Saturday 19 October 2019

No 12759, Saturday 19 Oct 2019, Gridman


Across

1 Where computer models rest — where there might be pencil holders (8) DESKTOPS (DD)
5 Round wall inset with line smudged out is not clear (6) OPAQUE {O}{PlAQUE}
9 With God back, can one drink (7) MARTINI {RAM<=}{TIN}{I}
10 Tavern's dismissed help (7) SERVANT {TAVERNS*}
11 Stern enforcement makes expert depressed (9) CRACKDOWN {CRACK}{DOWN}
12 Mistake, which to a T, causes panic (5) ERROR {tERROR}
13 Foreigner loses a claim (4) LIEN {aLIEN}
14 Elegy lass rewrote is for all time (9) AGESLESSLY {ELEGY+LASS*}
17 Exit so Clare might appear (5,4) CLEAR AWAY Reverse anagram of {CLARE}
19 The chorus includes repeat (4) ECHO (T)
3 Custom makes you and me to develop (5) USAGE {US}{AGE}
24 Drunk to say I left quietly (5,4) SOTTO VOCE {SOT}{TO} {VOiCE}
25 Old male in empty house is threatening (7) OMINOUS {O}{M}{IN}{hOUSe} Empty house=HE or OUS ?
26 Cowardly member of a brood (7) CHICKEN (DD)
27 A month that is grand (6) AUGUST (DD)
28 He keeps an account of instrument (8) RECORDER (DD)

Down

1 I am up in calm residence (8) DOMICILE {DO{I'M<=}CILE}
2 Engineer wildly tears about to notch (7) SERRATE {TEARS*} around {RA}
3 Translation's distasteful and difficult to understand (6) TRICKY {TR}{ICKY}
4 It helps one to have a better vision (4,2,7) PAIR OF GLASSES (CD)
6 Awkward way of paying a poet? (8) PERVERSE {PER}{VERSE}
7 What a bad workman may have with his tools (7) QUARREL (CD)
8 Blackmail former wife for wrong (6) EXTORT {EX}{TORT}
10 A for one? (6,7)  SINGLE ARTICLE (CD)
5 Very hungry Black? (8) RAVENOUS (D &CD)
16 Regulating device of head of State (8) GOVERNOR (DD)
18 Top court statement not soft (7) LEADING {pLEADING}
20 Dishonest Chennai leader swindled (7) CROOKED {Chennai}{ROOKED}
21 Distinctive look about golden dawn (6) AURORA {AUR{OR}A}
22 Boy wised up about one fish (6) BONITO {B}{ON{I}TO}

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66 comments:

  1. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 08:37

    5 year epaper subscription at 2299!!! (+gst).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 08:44

      Do you get interactive version?

      Delete
    2. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 08:53

      i do not think so. my current one is valid for few more years so i cant buy this one.

      Delete
    3. D N M Rao19 October 2019 at 09:34

      This has been my point in my recent comments. I took a 5 year epaper subscription thinking that it allows access to interactive CW, like when we buy print version we have CWd ready to be solved. But unfortunately it is not possible.

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 10:10

      Oh! It's not fair.

      Delete
  2. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 08:38

    Thank you Ramesh.
    A doubt about 11A- Is 'Stern enforcement clamp down or crack down? I thought crack down was more of a raid. Struggled with it for a while until crossings helped.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 08:40

    25A- Ramesh has a point- Empty means remove contents.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 08:42

    Loved 'Wised up' = On to in 22D. Took a while and looking up fish names to get it.

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    Replies
    1. Vasant19 October 2019 at 11:05

      Infact the SE corner took the longest.. Sotto voce, chicken, Governor, Bonito, Crooked all yielded slowly.

      Delete
  5. Chaturvasi19 October 2019 at 08:43

    Noted the Comment against 25a. Maybe a mistake going by the textbook.Escaped in check and recheck. An emptied house is HE. When you empty house, you might get OUS ! This is the samaalification (a Tanglish word for management in caught-out situation after wiping one's face).

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    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 08:45

      :-)
      I did not notice it until I read the blog.

      Delete
    2. raju umamaheswar19 October 2019 at 11:24

      I too wondered why emptying house can bring about ous, instead of he! I like the SOTTO VOCE , which took my breath away! 28 across is also good DD. There are very many CCs & DDs today, though I prefer them as clues instead of deletions and additions. Gridman is raising the notch.

      Delete
    3. Kolluru Koteswara Rao19 October 2019 at 14:10

      Vasi Sir is emaathifying!!! Ha ha

      Delete
    4. sumit30 October 2019 at 16:53

      What is DD and cc

      Delete
  6. Kolluru Koteswara Rao19 October 2019 at 09:36

    We often come across comments about words having different spellings between British and American dictionaries. It is pointed out that British usage is taken as standard and when the intention is to use the American standard, the popular opinion amongst setters is to leave an American hint in the surface.
    Now, coming to 24AC, it is of Italian origin and the clue doesn't mention that it is a foreign language dependent. Is it justified [particularly because it is not popularly used]?
    Opinions invited.

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    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi19 October 2019 at 10:03

      'sotto voce' has passed into the Eng language. It may be of Italian origin but it is in Eng dicts. So there is no need to menthere tion It. If a word in the grid is Italian and is not found in any Eng dict, then It must be mentioned.

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 10:06

      I don't remember any foreign phrases being specially mentioned,but different spellings are,well,a different matter. I think 'Sotto voce' is not uncommon, though not in current usage. We see many French words/ phwithout any mention.
      I remember a regular column Sotto Voce- in erstwhile Shankar's Weekly. Not many would have heard about the magazine itself. CV should be very familiar with it.

      Delete
    3. Satyen Nabar19 October 2019 at 10:07

      Hi KKR!The phrases from other languages that get included in English are specifically because of popular usage over time. And once these form a part of a standard English dictionary, there is no need to specify the origin of the phrase as Italian, French etc. (Whether a particular phrase is popularly used or not, you must agree, is a subjective opinion)
      Re American words, since the spelling of the word itself is different, it is only fair that the setter alerts the solver about it.

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 10:08

      Sotto voce is a different form of 'Between you and me'.

      Delete
    5. raju umamaheswar19 October 2019 at 11:35

      So many such phrases or words rush to my mind, like persona non grata, non compos mentis, la dolce vita, antre nous, pre nupt,.anno horribilis, Anno domini, Spread moi, deluge, etc. , I agree with the Doc.

      Delete
    6. raju umamaheswar19 October 2019 at 11:36

      Apres , not spread . The damned spellchecker !

      Delete
  7. B N Acharya19 October 2019 at 09:40

    What is RA in 2D please?

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    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 10:02

      I think RA is Royal Artillery= Engineers

      Delete
    2. Vasant19 October 2019 at 10:42

      I thought RA =Royal Artillery =Gunners.
      RE=Royal Engineers or simply engineers.
      I haven't seen engineers=RA before

      Delete
    3. Kolluru Koteswara Rao19 October 2019 at 10:46

      +1 Vasant

      Delete
    4. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 10:47

      its RE only. typo in anno.

      Delete
    5. Vasant19 October 2019 at 11:07

      Then Anno has to be (RE+Tears) *

      Delete
    6. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 11:13

      is it not indirect then?

      Delete
    7. Vasant19 October 2019 at 11:55

      Perhaps. Gridman can explain his intended anno.

      Delete
    8. Chaturvasi19 October 2019 at 12:07

      2 Engineer wildly tears about to notch (7) SERRATE {TEARS*} around {RA}
      Look at it this way
      Engineer - Er. (In India many engineers have the Er. tag to boast they are engineera
      Around (about) ER, you have anag of TEARS
      S(ER)RATE*
      (wildly)

      Delete
    9. Vasant19 October 2019 at 12:16

      Thanks Sir.. Though an Engineer have never applied ER before my name.. Of course many do as you said.

      Delete
    10. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 13:37

      The original solution seems to be right,after all. There is a typo. It is (tears)* around RE,not RA as given. RE could be Engineer (Royal)
      Just noticed the typo- started searching for the 2nd A.

      Delete
    11. Vasant19 October 2019 at 16:09

      No Paddy.. That doesn't anno.

      Delete
  8. cdrgani2919 October 2019 at 11:42

    If 6D is concise and clever , 13A is even more so and I had no problem with Sotto Voce as the expression is quite in vogue, I thought.
    But, 17A needs some explanation to me while CLEAR is accounted for, but what about AWAY?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 11:49

      away is anagram indicator. clear away = clare

      Delete
    2. Vasant19 October 2019 at 11:51

      It is a reverse anagram.. Away is the anagram indicator.
      Hence Clear Away=Clare

      Delete
    3. Vasant19 October 2019 at 11:52

      Oops didn't see Paddy's comment below

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 12:05

      My mistake. I did not tap reply- just entered the comment.

      Delete
    5. vdsprasad49@gmail.com19 October 2019 at 15:07

      A minor point. That it is a reverse anagram is understood. But 'away' is not part of the clue to be taken as anagrind.

      Delete
    6. cdrgani2919 October 2019 at 15:38

      That is still my doubt;away in the answer seems still not explained.

      Delete
    7. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 15:46

      We are supposed to get a synonym for the def. (Exit,in this case) It could be clear away. Now,with away as anind we make 'clear away' to Clare. Rather round about and that is why RA's are frowned upon.

      Delete
  9. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 11:49

    Pl. refer original blog of Ramesh. It is a RA- reverse anagram.
    Clare when anagrammed (indicator- away) becomes clear or to put it the other way,clear away is clare.

    ReplyDelete
  10. cdrgani2919 October 2019 at 12:12

    I'm too dull I think! Still not clear about use of away just like that....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vasant19 October 2019 at 12:35

      Away is an anagram indicator.. Clear away(anagramming clear gives Clare).

      Delete
    2. Vasant19 October 2019 at 13:23

      Here is link to an article that will clear all doubts:
      https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2010/06/reverse-anagrams.html

      Delete
    3. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 13:24

      not dull. RA is bit of tricky because the anagram indicator is not clued in. it needs a bit of premonition to answer.

      Delete
  11. Vasant19 October 2019 at 12:35

    Congrats Ramki and others on the LB. Good show KKR.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kolluru Koteswara Rao19 October 2019 at 12:40

      Thanks Vasant, goodluck to you too!
      Congrats Ramki!
      Prasad, what happened in this round?

      Delete
    2. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 12:58

      didnt see a typo.

      Delete
    3. Mukundala Balasubramanyam19 October 2019 at 12:59

      Congrats Ramki, KKR, Vasant and Raju!

      As usual late submission 6:10 pm on Sunday. All correct for the third time in succession!

      Delete
    4. Kolluru Koteswara Rao19 October 2019 at 14:03

      Thanks MB

      Delete
  12. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 13:16

    Can someone explain 5A- chinwag (IXL) I got the def., but not the wp.
    My NE corner is a splash of red thanks,in part,to this. Missed Auden too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 13:20

      pal::china
      with:w
      golf: g
      chat def

      Delete
    2. Vasant19 October 2019 at 13:24

      Pal from cockney rhyming slang China plate=mate

      Delete
    3. Vasant19 October 2019 at 13:34

      The puzzle in Round 3 was not to my liking at all.. Though I got most answers fairly quickly, I couldn't parse many.. How do you parse Abode.. Half the band gives BA, no reversal indicator(and if the setter intends some band like ABBA, how can the poor solver read his mind?), what about the many elissions? Countryman to be separated to read country man, offend to be read as off end.. Over that a Cockney rhyming slang!

      Delete
    4. Vasant19 October 2019 at 13:43

      A crossword puzzle without fancy WP like RA, CA and elissions is always preferable like those in round 1 and 2. These WPs when used sparingly give the aha moment.. Otherwise they are prone to fall flat..

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 13:43

      Also, in 8D,'swallows' is not correct. Half the fruit,ANA follows GUY.

      Delete
    6. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 13:45

      Isn't it normal to indicate a slang?

      Delete
    7. Vasant19 October 2019 at 14:15

      Not for cockney rhyming slang.. China has become Setter's favourite..

      Delete
    8. sree_sree19 October 2019 at 14:42

      Agree with you vasant. Many felt like you need to know the answer to realise wordplay. I didn't even go to Abba. With ba and ode, I just with to mean reversal (as in I fight with you could mean both ways).

      Delete
  13. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 13:30

    Oh! I had no chance. I had come across this slang earlier in CW,but did not remember.
    Thank you Prasad & Vasant.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 13:39

    Pl. read my comment at 13.37. reg.2D

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous19 October 2019 at 19:57

    In 11ac how do u get crack? Expert is crack? Kindly explain.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Padmanabhan19 October 2019 at 20:47

    Yes, one who cracks problems- finds solutions. Occasionally they crack safes too!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous21 October 2019 at 20:52

    Thanx

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous21 October 2019 at 20:53

    Thanx

    ReplyDelete

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