Tuesday 10 March 2020

No 12879, Tuesday 10 Mar 2020, Dr. X


HAPPY HOLI

ACROSS
1   Mournful in lodge after consuming dope (8) PLANGENT {PLAN{GEN}T}
5   Endures worthless person aboard steamer (6) STICKS {S{TICK}S}
10 A scoundrel endlessly drinking spirit in Greek marketplace (5) AGORA {A}{GO}{RAt}
11 Tolerate barbarian? Difficult (2,7) GO THROUGH {GOTH}{ROUGH}
12 Champion facing crazy rat race shows determination (9) CHARACTER {CH}{RAT+RACE}*
13 Muesli digested finally! Enzymes released here? (5) ILEUM MUEsLI* semi&lit
14 Heaps of money for hot dogs (6) MOUNDS (-h+m)MOUNDS
15 Mercurial Trump’s latest drivel — spiteful, exudes malice primarily (7) PROTEAN {t..mP}{ROT}{mEAN}
18 Critical instruction to catch snake (7) WASPISH {W{ASP}ISH}
20 Characters in Hoover docudrama ham it up (6) OVERDO [T]
22 Trivial talks by Yankee — supports Britain exiting (5) YACKS {Y}{bACKS}
24 Choose escort possessing ultimately attractive figure (9) DESIGNATE {D{a...vE}{SIGN}ATE}
25 Distinctly better than what a barber might provide? (1,3,5) A CUT ABOVE [DD]
26 Plant a secret agent (5) AMOLE {A}{MOLE}
27 Reckon English appear to be accepting Brexit finally (6) ESTEEM {E}{S{b...iT}EEM}
28 Suspension following blunder in transaction (8) DEFERRAL {DE{F}{ERR}AL}

DOWN
1   Spot to catch one flatfish (6) PLAICE {PLA{1}CE}
2   Moan about a disturbed soul becoming deviant (9) ANOMALOUS {MOAN*}{A}{SOUL*}
3   Lecher exposes in a room! Creep (2,2,1,6,4) GO AT A SNAILS PACE {GOAT}{A}{S{NAILS}PACE}
4   Wipes out revolutionary observed holding gun (7) NEGATES {SEEN<=} over {GAT}
6   Be very upset lately with underground revolution? (4,2,4,5) TURN IN ONES GRAVE [DD]
7   Justification given by union in dispute (5) CAUSE {CA{U}SE}
8   Foxy Carol acquires essentially provocative skirt (8) SCHEMING {S{p...aCa...e}{HEM}ING}
9   Arouse endless rage in revolutionary groups (4,2) STIR UP {IRe} in {PUTS<=}
16 Crack goal by English champion eliminates France (9) ENDEAVOUR {END}{E}{fAVOUR}
17 A strategy prepared for match played on opponent’s ground (4,4) AWAY GAME {A}{WAY}{GAME}
19 Subatomic particle in hydrogen radon compound (6) HADRON {H}{RADON*}
20 Dirty old boy on stage (7) OBSCENE {OB}{SCENE}
21 Refuse to retain Article, leading to abrogation (6) REPEAL {REPE{A}L}
23 Woo, essentially lure into bed (5) COURT {CO{lURe}T}

Reference List
Dope = GEN, Steamer = SS, Champion = CH, Money = M, Hot = H, Yankee = Y, English = E, Following = F, Union = U, France = F, Old Boy = OB


23 comments:

  1. Happy holi to one and all. got an opportunity to know WASPISH and ANOMALOUS new words.

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  2. Several Aha moments for me today. Thank you Doc.
    Did not get 1A,15a & 8D.
    Skirt=hem,as in edge?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. See link Paddy.

      https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=wish&title=thes

      e.g. 'It was done against the wishes of the party leader.' 'It was done against the instructions of the party leader.'

      Delete
    2. Thank you Doc. Like we were discussing yesterday,though correct,it does not readily suggest itself while solving.

      Delete
  4. The Chief Justice DESIGNATE, to the Supreme COURT was A CUT ABOVE THE REST of the contenders, being one of great CHARACTER, and held in great public ESTEEM. On taking over office, he ENDEAVOURed to find the CAUSE of why litigation has to GO THROUGH AT A SNAIL'S PACE. The OBSCENE delay that NEGATES the natural justice, was mainly due to the repeated DEFERRALS, engineered by SCHEMING lawyers, who gained MOUNDS of wealth, by OVERDOing the prolongation of the case. It was ANOMALOUS to have poor litigants paying for their legal counsels to YACK away in the bar room. The new CJ REPEALed a previous judgement about fixing the time limit for decision and this served to STIR UP action, although there were WASPISH comments about shotgun justice, likening the situation to the instant justice meted out in the Greek AGORAs in the past. The critics said the move will cause the venerable judges of the past to TURN IN their GRAVES but the CJ, not being one to give the GAME AWAY, is going to STICK to his ideals, in spite of the PLANGENT pleas of the lawyers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Doc for yet another interesting story. Happy Holi to all!

      Delete
  5. Justice delayed is justice denied,they say. Legal tangle.
    Good one Dr.RKE.

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  6. Here in Chennai,no holiday- just some 'Holi'day here and there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Some twisty ones today: in 11A, 18A, 27A, 16D, the clue (tolerate, critical, reckon, crack) provided a less known -- even imprecise -- meaning (go through, waspish, esteem, endeavour). I enjoyed the wordplay in 11A, 15A, 3D 8D. Got 26A only after looking at a dictionary. Except for 21D, got 'em all! Thanks, Dr X.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Amita for solving! I agree they are tricky but all are from Chambers Dictionary. Check the link below for each.

      https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=go+through&title=thes
      https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=waspish&title=thes
      https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=esteem&title=thes
      https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=endeavour&title=thes

      Delete
  8. 7a..Justification given by union in dispute ..I took it as ISS[U]E. puzzle was quite tricky. we often call it as issue for Dispute. I confused with the definition. nice puzzle doctor.

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  9. Happy holi to you, Doc, and ye-all out there. I'll commend Doc for his waspishly, stinging grid.When it comes to mini skirts and low hemline, he doesn't skirt the issue. He's a cut above the rest.

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    Replies
    1. Raju, how come you didn't comment on the absence of Husbands and Wives?

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    2. Ha ha that's a good observation Col Sir! Thanks a lot Raju. Happy Holi to you. Till next month then...

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    3. No Husbands,no wives,no complaints!

      Delete
  10. Hi in 17D parsing should be
    A=A
    strategy= way
    prepared= game (adj as in... game for anything)
    Defn= match played on opponent's ground.

    ReplyDelete

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