Solution to 23A 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 Preserve animal food (6) CANAPE {CAN}{APE}
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8 Selecting a picture (7) DRAWING [DD]
9 A time Spanish man hosted a politician (7) SENATOR {A}{T} in {SENOR}
11 Some new roles — some ending in disaster (4,2,4) MORE OR LESS {ROLES+SOME+d...eR}*
12 Working with unknown variables in black (4) ONYX {ON}{Y}{X}
14 Hold on with difficulty (8) RESTRAIN {RE}{STRAIN}
16 Moves forward with issues ahead of time (8) ADVANCES [DD]
18 Fibre Marie developed (5) RAMIE*
20 Instant photo (4) SNAP [DD]
21 Convict hunted down outside town, caught (10) CONTRACTED {CON}{TRAC{T}ED}
23 Reluctant girl on medicine (7) ?S?A?E? (Addendum - ASHAMED - {ASHA}{MED} - See comments)
24 Model, praised, had great ambitions (7) ASPIRED*
25 Hostile Southeastern state basically (6) AVERSE {SE}<=>{AVER}
26 Notice split coming (6) ADVENT {AD}{VENT}
DOWN
1 Vehicle to leave with shipment (5) CARGO {CAR}{GO}
2 Location unknown at this time and at this place (7) NOWHERE {NOW}{HERE}
3 Roam about in fear — it’s all around (9) PANORAMIC {PAN{ROAM*}IC}
5 Details — these are before your eyes (5) SPECS [DD]
6 Charm of posh English manor — fantastic surroundings (7) ENAMOUR {U} in {E+MANOR}*
7 State leader’s conservative approach and narrative (9) STORYLINE {St..e}{TORY}{LINE}
10 Indicate regarding offer (9) REPRESENT {RE}{PRESENT}
13 Ones in country’s islands (9) INDONESIA {IND{ONES}IA}
15 Users, ripped-off after gym shutting down, at a loss (9) SURPRISED {USERS+RIPpeD}*
17 Calm primate eating vegetables (7) APPEASE {AP{PEAS}E}
19 State-Church separated as a system (7) MACHINE {MA{CH}INE}
21 Game contributed by the Dutch essentially (5) CHESS [T]
22 Fair and equal trial to begin with (5) EVENT {EVEN}{Tr..l}
Reference List
Time = T, Man in Spanish = SENOR, Unknown variables = X,Y, One = RE, Town = T, Notice = AD, Posh = U, English = E, Regarding = RE, Gym = PE, Church = CH
23D Reluctant {ASHAMED} girl {ASHA} on medicine {MED}
ReplyDeleteSorry Read as 23A
Delete23 A
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteNice one from Vulcan. Surprised- hardly any comments.
ReplyDeleteSurprise also everyday,until you see who the setter is. I think cotinupus run of one setter is a thing of tbe past.
Still handicapped. Getting the print edition late. Thi gs haven't settled down after the rains.
ReplyDeleteNice crossword. Thank you Vulcan ji
ReplyDeleteNice start to the week. My COD at this time and at this place was 'nowhere' to be seen!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the clues totally! 25A AVERSE too tricky!
DeleteMB,
DeleteDo ypu know this auio-
A man who was z co firmed atheist wanted to say loudly that God was nowhere. So he called a painter and asked him to writebit boldly in paint. Thebilliterate painter wrote
God is now here.
Quip
Delete+1!
Delete+2 Good one, Paddy! 👍🙂
DeleteThank you Mr. VJ (Vulcan) for letting me learn a new word CANAPE (1-A) and this has prompted my mood to be in tune with 13-A, I BEAM literally!
ReplyDeleteIn a nutshell, kudos to you for compiling this interesting grid though I failed in attempting 3, 6 and 22 in the DOWN slot and 18, 21 & 23 in the ACROSS clues.
Some observations. Pl take these objectively.
ReplyDelete1. Nice breezy grid with some wonderful clues particularly the ones for MOREORLESS, APPEASE and MACHINE
2. Some issues need to be clarified
12A. ONYX: The word 'in' is a standard insertion indicator and hence cannot be used as link word (that links WP and definition parts). Moreover how BLACK = ONYX?
13A. I-BEAM : Setter smiling = I beaming not I beam.
1D. CARGO. The word 'with' is a standard juxticator (to connect parts of WP) and hence cannot act as link word (that connects WP to DEF part of the clue)
15D. SURPRISED. GYM = EXERCISE as verb is ok but GYM = PE is not right as PE is a noun. Obviously GYM as noun is not PE either.
22D. EVENT: FAIR is both fodder and definition which violates a basic rule. Only in & lit or semi & lit clues such overlap is allowed and this clue certainly isn't an & lit.
Regards
13a
Deletebeam verb
smile radiantly.
"she beamed with pleasure"
Similar:
grin
smile
dimple
grin like a Cheshire Cat
twinkle
smirk
laugh
be all smiles
grinning
smiling
From dictionary
Fair is def. Equal=even?
DeleteDefinition of gym
Delete1: GYMNASIUM
2: PHYSICAL EDUCATION
From
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gym
12a I agree. With and in totally foxed me. I took def as working and kept searching for two letter word for black.
DeleteI disagree that just because "in" is an insertion indicator it cannot server as a connector. I think "wordplay in def" is an OK construction. I do think it can be questioned in terms of whether the cryptic reading is sound (I think it is OK, but not great), but just because some word/phrase is a wordplay indicator is not reason enough for it to not be OK as a connector (consider "of" for example), imo.
DeleteAgree with Viresh.
DeleteRe beam= smiling. The crucial test is substitution in a sentence. Prasad, can you think of a sentence where 'beam' and 'smiling' can be used interchangeably? If yes, then it's fine.
I can't. I have been asking the same doubts.
DeleteCV sir once said (may be not in exact words) " be the OED as it may the setter should be aware of its usage." I subscribe to that. Synonyms also have a context in which they are interchangeable.
But I have been getting, "it's there in the dictionary" a lot these days. So I just stopped asking if it's there in the dictionary.
Even if beam = smiling (n), don't think clue works here with "is"
DeleteAgree with Viresh ji on connector Vs wordplay indicator
Have seen gym = PE in several puzzles
Fair = Even (fæger) and Fair = Event (faire) have different roots. So it's ok IMO
Nice grid. My fav
ReplyDelete1. NOWHERE, PANORAMIC, MACHINE.
2. Just a doubt - Is STORYLINE a single word? Shouldnt enu be 5,4?
Just a small reply to earlier comment -
ReplyDelete12a - working with unknown variables is ON + Y + X
In black is the defn - onyx is mainly in black & rarely in green etc.
https://www.ppgpaints.com/color/color-families/neutrals/onyx-black
Delete1d - again leave with is GO. Shipment is the defn. CARGO.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding
A brief Romance
ReplyDeleteAlthough Ms.X was enamoured of the young senator, she was really surprised to meet him at an event in the panoramic surroundings of Indonesia.
There, out of nowhere, he made a drawing, representing, more or less, his feelings for her. And then went down on one knee & proposed with a black onyx machine cut ring.
With her mouth full of canapes & her eyes gleaming behind her specs, she felt so embarrassed, if not entirely ashamed.
She was averse to such public advances. She had aspired for romance, but didn't expect to contract matrimony so soon.
Assessing the situation, she restrained herself from laughing out loud. Supporting herself on the I Beam near by, she appeased him by accepting his ring for the time being.
Eventually, however, she declined his proposal & when the cargo arrived with all his gifts & ring returned, he finally snapped out of his romantic mood.
That was the end of this all too brief romantic story line & our senator went back to playing chess with his mom.
Nice!
DeleteGreat start Gowri!
DeleteSuperb!
DeleteVery good first attempt.
Deletevery nice . just read your tale.
DeleteGood one!
DeleteMy maiden attempt - totally inspired by the doctor
ReplyDelete👏
DeleteWe had a test player, a one day player. And the set is complete with the T20 player.
Gowri that was a fantastic attempt.
ReplyDeleteJoining the chorus very late. Good show.
ReplyDeleteThanx to all of you. That was very encouraging. Be prepared for more such onslaughts!!! 😊
ReplyDelete