Tuesday 13 March 2018

No 12263, Tuesday 13 Mar 2018, Afterdark


Answer and anno for 20D left for a first-time commenter till 10AM.

ACROSS
1   A primarily mutant Ebola strain, not large, small organism (6) AMOEBA {A}{Mu...t}{EBOlA*}
4   Training pharmacists to issue scrip for lung disease (6) ASTHMA pHArMAcisTS*
9   A single male, perhaps on dais is footloose (4) STAG STAGe
10 Only males have an obstruction to wash with water (5,5) ADAMS APPLE  {A}{DAM}{SAPPLE}
11 Information in commercial and article has the schedule (6) AGENDA {A{GEN}D}{A}
12 Tamatar? No thanks. 60% of India uses some other ingredient in sambar (8) TAMARIND {TAMAtaR}{INDia}
13 Worry about a girl in a city... (9) BANGALORE {B{AN}{GAL}ORE}
15 ...and men in Kansas getting holy book (5) KORAN {K{OR}AN}
16 Around a billion abroad (5) ABOUT {A}{B}{OUT}
18 Produced in Cuba, steel often gets deteriorated at the source (9) INCUBATED {IN}{CUBA}{sTeEl}{De...d}
22 Essentially viruses are contracted at hotel, hospital by men wearing uniform between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., perhaps (4,4) RUSH HOUR {viRUSes}{H} {H}{O{U}R}
23 Punishment withdrawn, mafia chief gets amnesty (6) PARDON {RAP<=}{DON}
25 Rarest moon unravelled by Aryabhatta, say (10) ASTRONOMER*
26 Parody is a shock, no substance and appeal (4) SKIT {ShocK}{IT}
27 Hurry up and bring the dogs, perhaps back with one that's tailless (4,2) STEP ON {PETS<=} {ONe}
28 Leaders of a small society invariably get no grant (6) ASSIGN Acrostic

DOWN
1   Cormorant, iguana smuggled in island state (7) ANTIGUA [T]
2   Nothing for one in element, any which way (5) ORGAN (-a+o)ORG(-o+a)AN Not sure of anno. What is the definition here? See comments
3   A small equipment to first blow, then cool a rim of wheel (7) BRADAWL {Blow}{RAD}{A}{WheeL} Never heard this slang word for 'cool' before
5   Twin follows direction to the plant (6) SESAME {SE}{SAME}
6   Curve in racket; shape of trimmed earlobe (9) HYPERBOLA {HYPE}{eARLOBe}*
7   Adult network featuring model seeking volunteers in city (7) ATLANTA {A}{T}{LAN}{TA}
8   Arms are war equipment (9,4) BATTERING RAMS {ARMS}* [RA]
14 Awkwardness of being a cow in India and dear in Paris (9) GAUCHERIE {GAU}{CHERIE}
17 Caught out on trips following boy — hurts (7) BRUISES {B}{cRUISES}
19 Super, Mumbai Indians managed two additional men in the field (7) UMPIRES {SUPER+MI}*
20 Wear semi-erotic dress, finally at India covering nothing (7) E?O?I?N (Addendum - EROSION {EROtic}{dresS}{I{O}N} - See comments)
21 Island is natural, on the middle of the sea/ocean (6) BORNEO {BORN}{sEa}{O}
24 Indian kitchen uses sunflower as oil somewhat (5) RASOI [T]

GRID

42 comments:

  1. 25A. The astronomer's name should be spelt with a single 't', not as it appears in the clue.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 2d element is the the def: organ or argon both are element(s)

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  3. 3a Cool->Radical->rad has been used before

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  4. Got that 'super solver' feelings. Thanks AD

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  5. 20D : EROSION ( ERO from erotic half, S from dress finally, I(O)N nothing in india )

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  6. 5D) Thought the clue should have DIRECTIONS instead of direction

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  7. 20DN Col, well chosen clue for first timers!
    I liked it too

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  8. Col,
    Technically, do we still have first-timers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Audience seem to have missed the shift from rookie to first-timer.

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    2. I am sure we have many who are still not commenting. Chandrashekar is not a first-timer as he has commented here before.

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    3. For sure I don't qualify as one.

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    4. 20D was left for first-time commenters

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  9. Nice puzzle!Liked Battering Rams, Incubated, Rush Hour among other clues. Thanks AD.

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    Replies
    1. Also liked tge Indian references..Tamarind(nice surface), Rasoi,Umpire, Astronomer with Aryabhatta in the surface & def.

      Delete
  10. 20d: erosion - {erot̶i̶c̶}{d̶r̶e̶s̶s}{i(o)nd̶i̶a̶}

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  11. Yesterday someone (not exactly a friend but an acquaintance whom I know only as co-attendee at music concerts and who, on my telling him I am a setter, told me he solves crosswords and used to show me the folded newspaper with his fills of Gridman at the evening concert)told me that in a certain locality of Chennai someone has started a 'course' for youngsters on cryptic clue solving. Fees: Rs 1000 for each session, total some 10 or 12 sessions. Merely giving fee details - not sure if it is all correct. Do the course conductors visit here?

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    Replies
    1. I wonder why the youngsters don't look here for quick learning!

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    2. That is called making a quick buck!

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    3. Wow Rs 1000/- per session!!

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  12. Those who join the course may not be aware of this blog perhaps. This blog is a open university and a treasure for the learners.

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  13. Thanks for the enjoyable grid AD! ASTHMA, TAMARIND and PARDON were favourites.

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  14. 22A and 19D were enjoyable! I wonder if solvers can vote for the best clues in their opinion and experts could then comment on them?

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    Replies
    1. Good idea!I think this has been tried here before but could be tried again.

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  15. 7d can anyone elaborate please

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    Replies
    1. Adult- A
      Network- LAN
      Model- T
      Volunteers- TA
      Def.- city- Atlanta

      Delete
  16. 7dn Atlanta (T(model) in A (dult)and LAN (network)+ TA (volunteer)

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  17. TA volunteer? I didn't know that.

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  18. My friend from ATLANTA said:
    One can ASSIGN GAUCHERIE as the description.
    Yes I am talking ABOUT the RUSH HOUR traffic in BANGALORE. What a total EROSION of discipline in public life!
    The air pollution might lead to ASTHMA to many. No PARDON to law-breakers anymore. Instilling discipline must be among the top AGENDA of the Government. Else bumpers might soon turn
    BATTERING RAMS!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice timely reminder about the chaos that is still being called traffic!
      Chenni is not far behind (or ahead?)

      Delete

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