ACROSS
1 Nun clarifies altered note of contract (4,9) LIFE INSURANCE {NUN+CLARIFIES}*{E}
8 Model image of Christ (4) ICON [CD]
9 Device Pole developed for vehicle (10) VELOCIPEDE*
11 Idol at Uttarakhand's capital got kidnapped by Yankee for art (8) STATUARY
12 Compromises career holidays (5-4) TRADE-OFFS {TRADE}-{OFFS}
14 I'll cultivate young plant (4) LILY {ILL*}{Y}
15 Step around insect (4) PEST*
16 President's best friend? (5,4) FIRST MATE [CD]
20 Woman rates horrible kiss two out of four being a sport (5,3) WATER SKI {W}{RATES}*{KI
23 Muscle meat suspended on pole (10) HAMSTRINGS {HAM}{STRING}{S}
24 Americans about to invade territory (4) AREA {A}{RE}{A}
25 D-dense tailless aquatic creature needs oxygen to release chromosomes (5,8) HEAVY HYDROGEN {HEAVY} {HYDR
DOWN
1 State brought up detailed question on resin (7) LACQUER {CAL<=}{QUER
2 Definite outcome (5) FINAL [DD]
3 Vicuna moved to zoo ultimately — that's not in the natural environment (2,5) IN VACUO {VICUNA*}{
4 I and planning leader got killed by scum oddly offering independence (4-11) SELF-SUFFICIENCY {SELF}-{(+S
5 Ethnic radicals plotted duke's murder (6) RACIAL RA
6 United Nations put mine to manufacture radioactive element (9) NEPTUNIUM {UN+PUT+MINE}*
13 Butcher said "yes" softly for stomach problem (9) DYSPEPSIA {SAID+YES+PP}*
15 Measure line, say with a ruler (7) PHARAOH {PH}{ARAOH}(~a row)
17 Finance kid's purchase of small plot with gold (7) SPONSOR {S{P
18 Exchange vehicle using 50% off deal (5-2) TRADE-IN {TRA{DE
19 Remove top handle of waste container that's awry (6) ASTRAY AS
22 Starts prepping records and notices going for a raid (5) PRANG Acrostic
GRID
11a st(at)(u)at(y)
ReplyDeleteSorry. Idol=star
DeleteYou mean- ST[(AT)(U)AR]Y
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteI am still struggling with autocorrect of new tablet.
Had problem in SW corner, paticularly Dyspepsia.
ReplyDeleteNeptunium was good. Got a doubt whether the planet is named after the element or the other way round. Ultimately both are named after Greek Gods- Uranus,Neptune,Pluto...
23AC: Suspended = String?
ReplyDeleteI think that should lead us to strung, right?
+1
DeleteEnjoyed doing the nice CW.
ReplyDeleteVelocipedes- so many of them! Water ski picture is good.
A quick solve with so many anagrams..biffed most of them...
ReplyDeleteusu. BIFD - bunged in from definition
DeleteYes Sir, thanks. Commentators in Times for times usually write biffed..but as pointed by you BIFD is correct
Delete11 Idol at Uttarakhand's capital got kidnapped by Yankee for art (8) STATUARY
ReplyDelete24 Americans about to invade territory (4) AREA {A}{RE}{A}
What is the general opinion about these two clues?
Is the cryptic instruction logical?
Or do we have to supply some words mentally in order to be able to solve the clues?
E.g., the second clue:
Americans about to invade territory
The surface reading is excellent.
SI? Take A A (Americans), RE (about) is to be put in it (invade) and you will get AREA(territory).
Shouldn't the instructions follow logically without our having to look at disparate elements and doing some operations vaguely?
To explain further,
ReplyDeletelet's say "Americans overwhelm engineer" - surface reading
A(RE)A - we get the SI or cryptic reading quite naturally, logically, step by step
Am I making myself clear?
I do not have a problem with 11. If I put a comma after idol and one after kidnapped it would be okay.
DeleteI agree with you on 24. It is not a construction I like
A setter's job is difficult, isn't it..in a few words you have to make a plausible surface, grammar has to be correct, SI or WP should be imaginative
DeleteIn both cases above I found it no problem