Friday 31 December 2021

No 13442, Friday 31 Dec 2021, Hypatia

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

Rangoli by Gowri

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS
9   A criminal trial? (9,6) ATTEMPTED MURDER [CD]
10 Bell starts to unusually ring alerting plant (7) GONGURA {GONG}{Un...y}{Ring}{Al...g}
11 Band had cover against counter (7) OBVIATE {OB{V}I}{ATE}
12 Stuff with rice or fresh herb (9) CORIANDER  {RICE+OR}* over {AND}
14 Gentleman from Southern state rising abruptly (5) SAHIB {S}{BIHAr<=}
17 Waves cyberbullies off at first (7) ROLLERS tROLLERS
19 Women mount racing horses for exhibitors (7) SHOWERS {SHO{W}ERS*}
21 Wash this boat’s hatchways at sea (5) YACHT {YACHT+WASH=HATCHWAYS} [CA]
23 New round of fight everyone joined after sunset (9) NIGHTFALL {N}{FIGHT*}{ALL}
25 Green cha? (7) SPINACH {CHA}* [RA]
27 Sumo ring also stores superfood (7) MORINGA [T]
30 Oddly, I design thisthen it’s nearly done (3,3,2,2,5) THE END IS IN SIGHT*

DOWN
1   Finally plates a silver dish (4) SAAG {p...eS}{A}{AG}
2   Astonish superstar saving time (4) STUN {S{T}UN}
3   Cut a friend without present (8) AMPUTATE {A}{M{PUT}ATE}
4   Lock Rupee in position (6) STRAND {ST{R}AND}
5   Notice judge at court essentially points and postpones (8) ADJOURNS {AD}{J}{cOURt}{N}{S}
6   Gardner, say engaged by girl with you and me for fruits (6) GUAVAS {G}{U{AVA}S}
7   Intention driving every action, basically (4) IDEA Acrostic &lit
8   Hiding husband’s number in palm, perhaps (4) TREE ThREE
12 Call about old city’s sauce (5) CURRY {C{UR}RY}
13 Trace rabbi and priest with cold (5) RELIC {R}{ELI}{C}
15 Tinge of yellow layer covering a beast? (5) HYENA {H{Ye...w}EN}{A}
16 Herb’s taken up by Malayalis ability (5) BASIL [T<=]
18 His men do work for composer (8) SONDHEIM*
20 Animal lowering head right behind plant (8) OATGRASS {(-g)OAT(+g)G}{R}{ASS}
22 Coaches Sinatra — mostly dancing (6) TRAINS SINATRa*
24 Move closer to shooting range (6) GAMBIT {s...nG}{AMBIT}
25 Auditors specify location (4) SITE (~cite)
26 Cooking Methi is not hard in particular (4) ITEM METhI*
28 Harass American Indian ethic group (4) NAGA {NAG}{A}
29 Colony members manot use regularly (4) ANTS {mAy+NoT+uSe}

Reference List
Against = V, Southern = S, Women = W, New = N, Time = T, Rupee = R, Notice = AD, Judge = J, Girl = G, Husband = H, Rabbi = R, Cold = C, Right = R, Hard = H, American = A 



Thursday 30 December 2021

No 13441, Thursday 30 Dec 2021, Vidwan

Solution to 14A 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.
Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
1   Mobile, mostly busy, creates state of uncertainity (5) LIMBO MOBILe*
4   Go around in t-shirt like a working girl (7) TROLLOP {T{ROLL}OP}
10 Alter seat plan (9) REARRANGE {REAR}{RANGE}
11 Colour adopted by far-right in general (5) TINGE [T]
12 If nothing else, her heart opens up finally (2,5) AT LEAST {hEr} in {AT LAST}
13 Each part in soap or distinctive event primarily (7) EPISODE Acrostic &lit
14 Gay groom runs away (4) ?I?K (Addendum - PINK PrINK - See comments)
15 Tense, almost sad lines ushering God’s message (8) TELEGRAM {T}{ELEGy}{RAM}
17 Returns from hustling coke bags (4,4) GOES BACK*
19 Over a time, men basically ditch (4) MOAT {O}{A}{T}<=>{M}
22 This city gal could be aboriginal (7) NAIROBI (NAIROBI+GAL=ABORIGINAL}
23 Intent of almost any Chinese leader — erode our border with minimum of strife (7) ANXIOUS {ANy}{XI}{OUr}{St...e} Definition okay?
24 Forested land finally cleared and cultivated (5) WOOED WOOdED
25 0 under 18 for someone like Leonardo Da Vinci? (4,5) LOVE CHILD {LOVE}{CHILD}
26 They gnaw around or burrow tunnels outside (7) RODENTS {OR<=}{DEN}{Tu...lS}
27 Catches small bugs (5) SNAGS {S}{NAGS}

DOWN
2   Probably a no-good ill-looking Delhi crook (2,3,10) IN ALL LIKELIHOOD {A+ILL+LOOKINg+DELHI}* 
3   Runs into Obama house (7) BARRACK {BAR{R}ACK}
4   Youngster almost cleared out the wine and wobbled (8) TEETERED {TEEn}{ThE}{RED}
5   Survive without liver to some extent (7) OUTLIVE [T]
6   In life, anger soon corrupts logical thought process (4,2,9) LINE OF REASONING
7   Better looking men oddly trip out too soon (7) PRETERM {PRETtiER}{M}
8   King had one wish (5) DREAM [CD/GK]
9   One fool breaks-in, usually at the banks (5) UNITY {NIT} in {Us...lY}
16 Hill-tops outside Paris halted him (8) ACHILLES {AC{HILL}ES}
17 Upright spies bug to check good old mafia fight (4,3) GANG WAR {RAW}{NAG}<= over {G}
18 Served up one drab spread (7) BROADEN*
19 Erotic guy for Spooner’s a Mayan perhaps (7) MEXICAN (sexy man to mexi can)
20 Innocent naked deviant lying around (5) NAIVE dEVIANt<=
21 Out of the way, starts to address spectators in deadly earnest (5) ASIDE Acrostic

Reference List
Tense = T, Over = O, Time = T, Men = M, Small = S, Good = G,  Runs = R


Wednesday 29 December 2021

No 13440, Wednesday 29 Dec 2021, Incognito

Solution to  28A 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.
Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
8   Fabulous ship from Raibandar, Goa (4) ARGO [T]
9   Love to go round university for flower part (5) OVULE {OV{U}LE*}
10 Every Yankee is a Confederate (4) ALLY {ALL}{Y}
11 Wrongly aspire for Iran of yore (6) PERSIA*
12 Are fairs organised to get costs of tickets to travel by air? (8) AIRFARES*
13 What dubious salesmen deal in? Aloe skin preparation! (5,3) SNAKE OIL*
15 Fears doctors hiding extraordinarily advanced disease, for starters (6) DREADS {DR{Ex...y}{Ad...d}{Di...e}S}
17 Accountant with dishevelled pants gets forty winks (7) CATNAPS {CA}{PANTS*}
19 Tan sari wrapped around queen (7) TSARINA*
22 Perhaps pork’s given on hire in village (6) HAMLET {HAM}{LET}
24 Hated exam indeed (8) DETESTED {DE{TEST}ED}
26 Han hags dance before setter in Chinese city (8) SHANGHAI {HAN+HAGS}*{I}
28 Keep it under your hat... It’s headgear (6) T?U?E? (Addendum - TOUPEE [C&DD] - See comments)
30 Edible stuff that’s part of fried doughnut? (4) EDDO [T]
31 Domain’s actual aim finally (5) REALM {REAL}{aiM}
32 Brainwave I dreamt excitedly about in the beginning (4) IDEA {I}{Dr...t}{Ex...y}{Ab..t}

DOWN
1   “No charge! Release” (4) FREE [DD]
2   Abandoned for drink with woman at last (8) FORSAKEN {FOR}{SAKE}{w...aN}
3   Despot at office conceals vegetable (6) POTATO [T] 
4   Bad clue written about boy following Egyptian god can be set right (7) CURABLE {CU{RA}{B}LE*}
5   That man is followed by newly wedded women in Scottish archipelago (8) HEBRIDES {HE}{BRIDES}
6   Destruction from barrage over time (6) DAMAGE {DAM}{AGE}
7   Happiness obtained from shaking leg with some enthusiasm (4) GLEE {LEG*}{En...m}
14 Antelope initially active between New York and Los Angeles (5) NYALA {NY{Ac...e}{LA}
16 North European catches cold ball (5) DANCE {DAN{C}E}
18 Vessels for throwers? (8) PITCHERS [DD]
20 In the beginning, Russian president follows a saint and controversial monk (8) RASPUTIN {Ru...n}{A}{S}{PUTIN}
21 Endlessly hold in high regard a lord and naval officer (7) ADMIRAL {ADMIRe}{A}{L}
23 City student and Ontario crime boss (6) LONDON {L}{ON}{DON}
25 Folded Tai mat or Japanese mat? (6) TATAMI*
27 Conceal skin (4) HIDE [DD]
29 European lair in legendary garden (4) EDEN {E}{DEN}

Reference List
University = U, Yankee = Y, Boy = B, Cold = C, Saint = S, Lord = L, Student = L, European = E


Tuesday 28 December 2021

No 13439, Tuesday 28 Dec 2021, Arden

Solution to 9D 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.
Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
1   He grabs all four bananas, that’s really funny (6,2,6) BARREL OF LAUGHS*
10 A handicap gets recognition (5) AWARD {A}{WARD<=}
11 Furious about a politician running riot (9) RAMPAGING {R{A}{MP}AGING}
12 Way to cut meat with tongue (7) FLEMISH {FLE{M1}SH}
13 Drive around Seattle, all sides lead to a water body (4,3) DEAD SEA {DrivE}{Ar..nD}{Se...lE}{A}
14 Maidenly manifestation, mangoes for harvest (5) YIELD maIDEnLY*
16 Tin hat is a novelty for these islanders (9) TAHITIANS*
19 To cross border, get into many a marriage (9) MATRIMONY {MA{T{RIM}O}NY}
20 Feeling sorry for the half hearted verdict (5) RUING RUlING
22 One time settlementleft undecided about public sector unit (4,3) LUMP SUM {L}{UM{PSU}M}
25 Systematic plan to downsize fighting unit (7) REGIMEN REGIMENt
27 Cleans for relocating those who train fliers (9) FALCONERS*
28 Nerve of characters to swap places on top of the moon (5) ULNAR L<=>UNAR
29 Franchisee gets some allowance, and paired in the middle (14) CONCESSIONAIRE {CONCESSION}{pAIREd}

DOWN
2   Degradation of a structure (9) ABASEMENT {A}{BASEMENT}
3   Starts recording all direct investments — if they’re all coming from the same source (5) RADII Acrostic
4   Say, Dharavi for example is cleared — the movement will be slow (9) LARGHETTO {LARGe gHETTO}
5   I’m in fashion and quite well known (5) FAMED {FA{ME}D}
6   Cook catches a fish, most of it is white (9) ALABASTER {AL{A}{BASs}TER}
7   Forces block free networks (5) GRIDS {G{RID}S}
8   Pips align properly within seconds (7) SIGNALS {S}{ALIGN*}{S}
9   Happy to have defense forces leading from front — or is it an irritant? (6) ?A?F?Y (Addendum - GADFLY {GA{De...e}{Fo...s}{Le...g}Y} - See comments)
15 Stalactite, perhaps done to include comic strip (9) DRIPSTONE {D{STRIP*}ONE}
17 Fancy prose, they sound magical (3,6) HEY PRESTO*
18 A country once, in or around Anatolia (4,5) ASIA MINOR {A}{SIAM}{IN}{OR} 
19 Capital if returned could start becoming bad (7) MALEFIC {MALE}{IF<=}{Co..d}
21 They have the money and information, subject to law (6) GENTRY {GEN}{TRY}
23 Fashion — capital partly raised in a limited way (5) MILAN [T<=]
24 Looks for one in the loo (5) MIENS {M{1}ENS}
26 Rearing a dog, feeding top quality cheese (5) GOUDA {A DOG}<= over {U}

Reference List
Way = M1, Left = L, Force = G, Second = S, Top quality = U


Monday 27 December 2021

No 13438, Monday 27 Dec 2021, Hypatia

Solution to  1D 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.
Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
8   Surrenders revenues (6) YIELDS [DD]
9   About now, local time’s instinctive (8) INHERENT {IN{HERE}N}T}
10 Student’s bar training for percolating (8) LEACHING (-t+l)LEACHING
11 Goddess of Kashi depicted around temple originally (6) SHAKTI {KASH{Te...e}I*}
12 Mafiosi chiefly expands to seafood (8) LOBSTERS (-m+l)LOBSTERS
13 Not married perhaps, parents get rest (6) OTHERS mOTHERS
14 Passage from classical dance recital (7) ODYSSEY (~odissi)
17 Draw a model painting in Persian court (7) ATTRACT {A}{T}{ART<=}{CT}
20 Conduct puja outside current royal capital (6) JAIPUR {JA{I}PU*}{R}
22 Manama ran this bottling plant (8) AMARANTH [T]
25 Segal novel describing last of love birds (6) EAGLES {EAGL{lovE}S*} 
26 Where batsmen play or grow (8) INCREASE {IN CREASE}
27 Bitterness gripping princess returning to art festival (8) BIENNALE {BI{ANNE<=}LE}
28 Doctor sends ambulance in front for cars (6) SEDANS {SENDS+Am...e}*

DOWN
1   Send meal for Spooner and fuel (8) ?I?E?O?D (Addendum - FIREWOOD (~wire food) - See comments)
2   Picks best celebrity shows in recession (6) ELECTS [T<=]
3   Long snake with anger (6) ASPIRE {ASP}{IRE}
4   Round-up GIs amidst ground revolt (7) DISGUST {D{GIS*}UST}
5   Get rid of heaps (5,3) PHASE OUT {HEAPS}* [RA]
6   Clergywoman wearing her cape and reading (8) PREACHER {HER+CAPE}*{R}
7   Hot celestial body’s developmental stage (6) INSTAR {IN}{STAR}
15 Exercise Puts underwriting scheme to replace (8) SUPPLANT {SUP{PLAN}T*}
16 Old Italian sure cant change (8) ETRUSCAN*
18 Tendency to sin, evidently demonstrates constituent of DNA (8) CYTOSINE [T]
19 Try boxing the Greatest with the French astronomer (7) GALILEO {G{ALI}{LE}O}
21 Slowly, a soldier’s stalled by commotion (6) ADAGIO {AD{A}{GI}O}
23 Before ship’s caught in service entrance (6) ACCESS {SS}<=>{A{C}CE}
24 Commercial features information with a list (6) AGENDA {A{GEN}D}{A}

Reference List
Time = T, Student = L, Married = M, Court = CT, Current = I, Reading = R, Hot = IN, The in French = LE, Ship =SS, Caught = C, Service = ACE(in Tennis), Commercial = AD




Sunday 26 December 2021

The Sunday Crossword No 3182, Sunday 26 Dec 2021,

All the best to the IXL Finalists.
Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
1   £51 uncle's blown, consuming hot 'meals' that are really just booze (6,7) LIQUID LUNCHES {L1 QUID}{LUNC{H}ES*}
8   Opposed to Protestantism to some extent (4) ANTI [T]
9   Time one German given clubs (he's a golfer) (5,5) TIGER WOODS {T}{1}{GER}{WOODS}
10 Work party (6) LABOUR [DD]
11 PM's body parts in Spooner's speech (3,5) TED HEATH (~ head teeth)
12 Message in very odd parts of zodiac wanting flipping Everyman to irritate (5,4) VOICE MAIL {V}{zOdIaC}{ME<=}{AIL}
14 Cheerful boy, by George (to begin with) (4) GLAD {LAD}<=>{G}
15 Primarily, someone honouring 'Infallible Ali'? (4) SHIA Acrostic &lit
16 Dishes sent back: long time, wait with only sides cleared off (9) DELFTWARE {ERA}{WaiT}{FLED}<=
20 'Curse of marijuana' – the Mail (8) ANATHEMA [T]
21 Indecent bridal pants (6) RIBALD*
23 Star, Ringo perhaps, announced: 'Good, EU's beginning to evaporate' (10) BETELGEUSE {(~beatle)BETEL}{G}{EUS}{Ev...e}
24 Nurse's backside (4) REAR [DD]
25 Little wrinkles, removing head in butchery jobs (8,5) LAUGHTER LINES {sLAUGHTER}{LINES}

DOWN
1   Behold! 'New joke' at first originated in ancient past (4-3) LONG-AGO {LO}{N}{GAG}{Or...d}
2   Low-carb diet's sound in Ecuador's capital (5) QUITO (~keto)
3   Italian footballers on WhatsApp, perhaps finding caretaker (7) INTERIM {INTER}{IM}
4   Easy readinge.g. taut thrillerI ordered (5,10) LIGHT LITERATURE*
5   Regularly suppressing anger round a poet (6) NERUDA {aNgEr+RoUnD}{A}
6   What you may get when boxed salad accommodates a little ethical principle (6,3) HOOKES LAW {HOOK}{Et...l}{SLAW}
7   On drugs, southern English getting old-fashioned (7) SEDATED {S}{E}{DATED}
13 Citron mixed with water in French drink (9) COINTREAU {CITRON*}{EAU}
15 Fish from south not available in W Yorks city (4,3) SAND EEL {LEED{NA}S}<=
17 The French female admitting mistake, largely shown up – seriously! (3,4) FOR REAL {LA}{ERROr}{F}<=
18 Scrappy Sea Lord arms cannon again? (7) RELOADS*
19 Giving up iodine, lighten up for duration (6) LENGTH LiGHTEN*
22 How Hermione had a child, a poet (5) BYRON {BY RON}

Reference List
51 = L1, Pound = QUID, Hot = H, Time = T, Clubs = WOODS, Good = G, New = N, Southern = S, English = E, Water in French - EAU, The in French = LA, Female = F, Iodine = I 

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday #66, Sunday 26 Dec 2021, Arden

The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday can be accessed at the link given below. You need to register and sign in using an email ID and password, subscription may or may not be required.
The crossword is not being blogged as the annotations are provided in the interactive version itself which can be seen if you click on 'Show a hint' under the 'reveal' tab on the top.

The same will be posted on every Sunday at 6 AM.


Enjoy.

Saturday 25 December 2021

No 13437 Saturday 25 Dec 2021, WrdPlougher

 Merry Christmas

Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri
ACROSS

8 You’ll broadcast Pagan holiday(4) YULE {~ YOU'LL}
9 Having many variables, terribly low probabilityextremely not with nameless token(10) POLYNOMIAL {LOw+ProbabilitY*}{NOMInAL}
10 First, batter softly scooped out for every pie without stuffing, put inside empty oven in advance(6) OPENER {Ove{PiE}N}{pER}
11 Santa’s vehicle returning, going around open houses — gifts clean tops?(8) DELOUSES {SLED<=} around {hOUSEs}
12 One in every other dog in Paris is provided a drink after a meal(8) DIGESTIF {Do{I}G}{EST}{IF}
14 Santa is tired of tourin’, exhausted(2,4) ST NICK {S{TouriN}ICK} Tourin on double duty?
16 Egg recipes — whip gateau batter leftovers(4) SPUR (Acrostic)
17 Slogs desperately to reach finish(5) GLOSS {SLOGS*}
18 Opportunity to dispose of right bill(4) BEAK {BrEAK}
19 Child-bearing not entirely simple in winter, say(6) SEASON {S{EASy}ON}
21 Friendly reminder: protect reason(8) KEEPSAKE {KEEP}{SAKE}
23 Say good things insincerely, inserting two brief lines following the introduction of restaurant’s appetisers(3,5) EGG ROLLS {EG}{G}{Restaurant}{O{L}{L}S} Not sure how to get OS
26 Fruitless gardens overrunning an Italian Villa, finally sowed fertilizers(6) GUANOS {G{U{A}NO}ardenS}
27 Excited fan over the moon after iconic band partially adopts groupie(10) AFICIONADO Anno not clear 
28 The cardiac arrests of a heart(4) CARD (T)

DOWN

1 Seek gossip from family circle and dish during thanksgiving(7,3) PUMPKIN PIE {PUMP}{KIN}{PIE}
2 Driver gutted (drinking beer brazenly) after ejecting, eventually losing control of goods carrier!(8) REINDEER {REIN}{Drive{bEEr}R} Anno correct?
3 Secretly transport // alcohol(6) SPIRIT (DD)
4 Snowmobile driven with speed up front(4) SLED {S}{LED}
5 Absurdly silly to dismiss puppy love ascrushes”, irrelevant in retrospect before breakdown(8) ANALYSIS {NA<=}{A{SIlLY*}S}
6 Damn gun-running rascal at the top(6) IMPUGN {IMP}{GUN*}
7 Ventriloquist’s beginning first act with ultimate (else penultimate) figurine object that spins with wind-up?(4) VANE {Ventriloquist}{Act}{figuriNE}
13 Church-goers // gather around?(5) FLOCK (DD)
15 Sounding sweet, dull class teacher’s slated area for writing notes(10) CHALKBOARD {~ CHOC BORED}
17 The nerve, ending Dev Patel movie after article skewers filmmaking and casting conclusively(8) GANGLION{filmnakinG}{AN}{castinG}{LION}
18 Former German diplomat’s small business brand of note(8) BISMARCK {BIS}{~MARK}
20 Trim // a tree(6) SPRUCE (DD)
22 Briefly sounding hoarse inside? Gone to raise drink!(6) EGGNOG {GONE<=} around {GG} Hoarse={~Horse}={GG}
24 Idiot has fun at first, displaying talent(4) GIFT {GI{Fun}T}
25 TARS excited about Interstellar actor?(4) STAR {TARS*}

Reference List

With=W, Name=N, Softly=P, For every=Per, One=I, In Paris is=Est, Provided=If, Right=R, Say=Eg, Good=G, An Italian=Uno
Speed=S, Article=An

Colour/Font Scheme

DefinitionSolutionComponent lettersEmbedded linksTheme word Reference list wordAnagram IndicatorC/C indicatorReversal IndicatorHidden word IndicatorLetter Pick indicatorDeletion IndicatorHomophone IndicatorMovement IndicatorPositional IndicatorSubstitution, IndicatorOpposite indicatorLink/Connector, Extraneous 

TalePiece
By Dr RKE

Mary Fernandes is a math teacher in St.Jude’s Girls High School, Mangalore. She has just finished writing a graph on the CHALKBOARD, about the ANALYSIS of POLYNOMIAL functions for her class of 12th standard girls. As she puts down the chalk piece, the pain in her wrist becomes intense. Years of writing has caused a painful GANGLION to appear there. She is wondering if she could get it operated upon when the school is closed for the YULE SEASON. No, that wouldn’t be easy with her 7 year old boy, Georgie, eagerly awaiting for GIFTS from ST.NICK. She has to SPRUCE up the house, hang the STAR outside the house, make the EGG ROLLS, EGGNOG (of course, without the SPIRITs) and bake the plum cake. He had asked for PUMPKIN PIE for Thanksgiving, but she was busy at school and had not made it then. “I must make up for it at least now”, she thinks, “how I wish my Martin was around to take care of Georgie”. Even Mary’s father IMPUGNs her capacity as a good mother, because she is always busy with her work at school and the private tuitions she gives. She remembers what the priest had said to his FLOCK at Sunday Mass “And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart” (Luke2:51).  I can only do that….

Her husband Martin is at an off-shore oil rig in UAE and he can make it to India only in May next year. She goes home, envying her colleagues who have their husbands with them. As she enters her house, Georgie comes running to her excitedly and says “Mommy, see what Santa brought for me. I swear he came on a SLED drawn by REINDEERs”.  “Oh, my poor Georgie, he must be imagining things”

But there is an unopened gift box wrapped in GLOSSY paper on the table. The card on it simply says “With Love from St.Nick. To be opened only past midnight on Christmas Eve”. “This must be from my Dad. It can’t be from Martin- he has never acted on the SPUR of the moment like this in the last 8 years” Mary thinks.

Afte putting Georgie to bed that night, Mary unwraps the box carefully, so she could repack it and leave it for Georgie to be surprised the next morning. It is her turn to be surprised as she uses an OPENER to open a box of what looks like cookies. She finds a KEEPSAKE item, a gold bracelet with BIS MARK in it, neatly packed in a jewel box! “How on earth did Dad find money for this?”

She is startled by a voice from behind her “Like it, honey?” Let us leave Martin and Mary as they hug wildly, enjoying being together after so long.  After all doesn’t the Bible say ‘Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away’ (Song of Solomon 8:7) MERRY CHRISTMAS


Friday 24 December 2021

No 13436, Friday 24 Dec 2021, Dr. X

Rangoli by Gowri

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

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS
1   Loves to bicker about husband getting overwhelmed by drinks (8) WORSHIPS  {ROW<=}{S{H}IPS}
5   Paramour dumps man, one giving trouble (6) STRESS miSTRESS
10 Enthralled by pot, artist set out to create masterpiece (7) PARAGON {PA{RA}{GO}N}
11 Thought of poison in cocktail to get rid of missus finally (7) OPINION {POIsON+IN}*
12 Calculate deposit on retirement, taking no time (3,2) TOT UP {PUT}<= over {0}{T
13 Battery problem in highway (9) ARTILLERY {ART{ILL}ERY}
14 Nonsense continues after fellow gets ultimately sozzled in lounge (12) FIDDLESTICKS {F}{ID{s...eD}LES}{TICKS}
18 Unable to understand complicated new theories about origin of neutrons (4,3,5) NONE THE WISER {NEW+THEORIES}* over {Ne...s}
21 Crew accompanied by director checked range of frequencies (9) BANDWIDTH {BAND}{WI{D}TH}
23 Run out off no-ball results in reversal (1-4) U-TURN {RUN+oUT}*
24 At eastern border of Uri, sniper prepared to fire (7) INSPIRE {urI+SNIPER}*
25 Untie box in pile, cutting cable at centre (7) UNHITCH {bUN{HIT}CH}
26 Harry turns to inspect platform for crane (6) GANTRY {NAG<=}{TRY}
27 Excited by master swimming against the current (8) UPSTREAM {UP}{MASTER*}

DOWN
1   Going around park, halt in front of one large deer (6) WAPITI {WA{P}IT}{1}
2   Find courage to go topless in stream (6) RARITY {RA{gRIT}Y}
3   Intoxicated on beer, consuming pot heartily is the best part (4,5) HIGH POINT {HIGH}{P{pOt}INT}
4   Cutting a boil lessened pain and numbness (4,3,7) PINS AND NEEDLES {LESSENED+PAIN+aND}*
6   Warble in delight after leaving hospital (5) TRILL ThRILL
7   Old and cold, consuming dope in distress (8) EXIGENCY {EX}{I{GEN}CY}
8   Hindu ascetic in New York, welcomed by organisation of Asians (8) SANNYASI {SAN{NY}ASI*}
9   Why one might raise the bar — about to be reprimanded (3,3,4,4) FOR THE HIGH JUMP [DD]
15 Hundred crushed by the brute’s dreadful missile launcher (9) TREBUCHET {C} in {THE+BRUTE}*
16 Helping fisherman essentially to catch fish (8) ENABLING {f..hEr..m}{NAB}{LING}
17 Popular merger brings in latest of technologies together (2,6) IN UNISON {IN}{UNI{t...eS}ON}
19 Wooster essentially saved by Jeeves say, runs away in hurry (6) BUSTLE {BU{wooSter}TLEr}
20 Plan the music to conduct choral composition (6) ANTHEM [T]
22 Author wants conclusion of plot to be more twisted (5) WRIER WRItER

Reference List
Husband = H, Man = M, Arist = RA(Royal academician), Time = T, Fellow = F, Director = D, Park = P, Hospital = H, Dope = GEN, Hundred = C, Runs = R 


Thursday 23 December 2021

No 13435, Thursday 23 Dec 2021, Dr. X

Solution to 14A 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.
Rangoli by Gowri
ACROSS
1   Arduous work, conserving paintings (8) TOILSOME {T{OILS}OME}
5   Idiot frequently wastes money? Exactly (2,4) AS SUCH {ASS}{mUCH}
10 Director rejected steering apparatus that’s more primitive (5) RUDER RUDdER
11 Curiosity about primarily illegal racket (9) NOISINESS {NO{Il...l}SINESS}
12 No locks in this area? (4,5) BALD PATCH [CD]
13 Right to curb drugs essentially after many get ruined (5) KAPUT {AP{drUgs}T}<=>{K}
14 Turn to get hold of most advanced mask (6) ?E?E?R (Addendum - VENEER  {VE{NEw}ER} - See comments) 
15 Indian actor without work starting to moonlight as member of stage crew (7) PROPMAN {PR{OP}{Mo...t}AN}
18 Scout excited about couple of females in shortened jeans (7) CUTOFFS {CUTO{FF}S*}
20 Guy fractured leg in wreck (6) MANGLE {MAN}{LEG*}
22 Intimate about initiation of beef ban (5) DEBAR {DE{Beef}AR}
24 One attracting strongly is unmarried, pressing shy maiden to go out (9) LODESTONE {L{mODEST}ONE}
25 Ineffectively deal with intoxicated damsel in hotel (9) MISHANDLE {DAMSEL+IN+H}*
26 Working during day shifts to dismantle ship’s gear (5) UNRIG dURING*
27 Memorable start to cruise on fancy yacht (6) CATCHY {Cr...e}{YACHT*}
28 Fool consuming one peg around lunchtime — drunk, if you ask me (2,1,3,2) AS I SEE IT {AS{1}S}{T{1}EE<=}

DOWN
1   Cooking broth with ultimately nutritious pulses (6) THROBS {BROTH*}{n...uS}
2   Patient’s request to tackle extremely unusual growth at the earliest (9) INDULGENT {IND{Un...aL}{Gr...h}ENT}
3   Punished by bully after bit of equipment left in store broke (8,3,4) STRAPPED FOR CASH {RAPPED}{FORCe} in {STASH}
4   Fell over, upturning container in track (7) MONITOR {MO{TIN<=}OR}
6   What pro-firearms activist might do to stand firm? (5,2,4,4) STICK TO ONES GUNS [C&DD]
7   Consume drink containing drug after starting to unwind (3,2) USE UP {S{E}UP}<=>{Un...d}
 In haste, nervous model is stammering (8) HESITANT {IN+HASTE}*{T}
9   Accident victim is haplessly crushed (6) MISHAP [T]
16 Men trouble model leaving bar in Australian city (9) MELBOURNE {MEN+tROUBLE}*
17 Professor, acclaimed, strangely left out (8) ACADEMIC ACClAIMED*
19 Non-liquid food is sold out (6) SOLIDS*
20 Abandon body outside seedy den (7) MADNESS {MA{DEN*}SS}
21 Impact of spirit after consuming ecstasy (6) WEIGHT {W{E}IGHT}
23 Stupefy with drink first to steal ring (5) BESOT {BES{O}T}

Reference List
Money = M, Director = D, Many = K, Female = F, Maiden = M, Hotel = H, Day = D, Drug = E, Model = T, Left = L, Ecstasy = E


Tale
Piece
By Gowri

TEENAGE TRAUMAS

Anjali's problems started right from the time, she entered her teens. Not one to find her school work TOILSOME, she excelled in ACADEMICS. Endowed with a natural green thumb, she could convert any BALD PATCH into a verdant garden. Although not an actress, she regularly participated in her school plays as a PROPMAN. By rotation, she was her class MONITOR, every 3rd month. No, she was never STRAPPED FOR CASH, even though she came from a middle class background.

You might be wondering, what the issue was. AS I SEE IT, her lone problem was her WEIGHT - or rather lack of it. Anjali was puny by all standards. With her short height & anorexic figure, you could hardly spot her in a crowd.  Into her teens, she realised, boys AS SUCH never noticed her. 

Rahul was a new boy who joined her class. He was from MELBOURNE & had a VENEER of sophistication which the local students found quite CATCHY.  Soon he joined the theater club. Auditioning, he got selected for the main role in that year's play. 

Seeing him in CUT OFFS, during the weekend rehearsal, Anjali, found herself infatuated with him. She was in charge of costumes, stage props & prompting. Initially he seemed INDULGENT of her. 

Anjali was at that age, when Love is the LODESTONE of life & in no time, she was completely BESOTTED with Rahul. In his presence, her pulse THROBBED so fast, that she was HESITANT to talk to him, let alone prompt him during rehearsals. She knew this was MADNESS. He probably did not even know her name.

And then came the time for trying out the costumes. Anjali had taken real pains to design the costumes, by googling for references. It was an Egyptian play & Rahul played a slave. Accordingly, his costume was bare - with no frills & in a dull khakhi colour. When he saw his dress, he was really put off. He wanted it changed. The way he addressed the issue, he couldn't have been RUDER. Although Anjali was not the type, she decided to STICK TO HER GUNS & refused to budge. 

On Monday, when they met for rehearsal, she found out that USING UP his good will, Rahul had tried to have her DEBARRED from the play. However, their Drama teacher, also the director of the play, refused to heed. Rahul then started playing dirty. Purposely MISHANDLING the props, he tried to make her take the rap. Once, he tried to MANGLE the backdrop screen & when she caught him red handed, he pushed her off the stage. Even amidst the NOISINESS, everyone heard her crashing into the lights in the Orchestra pit. As people rushed towards her, she managed to pick herself up. She glanced up & saw real terror in Rahul's eyes. He knew he had crossed his limits.

She announced, it was a MISHAP & she had lost her step. Excusing herself, she went to clean up. In the wash room, as she took off her glasses, she realised her blinkers were also off. All her romantic feelings for Rahul were KAPUT & she saw him for who he was. Just a narcissistic boy, full of himself & not worth a second glance.

Later, when he apologised to her, she could see him & see through him clearly. She walked away with her head held high, her heart a clean wiped slate.

The fact that Anjali blossomed into a real beauty in her last year of school & had all the boys chasing her including Rahul is a story for another day.