Saturday 14 April 2018

No 12291, Saturday 14 Apr 2018, The Phantom

Answer and anno of 26a left for a first time commenter till 10 AM.

Across


8. Not possible to accept this writer's clue? (6) NOTION {NOT}{I}{ON}
9. Strong reactions in 'Me too' campaign by society (8) EMOTIONS {IN+ME+TOO*}{S}
10. Need one in particular finally sit during take off? (8) APPETITE {AP{PET}{I}{siT}E}
11. Student taking leave to prepare for examinations (1,5) A LEVEL {L+LEAVE*}
12. Determined place of manufacture (6) OUTPUT {OUT}{PUT}
13. Regular audit in firm is desirable (8) SUITABLE {S{aUdIt}TABLE}
15. Jingle following commercial is counter-productive (7) ADVERSE {AD}{VERSE}
17. Students from Dubai often seen, in middle of the Gulf? That's odd (7) UNUSUAL {gU{NUS}{dUbAi}Lf}
20. Very small quarters possibly riled servicemen (8) SOLDIERS {SO}{RILED*}{S}
22. Enclosure putting goats extremely in distress (6) PIGSTY {PI{GoatS}TY}
23. To descend with rope Isabel's nervous (6) ABSEIL {ISABEL*}

25. Sublease men take to possess the right of way (8) EASEMENT (T)
26. Fell on road getting injured (8) ?T?A?N?D
27. Having clipped wings tailless one floundered (6) OWNING {WINGs+ONe}*

Down


1. Intermingle // to make matters worse (8) COMPOUND (DD)
2. Irregular diet generally contributing to weight increase is common (10) WIDESPREAD {W}{DIEt*}{SPREAD} Not sure how 't' goes away from Diet See comments
3. Nation producing oil (6) ANOINT {NATION*}
4. Dying to relax after a month … (7) DECEASE {DEC}{EASE} Is Die=Decease or Dying ?
5. … calling out for a break (8) VOCATION {V(-a+O}CATION}
6. Struggle getting caught in bad habit (4) VICE {VI{C}E}
7. Entertaining film where female's stripped to expose (6) UNVEIL {fUN}{VEIL}
14. Hire people in a small town for work (10) ASSIGNMENT {A}{S}{SIGN}{MEN}{T}
16. Increasing flow through pipe (8) SWELLING {S{WELL}ING}
18. Getting used to taunting that's unpleasant (8) ATTUNING {TAUNTING*}
19. Climbs up a ship that's cleaned regularly (7) ASCENDS {A}{S{ClEaNeD}S}
21. Men joining parts of cycles (6) ORBITS {OR}{BITS}
22. Climbing up boy finding hard to make progress (4,2) PUSH ON {UP<=}{S{H} ON}
24. Late to get morning paper (4) EXAM {EX}{AM}


Reference List
This writer=I, Society=S, One=I, Student=L, Students=NUS (National Union of Students), Small=S
Weight=W, Out=O, Caught=C, Female=F,  Town=T, Ship=SS, Men=OR, Hard=H, Late=Ex, Morning=AM

Colour/Font Scheme

DefinitionSolutionComponent lettersEmbedded links, Anagram IndicatorC/C indicatorReversal IndicatorHidden word IndicatorLetter Pick indicatorDeletion IndicatorHomophone IndicatorMovement IndicatorPositional IndicatorSubstitution, IndicatorLink/Connector, Extraneous



65 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I did not get it. Generally means removal of the last letter?

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    2. Generally as in mostly could mean that.

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    3. My Anno is
      irregular diet = DE
      weight increase = WI
      (WI)(DE)SPREAD

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    4. Getting DEWI and inferring as WIDE Spread is second level. I would agree but generally/firstly is first level solution.

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    5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    6. Widespread is a DD/CD. You get a wide spread from overeating

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    7. And from irregular diet

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    8. Also if there is a wide spread in the buffet it would lead to weight increase.

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    9. Generally from Chambers online: for the most part, mainly, mostly

      The anno was as Ramesh had written

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    10. Raghu. Nenu pattina Kundelu ki moode kallu. ))

      I think my anno works too

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    11. To translate for non Telugus the saying is " The rabbit I caught had only three legs"

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  2. in 10A doesn't the wordplay lead to {AP{1}{PET}{(-si)T}E}

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  3. I was away from home last evening. Under yesterday's blog, I have given my reply to a query that was addressed specifically to me.

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  4. 26A. STRAINED -- Fell (RAINED) on road (ST) - getting injured - Dfinition (8)

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  5. It's Hyderbad special today with Ramesh blogging. Both enjoyable and tons of thanks to both.
    Wishing all a very Happy Tamil New Year's Day! Birth of the New Tamil Year Vilambi (in Tamil each year is given a specific name and it is a 60 year cycle)

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  6. A small doubt about 8A.
    'Not' is indicated a component. If we take it like that where do we get ON from? Is it not that 'Not possible' gives 'Not ON'?

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  7. 4D- IMO,decease as a verb gives Die.

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  8. The bouncer and the dancer - Part 8

    Thus the VOCATION of the bouncer became more broadbased. With the lodge in place his income kept SWELLING, A LEVEL up and more.
    As he was ATTUNING himself to his new business an ADVERSE situation came about.
    Some SOLDIERS looking for a few days accomodation landed up finding the place SUITABLE. They soon started behaving as if they were OWNING the place.
    The bouncers EMOTIONS became much STRAINED. ( You would have imagined why so)
    But then he had to PUSH ON. Did the team of soldiers become arch rivals of the bouncer?

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  9. Lovely crossword. Surfaces are so smooth that it was quite difficult to get the cryptic reading (8A, 12A,26A).
    Thanks Phantom & Ramesh for the blog..different font?

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  10. Yesterday's comments raised a furore and I tender my apology for my comments.

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  11. "Raghunath2:03 pm GMT+5:30
    The clue suggests that it's all to do with bakery items, with no ref to that kind of a woman"

    The surface was a nice excuse yesterday, then what about 7D today Sir? A female being made to strip and expose and you call the film entertaining. I know today the excuse will be the wordplay is not derogatory. But then is this what you want your daughters and granddaughters to read and solve?

    Was happy to find in yesterday's comments there are sensible men here also, but I think the crossword needs a mature editor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The clue for 7d was not meant to be sent alongwith the puzzle, but another clue. I missed replacing it and it was too late to withdraw it. In fact in the morning had texted to Ramesh to include my regret at sending this clue, but he had already posted the clues and missed seeing my message. I agree the clue was not in good taste.

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    2. Not to hurt your sensitivities Archu.

      No sex please. We are Indian?

      Such language is no longer considered offensive to most mature audiences even in India, I think. Perhaps I am wrong. Unlass, as CV said yesterday,it is directed at an individual.

      I think most mature editors today would allow 7D to pass







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    3. To add. I do not think my mother would have objected

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    4. Thanks for recognizing, but I dont think its only your fault. None of the men who commented before me had any issues with this. The blogger who has so much time for the colors and decoration also didnt care. The guy who personally attacked me yesterday ironically and not surprisibgly says he enjoyed the surfaces.

      Going by the events yesterday and today, and the lack of women here, there seems to be a condescending attitude pervading in this community. Hope you guys have a reality check and things improve in the future.

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    5. "Such language is no longer considered offensive to most mature audiences even in India, I think. "

      Sir this is not about the language alone. Everywhere we read so much about rape and harassment anf abuse. Why also in crossword? Isnt the clue talking about Sri Reddy? Women being made to expose for entertainment? Is there no other clue for this word?

      Your mother may not have a problem but I cringe if my daughters read this to solve. But it is for the paper editors to decide whose subjective opinions to side with....

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    6. Let peace prevail as both yesterday as well as today the setters have expressed their regrets and I am sure it was not intentional on their part

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    7. I think I would have to agree with Archu. Currently, we are not living in such an equalistic society and hence clues like 7D could be avoided. Situation brought about in the clue is more typical than say, for instance, a male stripping, the reasons for which is something our society may have to collectively ponder over

      It is also evident from the fact that movies like Red Sparrow are more commonplace than say a movie like Full Monty. So, it’s advisable to be more sensitive when it comes to matters like these.

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    8. This thread has also had some interesting discussion at the Facebook group 1ACross. Archu or anyone else who is interested in commenting or viewing the discussion is free to check it out.

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  12. 4. Dying to relax after a month … (7) DECEASE {DEC}{EASE} Is Die=Decease or Dying ?

    from Chambers: death, dying, demise,
    and https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/thesaurus/decease: death, dying, demise, end,

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  13. In continuation of yesterday's debate: Best to eat pastry and tarts (8) TROLLOPS {T{ROLL}OPS}

    Before the Col puts a stop by saying : the discussion on this subject now stands closed: I checked high and low for a meaning of TROLLOPS ( especially in plural, which has no relevance to the clue as otherwise it should have been Tarts and trollops), except that the trollop has a relevance to tart which relates to a sweet dish, which may have a common usage as'' tarts and trollops'' as a phrase, which may be derogatory. The only instance I found is chocolate trollops which may be in a far- fetched way a sweet dish . However, this is not derogatrory, I think. I fully agree and tend to side with Ramki that his intention was far from any reference to any synonymity to tarts and trollops as derogatory terms . The compiler has made his innocence clear as to his intentions and hence he should be respected. Tart is indeed a sweet and Trollops is not ! Hence, in the clue there is no allusion to tarts and trollops as women of easy virtue. I rest my case !

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  14. Beats Byzantine for convoluted and complicated cluing. I shall give a skip if I see the ghost who walks again.

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  15. Here's an interesting piece sent to me by Shuchi, it's a 7 year old one. It's relevant to the discussions we've been having over the last two days

    http://davidastle.com/da-blog/mums-the-word

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    Replies
    1. Very interesting especially the diverse views of the commenters. Also is the interseting discussion in FB today on CV Sir's post on yesterday's clue.
      Interestingly Srinidhi didnt find anything derogratory in both clues although she said she would loath to clue trollop & would clue unveil differently

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  16. Thanks Col. I do remember some very risque clues and comments in our blog, over the years, that were taken in a good vein. Aren't a mature lot ?

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  17. Shuchi has dug out some more material on the same issue and that too from this very blog. See below

    Suddenly remembered this old THCC thread from 2013
    http://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2013/10/no-10895-friday-04-oct-2013-xchequer.html

    Ref gay = fairy. Deja vu! It seems we are all saying the same things even now :-)

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    Replies
    1. 5 years down the line and nothing has changed! Thanks Shuchi & Col. for both these links.
      Only difference there was a much educated comments then with Bhavan, Shyam, Shuchi, Skulldugger and the irreprisible Kishore commenting. Raju's view then & now are same.
      Raghu:Please read maradnuso's comment then & now..even after 5 years no change in comment!

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    2. "The Western elements were seen as the basic building blocks of matter. The Chinese 'elements', by contrast, were seen as ever changing and translation of xing is simply 'the five changes'"
      I see now this is applicable to Words and meanings too.
      interestengly the word "slang". itself is define as "slang noun 1 originally the coarse language used by thieves and disreputable characters. 2 very informal words and phrases used by any class, profession or set of people. 3 language not accepted for dignified use. Also as adj • a slang dictionary. verb (slanged, slanging) to speak abusively to someone using coarse language."

      and so unless someone is going to claim authenticity on a word that it is a common word used by setters/solvers class then ALL SLANG WORDS as indicated such in a dictionary SHOULD be not used. period.
      Ofcourse, the EDITOR is in full liberty because i dont face his problems.

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    3. The last comment by Skulldugger in the above link is worth reading and a setter's view...very interesting comment section this..

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    4. Prasad:What editor? He is conspicous by his absence in THC.

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  18. Enough said !


    Wish ye-all a happy Vishu tomorrow :)

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  19. I am writing this purely for the sake of debate.
    Trollop
    Collins online does not mark it as offensive or derog.
    My print edition BRB, lifted with some difficulty, says it is dated.
    -do- of The New Penguin ED also mentions only dated.
    -do- Concise Oxford Dictionary says dated or humorous
    Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - this is for learners of English - says old-fashioned, not polite
    Now my simple question is: where do I go before deciding that a word that I am about to enter in a grid may be found offensive.
    When CMFC suggests the word TROLLOP for relevant word pattern, I am sure other top-of-the-drawer word pattern search software would throw it up.

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  20. Philosophy
    " There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"

    William Shakespeare / Hamlet

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