Wednesday, 23 September 2015

No 11507, Wednesday 23 Sep 2015, The Phantom


Phantom's planning to give us 'a high' today :-) It's a Z short of a pangram unless 9D is ZAPPER?

ACROSS
1   Corporation sucked dry by individual and ruined (10) TUMBLEDOWN {TUM}{BLED}{OWN}
6   Fellow left to cut down plant (4) FLAX {F}{L}{AX}
10 House breaker caught in St. Petersburg larceny (7) BURGLAR [T]
11 This knife out of place in chief surgeon’s hand? (7) SCALPEL {Su...n}{PLACE*}{L}
12 Bill's to wed chic girl next door (9) ADJOINING {AD}{JOIN}{IN}{G}
13 Poster put up, making Puducherry for example popular (3-2) PIN-UP Anno pending (Addendum - {P(-ut+in)IN-UP} - See comments)
14 Smack including heroin is a narcotic substance (5) BHANG {B{H}ANG}
15 Those people got bald very quickly as if by magic! (3,6) HEY PRESTO {tHEY} {PRESTO}
17 Ways to induct labour for building of thoroughfares (9) ROADWORKS {ROAD{WORK}S}
21 Prick sending woman out for smack (5) TINGE TwINGE
22 Supplement, Times had to withdraw having had regular losses (5) EXTRA Anno pending (Addendum - {E{eXiT}RA} - See comments)
24 Dapper one in tight sort of trousers (9) DRAINPIPE {DAPPER+1+IN}*
26 In a peaceful manner leave lady on vacation to go round Spain (7) QUIETLY {QUI{E}T}{LadY}
27 Fly presently disturbing ruler (7) KNOWING ? {K{NOW}ING}
28 Contest’s not quite fair (4) EVEN EVENt
29 Millions remitted by common people — persons in the street for taxation (10) ASSESSMENT {mASSES}{S{MEN}T}

DOWN
1   A setter chewed up bone (5) TIBIA {TIB}{I}{A}<=
2   Tea for uplifting mood in the morning, sipped by Juan? The opposite (9) MARIJUANA {MA<=}{RI{JUAN}A<=}
3   Gill’s collection includes metal — music that’s rhythmic (7) LILTING {TIN} in {GILL}*
4   Vessel blocking another vessel’s somewhat poor light (7) DARKISH {D{ARK}ISH}
5   Solomon’s kid a know-all? (4,3) WISE-GUY {WISE} {GUY}
7   Elated to be in love showing up with flower (5) LUPIN {L{UP}IN<=}
8   Felix’s last hope — only to play this instrument (9) XYLOPHONE {f..iX}{HOPE+ONLY}*
9   Prevent fake double agent assassinating head of state (6) ?A?P?R (Addendum - HAMPER - {sHAM}{PER<=} - See comments)
14 Annoy the Parisian with that French satire (9) BURLESQUE {BUR}{LES}{QUE} (Addendum - {BUR<=}{LES}{QUE} - See comments)
16 Diplomatic visit seen to be controversial (9) SENSITIVE*
18 Breaking the law to get money? (6) WEALTH*
19 Faulty flash photography frightened deer, absolutely! (3-4) RED-EYES {RED-E*}{YES}
20 Chain saw used in cutting silver, oddly! (7) SHACKLE {HACK} in {SiLvEr}
21 Shaky, laborious opener dismissed, run out (7) TENUOUS sTrENUOUS
23 Double XX? (5) TWICE [DD]
25 Boat crew skipper’s lost importance (5) EIGHT wEIGHT

GRID

Posted by at
Labels: ,

39 comments:

  1. Mukundala Balasubramanyam23 September 2015 at 09:02

    Nice one from Phantom. Found South-East corner tough. Missed 27ac and 20dn. I had 9dn as HAMPER but unable to annotate it. Overall an enjoyable satisfactory solve. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 09:05

    ((S)HAM)(PER<=)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mukundala Balasubramanyam23 September 2015 at 09:09

      My doubt cleared there! Thank you Ramesh. :)

      Delete
    2. Mukundala Balasubramanyam23 September 2015 at 09:14

      The reversal indicator please? ((S)HAM)(PER<=)

      Delete
    3. Chaturvasi23 September 2015 at 09:21

      Lingering doubt, MB? Was too prompt to thank Ramesh? I was wondering how your doubt had been cleared. Sorry I am unable to help.

      Delete
    4. Mukundala Balasubramanyam23 September 2015 at 09:30

      I think other than the reversal ind the annotation part is ok !?

      Delete
    5. Mukundala Balasubramanyam23 September 2015 at 10:06

      Thanks to Sandhya ma'am no more doubt lingering, CV Sir! :)

      Delete
  3. SandhyaP23 September 2015 at 09:33

    Reversal indicator - Double (bend over)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bhalchandra Pasupathy23 September 2015 at 09:34

    22 Supplement, Times had to withdraw having had regular losses (5) EXTRA Anno pending

    ERA outside eXiT

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bhalchandra Pasupathy23 September 2015 at 09:38

    13 Poster put up, making Puducherry for example popular (3-2) PIN-UP Anno pending

    Start with PUT UP, remove UT (Puducherry for example) and replace with IN (popular)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chaturvasi23 September 2015 at 09:41

    Thanks, BP. Great cracking. I couldn't see either.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Deepak Gopinath23 September 2015 at 09:42

    Thanks everyone

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bhavan23 September 2015 at 09:43

    One for Phantom to confirm or deny in 14d :

    Annoy = RUB the wrong way = BUR ?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Chaturvasi23 September 2015 at 09:44

    Do you have a PIN-UP on your wall? If so, who? Those answering this question must be BELOW 25 years of age.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepak Gopinath23 September 2015 at 09:46

      Is that because those over 25 or let's say 60 have other things to pin-up as constant reminders??

      Delete
    2. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 10:05

      If the question's in the past tense: Yes.

      Delete
    3. Aakash Sridhar23 September 2015 at 15:55

      Alexandra Daddario 11" x 17"

      Delete
  10. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 10:03

    Just to answer the question mark from Col for Fly: KNOWING. Used in THCC earlier:

    Friday, 23 May 2014 No.11092 (SankalaK)
    19 Knowing about a road above another (7) FLYOVER (FLY OVER)
    Sunday, 30 March 2014:
    1 Knowing tramp's got miles away (4) ARCH mARCH

    Fly from thefreedictionary:
    adjective (Slang, chiefly Brit.) cunning, knowing, sharp, smart, careful, shrewd, astute, on the ball (informal), canny, wide-awake,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi23 September 2015 at 12:25

      I am not questioning this but I would appreciate if 'fly' in that sense is put in a sentences that we may use in prose or everyday conversation.

      Delete
    2. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 12:43

      From OED "she’s fly enough not to get tricked out of it"

      Delete
    3. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 12:54

      From same OED: Never in the history of nannies has there been a more fly nanny than Julie Andrews.
      I'm too fly to admit anything to you guys.
      This sort of manoeuvre must have been what one shadow cabinet colleague had in mind when he privately described the politician as ‘an extremely fly operator’.
      and thefreedictionary: He is devious and very fly.

      But agree that the word's not commonly used.

      Delete
  11. Vasant23 September 2015 at 10:41

    Wow!what a puzzle..there was hardly any give aways..got most of the answers through sheer perseverance...
    Unheard of definitions like..drainpipe..fly..really very innovative..though on crossreferencing found this clue for drainpipe:
    One dapper in fancy style of trouser?
    Overall a sumptuous feast by the ghost who walks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 12:59

      When we were young in the sixties, this style DRAINPIPE/S was popular. As for the similarity in the clue an anagram generator would throw up possibly some combinations of DAPPER, IN and I. How we use that is up to us. Used 'tight' both as an anagrind and also to denote the style of trouser.

      Delete
  12. Srividya23 September 2015 at 10:45

    Nice one from phantom.. sm delights like rub the wrong way in14d...13a was brilliant didnt get the anno till i saw bala's comment. Very impressive. Nor able to get the rev ind in 9d till i saw Sandhya's comment. Thanks to everyone on the blog being generous with your knowledge .... missed samosa tho as had flax down as alex... missed seeing the plant i guess... thanks phantom

    ReplyDelete
  13. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 12:58

    Three days of fasting in a row. All three were cases of missing the samosa by a word. Loved the last two by xChequer & today's by uncle Walker.
    Struggled to get close to the finish line for xChequer. Missed out on 'Escalate' on Monday, 'PTISAN' on Tuesday. Today was 'Lulling' instead of 'lilting' ( Gill gave me Lung, Li the metal & the other L came from God)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 13:01

      Why the uncle?

      Delete
    2. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 13:02

      I am playing the role of Rex today

      Delete
    3. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 13:04

      Lost in the crossword jungle for two plus days. And not a samosa in sight. Was hoping Uncle Walker would rescue me, but alas even that hope has been dashed.

      Delete
    4. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 13:09

      Pray that tomorrow you're not left in the .....dark.

      Delete
    5. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 13:23

      Tomorrow I hope to see some light after dark

      Delete
    6. Bhalchandra Pasupathy23 September 2015 at 13:49

      Must be your off days, you are generally a champ solver. But looks like the penny didn't drop for anyone yesterday

      Delete
    7. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 13:58

      Bhala,

      There were one or two clues needing your reply, which you could perhaps enlighten us with?

      Delete
    8. Bhalchandra Pasupathy23 September 2015 at 14:23

      Not sure what you're referring to Raghu. As far as I could see only 6d was under discussion. I did not want to give the answer myself as I felt that only the Hindu should be publishing the answer, I can't do that in advance as the setter. The solution is now published.

      If there was something else do let me know. You can perhaps comment in yesterday's post itself so as not to mess with your page

      Delete
    9. Raghunath23 September 2015 at 14:33

      Totally forgot about the printed solution, so used to we are with this blog. I've never ever looked at the solution in the paper, since joining THCC.

      Delete
    10. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 14:37

      The penny finally dropped. As Raghu mentioned, didn't even think of till you mentioned it

      Delete
  14. RameshJ23 September 2015 at 23:34

    Got ixl userid & passwd. Hope others have got it too. All the best to everyone.

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)