Wednesday 18 February 2015

No 11321, Wednesday 18 Feb 2015, Arden


Another hiccough free day from Arden, though I'm down with an attack of cough and cold.

ACROSS
1   He digs for 18, to hire transport (13) ARCHAEOLOGIST {COAL+GAS+TO+HIRE}* For a long time I was wondering if Arden made a mistake here as Archaeologists don't dig for gas :-)
10 Uncle Tom's free, sent away deputy (5) LOCUM {UnCLe tOMs}*
11 Ordinary seaman not ready to go around landlocked country (3,6) SAN MARINO {ORdINary SeAMAN}*
12 Possible action follows criminal act - showing some amount of rigidity (9) CATATONIC {ACT*}{ACTION*}
13 A spot to have a record store (5) DEPOT {D{EP}OT}
14 But it's a stronghold (7) REDOUBT {RE}{DOUBT} (Addendum - {REDO}{BUT*} - See comments)
16 I am out of Vietnam for some time - strangely I fought there (7) VETERAN {ViETNam + ERA}*
18 Organism in vegetable making hydrogen and methane (4,3) COAL GAS {CO{AL GA}S}
20 Make laws again when one's off centre (7) REENACT {CENTRE+A}*
22 Made least difference to an electrical engineer (5) TESLA*
24 Belonged to forefathers from Lancaster (9) ANCESTRAL*
26 It's another thing to put on pajamas (9) NIGHTWEAR {THING*}{WEAR}
27 A flower in right hand, in final tribute (5) RHINE {R}{H}{IN}{t...tE}
28 Now under lead battery output (6,7) DIRECT CURRENT {DIRECT}<=>{CURRENT}

DOWN
2   Block around one hundred, upset with what is listed (7) RECITED {RE{CI<=}TED<=}
3   Suspended box trams, train movement crippled (9) HAMSTRUNG {H{TRAMS*}UNG}
4   Contract, not with large German town (5) ESSEN lESSEN
5   Stick around partners with business in photographic equipment (4,5) LENS COVER {LE{NS} {CO}VER}
6   Finally, big money - splendid (5) GRAND {biG}{RAND}
7   One in school follows school captain (7) SKIPPER {S}{KIPPER}
8   Preferring out of court order and executing (13) ELECTROCUTING {ELECT{COURT*}ING}
9   "It will happen because of music", he says (7,6) FORTUNE TELLER {FOR}{TUNE} {TELLER} Thanks to Kishore for the Anno
15 Will statement confuse? (9) TESTAMENT*
17 Arrest criminal grabbing turn over from the moneyman (9) TREASURER {TREAS{U}{RE}R*}
19 Spear the animal - repeat endlessly (7) ASSEGAI {ASS}{rEGAIn} (Addendum - ASSAGAI {ASS}{AGAIn} - See comments)
21 A King by rule, is said to call one to court (7) ARRAIGN {A}{R}{RAIGN}(~reign)
23 Cave man trembled inside (5) ANTRE [T]
25 Initially Cook ordered four on to the island (5) CORFU {Cook}{FOUR*}

GRID

35 comments:

  1. 19 Spear the animal - repeat endlessly (7) ASSEGAI {ASS}{rEGAIn}

    I put this as {ASS}{AGAI(-n)}

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. Biryani, Double ka meeTha, mirch salaan and Irani chai

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    2. Menu for S&B meet at Hyderabad! :)

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  3. Didn't get the anno for 14a
    But = doubt. Where does Re come from?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took it as REDO {UBT}*

      RA

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    2. ,, and this time it is for Col.'s comment

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    3. Still I don't get it. 'Redo' from?

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    4. Great puzzle from Arden ..
      I felt, for this clue, since answer is imperative how to make 'but'/ a way to get 'but' or something along those lines would be the proper reversal for 'redo ubt ' ...
      Just 'but' would probably be 'redone ubt'... What do others think?

      Delete
    5. Nice puzzle
      Agree Aakash and ubt is not a valid word ? 9D POS ok?

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    6. I think Akash meant redone but. 9D what's the def? Is it a semi &lit?

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    7. Anagram already happened for the fodder in the clue for reverse anagrams so indicator in the answer should be past tense . This is what Aakash meant I think. Also I think fodder in the answer also should be a valid word :-)

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    8. Yes Ajeesh.. In a way I had meant that..
      'Earthed': broken hearted
      'Stun': ground nuts look fine ...
      Similarly,
      'Ubt' would be 'redone but' ..
      To go for the imperative we must use
      'A way to make but' etc. IMO..

      Delete
  4. 16 I am out of Vietnam for some time - strangely I fought there (7) VETERAN {ViETNam + ERA}*

    I think Arden meant this as some time ERA coming in for I AM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I assumed ERA becomes an indirect anag which is a no-no

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  5. Happy to have done almost all. But still had doubts about a few annos. Got them cleared thanks to the blog.

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  6. I got it at last. Yes, it is a superb clue.

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  7. 1 He digs for 18, to hire transport (13) ARCHAEOLOGIST {COAL+GAS+TO+HIRE}* For a long time I was wondering if Arden made a mistake here as Archaeologists don't dig for gas :-)

    No wonder, my first take was AGROBIOLOGIST with reference to 18Dn!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. 20 Make laws again when one's off centre (7) REENACT {CENTRE+A}*

    I think the answer becomes A + CENTRE*

    ReplyDelete
  9. A few really good clues, but quite a few doubts:

    14A - Agree with AS. 'Redo' is in the imperative
    16A - Indirect anagram intended? Otherwise, 'strangely' seems superfluous
    20A - "one's off centre" --> REENACT .... not sure how that works
    9D - Discontinuous def? Or semi &lit?

    Also, what's the general consensus on an imperative anagrind following the fodder (as in 1A, 3D)?

    My CoD - 8D (ELECTROCUTING)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same with 15 D imo. Confuse as a verb should precede the fodder right ?

      Delete
  10. wonderful wordplay. At first sight. it was a big blank to me. Slowly results started trickling.Linking of 1a with 18 a - very nice.28a-Relished the pun(ch) now under lead.3d- wow! box used for cover.5d failed me on a small count. I put as line cover instead of lens cover. That is the bee in my bonnet. Anyhow I thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle from master-wordsmith. Thank you Arden.

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