Sunday, 14 July 2019

Special, Sunday 14 Jul 2019, Sceptic Cryptic


Welcome to our new setter Sceptic Cryptic. Bouquets and Brickbats welcome.

As this is a 13x13 only 2 ANSWERS PER COMMENTER till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory)
Please provide all your answers in one comment.


ACROSS
7   Fan, with hesitation, following English batsman (6)
8   Outstanding batsman David Warner surprisingly dismisses Warne (6)
9   Restrict some runs temporarily (4)
10 First person in pubs to welcome opening batsman (8)
11 Epic? Yes! Back after initially overcoming disease - Yuvraj Singh! (7)
13 Maybe Big Ben caught left-handed opener on naught at midwicket (5)
15 Stick with playing Faf after slugfest ends (5)
17 Swagger of West Indian batsman, having amassed boundaries (7)
20 Fastest rate dips badly (8)
21 Arrest Indian leader for Afghanistan player (4)
23 Movies with shots on the leg side (6)
24 Tell, maybe, that he is an English bowler (6)

DOWN
1   Run after knocking off New Zealander's middle stump (4)
2   Wickets at end of day's play (6)
3   Specialist opening bowler Mel returns causing difficulty (7)
4   Acknowledge Imad spinning first time (5)
5   Somehow Dale contains Dhoni initially with a maiden (6)
6   Did move cover inside, but got separated (8)
12 Spooner purchased toys for those that gave nothing away (3,5)
14 South Africans in favour of drink with a bit of sugar (7)
16 Recoil instinctively after captain has left (6)
18 Vince all at sea outside English city (6)
19 End line on pitch right away (5)
22 Reportedly purchases extras (4)

Across Lite version can be accessed at SCEPTIC CRYPTIC 1

Enjoy.

49 comments:

  1. 8A: DRAVID from (DAVID WARNER - WARNE)*

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  2. 10A BAIRSTOW {BA{I}RS}{TO}{W}
    6Dn : DIVORCED {DI{VORCE*}D}

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  3. As per the word play it should be the other way round, I think

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  4. Nice one SC. Had to cold solve since travelling. Enjoyed it.

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  5. Not correct. Please check again.

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  6. Anyways, only 2per person. Pls.

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  7. 5D DAMSEL (DALE* around MS - Dhoni's initials)
    15A STAFF (FAF* after S-T)

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  8. Very nice and topical grid - enjoyed solving it. Thanks SC!

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  9. Gemini. Hurry up slowly ! You need to relook

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  10. 15across. STAFF= stick. Faf + s& t crom slugfest

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  11. 18 across. VENICE= Vince+ e.City.

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  12. 14dn proteas
    Pro(in favour)
    Tea(drink)
    S(ugar)

    15ac staff s(lugfas)t faf*

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  13. Nicely derived from the flavour of the cricket season. Thanks Sceptic Cryptic. Too small a grid & too little two comments from too many persons.Sundays special should always be 15 ×15.

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. 12D DOT BALLS Spooner of Bought dolls

    16D F(L)INCH

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the nice cricket-related theme puzzle SC!

      Delete
    2. +1
      Initially, I thought of giving up solving as I am not a very big fan of the game.
      But it proved otherwise.
      Thanks SC for the wonderful entertainment. Would have been much happier, had it been 15X15

      Delete
  16. Super topical puzzle. My COD is 24Ac.
    Thanks SC!

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  17. 17A BRAV(AD)O
    24A ARCHER DD, the 1st is Definition by example (William Tell, the legendary Archer)
    Lovely topical Puzzle! Fantastic Debut!

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  18. 24A ARCHER (ENGLAND BOWLER AND WILLIAM TELL THE ARCHER)

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  19. 7A ROOTER = FAN (ROOT + ER)

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  20. 2D STUMPS ( DD) (in place of 24A already solved.

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  21. Thanks for the special Anantakrishnan. Hope to see many more from you in future. I hope you are enjoying watching the Finals live at Lords. Have a great day.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the oppurtunity, Col. Gopinath. Yes, at Lord's - hoping NZ put up a defendable score.

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  22. Thank you Ananthakrishnan. Enjoyed the brush up of World Cup, while following the Finals. Belated solving.
    Have a great time at Lord's.

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  23. An epic world cup final following an epic Wimbledon finsl

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  24. Heartbreaks for NZ and Federer

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