Solution to 17A 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
8 Excitedly screamed, “Parts of arms are missing!” Give up? (4) CEDE sCrEamED*
9 Court seizes Royal Air Force vehicle (5) CRAFT {C{RAF}T}
10 Col.’s authorisation to go (4) PASS [DD]
11 Damaged panel missing during reconstruction of planetarium lobby (6) ATRIUM planeTARIUM*
12 Pa barked “Destroyed part of vehicle wheel” (5,3) BRAKE PAD*
13 Echo, “Wrong marker is used in redesigning Nanjing (except its central part) and taking over” (8) ANNEXING {E}{X} in {NANjING}*
19 Song about males in country (7) ARMENIA {AR{MEN}IA}
24 Spaniel runs around carrying a bit of fabric for period between birth and death (8) LIFESPAN {LI{Fa..c}ESPAN}
26 Grumman F6F’s model coated in shellac compound (8) HELLCATS {HELLCA{T}S*}
31 This note can be fatal (1,4) A FLAT*
32 Bird in Northern estuary (4) ERNE [T]
DOWN
1 32’s home in Northern estuary (4) NEST [T]
2 Chinese capitalists seek pine by mistake (8) PEKINESE*
3 Novel CIS map showing small lobsters (6) SCAMPI*
5 Tart cake prepared for assailant (8) ATTACKER*
6 State, “Look backwards and repair” (6) UPKEEP {UP}{PEEK<=}
7 Large landmass in possession of sanyasi/ascetic (4) ASIA [T]
14 Lowest level drain rebuilt (5) NADIR*
16 Perhaps, feature a country (5) CHINA {CHIN}{A}
20 Trapped a deer running around new poles (8) ENSNARED {A+DEER}* over {N}{SN}
21 Marine raconteur dated before last fling (3,4) OLD SALT {OLD}{LAST*}
23 Romeo left spectators seating area for kitchen on-board ship (6) GALLEY GALLErY
Reference List
Court = CT, Echo = E, Knock out = KO, Model = T, Church = CE, Boy = B, New = N, Poles = S,N, Romeo = R, Fluid = FL, Air Marshal = AM
A DAY IN A MAN'S LIFE....& A WOMAN'S
ReplyDeleteMadhav worked as a Senior Project Manager in a Construction Company. He woke up BLURRY eyed, on Monday morning, remembering he had an important meeting, that day. His company was collaborating with a German firm to bid for a project in RUSSIA. Madhav wanted to fine tune the PERT chart & go over the financial STATEMENTS once, before his boss arrived. From the German side, the project was headed by Otto Kahn, an erstwhile EAST GERMAN, who often behaved as though he was part of the GESTAPO.
His nit picking & HAUTEUR put tremendous pressure on the Indian SQUADRON, working directly under Madhav. Madhav, no NEOPHYTE himself, had already OPINED to his boss, about what he thought was Kahn's RACIST attitude. But his boss, dismissed it as no ISOLATED incident. He called it the collective European SYNDROME, where the whites often acted superior to the Indians, till they got it in their face that the team here was as good, if not superior to them in their professional know how.
All these thoughts were plaguing Madhav's mind as he left for office at 7am. He barely glanced inside the kitchen, where his wife Anita was busy. He also side stepped his Pomeranian PI, as it came bouncing towards him. Waving a casual Bye, he bounded out. Again he had missed breakfast.
As he reached the SOCIETY parking lot, his phone pinged. It was Anita. She reminded him, he was a DIETER now, after his recent medical reports had revealed mild diabetics & high cholesterol. She also informed him, she would be dunzoing his lunch of RISOTTO & ROUGHAGE & to eat on time. Typically, he typed a monosyllable reply, before getting into his car & reversing in a hurry.
His day passed in a blur. His presentation had been a DEADEYE & for once, even Otto could not pick any holes. As he reached his cabin at 6pm, after a full day of video calls & zoom meetings, the first thing he saw was his lunch bag with a small note attached. He had, ofcourse, forgotten & had a working lunch - an oily burger, chips & aerated cola. With a rueful expression, he emptied the lunch into the waste bin. Then he opened the note. Oh NO! It was Anita's birthday & again he had forgotten.
Blaming it on his HUNDRED tasks through the day, he called her with a readymade apolgy. But she cut him short, asking him to come home fast, as she had planned a small get together & the guests would be arriving soon. He felt an absolute NINNY, asking her if she wanted anything to be picked up. He hung up with "If you SAY SO!", when she said nothing was needed.
As he opened his front door, UNLOOSENING his tie, he could barely recognise his own apartment. The furniture was rearranged, flowers in every corner, dim lighting, pleasant music & the french doors fully open inviting his terrace garden inside. Quickly taking a shower, even his clothes were ironed & ready waiting to be UNPEGGED & worn. Stepping out in a blue kurta, he was greeted by a CHORUS. Their close group of friends had already arrived.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very pleasant evening. The ECCLES CAKE was delicious & the drinks & dinner impeccable as always. His twins Megha & Mohit played with their friends' kids & even PI had a whale of a time. As the last of the guests left & the children had gone to sleep, he stepped out onto the Terrace.
He had not enjoyed the beauty of his terrace garden, under a starlit sky, in ages. As he sat on the cane swing, the ORIOLE started tweeting & the LILY PADS were gleaming in the small artificial pond. When Anita came looking for him, he was almost asleep.
Then he remembered that he had not got her any gift. He quickly started his regular SLOGAN of how busy he is & his office schedule & how he feels a tightness in his RIB CAGE because of his cholestrol etc. Finally he asked her - "How was your day?"
She replied - The usual. I woke up the kids, bathed them, fed them bfast & dropped them to play school. Came back to find that our house help Emily was running a fever. Took her to the doctor & dropped her home. Came back, made lunch & dunzoed your pack. Had to do the laundry & the dishes, as Emily was not there. Since PI had a vet appointment, took him there. Picked the twins up, gave them lunch & set them for their afternoon nap. Then borrowing our neighbour's maid, cleaned up & spruced up the apartment. As soon as the florist arrived, I arranged the flowers. Reconfirmed the dinner menu with the caterer & the cake with the vendor. Arranged all the crockery & cutlery & put the drinks out to chill. Woke up the twins, fed them & got them ready. Fed PI. Got your dress ready & dressed up myself, just in time for the caterer & then the guests to arrive. Now, as you were relaxing here, I cleaned up the table, loaded the dish washer, fed the janitor & the watchman & generally put things in their place. I know you must be tired. You have a high pressure job. You go to sleep. I have work for another 30 minutes.
Madhav felt tongue tied for the first time that day. He looked at his wife with new eyes. He remembered how UNBLESSED he had felt, when his boss did not praise his presentation. He stepped forward with an extended hand & said "I promise to give you, your surprise birthday gift tomorrow!"
Anita could not have imagined that -Starting with breakfast in bed, he planned to give her a whole day off from housework. That was her birthday gift.
mmmm...... Sounds nice on paper!
DeleteThe protagonist in the story reminds me of my sister-in-law (who is also a working woman!)
DeleteWell written, there is a woman behind every success of a man
Delete17ac..ADVERSE..DESERVE*
ReplyDeleteNot an anagram. Where do you get A from?
DeleteBadri is right.
👍
Delete17a unfavorable=ADVERSE, jingle = AD VERSE (advertisement, short slogan)
ReplyDeleteFor those who can access- yesterday's Sunday Cryptic is a nice one from Incognito.
ReplyDelete👍👍👍 - a real confidence booster.
DeleteAll red blocks. A welcome look ?
DeleteInteresting grid from Incognito, as usual, thank u!
ReplyDeleteIncognito's grids are like a breeze with impeccable cryptic grammar 🙂
ReplyDeleteTHC setter Incognito
DeleteIs a solver's simpatico.
His clues though cryptic
Are more catalytic than elliptic;
We can always solve a few-we know!
But more than a few we know!
DeleteThe fact that we always know
DeleteMore than a few
Is what makes him real special
In my view.
A real confidence booster
DeleteAlmost an early morning rooster
As soon as u c - the setter's name is Incognito
Up u r, attacking the CW, Hey Pronto!!!
A brief report of my recent road trip with some photos have been added to a post in the THCC Families blog at the following link
ReplyDeleteMY RECENT ROAD TRIP
Wow!!!! Such detailed info + such beautiful photos.
DeleteInspiring others to take a similar trip
Nice pics! Brought back memories of my stint in Tirunelveli in 1995-96 as Assistant Commissioner Central Excise! I have visited most of these places on weekends-those days!
DeleteNice photos with narration........Excellent photography. sir Have you seen famous the shop Iruttukkadai Halwa at Thirunelveli????
DeleteThank you dear Mr. Kishore Rao for injecting an element of Air Force in today's grid. Well, managed to solve almost all except 28-A.
ReplyDeleteImagine blogging as usual at 8.30 am sharp!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for solving. Nice story, Gowri. Nice pictures, Colonel...
ReplyDelete