Solution to 18A 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 Colander’s background as coach (5-8) PASTA-STRAINER {PAST}{AS}{TRAINER}
11 Time to command, time to go — so, destroy (9) ERADICATE {ERA}{DICtATE}
12 Unusual amount set for unusual person (3,3,3) ODD MAN OUT {ODD}{AMOUNT}*
13 Country fare, as they say (5) HAITI (~high tea)
16 Dispatched from top to bottom, urge for saving (4,3) NEST EGG {(-t)NES<=(+t)T}{EGG} (sent back gives tnes) (Correction - (-s+n)NE(-n+s)ST}{EGG} - Thanks to Ajeesh)
18 Tips of blade fixed to any rifle (7) B?Y?N?T (Addendum - BAYONET - {BladE+TO+ANY}* See comments) Semi&lit
22 Reorient others about orient (5) RESET {RES{E}T}
24 She fills troubled hearts, gets some sea food (9) SHELLFISH {SHE+FILLS}*{H}
26 Do away with another timeline involving America (9) ELIMINATE {ELIMIN{A}TE*}
27 Check all around school compound (5) RESIN {RE{S}IN}
28 Breaking up — after shock of cavilling (4-9) HAIR-SPLITTING {SPLITTING}<=>{HAIR}
DOWN
2 A boy with racket becomes a folk hero (7) ALADDIN {A}{LAD}{DIN}
3 Great dane trained to serve some refreshments (3,6) TEA GARDEN*
4 Someone modest enough to accept a dictator as boss (5) STENO [T] Semi&lit
5 Perhaps can create some resistance to flow (9) REACTANCE*
6 European connection — heads from India, Russia, Italy, Spain and Hungary assembled (5) IRISH Acrostic
7 Check out old compound (7) EXAMINE {EX}{AMINE}
8 No limits in freestyle wrestling (2,5,6) NO HOLDS BARRED [DD]
9 Hang around sweetheart, this device will stitch your clothes (6,7) SEWING MACHINE {S{swEet}WING}{MACHINE}
15 A match stopped by wet conditions — this will record when it happened (4,5) DATE STAMP {D{A}{TEST}AMP}
17 Shopping malls, rate is suspect (5,1,3) SMELL A RAT*
21 What one does with new clothes exchanged in store? (5,2) TRIES ON* Semi&lit
23 He has a go right in the bank (5) TRIER {T{R}IER}
25 Sticky stuff found in diesel emissions (5) ELEMI [T]
Reference List
Time = T, Orient = E, Hearts = H, America = A, School = S
ROLE REVERSAL
ReplyDeleteJohn was a Research Scientist in a prominent lab. Constant bending over Microscopes studying MICROBES, resulted in LUMBAGO. Coupled with a long drawn VIRAL infection, he was forced to take a 6 month sabbatical.
John & his wife Patricia lived in a beautiful suburban RESIDENCE, with a small garden full of flowering GLADIOLI. His wife, a paediatrician was employed in a hospital downtown. Suddenly, John at a loose end, felt his days were spent BABY SITTING his 4 year old twins & feeding them PEPPERONI & Pizza & attending to their constant NEEDS.
IMBECILE that he was, he resented this situation & longed for ESCAPEMENT. Although Patricia was a WARM & understanding wife, who RARELY lost her cool, John felt his IDYLLIC days were over. He felt his male ego & STATURE was crumbling as a house husband & hated the fact that his wife was the PAYMASTER now. His temper was like DYNAMITE, waiting to explode any minute.
As soon as Patricia returned, he would literally dump the twins & their PRIMER in her hands & rush to the basement den, his LAIR, where he would watch TV & FEAST on junk food. He knew this was unhealthy for his medical condition & his wife was really overworked; yet he felt VICTORIOUS with his childish behaviour, leaving his den, only lo.....ng after his wife & children were asleep.
Winter was approaching & as their house was an old second hand one, they had to have their Plumbing & Electricity checked for problems before snow arrived. Since John refused to be pro active, Patricia fixed up with an agency. She told John to supervise the handyman who will be coming late afternoon to check & do the repairs.
John fed the twins & put them to nap after lunch. Since he was dying for some male company, he was looking forward to the handyman from the agency. He even chilled a couple of beer cans & laid out a plate of chips & snacks, thinking they can have a WARMUP session, before the guy started his work.
Sharp at 3pm, he heard a sound outside & opening his front door approached the gate. An old green JALOPY was parked immediately outside. UNBARRING the gate, he approached the vehicle, when much to his surprise, a woman stepped out.
Wearing JEANS & a workman's overalls, she introduced herself as Jane Atkins, the electrician cum plumber from the agency. Looking at the petite attractive woman, he was filled with misgivings regarding her capabilities. Even her firm handshake could not dispel his doubts.
Jane was all business. Her basic tool kit was attached to her BANDOLIER & she effortlessly hoisted her work bag with the heavier equipment. Starting from one end, she inspected all the pipes & wires both above the false ceiling & behind the wall panels. Constantly checking with her AMMETER, she jotted down her readings. John felt utterly useless in her presence. As a scientist, he had never learnt even the basics of plumbing or wiring & felt tongue tied. The few remarks that she made about the repairs required, went above his head. So leaving her to do her work, he went inside & sat in his parlour.
After about 3 hours, Jane was almost done. Evening was setting in & he invited her in for a cup of tea. Sitting across from him, she explained her findings in simple language & he was glad, no major repairs were in the OFFING. She admired his family PHOTOS on the mantle above the fire place & smiled at the cute EPIGRAM on the Valentine's card given by Patricia last year.
ReplyDeleteWanting to explain his current housebound status, he talked at length about his job & how he would be returning to the lab soon. Jane then told him something, which he should have realised all along. He was a lucky man. He had a lovely house, a beautiful family, an understanding wife & most important - the financial stability & mature attitude to take a sabbatical & manage the house while his wife worked.
He then wondered at her choice of career & how she coped in what was essentially a male domain. Her answer took him off guard. She was married to Mike, who was an independent plumber cum electrician. To cut costs & save on overheads, she offered to be his assistant & learnt the works from him. When Mike met with an accident & was wheel chair bound for 6 months, she was forced to step out & earn a living to support both of them. However Mike's ego could not take this. As soon as he was healed, he took a divorce & left town. Now she lived alone & drove his old JALOPY & practised the only trade she knew.
As John bid her farewell at the gate, he thanked her profusely. As he turned back, he looked at his house, garden & his now awake twins with new eyes. Patricia was pleasantly surprised, when she retuned home, to see the candle light dinner waiting for her. When she asked John, what the occasion was, he simply said - I found myself today. And I found you afresh.
Nicely thought up.
DeleteGood.By the way, are you borrowing themes from back issues of Reader Digest? Could you please attempt an original theme in due course ?
DeleteThis is completely original. I did not borrow from anywhere. If i borrow - i acknowledge.
DeleteMy stories may not be great. But 90% of them r original. Constrained by the words to use. As stated above - i always acknowledge when i adapt.
DeleteNice story Gowri!
DeleteSundaram at 8:56, that is an uncalled for remark. What proof do you have?
DeleteNice talepiece
DeleteNice tale piece Gowri
DeleteEnjoying your meaningful tales. The titles are good!
DeleteThought provoking story Gowriji. Today Role Reversal is part of life and the sooner people are open without attaching any stigma to it, the better. Many men are embracing household duties with joy but the stigma associated keeps them insecure.
DeleteGowri
DeleteI didn't mean to offend you. The way story to as told and the twist in the end looked all too familiar, in the style of typical stories of American magazines.Sorry.
Perhaps i have grown up on a staple diet of such stories. But if u read my stories regularly, there are many - based on my life or in India - which are different.
DeleteI shall try consciously to drop this style of writing.
Thanx
18A Tips of (b)lad(e) = b,e, rifle doing double duty as anagram indicator, b+e+to+any, anagram = bayonet = rifle.
ReplyDeleteUsually you are spot on - but today Fixed is the anagrind
Delete18A. Bayonet
ReplyDelete&Lit anagram (rifle) combining (fixed) BE (tips of blade) and TOANY
Colonel - there's a typo in 5D. Should be REACTANCE
18 A "Blade fixed to any rifle" - BAYONET
ReplyDeleteTip of Blade = BE. Fixed is an anagram indicator.
Anagram of (BE + TO + ANY) is BAYONET
Part of the clue serves as definition.
Good solve - great clue isn't it?
DeleteYes Sir! Great clue, and enjoyed it solving.
Delete5d typo
ReplyDeleteI think it must be reactance, not reacts nce.
Reactance not reactence
ReplyDeleteYes. Col. will correct it.
DeleteLiked the dictator who dictated- to a steno!
ReplyDelete+1. Also many other clues. Very enjoyable puzzle.
Delete+2
Delete+3
DeleteEven as Telescopic, it is a nicely crafted clue
Delete17a- 'Shopping' is being used as an anagram indicator? Is it common?
ReplyDeleteShopping is after all picking what you want,right?
DeleteI was not too happy with the anagrind, but chose it for the sake of surface. Gerund and
Deletenounal anagrinds are a bit iffy IMHO
It was a NO HOLDS BARRED bout
ReplyDeleteVladimir was an ODD MAN OUT
HAIR SPLITTING
ELIMINATED fighting
And sent out of OMAHA no doubt!
As Vladimir cruised along in his JALOPY
DeleteFEASTING his eyes feeling happy;
Suddenly saw his ex Anna of quite a while ago,
Who had taken a bat straight to his LUMBAGO
ESCAPEMENT, his prime thought, as he fled in fear,
His charge too high for even an AMMETER.
CGB - My maiden attempt with ydays words. Please comment.
DeleteI appreciate your enthusiasm to have a go at anything- from story telling to Rangoli to quizzing to poetry to...What next? CW writing? Good show.
DeleteHilarious. Very good.
DeleteNice grid - thanks Arden. TRIES ON, REACTANCE, ALADDIN, DATE STAMP were some favourites.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteArden is usually hard but fair. Today simple too. I did some 28Ac about 16A but otherwise all clues are elegantly crafted and joyful to solve. Thanks Arden!
ReplyDelete16a I think your first anno is correct. Dispatch, sent back.
ReplyDeleteDispatch = send not send back, right?
DeleteDispatch is to send from one place to another. Scalar.
DeleteToday's comments have been as delightful as the clues set for the grid by Mr. A R Devanathan...
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteThursaday ???? Thursaday ???
ReplyDeleteInteresting tale Gowri. Now-a-days we have to get the things with dual skills. plumber - cum-electrician. well combination.
ReplyDeleteGot to know about weapon name as 'SHIV'. thanks to Google and Arden. 60% covered. overall nice puzzles by Arden. Have a nice day.
I still didnt understand how u get NEST from dispatched - SENT.
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain?
When N (north/top) is S(south/bottom) SENT becomes NEST
DeletePer Prasad anno, Dispatched = Sent back = TNES
Then top to bottom = NEST (T goes down)
But I don’t see send back as synonym for dispatch in dictionaries
As per your Anno - north & south are getting interchanged. When North is South - does not indicate interchange. Usually it means top letter moves to the bottom. My understanding.
DeleteThanx for clarifying.
That’s true
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete