Solution to 12A 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 “Work, Worker, Working”? Doesn’t make sense! (6) WANTON {W}{ANT}{ON}
4 Trouble shooter HR guy responsible for lay-offs? (7) FIREMAN [DD]
9 I turn it on desperately for food (9) NUTRITION*
10 Base point for climber’s spike (5) PITON*
11 Retrogressive, time-tested, not established or put in circulation (7) EMITTED {TIME+TestED}* (Addendum - {TIME<=}{TestED} - See comments)
12 “Hard work over recommendation” — that symbolises Girl Scouts (7) ?R?E?O?L (Addendum - TREFOIL {T{REF}OIL} - See comments)
13 State of current passing through water atoms (4) OHIO {OH{I}O}
14 Greedy mostly travel over to America (8) COVETOUS {COVEr}{TO}{US}
16 Wound up after a non-drinker turned up (8) ATTENDED {ENDED}<=>{A}{TT}
17 Match where Tamil Nadu overwhelmed West Indies (4) TWIN {T{WI}N}
20 Expressed unnoticed? (7) DENOTED {DE-NOTED}
23 Giving work at least, involves device checking for example (9) EMPLOYING {E{M{PLOY}IN}G}
24 Passes over grand, extremely tortuous compilations (7) DIGESTS {DI{G}{ES}{To...uS}
25 Sanction little money, say (6) ASSENT (~a cent)
DOWN
1 Flew, for instance, backwards in air (6) WINGED {WIN{EG<=}D}
2 I don’t want things free yet (15) NOTWITHSTANDING*
5 Narratives about current leaderless states (15) REPRESENTATIONS {RE{PRESENT}lATIONS} (Correction - {RE}{PRESENT{nATIONS} - See comments)
6 Turn into a city like Rome, Napoli... set it up! (15) METROPOLITANISE*
7 Cryptic — puzzle (7) NONPLUS [DD]
8 Language spoken in Cochin District (5) HINDI [T]
15 Uncalled for taunts about someone’s origin (8) NEEDLESS {NEEDLE{So...e}S}
16 Mentioned more about UPA and Congress leaders (7) ADDUCED {ADD{Upa}{Co...s}ED}
19 Taken as cold and interminably arrogant (6) CAUGHT {C}{hAUGHTy}
Reference List
Work = W, Current = I, Non-drinker = TT, Grand = G, Cold = C, About = RE
THE ANNUAL DAY
ReplyDeleteAnuradha was really looking forward to the weekend. A choreographer by profession, she had been COMMISSIONed by her son Anand's school to put together their Annual Day function.
The school was famous for their ORIGINAL Annual Day programmes & every year they had a theme. The Power of Music & Dance was the concept this year. Starting with toddlers WARBLING to a simple tune, the evening was to conclude to a spectacular climax of a full fledged OPERATIC SONATA, performed by the school's band & choir.
This was to be COALESCED smoothly with various dance forms where Anu's forte came into play. Apart from girls & boys in fancy costumes & GLOVES, TWIRLING to a variety of music, SHE had also incorporated the innate rhythm in several forms of MARTIAL ART. For this section, she had ARRANGED for a special backdrop, resembling a MUSEUM, with printed graphics, her ANSWER to the zen like environs where these arts were practised. Since she was a regular USER of digital lighting, to complement the mood of her dance, she ENSURED that even the last spectator enjoyed the full benefit of the show.
The show concluded with a standing ovation, when Anuradha was called on stage, along with her counterpart on music to receive the first copy of the school's Anniversary ISSUE. Her happiness was doubled because, she knew this would bring her a lot of fresh business apart from increasing her son's importance in school.
That night, during dinner, Anand asked her, if she had similar Annual Days during her school time. Her husband Arun also wondered, why she never talked about her school nor attended any of her ALUMNI get togethers.
Memories came flooding like SNAP SHOTS & Anu was transported to her childhood. Her parents were ESTRANGED & her mother supported her & her dreams with a single sewing MACHINE, almost straight out of an Indian movie. Always IN A SHELL, Anu was easily the quietest girl in class. She loved to sing & dance but her self imposed INERTIA brought about by lack of finance prevented her from pursuing either of these art forms. Her school life passed uneventfully, as she occupied the back corner DESK year after year.
She had just finished school & started applying to colleges when her mother was diagnosed with a rare DISEASE. She got part time employment with a famous fashion house. Her job was to help the models who walked the RAMPS, to change their costumes & accessories quickly, making sure, that there are no last minute hiccups. This was her introduction to the world of fashion & glamour.
Here, she discovered herself, her voice & her friends. Since fashion shows were always held late in the evenings, she started learning dance during the day. She began by choreographing the fashion shows. Fortunately for her, her talent & hard work got due recognition & she GALLOPED to the fore front of her profession in a very short time. Her only regret was, her mother did not live to see her success & fame.
However, for the first time, Anu felt a different perspective about her school & school life. She had always thought of her school days as barely PALATABLE & a time of her life she would like to forget. Today she realised that, though she had been quiet & passive through out her school, yet the environment there had given her the capacity to dream & nurture those dreams to reality. The teachers in that simple school had always been positive, never discriminated against her, nor ever ridiculed her shyness. It was her lower middle class school mates who had sowed the seeds of confidence & faith in her, which was bearing fruit today.
As she drifted off to sleep that night, Anuradha vowed to attend the next Alumni get together & renew her ties with her old school mates.
Nice to see grid words turning into a story. Very interesting to read. Love it :) & don't stop writing for any unknown comments :D
Delete18d I think the clue should have read
ReplyDeleteInsects dominant in North America
White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or WASPs
5d def narratives?
ReplyDeleteRe present (-n)ations
+1
DeleteWelcome back Gowri! Nice tale piece!
ReplyDelete+1. Thank you and relieved.
Delete+2 Warm welcome to you.
Delete11a emit<= ted
ReplyDelete12 A
ReplyDeleteSolved, but won't publish, let others solve
Good
Delete
ReplyDelete2D was nice
A question 16D
Do we use about after mention when mention is a verb? It is ok if it is a noun (A mention about something) But here the use of past tense ‘mentioned’ canceled that possibility. It should have been “UPA and Congress leaders were mentioned more…” for the surface grammar, IMO.
Also, over as position ind in an across clue? (14A)
14A- no reversal here. So across,down dies not arise.
ReplyDeleteI meant as a position ind. A over B = AB in a horizontal axis?
DeletePaddy, because of over i kept looking for word that fits reversal or container
DeleteHi Ajeesh, 'over' is not positional ind. Setter is using Cover= Travel over. As a 2-word synonym.
DeleteThanks Doc. That makes sense.
DeleteLiked all the li g words and water atoms!!
ReplyDeleteSorry for the typo. Long words.
DeleteExcept perhaps for the long one at 3d?
Delete7d cryptic minus would be non-plus!
ReplyDeleteOh! Really? That's great!
ReplyDelete12A: Solution is TREFOIL, which symbolizes girl scouts.
ReplyDeleteHard Work = TOIL
Recommendation = Reference = REF
Answer is T(REF)OIL = TREFOIL
👍
DeleteGood solve.
ReplyDeleteWell solved. Minor nitpick - should it be Girl Guides ?
ReplyDelete13A. Gives HO2 for water rather than H2O?
ReplyDeletePerhaps not from a single molecule!
DeleteH2O is molecule! It's formed by combination of hydrogen(h) and oxygen(O2) atoms!
DeleteComponents rather than atoms would have been better,but still it needs addl.clue to get the 2nd O.
Deleteread H2O, literally is H and 2 Os
DeleteConsider there are 2 molecules and Vidwan Ji took 2 O and 1 H atoms from them!
DeleteNoted that Col. is enjoying Corutallam falls. Hope timing is right.
ReplyDeleteOur friends used to tell me the right for Courtallam is August. How is the position now Col?
DeleteNo water in the falls
DeleteThanks Col. for the update. I have been thinking of visiting this place soonest.
DeleteNice to seen your update sir. but, In news showing as rainy in TN area. you may cover Aindaruvi. (a place can spot 5 water falls) Might be Main Falls ( Peraruvi ) Courtallam will have no water. have a plesant stay col.sir.
Delete1A WANTON very clever, I liked it!
ReplyDelete5 Dn Def: Narratives. RE + PRESENT + (-n)ATIONS
ReplyDeleteHello all, this is my first post here. Would like clarification on 10a...Is it an anagram of point? If so what is the anagrind? Base? Is this valid? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes Harish. One of the synonyms for Base is corrupt.
DeleteThank you!
Delete1A - wonderful Puzzle on 'www'. Vidwan has taken clean sweep onvertical Grid 15 out of 15. such a lengthy anagram helps me to fill over other grids.
ReplyDeletebut 19d - My answer was right. but I have considered the word as C(-N)aught(-Y). the word arrogant I have assumed as Badly behaved which is quite similar to arrogant. surprisingly I noticed 'haughty'. Thanks to Vidwan.
Nice grid. I loved WANTON, NONPLUS, CAUGHT. Thanx.
ReplyDelete