A Children's Day Special from Gridman !!!
A terrific and nice crossword. Gridman has sprung another surprise at us after the feline that was prematurely released on 1.11.14 instead of Fourteen-Eleven-Fourteen
Thought for the Day
THE SOUL IS HEALED BY BEING WITH CHILDREN
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
ACROSS1 Take place subsequently — be certain to skip right (5) ENSUE (ENSU
4 Have a malfunction of this and you may become a laughing stock (8) WARDROBE (CD)
9 Enjoy having a topless dress (3) OWN (
10 Sere — like some wit (3) DRY (2)
11 Of an insect with a desire to smother snake (7) WASPISH (ASP in WISH)
12 Utter a clamorous shout — its value is little (4) HOOT (2)
One may care two hoots for something, but that is better than caring one hoot for it
13 Leader of India to talk endlessly, getting an industrial action modified internally (10) JAWAHARLAL (JAW A HAR(-t+L)AL)
15 I must be embraced by French maidservant or lady gangster (6) BONNIE (I in BONNE)
16 Some dog gets woman's garment hidden by boy and men (8) LABRADOR (BRA in LAD, OR)
Solved this during my walk when I met one (actually three)
17 Here inmates do little to recover (4,4) REST HOME (CD)
20 Extract, retrieved from song, is needed for naval officer (6) ENSIGN (T<)
23 Abroad, one hears these unpleasant facts about oneself (4,6) HOME TRUTHS (CD)
24 Lively lamentation? (4) KEEN (2)
Like this?
27 E-bola, for one, porter intended to declare (7) AILMENT (~ALE MEANT)
28 Dove's cry not soft in bird cage (3) COO (COO
29 Bonfire remnant has disintegrated (3) ASH (HAS)*
30 Yalta tec breeds “queen of orchids” (8) CATTLEYA (YALTA TEC)* New word for me
31 Bitter and odd haul by Hindu mystic (5) SADHU (SAD H
DOWN
1 Extended period to cope, somehow, with Hindu leader (5) EPOCH (COPE* H)
2 Inseminated around hillock with MO away in the evening (7) SUNDOWN (SOWN around
3 Nelson __: American singer (4) EDDY (FIB/GK) Had to Google for this
4 Gate — place to intercept unexpectedly (6) WAYLAY (WAY LAY)
5 Wet behind ears, lawyer at odds with unanalyzed information (3,4) RAW DATA (RAW DA AT*)
6 Inn where nature and arts strive to give one hospitality (10) RESTAURANT (NATURE ARTS)*
7 Took initiative following short wife and kept control (7) BRIDLED (BRID
8 Hinder somewhat about fifty going after Catholic minors (8) CHILDREN (HINDER* about L after C)
14 City's hub — far up, by the way (4,6) HIGH STREET (HIGH STREET)
15 Happy occasion — maybe third in recess (8) BIRTHDAY (THIRD* in BAY)
18 Is Alamo the place you're looking for? No, an African nation (7) SOMALIA (IS ALAMO)*
19 Lawman of Canada to have doctor free (7) MOUNTIE (MO UNTIE)
21 Darn lie about Limerick's place (7) IRELAND (DARN LIE)*
22 Rumba relative fetches Indian uncle (6) CHACHA (2)
25 Eh! Run madly for children's favourite leader (5) NEHRU (EH RUN)*
26 No vital employees — but they have teeth! (4) COGS (CD,DD) DOGS fits too!
Here are some dogs at Nehru Maidan in Mangalore
Beautiful initial letter acrostic from Gridman
GRID
MAN
Note by CV: I am reminded of an old cartoon by Shanker.
In the present context the two sides may differ. I will leave it at that, as the TV anchors say before they close a debate.
HAPPY CHILDRENS DAY to all the children here
ReplyDeleteI think 26D should be COGS [DD]
Just updated that
DeleteThanks for your wishes, Colonel.
DeleteWe got a child prodigy here :)
DeleteVJ
DeleteI like that comment!
With jug ears to boot!
DeleteThanks Sir ;)
DeleteDisclaimer:
ReplyDeleteThe Labrador/s I met were not hiding garment described in the clue
I has 26 as cogs. Seems a better fit than dogs. Cogs are minions
ReplyDeleteBesides, DOGS there are not the canines.
DeleteDogs are those humans who are malicious.
Now, don't ask me why dogs, which are man's best friends. are being dubbed thus.
I am merely following a language usage.
In a Tamil novel - "Perithum Mazhai Naatkal" that I am reading now (I will be reviewing this book in a Tamil book club meeting) the author Sa Kandasamy rightly decries this vile practice.
Cogs are minions
DeleteAnd minions are movie stars these days :-)
Ah, I see your intent in breaking GRIDMAN and giving links to GRID and MAN.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Divide and cool!
DeleteUpdated Me !
ReplyDeleteThat was when the walrus was not around!
Delete* * *
I too as a boy have worn 'naada nijaar'.
Is that the Tamil word for suspenders? Anyway they are a safe bet to prevent wardrobe malfunction for men!
DeleteI think another term was 'tape nijaar'. The shorts had suspenders but these were not detachable. They were stitched onto the short's waistband.You had to put your arms through them and pull them over to your shoulders to let them rest there.
DeleteWardrobe malfunction!
DeleteThose were the days when children did not wear inner wear as present-day just-born infants do.
The heavy diapers were unknown at least in India, I think.
Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven!
Remember those stiffly starched shorts worn by policemen of yore :-) Must have been embarrassing for them especially when standing at an elevated traffic roundabout
DeleteWhen these actresses appear in film festivals and models take part in designer wear shows wearing skimpy or diaphanous dress, is it 'wardrobe dysfunction'?
Delete- Doubt Dhanabalu
I last wore suspenders two years back when I dressed up as Indiana Jones for a fancy dress
DeleteHappy Children's day, kids.
ReplyDeleteRaghunath,
DeleteIt is unfair on your part to have hijacked a Comment that one can expect from the venerable Mrs PP.
As CV notes, it is the Particular Person's prerogative to admonish the boys here ...
Delete:-)
DeleteI'm sorry. I am already feeling old with that milestone looming very close.
DeleteIt is said that after the 'milestone', people tend to feel/ behave like children (trying to regain lost glory?)
DeleteLoss of teeth, hair and control over some functions add to the similarity
DeleteSo far I qualify for only the middle!
DeleteGrid Man- Nicely done and promptly acknowledged by THE man himself!
ReplyDeleteOn 14th Nov.- when I saw Gridman out of turn, I was looking out for Chacha Nehru, but I had to wait till almost the end!
Filled in 'cog'alright,but had 'Bandit' for the gangster but could not get any anno. Thought of Col.'s reprimand-"Don't fill in without an anno"
Double Special- thanks to TH malfunction!
Lovely crossie! Single cut sheet in Madras edition added the happiness!
ReplyDeleteRe. K's byline- This feline is not to be afraid of, but a welcome enjoyable one! (unlike in the 'Puli varudhu' story)
ReplyDeleteIs that the Tamil word for suspenders? Anyway they are a safe bet to prevent wardrobe malfunction for men!
ReplyDeleteNot when you are trying to wear a dhoti for the first time on your wedding say.
Nice one from Gridman. Had some problem in North-East corner otherwise it was a smooth ride. Thanks Gridman for an enjoyable Children's Day Special. :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the 'Lively lamentation' - 'Naaku Muuka' song very much, especially the accompanying beat! Sounds somewhat like a Rap song. Thanks for the link, Kishore. :)
ReplyDeleteTalking about suspenders, here in Coimbatore there are velcro belts for dhoti wearers.. I have always wondered how a dhoti or for that matter a sari remains firm and do not come unstuck after sitting and getting up when they get pulled from the waist !! Nothing like pyjamas that come with elastic bands braced up with a tie-on cord .
ReplyDeleteI have seen some men wear the suspenders coupled with a waist belt, which is a no-no?
As for those dhotis worn by panditjis who come for monthly anniversary rituals, they use the waist part to tuck in the coins , resulting in the dhoti riding up and up until reaching home when he unwinds the same to drop all the coins in the his sahadharmini's palms !!
Sincere in handing over all coins to his better half? maybe,he keeps all the notes to himself,though!
ReplyDeleteNormal dhoti (not panchakacham) can easily stay for hours without a belt (velcro or otherwise)- no problem for regular wearers. The other one is almost like a pant and does not need suspenders.
I dare not wear a dhoti, leave alone a normal one !! Male wardrobe malfunction !!
ReplyDeleteI wonder whether there should be a rule banning men from riding motorbikes, wearing dhotis doubled up !! Obnoxious !!
Visiting the site after a gap of 6 days busy with annual maint shutdown & golden jubilee celebration of my engg college(even missed IXL on sunday).Rewarded by a superb GM xword & a superb blog by K. Thanx for making my day.
ReplyDeleteWhich college? We had ours last year!
ReplyDeleteVery nice clues from Gridman and the initial letter acrostic is the icing on the cake. I have some reservation about a few of the clues, however.
ReplyDelete4A Ward robe is 1)either a large cupboard in which clothes are hung or kept or 2) a person's entire collection of clothes. How can it be a single item of clothing the malfunction of which may make one a laughing stock ( such as the shorts slipping down)?
10A It is easy to associate ' dry' with wit but 'sere' means to burn with a sudden intense heat, not merely to dry.
4D Why should gate be the place to waylay? One can be waylaid almost anywhere! While trying to solve this clue I was breaking my head to find a synonym for gate!
Enjoyed this crossie immensely. Orchids are my favourite flowers. Never knew , one variety is CATTLEYA .The pic has got etched in my mind now.
ReplyDeleteThe acrostic quote is well-woven. If one merely solved this crossword on paper, one can never get to see the intricacy of acrostic's value. THCC helps in this. Who discovers this trick ? The blog master of the day?
23 across must bring HOME the TRUTH about one's ego, one's devil living within oneself !!
Mr Subbaraman
ReplyDeleteNamaskarams.
Thanks for your Comments.
I welcome these for here is a person who has taken or returned to solving THC (on the suggestion of Rengaswamy elsewhere) and who has decidedly good knowledge of the English language and comes forward to air them.
It is a pleasure to be interacting with him.
First off, I grant your right to have your opinions but similarly I have the right to air mine in defence of my use of the language.
If the definition for WARDROBE had been a single item of clothing, your criticism is valid. In the given clue there is a glance at the well-known phrase 'wardrobe malfunction', that's all.
As for 'sere' you are thinking only of a specific meaning of the word. Or you are thinking of it as a verb. As an adj, I believe it means 'dry'. The dictionary has
sere - adj - (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
I met this word for the first time in SSLC way back in 1956: In a famous poem by Ben Jonson:
It is not growing like a tree
In bulk doth make Man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night—
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures life may perfect be.
---
As for your reservation about 'gate' - My simple answer is: why shouldn't it be a place to waylay - as much as the highway? !!!
If the actress had a 'wardrobe malfunction' she might have been wearing only a gown (for all outward appearances).
ReplyDeleteHer entire collection of clothes is in the closet at her home.
Well, thanks for reminding me, boys! Wish you all a happy Children's Day!
ReplyDeleteThank you, ma'am !
DeletePaddy sir: apologies for the delay in answering your queries. My college is Government Engineering College .
ReplyDeleteGEC, Rewa, MP
ReplyDelete