Three answers per commenter as usual till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory)
Please submit all your answers in one comment.
ACROSS
1 Heartily flirt with female in sophisticated group (8)
5 Troubles given by unionist groups grabbing power (6)
10 Really adroit to tackle a Conservative starting to oppose (2, 5)
11 Dangers crossing one ridge at eastern border in trek (7)
12 Gambolled right after spilling a drink (5)
13 Money can possibly lead to immorality in end (9)
14 Locate fellow involved in kickback and corruption (12)
18 Behave inappropriately! It's what marathon runners want to do? (5, 3, 4)
21 Faints in destitution, overwhelmed by struggles (9)
23 One on cocaine in trip recollects experience (5)
24 Old, largely inflexible husband is someone who refuses to face reality (7)
25 Plain sandwiches, a slice of cheese and ham (7)
26 Farmer's tool is small and unreliable, not fine (6)
27 Perfectly clean, unlike leopards (8)
DOWN
1 Hug for maiden caught in mess (6)
2 A hint to tackle strong fellow in fight (6)
3 They ease cuts, used around parks essentially (9)
4 Struggled to retain authority at Centre with party backing out - something to ponder (4, 3, 7)
6 Prince gets rid of leading scribe - assassinated undeniably (5)
7 Uncensored clip shot in retreat (8)
8 Preparing deceptive operation to trap slippery character (8)
9 Pay for manipulating polls! Foe starting to win outright (2, 3, 4, 5)
15 Fearless criminal right outside hideout (9)
16 Indecent model knocked out in terribly crass bout (8)
17 Reclusive male on wine gets a little chatty (8)
19 Remove rubbish put in ocean endlessly (6)
20 Without new evidence, revolting scoundrel arrested is free (6)
22 Shrimplike creatures from river kept in ice (5)
Enjoy.
5A: UPSETS {U}{P}{SETS}
ReplyDelete22d K (R)ILL (ICE - SLANG TO KILL)
ReplyDelete16D SCABROUS (CRASS BOUT -T)*
ReplyDelete26A: SICKLE {S}{(F)ICKLE}
ReplyDelete8D ST (EEL) ING
ReplyDelete21A: BLACKOUTS {B{LACK}OUTS}
ReplyDelete4d: FOOD FOR THOUGHT {FO(DO<) FORTH (O)UGHT}
ReplyDelete10A DEFACTO DEF(A)(C)T+O
24A: OSTRICH O+ STRIC(t)+H
Hi Vasant! A small tweak in anno for 4D... F{(O)+ DO<-- + FORTH}OUGHT
DeleteRight. Thanks Doc.
Delete18A CROSS THE LINE (DD)
ReplyDelete15D CONFIDENT {CON}{FI{DEN}T)
1Dn CUDDLE - C for M in muddle
ReplyDelete17Dn MONASTIC M(ale)on +asti(wine)c(hatty)
ReplyDelete18Ac CROSS THE LINE (CD)
ReplyDeleteits DD see MB@1102
DeleteThank you
Delete10A- De Facto- Really
ReplyDeleteAdroit- Deft
A Conservative- AC
Starting to oppose- O
DEF(AC)TO
Already done by Vasant, Paddy.
DeleteOh! Thank you Doc.
DeleteMy third
ReplyDelete13A FINANCIAL {FI{CAN*}{I.{....lity}NAL}
Typo {FIN{CAN*}{I.....lity}AL}
Delete9d Pay for manipulating polls! Foe starting to win outright (2, 3, 4, 5)
ReplyDeleteAt One fell swoop meaning outright
Atone is Pay for then anagram(manipulating) Polls foe w( from starting to Win)
14a Locate fellow involved in kickback and corruption (12)
ReplyDeleteputrefaction meaning corruption
put is locate
then put F(fellow) in Reaction(kickback)
Well solved Srinidhi!
DeleteThank you Doctor. Attempted the puzzle during lunch break in college.(we have classes on Sundays too:-( ) Could complete half. I found this very tough.
DeleteWorthy of Finals!!
DeleteYes it is tough. It is the Finals after all. Thanks for solving as much as you could. Classes on Sunday??!! Must have a word with your Dad :)
DeleteFully residential college, doc. No escape in the deserts!
DeleteThey have holidays on Tuesdays.
DeleteGood one.
ReplyDelete27A- Spotless-DD
ReplyDeleteHopefully this is done already!
Nope!
DeleteMB,only after seeing your reply I realised that I have left out 'not' in my post.
Delete3d They ease cuts, used around parks essentially (9)
ReplyDeleteSecateurs
anagram(used) of ease cuts around r(paRks essentially)
The whole clue is the definition and as all words except "they" are used in wordplay it becomes a semi &Lit.
6D- Plain- Undeniably
ReplyDeleteAssassinated- Slain,with P replacing S.
1A- Classify- CLASS(IF)Y- Group
ReplyDeleteGood one Paddy. A small tweak needed in anno!
DeleteI took 'sophisticated'as classy and heartily flirt (I) female as F and in as container indicator.
DeleteHe must be ref to anno as (I)(f) instead of (if)
DeleteYes
DeleteSorry about my slip.
DeleteThat is waht I wanted to say.
7Dn EXPLICIT - Ex(clip*)it
ReplyDeleteThis is in place of 18Ac
DeleteMy 3
ReplyDelete19D - SCRAPE {S{CRAP}E(-a)}
20D - GRATIS SIG(-n)}<= over {RAT}
25A - OVERACT {OVER{A}{C(-heese)}T}
Col.,
ReplyDeleteDo we take one each and complete or shall we wait till 6 pm?
Go ahead, take one each
Delete2D- A(FF)RAY. Hint gives ray (as in ray of hope)
ReplyDelete12A : LEAPT (a)LE+APT
ReplyDelete+1 all but one or two, 5 letter clues went unanswered in the final (both sets).
DeleteTeriffic quality of the solvers. This was a high quality puzzle and to solve the clues cold shows the skill of the super solvers.
Delete+1
DeleteAnd imagine a tie at that!
All clues were solved but for these six Across clues 1, 11, 12, 14, 21, 23.
Delete11A TRA(I)PS E
ReplyDelete23A Incur I+C in RUN<
ReplyDeleteI got the grid late from kind Chaitanya s/o Mukundji. Came back after a tour of the highlights ,literally , from a Ferriswheel. Breathtaking. Got cold feet at one look of this daunting grid and was almost to give up. But how can I miss the Doc? Went at it doggedly and voila, one by one, the chips fell in place. Refused to be an OSTRICH. Very familiar.Marvellous cluing, though I am averse to deletion and replacement The phrases, as usual , were typically mysterious Dr X -ish. Even the mayanagri's glitter( no litter at all here ! and chamak dhamak cannot match the absolute satisfaction of solving a grid like this. Thanks a million , Doc , for winding up my day from a cold feet into a cuddling blanket in this 4 degrees chilly weather.God bless you
ReplyDeleteThanks a million for the kind words Raju! Keep warm :)
DeleteWith the grid we found it tough going,but were able to manage. Imagine cold solving!!
ReplyDelete