ACROSS
1 Door always opens to achieve success (3,2) WAY IN
4 Water essentially, flowing into vast channel (2,7) TV STATION {
9 Drop of reddish purple colour ran across (7) PLUMMET {PLUM}{MET}
10 Admit reluctantly tax shelters working fine (7) CONFESS {C{ON}{F}ESS}
11 Back opposition? (5,4) OTHER SIDE [DD]
12 Cable network group dropping the ball getting explosive material (1-4) H-BOMB {HBO}{M
13 In total shambles king's address (4,2) TALK TO {K} in {TOTAL}*
15 Monitor showing W, H but not I, D? Go for return (8) WATCHDOG {W}{A
18 Chance of never-ending rains sweeping through UK (3,1,4) RUN A RISK {
19 Crib primarily for new baby really (2,4) IN FACT INFA(-n+c)CT
22 Greener pastures for a drunkard with restraint (5) LEASH
24 Beef or tuna teatime sandwiches, heaven-sent (9) FORTUNATE [T]
26 Picks petition describing court rule (7) PLECTRA {PLE{CT}{R}A}
27 Head waiter and helper girl carrying evenly carved turkey (6,1) MAITRE D {MAI{T
28 Signing up for battle, not a normal teen (9) ENROLMENT {NORM
29 Fine square type yard (5) SILKY {S}{ILK}{Y}
DOWN
1 Why pout? By the sound of it in disappointment (7) WIPEOUT (~why pout)
2 Juvenile one reading two-thirds of article (5) YOUTH {YOU}{TH
3 One of an upper group in a vulgar division (9) NUMERATOR [CD]
4 Piece of tasty thing nibbled at (6) TITBIT
5 Like Channel Islands and the rest of community (8) SOCIETAL {SO}{CI}{ET AL}
6 Suburb of Pune with surrounding university hospital (5) AUNDH {A{U}ND}{H}
7 Competitive No.1 dealing hiding, beats me (3,2,4) I'VE NO IDEA [T]
8 Sack be so, feeding horse? (7) NOSEBAG {BE+SO}* in {NAG} &lit
14 Listen to inner voice ignoring surging adrenaline (4,2,3) LEND AN EAR ADRENAL
16 Tons of carbon and uranium found among items (9) CENTURIES {C}{ENT{U}RIES}
17 A very smooth opener for England in recent times (2,2,4) AS OF LATE {A}{SO}{FLAT}{E
18 Cast pearls before swine ultimately a setback (7) RELAPSE {PEARLS*}{
20 24 hours to compose duet say (7) TUESDAY*
21 Quick reminder (6) PROMPT [DD]
23 House rent raised for boarding place (5) HOTEL {HO}{LET<=}
25 Pair in prison judge sent away for a month (5) APRIL {
GRID
Bhargav's Talepiece
The bouncer and the dancer - Part 105
A bright and sunny TUESDAY in the month of APRIL.
Major General Jackson wearing a SILKY blue shirt came out of the HOTEL where he was staying and was respectfully greeted by the MAITRE 'D.
He soon entered the WAY IN at the Army HQ and was as usual PROMPT in keeping the appointment. After the introductions Jackson began to TALK TO those present.
Everyone did keenly LEND AN EAR to what he was about to say. IN FACT Jackson was brief. He said that years back they did not want to RUN A RISK in writing down the message. But to confuse the OTHER SIDE they had made a few envelopes with dummy messages.
The idea was to put the enemies on a wild goose chase and were very FORTUNATE in having achieved the same.
By efflux of time the matter and the list had lost its importance. But the enemies were kept busy!!
TIT-BIT:
Uncle Sam and Gombu were relieved on the appearance of Maj. General Jackson and the clarification given.
And thus we come to the end of the Bouncer and the Dancer.
1A: Always = AY, opening WIN (to achieve success)
ReplyDelete22A: Green pastures = LEAS
ReplyDeleteWhen pronounced by a drunkard, it would become LEASH (drunk sound of sh for s)
def = restraint
4D: I interpreted it as T(piece of Tasty) IT (thing) BIT (nibbled at), with the whole clue being the def (&lit)
ReplyDeleteVery satisfying grid today with quite a few aha moments - thanks Buzzer!
ReplyDeleteWATCHDOG, PLUMMET, AS OF LATE were favourites.
I would like to add 7D to the list- I'd no idea about this until I looked up the blog.
DeleteI would say 'High Quality' CW- probably one of the best by Buzzer. It buzzes!
The print edition today comes with a supplement in tabloid form to celebrate 140 years. It includes the first crossword, though the sol grid is used alongside the puz grid. .
ReplyDeleteWe had solved THC 1 on this blog on 05 Jan 14
DeleteYes, remember it now that you have mentioned.
DeleteThanks Buzzer
ReplyDelete27AC was the last one to fall.
ME too. got stuck at evenly "carved" for a long time, thereby taking turkey as Def and head Waiter as W.encountered ive first time in solution.
Deletesome tough ones made me sleep late and got delayed for an early morning meeting.
Did the puzzle in fots and starts..and completed now..loved the puzzle with several a ha moments(fid the puzzle in excel as the online version was not working). Tale piece after a long time. A bright Thursday morning here😀
ReplyDeleteApologies for so many typos
DeleteTale piece: The final episode?
ReplyDeleteVery Nice
ReplyDelete6D: The suburb where Buzzer lived before moving to Gold Coast?
ReplyDeleteYes, sounds like the final episode.
ReplyDeleteAny ideas for starting a new series?
Vasant: I was frustrated yesterday when I loaded the online version . The individual clues on top for ease of solving was missing and to aggravate, there were too many ads alongside and on top, rendering the solving all the more difficult. hoping that they would rectify , I tried reloading again this morning but the same problem persisted. I gave up and had to be content reading the comments on the blog. The Hindu ought to change the software for an easier user friendly version !
ReplyDeletesomeone playing around the content template. even the old crosswords are facing the same problem.
DeleteHave a back-up plan for such situations. I have my Excel which is the easiest. Others have Across lite and other softwares.
DeleteCan the Hindu crossies be converted to Acrosslite ?Is there any software for it ? Today again, the cue for clues on the top are absent. So annoying !
Deletethey have given the content box that displayed the clue to the advertising box.
Delete11 AC.....FARM WITH AN UPWARD SLOPE = .....(RAISE)
ReplyDelete12. Dangerous python constricting a duck in a violent storm (7) = TYPHOON......ANAGRAM OF PYTHAN+O FROM DUCK