Thursday, 31 March 2022

No 13518, Thursday 31 Mar 2022, Hypatia

Solution to 18D 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   Musical instruments in last trips entertaining a boy (6) TABLAS {T{A}{B}LAS*}
9   Inexperienced student working around Europe (8) UNTESTED {UNT{E}STED*}
10 Kills abilities of employees? (8) SKILLSET {KILLS}* [RA]
11 Memorised books on Shakespearean character (6) LEARNT {LEAR}{NT}
12 Injected botox, say to cover one having feet down (8) PLUMIPED {PLUM{1}PED}
13 American retracts final word without single condition (6) ANEMIA {A}{A{1}MEN<=}
14 Top post initially grabbed by evil person (7) SPINNER {S{Post}INNER}
17 He doesn’t believe a bank job consumes time (7) ATHEIST {A}{T}{HEIST}
20 As in Karate, it’s defence oriented, primarily (6) AIKIDO Acrostic &lit
22 Check others in front of shower (8) RESTRAIN {REST}{RAIN}
25 Jumped and spilt the beans without press reports initially (6) SPRANG {S{Press}{Re...s}ANG}
26 Fast track income from marijuana according to Spooner (8) SPEEDWAY (~weeds pay to  speed way)
27 Frequently recalled diet that could be cultivated (8) EDUCATED {DiEt+ThAt+CoUlD+bE}<=
28 Deal with fishing gear (6) TACKLE [DD]

DOWN
1   Friendly gesture of pals (8) BACKSLAP {PALS}<=
2   Small cracks around circle in obstacle race (6) SLALOM {SLAL{O}M*}
3   Exhausts America with drugs and drink (4,2) USES UP {US}{E}{SUP}
4   Keeping scout busy on vacation day (7) CUSTODY {SCOUT*}{DaY}
5   Holy man wielding Indian sword is sturdy (8) STALWART {S{TALWAR}T}
6   Tongue has same sensation inside (8)  ASSAMESE [T]
7   Henry drills to fix unit in plant (6) MEHNDI {ME{H}ND}{1}
15 Peacekeeper rejected abandoning case in problem (8) NUISANCE {UN<=}{CASE+IN}*
16 Holding tight, essentially, Musk had to stretch out (8) ELONGATE {tiGht} in {ELON}{ATE}
18 Fit sailor touching 50 occupying rooms (8) S?I?A?L? (Addendum - SUITABLE {SUIT{AB}{L}E} - See comments)
19 Spider crawling on engineer’s chair (7) PRESIDE {SPIDER*}{E}
21 Walked unsteadily leaving top English bar (6) IMPEDE {lIMPED}{E}
23 This elegant actor and author writes plays — creates “Oliver Twist” (6) SVELTE  {SVELTE+ACTOR+I+WRITES = CREATES+OLIVER+TWIST} [CA] 
24 Friend’s uncle regularly supplies contract (6) REDUCE {fRiEnDs+UnClE}

Reference List
Boy = B, Europe = E, Books = NT(New Testament), American = A, Time = T, Drugs = E, Holy Man = ST, Indian sword = TALWAR, Henry = H, Sailor = AB, 50 = L, Engineer = E, English = E 

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27 comments:

  1. Sarathi31 March 2022 at 08:35

    18 D solved
    Let others try

    ReplyDelete
  2. sree_sree31 March 2022 at 08:45

    16d doesn't the Musk need an indication not to loose the head (melon-m!)and still be Elon?
    7d I thght, mehndi is the art and ritual. And Henna is the plant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Murali31 March 2022 at 08:53

      Musk Melon vs Elon Musk ?!

      Delete
    2. sree_sree31 March 2022 at 09:02

      I had put int his in my MBA group when Elon lost the 200B club.

      Musk looses Money and became a billionaire.

      Delete
    3. Hypatia31 March 2022 at 22:29

      Agree about 7d - In hindsight I think plant design would have been fairer.

      On 16D, it is Elon Musk not Musk Melon, as pointed out correctly by KRM.

      Delete
    4. sree_sree31 March 2022 at 22:38

      When ref to person I always saw Musk, perhaps/may be.
      There is always that indication.

      Delete
  3. Padmanabhan31 March 2022 at 08:48

    You are right. But I had a problem with the spelling too and I had to correct myself.

    ReplyDelete
  4. sree_sree31 March 2022 at 08:49

    Liked this clue in another crossie

    Crazy artists make medium-hot curry (6)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Padmanabhan31 March 2022 at 08:50

    I see a lot of Indianisms in the clues and solution words- Mehndi,Talwar, Assamese,Tablas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hypatia31 March 2022 at 22:25

      Yes, I try to include atleast a few - something I learnt from the great Gridman.

      Delete
  6. Orthopaul31 March 2022 at 08:50

    18d.. SUITABLE.. SUIT(AB)(L)E..SUITE is room. L is 50. AB..is sailor
    Meaning FIT

    ReplyDelete
  7. Murali31 March 2022 at 08:51

    18D SUITABLE = Fit
    sailor=AB, touching, 50=L, occupying(in), rooms=SUITE ; SUIT(AB)(L)E

    ReplyDelete
  8. Padmanabhan31 March 2022 at 08:52

    Good solve KRM.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Padmanabhan31 March 2022 at 08:55

    Correction in yesterday's CW done in IA version has been mentioned in the print edition also. Of course confirmed by Hypatia in the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Amita Baviskar31 March 2022 at 16:31

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Amita Baviskar31 March 2022 at 16:32

    I liked the surfaces of a number of clues. However, I have a quibble about 26A. Marijuana is WEED, not weeds. And income is PAY. There is no S in the clue to allow for SPEEDWAY. Something referring to SPAY would've worked better. Thank you, Hypatia, for an enjoyable puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sree_sree31 March 2022 at 16:36

      Read as a phrase

      Income from money = weed's pay.

      Delete
    2. sree_sree31 March 2022 at 16:36

      Income from Marijuana

      Delete
    3. Hypatia31 March 2022 at 22:27

      Thanks for your feedback Amrita. It was intended as Spoonerism of Weed's pay, as correctly parsed by Sree Sree above.

      Delete
    4. Amita Baviskar1 April 2022 at 14:55

      Oh I see. Thanks for explaining.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous31 March 2022 at 21:31

    Nice grid. Easier than yday. Plumiped is a new word for me. Googled.
    My fav - RESTRAIN, ATHEIST, SUITABLE.
    Thanx Hypatia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hypatia31 March 2022 at 22:28

      Thanks for your feednack Gowri. Glad you enjoyed it.

      Delete

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