Tuesday 30 August 2016

No 11790, Tuesday 30 Aug 2016, Arden


ACROSS
1   Perhaps Iodine turns deep blue (8) SAPPHIRE {PERHAPS+I}*
5   Slender, not small — favourite of mine (6) LIMPET {sLIM}{PET}
10 Cover over Jane Austen's book maybe 'to be or not to be' (7) DILEMMA {LID<=}{EMMA}
11 Works in a company — is getting some capital (7) NICOSIA {IN+A+CO+IS}*
12 One from part of Karnataka, say, missing old dog (5) CORGI COoRG1
13 Kremlin's striking feature perhaps — I'm on one holding a party (5,4) ONION DOME {I'M+ON+ONE}* over {DO}
14 They believe everyone's equal over time – unruly Italians block road (12) EGALITARIANS {AGE<=}{LITA{R}IANS*}
18 One's responsible as one turns out to be crazy (12) INSTRUMENTAL {1+TURNS}*{MENTAL}
21 Bird picks most of the fruit without remorse (9) GUILLEMOT {LEMOn} in {GUILT}
23 First ring in, ring out and grind into small balls (5) PEARL {PEA{Ring}L}
24 It's true — paper back is a source of poison (7) REALGAR {REAL}{RAG<=}
25 Give the Spanish wine before first course (7) ELASTIC {EL}{ASTI}{Co...e}
26 However, makes it equal to zero (4,2) EVEN SO {EVEN S}{O}
27 Geological equilibrium, say it's so unstable (8) ISOSTASY*

DOWN
1   Spoke on service, reportedly to tempt (6) SEDUCE {~ said){SED}{UCE}(~ use}
2   Not enough to go with friend (6) PALTRY {PAL}{TRY}
3   Lulu sounds half German (9) HUMDINGER {HUM}{DIN}{GERman}
4   Data bank found just after you go through a note online (4-4,6) READ-ONLY MEMORY {READ}-{ONLY} {MEMO}{RY}
6   Old South American ancestry will throw some light (5) INCAN INCANdescent
7   History by word of mouth on the countryside (8) PASTORAL {PAST}{ORAL}
8   Tramlines don't allow man to go across (8) TRAVERSE {TRAm}{VERSE}
9   Dimness in disc isn't sent away (14) INDISTINCTNESS*
15 Comes back with cut fruits (9) REAPPEARS {REAP}{PEARS}
16 Something unmentionable as evergreen lake (8) LINGERIE {LING}{ERIE}
17 Reckon it's back after Middlesex team is formed (8) ESTIMATE {sEx+TEAM+IS}* (Addendum - (sEx}{IT'S<=}{TEAM}* - See comments)
19 It's repeated by some German trade delegation (6) MANTRA [T]
20 Gritty and first person to be so fortunate (6) PLUCKY {Pe...n}{LUCKY}
22 Reason for girl to raise capital (5) LAGOS {SO}{GAL}<=

GRID

22 comments:

  1. Good one. 21AC and 8DN took time. Thanks hARDEN.

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  2. a verse may contain a few lines.

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    Replies
    1. But Chambers says, LINE is:
      A verse, such as is usu written in one row

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  3. Guillemot was a struggle, but happy I was able to get it. Missed out on realgar & the unmentionable. Had an enjoyable solve. Thank you.

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  4. 17D Reckon it's back after Middlesex team is formed (8) ESTIMATE {sEx+TEAM+IS}*

    My take: {sEx}{STI<-}{MATE}*

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  5. Lovely puzzle!Hard in some parts but extremely enjoyable.
    Guillemot took a long time & so did Lingerie(are lingeries unmentionable?)
    Some definitions superbly done(eg elastic)
    Col: Thanks for an instructive blog once again

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    Replies
    1. All inner wears are supposed to be 'Unmentionables'. I think it is chiefly British.

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    2. Probably prudish Victorian practice?

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    3. From what I see in mag pics and films nowadays, I see so little that there is hardly anything to mention. So they can remain unmentionable.

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    4. Like the obnoxious looking Jockey ones! Male & female. Very soon for LGBTs too ?

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  6. Good one, Arden. REALGAR was the only one that needed referencing.

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  7. ouch.. got one wrong in an Arden ! Had limpet as tippet .. just not thinking fully :) read mine as mink.. parsing for traverse and incan rather rather clever.. got the answers but could not parse :) lingerie rather funny :) yeah Realgar was new but the wordplay was bang on ! Hmmm Arden.. :)

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  8. how is evergreen related to ling?

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  9. Sharon Akshay,

    Ling, is a common low-growing evergreen shrub (Calluna vulgaris) of the heath family that grows in carpet-like thickets on exposed ground

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  10. Guillemot and Realgar were new to me. Elastic was not very giving (did not realize give was the clue even after getting the answer!!! ) :) ... and yes, in today's world, there is nothing unmentionable... only politically correct and politically incorrect.

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  11. Good grid. a couple of new words for me - GUILLEMOT and REALGAR 19 and 22D didn't work for me. 19D delegation is superfluous and 22D is it raise or rise also cryptic reading seems a bit off to me... thank you for clarifying

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