Wednesday 6 April 2022

No 13523, Wednesday 06 Apr 2022, Dr. X

Solution to 20A 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   Medical problem caused by a slipped disc is essentially harrowing (8) ACIDOSIS {A}{DISC+IS+h..rOw..g}
5   I stay with maiden in the same place (2,4) IB IDEM {I}{BIDE}{M}
10 Intoxicated man is pliable (5) LITHE {LIT}{HE}
11 Like a star making a comeback after acquiring first-class figure (9) ANALOGOUS {A}{SUN<=} over {A}{LOGO}
12 Wish to drink beers at bar in Middle East region (9) PALESTINE {P{ALES}{T}INE}
13 Hang out with wife in small valley (5) DWELL {D{W}ELL}
14 Wheezy male enters to get medicine (6) REMEDY {RE{M}EDY}
15 Wandering in Sydney, so excited to avoid lockdown finally (7) ODYSSEY {SYDnEY+SO}*
18 Name of elite rogue stealing books (7) ENTITLE {E{NT}ITLE*}
20 Plug blocking part of a dividing membrane (6) S?P?A? (Addendum - SEPTAL {SE{PT}AL} - See comments)
22 Group of actors on ecstasy (5) CASTE {CAST}{E}
24 Shout about epidemic’s onset after China’s deplorable duplicity (9) CHICANERY {C{CHINA*}{Ep...c}RY}
25 Excitement caused by plan trapping knight, helping rook to escape (9) ANIMATION {A{N}IM}{rATION}
26 Images of Sputnik on screen (5) IKONS [T]
27 Finest model returns, dumping man in American city (6) TOPEKA {TOP}{mAKE<=}
28 Bandits in gangs, stealing equipment (8) BRIGANDS {B{RIG}ANDS}

DOWN
1   Like to run at an angle (6) ASLOPE {AS}{LOPE}
2   Corrupt fellow surrendered, about to reveal mastermind (9) INTELLECT {INf{TELL}ECT}
3   Behave in an unacceptable way, like one bowling a no-ball might do? (8,3,4) OVERSTEP THE MARK [DD]
4   Madness to disregard son’s folly (7) INANITY INsANITY
6   Disclosing about ultimately hep lady, so promiscuous in general (7,8) BROADLY SPEAKING {BREAKING} over {heP+LADY+SO}*
7   Desire to tackle recurrent discharge in electronic device (5) DIODE {DI{OD}E} Anno for OD not clear (Addendum {DI{DO<=}E} - See comments)
8   Errors by slip fielders ultimately may hurt (8) MISPLAYS {SLIP+f...rS+MAY}*
9   Watch crook killing woman in summerhouse (6) GAZEBO {GAZE}{BOw}
16 Show naked shot for blackmail (9) SHAKEDOWN*
17 Liking author’s talk about novel at launch (8) PENCHANT {PEN}{CHA{No..l}T}
19 Reviewing suggestion by top mathematician (6) EUCLID {CUE<=}{LID}
20 Offender concealing sandpaper essentially is bowler (7) SPINNER {S{s..dPa..r}INNER}
21 Babys suspenders contain fine textile fibre (6) BYSSUS [T]
23 Cut corners of page after scan (5) SKIMP {P}<=>{SKIM}

Reference List
Maiden = M, Intoxicated = LIT, Bar = T, Wife = W, Male = M, Books = NT(New Testament), Part = PT, Ecstasy = E, Knight = N, Rook = R, Man = M, Fellow = F, Son = S, Woman = W, Page = P

42 comments:

  1. 7D: I took Discharge =Do; recurrent as reversal indicator.

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  2. A nice puzzle, not difficult, none the less, some of the clues needing a little more brainwork, enjoyable totally. Thanks Dr.X.

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  3. Excited to solve today's CW.
    Analogous is my pick of the day.
    Thank you Doc.

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  4. A EUROPEAN HOLIDAY
    An AVID movie watcher, Aslam's life long dream had been to go on a European holiday. A cab driver from ALIGARH, belonging to a lower middle class family, he had ADAPTED to the fact that he would be seeing Europe only in Bollywood films.

    Mr. Walsh, an Irish detective in the GARDA, was visiting India on a month long holiday, with his wife Jenny. They came to ALIGARH to visit the University, where Mrs. Walsh's grandfather had been a professor. They were staying in a 5 star hotel, where Aslam's father was the main door keeper. So they engaged Aslam to drive them around.

    On Friday, they had been out & about enjoying the local sights. At night, Jenny developed high fever. The doctor at a nearby hospital diagnosed it as HEAT STROKE & she was admitted there. In 2 days, she became severely SHORT OF BREATH & the doctors at the hospital were alarmed.

    The pandemic had been just detected in a few countries & India had reported only a few stray cases. The testing facilities were available only in Delhi. Her blood samples were sent out for testing. While the doctors did not want to GO OVERBOARD, yet no one wanted to risk exposure, seeing the alarming DEATH RATES elsewhere in the world. The hospital also felt, it was not in its AMBIT to treat a Covid patient.

    Mr. Walsh found himself, all alone in an alien land & felt highly INTIMIDATED, that borders might close any time & then they would be stranded. He was not allowed to visit or be near Jenny.

    Against OPPOSITION from his family Aslam visited Mr. Walsh in the hospital lobby. Seeing his agitation & DISCOMFIT, he ENSURED that Mr. Walsh could visit Jenny by talking to the hospital staff & playing on their finer feelings. Clad in his PPE suit, Mr.Walsh looked like an APPARITION as he IRRUPTED into Jenny's room. Much to his RELIEF, she seemed better. Although her skin appeared paler & the rings below her eyes were BLACKER, she managed a wan smile & with all FINESSE, smoothed out the creases in her bed sheet.

    Feeling somewhat better, he came out. Seeing Aslam in the lobby, he broke down with a mixture of anxiety & relief. Aslam pointed to the idols of the TRIFORM of Hindu Goddesses, in the temple, inside the Hospital compound & asked Mr. Walsh to pray for Jenny's speedy recovery. He then took Mr. Walsh to his own house, where he was a served a meal of LEEK soup, lentils, vegetables & CHARRED tandoori Rotis. He then dropped him back at the hotel.

    This routine was followed for the next 5 days. Jenny's symptoms subsided & she was recovering. Mr. Walsh was overwhelmed by the love & hospitality of Aslam & his family. On the 6th day, the lab results came & fortunately Jenny was declared negative. Hearing this Mr. Walsh performed a HIGHLAND FLING in the Hospital lobby, before spotting Aslam & doing a tango with him.

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  5. The Hospital staff apologised for their perceived ACERB & stand offish behaviour, & agreed to discharge Jenny immediately. Mr. Walsh decided to cut short his holiday & return to Ireland.

    On the eve of their departure, they visited Aslam's house. Jenny, carrying a bunch of FORGET ME NOTs, looked like a NAIAD in her summer gown. As Ammi served them tea, for the first time Mr. Walsh noticed the scenic pictures lining the walls - all depicting Europe. Ammi told him about Aslam's dream. Smiling, the Walshes bid them farewell.

    As Aslam dropped them off at the airport, they both hugged him. Aslam thought he would never see them again.

    The pandemic broke out full force & it took 2 years for things to normalise. Aslam's livelihood was severely affected. At the end of 2 years, he knew the borders were open, but it may be a long time, before tourists start arriving. Imagine his surprise, when he came home one night to see a courier, apparently containing 2 open tickets to Europe for him & Salma - with detailed instructions of how to get his documentation ready for travel.

    Today as Aslam is waiting at the airport with Salma, he is wondering at God's myriad ways & how he managed to fulfill a poor Muslim boy's dream.

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  6. 20a - SEPTAL - dividing membrane
    Seal - plug
    Pt - part
    Blocking - containment indicator?

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    Replies
    1. I also thought that Dr. X was using ‘blocking’ as an insertion indicator, in the sense of interrupting or obstructing. So, my anno would have been — T (a kind of ‘plug’) is inserted into SEPAL (‘part’ of a flower) to make SEPTAL.

      IMHO, the verb ‘block’ used by itself is at best a roundabout way of suggesting containment — if I wanted to say that X confines Y, I would want to phrase it as ‘X blocks Y in’.

      Honestly, ‘X blocks Y’ more simply suggests that X is inserted into Y.

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    2. Yes, blocking is an insertion ind rather than a container ind

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    3. But a search back reveals many crossies across setters using blocking in the sense of arresting/container.

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    4. Vehicle blocking road, unruly mob is a terror threat (3,4) CAR BOMB {CA{R} B}{MOB*}

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    5. Don’t quite agree with “a setter already used it earlier” thing if I can’t justify properly.
      Arrest is container ind because it also means seize. We can’t substitute synonyms with different meanings/usages.

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    6. "i" is very personal. I cant argue with it.

      But blocking as arresting/eclipising is supported by OED.

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    7. My apologies to solvers who faced a problem. Going back through my notes, the indicator I had chosen was 'obstructing' which is of course a containment indicator (listed in Chambers Crossword Dictionary). I don't know how that became 'blocking' instead inadvertently.

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    8. Thanks Doc. That makes sense

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    9. Must have been a mental 'block' Ajeesh 😀

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    10. 🙂 at least you can treat yourself being a doctor 😑

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    11. Oh dear, I seem to have inadvertently stirred the pot again. Sorry! Never meant to cast doubt on Dr. X’s usage. Consider him/her to be the most impeccable of THC setters today. Am also learning now from context and comments that I have to thank one and the same — Satyen Nabar for the above clarification and Dr. X for the constant inspiration. :)

      Come to think of it, I should revise my opinion. ‘Block’ by itself is definitely synonymous with “contain” and “obstruct” — after all, when CSK blocked or obstructed KKR’s path to victory in the 2021 IPL final, CSK certainly contained KKR (it’s another story that MI weren't able to contain the same KKR’s Pat Cummins last night!). I was just trying to wonder out loud if we can use a verb as containment indicator if it doesn't explicitly mean “be wrapped around”. Synonyms can be indirect, but can indicators also be indirect?

      But the good doctor has spoken, and that’s enough of a treat(ment) for me!

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  7. SEPTAL - of a dividing membrane.
    Septum is the membrane

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  8. @ Paddy - my natural lack of confidence. 😊

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  9. Plug blocking part- SE(PT)AL.
    Pt is blocking plug/seal
    Def: of a dividing membrane

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  10. The other day it was deletion of check button in the Guardian paper. We have them restored in the Hindu paper today!!!

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  11. We,paper solvers,are not worried about such cahnges!
    We either do it or come here (for THC of course)

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  12. For me it was tougher today than the previous two days. Enjoyed solving. 11A is very ingeniously clued. Thanks Dr X.

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  13. Nice one again. Shakedown is my COD

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  14. Dr X., reg 26A, the word IKON and ICON ,we pronoucing wIth same sound (C&K). but could not find the closer definition. the moment I read images, I go the ans via [T]. most of the text usinG the spelling as ICON. One of the brilliant clue.
    Regarding 4D - Thanks to my e-dic.....5 clues left. rest solved. Thanks Dr X for the rare words.

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  15. 5ac is IBIDEM a single word or IB IDEM?

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    Replies
    1. I had submitted it as a single word with enum 6 as given in BRB. The change to 2, 4 has been made at the editorial level.

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    2. Lol. I had requested the editor not to change clue and enum without discussing with me 😅

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  16. Nice grid doc. My fav - ANALOGOUS, BROADLY SPEAKING, SHAKE DOWN.
    Thank u.

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    Replies
    1. Nice to know what you liked, thanks Gowri.

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