Friday, 14 April 2017

No 11981, Friday 14 Apr 2017, Dr. X


HAPPY VISHU AND TAMIL NEW YEAR DAY



ACROSS
1   Making taunting remarks at winter sport (8) SLEDGING [DD]
5   Predicament of bridge opponents holding rubbish (6) SCRAPE {S}{CRAP}{E}
10 Exposed due to malfunction (5) OUTED*
11 Idle chatter that’s dangerous for batsmen (4,5) CHIN MUSIC [DD] New term for me. 
12 One informing you when to come off guard duty? (9) STOPWATCH {STOP}{WATCH} Semi&lit
13 Extremist involved in shameful tragedy (5) ULTRA [T]
14 Get energy swallowing ecstasy (6) DERIVE {D{E}RIVE}
15 Maturity perhaps lacking a natural element (7) YTTRIUM MaTURITY*
18 Husband irritates leading to problems (7) HITCHES {H}{ITCHES}
20 Pilot turning around Sweden adjusts to original position (6) RESETS {STE{S}ER<=}
22 One in labour almost! Return with medicine bottles (5) VIALS {SLA{1}Ve}<=
24 Don't worry about study having rodents (5,4) NEVER MIND {NE{VER MIN}D<=}
25 Restrict consumption of alcohol! What’s the logic? (9) RATIONALE {RATION}{ALE}
26 Fantasies — remove clothes from head to toe (5) TRIPS (-s)TRIP(+s)S
27 Seduces ladies? Am not about to be modest (6) DECOYS {DamE{COY}S}
28 Heat is an irritant, leads to lack of energy (8) ASTHENIA*

DOWN
1   Strange piousness? No sin mingling with partner (6) SPOUSE PiOUsnESS*
2   Outgoing old ranger enters race (9) EXTROVERT {EX}{T{ROVER}T}
3   Flunk school subject to be remembered (2,4,2,7) GO DOWN IN HISTORY [DD]
4   One formally hanging around to kiss couple (7) NECKTIE {NECK}{TIE}
6   What diver with skin rash may do to meet required standards (4,2,2,7) COME UP TO SCRATCH [DD]
7   Like to establish strong point (5) ASSET {AS}{SET}
8   Comes out with allegation in sex scandal (8) EXCLAIMS {EX{CLAIM}S*}
9   Momentous forgetting wife’s number (6) EIGHTY wEIGHTY
16 Perception is that’s how teachers make extra money? (9) INTUITION {IN}{TUITION}
17 Shuddered? Ive worn a thin scrap (8) SHIVERED {SH{IVE}RED}
19 One going on foot caught escaping offence (6) SANDAL ScANDAL
20 Magazines to look at during short break (7) REVIEWS {RE{VIEW}St} Magazine/Review ? See comments
21 Lyrical poem by fool about city (6) ODESSA {ODE}{ASS<=}
23 Clown scratching bottom, acting silly (5) ANTIC ACTINg*

GRID

40 comments:

  1. Tricky puzzle.

    Heard about Chin music during cricket commentary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the bouncer, but did not know about idle chatter

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  2. Yes, tricky, but enjoyable. Agree with Raghu on 'Idle chatter'. Able to get it only due to crossings.
    Happy Tamil New Year's Day & Vishu to all.
    Thank you Col. for your wishes.

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  3. REVIEW: magazine, periodical, journal from http://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=review&title=21st#

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Tamil New Year's Day & Vishu to all.
    Lovely puzzle. Loved Go Down In History, Come Up To Scratch,Chin Music.
    Some clues made you smile with their witty surface. Thanks DrX.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. intuition & eighty too..wondering what would happen if one forgets one's wife's number

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    2. I needn't worry! My wife has no number.

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    3. Forgetting wife's number? How many wives?

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    4. KKR did not notice the apostrophe! Purposely?

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    5. One wife may have many numbers, my dear Koti.

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    6. Tx Vasant and Happy Tamil New Year all :)

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  5. Vishu and Tamil new year greetings to all.

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  6. There are journals on specialist subjects containing mostly serious articles by academics and scholars. One might be called The Literary Review. Magazine is OK; maybe 'journal' might have been better.
    This is only in reply to the Comment.
    As I read the clues and saw the answers I felt that the surface reading of many clues in this puzzle is excellent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Chaturvasi Sir! Your words mean a lot!

      Delete
  7. Necktie was nice too. Lateral thinking is needed for solving many clues.

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  8. Greetings to you all on Tamil New Year and Vishu.
    Thanks Dr.X for the treatment given to many clues.

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  9. Vishu & Tamil New Year greetings to all.

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  10. Happy Tamil / Bengali New Year and Vishu to all!
    Very nice crossword - thanks Dr!
    GO DOWN IN HISTORY was my COD

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  11. Happy New Year wishes to all our friends in this blog.
    Enjoyed the crossie, Doc. Very nice.

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  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chin_music

    Hi guys... providing a reference to different meanings of the term Chin Music

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  13. Felt happy on having completed the puzzle. Quite tricky but enjoyable at the same time. Thanks, Doc. :)

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  14. 2 Outgoing old ranger enters race (9) EXTROVERT {EX}{T{ROVER}T}

    Does TT stand for Trinidad & Tobago... A country = race, please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Race = TT (Chambers). Stands for international Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy). Its the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world held annually at Isle of Man.

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    2. Thank you Doc. for the interesting piece of info. Did not know that though I was following motorcycle races along with F1 some time back.

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  15. Happy Tamil new year & Vishu to all !

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  16. Two long clues, involving movments in the opposite direction of the other! Nice clues.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes started the grid with them :) Tx Raghunath Sir!

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    2. Not to detract from it but just to record:
      Often, I have used in two symmetrical slots phrases that had opposites as part of them.
      Sometimes the same grid had two/three such instances.
      Of course, these will be put in long slots before the crossings take a character of their own.
      In my DB, I have not marked any grid for its feature (pangram, etc), so I am afraid I can't cite instances.

      Delete
  17. Dr X has given a delicious Vishu & Tamil New year feast for the mind !He should appear here more often for us to get used to his mind-jugglery. Superb word play.

    Particularly enjoyed cracking 29 across,6 down, 9 down and 12 across. Thanks Dr Nabar. God bless you.

    Happy Vishu to the Colonel and others who celebrate it and Tamil New Year to ye-all .

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  18. How did you manage to crack 29 A?! None of us could.

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  19. I meant 26 across= I am a bit dyslexic , you see, Paddy !

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