Wednesday 30 March 2016

No 11663, Wednesday 30 Mar 2016, Lightning


ACROSS
1   Save criminal valet (8) CONSERVE {CON}{SERVE}
5   Swear by a fellow organisation (6) AFFIRM {A}{F}{FIRM}
9   Chapter we learn has to be rewritten by novelist (8)  LAWRENCE {C+WE+LEARN}*
10 Country ruled primarily by an extremist group in a state of distress (6) CRISIS {Co...y}{Ru..d}{ISIS}
12 A fight’s close (5) ABOUT {A}{BOUT}
13 Respect order to stop working at national church (9) OBEDIENCE {OBE}{DIE}{N}{CE}
14 Secret agent covering thousand international miles — not enough? (6) SKIMPY {S{K}{I}{M}PY}
16 Boss that makes a gent grow older by end of hour (7) MANAGER {MAN}{AGE}{houR}
19 Annoyance at communist disrupting prosperity (7) BOREDOM {BO{RED}OM}
21 Trade exposed resistance to accept final amendment (6) BARTER {BAR{a...nT}E}{R}
23 Most voters care for a change, respond strongly (9) OVERREACT {VOTERs+CARE}*
25 Celebrity packing one instrument (5) SITAR {S{1}TAR}
26 Optimistic of having an advantage, take a chance with second hand (6) UPBEAT {UP}{BE{hAnd}T}
27 German in middle-eastern territory to relocate (8) EMIGRATE {EMI{G}RATE}
28 Make a mistake next to a list of corrections (6) ERRATA {ERR}{AT}{A}
29 Returns to bury saint outside central cathedral (8) INTEREST {INTER}{c...E...l}{ST}

DOWN
1   Grab a leash (6) COLLAR [DD]
2   Novel delivery by East American (3,6) NEW YORKER {NEW} {YORKER}
3   Powerless authority to make a strenuous effort (5) EXERT EXpERT
4   Triumph of conservative after six by-elections essentially (7) VICTORY {VI}{b...C...s}{TORY}
6   One from outside in favour of admitting rule by earl (9) FOREIGNER {FO{REIGN}{E}R}
7   Glib sentry providing asylum to playwright (5) IBSEN [T]
8   Skill at shooting deer, perhaps with extremely negligible effort (8) MUSKETRY {MUSK}{n...lE}{TRY}
11 Side match (4) TEAM [DD]
15 Paintings from 20th century not marred by accident (6,3) MODERN ART*
17 Magnificent dog from Demark? (5,4) GREAT DANE {GREAT} {DANE}
18 A black substance that can be dissolved is pure (8) ABSOLUTE {A}{B}{SOLUTE}
20 Malicious person consuming ecstasy (4) MEAN {M{E}AN}
21 Border, say of British Isle thrust back at the start (7) BATSMAN {BATS<=}{MAN}
22 Stripe worn by father (6) PRIEST*
24 Remembered to supply a piece of wood (5) EMBER [T]
25 Proceed to institute legal proceedings against harbours, say (5) SEGUE {S{EG}UE}

GRID

21 comments:

  1. While solving it, I felt it was a tougher Incognito CW. Came to the blog and found out that it was a Lightning CW. This usually happens to me when Gridman transitions to Neyartha. I would solve more than half the crossword (or sometimes the whole CW) before realizing that it is a Neyartha CW and not a Grridman. Does this happen to others? Do you always look to see who the setter is before solving the CW?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A tougher Incognito? That creature doesn't exist

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    2. Does a tough Gridman make you think he is Grridman?

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    3. Surely not all Incognitos are born equal to all the solvers. So there should exist a tougher Inconito

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    4. Grridman is your coinage .... Ref your 9:14, as is the tough Inconito ! Incognito, but no good

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  2. Eeks.. missed out on batsman. Very nice clue for that i must say :) knew bitumen didnt make sense there :) nice clues overall

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  3. How can 2 persons land on bitumen knowing full well that it does not fit?! But it has happened. Yes, Border is neatly done.
    I thought I was on a hat trick after an easy Incognito, but alas!

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  4. I did not know 'Valet' is used as a verb as well until I filled in and checked for confirmation.

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  5. I wish I am able to do a TH CW without looking who the setter is. I should try it once, probably to remove the mental blocks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Knowing who the setter is, is actually helpful. Not sure why at times, I forget to look at who the setter is.

      Delete
  6. Thank you Lightning for the samosas. Why Incognito's quota is reduced?
    While sitting for solving, I first see who the setter is and then only proceed, immaterial of the so called the mental blocks.:)

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  7. Lightning fast..nice one
    I do first see who the setter is before solving..you generally know what to expect..

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  8. 17D Should it be DeNmark in the place of Demark?

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  9. Logging in late. Never knew it was Lightning's CW today!I was thinking rather wondering how come all of a sudden Incognito had raised the bar today! Nice one from Lighting...but no samosas!

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  10. I too see who the setter is before solving CW but didn't do so today because I was expecting the second one of Incognito's allotted quota!

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  11. I hope Incognito doesn't take cues from the blog and RAISE THE BAR!. If Gridman is tough, then what about Arden?. And who is the toughest of them all? I like the flavour, characteristic to each creator.

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