Tuesday 18 January 2022

No 13456, Tuesday 18 Jan 2022, Dr. X

Solution to 25A 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   Turn to control temper about getting stumped in over — it helps to progress (8,5) STEPPING STONE {S{PET<=}PIN}{G{ST}ONE}
8   Dancing wildly, woman’s lost in paradise (5) IDYLL wIDLY*
9   Based on rumour, stud enthralled by ale can go berserk (9) ANECDOTAL {DOT} in {ALE+CAN}*
11 Compare progress in different states (3,7) SET AGAINST {SETA{GAIN}ST*}
12 Catch thief in dark clothes (4) FIND [T]
14 Man acting in flop may not receive this? (3,4) FAN MAIL {FA{MAN*}IL} Semi&lit
16 Adapted species in base survive, having bit of translocated chromosome (7) ECOTYPE {E}{CO{Tr...d}{Y}PE}
17 Shortly serving fine sandwiches, mostly cheese (2,5) IN BRIEF {FINE}* over {BRIe}
19 Bored with endless argument about socialist circle (5,2) TIRED OF {TI{RED}{O}{Ff}
21 Slap cocaine addict going topless (4) CUFF {C}{bUFF}
22 One grumbling is ordinary, overshadowed by rising star (10) COMPLAINER {COM{PLAIN}ER}
25 Strengthen guys in training assignment (9) P?A?E?E?T (Addendum - PLACEMENT {P{LACE}{MEN}T} - See comments)
26 Money for primarily circumventing legal restriction (5) LIMIT LI(-c+m)MIT
27 What a good bridge player might do to take advantage of every situation? (3,4,1,5) NOT MISS A TRICK [C&DD]

DOWN
2   What one might do with dress before buying to test one’s patience (3,2,2) TRY IT ON  [DD]
3   Cool film about troubled Hamlet, tragedy essentially (10) PHLEGMATIC {P{HAMLET+traGedy}*IC}
4   Eating a fresh kiwi in Japanese city (5) IWAKI {IW{A}KI*}
5   Cook agrees, its most oily (9) GREASIEST*
6   Smart mini for new date (4) TIDY TI(-n+d)DY
7   Neatly turn to thrash revolting drunk getting close to wifey (7) NATTILY {TAN<=}{LIT<=}{w..eY}
8   Admission of guilt in foreign trip, fiasco smuggling cocaine essentially (3,1,4,3) ITS A FAIR COP  {TRIP+FIASCO}* over {cocAine}
10 What chivalrous man might say finally to convey desires and endless passion (6,5) LADIES FIRST {LA{DIES}{FIRe}*ST}
13 Popular ambassador finally abandoned hesitation in preliminary conference (10) POURPARLER {POPULAR+a...oR}*{ER}
15 Scraps with partners over skilful director’s dismissal (9) LEFTOVERS {L{dEFT}OVERS}
18 Smooth criminal starting to operate in American city (7) BUFFALO {BUFF}{AL}{Op...e}
20 Energetic detectives turned up to arrest ultimately slippery chap in retreat (7) DYNAMIC {C{s...rY}{MAN<=}ID<=}
23 Ready with article about Indian city (5) PATNA {PAT}{AN<=}
24 Castigate a megalomaniac controlling party (4) TEAM [T]

Reference List
Temper = PET, Stumped = ST, Women = W, Base = E, Chromosome = Y, Cocaine = C, Training = PT, Money = M, New = N, Date = D, Drunk = LIT, Director = D, Criminal = AL (Capone) 

36 comments:

  1. THE TRUE ARTIST
    Emma Thompson was a professional singer living in Brussels. With a FALSETTO voice, a rarity amongst women, she was in high demand. Local Orchestras fought with each other to book her. With her EXCELLENT blonde looks & a persona full of CHARM, she was considered a lucky MASCOT & crowds thronged to see her.

    Her social life was equally SPLENDID. A steady line of men waited to ENTRAP her. Living AGAINST THE RULES, she dated the GROOVIEST of men. However she lost interest in almost all of them with in a few months & then taking POT SHOTS at their persona, she showed them the DEPARTURE gate.

    It was at this juncture that Emma became suddenly very sick. Beginning with chills, rigors & high fever, she was soon facing extreme abdominal pain, impossible to TOLERATE. She was diagnosed with EMPYEMA of the Gall Bladder, which required an emergency surgery. Post operation, her efforts to return to normalcy were TO NO AVAIL & she was advised a change of scene & complete rest for atleast 3 months.

    She decided to go to NAMUR, where she had a few ENATE cousins. Packing her belongings & picking up her BEAGLE, she was surprised to see that there was not a single person to bid her adieu in Brussels.

    Since her Hospital bills had COST THE EARTH, her savings were depleted. She rented a room as a paying guest in the outskirts of NAMURA. As she alighted from her car, she saw that it was an ordinary Venetian house, built around a Courtyard. On the roof was an open LOGGIA for drying clothes. The courtyard had clusters of ASTILBE bushes & a lone ASPEN grew outside her window.

    As she settled down in her new abode, she was determined to cast off the pallor of a PATIENT. She soon befriended Alan Banks who lived directly above her room. A LOGICIAN by profession, painting was his hobby. He had been employed in a Data Research Company in Brussels, when he had met with a motor accident leaving him with a scar on his cheek & a permanent limp. Wanting to start a fresh life, he was on a sabbatical.

    Her only companion, right now, she was enthralled by all his interests & hobbies. He made funny sculptures using PAPER CLIPS & GROSS shadow images in candle light, using his hands. He always had accompanying stories. When he learnt that she was a singer, he asked her to sing for him. She, in turn, INVEIGLED him to paint again. They went for regular rides in a small DINGHY in the near by lake & she was surprised that she did not miss Brussels at all.

    Winter started setting in & to her dismay, her health started failing again. The ASPEN in front of her window, started shedding its leaves. Emma started feeling that as the leaves of the Aspen fell one by one, so her health was deteriorating. For the first time, she felt she might die.

    She confessed the same to Alan, asking him if he would take care of her BEAGLE for her. LOGICIAN that he was, Alan did not know how to reason with her. On the eve of Christmas, there was a snow storm & Emma told Alan, that the Aspen may well shed its last leaf & she may then not live to see New year.

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  2. With these thoughts in her mind, she went to sleep. Came morning & she rushed to her window. She could not believe her eyes. The Aspen tree had actually sprouted 2 new leaves & there was a snowman outside her window with a placard of Merry Christmas with him.

    Seeing the new 2 leaves, her hopes began to rise. From Christmas to New Year, daily the tree sprouted 2 new leaves & Emma's health started improving in heaps & bounds. By mid January, she was fully recovered & eager to go back.

    As she entered Alan's room to bid him good bye, she spotted them for the first time. Dozens of life like Aspen leaves, painted & cut out on Canvas, strewn all around his room. She understood in a flash, the mystery of the sprouting leaves in the midst of snow & winter.

    Without saying a word, she hugged Alan & told him he was her only friend in this life who taught her the meaning of hope, joy & genuine companionship. Promising to always stay in touch, she asked him to never discontinue painting as they bid farewell.

    Today Alan is a famous painter, whose paintings adorn the walls of the richest. But only Emma knows the real beauty of her painter friend who gave her a new life & taught her real ETHICS.

    Adapted from 'The Last Leaf' by O. Henry

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    Replies
    1. Lovely revisit of a classical story.

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    2. Beautiful story nicely told. Though I have heard a lot about O. Henry,I did not have a chance to read any of his works. I should try to catch up.

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    3. @ Paddy: You can read all his stories at the following link:
      http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/
      Of course the all time favourite for most is "The Gift Of Magi"

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    4. His stories are known for an END TWIST!

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    5. O Henry is the last word in Short story writing and is famous for his last word!

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    6. He will be turning in his grave to c such TWISTED ADAPTATIONS!!! 😊

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    7. Have you tried Roald Dhall for similar exercise of adaptations?

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    8. @Gowri:No way. Such stories breathe life to forgotten classics..they keep the tales alive..

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    9. Sidney William Porter must be blessing you from heavens

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    10. Thanx all of you.
      @ Paddy - Do read O.Henry. The stories are really nice. Also try Guy de Maupassant, Saki & Maugham for some great reading.

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    11. @maradnusro - i like Charlie & the chocolate factory of Roald Dahl. Will re read & then attempt to adapt.

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    12. His short stories.

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    13. I have read a few of Somerset Maugham and of Roald Dahl including Charie...
      I will surely catch up on O.Henry since Vasant has sent the link.

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  3. 8DN was a game spoiler in the online version

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  4. 25A Strengthen guys in training assignment = PLACEMENT
    Guys = MEN
    Strengthen = LACE
    Training = PT
    Assignment = (LACE + MEN) in PT = PLACEMENT

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  5. 20d felt turned up after chap would have read better.

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  6. 20D could it be (ci(man)(y)d)<= ?

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    Replies
    1. As paddy said it's (Cid<=) over (y+(man<=))

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  7. There are 2 reversal indicators- 'Detectives turned up' & 'Chaps in retreat'.

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  8. Many fantastic clues today by Dr X. 8D was New to me. The bar is being raised ever higher.

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  9. Nice Grid doc. POURPARLER - new to me. Also could not parse - STEPPING STONE & LADIES FIRST.
    simply filled them.

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    Replies
    1. Ladies first always...tx Gowri! Your stories add character to the crosswords.

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