Friday 23 February 2018

No 12248, Friday 23 Feb 2018, Buzzer


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   I think of limos endlessly (2,2,7) IN MY OPINION {lIMOs}
9   About to cry, eyes oddly becoming small (6) PEEWEE {WEEP<=}{EyEs}
10 Ingenues flying blind (8) UNSEEING*
11 Retiring, turning to do this to a bulb (5) TIMID {DIM}{IT}<=
12 Grows old facing extremes of pennilessness (7) EXPANDS {EX}{P AND S}(Pe....eS)
13 Highlight of contest, boxing belt (5,3) BRING OUT {B{RING}OUT}
15 Key file in an encryption system (6) ESCROW {ESC}{ROW}
16 Autobahn flow stopped by congestion's beginning to get hopeless (6) ABJECT {AB}{JE{Co...n}T}
18 Old-fashioned steps taken struggling with test (3,5) THE TWIST*

20 Dethrone leader going off AWOL (3,4) NOT HERE dETHRONE*
21 Girl mostly nothing short of a looker (5) GAZER {GAl}{ZERo}
22 Find a voucher to obtain speaker (4,4) COME UPON {CO{ME}UPON}
23 Flying start nullified in propelling boat (6) OARING sOARING
24 Primarily those hiding inner flash perhaps (7,4) LANTERN FISH {Th..e+INNER+FLASH}* &lit

Lanternfish larva.jpg
Public Domain, Link

DOWN
2   Novel's a lot detailed for reporter (7) NEWSMAN {NEW'S}{MANy}
3   Produce from yard area beginning to wane (5) YIELD {Y}{fIELD}
4   Pastor disrespectful, not wise (7) PRUDENT {P}{RUDE}{NT} Anno for NT not clear See comments
5   Knows peace so to speak is a bridge (9) NOSEPIECE (~knows peace)
6   Officer commanding each navy icharge around sea (7) OCEANIC {OC}{EA}{N}{IC}
7   Hard on the brainso complicated (5,8) HEATH ROBINSON* &lit

Heath Robinson WWI.png
By W. Heath Robinson - Project Gutenberg ebook of NY Times Current history, Vol 1 Issue 6, Public Domain, Link

8   Won cash, does it bring tips out for cheap (2,1,10) ON A SHOESTRING {wON+cASH+dOES+iT+bRING}
14 Battlefront he's potentially circled quickly (2,3,4) ON THE SPOT [T]
17 Meme essentially breaking more limits (7) EXTREMA {EXTR{mEMe}A}
18 Tennis shot clipping net where not hard (7) TWEENER {NET+WhERE}*

19 Pupils taking in one head of zen masters (7) WIZARDS {W{1}{Zen}ARDS}
21 Be fired and leave (2,3) GO OFF [DD]

BHARGAV'S TALE
Will Railway Ribaldry by HEATH ROBINSON be reviewed in a newspaper these days? No way!
The NEWSMAN of today is never PRUDENT and can make mountain of a mole hill.
He can bring THE TWIST in anything and everything. The reporters, they are ON THE SPOT for even the most insignificant event. Their budget is huge and never ON A SHOESTRING.
Why don't they BRING OUT facts which are useful and informative?
Because they will have to YIELD to their bosses.
You want to give your honest opinion?

"NOT HERE" !!!



GRID

87 comments:

  1. Physics Test today but couldn't resist to solve a couple.
    1 across: I think of limos endlessly (2,2,7)
    limos endlessly is imo which is in my opinion
    loved this clue endlessly!
    5 down Knows peace so to speak is a bridge (9)
    nosepiece sounds like knows peace
    8 down Won cash, does it bring tips out for cheap (2,1,10)
    remove the first letters of (w)on (c)ash (d)oes (i)t (b)ring to get
    on a shoe string

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the best for your test Srinidhi

      Delete
    2. Thanks Sir. Actually it is final exams.

      Delete
    3. Best Wishes for cracking your Physics exam. If solving the above clues is any indication, Physics exam is already well done.

      Delete
    4. Thanks very much Padmanabhan Sir and Bhargav Sir. The exam went off very well.
      Did the few clues in the morning and read the blog for the rest. I loved this puzzle very much.

      Delete
  2. Solved all but 22a, 24a, 7d & 18d.
    Very interesting puzzle today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A few more
    17 down Meme essentially breaking more limits (7)
    meme essentially is em
    inside (breaking) Extra(more) giving extrema (limits)
    24 across Primarily those hiding inner flash perhaps (7,4)
    Primarily those is t inside (hiding) anagram of (perhaps) inner flash giving
    lantern fish

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 24 across the whole clue read gives the definition and all the words are part of wp giving us an & Lit clue(?)

      Delete
  4. 9ac PEEWEE Weep(cry)+ee((EyE)
    10acUNSEEING (ingenues)
    13ac bring out ring in bout
    20ac not here (D) ethrone
    21ac gazer. Ga(girl)+zer(o)
    23ac oaring (s)oring
    3dn yield y(ard)+ (f) ield
    4dn prudent p(astor)+rude+nt(not)
    6dn oceanic oc+ea(each)+n(navy)+ic
    14dn on the spot (T)
    19dn wizards iz in wards
    21dn go out (dd)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jayalakshmi your anno for 21A and 19D needs a re-look. Your answer for 21D is not correct

      Delete
    2. Col.,
      anno of 19D seems to be right, except i & z is not explained.

      Delete
    3. 21a GA [GAL minus L i.e. almost girl] nothing short ZER [ZERO short of O] gives GAZER

      Delete
  5. 11A turning Dim It to get TIMID = retiring.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 7D H from Hard and anagram of on the brain so = HEATH ROBINSON meaning complicated.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 16A AB (Autobahn)+JE(C)T =hopeless

    ReplyDelete
  8. 19D pupils= WARDS take in I(one) and Z(head of Zen)= WIZARDS(masters)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Two first time commenters today Srinivas Gopal and Poornima. Welcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. A beginner at 56. Never late, I guess.

      Delete
    2. Never never late. I began much later!

      Delete
  10. 18D) where not hard = were; {(net)(were)}* = TWEENER;
    Tweener is a tennis shot played between the legs

    ReplyDelete
  11. 12A EXPANDS- EX(0ld) extremes of pe----ss P AND S -GROWS

    ReplyDelete
  12. 2D) Novel's = NEWS ; detailed = many ; a lot detailed = man;
    NEWSMAN = reporter

    ReplyDelete
  13. 22A COME UPON ME (speaker) in COUPON (voucher)

    ReplyDelete
  14. 12A EXPANDS- EX(0ld) extremes of pe----ss P AND S -GROWS

    ReplyDelete
  15. 23A has been missed right.. (s)oaring

    ReplyDelete
  16. 23A has been missed right.. (s)oaring

    ReplyDelete
  17. 13A: Bring out - Highlight - of contest(Bout), boxing belt(Ring) - B(Ring) Out

    ReplyDelete
  18. 4a: {P}astor disrespectful(rude), not(t?) wise (Prudent)

    ReplyDelete
  19. 8 DN: On a Shoestring (W)on(c)ash(d)oes(i)t(b)ring

    ReplyDelete
  20. Three more first timers: girijbsn, js and ms

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are becoming more active than veterans!

      Delete
  21. 'Time'ly editorial with a good sense of humour in ET today-
    https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TheEconomicTimes/#

    ReplyDelete
  22. 15A, How will the clue be if written as "Grows old AND facing extremes of pennilessness" providing for AND?

    ReplyDelete
  23. 9a: peewee: - weep<=(cry) + e.e.
    10a: unseeing - (ingenues)*
    12a: expands - ex + p and s(p......s)
    13a: bring out - ring in bout(contest)
    15a: escrow - esc(key)row(file)
    16a: abject - a(uto)b(ahn)+je(c)t(flow) - (c - head of con......)
    18a: the twist - (with test)*
    20a: not here - (dethrone - d)*
    22a: come upon - co(me)upon
    23a: oaring - (soaring - s)
    24a: lantern fish - {t(hose)+inner flash}*

    3d: yield - (-f+y)ield
    4d: prudent - p+rude+n(o)t
    5d: nosepiece - nose(~knows)+piece(~peace)
    6d: oceanic - (acronym)
    7d: heath robinson - {h(ard)+on the brain so}*
    8d: on a shoestring - (w)on+(c)ash+(d)oes+(i)t+(b)ring - (tips off)
    14d: on the spot - (T)
    17d: extrema - extra(more) + .em.
    18d: tweener - {net + (where-h)}*
    19d: wizards - {w(i)(z)ards}
    21d: go off - (dd)

    ReplyDelete
  24. 9a: peewee: - weep<=(cry) + e.e.
    10a: unseeing - (ingenues)*
    12a: expands - ex + p and s(p......s)
    13a: bring out - ring in bout(contest)
    15a: escrow - esc(key)row(file)
    16a: abject - a(uto)b(ahn)+je(c)t(flow) - (c - head of con......)
    18a: the twist - (with test)*
    20a: not here - (dethrone - d)*
    22a: come upon - co(me)upon
    23a: oaring - (soaring - s)
    24a: lantern fish - {t(hose)+inner flash}*

    3d: yield - (-f+y)ield
    4d: prudent - p+rude+n(o)t
    5d: nosepiece - nose(~knows)+piece(~peace)
    6d: oceanic - (acronym)
    7d: heath robinson - {h(ard)+on the brain so}*
    8d: on a shoestring - (w)on+(c)ash+(d)oes+(i)t+(b)ring - (tips off)
    14d: on the spot - (T)
    17d: extrema - extra(more) + .em.
    18d: tweener - {net + (where-h)}*
    19d: wizards - {w(i)(z)ards}
    21d: go off - (dd)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 3D Is {Y}{(-f)IELD}
      6D is not an Acronym as EA comes from each

      Delete
  25. RE. 15A How about "Grows old and good engulfed by extremes of pennilesness."

    ReplyDelete
  26. Re.15A. Sorry, I meant this:- "Grows old and engulfed by pennilessness.""

    ReplyDelete
  27. 15A:- Sorry again! it should be "........engulfed by extremes of pennilessness."

    ReplyDelete
  28. 1a: limos - endlessly
    In my opinion, it must be endslessly, not endlessly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no word like 'endslessly'

      Delete
    2. valid question though. endlessly is singular adverb.

      Delete
    3. endless / endlessly (both ends)

      Delete
    4. endlessly
      ˈɛn(d)ləsli/
      adverb
      adverb: endlessly

      in a way that has or seems to have no end or limit.

      Delete
    5. Yes. I meant we can take it that way (cryptic license)

      Delete
  29. 6d: oceanic - o(ff..)+c(omm....)+ea(ch)+n(avy)+ic from in charge

    ReplyDelete
  30. Enjoyed solving. Nice clues. Thank you Bhavan!

    ReplyDelete
  31. 23a can a single letter conceal somehing?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If there is a 'letter carrying man' is the letter carrying the man or the man carrying the letter for it to make sense?

      Delete
  32. The day is not complete without CGB's story & cartoon.
    Worth the wait till 4 pm- Best of the links? Unable to choose between Federer's tweener (did not know this name though quite familiar with the shot) & Heath Robinson (new one too, for me) Thank you Col.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Tweener- must be short form of 'betweener' (shot played between one's legs)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Replies
    1. a is from 'Girl mostly'- ga(L)

      Delete
    2. (g)-girl
      (zer)(-mostly zero)
      consumed (short of) a
      (g)(a)(zer)

      Delete
    3. The annotation in the blog is what I had intended it to be : GA(-L) + ZER(-O)

      Delete
  35. 8D is a beautifully constructed clue.
    14D is a typically Buzzer T.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Col. Gopinath,
    I don't understand how AND comes in without any hint in the clue. That's why I am harping on AND. Can you pl. explain?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As explained by Col.

      Extremes of pennilessness = p&s = P AND S

      Delete
  37. 4 Pastor disrespectful, not wise (7) PRUDENT {P}{RUDE}NT Anno for NT not clear
    from http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/NMWdZ/PpdMZ/LmPbK/NeoaZ/MhMaZ/KfjpZ/OlfTK/search

    not: not adverb (with auxiliary and modal verbs often shortened to n't and joined to the verb.
    P for pastor?

    ReplyDelete
  38. 16 Autobahn flow stopped by congestion's beginning to get hopeless (6) ABJECT {AB}{JE{Co...n}T}

    Is the 's by oversight? The sentence doesn't seem right otherwise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought it wad ok having read it as congestion's beginning or in other word beginning of congestion

      Delete
    2. I read the surface inagining a comma after flow & beginning like this : Autobahn flow, stopped by congestion's beginning, to get hopeless

      Delete
    3. Apologies for the typo. Read imagining

      Delete
    4. For the surface I meant for, congestion's = congestion is

      Delete

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