Wednesday 7 August 2019

No 12698, Wednesday 07 Aug 2019, Gridman


Solved while returning from the San Diego Safari Park.

ACROSS
1   Rolling on, hamara Jack has become a big shot (7) MAHARAJ {HAMARA}*{J}
5   Overcharge, Pir? (3-3) RIP-OFF {PIR}* [RA]
9   Bird to steal one nest, to begin with (5) ROBIN {ROB}{1}{Nest}
10 Funny cartoon about extremely light singer (9) CONTRALTO {CARTOON}* over {LighT}
11 I, with regent, cooked up a number (7) INTEGER {I}{REGENT*}
12 Dear, once out, becomes thoughtful (7) PENSIVE exPENSIVE
13 My incomplete group of birds (5) GEESE {GEE}{SEt}
14 Won't give baksheesh. That's level! (2,7) NO TIPPING [DD]
16 Supporter not out to flag an inspiration (9) BRAINWAVE {BRA}{IN}{WAVE}
19 See, I missed a prospect (5) VISTA {VISiT}{A}
21 Abroad, there's good line. Move on! (7) OUTGROW {OUT}{G}{ROW}
23 Dismiss dens? (4,3) SEND OFF {DENS}* [RA]
24 Fellows, don't start table fight (9) ENCOUNTER {mEN}{COUNTER}
25 Sage mantris high, to a certain extent (5) RISHI [T]
26 Came upon hesitancy over old one hurtling (6) METEOR {MET}{E{O}R}
27 Abandons no southern sweets (7) DESERTS DESsERTS

DOWN
1   One whose business is to make matches (8,6) MARRIAGE BROKER [CD]
2   Regular colour about a piece (7) HABITUE {H{A}{BIT}UE}
3   Deny Green's faltering and beginning to use drug (7) RENEGUE {GREEN*}{Use}{E}
4   And Raja goes round saving up account of tree (9) JACARANDA {AND+RAJA}* over {AC}
5   Quickly approach crazy pun by Russian (3,2) RUN UP {RU}{PUN*}
6   Standard cut vegetable (7) PARSNIP {PAR}{SNIP}
7   Film director's cruel with endless note (7) FELLINI {FELL}ENI Anno for ENI pending (Addendum - {FELL}{mINIm} - See comments)
8   Yet these shenanigans will reverberate back home (7,7) FOREIGN AFFAIRS [C&DD]
15 Cherished use trader exploited (9) TREASURED*
17 Diplomat's briefcase (7) ATTACHE [DD]
18 Run back, true to form, to promote growth (7) NURTURE {RUN<=}{TRUE*}
19 Jury panels even I respect from within (7) VENIRES [T]
20 Stand for special partners in underprivileged surroundings (7) SPONSOR {S}{PO{NS}OR}
22 Server, I spilled what's sought after in Chennai (5) WATER WAiTER

Reference List
Jack = J, Once = EX, Supporter = BRA, Good = G, Old = O, Southern = S, Drug = E, Account = AC, Russian = RU, Cruel = FELL, Special = S, Partners = NS(North, South)

GRID

37 comments:

  1. Note:minim. Endless (ini) debateble!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1
      Yes I took it as FELL + m(INI)m. Col there is a typo in the answer to be corrected.
      I think Gridman often uses "endlessly" to remove both end characters. Works IMO.
      Thanks Gridman for a smooth grid today.

      Delete
    2. +1.
      The spelling is Fellini.

      Delete
    3. I remember this was once before and there was a discussion about it. Probably 'ends off' would be more precise.
      Col.,
      Yes, it was a walk in the park!
      Looked almost a like a grammar lesson in creating CW's- so precise.

      Delete
  2. Gridman is as entertaining as ever.
    Marriage Broker and Foreign Affair elicit a Smile. Water is as topical a clue as you can get.
    Thank you Gridman.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you think the placement of those two words is coincidental. While one gets you in! The other gets you out!

      Delete
    2. And I can't get the "bra"" in" to get out (of) brain.

      Delete
    3. I too could not parse the 'in' part- no brainwave.

      Delete
    4. Re:Bra i.e. Gridman's favourite supporter!

      Delete
  3. 1A is a clue that you can practically hear in the Hindi belt being spoken!
    1.Punjab:Humara puttar vada aadmi banaya si.
    2. U. P. :Humaar bitwa mahan asthi bangaya.
    3.Gujrat:maro dikhro mota manas thayi gayo.
    4.Bollywood film:Raju ban gaya gentleman!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Water and Chennai go together- I mean in discussions, not in availability.
    I have a doubt about send off/ send out. Apart from dic. meaning, usage wise send off is generally used for seeing someone off. Dic. gives the example send a player off the field. Maybe while talking we say 'He was sent out of the class'.

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  5. Aargh wrote BRAINFADE instead of BRAINWAVE.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No one seems to have noticed Gridman appearing as a solution word in stead of I, me my etc. in the clues.

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  7. Today's papers carry obits of Smt Sushma Swaraj and Mrs YGP. I am an ordinary citizen but I had a brush with both these eminent ladies. Several years ago before BJP came to power, when Sushma came to Chennai for an event I was introduced to her and we shook hands. A writer in English herself, Mrs YGP gave me some Tamil-English translation work and after I completed it, she sent me a letter complimenting me for excellent fulfillment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Memories to cherish.It is difficult for ordinary citizens to get a compliment from Mrs. YGP. She is good and had done so many constructive criticisms for music,films,drams et al. We also know about the difficulties of translation. I feel it is an art by itself to bring out substance of a write up perfectly and with due respect to the original. I have had the pleasure of reading some of Gridman's translations and went on to read the original to appreciate this fact.
      Fittingly, Foreign Affairs figures in today's puzzle.

      Delete
    2. "I am an ordinary citizen" that is one of the most self-effacive statements ever. A writer, A translator, A published setter, one time journalist, a blogger an international commenter. Ordinary?

      Delete
    3. 👏👍. CV sir, I refer to Oliver Goldsmith's The Village Schoolmaster... "how such a small head could carry all he knew"🙂

      Delete
  8. I searched for the CW in TH in its usual place but could not find it and had to hunt for it. Long since I solved on paper. Just today or has it been changed?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Some weeks ago the paper shifted the feature to bottom of WORLD page from the main (first) SPORTS page.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Probably crossword solving has become a global issue?

      Delete
    2. I still prefer CW at the right top corner of the last page as once it was.

      Delete
    3. For some decades from No. 1, the crossword was in top LEFT corner of the last page. Top left and bottom left of the last page may be an ideal position but contingencies arising from changing trends in newspapers (less advertisements, etc) preclude that.

      Delete
  10. This reminds me of an anecdote about poet Kamban. Most of you will know that he wrote the famous Kamba Ramayanam probably the best translation ever- of Valmiki Ramayanam.

    While writing he had mentioned the name of his mentor Sdayappa vallal- as was the pracice those days those days. Probably he exceeded his limit due to his appreciation and mentiord his name once in every 100 verses. While it was critically examined before acceptance, the judges mentioned this and asked him to amend this. Since he had no option but to change it to once in every 1000 verses and while explaining it he said that all the while his mentor was one in a 100 man but only now he came to know that he was even better and one in a 1000!

    ReplyDelete
  11. DS (Dr.Srinivasan who used to blog regularly here earlier) may correct me if I am wrong in any way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have sent you a link to Kambar showing his gratitude to Sadayappa VaLLal. Since it is in Tamil, not sure how relevant it will be to post here.
      You may quote some portion with suitable English translation here, if you feel.
      Thanks for remembering this "old
      timer" here. Regards to all in this Blog

      Delete
  12. Comment from my friend who is fond of Tamil literature like me :

    It is true that such a story is in vogue.... providing a link detailing how Kambar loftily hold Sadayappar in his epic....

    ReplyDelete
  13. Link to Tamil article given below. Those who are interested and knowing Tamil can refer :

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1137GcWhcCVprb0eYcOVpHlkLVNaLG8xG/view?usp=drivesdk

    ReplyDelete
  14. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1137GcWhcCVprb0eYcOVpHlkLVNaLG8xG/view?usp=drivesdk

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good to see DS joining us here on Gridman's day!
    For those who know and enjoy Tamil (Gridman included), this should make interesting reading. I learned a lot today from the article. Apart from that, Kambar's proficiency and quick thinking could be judged from his off-the-cuff reply.

    ReplyDelete
  16. To me, Gridman's grid looks soothing. I cud do at least 6-8 ..May more of his appear...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Can someone explain foreign affairs please?

    ReplyDelete

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