ACROSS
7 Forest tree nuts behind the speaker's fur on the ketch pole (8) MAINMAST (~mane){MAIN}{MAST}
9 Dad takes in a male ferret attached to one showing irrational fear (6) PHOBIA {P{HOB}{1}A}
10 All set to mould heated tray (2,3,5) AT THE READY*
11 Pieces of potato fungi in a product made from 20 Ac. (4) TOFU [T]
13 Fool making a loud noise about the wicket captured in a cricket match (8) HOODWINK {HO{OD{W}I}NK}
16 Counter assembled prior to putting a note to get a snack made with 20 Ac. (7) EDAMAME {MADE<=}{A}{ME}
20 Sane boys upset with a source of protein (8) SOYBEANS*
23 Nominate the lady's daughter to become the chief nurse (4) NAME (-d+n)NAME
24 Executive game rain ruined prior to the French retreat (10) MANAGERIAL {GAME+RAIN}*{LA<=}
25 Unborn baby of the enemy with a clipped tooth (6) FOETUS {FOE}{TUS
26 Lose peace over capturing a network provider with a drug (8) MISPLACE {M{ISP}LAC<=}{E}
DOWN
1 Incantation oddly ignored in making a Japanese food item with 20 Ac. (5) NATTO
3 Junior diplomat's briefcase (7) ATTACHE [DD]
4 Branch has no right to prevent littering (4) SPAY SP
5 Why don't trawlers get manoeuvred in a particular compass direction? (15) NORTHWESTWARDLY*
6 A bit of a buzz in fan delivered with a red wine (9) ZINFANDEL [T]
14 Midnight fuel for hard work? (3) OIL [CD]
15 Proponent's closing notes sent up around 5 with the returned listing (9) ADVOCATOR {AD{V}OC<=}{ATOR<=}
17 Flightless bird found in an incomplete fortification trench (3) MOA MOA
19 Huge wave created by the man coming up in a crumpled suit (7) TSUNAMI {TSU{MAN<=}I*}
21 Fraudulent coach welcomes German leader after consuming an egg (5) BOGUS {B{O}{G
22 Dressing supply for the auditor (5) SAUCE (~source) American homophone
24 Film Tesla's circuit for a product made from 20 Ac. (4) MISO MIS(-t+o)O
GRID
Congrats to Bhala, for being the topper in 1across
ReplyDeleteClue writing?
DeleteCongrats Bhala!
It is a new type of crossie. I could not even understand at the first instance. After seeing the solved grid only I got what it is.
DeleteYou may have a look here.http://www.1across.org
DeleteIf we can't understand, it must be Bhala's forte!
DeleteThank you Ram.
It was very daunting to even look at it ! Needs a lot of patience and a separate pad and pen to work on. There was no interactive provision to work on line. Once the clues are worked out, one needs to go back to the grid and fill; colours and all. Any way, I found the puzzle very interesting and take my hat off those who had a run( and not just a go !) at it. 1 Across is getting to be very imaginative and I have never come across anywhere such an initiative . Kudos to Sowmya Ramkumar for being so active despite her professional and domestic commitments and the compilers and solvers. Bravo, Bhala !
Delete18A DD Blister also means the protective bulging outer hull of a double-hulled ship.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBlistering Barnacles - memories of Tintin
ReplyDeleteBlistering Barnacles!!
ReplyDeleteI had to search a lot before getting blisters in this link-
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=pz2ORay2HWoC&pg=PA171&lpg=PA171&dq=blister+in+a+double+hulled+ship&source=bl&ots=FH4Vu9e_41&sig=7C7vBSAu_LIwbXl6
Great work by Doc. & KKR.
Oh its nothing Paddy! Had read it in Chambers Dictionary. I read a couple of pages from Chambers daily. Never fails to surprise and delight with different meanings of words. A few things stay with you :)
DeleteI used to do that long ago with OED. But remembering them has become a problem- of course it is always interesting and you find quite a few new words or words with different meanings.
DeleteI searched google to get it.
DeleteMy father used to do just that - read a few pages. We even had a copy of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.....
DeleteReally? No, I have never read a page from any dictionary. But every time I come across a new word I look up - a habit from my school days. True, scattered round our house were not only dictionaries but books on English grammar, idioms, usage. I was attracted to them without anyone propelling me from my tender behind.
DeleteJust become a habit I guess now CV Sir. Considering the size of the dictionary, might not complete it in this lifetime though:)
DeleteDr.Nabar, CV, Bharghav: A very interesting pastime. Alas, nowadays, we look up Google for all our word- needs and thus deprive ourselves of the pleasure of browsing a Dic or Thesaurus and thus pick up adjoining words and such. I still look up some of them for solving some of the cryptic puzzles and aadd on to my knowledge of words and phrases and idioms.
DeleteIn my days in Nairobi, I used to look around and pick up lots of books on words and Brewers Book of Phrases and Idioms, besides many crossword dictionaries and reference books, not to speak of the Britannia encyclopedia , Readers Digest book of words ; Complete Word Finder etc. They are all rendered redundant by the all-powerful Google Masterji..
Zinfandel must be quite common to Neyartha over there.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, he has put it in as a T.
I am reading The Immigrants by Howard Fast and just yesterday night I came across zinfandel in it!
DeleteCome December and people in Chennai are in PHOBIA mode.
ReplyDeleteWill Chennai be hit by yet another TSUNAMI? Is the eye moving in a NORTHWESTWARDLY direction? What is the NAME of the oncoming cyclone? Questions and questions.
The Head of the Met Department arrives with his ATTACHE and gives his observations in front of a hundred mikes. IN THE SAME BREATH many other outsiders give their own versions.
But then there is one ADVOCATOR whose
forecast is eagerly awaited. He is one of those who will not HOODWINK anyone.
Anyhow the Government needs to be AT THE READY.
May we have good weather and enjoy our NY Eve with TOFU in the BOWL. May the men be IN THE SAUCE and women enjoy a rare ZINFANDEL!!
Great. CGB's NY mood continues and he is able to gather enough words to support him.
ReplyDeleteAgree with him on the rain/ flood front as one of the past sufferers.
Nice puzzle!Loved the long ones and the thematic references. Thanks Neyartha and Col. for an informative blog
ReplyDeleteToday's Neyartha's was indeed mouth-watering Eastern fare, which is my favourite ! The long words and phrase were very quick on the mind to be put in ! Magical !
ReplyDelete