Tuesday 3 July 2018

No 12359, Tuesday 03 Jul 2018, Afterdark


ACROSS
1   Plant has a stem with half a leaf, bearing seed around end of autumn (5,6) ADAMS NEEDLE {A}{DAM}{S{a...mN}EED}{LEaf}
9   Casual worker comes after leave (7) OFFHAND {OFF}{HAND}
10 Approval from Lord to restrain a man holding arms primarily (2-5) GO-AHEAD {GO{A}{HE}{Arms}D}
11 Restroom is behind a garage door at a house, say (5) IGLOO {1}{Ga...e}{LOO}
12 Work in group for running away... (9) ELOPEMENT {EL{OP}EMENT}
13 ... with Thai cook seen on island state (5) HAITI {THAI}*{I}
15 Son, man and lady frequently hunt bird (9) SHELDRAKE {S}{HE}{LaDy}{RAKE}
18 Multitasking rafters saved in operation (4,5) SKIN GRAFT [T]
21 School's good but exclusive (5) SWELL {S}{WELL}
22 Small joint taken earlier in front of office (9) PRIORSHIP {S}{HIP} after {PRIOR}
24 A chip from Stonehenge prominently displayed (5) EPROM [T]
26 Spanish killer hiding in a room at a dorm (7) MATADOR [T]
27 Returns bribe after work, collects 50% fees in checks (7) OPPOSES {OP}{SOP<=}{feES}
28 Making anagram of At is a kind of mirage (4,7)  FATA MORGANA

DOWN
1   Overthrows on 2 balls to reach 51 in the trophy (9) ABOLISHES {A{B}{O}{LI}SHES}
2   A woman's fat, almost ugly (5) AWFUL {A}{W}{FULl}
3   Following presentation about a department... (9) SHADOWING {SH{A}{D}OWING}
4   ... is boring; awfully dense having long opening and closing statements (7) ENDLESS {END{Long}ES*}{s...tS}
5   Perhaps, setter went up to fetch a flower (3,4) DOG ROSE {DOG} {ROSE}
6   Nurse had a female lineage (5) ENATE {EN}{ATE}
7   Bachelor will always be on time for a drink (8) BEVERAGE {B}{EVER}{AGE}
8   Change the reverse trend (4) EDIT<=
14 Newcomer seen in gallery, touring India (8) INITIATE {IN}I{T{I}ATE} Second I from?
16 Paint creates viral disease and soreness (9) DISTEMPER [DD]
17 Condition to procure bulb through fund transfer is atrocious to start with (9) ECLAMPSIA {EC{LAMP}S}{Is}{At...s}
19 Eager to run across a street after a sip of tequila at hotel (7) ATHIRST {1}{R}{ST} after {A}{Te...a}}{H}
20 Taking a chance, pet climbs over the bar (7) TAPROOM {ROOM} after {TAP}
22 Ritual begins with head priest's prayer containing a mantra (4) POMP {Pr...t}{OM}{Pr...r}
23 Do away with date in Rio and get another female (3,2) RID OF {RI{D}O}{F}
25 A religious discipline seen on Indian road (5) RASTA [DD]

GRID
Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 78

The measures INITIATED by the ATHIRST Smith made him feel that he could finally GET RID of the competition.

The POMP and the ENDLESS afterdark revelry in Gemini and its TAP ROOM continued unabated for a few days.

Smith was soon made to realize that the smooth RASTA  seen ahead by him was only a mirage, a FATA MORGANA.

Officials who fatafat came to inspect the Gemini school ABOLISHED the GO AHEAD given and sealed the premises for UNLAWFUL activities.

SS had more reasons to feel AWFUL.

The DOG ROSE to action mode.

Gombu who had been SHADOWING him for sometime confronted him!

What happened next?

46 comments:

  1. In my initial draft of clues I have often succumbed to the kind of mistake in 14dn. This happens when there are multiple instances of a single letter like I in this instance. As we look at the word *visually* and write clues, we may miss one. If we revise the clues visually, we are apt to apply the same thought process as before and we may overlook the error. This can be avoided only if we get the crossword test-solved by someone else or write down each anno on paper and recheck ourselves.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sane advice especially for budding setters. Thanks CV Sir.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Is after dark referring to himself as newcomer?

      Delete
  3. CGB Sir,
    Everyone somehow locates the logo!

    ReplyDelete
  4. 25d shouldn't there be an indication that its short form (for rastafarian).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The clue should have read 'A religious disciple seen on Indian road'

      Delete
    2. This might just be a printing error from the paper or it might be the "visual" error mentioned by CV Sir.

      Delete
  5. 1D ASHES and LI I got. How to explain BO?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TWO BALLS come in. One B=ball [as in a for apple, b for ball?] and the other ball is circle O

      Delete
  6. Generally additions/deletions of letters would be there, in AD's clues. Today missing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 4 Dn- Endless also means boring? 6Dn- How is Nurse 'En'? 20 Dn- Explanation unclear

    ReplyDelete
  8. I also get stuck with 'Nurse'.
    RN- Registered Nures
    EN- Enlisted Nurse (?)
    4D- Endless= Tedious=Boring
    20D- Tap=Chance, Pet leads to moor?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Endless- 'Monotonous' is one of the given synonyms.

      Delete
    2. pet:pat<- tap
      chance:opportunity. chance. room for improvement

      Delete
  9. Off to NJ,U.S. tonight, returning mid Sept.
    Would be logging in whenever possible (subject to time difference) Cannot be as regular as CGB. However I would be following the blog regularly.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Paddy: Bon Voyage and happy landings. Have a peaceful sojourn. Try and visit here as often as you can. You have been a regular visitor !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Raju. Sure- I will keep in touch.

      Delete
  11. Happy journey Paddy - Ram

    ReplyDelete
  12. Replies
    1. Thank you Ram & CGB.
      I should have to log in daily to get updates of your story- what happened next?!

      Delete
    2. You can log in through your smart phone. THCC on the move!

      Delete
  13. Just carry your smart phone. Your internet will work. Every home has wifi. Of course you know all that.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you CGB. Yes, I am taking my smart phone and propose to use it on home hi fi/ wherever free wi fi is available.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Crocodiles, alligators and more...
    It's out! To differentiate between a crocodile and an alligator you have to look at their snouts!! It it is U shaped it is an alligator and if V shaped a crocodile it is. Of course there are other differences.
    Coming to the Lacoste crocodile. Many, many years back my mother told me that for Diwali I should get myself "a really good" T-shirt. Wanting to please her I decided to go in for a branded one. I could have bought one with a Lacoste logo for around Rs.300 in Mylapore or T.Nagar. But I thought I should get the original one. So I went to the exclusive shop in the mall of those days, Kasi Arcade, at Pondy bazaar and bought a red tee for Rs.900.
    Alas! The very first wash and like "Bleeding Madras" it lost colour. I went to the shop but they did not shed even crocodile tears. They said "It is like that only. Nothing wrong." I did not have the mind to pursue the matter further. Quality is not about money.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought lactoste from Maya Plaza, TNagar in those days for 300 rupees. It almost lasted a full decade, without losing colours or fading!

      Delete
    2. While on the subject of crocodiles and alligators, here is something to cheer you up.....

      Customer: “Do you have alligator shoes?”
      Clerk: “Yes, sir. What size does your alligator wear?”

      Delete
    3. Ha ha. I remember the name of a movie I saw 60 years back. It was the latest then.
      AN ALLIGATOR NAMED DAISY(1955). It is available in youtube.

      Delete
  16. Even then I knew they had taken me for a ride....

    ReplyDelete

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