Thursday, 16 January 2020

Special, Thursday 16 Jan 2020, IXL-19 Prelim 2


Three answers per commenter as usual till 6 PM. (Annotations compulsory)
Please submit all your answers in one comment.


ACROSS
1   Often said to be inside computer- leasing it off to brainy people (14)
10 Dirty, one removed fence (5)
11 Hector finds girl is in Lebanese port (9)
12 Doctor free to follow lawman (7)
13 Loves to acquire right property in Florida (7)
14 Capital returns from profits in UTI (5)
16 Plant carries over short distance (5,4)
19 Is ill composed, perhaps Nicholas should check a dryer (6,3)
20 Entertainer heads to bar for some spirit (5)
22 Views features... (7)
25 ...If say, New Delhi's briefly taken by Congress (7)
27 Money bags used clout in part, perhaps (9)
28 Place is empty, one's quiet (5)
29 Music beat as bundle is transported (6,3,5)

DOWN
2   Rise of criminal, will become crime boss in the night (9)
3   Put up before the court (5)
4   Spooner's unhappy to carry the mess he creates (9)
5   Nothing to crow about the actress (5)
6   Nobody got extra; head of department was perplexed (3-6)
7   Business regularly involved in wrongdoing and graft... (5)
8   ...Herb least bothered about business (7)
9   Told to get the total at the top (6)
15 Fire material covers one in remorse (9)
17 Dealt with coal, sorted and apportioned (9)
18 Talk about one drink, start (9)
19 After fraud, one third allowed to flee (7)
21 Poles have a stake in French city (6)
23 Feathered choice over years (5)
24 Hysteria about the country (5)
26 With politician's involvement, money raised by force (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at IXL-19 PRELIM 2

Enjoy.



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53 comments:

  1. Ramani16 January 2020 at 07:06

    17D ALLOCATED*

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ramani16 January 2020 at 07:07

    9D SUMMIT (~ SUM IT)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ramani16 January 2020 at 07:11

    18D ORA (I GIN) ATE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath16 January 2020 at 07:22

      Ram, what is your full name and where are you located? You are always the first commenter on Specials

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 07:24

      I thought It was Ramani from Kancheepuram.

      Delete
    3. Col_Gopinath16 January 2020 at 08:01

      Yes, you are right, I forgot

      Delete
    4. Ramani16 January 2020 at 08:07

      It is not my intention to be the first. It so happens; because of others not responding, which I have already expressed herein.

      My full name is A R SUBRAMANIAM from Kanchipuram. We have met in a S & B held in Madras. I am also known as Ramani and ram.

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 08:14

      I know you and your biodata when MB clarified about Ram/ Ramani and of course we have met in S&B. I was doubtful due to Col.'s question.
      Ram qualified for the finals but could not attend.

      Delete
    6. Chaturvasi16 January 2020 at 08:39

      The Colonel was only pointing out that you are usually the first and was in no way suggesting that you're spoiling the chances of others or that you're in any hurry to be the first. He was marvelling at your being able to be ahead and asked about your whereabouts. All of us do remember you from your presence at an S and B in Chennai.. You're most welcome.Ta

      Delete
  4. Mukundala Balasubramanyam16 January 2020 at 07:11

    3d ERECT {ERE}{CT}
    5d GARBO {O}{BRAG<<}
    13a ORLANDO {O{R}{LAND}O}

    ReplyDelete
  5. Chaturvasi16 January 2020 at 07:12

    3d Put up before the court (5) ERECT :: ere ct.
    8d Told to get the total at the top (6) SUMMIT :: "sum it"
    21d Poles have a stake in French city (6) :: N(ANTE)S

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mukundala Balasubramanyam16 January 2020 at 07:13

    Typo 5d {BRAG<<}{O}

    ReplyDelete
  7. Vasant16 January 2020 at 07:13

    1A INTELLIGENTSIA INTEL+(LEASING IT)*
    2D NOCTURNAL CON<+TURN+AL
    3d ERE CT

    ReplyDelete
  8. Vasant16 January 2020 at 07:14

    Making up for the repeat of 3d
    10A UNCLE(-an)

    ReplyDelete
  9. P. Venkatesan16 January 2020 at 07:19

    8d: ALECOST (LEAST+CO)*

    ReplyDelete
  10. P. Venkatesan16 January 2020 at 07:29

    26d: IMPEL (MP) IN(LEI)<-

    ReplyDelete
  11. P. Venkatesan16 January 2020 at 07:35

    14a: TUNIS (T<--)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 07:36

    24D- Syria- The+ Syria (country) giving Hysteria
    Compund anagram?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 07:56

    21D- Naples- city
    N(APLE)*S
    Poles- N,S
    Stake= Pale

    ReplyDelete
  14. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 08:08

    I find 21D is wrong. It has to ne N(ANTE)S

    ReplyDelete
  15. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 08:30

    6D- Non-plused- NON(PLUS)E D= Perplexed
    Nobody= None
    Extra- Plus
    Head of the Department=D

    ReplyDelete
  16. AJ16 January 2020 at 08:50

    23a
    Plum: choice
    Years: y
    PLUMY: feathered

    ReplyDelete
  17. AJ16 January 2020 at 08:51

    Sorry, it is 23d( plumy)

    ReplyDelete
  18. AJ16 January 2020 at 09:48

    22a
    views: looks
    Features: looks
    LOOKS

    ReplyDelete
  19. AJ16 January 2020 at 10:02

    Sorry. Oversight.

    ReplyDelete
  20. AJ16 January 2020 at 10:07

    22a
    ASPECTS syno ymous with views and features

    ReplyDelete
  21. Chaturvasi16 January 2020 at 10:11

    We have certain preferences in spelling words arising out of our reading in early part of our lives and also any looking into grammar books. I never swotted over them, I never did any exercises given under each chapter in W and M. Just an acquaintance with the chaps. Thus I prefer plumey, clueing. Note: I am not saying plumy and cluing are wrong. There may be an argument to drop the e, but I prefer it to be there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 10:40

      That brings us to the question of U.S.variants of spelling (Spell check never misses these) and if this should be mentioned in the clue-e.g. honour/honor etc.

      Delete
  22. AJ16 January 2020 at 10:33

    I have come across synonyms for 'feathered' in different contexts: plumed, PLUMY, plumaged, plumate etc. Thank you for giving me one more: plumey.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ramani16 January 2020 at 11:33

    Across 11,12,16,19,20,25,27,28,29

    Down 4,7,15,19,23

    Are yet to be taken. E&oE

    ReplyDelete
  24. Kolluru Koteswara Rao16 January 2020 at 11:47

    29AC RHYTHM + AND BLUES* beat=rhythm; as bundle*
    15DN SACK CLOTH
    19DN SCAM PER [1/3 of per mit ted]

    ReplyDelete
  25. Kolluru Koteswara Rao16 January 2020 at 13:34

    Of the two pre-final grids, this looked somewhat easier to me [maybe because I started this first as I cracked 1Across clue on the very first look] and I spent most of my first 30+ minutes on this grid with full of entertaining clues. By the time I started the second grid, the game was almost over as the toppers already completed! While I was halfway through the second grid which was equally entertaining, we were asked to hand over the grids due to the time limitation.
    Glad that I had participated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vasant16 January 2020 at 15:47

      Good to read about your experience. I foun 16A,25A and 27A quite tough to crack.

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 16:40

      No wonder you are short of time. I wonder if all those who complete fast would have all the annos- I mean,I feel one may have to fill a few with crossings and a bit of intuition without waiting for a clear anno.

      Delete
    3. Prasanna Rao16 January 2020 at 17:16

      gr8 KKR. nice to understand your exp. in IXL.

      Delete
  26. Jacob Brahmakulam16 January 2020 at 13:49

    7DN SCION; graft; {CO} regularly in {SIN}
    11A TYRANNISE; hector; {TYR{ANN}{IS}E}
    20A DJINN; spirit; {DJ}{INN}

    ReplyDelete
  27. RKE16 January 2020 at 13:56

    BTW, there is a new Tamil symmetric grid cryptic crossword at https://udhirivedi.blogspot.com/2020/01/2020.html?m=1

    ReplyDelete
  28. AJ16 January 2020 at 13:58

    23d is over. See AJ at 8.50 and 8.51

    ReplyDelete
  29. raju umamaheswar16 January 2020 at 16:01

    Hi everyone. sorry for this late entry. I had topaccess Acrosslite on my la[ top only as the I Pad refuses to cooperate I reckon I have still a chance for three answers? so here I go:27 across: PLUTOCRAT= MONEYBAGS= PART+CLOUT

    23 down.PLUMY - M PLUM= choice + Y years

    16 across: BEARS FOOT= plant. carries-BEARS + FOOT short distance

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacob Brahmakulam16 January 2020 at 16:23

      27A; wonder there is a number mismatch; plutocrat=moneybag
      23d is taken

      Delete
    2. Vasant16 January 2020 at 16:40

      27A: moneybags(used with a sing. verb) A rich, often extravagant person.
      From Free Dict.

      Delete
  30. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 16:29

    Just cracked 25A and I thought I would use the boon MB gave me (a replacement) since it is late in the day-
    25A- Coition= Condition (If)- ND (New Delhi,in brief)
    Taken is the indicator for removal.
    Def.- Congress (!)
    Sorry for using the boon. This clue is so good and devious that I could not resist.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 16:57

    I am still left with 4D & 19A

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vasant16 January 2020 at 17:11

      Hint:4d is a simple spoonerism and 19A You must have come across many times during your career in Electrical( used specially in Transformers)

      Delete
  32. Col_Gopinath16 January 2020 at 17:14

    12A - MOUNTIE {MO}{UNTIE}
    19A - SILICA GEL {IS+ILL} over {CAGE}
    4D - LITTERBUG ( ~ bitter lug)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Padmanabhan16 January 2020 at 17:26

    Thank you Vasant. Good clueing! But unfortunately I saw your & Col.'s comment at the same time. Spooner has never been my favourite.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Mukundala Balasubramanyam16 January 2020 at 18:14

    28A : PEACE {P(lac)E}{ACE}. ONE=ACE. Definition : Quiet

    ReplyDelete

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