Solution to 9A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular/novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.
ACROSS
1 Grab half of them going confusedly around hot African region (7) MAGHREB [GRAB+thEM}* over {H}
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5 Speaks contemptuously about eats (6) SCOFFS [DD]
9 Strongly criticises small troubadour's songs (5)S?A?S (Addendum - SLAYS {S}{LAYS} - See comments)
10 Lots and lots — what a card player expects (1,4,4) A GOOD DEAL [DD]1 Grab half of them going confusedly around hot African region (7) MAGHREB [GRAB+
9 Strongly criticises small troubadour's songs (5)
11 Doesn’t get deeply involved with what racquet sport players hold (7) PADDLES [DD]
12 Anil heartily skirts top swindle. Capital! (7) NAIROBI {
13 Dances and staggers (5) REELS [DD]
14 What an opposing side’s member may put up as a standard (5,4) REBEL FLAG [CD]
16 Remarkable events mean one changes after path’s vacated (9) PHENOMENA {P
19 Mother’s backing graduate for a dance (5) SAMBA {MAS<=}{BA}
23 Used up hours in preparing feed (7) NOURISH*
24 Sailor and worker at emptied Gulag to get poisonous creature (9) TARANTULA {TAR}{ANT}{
26 This animal looked around taking two sides and middle of hut (6) WALRUS {WA{L}{R}{
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DOWN
1 Medicine, at first, is right to take (14) MISAPPROPRIATE {M
2 Big and deep at heart — this person of high rank (7) GRANDEE {GRAND}{
3 Does some stock-taking (7) RUSTLES [CD]
4 Engineer goes into golf club’s restaurant (9) BRASSERIE {BRASS{ER}IE}
5 How some enemies could be — Poles have line-up (5) SWORN {S}{ROW<=}{N}
6 This should have been paid long ago with demonetised currency (3,4) OLD BILL [DD]
7 Source of power demolishes foul lie (4,3) FUEL OIL*
8 Early avatars of jets — now, drones maybe (6,8) FLYING MACHINES [DD]
15 Supporter at home to flag something inspired (9) BRAINWAVE {BRA}{IN}{WAVE}
17 Gridman goes back to disconcerted pair taking order in large stores (7) EMPORIA {ME<=}{P{O}RIA*}
18 About a currency note losing a bit of newness more frequently (7) OFTENER {OF}{TEN
19 Storms learners in endless game (7) SQUALLS {SQUA{LL}S
20 Gentleman hiding a globe that is more wet (7) MOISTER {M{O}ISTER}
22 Defeats our turn-out on back-street (5) ROUTS {OUR*}{ST<=}
Reference List
Small = S, Hot = H, Sailor = TAR, Engineer = ER, Poles = N,S, Supporter = BRA, Order = O, Learner = L, Street = ST
Dr RKE's TalePiece
17th December 1903 was when history was made at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wright brothers, ENSUREd their place in the hall of fame with the first powered FLYING MACHINE.
Their father, a bishop, wanted them schooled in LATIN and the scriptures but the brothers were interested only in outdoor pursuits and never completed school. A gift of a toy helicopter in their childhood, NOURISHed their interest in flying. The brothers were a study in contrast. Orville, the younger of the two, had a WALRUS moustache while Wilbur was clean shaven. Wilbur was the one who had the BRAIN WAVE for designing the 3-axis control system but it was Orville’s mechanical skills that helped build the PADDLES, wings and the FUEL OIL powered motor for their historic flight. Building gliders in the preceding years had helped them A GOOD DEAL to become experienced pilots. People naturally SCOFFed at their idea of a heavier-than-air flying machine as such experiments had OFTENER been a failure than a success. Their experience of running a bicycle EMPORIUM in Dayton familiarized them with the matter of stabilizing a craft but what was PHENOMENAL was their idea of intentionally rolling the craft from side-to-side to maintain stability.
They experimented with a wind tunnel, where they learnt much from the REELS of model planes. On the chosen day for the first flight, the MOISTER weather and the threat of a thunder SQUALL did not deter the brothers. The weather cleared somewhat by noon and there was only a gentle RUSTLE of the wind. The Flyer took off with Orville first and then for a second time with Wilbur. It flew at a height of about 10 feet for less than half-a-mile and though it crashed, the machine was largely intact and the occupant safe. There were only five witnesses and one of them remarked that the plane looked like a giant flying TARANTULA. What is surprising is that the machine cost them only $1000 to build (those OLD BILLS would be equal to about $28000 today!). There are of course aviation historians who claim that the Wright brothers have MISAPPROPRIATEd the claim to be the first to fly, but those 5 witnesses could have SWORN that the Wright brothers indeed did the first SAMBA in the air.
Their father, a bishop, wanted them schooled in LATIN and the scriptures but the brothers were interested only in outdoor pursuits and never completed school. A gift of a toy helicopter in their childhood, NOURISHed their interest in flying. The brothers were a study in contrast. Orville, the younger of the two, had a WALRUS moustache while Wilbur was clean shaven. Wilbur was the one who had the BRAIN WAVE for designing the 3-axis control system but it was Orville’s mechanical skills that helped build the PADDLES, wings and the FUEL OIL powered motor for their historic flight. Building gliders in the preceding years had helped them A GOOD DEAL to become experienced pilots. People naturally SCOFFed at their idea of a heavier-than-air flying machine as such experiments had OFTENER been a failure than a success. Their experience of running a bicycle EMPORIUM in Dayton familiarized them with the matter of stabilizing a craft but what was PHENOMENAL was their idea of intentionally rolling the craft from side-to-side to maintain stability.
They experimented with a wind tunnel, where they learnt much from the REELS of model planes. On the chosen day for the first flight, the MOISTER weather and the threat of a thunder SQUALL did not deter the brothers. The weather cleared somewhat by noon and there was only a gentle RUSTLE of the wind. The Flyer took off with Orville first and then for a second time with Wilbur. It flew at a height of about 10 feet for less than half-a-mile and though it crashed, the machine was largely intact and the occupant safe. There were only five witnesses and one of them remarked that the plane looked like a giant flying TARANTULA. What is surprising is that the machine cost them only $1000 to build (those OLD BILLS would be equal to about $28000 today!). There are of course aviation historians who claim that the Wright brothers have MISAPPROPRIATEd the claim to be the first to fly, but those 5 witnesses could have SWORN that the Wright brothers indeed did the first SAMBA in the air.
Smooth sailing today except for MAGHREB which needed the crossing letters. BRASSERIE was my clue of the day. Thanks Gridman!
ReplyDeleteOne question on 24A: I thought "Emptied GULAG" should give G-G (emptied => removed the contents) and "members of GULAG" would give ULA. Comments?
+1for gulag
DeleteI thought so too.
DeleteBut I guess it depends on whether you want to see the emptied contents or the empty container
Seems to be a slip-up, if we go by covention. But practical-wise, when I empty a packet of biscuits, I take its contents and throw away the paper pack. Idhu eppadi irukku?
DeleteNalla irukku.
DeleteI had not seen Suresh's comment before I wrote mine. Thanks, Suresh.
DeleteTo your nalla irukku, my answer in gratitude is santhosham.
DeleteGreat story. Thank you Dr. for reliving the historic moment.
DeleteIdhu eppadi irukku?
DeleteRajni style!
I like that CV Sir!
What a story. True to life?
ReplyDelete🙏 Yes
Delete1d Take:to swindle, defraud or cheat
ReplyDelete9Ac SLAYS - {S}{LAYS}
ReplyDeleteNalla irukku- biscuit!
ReplyDeleteNalla irukku- biscuit!
ReplyDelete9ac SLAMS ...(S)ongs Smal(l)
ReplyDeleteTry again Orthopaul
Delete9ac SLAYS... (S)mall LAYS(Troubadour's songs)
ReplyDeletePlease edit your profile to display your name
DeleteSorry, first time commenting, thought my Gmail handle will appear as default.
DeleteSlam is poetry reading. Troubadour are medieval poets
ReplyDeleteSlams are poetry events and also mean criticises. To slam someone.
Also slam events are irreverent poetry in a way
DeleteIn that case 'Small' has no role in the clue
DeleteOverall, smooth though did get stuck for some time in the North East corner. Liked. BRASSERIE, MISAPPROPRIATE, LATIN among others. A couple of minor quibbles . 23A - Preparing seems surplus for the clue . 8D - I thought the DD is just two examples of the same thing - cryptic element is missing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for comments. Re 23
ReplyDelete23 Used up hours in preparing feed (7)
I agree 'used up' in itself is sufficient as anag ind. However I believe 'preparing' adds to the surface meaning. Without it is odd to say 'used up hours in feed. One might spend hours in preparing animal feed,if not baby feed.