Thursday 9 September 2021

No 13348, Thursday 09 Sep 2021, Afterdark

Solution to 12A 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   Encourage fight to obtain a container (3,3) EGG BOX {EGG}{BOX}
5   Volcanic glass in observation at India is broken (8) OBSIDIAN {OBS}{INDIA}*
9   Sex change operation in Spring? Lot (8) MOUNTAIN (-f+m)MOUNTAIN
10 Artists depend little... (6) RARELY {RA}{RELY}
11 ... on gab to get a container (7,3) PLASTIC BAG {GAB}* [RA]
12 After leaving me its gloom (4) D?R
13 Contracts for bands after a ball (8) ABRIDGES {RIDGES}<=>{A}{B}
16 Could be maid or lover, tendency is to follow law indeed in the first place (4-2) LIVE-IN {VEIN}<=>{Law}{In...d}
17 Day scholar cycling with maiden without help; crazy people (6) MADMEN {D}<=>{MA} and {MaidEN}
19 Death by vain fight, one entering with boxer, totally gutted (8) FATALITY {FighT} over {A} with {ALI}{To...lY}
21 Sketch of small gear... (4) SKIT {S}{KIT}
22 ... say, gear gets ticks (5,5) STICK SHIFT {TICKS}* [RA]
25 Teak, Ironwood, Mahogany, Birch, Elm, Red Sanders primarily are similar to this (6) TIMBER Acrostic Definition by example
26 Cowboy perhaps new, heartbroken covered by journalist (8) NEATHERD {N}{E{HEART*}D}
27 Company left after setting up telescopes in towers (8) STEEPLES TELEScoPES*
28 A lucky charm from Letham, a Scottish town (6) MASCOT [T]

DOWN
2   Gory, hair-raising operation undergoing, likely to look at the sources for spirit (5) GHOUL Acrostic
3   Throw weight behind boy to get reward (5) BONUS {ONUS}<=>{B}
4   Unknown grainy representation while diagnosing perhaps (1-6) X-RAYING {X}{GRAINY}*
5   Collection of only nimbus clouds (7) OMNIBUS {O}{NIMBUS}*
6   It is used wrongly by modern girls old bathing implement (7) STRIGIL {IT+GIRLS}*
7   Lived with a madcap (9) DAREDEVIL {LIVED}* [RA]
8   Say, a doctor with substance, everyone at emergency room goes to first (9) ALLERGIST {GIST}<=>{ALL}{ER}
14 Debar bishop’s programme after absence (9) BLACKLIST {B}{LIST}<=>{LACK}
15 One, two men on list take turn but permanent (9) IMMUTABLE {1}{MM}{U}{TABLE}
18 Descendant’s back with 500000000000, it’s an opening perhaps (7) NOSTRIL {SON}{TRIL} How is 500000000000 = TRIL?
19 Cooks adding a bit of nutmeg and dill seeds for allies (7) FRIENDS {FRIE{Nu...g}{Dill}S}
20 Somehow make it a target (4,3) TAKE AIM*
23 Hotel’s arrival gate has obstacles perhaps (2-3) HA-HAS {H}{Ar...l}{HAS}
24 Fine mythical ship in US city (5) FARGO {F}{ARGO}

Reference List
Observation = OBS, Artist = RA, Ball = B, Day = D, New = N, Journalist = ED, Company = CO, Boy = B, Unknown = X, Only = O, Bishop = B, Men = M, Hotel = H, Fine = F


21 comments:

  1. 12A. Dark. Sette today is Afterdark. After leaving me is taking out after in Afterdark( me), Dark. Wonderful clue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gemini, please follow instructions. Yesterday also you answered the clue left for novices/ Non-regulars.

      Delete
    2. Sure, Col sab. I thought I am a novice. From tomorrow, will not be answering.🙂

      Delete
    3. Gemini, I didn't say do not comment. Please read the instructions on top of the post.
      The issue is if you have answered the clue left for novices once then you should let someone else get a chance during the rest of the week.

      Delete
  2. 12A- dark; afterdark minus after

    ReplyDelete
  3. 9A. Enjoyed the clue, the constructive n of anno. Learner a lot.Kudos to the setter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 9A. Enjoyed the clue, the construction of the anno. Learned a lot. Kudos to the setter

      Delete
  4. 11a role of on? RA usually doesn't have extra words.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Strictly speaking it should not be there. Since it was ellipsis I took some liberty

      Delete
  5. How may I delete my comment?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. By clicking on 'delete' under your comment

      Delete
    2. Unfortunately, couldn't locate it. But will see...

      Delete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Easy puzzle. Steeples and take aim my favorites. Some doubts and observations though

    Redundant words should have been avoided, I feel
    11 A- on
    25A - Sanders
    28A - town

    Arrival gate = A? I think it should have been entrance or opening instead of gate

    In 6 D anagram of A "by" anagram of B = (A+B)*?

    Know bowled = B. Ball also?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Red Sanders is the name of wood. Can't stop with Red. Also Letham is a Scottish town. Removing town doesn't make sense to the sentence. At the gate is equal to at the entrance, right ? 6D - that's why constructed it as 'wrongly used' (hoping it will work) Yes B is ball too

      Delete
    2. Thanks..of course for the surface it is needed but redundant for the cryptic wordplay. I think the rule of redundancy is applicable to both surface and cryptic reading

      A Wrongly used "with" B* is ok I felt not "by"

      Didn't see B for ball in Chambers or Collins hence the question 🙂

      Delete
  8. It was an amusing session in the morning today while attempting this CW grid though I got stuck in 5, 11, 12, 19 & 26 (Across) and 6, 7, 8 and 23 (Down). Thanks you dear Mr. Shrikanth for stirring up my brain....

    ReplyDelete

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