Saturday, 21 December 2019

No 12812, Saturday 21 Dec 2019, Dr. X


ACROSS
1   One understanding about modern art very quickly (2,1,5) IN A TRICE {I}{N{ART*} ICE}
5   Low-budget inferior film beginning to bore one in travel (1,5) B MOVIE {Bore}{MOV{I}E}
10 Gaining power, allocate new file (7) SHARPEN {SHAR{P}E}{N}
11 Italian film director collapsed on island (7) FELLINI {FELL IN}{I}

12 Comical figure embracing queen (5) DROLL {D{R}OLL}
13 Right information in notes about units of ionising radiation (9) ROENTGENS {R}{NOTES*} around {GEN}
14 Woman desiring hot love affair wants a man — it’s midnight (8,4) WITCHING HOUR {W}{ITCHING}{H}{amOUR}
18 Hippies beginning to face menace quietly elope abroad (6,6) FLOWER PEOPLE {Face}{LOWER}{P}{ELOPE*}
21 Forgive and forget or start to eventually cheat around in anger (9) RECONCILE {R{Eventually}{CON}{C}ILE}
23 Which orb holds the blood of the Gods? (5) ICHOR (T)
24 Kind to shelter one pagan (7) GENTILE {GENT{I}LE}
25 Slips away when date’s about to consume drinks (7) ELAPSES {E{LAPS}ES<=}
26 Watch determined person giving up cigarettes at last (6) TICKER {sTICKER}
27 Ditch partner after starting to brawl in a vicious manner (8) BRUTALLY {Brawl}{RUT}{ALLY}

DOWN
1   Abandoning female, fiend is breaking heart (6) INSIDE {fIEND+IS*}
2   Strong aggressive woman in a menagerie abruptly cuts staff (6) AMAZON {A}{MA{ZOo}N}
3   Pure evil spreading around society is sickening (9) REPULSIVE {PURE+EVIL*} around {S}
4   They are meant to forestall issues? (14) CONTRACEPTIVES (CD)
6   Pull up agent clumsily collecting fine (5) MULCT (T<=)
7   One making speech is evil, suppressing primarily obnoxious case (5,3) VOICE BOX {V{Obnoxious}ICE}{BOX}
8   Disregarding wife, sap embraces damsel in liaison (8) EMISSARY {wE{MISS}ARY}
9   A stinging rebuff  // is a reason to meet ENT specialist? (1,4,2,4,3) A FLEA IN ONE'S EAR (DD)
15 Ex-convict going round drunk steals vehicle to gad about (9) GALLIVANT {LAG<=}{LI{VAN}T}
16 Couple of females in a real panic (8) AFFRIGHT {A}{FF}{RIGHT}

17 Very old container in spot, most likely to explode violently (8) VOLCANIC {V}{O}{L{CAN}IC} Spot=Lic? {V}{O}{L{CAN}ICk} See comments
19 Carpenter’s tool in workbench is elegant (6) CHISEL (T)
20 Dicey to go after fellow in high spirits (6) FRISKY {F}{RISKY}
22 Talk with snitch to trap leader of insurgents (5) NOISE {NO{Insurgents}SE}

Reference List

One=I, Power=P, New=N, Island=I, Queen=R, Right=R, Woman=W, Hot=H, Man=M, Quietly=P, Around=C (Circa)
Female=F, Society=S, Wife=W, Fellow=F

Colour/Font Scheme
Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous


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30 comments:

  1. Vasant21 December 2019 at 08:37

    17d I took it Lic as LIC(-k) {Spot=Lick, most}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar21 December 2019 at 08:40

      That's correct Vasant. Spot= Lick. Most= last letter deletion ind= LIC(-k). Defn= likely to explode violently.
      And thanks for the fantastic blog Ramesh :)

      Delete
    2. RameshJ21 December 2019 at 12:47

      Thanks Vasant and Doc.

      Delete
  2. RKE21 December 2019 at 08:39

    A shade tougher than yesterday. Could not get some in SW corner. Could not parse VOLCANIC even though the 'very old' and 'container' suggested it. Also missed out on 16D,22D, 26A.
    Just thought that 19D CHISEL is as much an an orthopedic surgeon's tool as the carpenter's!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi21 December 2019 at 08:42

      Re 19d: Is a tool on a workbench or in?

      Delete
    2. Satyen Nabar21 December 2019 at 08:48

      I see your point CV Sir. Did not think about it. I thought the workbench would have drawers in which the chisel might be kept. But yes 'on workbench' certainly sounds much more correct!

      Delete
    3. RKE21 December 2019 at 08:49

      In, at, over would all work but only 'in' conveys the telescopic nature of the clue.

      Delete
    4. Satyen Nabar21 December 2019 at 08:53

      That is right Dr RKE. And yes orthos and carpenters do share many tools!

      Delete
  3. Vasant21 December 2019 at 08:48

    A leisurely solve for me, enjoying the varied WP offered. Learnt a few new words/phrases: Affright, Witching hour, Flower people. Thanks Dr. X for a wonderful puzzle and Ramesh for an equally wonderful blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chaturvasi21 December 2019 at 09:04

    I must have come across the phrase 'the witching time' when I read Hamlet at college:
    "Tis now the very witching time of night,
    When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out.."
    But I have remembered it as 'the witching hour' from another Shake. quote:
    "The owl shrieks from the tott’ring tow’r,
    Dread watch-bird of the witching hour..."

    ReplyDelete
  5. Padmanabhan21 December 2019 at 11:17

    My God! Quotes from so long ago. Appreciate them since I did not have access during those days.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Padmanabhan21 December 2019 at 11:19

    21A- C from? I was able to get rile,con & e.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Padmanabhan21 December 2019 at 11:24

    Late solve.Learnt quite a few words. Great CW and an equally good blogging (as usual) by Ramesh.
    Thanks to both.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amita Baviskar21 December 2019 at 14:24

    Today's was easy and fun. Thanks Doc. Before I discovered this blog, solving a puzzle felt like fencing with a masked opponent! Now that I can follow the conversation between different setters, it seems like a more friendly test of wits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar21 December 2019 at 15:05

      Thanks Amita! Setters are very friendly, both canine and human :)

      Delete
  9. Padmanabhan21 December 2019 at 16:25

    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. raju umamaheswar21 December 2019 at 17:22

    Attempted to solve after a day's outing of the amazing maze of world famous Shibuya scramble crossing in the razzle dazzle of night life of Tokyo. It is a sight to behold the discipline of traffic, pedestrian and vehicular when the lights turn red and green. The place is getting lit up for the xmas and new year season.

    Mind was fogged out and I got all the corner phrases. Didnt miss the emissary, witching hour, flower people . Contraceptives made me chuckle at the ,to forestall issues. Very imaginative and mischievous word play.Brutally true but not for gentile folks.Thanks ,Doc, for a frisky grid.😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar21 December 2019 at 19:26

      Wow! Looks like you are having a great time in Japan. Enjoy :) I am in Bangalore for the Indian Crossword League tmrw.

      Delete
    2. Vasant21 December 2019 at 20:34

      All roads lead to Bangalore..
      Is there a mehfil like last year? Is Dr. MJ performing?

      Delete
    3. sree_sree21 December 2019 at 22:15

      Trains are running decades late. Hope I can reach for it for post op photos

      Delete
    4. raju umamaheswar22 December 2019 at 07:05

      Have a great time, Doc. Hope we can see some videos and pics.Sll the best and God bless May the best win among all the participants.

      Delete
  11. raju umamaheswar21 December 2019 at 17:24

    Not corner but midriff phrases ;sorry !

    ReplyDelete

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