Thursday, 17 March 2022

No 13506, Thursday 17 Mar 2022, Dr. X

Solution to 6D 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   Cash machine in lobby outside one new hotel malfunctioned (4,2,3,4) HOLE IN THE WALL 
{HALL} over {1+NEW+HOTEL}*
8   Leader of jihadis put to death in Pakistani city (5) JHANG {Ji...s}{HANG}
9   Vile culprits starting to booze in adult entertainment venue (5,4) STRIP CLUB {CULPRITS}*{Bo..e}
11 Methodical fellow involved in analysing onset of Covid-19 in cities (10) SCIENTIFIC {F} in {Co...9+IN+CITIES}*
12 Mad with desire, student leaves for date (4) WILD {WIL(-l+d)D} 
14 Rogue demanded money to escape hopeless situation (4,3) DEAD END DEmANDED*
16 Left enthralled by drink, girl without date in bar scored briskly (7) ALLEGRO {AL{L}E}{G}{ROd}
17 Celebrity, so unethical essentially, avoiding tax (7) SUCCESS {SUCh}{CESS}
19 One involved in hearing of a murder suspect (7) EARDRUM*
21 Force arresting old tramp (4) ROAM {R{O}AM}
22 Don’t take a short cut perhaps to achieve much success (2,1,4,3)  GO A  LONG WAY [DD]
25 Receipt for purchase of small beers and bit of soy sauce (5,4) SALES SLIP {S}{ALES}{Soy}{LIP}
26 Plants case of incendiaries to crush rival (5) IVIES {In...{VIE}...es}
27 Overwhelmed and arrested mole slyly stealing files at Centre (13) STEAMROLLERED {ARRESTED+MOLE}* over {fiLes}

DOWN
2   Musical instrument played on air enthrals accountant (7) OCARINA {ON+AIR}* over {CA}
3   Encouraged to stop consuming dope, ecstasy and wine (10) ENGENDERED {EN{GEN}D}{E}{RED}
4   Revolting crime that is upsetting 2nd-generation Japanese immigrant in US (5) NISEI {SIN<=}{IE<=}
5   What one must not ask a lady cuddling male with sex appeal in retreat (9) HERMITAGE {HER AGE} over {M}{IT}
6   Wanting dollar, steal and take off (4) W?P? (Addendum - WIPE sWIPE - See comments)
7   Drunk after consuming large gin cocktail, swaying (7) LILTING {LI{L}T}{GIN*}
8   Only sweets, no exercises — ultimately gets exactly what’s deserved (4,7) JUST DESERTS {JUST}{DESsERTS}
10 Seductive gaze of socialite girl turns Romeo on absolutely (7,4) BEDROOM EYES {DEB<=}{ROMEO*}{YES}
13 Good to get hold of books after learning Italian (10) FLORENTINE {F{NT}<=>{LORE}INE}
15 Raider trusted revolutionary to conduct special operation set up (9) DESPOILER {RELIED}<= over {S}{OP<=}
18 Garland worn on head by prince in wooden villa (7) CHAPLET {CHA{P}LET}
20 Pelt husband after woman’s found in sack on base (3,4) RAW HIDE {RA{H}<=>{W}ID}{E}
23 Flap elegantly covering part of jacket (5) LAPEL [T]
24 China is aiming to take over largest continent (4) ASIA [T<=]

Reference List
Fellow = F, Student = L, Date = D, Money = M, Left = L, Girl = G, Old = O, Small = S, Dope = GEN, Ecstasy = E, Wine = RED, Male = M, Sex appeal = IT, Dollar = S, Drunk = LIT, Large = L, Socialite girl = DEB, Books = NT(New Testament), Special = S, Operation = OP, Prince = P, Husband = H, Woman = W, Base = E  

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44 comments:

  1. Anonymous17 March 2022 at 08:40

    Read, liked and shared

    *One word in the English language that could be a noun, verb, adj, adv, prep is "UP".
    Read until the end... you'll have a good laugh !!!
    This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word. That word is, *'UP'*. It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
    It's easy to understand *UP*, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake *UP*?
    At a meeting, why does a topic come *UP*? Why do we speak *'UP',* and why are the officers *UP* for election, if there is a tie, it is a toss *UP*, and why is it *UP* to the secretary to write *UP* a report ?
    We call *UP* our friends, brighten *UP* a room, polish *UP* the silver, warm *UP* the leftovers and clean *UP* the kitchen. We lock *UP* the house and fix *UP* the old car.
    At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir *UP* trouble, line UP for tickets, work *UP* an appetite, and think *UP* excuses.
    To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed *UP* is special.
    And this *UP* can be confusing. A drain must be opened *UP* because it is blocked *UP* !!!
    We open *UP* a store in the morning, but we close it *UP* at night. We seem to be pretty mixed *UP* about *UP* !!!
    To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of *UP*, look *UP* the word *UP* in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes *UP* almost 1/4 of the page and can add *UP* to about thirty definitions !!!
    If you are *UP* to it, you might try building *UP* a list of the many ways *UP* is used. It will take *UP* a lot of your time, but if you don't give *UP*, you may wind *UP* with, *UP* to, a hundred or more.
    When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding *UP*. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing *UP*. When it rains, it soaks *UP* the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry *UP*.
    One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it *UP*, for now...... my time is *UP*!
    So, did this whole thing, crack you *UP*?
    Send this on to someone you look *UP* in your group .... or not... it's *UP* to you*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan17 March 2022 at 09:09

      Up,Up & away!!
      I also remember to have read it somewhere a while back,but it did not strike me to put it UP here!

      Delete
    2. sree_sree17 March 2022 at 09:12

      And rarely does the UP need to be UP there.

      Delete
    3. Padmanabhan17 March 2022 at 09:50

      Emphasis probably.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous17 March 2022 at 09:50

      If it had been UPto the unknown, my posts won't be UP here, there on anywhere. 😊

      Delete
    5. Prasanna Rao17 March 2022 at 10:40

      Nice Gowri.....You and Dr X made my day with UPper sie as I almost nearing completion stage. esp. for Dr X's grid started solving from 5 AM. Too challlenging few palces with lot of deletions and substitutions. Thanks once again Dr X and Gowri.

      Delete
  2. sree_sree17 March 2022 at 08:44

    10d anag IND for Romeo?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan17 March 2022 at 08:58

      On?

      Delete
    2. Vasant17 March 2022 at 09:00

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Satyen Nabar17 March 2022 at 09:30

      Hi yes, 'On' is the anag ind. 'On' as in performing, playing working.

      Delete
    4. WrdPlougher17 March 2022 at 13:41

      I like ‘on’ as anagrind too. I read it as an adverb as in ‘put on’, ‘hold on’, or literally ‘turn on’, all of which suggest dynamic movement! And loved the surface too. Not easy to write such cogent clues, must say :)

      Delete
    5. Satyen Nabar17 March 2022 at 14:09

      Thanks! 🙏

      Delete
    6. ghaspooscurry18 March 2022 at 00:01

      Why is Deb = socialite girl?

      Delete
    7. Ramki Krishnan18 March 2022 at 20:37

      I think it comes from "debutante". From The Free Dictionary
      Noun 1. debutante - a young woman making her debut into society
      deb

      Delete
    8. Arvind Ramaswamy19 March 2022 at 12:38

      Oh I thought it was from Debonair

      Delete
  3. H Ramachandran17 March 2022 at 08:46

    6d

    Wipe = take off

    Steal = swipe, wanting dollar = (-) s
    (S)wipe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sree_sree17 March 2022 at 08:47

      Solution to 6D 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.

      Delete
  4. Padmanabhan17 March 2022 at 08:55

    Locking the stable after.....?!

    ReplyDelete
  5. H Ramachandran17 March 2022 at 09:00

    Sincerely regret the error on my part. Won't be repeated. Please excuse

    ReplyDelete
  6. Padmanabhan17 March 2022 at 09:04

    What a DD at 22A.
    Dr.X will go a long way with his CW's (much longer than what he has already done) -- Just Deserts!!
    2 of my picks today.
    Thank you Doc. for the most absorbing time we had this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sudarshan17 March 2022 at 12:25

    "UP is also a proper noun" -- YOGI may add !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous17 March 2022 at 12:26

    Sir - Learn from Prasanna. He was UP at 5am & stuck it out UPto 11 - to ensure he drew UP all the answers & then checked them UP at the blog.
    U cant afford to give UP so easily.
    😊

    ReplyDelete
  9. WrdPlougher17 March 2022 at 13:35

    Hi, have been trying to visit this blog more regularly to learn setting better. How refreshing to find Dr. X grids being presented as fodder for thought!

    Just wondering on 7D. Is it generally acceptable to use a noun like ‘cocktail’ as an anagrind? And if we are using it as a modifier in the adjectival sense, then would it be better to place it before the fodder so that it follows proper syntax word order?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Satyen Nabar17 March 2022 at 13:47

      Hi 'Cocktail' as adjective (not noun) is the anagram indicator. All adjectives and adverbs that work as anagram indicators can precede or succeed the fodder.

      Delete
    2. WrdPlougher18 March 2022 at 02:03

      Thanks! I think I get it now. So, the usual syntax word order conventions need not always be followed in the cryptic reading?

      Had this doubt because in standard English, adjectives usually come before the noun they are modifying (barring the rare postpositive adjective, of course). For example, ‘animal farm’ is different from ‘farm animal’. And this is only because of the different adjective-noun sequence in each of those phrases. So, if we swap the order of the two words, we are changing each one’s syntactical function.

      Similarly, if I say ‘gin cocktail’, it is obvious that ‘gin’ is the adjective/modifier and ‘cocktail’ is behaving as a noun.

      This is why I felt I had made a fundamental mistake in 14 Across of THC #13504 — I realised I had stupidly placed the verbal anagrind ‘manoeuvres’ before the nounal fodder ‘crush’. This broke the proper syntax word order by putting the verb before the subject noun (not unlike putting the cart before the horse!), and I felt pretty disappointed in myself in hindsight realising I had made such a basic clueing faux-pas.

      I'm not sure if this discussion belongs in this public forum. I know it’s not something the common solver is generally likely to be conscious of or care about. But I know you will understand what I'm trying to clarify. And who knows, maybe, worst-case-scenario, it may end up sparking a healthy discussion among solvers.

      Delete
    3. VMA Nair18 March 2022 at 03:57

      Hi WrdPlougher,

      manoeuvres is an anagrind as an intransitive verb so it must follow the anagram fodder as “fodder manoeuvres”. If the transitive verb form of maneuver works as an anagrind (I am not sure if it works though) you can use “ manoeuvre fodder”

      Delete
    4. Sreeni18 March 2022 at 05:02

      Wordplougher
      The cryptic readimg is an instruction to the solver

      1. Adjectives, Adverbs and adjectival/ adverbial phrases as ansgrinds csn be before or aftee the fodder.
      2. In containers also A, B about is good for A inside B or B around A
      3. Deletiion need not be in present tense. A, B left is good for deletion indicator. Need not be A, B goes or going. Of course the commas are understood .

      Delete
    5. WrdPlougher18 March 2022 at 14:53

      That's exactly what I was saying, Ajeesh VM. In my view, word order matters, depending on the grammatical function of the indicator word and its syntactic relation with the fodder. In this case, it's not about ‘manoeuvres’ being a transitive/intransitive verb (it can actually be used with or without object), but that it is a verb that is performed by a subject noun, not an object noun (driver manoeuvres the car; the car cannot manoeuvre). But read Satyen Nabar and Sreeni’s comments, they are actually suggesting that as long as a word has got indicator status, then word order rules can be dispensed with and the indicator can precede or succeed the fodder regardless of its syntactic relation. So, my takeaway is that experienced solvers do give such leeway, and absolute grammatical rigour is optional, and setters can choose how punctilious they wish to be within a certain range.

      Sreeni, agree slightly disagree on point 3. Even with the freedom of imaginary commas, I wouldn't like to use ‘left’ in the past tense as deletion indicator. The tone of a clue is basically descriptive (and cryptic reading is instructional, as you say), it is not reported speech or statement of a past event. So, I like to maintain present tense throughout the clue and use only past participles, not past tense verbs. So, if we want to remove B from A using the infinitive ‘to leave’, we could ideally say “A, B leaves/leaving”, or “B leaves/leaving A”, or even ‘A, B having left’ is OK IMU. In fact, ironically, the past participle ‘left’ connotes “remaining”, which is the opposite of deletion! Of course, if solvers can forgive the bypass of such conventions, then all to the good for setters like me... no complaints :)

      Delete
    6. VMA Nair18 March 2022 at 18:39

      https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2009/11/camouflaging-anagrams.html?m=1

      You may read the article fully

      Delete
    7. Sreeni18 March 2022 at 19:08

      Dear WP.

      You have seen the feedback of solvers and setters alike. Many of the setters have substantial ezperience and some are also followed outside India.

      I have to say your understanding of cryptic reading needs improvement, based on your comment.

      Surface reading is about style and grammar while cryptic grammar is not about style but technical correctness. A, B inside for B in A, A, B disappeared for A-B and A, N without for B outside A are all acceptable in cryptic reading.

      Delete
    8. VMA Nair18 March 2022 at 19:14

      Also, I am not sure what is your problem with "left" as deletion ind. It is listed as a deletion ind in Chambers too. See the below example clues by Gridman (CV sir) and Xchequer (Bhala).

      25A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2020/02/no-12856-wednesday-12-feb-2020-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      19D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2020/02/no-12854-monday-10-feb-2020-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      12A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2019/11/no-12791-wednesday-27-nov-2019-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      19A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2019/08/no-12697-tuesday-06-aug-2019-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      5D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2019/01/no-12518-tuesday-08-jan-2019-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      25A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2021/02/no-13175-friday-19-feb-2021-gridman.html

      24A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2020/08/no-13016-monday-17-aug-2020-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      7A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2016/05/no-11694-saturday-07-may-2016-xchequer.html
      22D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2018/11/no-12485-friday-30-nov-2018-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      16D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2016/05/no-11695-monday-09-may-2016-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      15D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2015/10/no-11531-wednesday-21-oct-2015-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      23D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2014/07/no-11144-wednesday-23-jul-2014-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      Delete
    9. VMA Nair18 March 2022 at 19:18

      Also, I am not sure what is your problem with "left" as deletion ind. It is listed as a deletion ind in Chambers too. See the below example clues by Gridman (CV sir) and Xchequer (Bhala).

      25A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2020/02/no-12856-wednesday-12-feb-2020-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      19D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2020/02/no-12854-monday-10-feb-2020-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      12A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2019/11/no-12791-wednesday-27-nov-2019-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      Delete
    10. VMA Nair18 March 2022 at 19:19

      19A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2019/08/no-12697-tuesday-06-aug-2019-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      5D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2019/01/no-12518-tuesday-08-jan-2019-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      25A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2021/02/no-13175-friday-19-feb-2021-gridman.html

      24A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2020/08/no-13016-monday-17-aug-2020-gridman.html?m=0#comment-form

      7A
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2016/05/no-11694-saturday-07-may-2016-xchequer.html
      22D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2018/11/no-12485-friday-30-nov-2018-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      Delete
    11. VMA Nair18 March 2022 at 19:19

      16D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2016/05/no-11695-monday-09-may-2016-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      15D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2015/10/no-11531-wednesday-21-oct-2015-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      23D
      https://thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2014/07/no-11144-wednesday-23-jul-2014-xchequer.html?m=0#comment-form

      Delete
    12. WrdPlougher19 March 2022 at 00:04

      Dear Sreeni, maybe you misunderstood my comment. My disagreement was only vis a vis deletion indicators which you had brought up in Point 3. Your examples on containment, anagrinds and commas I am in full agreement with. You may confirm this with the comma clauses I used in the examples I cited!

      Re the examples you mentioned: Am OK with “A, B inside for B in A”. Also OK with “A, B without for B outside A”. I may not fully agree, however, with “A, B disappeared for A minus B” since ‘to disappear’ indicates departure not expulsion — I would prefer to use “A, B disappears/disappearing” instead. But that's just me.

      Ajeesh, I don't have any unreasonable problem with ‘left’. Had only mentioned my personal preference that I don't like to use it as a deletion indicator for the reasons I elaborated. Sure, I can see that it has been freely used by setters and accepted by solvers. Since it is accepted, maybe I can relax my strict self-constraint and use it some day too!

      Have already gone through the crosswordunclued article on anagrams, but I appreciate your linking to it all the same. The author has clearly said that adjectival anagrind can follow the fodder even in the cryptic reading. But I wonder out loud again — when you read the phrase ‘gin cocktail’ as a common man, which word sounds like the modifier and which like the object? Yet, like Satyen Nabar and Sreeni have stated, I do understand and recognise that there is leeway/justification for abandoning standard word order rules here and allowing an adjectival anagrind to follow the fodder — and the reason is because we can take it as a postpositive adjective.

      Delete
  10. Amita Baviskar17 March 2022 at 14:03

    Especially smooth surfaces today. Thank you, Dr X, for a very satisfying puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
  11. R Nagendra Prasad17 March 2022 at 16:28

    Tough going for me today..but enjoyable all the same. My COD 19A.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous17 March 2022 at 17:10

    Hello Doc!
    Finally i finished. After 55 mins.
    Thanx. For keeping my confidence UP.

    ReplyDelete
  13. ramesh ss17 March 2022 at 20:30

    Enjoyed both grids from Dr X.

    Surfaces so good
    Innovative word play
    English improving with new words
    Grammar perfect
    Entertaining
    Can't beSEIGEd

    ReplyDelete

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