Laboured(sic) through this delivery(sic) from Scintillator and didn't enjoy the crossword one bit. Clues like 23A, 25A, were too convoluted for my liking.
ACROSS
1 Band to provide with weapons and permit (6) ARMLET {ARM}{LET}
4 A simple way to thwart shot in cricket (8) CROSSCUT {CROSS}{CUT} A simpler way would have been better
9 Semi-repetition is part of fitting formula (6) RECIPE {R{EC
10 Inertia, I see, does not stay during Christmas (8) NATIVITY
12 Greed shows through in a victory scramble (8) VORACITY*
13 Soldiers track missing baby (6) INFANT INFANT
15 Jubilant journalist quits to get out of office (4) LATE
16 Trusts on line-up so misplaced (6,4) RELIES UPON {RE}{LINE-UP+SO}*
19 Prescribe tots no pre-treatment in this medicine (10) OBSTETRICS {
20 Extract a nutritious secretion (4) MILK [DD]
23 Where it's regressive mistake to hit ball onto meshwork (6) TENNIS {TEN}{NIS}<= &lit
25 Football's leader database ropes in a champion in the interim (8) FINALIST {Fo...l}{IN}{A}{LIST} Why 'in the interim'?
27 My second lecturer guarded like a parent (8) MOTHERLY {M{OTHER}{L}Y}
28 Love to work on time – a long time (6) DOTAGE {DO}{T}{AGE}
29 Hang around with liberal pal, and ask to keep mouth shut (8) LALLYGAG {L}{ALLY}{GAG}
30 Newspapers' brain and heart, for example (6) ORGANS [DD]
DOWN
1 Newcomer finds established musician mostly a competitor (7) ARRIVAL {A}{R
2 Bhima's weapon tears miscreant and breaks up (9) MACERATES {MACE}{TEARS*}
3 Suppose former partner gave a quick kiss, say (6) EXPECT {EX}{PECT}(~ pecked)
5 Stray mad man found killed in Namma Metro supposedly (4) ROAM {
6 Blow up lens; miss being thin (8) SLIMNESS*
7 Comrade of a Communist nation (5) CHINA {CHIN}{A}
11 Three articles on Right that's fundamental (2,5) AT HEART
14 Interest in Britain is diminished for snack (7) BISCUIT {B}{IS}{CU{I}T}
17 She has one kid to dress up and a pair to be put in disguise (9) PRIMIPARA {PRIM}{A+PAIR}*
18 Consignment of French uniform (8) DELIVERY {DE}{LIVERY}
19 Upset, wishful Amit: "Potato sandwiches most desirable!" (7) OPTIMAL [T<=]
21 Baggage placed above somewhat nervous young ones (7) KITTENS {KIT}{TENS
22 Party work demanding physical effort (6) LABOUR [DD]
24 Native home one sold off in hill station (5) NATAL NA
26 People adept in giving excuse (4) PLEA [T]
11D- Does he mean 'RT' for right? Only then 3 articles may be justified- A,the & A with 'RT'.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with the convoluted Tennis for 23A.
8D- Is "Attempt bravely" the def.?
8D: Paddy, you are correct.
DeleteThank you KKR. At least, one of the many doubts cleared.
Delete10A- No indication to get C from see.
ReplyDeleteSince 'nativity' means birth, especially the place, conditions, or circumstances of being born, maybe that word too is part of the theme and needs to be highlighted.
ReplyDeleteNot a good serve today!
ReplyDeleteIn 23A, I am of the view that TEN is anagram (due to the presence of (mesh)work therein) rather than reverseT.
ReplyDelete...with mesh=net and work as anind? Maybe, that is what he had in mind.
Deleteregressive= Rev Ind
Deletemistake =Sin
to hit ball onto meshwork=Net (Verb)
'Regressive' for both sin & net?
Delete27A: L for lecturer as per Chambers Dic.
ReplyDeleteThanks KKR I was too tired to reconfirm from the dictionary
Delete15A : Out of office is one of the meanings of LATE, as per Chambers
ReplyDeleteI was late coming late, meaning 'I was late coming out of office' :-)
Deletewith nothing particularly bad abou it..a rather so so xword.. did not scintillate :(
ReplyDeleteCame to the puzzle late in the afternoon. The western corners went in quickly but struggled in the eastern corners.
ReplyDeleteI didn't find it that bad; in fact enjoyed a lot of clues..
Finalist..Until a winner is decided he may be considered a champion interim.
In that case anyone participating is a champion interim!!
Delete7D. Dictionary.com says china is informal (British and South African) for friend, companion. In that case this is a DD. How do we explain it as CHIN}{A}?
ReplyDeleteIt is what is called Cockney rhyming slang.
ReplyDeleteIn their 'pari bhashai', for a given word they use a phrase that rhymes with it so that listeners don't understand it.
For 'mate' they use 'china plate' which in due course may well be china.
The above is just an explanation for why comrade = china. I refrain from commenting on the clue.
ReplyDeleteOn second thoughts I will. It is intended as a DD with Comrade being one def and 'a communist nation' as another with the intrusive link 'of'.
ReplyDeleteSo 'a' is not part of word play. It needn't be colorised; only boldened and italicised.
I saw it as under
DeleteCHIN is an abbreviation for Chinese and Chinese being a national of China is referred to as Comrade
Thank you, Col. and Mr. Rishikesh.
Delete