With a little help from Ramesh for 11 and 15A
ACROSS
1 Nothing evil about department's peace symbol (5,6) OLIVE BRANCH {O}{EVIL*} {BRANCH}
9 Servant returns at five, leaving sides behind in city (3,4) TEL AVIV {TEL AV<=}{
10 Army officer's support to Oriental place of study (7) COLLEGE {COL}{LEG}{E}
11 Cheers revolutionary abandoning Trichinopoly products (5) ROOTS
12 Poet got so crazy — becomes ruined (4,2,3) GOES TO POT*
13 Eccentric and keen beginner in Texas city (5) WACKO {WAC{K
15 Carried out Ted's order for herb (6-3) DESERT-ROD*
18 Deer attack not launched in retrospect (9) HINDSIGHT {HIND}{S
21 Fool crossing extremes of Bellary's chasm (5) ABYSS {A{B
22 Dressed up Gujarat village I fed somehow (9) DANDIFIED {DANDI}{I+FED}*
24 Touchy person continuously high-strung (5) HYPER [T]
26 A saint in banian is most expansive (7) VASTEST {V{A}{ST}EST}
27 Boy told to cover up street crime (7) ROBBERY {ROB}{BERY}(~bury)
28 Exotic dancer's puzzle follows comic (11) STRIPTEASER {STRIP}{TEASER}
DOWN
1 Horn product (9) OUTGROWTH [DD]
2 One good small room in ice house (5) IGLOO {1}{G}{LOO}
3 Imagines noises put out around quarter to six (9) ENVISIONS {NOISES}* around {N}{VI}}
4 Artist to see the old, battle-scarred (7) RAVAGED {RA}{V}{AGED}
5 Central part of uncle's resolution on America (7) NUCLEUS {UNCLE}* {US}
6 The man standing on a patch of land is a serf (5) HELOT {HE}{LOT}
7 Joy, heartless, crosses cat left out: therein lies danger (8) JEOPARDY {J
8 Win against the cream (4) BEST [DD]
14 Unknown is in church to sanctify (8) CANONISE {C{ANON}{IS}E}
16 Everyone in crowd — except boy — is within one’s grasp (9) REACHABLE {R{EACH}AB
17 Siva — one taking part in a sea battle (9) DESTROYER [DD]
19 Good surgery pioneer to sparkle (7) GLISTER {G}{LISTER}
20 Stumble over fish in rough water (4,3) TIDE RIP {T{IDE} RIP}
23 The Italian Sue's undergone operation for intestinal obstruction (5) ILEUS {IL}{SUE*}
25 Push the newspapers (5) PRESS [DD]
GRID
On cloud nine after completing before 8.30 and become eligible for samosas- of course with a little help for the desert rod (was in doubt if it is red or rod) I had heard about Trichy/ Dindugal cigars.On checking I found that they are made in Trichy though the tobacco grows in Dindugal.
ReplyDeleteI think the answer for 8D is BEAT (DD)
ReplyDeleteI have also put BEAT. If it is BEST, my samosas are gone.
ReplyDeleteI think 'Besting' is used as winning. Cream, of course, is the best. DD again. Toss for samosas?
ReplyDeleteIf 8D was "Win against cream" then "beat" could have been an answer. Cream= Beat ( as a verb) , but "the cream" in the clue indicates that it is intended as a noun. In my opinion "best" is the only correct answer.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ramesh for the confirmation.
ReplyDeleteOff track-
I was able to talk to CV on the phone. He is better and recovering. My guess is he should be commenting here very soon.
Lovely cw. 1A&D nice.8d- win could either beat or best but taking cue from cream best is better (in my humble opinion). An engaging & interesting puzzle which pushes ones lateral thinking power. Thanks GM.
ReplyDelete