An out of turn xChequer and I'm in the soup. Requesting Kishore to complete it as I have to go out to take Cocoa to my wife's school for Pet day.
Special thanks to those who chipped in with answers and annos. Well solved, everyone.
ACROSS
7 Know any foreign national? (6) KENYAN {KEN}{ANY*}
8 Resounding when mouth's almost stuffed! (8) VOICEFUL (VOICE FUL
9 Elated state seen in heroic dancing (8) EUPHORIC {E{UP}HORIC*}
10 In conclusion, appeal succeeded (6) ENSUED {EN{SUE}D}
11 Cow died at the BBC, but that's not shown (5) DAUNT (D+ AUNT
12 Bring up born pest (6) BROACH (B ROACH)
14 Sailor's mock oath in airy rhyme, bit remiss to include verse (6,2,7) SHIVER
17 Devout covering some distance to get to sermon (6) HOMILY (HO(MI)LY)
18 Fire in bachelor lounge (5) BLAZE {B}{LAZE}
22 Buzz in lively bar dance (6) RHUMBA (R(HUM)BA*)
23 Eccentric mint chewing poetic setter's on the way (8) IMMINENT {IM{MINE}NT*}
24 Meet, rest, off in planes (8) JOINTERS (JOIN REST*)
25 Is trapped male governed by reason? What an odd idea! (6) WHIMSY {WH{I{M}S}Y}
DOWN
1 Abuse the dummy winning heat hands down (9) BEQUEATH (ABUSE THE)* around Q=heat)
2 Dash north to support husband featuring in extravagant publicity (6) HYPHEN {HYP{H}E}{N}
3 Outrage essentially shown in nasal discharge (5) SNORT {SNO{
4 Intellectuals can be drunk at times before it boomerangs (8) LITERATI {LIT}{ERA}{TI<=}
5 Alibi has me mixed up protecting respected Indian lady (8) MEMSAHIB (
6 Cauliflower head with excellent stuffing made well (5) CURED (E in CURD)
8 Offices of sovereign representative failing to meet regal commitments (13) VICEROYALTIES (VICE ROYAL TIES)
13 Duty surrounding Nazi rule fraught with insanity (9) CRAZINESS {C{R}{AZIN*}ESS}
15 Passionate opening keeping everyone initially on edge (8) VEHEMENT (E HEM in VENT)
16 Summoned after sheep ran wild (8) RAMPAGED (RAM PAGED)
19 Long flowing garments left privates unconstrained (6) LUNGIS
20 Flights picked up some flowering plants (5) PHLOX (~FLOCKS=flights)
21 Diving ducks appearing as small seagulls (5) SMEWS {S}{MEWS}
GRID
Sorry, folks, I goofed off and started solving only around 815 and was able to add precious little. Now is the time for all of you to pitch in
ReplyDeleteWill be away for some time now and will update when I get back.
DeleteI always find it difficult solve this setter. I am unaware, why?
DeleteHe hides his indicators well and is quite devious in writing his clues. But nothing unfair about both. All of us find the going tough too.
Delete
ReplyDeleteGot the paper late. Fillin in whatever what possible;
14 Sailor's mock oath in airy rhyme, bit remiss to include verse (6,2,7) SHIVER ME TIMBERS SHIVER MY TIMBERS
17 Devout covering some distance to get to sermon (6) HO(MI)LY
22 Buzz in lively bar dance (6) R(HUM)BA*
DOWN:
15 Passionate opening keeping everyone initially on edge (8) V(E)(HEM)ENT
16 Summoned after sheep ran wild (8) RAM PAGED
11 Cow died at the BBC, but that's not shown (5) D+ AUNT
ReplyDeleteThanks, Raghu. Could you please elaborate this anno
Delete8 Offices of sovereign representative failing to meet regal commitments (13) VICE ROYAL TIES
ReplyDelete8 Resounding when mouth's almost stuffed! (8) {SPITE}{FUL(-l)}
ReplyDeleteThanks, but clashes with 8d. Updating, but one of these will change
DeleteVOICE FUL
DeleteThis doesn't fit, since 8D starts with V. :(
ReplyDelete6 down is CURED. Curd + e
ReplyDeleteThanks, Meena. Had solved, but forgot to update
DeleteWhat is the connection between cauliflower head and curd? Sorry, I just managed to sit down with today's paper and I found the going very tough. Didn't understand the anno for this. Could someone please help?
DeleteCurd also means an edible head of a cauliflower
DeleteBalance is left as exercise to the reader ;-) Got to go now. Will update later.
ReplyDelete1D Abuse the dummy winning heat hands down (9) {BE{QUE}AT}{H}
ReplyDeleteOops, it should be BEQUEATHS.
DeleteAnno for QUE pending.
ReplyDeleteBEQUEATHS = ABUSETHE* +Q . Q= Heat in Physics.
ReplyDeleteGreat anno Raghuath :)
DeleteFantastic Solving!
DeleteI just provided the anno, with the knowledge that Q is symbol for heat. You got the answer which was tough.
Delete24 Meet, rest, off in planes (8) {JOIN}{TERS}* ?
ReplyDelete20 Flights picked up some flowering plants (5) PHLOX (~flocks)
jointers is correct Sandhya. (planes as in carpentry planes; device to plane off wood & joint)
Deletethough 20D is doubtful as there is no homophone indicator.an it be SHOOS or SHOOT?
DeletePICKED UP is the homophone indicator.
Delete20D:SHOOT(DD)
ReplyDelete24A;COUNTERS=Anno Pending
11 Cow died at the BBC, but that's not shown (5) D+ AUNT
ReplyDeleteWhy the second half of the clue?
BBC = AUNTIE. So remove, i.e.
DeleteGreat!!
Delete14 Sailor's mock oath in airy rhyme, bit remiss to include verse (6,2,7) SHI{V}ER MY TIMBERS*
ReplyDelete5 Alibi has me mixed up protecting respected Indian lady (8) MEMSAHIB <- (T)
ReplyDeleteWell solved. was there for all to see but couldn't get it. well disguised clue as well!
DeleteOn a two day break from work. Hence logged in early & was confronted with an extremely good but challenging puzzle. Thanks to Raghu & Sandhya( & Kishor & Col).
ReplyDeleteMy tail's been docked!
DeleteThanks Kishore et al
ReplyDeleteIt's a pangram today.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. Thanks for spotting.
DeleteBrilliant crossie. Was very challenging, but could solve all but one. And as the answers unraveled one by one, it was sheer delight. I think getting to understand a setter's way of thinking is very useful in solving.
ReplyDeletePerfectly correct in all respects. I think I will have rise with the larks on the morrow and be rather sharp about it, else, ...
DeleteThat's why I came a cropper today. Thought xCh was on Fri-Sat, woke up late, started off late and then realised I had to make a trip with Cocoa to the wife's school
Delete19 Long flowing garments left privates unconstrained (6) LUNGIS ? {L}UN{GIS} UN constrained= UN is held in
ReplyDeleteThis has bothered me whenever I've tried to use plural for abbreviations. Could I use ABS for sailors , HES for Governors, as is used here in case of Privates as GIS?
By the way the above clue is also an &lit ;-)
Delete... and I can't answer Raghu's query as it's my bug ...
DeleteI am told that an &lit can have only wordplay and nothing more... Then this would be a semi ...
DeleteWell there is nothing more in the statement, it's all unconstrained if you ask me
DeleteAn innocent question:
DeleteWhich garment constrains the privates of a human being?
Suggestions invited whether you have experience of the tightening or not.
You have my support, Jock!
DeleteNo comments please. "Andar waali baat hai"
DeleteRaghu: With ref to your query, please see this extract from Oxford Dictionary:
DeleteGI2
Line breaks: GI
Pronunciation: /dʒiːˈʌɪ
/
noun (plural GIs)
A private soldier in the US army
As regards the other examples, my own take as follows:
1) AB: already a contraction of ABS, which is Able Bodied Seaman, ie a sailor in singular. For plural you would need seamen, so I feel ABS for plural won't work.
2) HE: being title, I think plural won't work, but possessive should be OK
Just my views, could be wrong
Thank you Bhala. Thefreedictionary.com also lists plural for GI as GIs.
DeleteIt is often said here that regular solvers can in a setter's crossword see the typical hallmarks or loomarks of the person concerned.
ReplyDeleteNow can you specify any THC setter's name and the characteristics of the particular setter that you associate with his puzzle?
Anon: Shot and crisp clues in large fonts
DeleteSunnet: Thematic pangram ( though this may change, and others too may do this)
xChequer: for the reasons mentioned by Kishore in his 2:36 above
DeleteI feel xChequer has a fair sprinkling of extra padding in his clues which sends me up the garden path most of the times. Plenty of 'in' in the CW today, I counted 8 of them.
ReplyDeleteYou are done 'in'?
DeleteI was 'all in'
DeleteKishore- Straight,simple but enjoyable (of late?)
ReplyDeleteBhavan- Well within the rules, testing the solver but enjoyable even if one cannot get the answer. Many a time I had to kick myself for not getting it after seeing the blog.
Gridman- Special specialist!! Setter of CW's & its rules.Authentic.
No offence meant- just off the cuff. Apologies for any unintended mistakes.
Arden: Classic, Ximenean.
ReplyDeleteLightning: Smooth.
Phantom: Very good surfaces.
AD: Good wordplay with something extra to decipher.
Exa & MAC: The new kids on the block. Very innovative clues.
I reiterate Paddy's apologies