Solved while at Zion National Park, Utah
ACROSS
1 Blinking light's best, when dancing around room oddly (6) STROBE {ST{R
4 In good condition, wish for loads of money? (6) WEALTH
9 At entrance of Zoo, several gave a little monkey nuts (4) ZANY {Z
10 According to Spooner, additionally, the chamber had a block (3,3,4) HIT THE WALL (with the hall to hit the wall)
11 Fight with knight at North American capital (6) VIENNA {VIE}{N}{NA}
12 Once again, request to feature Chennai's first chronicler (8) RECORDER {RE{C
13 Gutless Rakshasa sacrificed until Brahma created miniature (9) THUMBNAIL {UNTIL+B
15 Abandon daughter, serving time in pound (4) QUID {QUI
16 Fail to expel student in panic (4) FUNK F
17 Chew algae with old rum for piles (1,4,4) A GOOD DEAL {ALGAE}* over {O}{ODD}
21 MP, for one is a jerk, involved in horseplay? (8) POLITICO {POL{1}{TIC}O}
22 Defer to the woman, not only admire (6) SHELVE {SHE}{L
24 Major transformation has each angel's crowdsourcing (1,3,6) A SEA CHANGE [T]
25 Couple kiss and hug outside but curse (4) JINX {J
26 Being different, I typically hid (6) ENTITY [T]
27 Alas, broke-up and left sepa
DOWN
1 Submissive, like an East European? (7) SLAVISH [DD]
2 Perhaps Satyajit's working material (5) RAYON {RAY}{ON}
3 Mind embracing a hot country (7) BAHRAIN {B{A}{H}RAIN}
5 As moral principles these possibly chastise (6) ETHICS CH
6 Maybe, Marsh owl (3,6) LOW GROUND {OWL}* [RA]
7 Old weapon keeping pack of animals outside a pound (7) HALBERD {H{A}{LB}ERD}
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14 Beggar isn't able to follow, mind addled with drug (9) MENDICANT {CAN'T} after {M{E}NDI*}
16 An indication of interest in a stock index, say (7) FOOTSIE [DD]
18. Indecent alumnus is recognized on the telephone (7) OBSCENE {OB}{SCENE}(~seen)
19 Move forward supply (7) ADVANCE [DD]
20 Clothing in which a soldier keeps ahead? (3,3) TIN HAT [CD?]
23 Starting to explore new joints, obviously you have fun (5) ENJOY Acrostic
Reference List
Wish = W, Loads = H, Knight = N, Daughter = D, Student = L, Old = O, Rum = ODD, Only = O, Kiss = X, Hug = O, Hot = H, Pound = LB, Drug = E, Alumnus = OB(Old Boy)
20d t(in)hat. Which=that.
ReplyDeleteI took it as a punny CD with "ahead" to be read as "a head". Soldier keeps his head inside a tin hat.
Delete+1.
DeleteRamki’s interpretation is what I had intended too
DeleteWithout any wp! I got the "a head" part but it alone could mean scores of head gear(hat)! Guess the answer from crossings only?
Delete8d is it not DD?
ReplyDeleteLooks like it is.
DeleteP is the starting letter of point and base is also one.
Paddy’s interpretation is what was intended. P = Starting Point, and Bass is the definition, Its a Reversal clue.
DeleteThanks for the pangram
ReplyDelete10Ac I couldn't understand the spoonerism. Can anyone explain?
ReplyDeleteMy surmise is additionally=withal [probably HP with all] and THE added in between?
DeleteInstead of syllable switch it is a letter switch W and H
DeleteLike all Spoonerism clues this too is unsatisfactory. It is there for clue type variety.
DeleteIt is not a letter switch but a phonetic switch IMO - WIT THE HALL for HIT THE WALL
DeleteWIT = additionally (from the expression is "to wit")? Not sure about that part.
THE is unchanged in the spoonerism
It’s a Spoonerism of With the Hall
DeleteAnimals in the zoo are complaining that there was a visitor who ignored them totally and ask why he came there all the way from India
ReplyDelete.
:-)
DeleteHats off to Colonel for keeping the blog going all through the vacation, Enjoying at Hoover Dam, betting at the Casino and trekking in Zion, but blogging on the dot!
Delete+1 Sowmya
DeleteThanks Sowmya was lucky today to get WiFi at Zion considering the location.
DeleteOff to Bryce Canyon today and then to Grand Canyon before heading back to San Diego
Great Colonel - All lovely places. Have a wonderful holiday. If possible, don’t miss out walking on the glass bridge on the canyon and the helicopter ride that takes you down to the Colorado river, followed by a boat ride on the river. The person who took us on the boat ride was a retired teacher, and much like you he was sporting a Walrus moustache. Very ruddy and full of life, he described his lifestyle to us. He said he woke up when he wanted. took people,for,rides, made a little money from that and fished in the river for food. He was so contented that I have always wondered how someone can reach that kind of Zen like existence :)
DeleteCol.,Have a nice time at Zion.
ReplyDeleteBTW are you driving back all the way?
Yes we are
DeleteI was asking about your return trip to Austin.
DeleteI enjoyed a drive from NJ to Lake Tahoe (CA) and back visiting many National Parks along the way-way back in 2007.
Will return to Austin from San Diego by air on 20 Aug
DeleteWishing Spinner (Srivathsan S) a very happy birthday today!
ReplyDeleteMany happy returns Spinner :)
DeleteMany Happy Returns Of The Day, Srivathsan.
DeleteHappy Birthday, Spinner!
DeleteHappy birthday Spinner. Have a gr8 day.
DeleteHappy Birthday Spinner and Many Happy Returns of the day!
DeleteIn 4 A, W is H is the substitution indicator na? (Was wondering why loads = H)
ReplyDeleteLoads of money is the definition.
DeleteW is H (like C as H) is a unique letter substitution idea used by Hypatia..
Yes, got that. Was referring to the Reference List below the solutions.
DeleteWill correct it later today
DeleteWhile some clues were nice, construction of some clues looked dubious.
ReplyDelete4A: wish = W is H, is over the top. Doesn't seem fair. Furthermore, in good condition and HEALTH are not exactly synonymous.
9A: not sure if `gave a little monkey' for removing M is proper.
15A: daughter serving time and D in place of T are the same ?
20D: expecting the solver to assume `ahead' to mean `a head' is stretching it a little too far
Health is a "state of being"/" condition". Good or bad is just a qualifier.
DeleteGave also means left, sacrifice.
Serve: work for. D for T.
Condition and health are synonyms, but `good condition' and health are not. You can say `he is in good condition' or `he is in good health' but you can't just say `he is in health' when the person is in good condition.
DeleteGave off, gave out or gave away are better indicators IMO
Using `serve' as a replacement indicator doesn't look convincing to me.
Thanks Sumit for taking time to solve the crossword and for sharing your valuable feedback.
Delete4A. The use of W is H for substitution has been discussed before.This crossword was sent a while ago before that discussion. This is a technique that many setters do use in crossword forums and even in grids published in some blogs. Generally the online community has not expressed major objections and it does give a penny drop moment to solvers who get it. However, I understand why it can be considered unfair to the solver and hence will desist using it.
9A. Chambers describes - “give verb (gave, given, giving) 1 to transfer ownership of something; to transfer possession of something temporarily •” - so not sure why that doesn’t work for you
15A Again, by definition, Chambers has - serve verb (served, serving) 1 to work for someone as a domestic servant; to be in the service of someone. Here, Daughter serving time, is to be interpreted as D- Daughter (working on behalf of) T (Time)
20D. With respect to CDs, a CD either works or doesn’t and though the setter always hopes that it would, it need not for the solver. Some of the greatest and most memorable instances of usage in crosswords are clues such as “Wicked source of light (6)” - Being an old chestnut. almost everyone now knows that a Candle can be wicked though, it does require the solver to read Wicked differently. The same is applicable to crossword flower and butter. Setters are constantly trying to innovate, but only to provide some entertainment and A ha moments for their solvers. If someone had said, wicked is simply unfair and asks too much of the solver, we would just have lost some great clues.
Thanks Sree Sree for taking up my case :) Sumit - with respect to “Health”, while it is per se, a neutral word, when it is used in the sense of “healthy”, it is always in the positive sense. Health, like character is something good to have. Even if you think of the old age, it goes “Health is Wealth” - Here, it automatically implies that “Health, when it is there, is good” and Bad Health is something that is the absence of good health.
Delete9A: noted your argument, but I still feel `gives' as an indicator to remove a particular letter, is quite incomplete. When it's something like `thrown away', `given away' or `given off', it works better. Even going by your own definition, if you are `transferring possession', you need another qualifier, as to whom or what the said thing has been `transferred' to. Without it, the instruction is not quite seamless.
Delete20D: If it was a play on another definition of `ahead' it works better. But the problem is when you are separating the same word into 2 parts. As I see it, there's a subtle difference between the two. While the former route could result in an a-ha moment, the latter approach could make you feel something is amiss.
My 2 cents
Sowmya, there are subtle differences between condition, good condition and health. As I see it, `good condition' and `health' cannot be used interchangeably. I've checked several dictionaries, and they all say that `health' is a state or a condition and not exactly a good condition. Health can be either good or bad. If you are in good health, you are in good condition and if you are in bad health, otherwise. You can't say "hope you are in health" to mean "hope you are in good condition"
DeleteNA: I deleted two Comments of yours as those points were made in Comments above.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed many of the clues (9A, 16A, 17A, 21A, 1D, 6D, 7D) but I agree with Sumit (above) that the substitutions could've been clearer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comments Amita. Glad that you liked many of the clues. Value your feedback and support.
DeleteWith due respect to your comment on the substitutions, please see my response to Sumit above. Hope that clarifies
Delete