Solved enroute while driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles all along the West Coast. A beautifully scenic drive.
ACROSS
1 Seize endless photographs featuring hot visual images (8) GRAPHICS {GRA
5 Soldiers about to chase man in float – a terrorist (6) BOMBER {RE}<= after {BO{M}B}
10 United in passionate love, turned emotional (7) MAUDLIN {MA{U}D}{NIL<=}
11 Worm in lane, possibly dead (7) ANNELID {IN+LANE}*{D}
13 Obnoxious heels in bar cause a commotion (5,4) RAISE HELL {RAI{HEELS*}L}
14 Turning frog into prince! Extremely far out paranormal ability (12) PRECOGNITION {
18 What a car assembly worker might do to treat one vulnerable cruelly? (3,3,4,2) PUT THE BOOT IN [DD]
21 Brutal raid organised to capture a criminal by noon (9) DRACONIAN {DR{A}{CON}IA*}{N}
23 Bucket here contains a volatile liquid (5) ETHER [T]
24 Disabling scheme to divide Chinese dynasty (7) MAIMING {M{AIM}ING}
25 Bond frames plan to engage in pretence (4-3) PLAY-ACT {P{LAY}ACT}
26 Potent in bed having knowledge (6) COGENT {CO{GEN}T}
27 Upset by director chasing one model in a passage (8) AGITATED {D} after {A}{G{1}{T}ATE}
DOWN
1 Plot to keep alien in cell (6) GAMETE {GAM{ET}E}
2 Neighbour's endless worry about an inability to act decisively (6) ABULIA {ABU
3 Couple of husbands touring prehistoric castle speak at length (4,5) HOLD FORTH {H}{OLD}{FORT}{H}
4 Tense wife captures king at last in card game (8,6) CONTRACT BRIDGE {CONTRACT}{BRID{
6 Scrap after taking bit of umbrage (5) OUNCE {O{U
7 Newsflash – shot at home (8) BULLETIN {BULLET}{IN}
8 Fragrant rose given to win heart of beloved (8) REDOLENT {RED}{
9 What one might be doing after washing's dried up is humiliating (6,4,1,3) TAKING DOWN A PEG [DD]
15 Traveller in the train, angrily ignoring husband (9) ITINERANT {IN+T
16 Record by one medic about plague (8) EPIDEMIC {EP}{1}{MEDIC*}
17 Taking ale frantically in distress (8) STEALING {ST{ALE*}ING}
19 Stop scoundrel about to grab hot woman in front of bar (6) THWART {T{H}{W}AR<=}{T}
20 Cheat upset about charge made a speech (6) ORATED {DO<=} over {RATE}
22 Bit of unpleasantness disregarded for love in marriage, it could make one cry (5) ONION (u+o)ONION
Reference List
Hot = H, United = U, Dead = D, Noon = N, Director = D, Husband = H, Love = O
Dr.X is getting problematic with additions and deletions, ha ha!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the entertainment, Dr.X
Thanks KKR! Not intentionally problematic :)
DeleteLoved 6D
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteI thought this was a classic puzzle. The Cryptic instructions are so clear that one can arrive at unknown words like 2d and 11A based on WP.
ReplyDeleteFOI Graphics
LOI Taking down a peg
My COD Cogent (naughty surface)
Thanks Dr. X
I agree with you on the instructions. But in COGENT, I’m not sure if having works as a containment indicator. ‘Having’ could be used to link words, but, it is not adequate enough to take the word inside another. That’s exactly why having is always following by ‘in’ or ‘out’.
DeleteAnd I also feel ‘bit’ maybe an inadequate indicator. It could be the first bit, last bit or some middle bit of the fodder. It’s a little vague as an indicator IMO
Have (from dict) : to possess; own; hold for use; contain
DeleteContaining is enough, imu
DeleteNot strong enough to mean that the fodder is going inside another bunch of letters. A word may have multiple definitions, but, when it is used as an indicator, it has to be quite precise, giving a sharp sense of what the instruction is. As I see it, `having' works better as a link word between 2 sections of the wordplay, rather than a containment indicator
Hi Sumit, I don't quite see a problem with 'Having' as container ind, though I have come across a few similar reservations expressed elsewhere. In my opinion, it works fine enough. Having said that, I could easily have modified the sentence to... Potent in bed after gaining knowledge. Which perhaps might read even better as a surface, whilst addressing your problem.
DeleteOn the issue of 'bit of' I understand the point you make but think this is pretty much standard usage in crosswords and has been for quite a while now. Not just 'bit of'... a little/ drop of/ glimpse of/ element of/ hint of/ nip of/ pinch of/ scrap of/ spot of/ touch of/ trace of... are all pretty standard first letter selection indicators. And in my opinion they are fine. Matter of fact, the clue that won in CCCWC contest recently for Narcissus was 'Self-admirer rubbishes hint of collusion with Russians' (C+RUSSIANS)* So whilst I appreciate the point you make, I don't agree with it. In my book, it is fine.
And thanks Vasant :)
DeleteAs I see it, 'having' works better as a connector, than a container indicator. I've stated my reasons as well. I think my test would be this - in common usage, does 'having' need an additional qualifier like 'in' to mean insertion ? If yes, then better to stay away from that indicator if it's gonna be used without any qualifier. For example, has, take etc.
DeleteAs for the example you provided, as a cryptic instruction, it may not be so perfect. I think the clue was greatly helped by the topical nature of it, and the person the clue references, rather comically. With clues like these, perhaps people tend to be a little liberal. Otherwise, not sure if the clue would have gotten far. And back to the indicator 'bit', yes, it may be a common indicator, but as a non-setter and a solver looking for a clear instruction, I think it's a bit vague.
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DeleteThanks for your well-expressed opinions. Similarly, I have stated my stand on both quite clearly. So let's just say, we can agree to disagree! Still will try to minimize the use of 'Having' where its possible. However, as I check the set of crosswords sent by me in the month of June, please do be ready for another 'having' in tomorrow's crossword, if you find the time to solve. Thanks again :)
DeleteToo many about’s, bit’s and capture’s, to go with a couple of hot’s
ReplyDeleteDon't quite know how to respond to that! Just the way the best clue and surface that I can think of for the given word pans out, I guess.
DeleteCan't please everyone all the time, I guess :)
ReplyDeleteTrue. One can only do one's best :)
DeleteI enjoyed this very much! I didn't get 2D ABULIA, but the rest was very satisfying. Thank you, Dr X.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome Amita!
DeleteGood to see husband preceding wife. No ecstasy from pot!
ReplyDeleteTel me, Doc, how do you manage to weave a mystery in the elusive phrases that hark into one’s mind the moment one reads the clues ? At first sight,your grid looks grim but once one answer is put in, all others fall like nine pins ! Good and enjoyable though I am not a great fan of deletions & deletions.
Thanks Raju. Sometimes, it falls in place easily, sometimes it is a real grind! Glad you enjoyed :)
DeleteThank you Doc. for bringing Bridge into the CW, but wife for bride? Interchangeable?Also, tense= contract?
ReplyDeleteI filled in though with the given length and crossings.
If potent in bed having knowledge is naughty, gaining knowledge could be naughtier (naughtiest?!)
CW- comments- which is more enjoyable? Difficult to decide!
Stretched is one of the synonyms given for tense, though tighten is also there which could be stretched(!) to mean contract.
ReplyDeletePaddy,cccf. Rem this is doc. Muscles contract when they are tense.
DeleteInto to note, agonist and antagonist in this context.
DeleteThanks Prasad. Tense (verb) as in tense/contract one's muscles Paddy.
DeleteI agree with the medical point of view.
ReplyDelete