Sunday 5 July 2015

No 2848, Sunday 05 Jul 2015


Another toughie for me today. Put in SORTING at 18D and was stuck for ages with 21A.

ACROSS
1   Novelist and son out of order (5) AMISS {AMIS}{S}
4   Published title without qualification (8) OUTRIGHT {OUT}{RIGHT}
10 Preoccupied, write riddle with no middle (7) PENSIVE {PEN}{SIeVE}
11 Foam very good for skin (7) SURFACE {SURF}{ACE}
12 Upright piano in club with interior redesigned (13) INCORRUPTIBLE {P} in {CLUB+INTERIOR}*
14 King with work in store around westward citadel (9) ACROPOLIS {AC<=}{R}{OP}{OLIS<=}
16 Time and inclination for long walk (5) TRAMP {T}{RAMP}
17 Changes course, strain being audible (5) TACKS (~tax)
19 Tired pair in situation without a winner (9) STALEMATE {STALE}{MATE}
21 Fashionable families worried about revolutionary element very little (13) INFINITESIMAL {IN}{FI{NIT<=}ESIMAL*}
24 Capital account without pound in it is abandoned (7) TBILISI {BILl} in {IT+IS}*
25 Practical approach exists inside domain (7) REALISM {REAL{IS}M}
26 Search occupying French father with English ancestry (8) PEDIGREE {PE{DIG}RE}{E}
27 Employ glam rock band with energy coming back (5) EXERT {E}{XER-T}<=

DOWN
1   Candidates in place in a film supported by workers? (10) APPLICANTS {A}{P{PL}IC}{ANTS}
2   Order from one operating in charge (5) IONIC {1}{ON}{IC}
3   Rouse resistance and raise support (7) STIRRUP {STIR}{R}{UP}
5   Poor saint, moving among us, works (14) UNSATISFACTORY {U{SAINT*}S}{FACTORY}
6   Unusual enticement, not a savoury dish (7) RAREBIT {RARE}{BaIT}
7   United team playing in festive event for country (9) GUATEMALA {G{U}{TEAM*}ALA}
8   Connection on right level (4) TIER {TIE}{R}
9   Note star, rebel after quite staggering drink (7,7) TEQUILA SUNRISE {QUITE*}<=>{LA} {SUN}{RISE}
13 Prepare simple diet for maximum rate by law (5,5) SPEED LIMIT*
15 Put right about distortion of deficit (9) RECTIFIED {RE}{DEFICIT*}
18 Uncertainty during smart screening (7) SIFTING {S{IF}TING}
20 Some mice ran sneakily over trap (7) ENSNARE [T<=]
22 Grain, one in middle of confusing system (5) MAIZE {MA{1}ZE}
23 Finish second best (4) STOP {S}{TOP}

Reference List 

Son = S, Piano = P, King = R, Work = OP, Around = CA, Energy = E, Place = PL, Resistance = R, United = U, Right = R, Note = LA, About = RE, Second = S

GRID

16 comments:

  1. Tough crossword, with neat clues. Style is like that of Buzzer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After a couple of months, you get used to a setter's style and it becomes easier then.

      Delete
    2. Some of the regulars of the Everyman are also cheesed off with the elevated level of difficulty by the new setter, in fact some of them want to give up doing the Everyman crossword

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    3. Solvers talk of the 'style' of a setter but asked to list the elements they draw back.
      Is the style only perceived and so ineffable that it cannot be described?
      I earnestly hope that some solver/blogger would take up one THC setter and after research with some crosswords of his over a period write a piece on The Cluemanship of XXX.

      Delete
    4. In my opinion the only person I know, who can do such research, is Shuchi

      Delete
    5. Tougher than the usual, but still quite beautifully constructed. 4A was so cleverly done for example, and when it clicks you feel so satisfied.

      Regarding styles, I think it is definitely there, some very individual characteristics that distinguish setters. Anyone who regularly solves THC for eg will be able to distinguish between Buzzer, Neyartha, Incognito, Afterdark if you gave them a sample (just taking some names at random, I don't imply anything other than to say there are definite hallmarks)

      Delete
    6. Agree 100% to what Bhala says. But there is something funny. I never knew its a different setter and didn't realize so far till I came to know now. Maybe next week I will find it difficult. I just missed 3 today. So it is very much in the mind.

      Delete
  2. 24 Capital account without pound in it is abandoned (7) TBILISI {BILl} in {IT+IS}*

    'abandoned' - anind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. Second meaning of Abandoned = reckless, wild, unrestrained

      Delete
  3. Sankalak, in a THC, had:
    Unsafe sinecure abandoned (8)
    (10360, 13 Jan 2012)

    ReplyDelete

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