Sunday 28 December 2014

Prelim CWs from IXL-2014, Sunday, 28 Dec 2014, IXL, Vivek Singh & C.G. Rishikesh


Both the CWs used in the Preliminary round of the IXL finals are being posted today.

5 answers per commenter taking 2 from the 13x13 CW and 3 from the 15x15 CW. Annotations are to be compulsorily provided. As far as possible please provide all your answers in two comments 2 in one and 3 in the other.

As a matter of academic interest please also indicate the combined time taken by you to complete both. The time taken by the first finisher at the IXL was 32 minutes.

After 6 PM anyone can post the answers to the leftover clues if any.

PRELIM 13x13 by Mr Vivek Singh


ACROSS
1   Con carrier with a change of heart (5)
7   Stay dues computed after Mondays (8)
8   Tulsi leaf-tip conversion to tonic base is fundamental (5)
10 Falsehood engineer covered up with Bibi's decoration (10)
12 Narrowing down after second attempt at Orangutan's circle (8)
14 Partaking of tiger safari from a distance (4)
16 Old state Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi got back partially (4)
17 Charge on the principal? Appeal (8)
20 Children's favourite can't shuttle if left between part of Africa and Australia (5,5)
23 Plane crashed in the Himalayas (5)
24 Peculiar statement of condition by in-charge with deformed pecs (8)
25 The gutless examinee initially was embraced by senior guide (5)

DOWN
1   Permit flap on top of computer (6)
2   Stylish swindler spares the other half (4)
3   Set fire to second-rate container (4)
4   Alien confronted by fool isn't a liability (5)
5   Contented on weekend, is one having food outside? (9)
6   Shylock, perhaps, was certain sitting in the old city (6)
9   Amulet Grace is a left-out (5)
11 Recruited a sharp head-postman earlier (9)
13 Sister has nobody to listen to (3)
15 If it's well, work is half done? (5)
16 Help and idiot first (6)
18 Loftier than the towering queen (6)
19 Legal relief for arrested head of steel plant (5)
21 Tony lost top abode (4)
22 A group outside the Bench (4)

Across Lite version of the 13x13 can be accessed at PRELIM 13x13

PRELIM 15x15 by C.G. Rishikesh


ACROSS
1   Command marriage partner to secrete exotic set (8)
5   Appear suddenly as a growth in the farmer's field, perhaps (4,2)
10 Element twisted in coils (7)
11 Better to get the little devil to wander off (7)
12 Led out of shrunken city (5)
13 Delay security structure for prison,maybe (9)
14 Wearing glasses, eye candy is in bed (12)
18 Straw men and girl involved in a test of strength (3-9)
21 Not secret, hardline deposition (9)
23 Solver, this is not present in age (5)
24 Rise in a scramble with girl - strike off again (7)
25 Lift bigwig online overwhelmed by Venee without limits (7)
26 Big noise created by shady business (6)
27 Expertly taking in setback of military eatery's diet (8)

DOWN
1   Hamper wickerwork (6)
2   Indian party's quick blow creates sensation (6)
3   Storyteller: "Artist's cheat. True/False?" (9)
4   Hand is stretched for father's attempts in confectionery (6,8)
6   Coin from Europe lost nothing in exchange (5)
7   Investigation about a lawyer is likely to happen (8)
8   Leave out chapter in introduction (8)
9   These people argue for separation of union (7,7)
15 Anyone can be in such a way as to be a nuisance (9)
16 One who toils in a testing place with timeless traveller (8)
17 I tend to forget unusual names I see around Asia (8)
19 26 made by a rhyming pair (6)
20 Asthmatic's cry as last two letters bounce back (6)
22 Discrimination of son in British Museum (5)

Across Lite version of the 15x15 can be accessed at PRELIM 15x15

Enjoy.

40 comments:

  1. 13 Sister has nobody to listen to (3) NUN (~NONE)
    15 If it's well, work is half done? (5) BEGUN (Well begun is half done)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Everyone seems to be trying their best to beat the 32 minutes!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 5A Crop up( CD)
    10 A Silicon ( in coils)*
    9D Divorce lawyers ( DD)

    ReplyDelete
  4. 11 Better to get the little devil to wander off (7) IMP ROVE
    13 Delay security structure for prison,maybe (9) STONEWALL (DD)
    18 Straw men and girl involved in a test of strength (3-9) ARM TWISTING*

    ReplyDelete
  5. 14 A Afar( T)
    24A Specific ( pecs* (if= condition) ic= in charge

    ReplyDelete
  6. Total time taken for the above 5 clues, less than 20 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The timing indicated is for completing both the crosswords and not just 5 answers

      Delete
  7. 15x15 Down
    4 Hand is stretched for father's attempts in confectionery (6,8) DANISH* PA'S/TRIES
    7 Investigation about a lawyer is likely to happen (8) PROB(A/BL)E
    8 Leave out chapter in introduction (8) {PRE(C)LUDE}

    13X13 Across
    20 Children's favourite can't shuttle if left between part of Africa and Australia (5,5) {SA}(NTA C*/L){AUS}
    25 The gutless examinee initially was embraced by senior guide (5) S{T[-h]E/E}R

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, sorry, misread the directions at the top.No wonder the first finisher took just 32 minutes for both the CWs, considering that some participants in the online version were submitting answers in 15 minutes or less.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 13X13
    1A- TRICK
    Con- Def
    Carrier- Truck
    Change of heart- TR(I)CK

    10A- Chandelier
    Decoration- Def.
    Bibi- Chand(bibi)
    Falsehood engineer covered up- E(LIE)R

    ReplyDelete
  10. Where are the other non finalists? We have so many left and it's 1 1/2 hours gone since the start!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Participating in the "quarter" finals ... Trying to down a litre of liquor trying to break last year's record

      Delete
  11. 15 by 15 grid:
    21 across: OVERTHROW-- not secret- overt-- hard line disposition--H-- ROW for line
    26 across: RACKET-- big noise-- shady business (DD)
    7down: PROBABLE -- Investigation-- probe- a lawyer-- A BL

    ReplyDelete

  12. grid 13 by 13

    7a: TUESDAYS: anagram of stay dues-- TUESDAYS follow MONDAYS
    5 down: Contended == SATISFIED-- weekend- SAT- is one having food inside -- IS FIED

    Total time taken could not have been more than 40 minutes, with concessions for flitting up and down the grid and clues of both.
    I found the 13 by 13 a bit easier an hence it could have been for lesser of the time consumed

    ReplyDelete
  13. 15X15-
    14A- BESPECTACLED
    Def.- Wearing glasses
    Eye candy- spectacle in
    BE(SPECTACLE)D

    23A- YOUTH
    Age- Def.
    Solver- YOU
    This is not present- THIS-IS
    YOU(TH)

    6D- RUPEE
    EUROPE-O

    ReplyDelete
  14. 15x15
    12A Led out of shrunken city (5)
    ESSEN (-L)ESSEN(-ED) -> SHRUNKEN
    Def: City

    1D Hamper wickerwork (6)
    BASKET (DD)

    20D Asthmatic's cry as last two letters bounce back (6)
    WHEEZY
    {WHEE}{YZ}<-

    ReplyDelete
  15. 13x13 9D charm (charisma - IS A)
    15x15 3D Ra con teur *
    17D amnesi(a)c*

    ReplyDelete
  16. 13x13
    8A Tulsi leaf-tip conversion to tonic base is fundamental (5)
    BASIC BASIL - Leaf + toniC
    Def: Fundamental

    17A Charge on the principal? Appeal (8)
    INTEREST (DD)

    ReplyDelete
  17. 13x13
    8 A BASIC ( BASI - L + C ) def : fundamental
    12A TAPERING ( T APE RING ) def: Narrowing down

    15x15
    1A BESTRIDE ( B EST * RIDE ) def : Command
    24A REISSUE (REIS* SUE )
    2D SPLASH ( SP LASH)






    ReplyDelete
  18. Too many distractions. So could not time it properly. 15x15 took 20.30 min with a lunch break in-between. The other must have ovferall taken about the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Now for my quota
    13x13
    16A AHOM (T), The way the Assamese pronounce it.
    23A NEPAL (Plane*)

    15x15
    25A EN(NOB)(L)E
    27a {A{SSEM<)BLY}
    1d BASKET (2)

    ReplyDelete
  20. 1d tablet
    Def computer
    Flap tab
    Allow let
    2d chic
    Def stylish
    Chicaner-aner

    ReplyDelete
  21. 15x15
    15d annoyance
    Def nuisance
    (anyone can)*
    16d labourer
    Def one who toils
    Testing place lab
    Timelless traveller tourer-t
    22d taste
    Def discrimination
    Ta(s)te

    ReplyDelete
  22. time about 45 mts for both total

    ReplyDelete
  23. 13X13:
    19D Legal relief for arrested head of steel plant (5) BA{S}IL
    21D Tony lost top abode (4) (-b)LAIR

    15X15:
    19D 26 made by a rhyming pair (6) {HUB}{BUB} (26: racket)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sandhya,
    Since you got only 2 fro the 15x15. You could take 2 more from the 13x13

    ReplyDelete
  25. Didn't realise that the 13x13 had 27 clues as against 28 in the 15x15. I could have allowed 3 from each

    ReplyDelete
  26. 13X13
    4 Alien confronted by fool isn't a liability (5) {ASS}{ET}
    6 Shylock, perhaps, was certain sitting in the old city (6) U{SURE}R

    ReplyDelete
  27. With your permission I can put in one more in 13x13.

    ReplyDelete
  28. 40 minutes for both. However could not get 1 in 13x13 and 1 in 15x15

    ReplyDelete
  29. 13X13
    3 Set fire to second-rate container (4) B URN
    11 Recruited a sharp head-postman earlier (9) A P POINTED
    16 Help an idiot first (6) ASS IST
    18 Loftier than the towering queen (6) TALL ER
    22 A group outside the Bench (4) SE(A)T

    ReplyDelete

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