Tuesday 12 November 2019

No 12778, Tuesday 12 Nov 2019, Dr. X


ACROSS
1   Within certain limitations, like a shot putter aims to throw? (2,3,2,2,4) AS FAR AS IT GOES [DD]
8   Nearly get rid of revolutionary abducting leader of opposing faction (5) GROUP {PURGe<=} over {Op...g}
9   Ultimate provocation when rogue starts to break rule (4,5) LAST STRAW {LA{STARTS*}W}
11 Wife felt heart-broken after a bit of bickering (6,4) BETTER HALF {Bi...g}{FELT+HEART}*
12 Maverick is slyly concealing smack (4) KISS [T]
14 Permits to trap local birds (7) LINNETS {L{INN}ETS}
16 Largely better after boy knocked back potion (7) NOSTRUM {SON<=}{TRUMp}
17 Restrains model leaving set, despite receiving money (7) IMPEDES {DESPItE}* over {M}
19 American transcendentalist’s sermon spreading across England (7) EMERSON {EM{E}RSON*}
21 Bustle resulting from child swallowing a little ring (4) TROT {T{Ring}OT}
22 One constantly checking mirror, relative in car isnt subtle (10) NARCISSIST {SIS} in {CAR+ISNT}*
25 Increase in loudness resulting from goal in soccer perhaps (9) CRESCENDO {CRESC{END}O*}
26 Tenant going topless in lodge (5) ENTER rENTER
27 Stop near edge of immense chasm to enter one abandoned grave discovered by chance (13) SERENDIPITOUS {SER{END}{Im...e}{PIT}iOUS]

DOWN
2   Character smuggling heroin and ecstasy close to Cochin dock (7) SHORTEN {S{H}ORT}{E}{c...iN}
3   Sees renegade perhaps crossing border (10) APPREHENDS {APPREH{END}S*}
4   To whom Muslims pray in central Lahore (5) ALLAH [T]
5   Individual in pub caught with ecstasy in mouth (9) INSOLENCE {IN{SOLE}N}{C}{E}
6   Split with husband after mounting depression (4) GASH {SAG<=}{H}
7   Former British nobleman losing head in row (7) EARLIER {EARL}{tIER}
 Blow up many after a large programme in desert (2,9) GO BALLISTIC {C} after {GOB{A}{L}{LIST}I}
10 Where Brexit future is being decided by formulating its new terms (11) WESTMINSTER*
13 Agree about fixing mess in evaluation (10) ASSESSMENT {ASS{MESS*}ENT}
15 Helped to bring charges against director over slur (9) SUSTAINED {SU{STAIN}E}{D}
18 Charge finally gone after corrosion breaks pin (7) PROTEGE {P{ROT}EG}{gonE}
20 Hush! It’s problematic to restrain primarily zestful dog (4,3) SHIH TZU {HUSH+IT}* over {Ze...l}
23 Lot catching a little unsettling respiratory infection (5) CROUP {CRO{Un...g}P}
24 Champion wins money and crown (4) ACME {AC{M}E}

Reference List
Model = T, Money = M, England = E, Heron = H, Ecstasy = E, Caught = C, Husband = H, Large = L, Many = C, Director = D


32 comments:

  1. i couldnt see as far as it goes earlier. its only later after earlier that i could apprehend as far as it goes.
    thanks doc!

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  2. I put in 'as far as it gets' and was stuck for the earl.

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  3. My God! What surfaces.
    Serendipitous was just superbly done.
    I liked ogue as anind in 9A.
    Westminster & Brexit- what a connection!

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  4. Too tough to fight it out. But tried 'as far as it goes"
    Serendipitous to have finally cracked all except the first part of the dog, which tailed me forever!!!
    Thanks Doc for the TMT today!

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    Replies
    1. Glad you caught the dog by the tail finally KKR :)

      Delete
  5. What a TNT grid !
    27 across is no serendioutous, serpentine discovery out of a tangled wordplay !

    Westminster will be BenJo's Waterloo.

    Yesterday's crossie has caused a wifey- hubby crossing of words at home here as I carried it to the bedside past midnight, keeping her awake . No ecstasy at all as the hangover is being continued in the morning too!

    Thanks Doc for causing a marital wrangle with your tangled crossies.😥

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    Replies
    1. Omigosh...distressed to be the source of trouble in Paradise! Please present my full and sincere apologies to your better half Raju!

      Delete
  6. I say, Doc, most of the clues went over my head. But, marvellous cluing-Full marks!

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  7. Better half continues to be bitter half😥!

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  8. Reminds one of the song- kamee sathyabhama kadavai....!

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  9. Better get it over soon. Crossies only on paper!

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  10. 15th February 1971. Cochin.
    A young bride wakes up and finds that the less-that-a-week old husband entering letters in a chequered pattern in the newspaper folded conveniently to quarter its size with other pages forming a nice cushion underneath.
    That was when THC No. 1 was published.
    She could hardly gauge the excitement of the solver over a desi crossword.The solver was myself.

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    Replies
    1. Probably, an year or two later, I started looking at Telugu/English crosswords.
      Is there any chance of getting those crosswords?

      Delete
  11. Super puzzle! Solved all except 18D. Thanks, Doc.

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  12. Completed the puzzle now! Loved Westminster, Serendipitous, Better Half among so many beautiful clues. Thanks for the entertainment, Dr. X.

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  13. https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2012/10/admiral-katari-hindu-crossword-setter.html?m=1

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  14. Coincidentally,in today's Times Cryptic Last Straw appears and is clued as:
    No more suckers? That's intolerable 4, 5)

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  15. Simple and elegant- real cryptic.

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