Tuesday 13 October 2015

No 11524, Tuesday 13 Oct 2015, Arden


ACROSS
1   Patriot, say escorted girl to French island (6,7) GUIDED MISSILE {GUIDED} {M ISS}{ILE}
10 May be masculine, but not lean it is noted (5) MUSIC MaSCUlIne*
11 Extremely smalla timeless novel (9) MEASLIEST*
12 Doesn't make sense without a certified mastery of language (9) IDIOMATIC {IDIO{MA}TIC}
13 Starts systematically taking out infiltrators — calm and unmoved (5) STOIC Acrostic
14 Strange thing to keep note on brace (7) TIGHTEN {TE} in {THING}*
16 Funnily, Simpson's acquired a title (7) BARONET {BAR{ONE}T} Why 'Funnily'?
18 Start chasing it before deal's made in a safe place (7) CITADEL {Ch...g}{IT}{DEAL*}
20 Decreasing maybe later in the day (7) EVENING [DD]
22 Capital has been invested in American city (5) LHASA {L{HAS}A}
24 May be non-restrictive, since withdrawn and shy (9) INTROVERT {NOn-REsTRicTIVe}*
26 Ain't nerve used to do this? (9) INNERVATE* Semi&lit
27 Charm of people post middle age (5) GRACE {aGe}{RACE}
28 For Saint Harry to be put in a box — you would want to do it later (13) PROCRASTINATE {PRO}{CRA{SAINT*}TE}

DOWN
2   Rising trend of using emergency power arm (7) UPSWING {UPS}{WING}
3   Frozen up before the game was won — completely destroyed (9) DECIMATED {DECI<=}{MATED}
4   Resign from the French university (5) DEMIT {DE}{MIT}
5   Rage hiding basic struggle by novice — it's fiery (9)  IRASCIBLE {IR{BASIC*}{L}E}
6   Same up and down flights (5) SOLOS <=>
7   After song will have rest (3,4) LIE DOWN {LIE D}{OWN}
8   Waters affect IMF clout with India (8,5) AMNIOTIC FLUID {IMF+CLOUT+INDIA}*
9   Stay united and get hit by rockets, unfortunately (5,8) STICK TOGETHER {GET+HIT+ROCKETS}*
15 Promoting a pill in a single package for a woman yet to have a child (9) NULLIPARA {NU{LLIP}{A}R}{A}<=
17 No point playing 'Rose garden' on this instrument (4,5) REED ORGAN {ROsE+GARDEN}*
19 A treadmill, say for the coach (7) TRAINER [DD]
21 One that repeats nitrate compound (7) ITERANT*
23 E.M. Forster's novel 'With a heart of gold' (5) AURIC {mAURICe}
25 'Bit dry outside' is a short message (5) TWEET {T{WEE}T}

GRID

32 comments:

  1. Thanks for an enjoyable ride, Arden! Some great clues in there, especially 1a, 8d, 2d, and 12a. With AMNIOTIC FLUID and NULLIPARA, I thought we had an OB-GYN theme; with INNERVATE added, I though we had a medical theme overall, but neither lead seemed to proceed further.

    Thanks for the blog, DG.

    A few questions about some of the clues from an amateur setter's point of view (these are not complaints):
    - 28a: Would "Saint Harry" translate into 'saint' being harried?
    - 16a: Same question as DG - does 'funny' serve a purpose?
    - 10a: As far as I know, MUSIC (while having notes) is notated, not noted. Is the latter word used too?
    - 17d: "No point" could refer to any one of N, E, or S being left out of the fodder, reducing it to trial-and-error to figure out which of the three has to be omitted. Is this kosher in setting? (Luckily, there's no W in the fodder! :) )
    - 23d: Does "with a heart" suffice to indicate we are talking of the middle part of the word?

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    Replies
    1. Just to add that the answer in 17d is made easy because of the clue overall - my question relates only to whether it is okay to give a deletion indicator that can apply to more than one component of the wordplay.

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  2. 17d: From what I have read, I don't think it is necessary to indicate the precise 'point'. The solver may be expected to work a little before getting the fodder.Also, if there are two or more of the same letter to be discarded from fodder, leave it to Psolver to decide..

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  3. An enjoyable workout, a little tough though but not beyond reach.
    Happy to have done 1A,8D,5D & 16A.Missed nullipara & innervate and of course the samosa, but happy.

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  4. From an online dict:
    note, v., to set down in or furnish with musical notes.
    Check Infloplease in onelook

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  5. Is 'funnily' in 16A meant to direct us to Simpsons serial rather than any Simpson? Otherwise we don't get to the first name Bart.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, as CV notes below. Another famous Simpson you might recall is the one for who King George abdicated

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    2. Sorry, Edward, not George

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    3. Thank you Kishore & CV. History of English monarchs is quite complicated though I have read about some (out of interest and not during my education (when I cautiously avoided the subject as much as possible)

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  6. There are Simpsons and Simpsons (including a firm by that name in Chennai from the Raj days)...By including 'funnily' the clue-writer probably brings to our mind the comics character. In Tamil Nadu the acquisition of titles by politicians and poets is almost always funny for me. Trust I won't be hauled up.

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  7. In the clue as written I think 'with a heart' is fair enough to point to the answer.

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  8. 28a: To answer your question, 'Harry saint' could suggest anagramming saint. but it has to be 'Saint harried' for the same operation.

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  9. Phew ... ugh... at last, I have samosas. First time from ARDEN, I think. Thank you.

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  10. Thank you for your responses, CV - they are very helpful.

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  11. Thanks Arden... comparatively simpler today :) only had to confirm nullipara...for some reason i thought it was nellipara and had something to do with nellie the elephant :) some nice words ... really liked 12a. 28a wordplay is enjoyable. 8d is a cracker of a clue lovely surface. Didnt know about Maurice of EMForster .. but the wordplay and crossings lead to it decisively enough. Couple of interesting subtraction clues today... 10a 24a too... i am yet to really understand composite anagrams versus subtraction type clues which involve anagrams... are they the same?

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  12. Arden should consider setting despite the gremlins so that we are not deprived of gems like 27a. That clue alone is worth the admission into this puzzle.

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    Replies
    1. Looks like every one is singing 'Amazing Grace' today

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    2. Is there a danger that Arden might stop setting?!? That would be a sad day - I hope that is not what your post is suggesting! :(

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    3. Abhay:see yesterday's post & Arden's response to one of the clues

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    4. Thank you, Vasant. I hadn't visited the blog yesterday and had missed this exchange. Am now feeling terrible about raising all these questions: terrible timing! :(

      Arden, if you are reading this, please do not stop - your puzzles are a source of great joy!

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  13. What a lovely puzzle! It was delightful to solve & savour & treasure...The long ones especially Patriot say (1 A) ; the others equally enjoyable....thanks Arden..hope u continue regaling us with such gems

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  14. Lovely cw thanks to inclusive clues.1a- clues were like 1a landing me successfully on target.15 could trace after much difficulty.28 wonderful anagram . In fine we enjoyed an interesting & invigorating x'ie.Thank you Arden.

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  15. Congratulation to Aakash for winning The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition.
    A super clue by him :)

    http://www.andlit.org.uk/cccwc/resultspage.php?comp_no=98

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  16. Superb clue. Took a while for me to get its full import.
    Well done Aakash. Keep it up.

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