Tuesday, 28 August 2018

No 12407, Tuesday 28 Aug 2018, Skulldugger


ACROSS
1   Summaries for graduates' dissertations (9) ABSTRACTS [DD] (Addendum - {ABS}{TRACTS} - See comments)
6   Polish tip of milky gemstone (4) RUBY {RUB}{m..kY}
8   Investigated two dozen papers in this country (8) INQUIRED {IN{QUIRE}D}
9   Cook put head of lettuce in toast (6) SALUTE {SA{Le...e}UTE}
10 Acting on petty inclination without reasoning first a dangerous thing, according to Pope (1,6,8) A LITTLE LEARNING {A} {LITTLE} {LEA{Re...g}NING}
11 Really like an opening broadcast (5) ADORE {A}{DORE}(~ a door)
13 Ecstasy pills, mixed drinks consumed in stag film (8) DEERSKIN {D{EE}RSKIN*}
15 Dietary essentials for master and kids reportedly (8) PROTEINS {PRO}{TEINS}(~teens)
18 Lost junk might be found here (2,3) AT SEA [DD]
20 Rev. Stan preached unorthodoxly, in thorough detail (7,3,5) CHAPTER AND VERSE*
23 Footloose, easy-going Glaswegian's painting on walls (6) FRESCO {FREe}{SCOt}
24 Aggressive promotional tactic not usually shared by liberals (4,4) HARD SELL {SHARED}*{LL}
25 Tom cries in stables (4) MEWS [DD]
26 Developed desire on lying in bed (9) BURGEONED {B{URGE}{ON}ED}

DOWN
1   Female lecturer's yearly report (5) ANNAL {ANNA}{L}
2   Centaurs beginning to go off for a stroll (7) SAUNTER cENTAURS*
3   Hamlet might be described thus! (5) RURAL [CD]
4   Prepared eggs in cold, eerie light (7) CODDLED {C}{ODD}{LED}
5   Moved curiously as around an unknown quantity in outhouse (8) SASHAYED {AS<+}{SH{A}{Y}ED}
6   Regrets abandoning Portugal for Luxembourg and changes mind (7) RELENTS RE(-p+l)LENTS
7   Nobody likes this black beast (4,5) BETE NOIRE [C&DD]
12 Not much is known about this black beast (4,5) DARK HORSE {DARK} {HORSE}
14 Insurrectionist British gang let out, disaster waiting to happen (4,4) TIME BOMB {B}{MOB}{EMIT}<=
16 Awful pity Seth's regularly dismissing key employees (7) TYPISTS {PITY}*{SeThS}
17 Spread special foam (7) SLATHER {S}{LATHER}
19 Senator involved in treachery (7) TREASON*
21 Fridge on the fritz, not starting, making low sound (5) DIRGE fRIDGE*
22 Every so often, snarls and leaves after mix-up (5) SALAD {SnArLs}{AnD}

GRID
Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 104

Never in the ANNALS of the Army had a case been left unsolved for such a long time.  Most of them were AT SEA regarding the envelope, its contents and whereabouts.

Its CHAPTER AND VERSE was known only to a handful. Gombu and Uncle Sam were not in their SALAD days. Yet...

Once the issue is solved many might be INQUIRED and charged for TREASON. A LITTLE LEARNING would not suffice to get into the bottom of the matter.

It was not a time to SAUNTER. They hurried into the Army HQ where they were received with a SALUTE as they passed a FRESCO of General Dwight Eisenhower.

What happened next?

21 comments:

  1. 1a graduates:abs dissertations:tracts, imu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1
      My guess is:AB=Artium Baccalaureus (Latin), Bachelor of Arts (US)

      Delete
  2. 21d: 'on the fritz' is anagrind, IMO.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Trying to understand the classification 7d,12d. 7d bete/horse:beast noir:black/dark. How is 7d DD.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand, nobody likes this as an idiom bete noire col. I take that as def. I am only trying to understand the diff in classification. 7 and 12 both seem similar type of cluing. Just language difference.

      Delete
  4. A very satisfying challenge from Skulldugger. The two black beasts, the unusual anagrind (on the fritz), XChequer like phrase(Chapter and Verse) all added to the fun.
    Thought 18A was a CD rather than a DD.

    ReplyDelete
  5. CGB: Nice portray of Ike Eisenhower!

    ReplyDelete
  6. 13A How is deerskin a "stag film" please

    ReplyDelete
  7. ok. But stag film has other meaning...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I got it. But the words per se do not mean anything obscene.

      Delete
  8. Good learning value for us newcomers

    ReplyDelete
  9. Skulldugger at his best with phrases, though there were some deletions and additions that are my bete noire ! Is there a sinister theme? Dark Horse, bete noire , time bomb, treason, dirge and pontificating Pope, hard sell and the rest !

    RUBY turned me RED as on cold solving initially, I was to insert OPAL

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com