RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY
All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.
PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED
Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.
Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only
The regular blog will replace the clues at 4 PM.
Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.
ACROSS
1 Such a story remains secret (6) UNTOLD [CD]
4 Troublesome maths — a problem that leaves one breathless (6) ASTHMA*
9 Account given by setter reaches pinnacle (4) ACME {AC}{ME}
10 Try-out VII’s turning out to show artistry (10) VIRTUOSITY*
11 Communicate one man’s role (6) IMPART {1}{M}{PART}
12 Total loss — author doesn’t finish, gentleman doesn’t begin (5-3) WRITE-OFF {WRITEr}{tOFF}
13 It’s the sign of a celebrity (9) AUTOGRAPH [CD]
15 Put down cellist’s first record (4) DISC {DIS}{Ce...t}
17 Among a small number there’s an engineer, one leading a high life (4) IBEX {I{BE}X}
20 Conrad is terribly caustic (8) SARDONIC*
21 Nothing good in remote haunt (6) NAUGHT {NAU{G}HT*}
23 Involving two sides of broken aspirin tab (10) BIPARTISAN*
24 Shell out about fifty for game (4) PLAY {P{L}AY}
25 Dispatched refined heads off to solicit (6) ENTICE {sENT}{nICE}
26 Worry about the queen’s hunt (6) FERRET {F{ER}RET}
DOWN
1 You can’t get a word out of such a person (15) UNCOMMUNICATIVE [CD]
2 A word of thanks with article and letter (5) THETA {THE}{TA}
3 Burning issue with news leaving small rest room (8) LAVATORY {LAVA}{sTORY}
5 Senseless boss entertains swine no end (6) STUPID {STU{PIg}D}
6 Cry “Thesis produces wild laughter” (9) HYSTERICS*
7 Yet its ticks will be real and effective (10,5) ARTIFICIAL HEART [CD]
8 Peak costs stifle new and primarily stingy person likely to succeed (5,8) CROWN PRINCESS {CROWN}{PRI{N}CES}{St...y}
14 Bank facility that’s to one’s discredit? (9) OVERDRAFT [CD]
16 Rise attributable to cardinal (8) EMINENCE [C&DD]
19 Can tie be established so it’s maternally related? (6) ENATIC*
22 The hand that gives one the edge (5) UPPER [CD]
Reference List
Account = AC, Man = M, Girl = DI, Good = G, Fifty = L, Queen = ER, Small = S, New = N
20 a - conrad is - SARNODIC*
ReplyDelete2D - A + word of Thanks (T) , article - THE...theat* - THETA
22D - hAND-H , one , give(S) - HOnes
9A - account-AC , setter-ME .AC+ME....ACME
23a -aspirin tab - BIPARTISAN*
20A is not SARNODIC Check your typo
Delete2D Check annotation
22d Incorrect
Col.sir- 20-A understood the typo....its SARDONIC
Delete2D - THE (AT)* - THETA
23d....col sir...should I look into anno. or answer.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeletePrasanna, check your Anno for 2D.
ReplyDeleteDoctor.....2D corrected @11:03. 22d...awaiting for Col's reply
Delete4.ac.Asthma. Maths + a and rearranging the letters
ReplyDelete9.ac.Acme Account = Ac + me (setter)
10.ac. Virtuosity , rearranging the letters
Try-out VII's
20.ac. Sardonic rearranging letters from Conrad is
23.ac. Bipartisan Rearranging letters from aspirin tab
1A UNTOLD = secret (CD)
ReplyDelete6D HYSTERICS = wild laughter {cry thesis, anagram}
21A NAUGHT = nothing { good, G in haunt, anagram}
19D ENATIC = related to mother{ can tie, anagram}
1D UNCOMMUNICATIVE=one who does not say anything, CD}
7D ARTIFICIAL HEART DD
ReplyDeleteWhy do you say it's a DD?
DeleteIt ticks & it is as effective as a natural heart
Delete11a communicate. One is I man is m and role is part the answer is impart
ReplyDelete23a. Sign if celebrity is autograph (DD)
ReplyDeleteWhy DD?
Delete24a. Dhellout is pay fifty is l and game is play which is the answer
ReplyDeleteIt's shell
ReplyDelete5d boss is stud endless swine is pi and senseless is stupid which is the answer
ReplyDelete14D OVERDRAFT CD
ReplyDelete22D. UPPER [E]
ReplyDeleteIt,s not an [E]
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete1A - untold ( CD)
ReplyDelete25A- entice; s- ent; n-ice; heads off; meaning solicit
26A- ferret; worry- fret; queen- er; f(er) ret
21A- naught; meaning nothing; g plus haunt jumbled
21A is not a total anagram.
Delete26A- meaning hunt
ReplyDeleteVasanth or any other inyerested
ReplyDeleteYou will notice that this is a new Gridman grid. Some blocks can be removed, still remaining within symmetric and other rules but I did not, the aim being to keep the number of clues (or wordage) at a certain level. Clues beyond a limit render the font size smaller as size of text box allotted for the feature cannot be altered. UK/US papers in their stats specify the clue or word limits but TH has not.
Sir. Noted.
DeleteInteresting grid. The 15 letter grid suitably modified? Or a brand new grid?
DeleteThe rules of no 3 consecutive unches, symmetry etc are followed as you said.
Yet to be solved
ReplyDeleteAcross - 12, 17, 18
Down - 2, 3, 7, 8, 16
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DeleteComment removed as no annotation was given
Delete3D Lavatory burning issue lava news story less s (leaving small) tory.
ReplyDelete17A IBEX SMALL NUMBER ROMAN 9 IX ENGINEER BE
ReplyDeleteIX and BE gves IXBE?
DeleteGoat found in high mounatins
ReplyDelete24a play shell out means pay and fifty is l
ReplyDelete12A WRITE OFF. WRITER LESS R author doesnt finish. doesn't begin is off . Total loss
ReplyDeleteplease check anno; try to account for every word in the clue.
Delete12a write off author is a writer and an upper class person is toff so writer-r and toff- t gives write off
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the input
Delete11a.one is i,man is m,role is part
ReplyDeleteImpart.
6d.HYSTERICS cry thesis*
ReplyDelete8d.CROWN PRINCESS peak..crown costs..prices New Stingy PRICES(N)(S)*
Anno for PRINCESS needs bit of fine tuning. It is not an anagram.
Delete18A DISMISSAL=sacking, (girls=DI'S, prayer book=MISSAL.)
ReplyDelete2D. THETA {THE}{TA}
ReplyDelete7D. ARTIFICIAL HEART (CD)
16D. EMINENCE (DD)
Good festive mood. Feeling happy to have solved more than the regular quot of mine
ReplyDelete7dn ARTIFICIAL HEART. [CD]
ReplyDelete15ac DISC. {DIS} {C(-ellist)}
15a
ReplyDeleteDISC: record
Put down : dis
Cellist's first: c
Disc
10 A...
ReplyDeleteAnagram of Try-out viis
Virtuosity = shows artistry
5 down
ReplyDeleteBoss = stud
Swine no end = pig (g removed)
Stud around pi = stupid = senseless
16 D
ReplyDeleteEminence (DD) cardinal & rise
Our efforts to discourage Commenters posting under Unknown appear to be bearing fruit.
ReplyDeleteNote to new visitors: If posting under a profile name is not possible, you may still post under Unknown but add your name or a consistent pseudonym at the end of matter. Be known to us here.
2D: a word of thanks is Ta and article is The. Definition is letter and answer is Theta
ReplyDelete8D: Peak is Crown. Costs is Prices. Stifles new(N) and becomes Princes. Primarily (S)tingy is S. Crown PriNcesS- one who is likely to succeed.
3D LAVATORY=Rest room
ReplyDeleteLAVA= burning issue
-s(STORY)=newsTORY
Mr Gridman, Thanks a lot for lifting my morale.For quite some time Dr X and Gust had almost forced me to consider myself totally dumb and one had decided to give up.Thanks once again .Thomphil
ReplyDeleteNever think of giving up. There are different setters and your days will come. Until then keep looking in here and learn how (what you consider) difficult clues are parsed. It is a learning experience most of us have gone through.
ReplyDeleteTen years, My day starts with this blog. Still learning the grammar. Thanks Padmanabham Gary for the encouragement. Miss your absence here if any.
DeleteTen years is a long time, by now you should be a pro at Crosswords and not just still learning the grammar
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete25A entice
ReplyDeleteDispatched (s)ent refined (n)ice
Heads off
Haven't you read the advisory on the top left corner? Please amend your profile to display your name (The procedure is listed out in a page, link to which is given at the top of the blog) or else mention your name at the end of each comment.
DeleteIXL latest round: small volume= icc. Any comments!
ReplyDeleteWould be glad to know if there is an alternate Anno. Thnx.
Prasad,
DeleteIndian=I
drink=LASSI
volume=CC
west=rev.ind.
same=S M [alt.letters
C[LASSI]C+I<=+S M
CLASSICISM {I}<=>{C{LASSI}C} and {SaMe}
DeleteTransported west to mean advanced! First time I guess.
DeleteThanks col.
Is lassi not supposed to be an Indian drink?
ReplyDeleteNormally yes. But it is not necessary, I feel, like cha for tea. Setters do not specifically say Indian drink when they clue for cha.
DeleteArgument could be made, since this is Indian contest lassi is drink.
DeleteBut technically, dict list cha, as British informal for tea. Is it the same for lassi.
My on line version of Chambers does not list lassi,but Free dic. says it is a drink made with yogurt etc.
ReplyDeleteI have Chmbers CW dictionary hard copy,which also does not list- may be an old edition.
ReplyDeleteI am seeing LASSI in almost all dictionaries with me incl. Chambers. While Chambers did not call it as a drink of subcontinent, others do.
DeleteSo,we should call it as cleared by Chambers,right?
ReplyDeleteBut it never struck me to separate Indian & drink.
That is setter's misdirection.. Drink=lassi, I=indian. And when you read it together, it is difficult to separate, the exact thing the setter wants, the surface should be such that it is difficult to separate the Cryptic from the surface.
Delete