Friday 10 March 2017

No 11951 Friday 10 Mar 2017, Dr. X


Welcome Dr X, the new setter for The Hindu.

ACROSS
1   Student involved in strikes complains (6) BLEATS {B{L}EATS}
4   Leaves industry? (7) TOURISM [CD]
8   Overpowered by small loan owed at the start of December (7) SUBDUED {SUB}{DUE}{De...r}
9   Boisterous verbosity? Not so — Quite the reverse! (7) BREVITY VERBosITY* Semi&lit
11 Leave it to luck or remove round lumps at first sign of sepsis (4,6) DRAW STRAWS {DRAW} {WARTS<=}{Se...s}
12 Limit! Government scraps thousand (4) REIN REIgN
13 Concern about daughter's core group (5) CADRE {CA{D}RE}
14 Disheartened, burst into tears following curtailed flow of cash (8) CURRENCY {CURRENt}{CrY}
16 Terrible time for faulty repair (3,5) BAD PATCH {BAD} {PATCH}
18 Nothing in cash? Terrible confusion (5) CHAOS {0} in {CASH}*
20 Very much in good health to run (4) WELL [DD]
21 Beat record under pressure? (6,4) STRESS TEST [CD]
23 Random criticism of funds illegally obtained (7) POTSHOT {POTS}{HOT}
24 Puppet dismisses case of brutality? Terrible (7) TITULAR bRUTALITy*
25 Observes former partner going in with extremely alluring ladies (7) SEXPOTS {S{EX}POTS}
26 Tense at border (2,4) ON EDGE [DD]

DOWN
1   Further down, confusion about last clue (5) BLUER {BLU{cluE}R}
2   Given money, aim to get ring and marry (7) ENDOWED {END}{O}{WED}
3   Bankrupt finally! Enter ATM desperately for remedy (9) TREATMENT {b...pT}{ENTER+ATM}*
5   Plants some cook rashly (5) OKRAS [T]
6   Undo misadventure (7) REVERSE [DD]
7   Put rooks for e.g. at corners (3,6) SET PIECES {SET} {PIECES}
10 Walk and run with Alice's companion (5,4) MARCH HARE {MARCH} {HARE}
13 Single after husband's involved in romp with escort (9) CHAPERONE {C{H}APER}{ONE}
15 Decline time off, one's working (9) RECESSION {RECESS}{1}{ON}
17 Criticizes lure of drink (5,2) PULLS UP {PULL}{S UP}
19 India's finally in good shape having absorbed initially terrible shock (7) ASTOUND {i..iA}{S{Te...e}OUND}
21 Speak pompously on jet (5) SPOUT [DD]
22 Staff to cut costs? About time (5) STAVE {S{T}AVE}

GRID

45 comments:

  1. +1.
    Enjoyed solving it. Thank you.

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  2. Welcome Dr X!
    Enjoyable grid 😊

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  3. On one of our Tamil TV channels we have a late-night programme which is a phone-in talk show.Readers can ask initmate questions on sex life and the answers are provided by a doctor, whose real name is mentioned/displayed. The programme itself is called
    Dr. X.

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  4. Hi everyone... I would like to thank Col. Gopinath and Chaturvasi Sir for their enthusiastic guidance, encouragement and help... I am indebted to all you folks following this blog for your bouquets and brickbats for my Sunday Specials :)... I seek your blessings for the Cryptic journey ahead...!

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    Replies
    1. Congratulations Doc, all the very best! Great debut!
      As for the blessings, you can have them three times daily, one before breakfast, one before lunch...

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    2. Ha Ha! Hilarious Tx Ranger :)

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  5. I just now notice (25d) that this Dr X is not averse to the S subject.

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  6. A fresh whiff of air from Dr X. Dr Who? or is it Mr. X in Bombay? An Xray machine is required to see through. Or is it the same Dr X Cv is referring to? By the way, how late night is late night, CV? No prohibitory orders from the LOH? Is there something similar to child (Block ) for adults?



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  7. PS .. Leaves industry? TOURISM as a CD? I got the word by interconnected and instinct deduction.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Raju!...Industry based on leaves... leaves as in holidays :)and tx!

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    2. This is what I termed as a fresh whiff of air and Naberish !

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  8. The fresh whiff of air was familiar and I saw through the Xray as a few clues were very much Naberish !

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  9. Dr X makes a superb debut!
    Congrats Dr.Loved the puzzle.
    Also many congrats on winning the &Lit clue writing competition

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    Replies
    1. Tx Vasant!... it was indeed exhilarating to win such a high-level contest:)

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  10. Good cryptic, Dr.X. Well done.

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  11. Dr X has highlighted many current topics through his crossword. Demonetisation ill effects, pak border firing, sepsis and what not. Even with solved clues many words are Greek and Latin to me. May be when I get accustomed to more, can solve and enjoy.

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    Replies
    1. Tx Xavier... it was intentional:) There is indeed a learning curve for cryptics... but it keeps getting easier over time...so keep at it!

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  12. Congrats and all the best, Doc! Nice crossy!

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  13. Welcome DrX. Congratulations on a superb debut! Keep them coming!

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  14. Well done Dr X. Keep them coming

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  15. Lovely puzzle for a debut, doc!

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  16. Welcome Dr X. Its a century on debut. Lovely crossword. Looking forward for more.

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  17. Dear Col. Gopinath, I had originally intended 20A as MD... but I see it does seem like a DD now in retrospect!
    Very much
    In Good health
    To Run

    Anyways all's WELL that ends well :)

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  18. Welcome, Dr.X! I am reminded of the ease and pleasure of solving Sankalak's puzzles!

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    Replies
    1. Welcome PP after a long time. Hope you are doing fine.
      If you had been looking into the Sunday Specials, Dr. would not be a stranger. His puzzles have always been interesting to solve. New only to TH.

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    2. Tx PP! And Padmanabhan... That is high praise indeed! Made my day... I mean night :)

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