Solution to 7D 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 Wager ruins Spooner causing problems (8) SETBACKS (~ bet sacks)
5 Abuses guys chasing girl (6) GROPES {G}{ROPES}
10 Reject salesperson getting a little lazy during work (7) REPULSE {REP}{U{Lazy}SE}
11 Orderly in train catches rebellious lout (7) REGULAR {RE{LUG<=}AR}
12 Wail about tackling new relative after marriage (2-3) IN LAW {I{N}LAW*}
13 Old boy babbles about nursing a little silly infatuation (9) OBSESSION {OB}{NOI{Si..y}SES<=}
14 Endure criminal acquiring firm unopposed (12) UNRESTRICTED {UNRE{STRICT}ED*}
18 Tired associate leaves to snort speed at bar in Columbia, say (5,7) SPACE SHUTTLE {S{PACE}{SHUT}TaLE}
1 Wager ruins Spooner causing problems (8) SETBACKS (~ bet sacks)
5 Abuses guys chasing girl (6) GROPES {G}{ROPES}
10 Reject salesperson getting a little lazy during work (7) REPULSE {REP}{U{L
11 Orderly in train catches rebellious lout (7) REGULAR {RE{LUG<=}AR}
12 Wail about tackling new relative after marriage (2-3) IN LAW {I{N}LAW*}
13 Old boy babbles about nursing a little silly infatuation (9) OBSESSION {OB}{NOI{S
14 Endure criminal acquiring firm unopposed (12) UNRESTRICTED {UNRE{STRICT}ED*}
18 Tired associate leaves to snort speed at bar in Columbia, say (5,7) SPACE SHUTTLE {S{PACE}{SHUT}T
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23 Excellent proposal to restrain Republican (5) BRILL {B{R}ILL}
24 Soldiers in depot assembled missile (7) TORPEDO {T{OR}PEDO*}
25 Raids trendy bars to seize cocaine essentially (7) INROADS {IN}{RO{
26 Standing in lakeside greenhouse (6) DEGREE [T]
27 Old males somehow raced in a zigzag course (8) SLALOMED*
DOWN
1 Sprinter primarily runs in discomfort due to this? (6) SPRAIN {S
2 Drink in depression, upset by losing a lawsuit (6) TIPPLE {PIT<=}{PLE
3 Poor overwhelmed by a cut in payment (9) ALLOWANCE {A}{L{LOW}ANCE}
4 Remain calm and decide not to go bald? (4,4,4,2) KEEP ONES HAIR ON [DD]
6 Kids consuming ecstasy in raves (5) RAGES {RAG{E}S}
7 Detective returns in subtle disguise (8)
8 Song composed to secure a date? (8) SERENADE {SEREN{A}{D}E}
9 Hottest maiden, one working in restaurant for useful experience (5,2,3,4) GRIST TO THE MILL {HOTTEST+M+1}* in {GRILL}
15 Evil one starting to become real crazily intolerant (9) ILLIBERAL {ILL}{1}{B
16 Drinking booze, essentially hammered after one gets divorced (8) ISOLATED {S{
17 Staff catches one creep in high street (4,4) MAIN DRAG {MA{1}N}{DRAG}
19 Repelled attack to abduct son! Many put out of action (6) DISARM {RA{S}ID}<={M}
20 Heartless scoundrel grabbing miss locked up (6) CLOSED {C
22 Most elegantly portrayed stone monument (5) STELE [T]
Reference List
Girl = G, New = N, Old Boy = OB, Republican = R, Soldiers = OR, Runs = R, Ecstasy = E, Date = D, Maiden = M, Son = S, Many = M
7d PALLIATE; disguise; TAIL<= in PALE; subtle=pale; tail= slangforvdetective
ReplyDeleteJacob Brahmakulam, Congratulations you are being promoted from novice to regular from next week onwards.
DeleteMore the merrier.
DeleteWelcome
DeleteThanks Colonel, for the promotion. Not sure I am happy about it! It will sure DISARM me from regular action in THCC.
Deleteto nitpick on 19D, I took it as {S} in RAID<= {M}
DeleteThat's what col Anno also is!
DeleteOn the other hand,Jacob,it should spur you into more action in the blog. That is the idea.
DeleteA difficult one ( for me ). Very few direct anagrams , which make the going easy for novices.
ReplyDeleteThank you Doc.Made me work,missed a few but enjoyed the exercise.
ReplyDeleteSunnet missing?
Maybe readying specials?
DeleteCould be.
DeleteEnjoyed working on the grid, missed 27a and 17d.
ReplyDeleteSir as per dictionary answer stele seems wrong stela means stone monument while stele means Central core of a stem and root
ReplyDeleteFrom Chambers
Deletestele or in sense 2 stela noun (stelae)
1 an ancient stone pillar or upright slab, usually carved or engraved.
2 bot the central cylinder in the stems and roots of vascular plants. stelar adj.
ETYMOLOGY: 19c: Greek, meaning 'a standing stone'.
From the Net: A stele ( /ˈstiːli/ STEE-lee), or occasionally stela (plural stelas or stelæ ), when derived from Latin, is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected in the ancient world as a monument
DeleteWhat Brajesh has given is the meaning of stele in Botany. In archaeology, it is another term for stela.(Oxford)
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a fact....literally teasing one's mind to no ends...
ReplyDeleteThe 9 Down clue reading Hottestmaiden one workin in restaurant for useful expreince was truly an experience for me, splitting my balding pate to no ends!!! Thanq dear Dr. X for teasing poor guys like me!!!!
ReplyDelete12,13 , 27 ac and 22 dn were reasonable.But this cruel doctor was most unkind to average guys.This Dr X is Dr No for me.Thomas
ReplyDeleteThis is an unfair statement. You may not have got the answers but that does not make them unreasonable. Maybe you could elaborate as to why you found them unreasonable. Many of us have found he clues fairly straightforward
DeleteAgree with Suresh. This was not an easy grid but all clues were reasonable and could be annotated fully. In quite a few cases, one may have to get the answer from the definition and crossing letters, and then work backwards to get the anno which gives the aha moment)
DeleteThomas has written 4 clues were reasonable which doesn't mean the rest are unreasonable, isn't it? The rest of his statement can be read in a lighter vein.
DeleteRight,Deepak. I was over-reacting
DeleteClassy puzzle! Loved the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dr.X.
I lost all my hair today! Took hours go complete.
ReplyDelete