Tuesday, 31 October 2017

No 12150, Tuesday 31 Oct 2017, Incognito


It's the end of the first Wizarding War today. (Thanks to Google)

ACROSS
8   Ferocious carnivore's mark of injury (4) SCAR [T]
9   Old student's priest gets daggers (5) OBELI {OB}{ELI}
10 Hand over money to cover Riddle's penultimate drama (4) PLAY {P{r..dLe}Y}
11 Gad! Ron's turned into a legendary creature (6) DRAGON*
12 Housekeeper moulded hard clay (8) CHARLADY*
13 Coaches may be found near this dais (8) PLATFORM [DD]
15 At home, little sister starts to take a firm stand (6) INSIST {IN}{SIS}{To}
17 State's old media (7) EXPRESS {EX}{PRESS}
19 Endlessly lunges in Don's prison (7) DUNGEON {D{lUNGEs}ON}
22 Rubber found in Riviera seraglio (6) ERASER [T]
24 Complicated MIT poser for pretender (8) IMPOSTER*
26 Attend to clergyman around 1 (8) MINISTER {MIN{1}STER}
28 Elixir container No.1 returned (6) POTION {POT}{NO1<=}
30 Leaders of explorers prosecuted in China? That's a long story! (4) EPIC Acrostic
31 Trouble prince (5) HARRY [DD]
32 Evil mutation is still despicable (4) VILE*

DOWN
1   Maple: Initially, a Canadian emblem, right? (4) ACER Acrostic
2   More intelligent boy's correct English reading (8) BRIGHTER {B}{RIGHT}{E}{R}
3   Carried nothing to island (6) BORNEO {BORNE}{O}
 Gladly receive leading witch and a couple of elves accompanied by tailless space traveller (7) WELCOME {Witch}{ELves}{COMEt}
5   Sweet French friend follows last robber wearing crumpled suit (8) TIRAMISU {r...eR}{AMI} in {SUIT*} Most popular sweet amongst CW Setters
6   Lists letters of 'Abracadabra', 'Alohomora', 'Riddikulus' and the like (6) SPELLS [MD]
7   For starters, wizard Aditya nullified Draco's magic baton (4) WAND Acrostic
14 Gallivanting begum left Luxembourg building for Egyptian city (5) LUXOR LUXembOuRg Building was not required
16 Some ships to Netherlands rock (5) STONE [T]
18 Damaged yachts sailing around Costa Rica (8) SCRATCHY {S{CR}ATCHY*}
20 Vets Goa's fantastic range (3,5) GAS STOVE*
21 Sign on line in newspaper's morgue, for example (7) LIBRARY {LIBRA}{RY}
23 Ishan releases first attacker and goes round to capture Gaunt's final college informer (6) SNITCH {ISHaN} over {g..nT}{C}
25 Couple of letters from Parvati Patil about an unknown fruit (6) PAPAYA {PAr...i}{P{A}{Y}Atil}
27 Rascals, I am at police station (4) IMPS {I'M}{PS}
29 Billy Bunter's leaves the messengers at Hogwarts? (4) OWLS [DD] Why leaves? (Addendum - {OWL}{S} - See comments)

GRID

55 comments:

  1. Thank you Kishore for hand-holding me through your nice clues and made me to solve within 20mins.

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    Replies
    1. +1.
      Wish he sets more for IXL- so we can be sure of our answers and do it fast as well!

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    2. Thanks. Some may feel it is not tough enough for a competition...

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    3. I don't know. He hides things from Incognito

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  2. I'm off to Sri Lanka for a 6 day holiday starting tonight. Expect some delays in the posts in case I run into wi-fi problems, though all the hotels where we are staying have promised free wi-fi

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    Replies
    1. Happy Journey!Have an enjoyable trip

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    2. Have a good trip and enjoy.
      Admire your commitment to 8.30 schedule- come rain or shine,from wherever you are thanks to Wi fi.

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    3. Have a great time! And polish up your Surangani!

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    4. Brings to mind the good old song 'Surangani...'

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    5. Have a great holiday, Colonel!

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  3. 29d billy bunter is owl. Leave s from messengers(owls) to get owl.

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    Replies
    1. Billy Bunter is The Owl ...

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    2. oh, that way....isn't he the fat owl of the remove.

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    3. So, leaves have to be read as leave S?

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    4. no. I am not in synch with THE setter.

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    5. That indeed is the full title in all its glory. The intended anno is:

      THE OWL'S - THE = OWLS

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    6. The gloriousness of the title is terrific! - as our mutual friend Hurree (Harry?!) Jamset Ramsing would say

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    7. :-)
      Sometimes I miss the significance of articles (a,an,the) in clues.
      Thank you.

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  4. Replies
    1. Strictly speaking, it is not. If not already identified, theme will be clearer when more theme words and clues get identified. But yes, it is a happy coiyit turned up on Hallowe'en

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    2. James and Lilly killed. Harry got the scar. (the cursed child?)

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  5. Dear JM Sir,

    Well and wish to hear the same from you.

    Reached Dulles after an EPIC journey.
    Oh Boy! The thermocole MINISTER was seated near us. Safe journey but lost my LUXOR pen. Maybe some VILE person took it. I know not. It does not matter
    because my son-in-law will get me many papermates.(Sir is it papermates or playmates?) Enjoyed watching Enter the DRAGON during the flight. It was nice to see a old lady sitting near the exit and saying " WELCOME to the United States of America to each one of us.

    Thanks for your tips. I know I can borrow any number of books from the LIBRARY. Will get the HARRY Potter books. I shall teach grammar to my grandson and see to it he SPELLS it right. I remember and will say "To err is human. Always have an ERASER handy".
    You said not to say rubber but I forgot to ask you why.
    You left no STONE unturned and gave much information. My wife will not ask petrol for the GAS STOVE. Sa sa ri ri ga ga ma ma PA PA. YA she will teach carnatic music and get dollars. She is excited and cant wait to see the CHARLADY arrive in her own car!!. She is keen to learn to PLAY rummy.

    With your encouragement we are out of the DUNGEON for six months and can enjoy TIRAMISU when taken to P F Changs.

    Nothing more to pen. Actually typed on my new ACER laptop.

    Keep writing Sir.

    Yours in friendship

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    Replies
    1. The thermocole minister?! Ha, ha!

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    2. The IRS is definitely interested in getting its hands on some of those dollars ...

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    3. There are surely several JM fans here, but did you catch the Mrs JM column a couple of weeks back?

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    4. No. Began reading only last Sunday after seeing your comments elsewhere...

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    5. Initially, i did not get the JM part until some Bootham gave me the tip.
      Yes, I have been reading his letters for a while now and enjoy his writing...and all.
      Best of CGB so far. But I still don't get the thermocole part.

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    6. There was a news item a few months back of a TN minister spreading thermocole on a lake to prevent evaporation...

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    7. Yes, I remember. Thank you Kishore.

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  6. Thanks Incognito for a quick and enjoyable crossword today - a walk in the park!

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  7. Please have a go at my Hallowe'en special at

    http://www.1across.org/2017/10/31/boo/

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  8. Thanks incognito.Harry potter theme was enjoyable..

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  9. Good, entertaining grid Kishore Sir!

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  10. Loved the Harry Potter theme - thanks Incog!
    MINISTER (from the Ministry of Magic), LIBRARY (which Hermione visits often to learn of Polyjuice potions and stuff), EPIC (the whole series!) also fit the theme IMO :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Ramki. Yes, they do. Also IMPS. In addition to Riddle, Draco, Gaunt and Parvati Patil in the clues.

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  11. Bon Voyage Col: Have a great holiday ! The ever peripatetic Col ! When will your lust for wander rest ? But Vasant is for ever on Busman's holiday ! Isthere any town that he has not visited ?

    I am perpetually pathetic staying put in Koyamuthur !

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    Replies
    1. Thank you.
      Look who's talking. Who went to Japan and the US?

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    2. Those were not holidays but call of parental duty, may I say ? I don't like holidays and extesive travels, especially in these days of advance booking and hassles at the airports, not to speak of the high costs.

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  12. Enjoyed the HP theme
    thank you :)

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