Wednesday 3 October 2018

No 12437, Wednesday 03 Oct 2018, Dr. X


ACROSS
1   Incapacitate dreadful boa in field (8) SABOTAGE {S{BOA*}TAGE}
5   Sour spies about to frame detectives (6) ACIDIC {A{CID}IC<=}
10 Bulb in corridor pinched by drunkard (7) SHALLOT {S{HALL}OT}
11 Avoid a shock! Insulate gadget (7) UTENSIL INSULaTE*
12 Arrive finally to chuck out both sides in terrible plunder (3,2) END UP PlUNDEr*
13 Wicked plan ruins a foe (9) NEFARIOUS*
14 Holding back what one might see at prison gym? (12) CONSTRAINING {CONS TRAINING}
18 What driver in traffic jam might do to brag? (4,4,4) BLOW ONES HORN [DD]
21 Scornful actors start to imperiously enter fancy cars (9) SARCASTIC {SAR{CAST}{Im...y}C*}
23 Suspicious sort pocketing ring in trunk (5) TORSO {T{O}RSO*}
24 Where fire burns thankless person (7)  INGRATE {IN GRATE}
25 Reveal rush to dump rupee! Dollar in upsurge (7) UNBOSOM {rUN}{BO{S}OM}
26 One panting for a cigarette (6) GASPER [DD]
27 Computer system that connects number, say with a number in reverse (8) ETHERNET {ETHER}{TEN<=}

DOWN
1   Belts and shirt not available in stores (6) SASHES StASHES
2   Bachelor sexually aroused by alcoholic drink (6) BRANDY {B}{RANDY}
3   One taking a long shot from hotel top mischievously, to capture glimpse of entertainer (9) TELEPHOTO {HOTEL+TOP}* over {En...r}
4   Wade and begin to participate in an activity? (3,4,4,3) GET ONES FEET WET [DD]
6   High spirits of songstress consuming ecstasy (5) CHEER {CH{E}ER}
7   Ruthless side slyly smuggling cannabis caught (8) DESPOTIC {DES{POT}I*}{C}
8   Fantastic! All signals show code identifying broadcaster (4,4) CALL SIGN [T]
9   Where census takers might be soundly asleep? (3,3,3,5) OUT FOR THE COUNT [DD]
15 Short-tempered tribal revolutionary overwhelmed by rage (9) IRRITABLE {IR{TRIBAL*}E}
16 Disconcerting to climb into a trap (8) ABASHING {A}{BA{SHIN}G}
17 Blows a fuse chasing low docking fees (8) MOORAGES {MOO}{RAGES}
19 Where one might meet pen pals? (6) PRISON [CD]
20 Working in crypt! Upset by wisecrack (3,3) BON MOT {B{ON}MOT<=} Never heard of this before
22 Semi-precious stone in set, a garnet from the south (5) AGATE [T<=]

GRID

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51 comments:

  1. KARTHIK3 October 2018 at 08:36

    27A) * is missing; THREE*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sree_sree3 October 2018 at 08:42

      No. Its not. Number is ref to diethyl ether an anastheic.

      Delete
    2. KARTHIK3 October 2018 at 09:02

      Thanks GM

      Delete
    3. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 09:52

      In the above Comment of mine, 'name' should be 'anag'.

      Delete
  2. Kolluru Koteswara Rao3 October 2018 at 08:37

    20DN was a killer!
    Thanks Doc

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 08:39

    Raju wrote yesterday of his perception: "...cryptic crosswords are more popular among doctors, armed forces and accountants..."

    I am not sure about that but I can tell you that my first encounter with solvers was indeed with Navy officers.

    I was a post-graduate student in 1966 when I was visiting my sister in Jamnagar, Gujarat, during summer vacation.

    My b-i-l was a Navy officer. In the evenings I used to go to the officers' mess where his friends would exchange views on the ToI (Daily Mail) crossword.

    Often I would supply the answer to any clue that was defying them until then. This earned me their endearment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. sree_sree3 October 2018 at 08:41

    Liked a few but doc has coined new adage "too many spies turn acidic" (5a)

    ReplyDelete
  5. KARTHIK3 October 2018 at 08:46

    My cod is 16DN.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 08:47

    Col,
    You have heard 'le mot juste'.
    -do- 'bon appétit'.
    But not 'bon mot'!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepak Gopinath3 October 2018 at 08:51

      Bon apetit, I have heard

      Delete
    2. Kolluru Koteswara Rao3 October 2018 at 09:08

      Me too!
      Working led me to ON and guessed the first letter as B. Then could break the crypt

      Delete
  7. Padmanabhan3 October 2018 at 09:21

    COD? The CW itself!
    Pleasant surprise (though Doc. gave a hint late last evening)
    Thank you Doc. I hope it will continue to be 2 from now on.Not just BON MOT, but really.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Vasant3 October 2018 at 09:22

    More than a pleasant surprise!Dr. X's second was as beautiful as the first(Quota increase?).
    Among the gems scattered across the grid was the most shining one:19D(Where one might meet pen pals?). This evoked a smile and admiration at the clever wording. Thanks Dr. X!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Padmanabhan3 October 2018 at 09:22

    BTW French indication for it would have helped.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar3 October 2018 at 09:33

      Since I was familiar with the term, frankly it did not strike me that the term might be uncommon. The phrase is very much in the English dictionary. Having said that, will keep in mind for the future. Thanks Paddy!

      Delete
    2. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 10:02

      French words/phrases that have passed into the English language and which are in an English dictionary need not be signalled as such in crossword clues.

      Delete
    3. Vasant3 October 2018 at 10:19

      Last Saturday's Times puzzle had a clue for Lingam. An Indian word that might be unfamiliar to most British solvers.There was no Indian indication for the word.

      Delete
    4. Vasant3 October 2018 at 10:25

      Times 27158: Fish on a minute religious symbol (6)

      Delete
    5. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 11:39

      Over there one other religious symbol (4)

      Delete
    6. Vasant3 October 2018 at 11:46

      Icon?

      Delete
    7. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 12:08

      No.
      The clue will also work if it is
      Over there one religious symbol (4)

      Delete
    8. sree_sree3 October 2018 at 12:20

      Vasant, its the symbol of shakti. This and lingam together form prakriti.

      Delete
    9. Satyen Nabar3 October 2018 at 12:27

      Yoni (yon + i)

      Delete
    10. Vasant3 October 2018 at 12:28

      Thanks. Got it YON+I

      Delete
    11. Chaturvasi3 October 2018 at 13:09

      A French international on Congress (5)

      Delete
    12. Padmanabhan3 October 2018 at 13:12

      union

      Delete
  10. Padmanabhan3 October 2018 at 09:24

    CV,
    If I remember right, you have said earlier that CW 1 of THC was created by an ex Navy officer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepak Gopinath3 October 2018 at 09:44

      Yes Admiral RD Katari, the first Indian Naval Chief

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan3 October 2018 at 11:38

      Thank you Col. for refreshing my memory.

      Delete
    3. sree_sree3 October 2018 at 19:21

      A friend posted on his FB page today. http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2012/10/admiral-katari-hindu-crossword-setter.html?m=1

      Delete
    4. Kolluru Koteswara Rao3 October 2018 at 20:01

      Thanks Prasad for sharing. Lovely article and comments too.

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan3 October 2018 at 22:26

      +1

      Delete
  11. Amita Baviskar3 October 2018 at 14:44

    I enjoyed this! Clear and economical clues and a couple of infrequently used words (I hadn't thought of 'unbosom' for a while). Thank you, Mr Setter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar3 October 2018 at 15:04

      Thanks Amita! Glad you enjoyed solving it :)

      Delete
  12. Lakshmi Vaidyanathan3 October 2018 at 15:35

    Again a lovely one :) ( Every month this will be my comment for your cws Doc :) )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar3 October 2018 at 15:44

      Hey thanks a lot LV! :)

      Delete
    2. Vasant3 October 2018 at 23:00

      Perhaps you can change the adjectives for a change:-)

      Delete
  13. raju umamaheswar3 October 2018 at 21:06

    Dr. Your comments on surprise for today was a known thing to me yesternight online edition . as I solved it earlier. Maybe a surprise to those who saw it first in the Indian time at 830am.

    Again, the online version kills one's zeal and appetite to solve because of the delayed action on screen due to various ads that keep pooing , superimposing on the grid.

    ReplyDelete
  14. raju umamaheswar3 October 2018 at 21:45

    Doc: Did you hear my clap-clap for TELEPATHICALLY ?

    Was there THEME OF CRIME intended when compiling ?NEFARIOUS, SABOTAGE, PRISON,CONSTRAU+INING, INGRATE(NEWGATE?)ABASHING, MOORAGES(DARTMOOR? ) DESPOTIC , UTENSIL=CAN? and so many negative emotions-- IRRITABLE< SARCASTIC, OUT FOR THE COUNT, ABASHING, GET ONES FEET WET.

    Does a Bachelor get RANDY only with BRANDY? sounds RUM ! makes one glum !

    Waiting for the next cycle of theme- POSITIVELY ?

    BON MOT is a term I had read in many Wodehouse novels .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar3 October 2018 at 22:22

      :) I had no theme in mind at all Raju. I just choose a few words/phrases that I personally find interesting to clue and hopefully will be as interesting to solve, to kickstart the grid. And then the rest gradually falls in place!

      Delete
    2. Vasant3 October 2018 at 23:04

      Perhaps time to do a themed puzzle/Nina/pangram?

      Delete
    3. Satyen Nabar3 October 2018 at 23:41

      All in good time... :)

      Delete

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