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. 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.
Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers till 2 PM thereby giving others also a chance to participate.
The regular blog will replace the clues at 2 PM after which anyone is free to comment.
Thanks everyone for the response. Here is the regular blog
GRID
ACROSS
7 Small and initially yellow flower (4) LILY {LIL}{Ye...w}
8 Records journey on a bit of celluloid (9) FILMSTRIP {FILMS}{TRIP}
10 Take money in return for what the Light Brigade did (6) CHARGE [DD]
11 Sappers with expensive clothes build an oil processing unit (8) REFINERY {RE}{FINERY}
12 Gunners retreat before one state turns into another state (8) ARKANSAS {RA<=}{KANSAS}
14 Key operator who secures things in a storage compartment (6) LOCKER [DD]
16 Fire, after discovering Chief of Staff's Russian (7) COSSACK {COS}{SACK}
18 City media, perhaps, does not have appeal for this tree (7) CYPRESS {CitY}{PRESS}
21 Latest rains show cause for tension (6) STRAIN [T]
23 Valuable soup recipe was formulated without training (8) PRECIOUS {SOUP+RECIpe}*
25 Horribly mistreats, after I go, the most intelligent people (8) SMARTEST MiSTREATS*
27 Communist intelligence agency to sketch plan again (6) REDRAW {RED}{RAW}
29 Paste after 3 feet and create a benchmark (9) YARDSTICK {YARD}{STICK}
30 Locates dioceses in both directions (4) SEES [DD<=>]
DOWN
1 Once a big success ... that lady gets tremendous ovation at first (8) HITHERTO {HIT}{HER}{Tr...s}{Ov...n}
2 To some extent, Judy Eriksen’s a colour changer (4) DYER [T]
3 Officers, not having Indian commission at first, get proposals (6) OFFERS OFFicERS
4 He has a blooming business in Florida Street, after departure of American lawman (7) FLORIST {FLORIda}{ST}
5 Effectively consume till the last drop (8) USEFULLY {USE FULLY}
6 Press metal (4) IRON [DD]
9 Rupees (not Euro) are arranged in money pouch (5) PURSE RUPeES*
13 Confused on a voyage (2,3) AT SEA [DD]
15 Kodava, after losing a ball, gets a dog (5) CORGI COoRGI
17 Study poetry and talk (8) CONVERSE {CON}{VERSE}
19 South African practices making bangers (8) SAUSAGES {SA}{USAGES}
20 Nut kips around a spacecraft (7) SPUTNIK*
22 Setter's after male soldier (5) TOMMY {TOM}{MY}
24 Exclamation made by discoverer in Bath? I got it! (6) EUREKA [CD]
26 Uncommon to see engineers following artists (4) RARE {RA}{RE}
28 Run a little (4) DASH [DD]
7 Small and initially yellow flower (4) LILY {LIL}{Y
8 Records journey on a bit of celluloid (9) FILMSTRIP {FILMS}{TRIP}
10 Take money in return for what the Light Brigade did (6) CHARGE [DD]
11 Sappers with expensive clothes build an oil processing unit (8) REFINERY {RE}{FINERY}
12 Gunners retreat before one state turns into another state (8) ARKANSAS {RA<=}{KANSAS}
14 Key operator who secures things in a storage compartment (6) LOCKER [DD]
16 Fire, after discovering Chief of Staff's Russian (7) COSSACK {COS}{SACK}
18 City media, perhaps, does not have appeal for this tree (7) CYPRESS {C
21 Latest rains show cause for tension (6) STRAIN [T]
23 Valuable soup recipe was formulated without training (8) PRECIOUS {SOUP+RECI
25 Horribly mistreats, after I go, the most intelligent people (8) SMARTEST M
27 Communist intelligence agency to sketch plan again (6) REDRAW {RED}{RAW}
29 Paste after 3 feet and create a benchmark (9) YARDSTICK {YARD}{STICK}
30 Locates dioceses in both directions (4) SEES [DD<=>]
DOWN
1 Once a big success ... that lady gets tremendous ovation at first (8) HITHERTO {HIT}{HER}{T
2 To some extent, Judy Eriksen’s a colour changer (4) DYER [T]
3 Officers, not having Indian commission at first, get proposals (6) OFFERS OFF
4 He has a blooming business in Florida Street, after departure of American lawman (7) FLORIST {FLORI
5 Effectively consume till the last drop (8) USEFULLY {USE FULLY}
6 Press metal (4) IRON [DD]
9 Rupees (not Euro) are arranged in money pouch (5) PURSE RUP
13 Confused on a voyage (2,3) AT SEA [DD]
15 Kodava, after losing a ball, gets a dog (5) CORGI CO
17 Study poetry and talk (8) CONVERSE {CON}{VERSE}
19 South African practices making bangers (8) SAUSAGES {SA}{USAGES}
20 Nut kips around a spacecraft (7) SPUTNIK*
22 Setter's after male soldier (5) TOMMY {TOM}{MY}
24 Exclamation made by discoverer in Bath? I got it! (6) EUREKA [CD]
26 Uncommon to see engineers following artists (4) RARE {RA}{RE}
28 Run a little (4) DASH [DD]
GRID
8a: filmstrip {films(=records)}{trip(=journey)} = a bit of celluloid
ReplyDelete23a: precious {soup+reci(-pe)}* = valuable
25a: smartest {m(-i)streats}* = most intelligent people
29a: yardstick {yard(=3 feet)}{stick(=paste)} = benchmark
1d: hitherto {hit(=a big success)}{her(=that lady)}{t(-remendous)}{o(-vation)} = once
Great and early start!
ReplyDeleteCold solve 20min, left wanting more. Old gin tonic brew from kishore.
ReplyDeleteI want more too.
DeleteA little too easy. Of course, clued thus, it could provide relief amidst discouraging mornings when xChequer and the like come on.
ReplyDelete16a: Cossack-Russian.
ReplyDeletechief of staff - COS Fire- sack.
18a: Cypress
City minus It + media is press
27a: Redraw Red + RAW
6d: Iron
15d: Corgi. Coorgi minus o
- Annapoorani
12a refinery re(sappers) + finery(expensive clothes)
ReplyDelete9d purse rupees - e (euro)
17d converse con(study) + verse(poetry)
19d sausages sa(south African) + usages(practices)
24d eureka ( exclamation by Archimedes)
It is 8.30 and only 2 people have completed their quota. Where are the rest?
ReplyDelete2d dyer
ReplyDelete[T]
Delete3D offers
ReplyDelete4d florist
ReplyDelete5d usefully
ReplyDeleteYou have to give with annos.
DeleteIt takes the romance out of solving if anno isn't given. But I do remember I was at this stage in2011. Was a silent reader for 2 years before getting hang of it.
DeleteWhat a hang!!!
Delete7 a lil y
ReplyDelete10a charge.. charge of the light brigade.
30 a sees
14 a locker
10a tense difference???
DeleteHad the same question too. One half of it seems to lead to charged.
Delete20d sputnik
ReplyDelete14a locker
ReplyDelete12a RA kansas= arkansas
ReplyDelete12a RA kansas= arkansas
ReplyDelete11A. REFINERY. sappers (RE), expensive clothes(FINERY)
ReplyDelete21A. STRAIN. (rains*),with T from
latesT
Pls recheck 21a
DeleteThanks. It's a T.
Delete21a - STRAIN (contained in Latest rains - Show is the clue)
Delete13D. AT SEA. (DD)
ReplyDelete26 D. RARE. engineers (RE) following artists(RA)
6d: iron (dd)
ReplyDelete9d: purse {rupe(-e)s}
13d: at sea (dd)
22d: tommy (tom + my)
28d: dash (dd)
28 D. DASH. (DD)
ReplyDelete8a: filmstrip - films(records)+trip(journey)
ReplyDelete11a: refinery - re(sappers,soldiers)+finery(best,expensive clothes)
18: cypress – c i̷t̷ y+press(media), it – appeal
4d: florist – (flori d̷a̷)+str̷e̷e̷t̷ , da – district attorney(lawman)
5d: usefully (dd)
5D. I don't think it's DD. Consume - use, till the last drop- fully.
Delete5D is a DD.
DeleteEffectively consume/ till the last drop.
I think it is use(consume)+fully(till the last drop); def:effectively
DeleteAs Balaji has mentioned
Delete5d: usefully is dd,
ReplyDeleteeffectively // consume till the last drop
First time, I got all answers. Excellent clues, Incognito!
ReplyDeleteIf my 5d is wrong, then
ReplyDelete21a: strain(T)
I have been a silent follower for the last 3 months. My first post today.
ReplyDelete1a LILY (Lil (Small)+ y (Initially Yellow)
8a FILM STRIP (Films (Records) + Trip (Journey)
10a CHARGE (Direct Clue)
1d HITHERTO (Hit (Big Success) + Her (that lady) + to (Tremendous Ovation First letters)
2d OFFERS (officers - ic (Del Indian commission first letters)
100% on first effort should encourage you to continue commenting and cease to be a silent follower.
DeleteThanx. I am employed & usually my crossword time is 7 - 8 pm. :) Today I was on leave. But thanx to ur blog, on most days I actually manage 80-90% solutions (by following it diligently for the last 3 months).
DeleteThe bouncer and the dancer - Part 20
ReplyDeleteWhat followed if captured in a FILMSTRIP would have been almost spine chilling.
SS had to DASH behind Gombu as he quickly but gently left the place. Though Gombu was one of the SMARTEST in his line, STRAIN was seen in his face. (Very RARE indeed).
The two entered 'CYPRESS' a FLORIST shop belonging to G's associate.
G: "We have PRECIOUS little time left.
You should leave within a few hours.
I shall make good OFFERS to LILY and Kayal. Make their PURSES fat. Kayal may be USEFULLY deployed for your plan."
Gombu then took SS to an inner room and from an IRON LOCKER took out a sealed envelope.
"Take this away with you"
Fear crept into SS as he SEES that brown sealed envelope.
What happened next?
Turning into a deep mystery-awaiting episode 21.
DeleteSuggest save it as a series in your system. It would be really interesting when you read it fully on completion/ or completion of Book I.
col any update on cjb meet.
ReplyDeleteJust got back from Kerala.
ReplyDeleteThe meet at Coimbatore will be at lunchtime on Thursday 03 May. Update on the venue will be intimated in a day or two
oh 3rd may is too soon. was planning for 6th. have a nice time.
Delete24d c&dd my understanding.
ReplyDelete7 Across. Small and initially yellow flower (4) Little abbreviated to l'il phonetically ,. lil- OK - shouldn't there be an abbreviation indicator? Or Little is the indicator?
ReplyDeleteLots of simple clues - good for a beginner .
What defines a silent follower of the blog? P.Venkatesan? At what stage does he graduate to to be a regular ?
ReplyDeleteJest for fun!
ReplyDeleteA student from a village recently having come and joined a college in city wishes to impress his new found girlfriend:
YOU REKHA!
HITHERTO I have not seen a sweeter person than you. Your beauty is a milestone and there is no YARDSTICK to measure it. Even a RARE LILY from the FLORIST has to go to a REFINERY and come back and even then it can't come anywhere near you in beauty(!!).
You are DASHING. You are the SMARTEST.
You are the envy of that PRECIOUS stone in your necklace.
If you don't CONVERSE with me I will be all AT SEA and don't know what to do.
In my dream I took you to Magic Springs in ARKANSAS and emptied my PURSE for you. Money can't be more USEFULLY spent.
Rekha: OK DA. Can you first re-CHARGE my mobile with Rs.100?
😀😀
DeleteWhat an end to the story! After all, everything is connected to the mobile these days.
DeleteEnjoyed it. Thank you.