Saturday 1 November 2014

No.11229, Saturday 01 Nov 14, Gridman



An out of turn Gridman instantly had me thinking about today which covers quite a few occasions. Having subsequently tackled the puzzle, I wonder if TH has jumped the gun and published this two weeks too early since Children's Day is Nov 14. In any case the puzzle itself has all of Gridman's characteristic style and it it very impressive that he has managed to work a C into each across clue. Favourites : ADOLESCENT, WAIF and NEATO.

ACROSS
1 Greek character — trader — giving away a fifty for Dublin C (8) CHISELER [Greek character=CHI + trader=SELlER]
5 Parentless C gets back endless support and endless assistance (6) ORPHAN [support=PROp<- + assistance=HANd]
9 Impish C is worker wearing gaudy jewellery (8) BANTLING [worker=ANT inside gaudy jewellery=BLING]
10 C is new and cooler in it (6) INFANT [New + cooler=FAN inside IT]
12 Wager with a C in India (4) BETA [wager=BET + A]
13 Youthful C's fuss about the French perfume (10) ADOLESCENT [fuss=ADO + the French=LE + perfume=SCENT]
15 Type of scout going round that woman to reach angelic C (6) CHERUB [type of scout=CUB outside that woman=HER]
17 One in shed is Scottish C (5) BAIRN [one=1 inside shed=BARN]
20 Hundred for awkwardly simple C (5) CHICK [hundred=C + awkwardly simple=HICK]
21 You are said to tackle poor and mischievous C (6) URCHIN [~you are=UR + tackle=CHIN]
24 C to move down with social worker (10) DESCENDANT [move down=DESCEND + social worker=ANT]
27 Heads of women's association in favour of neglected C (4) WAIF [Acrostic]
29 Clean up dear cute C (6) MOPPET [clean up=MOP + dear=PET]
30 Girl C is one going out with expression of disgust (8) DAUGHTER [one going out=DATER outside expression of disgust=UGH]
31 Male C has a word of thanks for musical composition (6) SONATA [male C=SON + A + word of thanks=TA]
32 Sound Tory gambolling around one male C in front (8) SONORITY [male C=SON + TORY* around one=1]

DOWN
1 Accountant nods for skewered meat dishes (6) CABOBS [accountant=CA + nods=BOBS]
2 I and a couple of players swallowed — it's natural (6) INNATE [I + players=N,N + swallowed=ATE]
3 Slithery fish right out of fishing gear (4) EELS [fishing gear=rEELS]
4 Stirred with strong emotion by part of modern edition (5) ERNED [T] ?
6 Fetches, without capital, mafia groups (5) RINGS [fetches=bRINGS]
7 One feeling cold might ask: “Is the pool _ _ winter?” (6,2) HEATED IN [FITB]
You will C that this Ctoon about the Cold C is by Cgb
8 Not going back to agitated giant for scoring music (8) NOTATING [NOT + GIANT*] not not going back?
11 To group of fans I begin circulating French webzine (6) CLUBIC [group of fans=CLUB + I + Circulating]
14 Tree in Wardha killed (4) DHAK [T]
16 Good comes out of reasonings in sessions (6) ROUNDS [reasonings=gROUNDS]
17 Big fix in military lockup (4) BRIG [Big + fix=RIG] Big=B?
18 Ace dames go round places of learning (8) ACADEMES [ACE DAMES]*
19 So nipper unwraps — unwraps hurriedly and roughly (4,4) RIPS OPEN [SO NIPPER]*
22 Scan this masking edges where eyelids meet (6) CANTHI [T]
23 Fight with a couple of females for light (6) AFFRAY [A + Female + Female + light=RAY]
25 Don’t let Public Relations quit the sports contest (5) EVENT [don't let=prEVENT]
26 Wonderful, clean heart of boy (5) NEATO [clean=NEAT + bOy]
28 Initially accept good Indian offer of money exchange fee (4) AGIO [Acrostic]

32 comments:

  1. 17 Big fix in military lockup (4) BRIG [Big + fix=RIG] Big=B?

    I took B to mean Big B = Amitabh Bachchan :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. 8 down...not is not going back?
    1 ac. Could not find chhiseler in the dictionary though I filled it from the wordplay

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please click on link for "Dublin C" provided by Bhavan

      Delete
    2. Probably the setter means back= before

      Delete
  3. Looks like this CW was meant for the South African edition of The HINDU, if there is one, as it's children's day there today. See CHILDREN'S DAY

    ReplyDelete
  4. Felt like diving into C(old) water- just like CGB's cartoon,while trying to tackle the C letter. I had to try quite a few clues until it dawned on me. Like it was stated, today not being Children's day did not help. Is it a new Children's day declared by Namo? Though I had a few blanks felt satisfied to have tackled (took it on the chin?) and fared fairly well in this toughie.I learned about 'Canthus' from a comment by CV long ago- came in handy today.I remember he had also mentioned 'Exocanthus' being the outer end.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Expected more comments on seeing this unusual CW- looks like Saturday effect.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No Saturday effect. Had to struggle a bit with a couple of clues in both South-East and North-West corners. Could manage 80% only but I liked this puzzle for its variety!
    Thanks, Gridman.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 23 Fight with a couple of females for light (6) AFFRAY [A + Female + Female + light=RAY]

    Compare with 4d in yesterday's ET 5681 in BangEd
    Man after a couple of females has a fight (6)
    Curiously, both the clues use 'a couple of females' and even rhyme with each other. But I personally like Gridman's clue better. Because, as reported earlier, in the ET clue Man=RAY. As I said earlier, when WP leads to a name which is defined as boy/girl/man/woman, I think it is ok. But I am not too happy when in the wp man becomes some name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agreed. Only that there's this connector 'for' before light, which carries no meaning.

      Delete
    2. In some species of glowworms only the females give light to attract the males.

      And males are getting confused by the street lights and leaving the females disappointed.

      Delete
  8. Not a single CD in sight! (Barring the FITB.)

    Apart from the few reservations already mentioned by others, this was a fairly smooth grid with some nice surfaces. Missed only the two 17s.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A doubt about 3D-
    Fishing gear is reel or reels?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Both, as gear, like material, covers the plural too. Building material can be brick or bricks, stone or stones

      Delete
    2. It's an interesting clue in that both 'fish' and 'gear' are referring to plural forms of words.

      Delete
  10. Faired well.Missed out on Bairn & Brig.Could get the fairly tough 1A & 9A. 12 A was the first C clue I got & the rest fell in place

    ReplyDelete
  11. An important calculation:
    Govt of Karnataka has announced a compensation of Rs.9000/hactare for onion growers who lost their crops due to excessive rain.
    At about 10 sq ft, I am eligible for a princely compensation of 83 paise!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How many onion saplings did you plant in that patch?

      Delete
    2. Now I know how this man knows his onions.

      Delete
    3. I started from seed, not saplings. Around 35 plants at present

      Delete
  12. Privy purse? Then you will be due to give us a treat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You might be privy to the info that it costs at least one rupee to use a paid privy. The COO there might ask me to stop early if hand over the amount of compensation. By the way, I will not be parting with my sub-rupee coins to him.

      Delete

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