ACROSS
1 Indifference to humour (6) PHLEGM [DD]
4 Plays matches without energy having eaten a small amount (7) GAMBITS {GAM{BIT}
8 Full of energy, police go back to arrest a lot of revolutionaries (7) DYNAMIC {MANY}<= in {CID}<=
9 Features beaches and deserts (7) STRANDS
11 Innovative smash! Advantage Leander finally (5-5) AVANT-GARDE {ADVANTAGE+
12 Radical involved in incendiary lawlessness (4) ARYL [T]
13 Caribbean cricketer securing victory needs grub (5) LARVA {LAR{V}A}
14 Plotted with rascal to acquire pill of ecstasy (8) CABALLED {CA{BALL}{E}D}
16 Feminine issue perhaps? Sleep on it! (8) MATTRESS
18 Returning to party at bar (5) LEVER <=
20 Not embarrassed about binders damaging number of books (1,1,1,1) ISBN {BIN
21 Punctually late? (4,2,4) DEAD ON TIME [CD]
23 Husband's boring, I hear? Worried (7) HARRIED {H}{ARRIED} (~arid)
24 Husband lacking in potency? Rushed inside with traveller (7) MIGRANT {MIG{RAN}
25 Have a quick look at appeal for protective winter gear (3,4) SKI MASK {SKI M}{ASK}
26 Means business (6) AGENCY [DD]
DOWN
1 It costs to watch Republican ignored in amazing party victory (3-2) PAY-TV {PA
2 Student gets slimmer to ensnare Romeo (7) LEARNER {LEA{R}NER}
3 What it usually costs to leave thankless wretch (5,4) GOING RATE {GO}{ING RATE}
5 Run into stake at cavern (5) ANTRE {ANT{R}E}
6 One boring commercial interrupts fight (7) BRADAWL {BR{AD}AWL}
10 Burglar's a jester perhaps (9) CRACKSMAN [DD
13 Swimmer garnering a lot of interest? (4,5) LOAN SHARK [CD]
15 Charge to be paid, a result of inflation? (9) BILLOWING {BILL OWING}
17 Puzzle time — Not a type of cryptic clue (7) TANGRAM {T}{AN
21 Refuse deposit (5) DREGS [DD]
22 Plenty having thousand! It's worthless (5) MANKY {MAN{K}Y}
GRID
10 Burglar's a jester perhaps (9) CRACKSMAN [DD?] Anno not clear
ReplyDeleteCracks a safe and cracks a joke
16 Feminine issue perhaps? Sleep on it! (8) MATTRESS Anno pending
ReplyDeleteMa's Tress?
Matter - masculine
ReplyDeleteMattress - feminine
(Not quite convincing, though)
Seems OK if we just consider the femine version and not masculine: MATTERESS ~ Mattress?
DeleteYes meant it as matter mattress (like tiger tigress)
DeleteIn English do such words have m/f forms?
DeleteOf course I agree it is not at all conventional Chaturvasi Sir. Thought long and hard about it but then decided to take a bit of cryptic liberty :)
DeleteFine. I am raising these questions only to provoke discussion.
Deletehttp://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=pill&title=thes
ReplyDeletePILL: tablet, capsule, lozenge, pellet, ball, bolus
Hi Sir 9A is MD, all three... features, beaches and deserts mean Strands
ReplyDeleteToday's crossword is yet another bungling by the setter who seems to be on a ego trip. Absolutely there is no semblance or relevance toost of the clues and a few guys are also not able to justify the solution. Totally it's a crap.
ReplyDeleteCan you list out specifically which clues bothered you? No point in just venting your frustration.
DeleteI too had a majority of blanks today but I cannot say that the clues were bad. All of them were very good.
Tx for your input!
DeleteTx Raghunath! :)
DeleteFor homophone clues its best to visit http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ where for each word you can listen to the US and UK pronunciation of that word (by clicking on the speaker symbol below that word) along with the phonetic symbols so its easy to compare words for their sounds.
ReplyDeleteToday's CW no. needs to be corrected as 12004.
ReplyDeleteCorrected thanks
DeleteIn yesterday's CW No.12003 I filled in the answer for 12A (Give in quietly, leaving women to rave) as pander and it showed up as correct. In the blot it is wander. Any views on this please?
ReplyDeleteI have amended the annotation in the blog based on the answer
DeleteThank you, Colonel.
DeleteCorrection: Blog
ReplyDeleteLovely crossword!Loved Mattress(i took it as mat meaning dull + tress which may be a feminine issue!)..Dead on time..et al.
ReplyDeleteTx Vasant!
DeleteBravo Dr. Nabar ! In a long time, I haven't done such a wonderfully refreshing and unusually clued cryptic puzzle. DEAD ON TIME is a drop dead clue ! If Ravi Cadambi has any PHLEGM, he can still have patience with the setter and be a 2 down and a better 10 down ! For cryptic puzzles are meant to be nerve-wracking and every solver should take them as a challenge from the compiler. Your creative effort is truly 11 across and 8 across. More power to your cerebral activity ! Look forward to a few more such refreshing change in the mood !
ReplyDeleteDear Raju... your humorous observations are always worth their weight in gold :)! I am really happy you had fun solving a puzzle that I quite enjoyed creating... Thanks again for your analysis and kind words!
DeleteVery enjoyable crossword. Some amazing surfaces like Bradawl and of course the MD. Couple of queries though
ReplyDelete1) Is amazing an acceptable anagrind?
2) In 8A, revolutionaries is used for reversal. While in the singular, it makes sense because it suits both the nounal and adjective forms, when used in plural the word does not give the same meaning.
Dear Shrikanth Sir,
Delete1) "Amazing" definitely is an anagram indicator. I can confirm it's listed in Chambers Crossword Dictionary.
2) I agree Revolutionaries (plural) does not give same meaning. Will avoid in future.
Thanks for your pointers! :)
After reading the answers, annie, I changed my mind about your Setting. It is brilliant. It is I who has to come on the same wave length as yours. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words!
DeleteToday's crossword is extremely barren,dry,no humour,no punch.May be lack of appreciation on my part due to my being below the highest standards? But of what avail?It should evince interest in the solvers,as they proceed from one correct solving to the other.Belive me,I could not take the cap of my pen to ink on it at least once.Dont write me off,since it is just only within one week,I could complete almost full one day.
ReplyDeleteI dont think Mr Karry is a beginner..he has been a commentator since long..
DeleteMy apologies then Mr. Karry... sorry it was a disappointing experience!
DeleteOn the other hand..Mr Karry should be apologetic...he didnt enjoy such an enjoyable & creative crossword
DeleteI am sure I am not alone.Thanks to Mr.Vasant for being apologetic on behalf of me.I stand my ground.I am not at all a beginner.But still I could not stand the above standard.My comments are aimed at the setter and not at any other,M/s Satyen Nabar and Vasant included.
DeleteThanks Doctor for giving us a very entertaining puzzle. Looking forward for many more.
ReplyDeleteTx a lot KKR!
DeleteThe grumblings are amusing!!!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteVery boring puzzle
ReplyDelete👍
ReplyDelete