could be one, being a band of seven (8) SEPTETTE Definition by example
31 Ambassador car primarily running with second alternate fuel (6) CONSUL {C
DOWN
1 Experiences of American entering soil with slim capital (8) SUSTAINS {S{US}TAIN}{S
2 Ten’s Neon. In order, what’s 54? (5) XENON {X}{NEON*}
3 Fashionista’s tips to wear ethnic dress on trip (6) SAFARI {SA{F
5 Brand of wrestling primarily showcasing uncontrolled male obesity? (4) SUMO Acrostic &lit
6 Character of Tintin’s revolving around curiosity, primarily (8) INSTINCT {INSTIN{C
7 Love comes after noticing model in plain clothes (9) INCOGNITO {NOTICING*}{O}
8 Abundant bloodshed surrounds gangster (6) GALORE {G{AL}ORE}
9 Celebrity earns, gets corrupt (9) GREATNESS*
14 Labourer, with broken remote, reads pressure (9) MANOMETER {MAN}{REMOTE*}
16 Internet forum where grownups assembled to drink ethanol, primarily (9) NEWSGROUP {N{E
18 To drive a 5, it’s 18 (5,3) LEGAL AGE [CD]
19 Ghostly alien male’s existent (8) ETHEREAL {ET}{HE}{REAL}
22 Discharges electron stream around primary circuit side (6) EJECTS {E}{JE{C
23 Current avatar of god in shade of blue (6) INDIGO {I}{GOD+IN}*
26 Antique centre sold broken statues (5) IDOLS {
27 Amazes trainers with enthusiasm (4) ZEST [T]
Joyride! :)
ReplyDelete+1 :)
Delete+1 for the header. Many brilliant clues and surfaces. Spinner's had a good spell.
ReplyDeleteIf all one needs to nitpick, 25A has part of the answer in the clue itself. Happened to me also couple of days back (though I realized and changed, it didn't come into effect unfortunately)
ReplyDelete17A, 29A, 31A, 2D,26D are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteTo drive a BMW, what must be one's age?
ReplyDeleteJust kidding! Clue 25a contributes to a fun element. One or two clues in a crossword that bring a smile make your day, perhaps.
I should think that no THC setter has this comic element in any great, identifiable measure. But is there any single THC setter who has this to some degree in all his oeuvre? Or do we see this in some setters, that too only in an occasional splash like the hing in our culinary?
Is this a brand crossword? Or not?
ReplyDeleteDidn't pick that
DeleteTata motors car brands :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe because he now works in Tata company :)
ReplyDelete...In the UK?
DeleteNo here in India.
DeleteOh OK! Maybe I got confused with another setter's name having the same initial letter!
DeleteI suggest the Colonel has a page "THC setters" with bios and pics of each setter.
DeleteIf he is receptive to the idea, setters can themselves write to him what they want to bruit about themselves.
Definitely we can and we will start of with you if you send me the details with a snap
Delete@CV: Good idea!
Delete+1 to CV's suggestion
DeleteGovernmental command provided backing to a Tamil leader (4)
ReplyDeleteOld multi-language actor's home (small) (7)
Got the idea?
Governmental command provided backing to a Tamil leader (4) {FI<-}{A}{T}
DeleteOld multi-language actor's home (small) (7) {PAD}{MINI}
No doosras today. Plenty of well constructed clues. Like EPISODE and CONSUL.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, someone gave me a lift in his car from the sabha where we had met.
ReplyDeleteThe ride was oh-so-smooth even on the rain-battered Chennai roads with all their bumps and potholes.
Only later as I got down did I notice it was a big luxury car.
I won't give publicity by mentioning the brand!
Was it the caaaaaaaaaar
Delete@Col: Bolt to be highlighted It'll be launched soon.
ReplyDeleteDone. Hadn't heard of it
DeleteAll THC setters please see CV's 8:57 above and send in the details if you are willing to be showcased :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Spinner for Samosas!
ReplyDeleteWould like to know more about the THC setters...eagerly waiting for that....
ReplyDeleteWelcome move.
DeleteTata's competitor is also there with his Ambassador!
ReplyDeleteSumo car- wrestler connect was nice. Several excellent surfaces. Liked particularly the 'nano'. COD was 'simply' superb.Thank you Spinner for bowling straight.
31A- S to be added in the solution part.
Thank you :) Winger is also part of the theme. Its a commercial vehicle platform.
ReplyDeleteReference CV's 8:57 and my 9:15. The draft page has been created and is awaiting response from the THC setters before publication
ReplyDeleteEven vehicles mentioned in this thematic puzzle don't take in pure ethanol, so one wonders what would happen the grown ups like us, who take in that? ;-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the crossword, Spinner - thank you! Some very nice surfaces and some entertaining wordplay - especially liked 2, 3, 10, 23...too many to list, actually!
ReplyDeleteSpent a few moments puzzling over the parsing of 12a, since "sailor average" gives the whole word {AB}{NORMAL} - was wondering why "criminal" was added. Once the penny dropped that "average" was being used as a noun and not as an adjective, making NORM rather than NORMAL the synonym, I could only salute the smoothness of the surface!
And thank you to DG for the blog and the cartoon!
DeleteExcellent one from Spinner ...
ReplyDeleteOnly felt that there was an overuse of 'primarily' to pick first letters ( being used in 6 clues altogether ) , and perhaps the setter could have shuffled between 'originally', 'initially' etc ..
Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSince the clues are set in no particular order and sometimes with large intervals between setting, it is difficult to keep track of this. And when I did find this out, I was reluctant to change because the surfaces were already in place. I guess more attention is needed at the time of setting itself. Point taken
Superb one from Spinner. I was almost there to get a centum! But missed out on MANOMETER. I filled in as BAROMETER. A case of 99 run out! Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed it. Many many thanks, Spinner. :-) My COD too was MEANTIME.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully spun. Well warped, well wefted& the resultant fabric well knit.Thank you, spinner.
ReplyDeleteHi PKPSwami, I couldn't help but notice a small technical error in your statement. If it's well warped and well "wefted," the resultant fabric would be "well woven" and not well knit. There's no warp or weft in a knitted fabric per se
DeleteVJ
DeleteThanks for that note.
But for this I would not have known.
Thank you spinner! You have spun me into orbit. I could do all but two of the clues. In 25A, it didn't occur to me that spinner was referring to himself. THAT was a fun clue.Episode for chapter was also a finely spun one. However, I could not figure out i standing for spinner in 10A, although I solved the clue alright.
ReplyDeleteWhat does 54 signify in 2D? Is it by any chance the Atomic no. of Xenon?
ReplyDeleteSS
DeleteYes - 54 is the atomic number of Xenon.
If an answer word is underlined in the blog, click on it and you will be led to a page that gives some info about it.
Try it on XENON !
The atomic number of Neon is 10 and that of Xenon is 54 . Both are noble gases.
DeleteThat's why it's a very nice clue, linking both atomic nos.
DeleteAnother point I liked was that there is a clear indicator for picking the first letter of a word.Some other setters do not use any indication.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on the word. Some may not need an indicator as it'd be a common or rather well-known abbreviation already - for instance, if you have "east," you don't have to indicate anything for picking the first letter 'cause E is a pretty standard abbreviation for the word. Likewise, there are many such standard abbreviations, which you may find in a dictionary. So if you even have a hint of doubt, you may refer either Oxford or Chambers to have it clarified.
DeleteVJ
DeleteIt is a very useful answer that you have provided.
This blog is a great learning place for crossword solvers.
Not only the Colonel but all bloggers and Commentators are always ready to pitch in.
Thank you for all the comments. I think the blog is a wonderful place as the feedback helps one improve, learn and innovate.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyable one. Did it in evening
ReplyDeleteDitto (just the first part).
DeleteSuch a fun grid!! It reinforces one of the main setter's mantra: the clue doesnt have to be hard to be fun....!! thx a bunch.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kishore, Navneeth and Balaji :)
ReplyDeleteA really well spun puzzle.Could give it only 25 minutes in lunchtime being an unusually hectic day at work.
ReplyDeleteHii Friends.....
ReplyDeleteyour blog is a very greatfull on residential projects and I really like this page
Online Cracker Shop in Delhi