Friday, 23 October 2020

No 13074, Friday 23 Oct 2020, Gridman

 RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY

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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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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 VIIs 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}
18 Sacking for girl’s prayer book (9) DISMISSAL {DI'S}{MISSAL}
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 


72 comments:

  1. 20 a - conrad is - SARNODIC*
    2D - 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*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 20A is not SARNODIC Check your typo
      2D Check annotation
      22d Incorrect

      Delete
    2. Col.sir- 20-A understood the typo....its SARDONIC
      2D - THE (AT)* - THETA

      23d....col sir...should I look into anno. or answer.

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
  2. Prasanna, check your Anno for 2D.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Doctor.....2D corrected @11:03. 22d...awaiting for Col's reply

      Delete
  3. 4.ac.Asthma. Maths + a and rearranging the letters
    9.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

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1A UNTOLD = secret (CD)
    6D 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}

    ReplyDelete
  5. 11a communicate. One is I man is m and role is part the answer is impart

    ReplyDelete
  6. 23a. Sign if celebrity is autograph (DD)

    ReplyDelete
  7. 24a. Dhellout is pay fifty is l and game is play which is the answer

    ReplyDelete
  8. 5d boss is stud endless swine is pi and senseless is stupid which is the answer

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 1A - untold ( CD)
    25A- 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

    ReplyDelete
  11. Vasanth or any other inyerested
    You 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting grid. The 15 letter grid suitably modified? Or a brand new grid?
      The rules of no 3 consecutive unches, symmetry etc are followed as you said.

      Delete
  12. Yet to be solved
    Across - 12, 17, 18
    Down - 2, 3, 7, 8, 16

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    2. Comment removed as no annotation was given

      Delete
  13. 3D Lavatory burning issue lava news story less s (leaving small) tory.

    ReplyDelete
  14. 17A IBEX SMALL NUMBER ROMAN 9 IX ENGINEER BE

    ReplyDelete
  15. 24a play shell out means pay and fifty is l

    ReplyDelete
  16. 12A WRITE OFF. WRITER LESS R author doesnt finish. doesn't begin is off . Total loss

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. please check anno; try to account for every word in the clue.

      Delete
  17. 12a write off author is a writer and an upper class person is toff so writer-r and toff- t gives write off

    ReplyDelete
  18. 11a.one is i,man is m,role is part
    Impart.

    ReplyDelete
  19. 6d.HYSTERICS cry thesis*
    8d.CROWN PRINCESS peak..crown costs..prices New Stingy PRICES(N)(S)*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anno for PRINCESS needs bit of fine tuning. It is not an anagram.

      Delete
  20. 18A DISMISSAL=sacking, (girls=DI'S, prayer book=MISSAL.)

    ReplyDelete
  21. 2D. THETA {THE}{TA}
    7D. ARTIFICIAL HEART (CD)
    16D. EMINENCE (DD)

    ReplyDelete
  22. 7dn ARTIFICIAL HEART. [CD]
    15ac DISC. {DIS} {C(-ellist)}

    ReplyDelete
  23. 15a
    DISC: record
    Put down : dis
    Cellist's first: c
    Disc

    ReplyDelete
  24. 10 A...
    Anagram of Try-out viis

    Virtuosity = shows artistry

    ReplyDelete
  25. 5 down
    Boss = stud
    Swine no end = pig (g removed)

    Stud around pi = stupid = senseless

    ReplyDelete
  26. 16 D

    Eminence (DD) cardinal & rise

    ReplyDelete
  27. Our efforts to discourage Commenters posting under Unknown appear to be bearing fruit.
    Note 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.

    ReplyDelete
  28. 2D: a word of thanks is Ta and article is The. Definition is letter and answer is Theta
    8D: 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.

    ReplyDelete
  29. 3D LAVATORY=Rest room
    LAVA= burning issue
    -s(STORY)=newsTORY

    ReplyDelete
  30. 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

    ReplyDelete
  31. Never 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ten years, My day starts with this blog. Still learning the grammar. Thanks Padmanabham Gary for the encouragement. Miss your absence here if any.

      Delete
    2. Ten years is a long time, by now you should be a pro at Crosswords and not just still learning the grammar

      Delete
  32. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  34. 25A entice
    Dispatched (s)ent refined (n)ice
    Heads off

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 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.

      Delete
  35. IXL latest round: small volume= icc. Any comments!
    Would be glad to know if there is an alternate Anno. Thnx.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prasad,
      Indian=I
      drink=LASSI
      volume=CC
      west=rev.ind.
      same=S M [alt.letters
      C[LASSI]C+I<=+S M

      Delete
    2. CLASSICISM {I}<=>{C{LASSI}C} and {SaMe}

      Delete
    3. Transported west to mean advanced! First time I guess.
      Thanks col.

      Delete
  36. Is lassi not supposed to be an Indian drink?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Normally yes. But it is not necessary, I feel, like cha for tea. Setters do not specifically say Indian drink when they clue for cha.

      Delete
    2. Argument could be made, since this is Indian contest lassi is drink.
      But technically, dict list cha, as British informal for tea. Is it the same for lassi.

      Delete
  37. My on line version of Chambers does not list lassi,but Free dic. says it is a drink made with yogurt etc.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I have Chmbers CW dictionary hard copy,which also does not list- may be an old edition.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am seeing LASSI in almost all dictionaries with me incl. Chambers. While Chambers did not call it as a drink of subcontinent, others do.

      Delete
  39. So,we should call it as cleared by Chambers,right?
    But it never struck me to separate Indian & drink.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 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

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