Tuesday, 7 May 2019

No 12619, Tuesday 07 May 2019, Dr. X


ACROSS
1   They maintain pumps and platforms? Nonsense! (8) COBBLERS [DD]
5   Corrupt liars grabbing power rise rapidly (6) SPIRAL {S{P}IRAL*}
10 A scoundrel steals cap of holy enlightened monk (5) ARHAT {A}{R{Holy}AT}
11 Protest and shout about current system of government (9) DEMOCRACY {DEMO}{CR{AC}Y}
12 Danger from a rude drunk blocking passage (9) ADVENTURE {A}{D{VENT}URE*}
13 Armed criminal killing girl to deprive one of fortitude (5) UNMAN gUNMAN
14 Undergarment one took off to jump into bed (6) CORSET {CO{RiSE}T}
15 Organizing swindle to cover debts periodically (7) SETTING {S{dEbTs}TING}
18 Slaughter bully in custody (7) CARNAGE {CAR{NAG}E}
20 Quite narrow-minded Republican interrupts (6) PRETTY {P{R}ETTY}
22 Old Turkish coin one lost in exotic Persia (5) ASPER  PERSiA*
24 Party overwhelmed by sorrow when Liberal quits in disgrace (9) ABASHMENT {lA{BASH}MENT}
25 Mediocre novel but it might be steamy? (9) POTBOILER [C&DD]
26 Knocking back beer, every so often they cheer (5) ELATE {ALE<=}{ThEy}
27 Going out with adventurous model for a little romp (6) DATING DA(-r+t)TING
28 Became numb in fact after inhaling a joint (8) DEADENED {DE{A}{DEN}ED}

DOWN
1   Mostly need a shirt and tie (6) CRAVAT {CRAVe}{A}{T}
2   Conduct live audio-visual musical at Centre in time (9) BEHAVIOUR {BE}{H{AV}{musIcal}OUR}
3   Behave uninhibitedly and don’t secure the locks? (3,4,4,4) LET ONES HAIR DOWN [DD]
4   Revolutionary exposed holding boy in temporary fortification (7) REDOUBT {RED}{OU{B}T}
6   What a seamstress might do to start again after an interruption? (4,2,3,6) PICK UP THE THREAD [DD]
7   Ramble about loss of British Empire (5) REALM RAMbLE*
8   Flop! That’s what a hen might do? (3,2,3) LAY AN EGG [DD]
9   Smouldering remains of love in unmarried fellows (6) EMBERS mEMBERS 'of love' seems superfluous
16 Where whales might be, generally (2,3,4) IN THE MAIN [DD]
17 Rushed to gather rubbish in shed (8) SCRAPPED {S{CRAP}PED}
19 Commission reverses travel ban enforced partly (6) ENABLE [T<=]
20 Breeze passing through ripe rolling grassland (7) PRAIRIE {PR{AIR}IE*}
21 Break off after that rogue wants hot escort (6) ATTEND {ThAT}*{END}
23 Insignificant alien overwhelmed by depression (5) PETIT {P{ET}IT}

Reference List
Protest = DEMO, Swindle = STING, Party = BASH, Shirt = T

GRID

35 comments:

  1. 9DN He went by the dictionary meaning perhaps!
    The smouldering remains of a fire, or (figurative) of love, passion, etc

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1 and it misdirected me for a little while. Trying to fit Love:(o) in.

      Delete
    2. Yes, that was my intention KKR.

      Delete
    3. I was also trying to fit in O.

      Delete
  2. Thank you Doc. Had a great time solving it with a smile on my face.
    The 2 long ones were nicely done.
    The surfaces of 14A & 27A were typically Dr.X.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was able to fill in a few and then look for annos and I had to look up the blog for a few more.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 21 D- Anind- rogue- has been nicely hidden in the surface.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 'Rogue' is a noun. It is also used as an adj. (rogue elephant). If used as an adj., it works fine as an anag ind. In this clue 'rogue' is a noun. Is it ok? as anag ind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi CV Sir, in the context of the surface, rogue is a noun. In it's function as an anagram ind, rogue is an adjective, which can precede or succeed the fodder. That is my take on it. Of course, I am open to contrary points of view.

      Delete
    2. CV Sir if you see 12A, 'drunk' in the surface reading is a noun but in the cryptic sense, it functions as anag ind as an adjective.

      Delete
    3. Break off after that rogue wants hot escort (6) - I appreciate the novel wordplay avoiding the cliched "At ten..." but I am not comfortable with 'that rogue' for the anag op of 'that'. I will leave it at that. I wonder what others think.

      Delete
    4. Don't see a problem with rogue as anag ind, it means out of control, and adj or adv can come before or after fodder. The rest of the construction may be a shade off grammatically, feel something like 'dropped' would play better than 'wants'

      Delete
    5. Thanks for the feedback CV Sir and Bhala!

      Delete
    6. Actually. a clue that I wrote for a CCW the other day (I have not submitted it because it is risqué) has the adj anagram ind following the anag fodder but I didn't find it odd at all. But here I found it odd and commented on it. Yet I am not able to say why.
      Any Comment that I make here and elsewhere is towards a better understanding of the art and not to pick holes. And I am well aware I may be making mistakes myself; so am open to be under the lens

      Delete
    7. In the same vein I would like to raise another question. In this clue
      Break off after that rogue wants hot escort (6)
      do we first anagram THAT to TATH (or any of the other anagrams) and then delete H or do we delete H from THAT and anagram it to get the required ATT? Is the order of the two operations - deletion and anagram - indicated accurately? Or is this again a needless question as the order does not matter at all?

      Delete
    8. It works for this clue because there is only one H. The same construction with "break off" resulting in a word having h may be a bit confusing, leaving a guessing game.
      Then again my mind did remove h first.

      Delete
    9. Break off may have added a twist, but didn't relate to deletion, and that's just a question of parsing.

      To CV's query, my take would be that the anag ind is the operator and the fodder minus deletion is the operand. The operator can be placed anywhere next to the operand (the whole string treated as one) provided the part of speech and grammar is correctly observed

      Delete
  6. 9d....was trying to place "O" for love.....till 8:10...but Mr KKR crack the code....by the by 1A and 11A was excellent one. thanks to colonel and Dr X for placing the mind blowing puzzles.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very enjoyable puzzle
    FOI:Let One's Hair Down
    LOI:Redoubt
    New Words Of The Day:Arhat and Asper
    Clue Of The Day:Realm for its smooth surface.
    Thanks Doc.

    ReplyDelete
  8. COBBLER. Well cobbled clue.Ladies use pumps & platforms as footwear. I marvel at the comparison!
    I always go for the long phrases. There are the jugulars of a compiler’s jugglers.

    Such a pleasure to do your grid, Doc. Alas, until next week ! God bless

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raju, you have insider info that he is appearing next week? 🤪

      Delete
    2. Thanks Raju. Your wish might be granted sooner...

      Delete
  9. Raju is easy on time. Next week, next month...hardly matters.
    If I remember right we had 3 of Doc.'s puzzles in the last round. If it is so, it may be tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Last month, we had 4 grids of Incognito.
      So, why not?

      Delete
  10. No, only 2 in the last round.
    BTW,
    Col. date is to be corrected in the blog- you are one day in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Is he not? Is he not a regular in TH ? Like you I am ahead of time !

    ReplyDelete
  12. The long phrase at 3Dn, I was thinking if it could be something to do with "KEEP DOOR OPEN" but could not get at it. Now seeing the solution here, I see I have been deceived well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I too thought of leaving the door open!
      What a misdirection!!

      Lovely grid. Thanks Doc.

      Delete
    2. Thanks Vanchinathan and MB :)

      Delete
  13. Kishore and his wife called on LV at Kochi. Some photographs are uploaded in the THCC Families blog at the following link

    KISHORE MEETS LV

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com