Wednesday 9 August 2017

No 12081, Wednesday 09 Aug 2017, xChequer


ACROSS
7   Say tin, and lid of tin having official seal (6) CACHET (~cash){CACHE}{Tin}
8   Deal non-negotiable, bail originally granted unlikely to be revoked — most probably (3,2,3) TEN TO ONE {NON-NEgOTiablE}* There's an extra N and one less T in the fodder. With the present arrangement we get TEN ON ONE
9   Talk improperly when young lady's high (8) MISSPEAK {MISS}{PEAK}
10 Old drinking container, horn shaped without base, yet preserved (6) RHYTON {YeT} in {HORN}* Can without base mean losing the middle? See comments
11 Dog with small jaw (5) STALK {S}{TALK}
12 Excellent vehicle, looking back on length of race (6) RACIAL {A1}{CAR}<={L}
14 Kindness always, not your present challenge on any occasion? (5,1,5,4) NEVER A CROSS WORD {NEVER} {A CROSSWORD}
17 Governor's role revolving on it (6) SATRAP {SA}{PART<=}
18 Knight and page return, having saved good old maids (5) PRIGS {SIR}{P}<= over {G}
22 Oracle received in the morning delivery (6) SEAMER {SE{AM}ER}
23 Unfortunately the bell rings, ending in decision becoming dead intent (4-4) HELL-BENT {THE+BELL}* around {iN} (Correction - {THE+BELL}* around {d...oN} - See comments)
24 Arrogant against perhaps the greatest in running race (8) CAVALIER {CA{V}{ALI}ER*}
25 Swindles male caught in frenzied lust (6) MULCTS {M}{UL{C}TS*}

DOWN
1   Orders irate constituents to get involved in battles (9) VARIETIES {V{IRATE*}IES}
2   Tool to swindle (6) CHISEL [DD]
3   Say abstract symbol of strength (5) STEEL (~steal)
4   Crossing river certainly requires guts (8) ENTRAILS {ENT{R}AILS}
5   Major upset with bloody terrible black and white films (4,4) BODY BLOW {BLOODY+B+W}* (Correction - {BLOODY}* in {B}{W} - See comments)
6   Animated films brought back high hat (5) SNOOT<=
8   Pause after shot — a 6? (4,1,8) TAKE A BREATHER {TAKE} {A} {BREATHER}
13 Start eating or I hit (9) ORIGINATE*
15 Obvious mark from mate, yes a scratch (4,4) EASY MEAT*
16 Rock in space with a banned drug (8) ASTEROID {A}{STERIOD}
19 Josh — working lad in locker-room (6) RIBALD {RIB}{LAD}*
20 Rejecting education, provide eggs for stall (5) DELAY {ED<=}{LAY}
21 Rap on table, essentially disturbing meal (5) BLAME {taBle}{MEAL}*

GRID

43 comments:

  1. 10A: I read it as
    HORN* around Y-T (without base => remove E, base of natural logarithms)
    "preserved" is the container ind

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. 8a non-> not

      Then the hyphen doesn't make sense.

      Delete
    2. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/non?q=non-

      Delete
    3. Then it's unfair for an anagram. Substituting and then anagramming.

      Delete
  3. Far easier offering!Enjoyable solve.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 8D: Shot = TAKE (noun form)
    6 refers to 6D=>SNOOT which means nose => BREATHER
    Correct?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. I read it same and as Col has annotated

      Delete
    2. snoot noun, slang the nose.

      http://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=snoot&title=21st

      Delete
  5. 5 Major upset with bloody terrible black and white films (4,4) BODY BLOW {BLOODY+B+W}
    B(ODY,BLO*)W

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is surely a better offering than yesterday.
    Thanks Xchequer!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you Vasant, Ramki & Prasad for the anno of 10A

    ReplyDelete
  8. 10 Old drinking container, horn shaped without base, yet preserved (6) RHYTON

    Echequer managed the word play to suit the shape of the container!

    ReplyDelete
  9. If TIN = CASH = CACHE, can we call that an indirect homophone?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As per thefreedictionary CACHE is pronounced as Cash.
      Cachet is pronounced as cash +a like Sashay so not sure of the HP

      Delete
    2. Most of hps are indirect..except for those of Buzzer's..he mentioned once that he avoids using indirect hp

      Delete
    3. What I meant to write at 10:09 above is

      TIN = CASH ~ CACHE

      Delete
    4. Yes Sir..it is indirect
      E.g. this clue from Gridman..THC 12069..
      Time to retire reported by Sir (6)
      Time to retire=night=~knight

      Delete
  10. Clarifications
    17A - where's does the SA come from?
    23A - is 'rings' an anagram indicator?
    25A - what indicates the picking of m and c from male caught?
    20D - what indicates the reversal of ed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 17A:it=SA=sex appeal
      23A: unfortunately is the anagram indicator..rings is containment indicator
      25A: both are standard abbreviation..no indication is reqd
      20D Rejecting is the reversal indicator

      Delete
  11. 23A- N comes from 'ending in decision'? Then the def. is only 'Becoming dead intent', which sounds right.
    My performance def. better than yesterday, but I took my time including a breather.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 20D- 'ED" for education is also a std. abbreviation?

    ReplyDelete
  13. 14 acoss: If any one tells me that, I'll have to cross swords with them !

    8 down: Exchequer doesn't allow us to do this, when we are at his crosswords.

    Strangely, I went at these two jugulars and then took 8 down for the others. When one is engaged with the wits of Exchequer, one needs to 8 down to come back afresh for further mental calisthenics.

    I wouldn't agree that the Hindu is the best but the compilers here are !

    ReplyDelete
  14. Awful . Decided not to waste time solving xChequer's puzzles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AWful? YOU DIDN'T TRY FULLY !! HAVEN'T YOU HEARD OF A DOG WITH A BONE?

      Delete
    2. It's definitely not a waste of time Sundaram. You cannot become a Phd without going through the various levels. There is nothing awful in the CW. Would you term an examination question paper as awful, if you are unable to answer the questions?

      Delete
    3. Mine was not totally a sour grapes story! I could manage to get half a dozen grapes!! And they turned out to be sweet!!!

      Delete
    4. I took the help of some RED letters while solving on line and got a few more. One gets to solve or at least attempt different types.

      Delete
  15. Tried posting earlier didn't work as I'm traveling abroad. Sorry about 8a. Mistake. Should have been not negotiable ilo non-negotiable. Don't know how that's happened, must have been my typo while submitting. Apologies

    ReplyDelete

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