No 13414, Monday 29 Nov 2021, Incognito

Solution to 2D 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

8   Say wrongly after commencement of exam, “It’s not difficult.” (4) EASY {SAY}*<=>{Exam}

9   Andhra Pradesh’s circular letter on record having alien in charge is regretful (10) APOLOGETIC {AP}{O}{LOG}{ET}{IC}

10 Leg, including end of femur, became smaller (6) SHRANK {SH{f..uR}ANK}

11 A saint follows Republican president and Russia’s controversial monk (8) RASPUTIN {A}{S}<=>{R}  and {PUTIN}

12 Asked editor to take initial newspaper lot of 25 sheets (8) ENQUIRED {E{Ne...r}{QUIRE}D}

14 In setter's parlance, Ram and Krishna’s favourite food (6) BUTTER [DD]

By Bhargav

16 Eye problem during part of last year (4) STYE [T]

17 Grace! Sit for painter, around centre of swing (5) POISE {PO{swIng}SE}

18 Food returned in protectorate (4) TARO [T<=]

19 Before commencement of exercise, a high-ranking officer is tense (2,4) ON EDGE {Ex...e}<=>{ONE}{DG}

21 Left old German in Indian state’s site of crucifixion (8) GOLGOTHA {GO{L}{GOTH}A}

23 Hospital customers having enforceable rights around institution (8) PATIENTS {PAT{I}ENTS}

26 Slanderous hearsay, perhaps: “Turned spigots, releasing toxin at first” (6) GOSSIP SPIGOtS*

27 Marking completion and dressing down (7,3) TICKING OFF [DD} 

28 Tribal from Ahmednagar (4) NAGA [T]

DOWN

1   President’s laundry lot (10) WASHINGTON {WASHING}{TON}

2   Setter left Middle Eastern country followed by American residing in church city (8) ?Y?A?U?E (Addendum - SYRACUSE {SYRiA}{C{US}E} - See comments)

3   Perhaps, bread maker captivates new financier (6) BANKER {BA{N}KER}

4   Divine female leaves island for 60 minutes (4) HOUR HOURi

5   Maybe, sheriff’s team takes one lawyer into custody (8) POSSIBLE {POSS{1}{BL}E}

6   Revise Ulster outcome (6) RESULT*

7   Fruit stored in khaki wigwam (4) KIWI [T]

13 Performing dog goes around India (5) DOING {DO{IN}G}

15 English art reformation for human beings, for example (10) EARTHLINGS* 

17 Expecting green pant to be repaired without using a bit of elastic (8) PREGNANT {GReEN+PANT}*

18 In olden days, you stood on material from the beach? That’s grand! (8) THOUSAND {THOU}{SAND}

20 Doctor signs for liquids consumed (6) DRINKS {DR}{INKS}

22 Mark and couple of females exit a computer session (3,3) LOG OFF {LOGO}{FF}

24 Dry brew cocktail dispensed by war bride when travelling (4) ARID {wAR+brIDe} No need to travel!

25 Lose ornament in sporting location (4) SPOT SPOrTing

Reference List

Alien = ET, In charge = IC, Saint = S, Republican = R, Editor = ED, Left = L, Institution = I, Church = CE, New = N, Island = I, Lawyer = BL, India = IN, Female = F 

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

It is not EASY to recognise your classmates when you meet them on the 50th anniversary after graduation. Five decades RESULT in change of not just your looks but actually the personality. But mannerisms don’t change and that can help you SPOT people even after so many tears.

“Just look at Rick, he still has the habit of shrugging the left shoulder alone!”

“That majestic POISE of Victoria, it only seems all the more regal after so long!” such are the refrains being heard when the alumni of the medical school of State University of New York Upstate, SYRACUSE, are holding this meet. People have come from THOUSANDS of miles to relive the memories of their younger days. Nostalgia is kindled by the Boney M music, a rage back then. ‘Ra Ra RASPUTIN, Lover of the Russian Queen’ goes the foot-tapping rhythm. People are busy catching up, ENQUIRing after those with whom they have lost contact over the decades over DRINKS. Life has been mundane for most but the stories of some make people sit up ON the EDGE of their seats.

“I heard Mitchell gave up medicine and has become a BANKER, taking over his father’s business- I also heard the IRS is hot on his heels”  

“Gary is all over Facebook, he is DOING a FERTILE practice even in the ARID state of Arizona”

“Social media is not for me. I heard that PATIENTs are TICKING OFF their doctors in public fora like never before”  

“Remember Sarah, she was PREGNANT when she took the final exam- she had five more children and this experience is the POSSIBLE reason she has become the Chairman of the American association of Pediatrics!”

EARTHLINGS are the same all over the planet, be it in NAGAland or in WASHINGTON. They are unAPOLOGETICally mean in their GOSSIP. Those who SHRANK from this kind of small talk have to be content eating their dessert of KIWI cupcakes with BUTTERcream, while their ex-mates are still on their cocktails….

Well, the HOUR is 8.30am and I have to LOG OFF now. See you another day.