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ACROSS
1 One ball, perhaps extra, no wicket, leading spinner continues... (6) ABIDES {A}{B}{wIDE}{Sp...r}
4 ... again a four, scooped out from the middle. Ash takes one away, point takes that (6) AFRESH {A}{FouR}{(-a+e)ESH}
8 Musician’s room is tiny primarily... (7) CELLIST {CELL}{IS}{Tiny}
9 ... nonsense, squalor and dirty inside (7) MADNESS {M{AND*}ESS}
11 Plant is wet, can rot at the tip and messy in the centre (10) WATERCRESS {WATER}{Can}{Rot}{mESSy}
13 When in exercise, have a dish (5) PASTA {P{AS}T}{A}
14 Bill correct about copyright and registered license (8) ACCREDIT {AC}{EDIT} over {C}{R}
16 Realm of prince set aside (8) PRESERVE {P}{RESERVE}
18 Good to keep husband in a corner (5) NICHE {NIC{H}E}
23 Project release certain in the absence of leader (7) VENTURE {VENT}{sURE}
24 Home practice by a dentist at last (7) HABITAT {HABIT}{A}{d...sT}
25 Goal on time, great manoeuvre (6) TARGET {T}{GREAT*}
26 Makers of maggi in a huddle (6) NESTLE [DD]
DOWN
1 Heads to alternate recreational establishment near Adyar ground (5) ARENA Acrostic
2 Sells in counterfeit — complaint (7) ILLNESS*
3 Relaxed about locks and furniture (4,5) EASY CHAIR {EASY}{C}{HAIR}
5 Apartments of Abdul & Azeefa kept dogs at the rear end (5) FLATS Tail Acrostic
6 Honour for nurse? Excellent (7) ENNOBLE {EN}{NOBLE}
7 Greeting inmates assembled in a compound (9) HISTAMINE {HI}{INMATES*}
13 Somehow entrap men, reaching stable (9) PERMANENT*
15 Applicant will be able to meet after head of department interviews first (9) CANDIDATE {CAN}{DATE} over {De...t}{In...s}
17 It’s warm, husband sacrificing place for wife in retreat (7) SWELTER S(-h+w)WELTER
19 Company insists no limitations to incorporate (7) CONSIST {CO}{iNSISTs}
21 Eaglets, young, really indisposed, exasperated at the top of nest (5) EYRIE Acrostic
22 Say, Tamil Nadu Express (5) STATE [MD] 'Say' and 'Expresss' are the same, so technically it is just a DD
Reference List
Ball = B, Wicket = W, Point = E, British = B, Exercise = PT, Bill = AC, Copyright = C, Registered = R, Prince = P, Husband = H, Time = T, About = C, Nurse = EN(Enrolled Nurse), Wife = W
1D ARENA (first letters of Alternate Recreational Establishment Near Adyar)
ReplyDelete10D - HEXAMETER (anagram of her ex-mate)
22 D - STATE (double definition)
25A - TARGET (Time+target -anagram of great)
26A - Nestle (maker of Maggi and huddle)
Sure 22D is DD ?
DeleteTD/MD
DeleteOh okay, multiple definitions.
DeleteTecnically it is just a DD as 'Say' and 'Express' are the same.
Delete18A-NICHE = Corner; Good=Nice, Husband = H, {NIC{H}E}
ReplyDelete21A-EYEWITNESS = Observer; extremely stalE + Yet news is (anagram)
21D-EYRIE = Nest; Eaglets, Young, Really Indisposed, Exasperated at the Top
13A-PASTA = Dish; exercise =PT, when = AS have A, {P{AS}T{A}}
Delete3D-EASY CHAIR = Furniture; Relaxed = Eas(c)y, locks = hairs
8a. def: Musician, CELLIST from room=CELL is=IS tiny primarily = t (CELL+IS+T)
ReplyDelete12a. def: a rascal, from BRAT B=British, spy=RAT (B+RAT)
1d. def: ground, from Alternate Recreational Establishment Near Adyar (ARENA) - Acrostic
7d. def: compound HISTAMINE from HI -Greeting HI+{INMATES}*
17d. def: it's warm, SWELTER from SHELTER=retreat SHELTER-H(husband)+W (wife)
2d. Sells in , jumbled gives illness which is complaint.
ReplyDelete15d. Able=can. Head of dept= d. Meet= date. Hence the answer is candidate.
"i" is not explained
Deletein 15d
DeleteCol - my story not getting posted. Even in parts. I have mailed u. Will u kindly post?
ReplyDeleteThanx
24a Home practice=habit.+a+ dentis(t).gives habitat.
ReplyDelete25a great and goal on (t)ime. Gives you target.
16a. Preserve. P from prince and set aside is reserve.
ReplyDelete1ac. ABIDES..A B(all) wides minus w(icket)
ReplyDelete2d. ILLNESS.. SELLS IT*
13d. PERMANENT..ENTRAP MEN*
2ac. BRAT.. B(ritish) rat
Relook 1A
Delete1a needs fine tuning.
DeleteABIDES.. A B(all) Wide minus w S(pinner)
DeleteTalePiece by Gowri
ReplyDeleteSELF DISCOVERY
John Wright, an author from DETROIT, was on a European tour to promote his latest book. Although he had been a chart busting writer, once upon a time, he had suffered the proverbial writer's block. This was his first book in 10 years. And it wasn't faring too well.
A conventional murder mystery set in the STALAGMITE caves of Kentucky, the critics had panned it as outdated in content & OPPRESSIVE in style. The world seemed to be shifting towards science fictions & litetary erotica en masse & John wished, there would be an AGE LIMIT, beyond which readers could be forced to stick with age old mystery books.
Financially too, he had taken a big hit. His major investments in OIL WELLS, had returned zilch in DOLLARS. So much so that, he had to sell his suburban villa & move into a PRE FAB single bed apartment. He often cribbed that his bedroom was smaller than the SLEEPER cabin, he was used to when he took regular cruises along the SEAWAY. He had also acquired a drinking problem in the last few years giving him permanent blood shot eyes & a beer belly.
He was desperately counting on the ROYALTY, from his current book to pull him through. As it is, he had 2 separate agents, one each for the US & Europe & had to TRISECT his earnings with them.
Currently in BARCELONA, his book signing, last evening, had been a GLOOMY affair. He found the Spaniards to be highly IGNORANT in their appreciation of US fiction.
After an early lunch of CREPE & OYSTERS, his European agent, who was also his ROOM MATE, suggested they should visit the BARCELONETA beach & spend a leisurely afternoon there.
John was overcome with FATIGUE & financial worries. He also had a big book signing event lined up at 8pm at the Harlem Jazz club. Tonight, a popular band was playing CANTATAs & ZYDECO there & for the life of him, John didn't know, what the music had to do with his book.
Since there was nothing else to do, John decided to tag along with his agent. It was a beautiful sunny day. Spaniards are good looking people & under different circumstances, John would have enjoyed looking at the bevy of women, sunning themselves in the briefest of G STRINGS.
But his financial debacles & recent divorce had taken their toll & he felt terrible, looking at his own middle age figure, complete with a paunch. His fair arms & legs stood out in the sun tanned crowd. Who would believe, John had been an award winning Coast Guard at one time & swimming & surfing in the sea had been his favourite hobbies?
Mulling over his Inferiority Complex, he was standing at the Water's edge. The sea looked a bit rough, though many boys & girls were swimming far into it. It was a colourful scene. His own Hawaian shirt with peach BLOSSOMS all over & PINE CONE hat seemed to merge well.
ReplyDeleteSuddenly John was awakened from his reverie by the commotion near by. He looked up & saw a 6 year old girl had swum too far & was unable to come back. The currents seemed to be pulling her. Her Mom, a curvaceous beauty was screaming her lungs out. Although everybody seemed to be saying something, nobody was acting.
Without any SLAG, John peeled off his shirt & hat & jumped into the water. In a few quick strokes, he neared the child, only to realise, she was caught in an eddy & almost unconscious with fright. YANKING her away from the swirling eddy, John lifted her high & shook her. Then cuffing her across the shoulder, he swam back, pulling her along.
His lack of physical fitness was evident as he found the going tough. Finally taking a big breath & with a burst of energy, he reached the shore & dumped the girl in her waiting mother's arms. He then blanked out.
It was almost 3 hours later, that he opened his eyes. He found himself with an oxygen mask, lying in a SICK BED, in what appeared to be an Emergency Ward of a hospital.
Only next day, John was informed that he had almost suffered a lung collapse & his condition was quite serious. What is more, his publishers wanted to cancel the remaining book tour & send him back to the US, for medical treatment. Needless to say, his agent was very upset & with a frowning EXPRESSION insisted John had taken an unnecessary risk, which was going to cause a lot of financial problems.
But John was surprised at the calmness he felt. All his anxieties seemed to be gone. It was almost like he was reborn. And his happiness knew no bounds, when he was visited by the girl & her single mother in the afternoon. Seeing the girl all rosy & chirpy seemed to give him a new mission in life.
He resolved to go back, get himself treated, become physically fit & be a Coast Guard all over again. For the first time, he realised, the fate of his book bothered him no more & he almost felt glad to give up his writing career. He told himself that his self discovery had taken place at the Barceloneta beach.
But God operates in mysterious ways. An evening tabloid carried the story of John's valour & bravery & introduced him to the Spanish public as a great forgotten author. In no time, his book was the latest block buster. The local Coast guards came forward to sponsor his medical treatment in Spain itself.
Well what do you know, John never went back to Detroit. He recovered his health in BARCELONA & in the process, fell in love with the little girl's mother. Today he is a family man, a famous author who edits & runs a PAYWALL group of online publications. He also volunteers regularly as a part time coast guard.
Started on a gloomy note and ended cheerful! 👏
Delete11ac. WATERCRESS..WATER (wet) C(an) R(ot) m(ess)y
ReplyDeleteGowri, your talepieces cannot have more than 4096 characters in one comment. Suggest you start a blog of your own post the story in that blog and give the link in the comments section here.
ReplyDeleteCol - today even 2000 words was not going through. Sorry about the inconvenience. I apologise.
DeleteIt is number of characters that count and not words
DeleteReplacement for 12 ac
ReplyDelete15d. CANDIDATE..CAN D(ept) I(n..s) DATE
1a-ABIDES = continues: One = A; Ball => B; perhaps extra no W(icket) => (W)ide ; Leading Spinner => S
ReplyDelete13d - PERMANENT = stable: anagram of ' entrap men '
5d - FLATS = apartments : last letters of Abdul azeefa kept dogs
14a ACCREDIT = license: Bill = AC; Correct = Edit; Copy => C; Registered => R?
4a AFRESH = again : A ; Four scooped out => FR; Ash take one away => SH; point => E(ast)
14A- I think copyright is CR.
ReplyDelete9A squalor = mess, dirty as anagram indicator, mess+and = madness = nonsense
ReplyDelete20A Sip of drink = d, excellent = ace, d+ace = dace = fish
6D nurse = en, excellent = noble, en+noble = ennoble = honour
19D company = co, (-i)nsist(-s) no limitations = nsist, co+nsist = consist = incorporate
9A is not a total anagram
DeleteLast two to be solved
ReplyDelete9A (Anno only) and 23A
23A VENTURE= Project ; vent +(sure-s)
ReplyDelete9A madness m(and)*ess
ReplyDeleteThat completes it pretty fast.
ReplyDelete22d - STATE (DD\GK)
ReplyDeleteIt is stated above as MD (Multi Def.) Say/TN/Express
ReplyDeleteGot it Paddy sir. I considered STATE & TRAIN. Hence, taken as Double Def. The above included more than two , STATE \ TRAIN & EXPRESS. (MD)
DeleteAllround good clues, my favourite, 22D STATE
ReplyDelete+1 for the first comment.
DeleteMy favourite 23A for its surface reading.
Sweltering , sir is not warm it's bloody hot, scorching/sizzling.The surface could have been it's hot!!
ReplyDelete