HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY TO ALL THE WOMEN I KNOW
xChequer loves &lits
ACROSS
7 Beginner without any shortcoming? (6) NOVICE {NO}{VICE}
8 Clothes with broader weaves (8) WARDROBE {W}{BROADER}*
9 I divide to multiply in select case of medical regeneration (4,4) STEM CELL &lit
10 Wonder when a search engine's good for nothing (6) GOGGLE GO(-o+g)GGLE
11 Genuine male territory (5) REALM {REAL}{M}
12 Flunkey of Frenchman, fashionable Western leader (6) MINION {M}{IN}{NO 1<=}
14 Get back to work anew, as far as the term describes? (4,1,5,5) MAKE A FRESH START* {AS+FAR+AS+THE+TERM}* over {
17 Backward state, very poor market (6) PURVEY {UP<=}{VERY}*
18 Short spell without introduction of birth controls (5) CURBS {CUR{B}S
22 Clarify when king withdraws penalty (6) REFINE {ER<=}{FINE}
23 Take steps to reinforce inadequate action in political initiative (8) DEMARCHE {DE{MARCH}E
24 Way rent is looted (8) STRIPPED {ST}{RIPPED}
25 Maids about to leave families (6) LASSES
DOWN
1 Frequently held hostage by criminal, pleads to go easy (4-5) SOFT-PEDAL {OFT} in {PLEADS}*
2 Dark philosophy embraced by rebelling youth (6) DISMAL {ISM} in {LAD<=}
3 Continue, as a policy? (5) RENEW [C&DD]
4 Victorian runs in like a glutton (8) PRIGGISH {P{R}IGGISH}
5 Danger to migrating fish (8) DRAGONET*
8 Fancy that will drive need to fly (4,1,5,3) WELL I NEVER DID*
13 Sit and cheer jockey riding black pony (4,5) CRIB SHEET {SIT+CHEER}* over {B}
15 Express in full clip during departure (8) EXPLICIT {EX{CLIP*}IT}
16 Always look over shoulder, primarily after backing (3,5) FOR KEEPS {FOR} {PEEK<=}{S
19 Others supporting a French rebellion (6) UNREST {UN}{REST}
20 Qualifiers making haste (5) HEATS*
21 Process solid, extracting a metal (5) SMELT {S+MET
GRID
9A I divide to multiply in select case of medical regeneration (4,4) STEM CELL &lit
ReplyDelete{SELECT + M(-edica)L}*
Is it Womens Day or Women's day. Blogger didn't autocorrect it whereas Facebook autocorrected it to Women's Day
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it is an immense day for them. Congratulations and salutes to all of them, known and unknown.
DeleteUndoubtedly and adhering to all rules of grammar and usage it is Women's Day.
DeleteWomens Day is unacceptable.
DeleteMens day is acceptable?
DeleteYES, quite acceptable, if only it's Men's Day!
DeleteWe can have it on all 365!
Only 364 is possible as one has to be Women's day :-)
DeleteEvery day seems to be women's day out here...
DeleteNo common days, Col.?
DeleteGreat puzzle. I liked 16DN
ReplyDeleteIn the crosswords of some setters - xChequer and Buzzer, for example - we see a lot of work going into them. I should think that after thinking up a word breakup and writing the first draft, they don't tos it off. The clue is carefully revised time and again until it gets just that lift which might make us say 'wow'.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteAbsolutely.
DeleteLovely puzzle. Loved the & Lits and the long ones
ReplyDeleteMany clues were tricky, after finding the answer I enjoyed. Especially 2DN
ReplyDeleteIsm with lad= dismal is super.
Congratulations to Dr.Satyen Nabar for winning The Crossword Centre Clue-Writing Competition hosted by &lit. Great clue and well done!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Doctor.
DeleteDr only visits on Sundays....hope he turns up here & accepts the congratulations from all here
DeleteCol. can pass on through e mail to him on our behalf.
DeleteHe does comment on weekdays sometimes
DeleteThought of sharing a joke on Happy Women's Day....!
ReplyDeleteThomas is 32 years old and he is still single.
One day a friend asked, "Why aren't you married? Can't you find a woman who will be a good wife?"
Thomas replied, "Actually, I've found many women I wanted to marry, but when I bring them home to meet my parents, my mother doesn't like them."
His friend thinks for a moment and says, "I've got the perfect solution, just find a girl who's just like your mother."
A few months later they meet again and his friend says, "Did you find the perfect girl? Did your mother like her?"
With a frown on his face, Thomas answers, "Yes, I found the perfect girl. She was just like my mother. You were right, my mother liked her very much."
The friend said, "Then what's the problem?"
Thomas replied, "My father doesn't like her."
😀☺😁
DeleteThere, there MB!
DeleteYou have a nice one there, but on a Women's day?!
Happy Women's day to all women.
ReplyDeleteIs 9A an &LIT?
ReplyDeleteThe first half of the clue doesn't contribute to the Wordplay. I understand that for an &LIT, the Wordplay and Definition are one and the same. Something like :
Put a bit of salt in one's stew (6)
(by Exa)
9A works as a normal defn-WP clue for me.
What would be the definition in that case?
Delete'I divide to multiply' is the definition, since stem cells multiply by cell division.
Delete