Any rookie commenter to provide answer for 7D with annotation and without seeing the answer using the reveal option. Seasoned commenters may wait till 10 AM before providing the answer.
ACROSS
9 Court official gets bond provided by female (7) BAILIFF {BAIL}{IF}{F}
10 Instrument set in silence (7) MUSETTE {MU{SET}TE}
11 Shrink is a cheat — drops son and picks up a date (7) DWINDLE (-s+d)DWINDLE
12 Parliament guards found in joint with model (7) KNESSET {KNE{SS}E}{T}
13 It's obvious — nothing is in the declaration (9) MANIFESTO {MANIFEST}{O}
15 Eat away frequently, dear foodie (5) ERODE {
16 Some offbeat lesson by band (7) BEATLES [T]
19 Tears flowing, but dry inside and torn (7) TATTERS {TA{TT}ERS*}
20 Small cut in grant (5) SPARE {S}{PARE}
21 Legs tangled between broken rails for the vendor (9) SALESGIRL {SA{LESG*}IRL*}
25 A day without substance — Insurer on getting third policy can become happy (7) IDYLLIC {1}{DaY}{L{
26 Unknown girl getting mixed up with English player and German brickmaker (7) ZIEGLER {Z}{GIRL+E+E}*
28 Food supplier in terrace party (7) CATERER*
29 New users receive first edition (current) with a copy (7) REISSUE {R{E
DOWN
1 Lass is not admissible to settle in the same place (6) IBIDEM
2 Man in moon getting new servant (6) MINION {M}{IN}{IO}{N}
3 Compassionate mother-in-law? Definitely first (4) MILD Acrostic
4 A fine treat, exquisite range, superb starters and dessert (6) AFTERS Acrostic
5 Expose king embroiled in some scandal abroad (5,3) SMOKE OUT {SMO{K}E*} {OUT}
6 These girls are our leading lights, say (10) USHERETTES [CD]
7 Even lacks controls to manage a device (8)
8 Overcomes becoming weak, Theresa is cured (8) WEATHERS {W}{THERESA*}
14 Malar gets a needless warning (5,5) FALSE ALARM {MALAR}* [RA]
16 Britain's riches accumulated by robbing mass? Dirty (8) BESMIRCH {B}{ES{M}IRCH*}
17 Experts find insects running around alleys hungry (8) ANALYSTS {AN{AL
18 Had cross-spun a rope (4,4) SASH CORD*
22 Elizabeth has fear, half-dead seeing a reptile (6) LIZARD {LIZ}{
23 Sue and maltreat (3-3) ILL-USE {SUE}* [RA]
24 Guard left to replace wife in storeroom (6) LARDER (-w+l)LARDER
27 Impressive record in centuries (4) EPIC {EP}{I}{C} I/in C/Centuries?
GRID
EVEN of cOnTrOlS i.e OTOS needs (=lacks) manage =COPE
ReplyDeleteAnswer is OTOS COPE
Even lacks means even letters or odd letters?
DeleteRam: by no stretch of imagination you can be called a rookie commentator :-)
DeleteThat question always pops up with AD. But why lacks? Clue should be fine without it.
DeleteEven I didn't understand Vasant!
DeleteVasant at 8:54
DeleteSame doubt here too!
even withdrawls (lacks), imho
DeleteBeautiful puzzle. Loved the smooth surfaces and wp. Thanks AD.
ReplyDeleteCol: Nice device to make commentators answer a clue. Brings a welcome change in the blog.
ReplyDeleteIs Ram a 'Rookie' commenter?!
ReplyDeleteI feel those placed above 50 in IXL 2017 Overall leader board should be considered as rookies!
DeleteThose might be rookie solvers and that too is doubtful. Rookie commentors would be those new to blog and crossword puzzles, wouldnt they?
Delete+1. By no stretch of imagination, Ram is rookie!
DeleteCompleted an AD puzzle fully after a long long time. Nice & enjoyable. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI put 20D as S(take). One of the meanings is a prize awarded/ granted.
ReplyDeleteAny answers to questions on 27D?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Chambers:
DeleteI is a preposition and short form of IN
AND
C for century or centuries
in->current->i
DeletePrasad that seems plausible
Deletebut my first instinct was IP(record) in CE with record double duty (return).
DeleteThere seems to be no other alt. to what you have suggested.
ReplyDeleteMaybe DD
ReplyDeleteImpressive/record in centuries
MB @ 10.02: Please make it 50 and above, so that I am in your list.
ReplyDelete:) You are barred from entering the elite group of 50 and above!
Delete:-)
DeleteI stand at the bottom supporting all of you!
You are the pillar of strength! :)
DeleteIn spite of using it often , missed out on Otoscope.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteCan it be EP -extended play i and c
9A and 13A both have root issues, IMO. Also, would like feedback on 1D "Lass is not admissible to settle in the same place (6)". For the letters of "lass" to be deleted, doesn't the clue need to read as "Lass is not in...". Of course, that would require the surface to be recrafted, but it somehow doesn't seem right to me the way it is worded right now. Also, if "L A S S" are not being removed in the same order, would that need to be indicated too?
ReplyDeleteAll valid questions.
DeleteIn some anagram of 'admissible', the letters 'l a s s' might appear together, so a second anagram indicator (while nice to have) would not be necessary I think.
How 9A & 13A have root issues?
DeleteDoes Bailiff comes from Bail+If+F etymologically?I dont think so.
Manifesto: does it come from manifest+o? I dont think so...
That is nitpicking IMO..
Bailiff and bail share same root. So you basically clued only for if + f
DeleteManifest and manifesto share same root. So the clue was only for "O"
The beauty of AFTERDARK's puzzles is that one gets to use the clues with a bit of knowledge of Thesaurus and one sails through. Then one sits down to parse and gets the gist.
ReplyDeleteI liked USHERETTES-- very good leading light ! (pun intended !) Thanks AD !
Ye-guys go into the semantics , syntax and grammar too deep !
A nice enjoyable quote from ET editorial-
ReplyDeleteWhile this shakahari strategy might not be something to scoff at as a recipe for success, it could chime ironically with the slogan popular during the Bihar chieftain’s heyday, “Jab tak rahega samose mein aloo/ Tab tak rahega Bihar mein Lalu.”