Monday 9 April 2018

No 12286, Monday 09 Apr 2018, Neyartha


Answer and Anno for 15A left for a first-time commenter till 10AM.

ACROSS
1   Tool used with a fastener by a motor vehicle operator (11) SCREWDRIVER {SCREW}{DRIVER}
9   Clumsy marsupial gets skinned by the foreign nannies (2,5) AU PAIRS mARSUPIAl*
10 Silent actor? (4-2) WALK-ON [E]
11 Frank caught with a hand tool (5) PLANE (~plain)
12 An interruption by the accountant to counter a trick (7) CAESURA {RUSE}{A}<= after {CA}
15 Call to manipulate, reportedly (4) N?E? (Addendum NEED (~knead) - See comments)
16 Hold goes wrong after metal is put around by a clumsy person (10) CLODHOPPER {C{HOLD*}OPPER}
18 Strange scoreboard entry attached to the bridge player entertained by us in France (10) EXTRANEOUS {EXTRA}{N{E}OUS}
20 Newton takes out the Frenchman in a flexible armour piece to get a metal fastener (4) NAIL (-fl+n)NAIL Fl/Frenchman? (Addendum - (-m+n)NAIL - See comments)
23 Amateurs in disarray after the Oriental leaves for an Indonesian island (7) SUMATRA AMATeURS*
24 Ali Baba circles around some old calculators (5) ABACI [T]
26 Polo piece obtained from a food grain with the adult exchanged for iodine (6) MALLET M(-i+a)ALLET
27 Make fun of one dismounting from the injured palomino (7) LAMPOON PALOMiNO*
28 One getting involved in mineral oil refinement to become a wealthy person (11) MILLIONAIRE* {1} in {MINERAL+OIL}*

DOWN
2   Initially called Hemant in Solapur, expecting loans for an edge tool (6) CHISEL Acrostic
3   Comfort resulting from the removal of the wings of a small mammal (4) EASE wEASEl
4   Impoverished aunt at sea is behind the soft fine feathers spread around the party (4-3-3) DOWN-AND-OUT {DOWN}{AN{DO}UT*}
5   Sight organ playing tricks? (8) ILLUSION [CD]
6   Obtained the right round baked dish lining for a vain activity (3,4) EGO TRIP {GOT}{R} in {PIE<=}
7   Former US president packs a writing instrument for the woodworker (9) CARPENTER {CAR{PEN}TER}
8   Narcotic in the possession of Gopi, a tea-seller (6) OPIATE [T]
13 Almost claim the thick brown fur brought up with music in a moderately quick tempo (10) ALLEGRETTO {ALLEGe}{OTTER<=}
14 Talented tribal in trouble after welcoming the chief lieutenant (9) BRILLIANT {Li...t} in {TRIBAL+IN}*
17 Twin breaking pearl after the entry of the criminal and a student (8) PARALLEL {PAR{AL}{L}EL*}
19 Upset man in an ill-fitted suit sees a dangerous wave (7) TSUNAMI {TSU{NAM*}I*}
21 Aggressive woman in the river's an old warrior from Scythia (6) AMAZON [DD] [MD]
22 Drive home with a hand tool (6) HAMMER [DD]
25 Request an increase after moving up quietly (4) PLEA (+p)PLEA(-p)

GRID

42 comments:

  1. 20a armour->mail. Frenchman mon->m. My understanding.

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  2. +1.
    Mail (armour) with N replacing M.

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  3. 15a NEED
    Hears Knead (manipulate)

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  4. 21d can it be multiple def. Aggressive Woman//the river//old warrior from scythia

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  5. Engaging, entertaining CW, though needed help to find a few. Satisfied having completed.Ego trip & walk-on were the last to fall.

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  6. Walk-on is an extra- so can be an entry in score board.

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  7. 11A- A in the middle kept confusing me.

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  8. Clue from Saturday's ET CW-
    Former president employs writer and woodworker

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    Replies
    1. I did this puzzle and when I saw 7D , could fill in with the blink of an eye.

      Delete
  9. Did the puzzle late night(early morning) after coming back from some work in factory.
    Expecting the second XChequer was pleasantly surprised to find this "Tool Box" Special from Neyartha. Typical Neyartha fare but far easier..

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    Replies
    1. Explains why I was able to do it!
      I too was expecting ExChequer II and again pleasantly surprised!

      Delete
  10. Thank God for small mercies. Monday with Neyartha is better than with, you know who.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deletion Exchequer and addition neyartha ? Lets get used to all compilers and all sorts of clues, including additions and deletions. Or else, how will we learn ? We shpuld thank all these compilers for giving us excellent fares each morning . vying with each other .

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    2. Sundaram Sir:I think XChequer offers us high class puzzles..which as solvers we are not up to it..we need to raise our solving skills.

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  11. April seems to be fooling ever!
    Started with Incognito/Arden.
    Now, unexpectedly Neyartha overtook Xchequer.

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  12. Albert Pinto ko... says the film. But no AF in that?

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    Replies
    1. The song april fool banaya...etc was from movie April Fool.

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    2. MB,
      Remember I had sent you some time back a Tamil movie song 'Emara sonnadhu nana?"

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    3. When was it? Don't remember having seen it!

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  13. Thus the BRILLIANT idea of the bouncer avoided them being DOWN AND OUT.
    Life moved on.
    The dancer became famous and people used to AMAZE ON the EASE of her movements particularly when the music was at an ALLEGRETTO. Money poured.
    The bouncer was often on an EGO TRIP, day dreaming, WALKING ON clouds, thinking that he soon will be a MILLIONAIRE...
    Alas! That was only an ILLUSION.
    Thereafter he was frequently seen with a SCREWDRIVER!!

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    Replies
    1. The Bouncer & The Dancer-Part III. Lovely!

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  14. Liquid and often slept opiated and the need to if not hammer wake him up by hitting on his head gently with a Mallet!!

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  15. After following all your advice and after diligently checking this blog every day, today I managed a 60% completion. May not be an achievement per se nevertheless I'm thrilled :)

    Thanks for all the suggestions and motivation. Feels good finally!!

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    Replies
    1. Great achievement. When I started out, I hardly used to get any clues of Neyartha.

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    2. Well done Ananthakrishnan

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  16. 60% of a Neyartha CW (though termed comparatively easier) would really be something to cheer about. Keep up the good work and you would enjoy it.

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  17. Thanks a lot. I think true success is in the consistency. Hopefully I will continue to learn from this treasure trove :)

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