Today being Friday only the blank clues will be posted. All those who are silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. There is no limit on how many answers you want to give. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake someone will correct it with the right annotation.
The regular blog will replace the clues at 4 PM after which anyone is free to comment.
Thanks everyone for the response. Here is the regular blog
ACROSS
1 Cancel my arrangement of plant (8) CYCLAMEN*
5 Greek character's odd steel tool (6) CHISEL {CHI}{StEeL}
9 Disease makes quiet saint to leave (7) ILLNESSstILLNESS
10 Assist youth and yokel by topping (4,3) HELP OUT {wHELP}{lOUT}
11 Soldier is not quite right (9) IRREGULAR [CD]
12 Subject brought back by some of ticklish Tamils (5) MATHS [T<=]
13 Star's wasted special skills (4) ARTS*
14 With key classifying, son is out (9) ESCORTING {ESC}{sORTING}
17 Step repeatedly, endlessly — be revolutionary in showing up stamp oddity (4,5) TETE BECHE {sTEp}{sTEp} {BE}{CHE}
19 Old authoritarian spews out: "Rats!" (4) TSAR*
23 Saying from publicity-obsessed present time (5) ADAGE {AD}{AGE}
24 Sluggishness of one, new one entering country (9) INANITION {1}{NA{N}{1}TION}
25 Bird friend returns to building section (7) LAPWING {LAP}{WING}
26 How you can't expect a confidence trickster to work (2,5) IN TRUST [CD]
27 Sound purchase one finally made in remote store (6) STEREO {onE} in {STORE}*
28 Cause distress to a horse with punishment by woman (8) AGGRIEVE {A}{GG}{RI}{EVE}
DOWN
1 Credit one bird beginning to love crook (8) CRIMINAL {CR}{1}{MINA}{Love}
2 Offender almost demure in sect (7) CULPRIT {CUL{PRIm}T}
3 Gather Supreme Court is out to repay (6) AVENGEscAVENGE
4 A song that does not demand too much from you as you hear it affords ... ... (4,9) EASY LISTENING [CD]
6 The ample, well-rounded spouse (8) HELPMATE*
7 Prune those hovering around royal quarter (7) SHORTEN {SHO{R}TE*}{N}
8 Dirty tale on saint is just out (6) LATEST {TALE*}{ST}
10 One who is not comfortable in picking up a song is ... ... ... (4,2,7) HARD OF HEARING [CD]
15 Live, unusually fine church office (8) BENEFICE {BE}{FINE*}{CE}
16 Dark girl fixes true bent (8) BRUNETTE*
18 Illustration once sufficient (7) EXAMPLE {EX}{AMPLE}
20 You are caught by sixteen in France in sudden attack (7) SEIZURE {SEIZ{U}{R}E}
21 Foils Kabul's planning (6) BAULKS*
22 Person who likes to be seen less and less (6) DIETER [CD]
GRID
1 Cancel my arrangement of plant (8) CYCLAMEN*
5 Greek character's odd steel tool (6) CHISEL {CHI}{S
9 Disease makes quiet saint to leave (7) ILLNESS
10 Assist youth and yokel by topping (4,3) HELP OUT {
11 Soldier is not quite right (9) IRREGULAR [CD]
12 Subject brought back by some of ticklish Tamils (5) MATHS [T<=]
13 Star's wasted special skills (4) ARTS*
14 With key classifying, son is out (9) ESCORTING {ESC}{
17 Step repeatedly, endlessly — be revolutionary in showing up stamp oddity (4,5) TETE BECHE {
19 Old authoritarian spews out: "Rats!" (4) TSAR*
23 Saying from publicity-obsessed present time (5) ADAGE {AD}{AGE}
24 Sluggishness of one, new one entering country (9) INANITION {1}{NA{N}{1}TION}
25 Bird friend returns to building section (7) LAPWING {LAP}{WING}
26 How you can't expect a confidence trickster to work (2,5) IN TRUST [CD]
27 Sound purchase one finally made in remote store (6) STEREO {
28 Cause distress to a horse with punishment by woman (8) AGGRIEVE {A}{GG}{RI}{EVE}
DOWN
1 Credit one bird beginning to love crook (8) CRIMINAL {CR}{1}{MINA}{L
2 Offender almost demure in sect (7) CULPRIT {CUL{PRI
3 Gather Supreme Court is out to repay (6) AVENGE
4 A song that does not demand too much from you as you hear it affords ... ... (4,9) EASY LISTENING [CD]
6 The ample, well-rounded spouse (8) HELPMATE*
7 Prune those hovering around royal quarter (7) SHORTEN {SHO{R}TE*}{N}
8 Dirty tale on saint is just out (6) LATEST {TALE*}{ST}
10 One who is not comfortable in picking up a song is ... ... ... (4,2,7) HARD OF HEARING [CD]
15 Live, unusually fine church office (8) BENEFICE {BE}{FINE*}{CE}
16 Dark girl fixes true bent (8) BRUNETTE*
18 Illustration once sufficient (7) EXAMPLE {EX}{AMPLE}
20 You are caught by sixteen in France in sudden attack (7) SEIZURE {SEIZ{U}{R}E}
21 Foils Kabul's planning (6) BAULKS*
22 Person who likes to be seen less and less (6) DIETER [CD]
GRID
5A CHISEL = tool ; {CHI}{SEL}
ReplyDelete12A MATHS = subject reverse hidden clue
6D HELPMATE = spouse {THE AMPLE}*
7D SHORTEN = prune {THOSE}{R}{N}*
8D LATEST = just out {TALE}*{ST}
Recheck annotation for 7D
Delete{{THOSE}{R}}*{N} ?
Delete{SHO{R}TE*}{N}
Delete19A TSAR = old authoritarian {RATS*}
ReplyDelete20D SEIZURE = sudden sudden attack {SEIZ{UR}E} seize = sixteen in French
16D BRUNETTE dark girl {TRUE BENT}*
ReplyDelete1a: cyclamen (=cancelmy*) = plant
ReplyDelete5a: chisel [=chi (=Greek character)+(StEeL)]
9a: illness (=(-st)illness) = disease
11a: irregular (DD) [= soldier (guerilla)] = is not quite right
12a: maths [=(-tickli)SH TAM (-ils)<-] = subject
13a: arts (=star*) = special skills
19a: tsar (=rats*) = authoritarian - Russian ruler
23a: adage [(ad=publicity)(age= present time)] = saying
25a lapwing [(=pal <-)+wing (= part if the building) = bird
1d: criminal [=(cr)(i)(mina (=bird)(l (-ove)]
2d: culprit [pri(-m) in cult (=sect)]
6d: helpmate (=the ample*) = spouse
8d: latest [=(tale+st)*] = just out
16d: brunette (=true bent*) = dark girl
21d: baulks (=kabuls*) = foils
18d: example [ex(=once) ample (=sufficient)] = illustration
28A AGGRIEVE {A}{GG}{RI}{EVE} a/horse/punishment/woman
ReplyDelete24A INANITION = sluggishness {I}{NA{N}{I}TION}
ReplyDeletenew word for me
18D EXAMPLE illustration {EX}{AMPLE} once/sufficient
ReplyDelete21 D baulks
ReplyDeleteKabuls*
21D BAULKS = foils {KABULS*}
ReplyDelete23A ADAGE = saying (AD){AGE} did not quite parse obsessed present time
25A LAPWING = bird {PAL<-}{WIMG}
17A Tete beche
ReplyDeleteStep endless repeatedly ...te te + be + che (che Guevara)
3D avenge
ReplyDeleteScavenge - sc
20D..seizure
Seiz(ur)e
1D criminal, although I didn't realise the spelling of mynah can be mina
ReplyDeleteProvide the annotation also
Delete13a arts from
ReplyDeletestar
2D CULPRIT offender {CUL{PRIm}T}
ReplyDelete9A ILLNESS disease {stILLNESS}
15D BENEFICE church office {BE}{FINE*}{CE} live/fine/chrch
ReplyDelete1down is criminal. 2down is calmest
ReplyDelete2d culprit. 'pri(m)' in cult
Delete1a cyclamen from cancel my
ReplyDelete27A: STEREO= sound
ReplyDeleteSTORE+E ( finally madE )
11A: IRREGULAR= not quite right
ReplyDeleteSoldier= Regular
11A IRREGULAR = soldier {DD}
ReplyDelete10 d hard of hearing dd
ReplyDelete4D: EASY LISTENING (DD)
ReplyDelete4D EASY LISTENING (DD?)
ReplyDelete10a help out assist -help youth- yt out
ReplyDeleteYouth=whelp
DeleteYokel=lout
(-w)HELP+(-l)OUT
26A: IN TRUST (DD)
ReplyDeleteif26A is n trust,
Delete22D MISTER = person , not sure of anno; meanng more and more misty?
10D HARD OF HEARING {DD) why song?
ReplyDelete10A HELP OUT could not parse the clue
Youth=whelp
DeleteYokel=lout
(-w)HELP+(-l)OUT
14A ESCORTING =with {ESC}{sORTING} key/classifying-Son
ReplyDelete27A STEREO = sound {STER{E}O*} onE finally purchased in store
ReplyDeleteunusual quota of anagrams today
ReplyDelete22D DIETER (CD)
ReplyDeleteHad a good laugh at this CD!
Delete1A) CYCLAMEN – {CANCELMY}*
ReplyDelete5A) CHISEL – {(CHI)STEEL}
9A) ILLNESS – {STILLNESS}
10A) HELPOUT – DON’T KNOW HOW
11A) IRREGULAR – DON’T KNOW HOW
12A) MATHS - { TICKLISHTAMILS} ←
13A) ARTS - {STAR}*
14A) ASSORTING – DON’T KNOW FULLY
17A) TETEBECHE – {(STEP) (STEP)BE(CHE)}
19A) TSAR – {RATS}*
23A) ADAGE – {(AD)(AGE)}
24A) INANITION – {ININATION}*
25A) LAPWING – {(LAP)←(WING)}
26A) INTRUST – DD
27A) STEREO – {ONESTORE}*
28A) AGGRIEVE – {A(GG)RI(EVE)}
1D) CRIMINAL – {(CR)I(MINA)LOVE}
2D) CULPRIT – {CUL(PRIDE)T}
3D) AVENGE – {SCAVENGE}
4D) EASY LISTENING - DD
6D) HELPMATE – {THEAMPLE}*
7D) SHORTEN – {THOSE(R)(N)}*
8D) LATEST – {(TALE)*ST}
10D) HARDONHEADING - DD
15D) BENEFICE – {(BE)(FINE)(CE)}*
16D) BRUNETTE – {TRUEBENT}*
18D) EXAMPLE – {(EX)AMPLE}
20D) SEIZURE – DON’T KNOW HOW
21D) BAULKS – {KABULS}*
22D) _I_T_R - DON’T KNOW
STRIKETHROUGH LETTERS ARE NOT APPEARING
DeleteI find six whole-word anagrams are used in this puzzle, not counting part-anagrams in charades. I think this is within acceptable level of anagrams in a puzzle of some 30 clues. Probably two four-letter TSAR/ARTS anagrams gave the solver the impression that there are too many anagrams.
ReplyDelete