Tuesday 28 November 2017

No 12174, Tuesday 28 Nov 2017, Arden


ACROSS
1   Gloomy end for the players (8) OVERCAST {OVER}{CAST}
5   Farmer in Oklahoma corrals his sheep (6) MERINO [T]
10 Here the Turks are against old church (7) ANTIOCH {ANTI}{O}{CH}
11 International event arranged, I go in as I'm called (7) INVITEE {I}{NV{I}TEE*}
12 Money — not happy over uniform investment (5) EUROS {SOR{U}E}<=
13 Good to allow his entry for spreading seeds (9) DEHISCENT {DE{HIS}CENT}
14 Process of assigning to another person at the exact place (12) REALLOCATION {REAL}{LOCATION}
18 Put my set under hearts and diamonds as he fell from his perch (6,6) HUMPTY DUMPTY {H}{PUT+MY}* {D}{PUT+MY}*
21 Country music is sad, one can tell (9) BLUEGRASS {BLUE}{GRASS}

23 Usual tips while raising a cat — it will shed hair (5) MOULT {UsuaL} in {TOM<=}
24 It's bound to affect, surely (2,5) NO DOUBT*
25 Harry Smith led us to a narrow strip of land (7) ISTHMUS {SMITH*}{US}
26 Second best, but it's funny (6) SCREAM {S}{CREAM}
27 Iodine transported, strange it didn't react (5,3) INERT GAS {I}{STRANGE*}

DOWN
1   Over time the monarch became an ass (6) ONAGER {ON}{AGE}{R}
2   Characters text or ring, as told (6) EXTORT* As told? (Addendum - (~wring) - See comments)
3   Snow drift in the peak, look out! (5,4) CROWS NEST {CR{SNOW*}EST}
4   Organised group exploited historically (9,5) SCHEDULED CASTE {SCHEDULED} {CASTE} &lit
6   Vessel at sea, keeps out small mischief makers (5) ELVES VEsSEL*
7   Troublesome, mean spirited — not same as being fearless (8) INTREPID {meaN+sPIRITED}*
8   Feeling is obvious, it's individual (8) OVERTONE {OVERT}{ONE}
9   Substantial cut goes to the embassy (4,10) HIGH COMMISSION {HIGH} {COMMISSION}
15 It indicates the height of change, takes time (9) ALTIMETER {AL{TIME}TER}
16 Her reports on shelters (8) SHEBANGS {SHE}{BANGS}
17 Fire will carry as Mike replaces Henry (8) SMOULDER S(-h+m)MOULDER
19 Herb's crazy to accompany girl (6) NUTMEG {NUT}{MEG}
20 Assist movement when nothing moves (6) STASIS*
22 State stores even curd and cheese (5) GOUDA {GO{cUrD}A}

GRID

20 comments:

  1. Slightly tougher today. Struggled to get a few like Antioch, Reallocation and a few annos.
    had a smile while filling in High Commission!Nicely done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gouda is one among umpteen cheese names. Sounded more like Kannada than Dutch!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Took my time to sit on the wall for 18A. Aha moment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 2d is a rare clue type where a homophone is given for the def of the word required.
    Such clue types are written by setters when the idea occurs to them as they write a clue. They don't start out with 'let me write this clue-type'.
    I may have written a clue or two of this kind in the past but I am afraid I can't cite it. It is only a memory.
    My database does not record clue-types. I was not equal to the extra typing involved in that exercise.

    ReplyDelete
  5. How is the clue to be classified? Can it be called a DD- one def. with wordplay and another homophone? Or is it just 'Ring as told' being def.?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Col. has clarified in the main post. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. No, he has not given a name to the clue type. He has only given the anno.
    As for clue-type, Anag where def is homophone, perhaps.
    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2 down: As CV says, an unusual clue. Anagram of TEXT OR + EXTORT= WRING= homophone of ring. But where is the indication _ as told ? too convoluted ! But the truth remains that one educes after parsing the correct intention of the setter.

      One always thought of SHEBANG as a low joint for hooch- never knew the meaning also as SHELTER.

      ARDEN the thought provoker !

      Delete
    2. "as told" is a perfect homophone indicator doing a duty in the clue.

      Delete

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