Tuesday 10 September 2019

No 12726, Tuesday 10 Sep 2019, Avtaar


Solved on the train enroute from Montreal to Aldershot, Toronto

ACROSS
1   Little one starts to marinade Indian chutney dressing (7) MICROBE {Ma...e}{In...n}{Ch...y}{ROBE}
5   "Mark's 1% Soft Feni" and gin cocktail without ice, to start with (7) PFENNIG {P}{FENI+GiN}* 1% = P See comments
9   Quiet crossword setter invites Avtaar with son, mom, stepmom etc (7) MUMMIES {MUM}{M{I}E}{S}
10 Hold back burden (7) REFRAIN [DD]
11 Make standard design of mails after adding one major tip at the end (9) NORMALISE {MAILS+ONE}* over {m..oR} and {thE} (Addendum - {MAILS+ONE+m..oR}* - See comments)
12 Guru was playing with ex-IPL champions initially (5) SWAMI {WAS*}{MI}
13 Well, love's unconditional! (5) OASIS {0}{AS IS}
15 Third degree murder, ultimately covered by cadet...too gruesome (9) DOCTORATE {m...eR+CADET+TOO}*
17 Servant, wielding rifle, frustrated burglary (9) PILFERAGE {P{RIFLE*}AGE}
19 Joined hands with revolutionary followers of the Iraqi forces and got killed in the end (5) SIDED SIDE{k...eD}  Anno for SIDE not clear {Addendum - {thE+I..qI+f...eS+anD}*{k...eD} - See comments}
22 Uncontrollable lament over own goal (5) ROGUE {R{O}{G}UE}
23 Pan-fried flounder with a pinch of wasabi is awesome (9) WONDERFUL {FLOUNDER+Wa...i}*
25 Cave in the central part of Simla with dope is afire (7) IMPLODE {sIMLa+DOPE}*
26 Loyal European working with Universal Studios is fired (7) DUTEOUS {E+U+STUDiOs}*
27 Remake of Ant Man is touching (7) TANGENT {ANT*}{GENT}
28 Nobel Peace laureate crossed country for headgear (7) PERUKES {PER{UK}ES}

DOWN
1   Guys trapped in women's movement, ignoring final reminder (7) MEMENTO {MEN} in {ME TOo}
2   In these devices, Americans are shot (7) CAMERAS AMERiCAnS* [CA] Semi&lit
3   Tongue of rat is yellowish amber on top (5) ORIYA Acrostic
4   Raj started with this company (4,5) EAST INDIA [CD/GK]
5   By its very nature, badger's not endearing (3,2) PER SE PERSEcute
6   Emissions going up in cities, no? I suffer! (9)  EFFUSIONS [T<=]
7   Flipping a second time, rodent almost falls (7) NIAGARA {AGAIN<=}{RAt} I am going there on the 12th
8   Guy pursued by jailers chucking vessels is not a Jew (7) GENTILE {GENT}{jaILErs}
14 Girl, slightly drunk, enters shop to unload goods (9) STEVEDORE {ST{EVE}{Dr..k}ORE}
16 Uncle packed hollowed nuts and made a good amount of money (7,2) CLEANED UP {UNCLE+PAckED}*
17 Tough priests don't give up (7) PERSIST*
18 Member's password is "Turner" (3,4) LEG SPIN {LEGS}{PIN}
20 Suspend one of vicar's followers breaking into port (7) DEFROCK {D{E}{FR}OCK} 'E' from? (Addendum - {onE}{oF}{v..aR} in {DOCK} - See comments)
21 Gambian capital manufactured ultimate in brewed masala lassi (7) DALASIS {b...eD}{m...lA}{LASSI*}
23 Forcefully take wife on holiday (5) WREST {W}{REST}
24 Alien terrorists seize access (5) ENTER [T]

Reference List
Soft = P, Son = S, Love = 0, Own = O, Goal = G, European = E, Universal = U, Wife = W

GRID

31 comments:

  1. 5d soft=p. Def: 1/100 of Mark currency unit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ENTER Naresh SWAMI.
    Mind it. Not a ROGUE.
    Swami is a DOCTORATE in German literature from the Aachen University.
    NIAGARA or viagra. He can talk on any subject.
    Let us see...
    Recession?
    Swami will insist and PERSIST that MUMMIES should REFRAIN buying gold.
    Should save every PFENNIG(!) that comes their way.
    Cleanin gutters?
    We should use MICROBES.
    Hats off! Anything under the sun.
    But.
    But what?
    At times he will be off in a TANGENT.
    Deliver a LEG SPIN.
    It is okay. Because many amongst us are like that only. Isnt it so?

    ReplyDelete
  3. 19A - I took it as tail acrostic + anagram
    revolutionary followers of the Iraqi forces and = (E I S D)*
    + D (from killeD)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is that permissible? Wouldn't that be akin to an indirect anagram?

      Delete
    2. IMO, since the letter-picking is clearly indicated along with the anagram indicator, it is okay. Comments welcome.

      Delete
    3. Yes ,Ramki. There is no indirection . The letters of the fodder are clearly indicated

      Delete
    4. I too think this new experiment is acceptable. There is no ambiguity to me

      Delete
    5. Very nice grid, Avtaar. I liked DEFROCK.

      Delete
    6. 19A: I think the clue is quite confusing. Not sure if it’s really a proper construction. “Revolutionary followers” as anagram indicator? Not sure how it works. And “got” is not part of “in the end”

      Delete
    7. I had indicated in a post about picking up last letters to both 19a and 20d.
      While I was sure about 20d, I wasn't sure about ,19a and hence deleted the post (also I noticed col would have read my post by then). Because of "and".while "of" felt as starting to the phrase to pick up last letters "and" felt like the end. Any other word ending in d would have been fine. And, made me unsure.

      Delete
    8. Sumit revolutionary is the anagram indicator. Followers of is the indicator to pick the last letter . The cryptic reading is anagram of (the last letters of the Iraqi followers and) + last letter of killed. The last d is not part of the anagram fodder .

      Delete
  4. 20DN D(EFR)OCK
    Port=dock efr ending letters from one of vicar

    ReplyDelete
  5. Liked the clues Avtaar, very nice.

    Came across the following clue in last week's prize puzzle by Paul in the Guardian:

    50 Paseta piece ready for the press(7). The answer is TYPESET.

    Using the numeral to represent fifty in an embedded clue construction, is it fair?

    What do experts think?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am not an expert to comment but my feeling is it is unfair!
      In an embedded clue, the letters should be visible to the eye.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. I wouldn’t use it. While 50 is fifty an done could possibly say it can be solved with crossing letters - there is a touch of indirection that seems to be unfair in a container clue.

      Delete
  7. I didn't see how the answer is derived. I went to fifteensquared site and found.
    To change 50 to Fifty and then take the hidden string from fifTY PESETa is an occasional device. 50 leads to fifty unambiguously. So it is chalta hai..

    ReplyDelete
  8. Also note 50 Peseta -figure and currency - is quite natural.

    ReplyDelete
  9. An unusually busy day at work kept me away from the puzzle till now.. Did it now.. And enjoyed this thoroughly.. Biffed most of the answers in a hurry.. Came here for the annos and could appreciate the wonderful word play.
    Thanks Avtaar.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 11A: Shouldn't the annotation be MAILS+ONE+R (tip from majoR)? Colonel Saab has included an extra E.

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com