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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED
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Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.
ACROSS
6 Mineral's amount of liquid: unknown (6) QUARTZ {QUART}{Z}
10 Possibility: do magic tricks including juggling etc. (10) CONJECTURE {CONJ{ETC*}URE}
11 Insect circled place repeatedly (6) TSETSE (+t)TSETSE(-t) (Correction - {(+t)TSE(-t)}{(+t)TSE(-t)} - See comments)
12 Beginner in swimming class frequently eyed pool's end that's shallow (4-4) SKIN-DEEP {Sw...g}{KIND}{EyEd}{Pool}
13 Reactive effects of oxygen seen in crumbling Iron Cross (10) CORROSIONS {O} in {IRON+CROSS}*
17 New and Old Testament, finally coming up! (4) NEXT {N}{EX}{t...nT}
18 Grow excited over fiction featuring female space traveller in the lead (4,2,4) COME TO LIFE {O}{LI{F}E}<=>{COMET}
20 The Reverend's computer cover is a medium of expression for a graffiti artist (5,3) SPRAY CAN (~ cray span)
22 Toxic husband dumped — no more could one bear! (6) ARMFUL hARMFUL
24 Someone offering quick deliveries of fresh flowers at around Bengaluru's western tip (4,6) FAST BOWLER {FLOWERS+AT}* over {Be...u}
26 This queen revolutionised nation (4) RANI {IRAN}*
27 Fast hero, very English (6) STARVE {STAR}{V}{E}
28 Set my calendar — am somehow going to do some laundry work (3-5) DRY-CLEAN {mY+CaLENDAR}*
DOWN
2 Switch off rants and sit! (9) TRANSPOSE {RANTS*}{POSE}
3 Partially upturned ballpoint pen is useless (5) INEPT [T<=]
4 With entry passes, crossed at entrance gates (7) WICKETS {W}{tICKETS}
5 Desire happy ending after taking clothes off (3) YEN {h..pY+ENd..g}
6 Queen takes queen, that is Magnus's end! Doubts? (7) QUERIES {QU}{ER}{IE}{m...uS}
7 Toad-tail concoction (containing a hint of nutmeg) having curative properties (9) ANTIDOTAL {TOAD+TAIL}* over {Nu...g}
8 Every now and then, we hear that uplifting number (5) THREE {wE+hEaR+tHaT}<=
12 Statue that can melt monster's heart right away, wow! (7) SNOWMAN {monSter}{NOW}{MAN}
14 Terror act injured muscle (9) RETRACTOR*
16 Fanzine edited after receiving oddly loud complaint (9) INFLUENZA {INF{LoUd}ENZA*}
18 City evacuated on the double for storm (7) CYCLONE {CitY}{CLONE}
19 Beverage delivery platform's free treat: samples of Armenian yorsh (3,4) TEA TRAY {TREAT*{Ar...n}{Yo..h}}
23 A betrayal, ultimately, after a drink is raised? The Last Supper, maybe! (5) MURAL {A}{b...aL}<=>{RUM<=}
25 Followed the personnel's backs? On the contrary! (3) LED Tail Acrostic<=
Reference List
Unknown = Z, TV ratings = TRP, India = I, New = N, Over = O, female = F, Husband = H, Very = V, English = E, With = W, Queen = QU, ER, East = E
z
1A STAIRWAY {STA{WIR*}{A}Y}
ReplyDeleteDelay=Stay. Short Wire=WIR. Twisted to IRW. Over A.
Flight=Stairway
9A PAGE {P{AGE}}
Second of April=P. Turn older=Age.
Servant=Page
17A NEXT {N{EX}T}
New Testament=NT. Old=EX.
Comin up=Next
22A ARMFUL {ARMFUL}
Toxic=Harmful. Husband=H
No more could one bear=Armful
24A FAST BOWLER {FLOWERS}{AT}{B}*
Someone offering quick deliveries=Fast Bowler
1a needs a tweak
Delete17a not correct. Relook
24a not a total anagram
17a {N}{EX}{T}
DeleteNew=N
Old=Ex
Testament finally=T
Not related to this grid but wanted to share in this forum.
ReplyDeleteEarlier this week, the National inter-collegiate crossword championship event NICE
(sponsored by AICTE) was conducted in Delhi. I had set 3 full crossword grids for the competition and was also the chief arbiter - had fun interacting with the young college students who are becoming experts in solving crossword puzzles!
DD News had a 30 min program on the event yesterday, which included a brief interview with me too. You can watch it at the YouTube link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc6jxbchAiU
They made me Ramkee Krishnan :)
👌
DeleteWas fun to watch—good show, Ramkee! :-)
DeleteThank you for shari g Ramki. Will watch.
DeleteSuggest share these with Col.so that we can enjoy them as Sundayspecials.
DeleteIt was a pleasure to watch the programme. It was nice to see youngsters taking interest in crosswords. Any mind game wii do a lot of good at their age ( at any age for that matter) and NICE 22 was nice to say the least.
DeleteThanks Ramki for sharing.
Very enjoyable grid with many chuckle-worthy clues - 1A, 10A, 24A, 2D to name a few. For a change I got the nina and theme too (I think!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Gussalufz!
Pangram as well
DeleteThe vocalist and guitarist and the heaven!
DeleteSuch clever and fun surfaces and the cryptic grammar seems to work too!
DeleteOnly those three are Led zep related clues?
DeleteThanks, folks! There's one more (mild) connection—a distinctive word in one surface.
Delete20a? Graffiti?
Delete2d. TRANSPOSE.. RANTS* POSE.. pose is sit
ReplyDelete14d. RETRACTOR.. TERROR ACT.. combined anag
21d. PLANT.. PLAN( E) T
23d. MURAL.. RUM<=A ( b..a) L
18d. CYCLONE.. C( it) Y... CLONE.. clone is double
27a starve hero-star and Very English
ReplyDelete13a CORROSIONS {oxygen(o) in (iron+cross)*}
ReplyDelete15a TRIP {TRP = tv ratings, india = I}
16d INFLUENZA { oddly loud = lu. lu in (fanzine)* }
28a DRY CLEAN { my calendar - am } *
7d ANTIDOTAL { (toad tail)* containing (n) }
3d inept- useless poinTPEN Is upturned
ReplyDelete5d yen - desire from happY ENding
ReplyDelete11a tsetse from Set-place, circled twice
ReplyDelete11a Pl see Gemini @ 8.47
Delete13a CORROSSION anagram of O from oxygen and iron cross
ReplyDelete6a QUARTZ - mineral from liquid measure Quart and z unknown
ReplyDelete11.a beginner in swimming....s
ReplyDeleteClass....kin
Frequently eyed....dee
Pool....p at end ....deep
Skin deep
Relook
Delete5.a happ_y en_ding
ReplyDeleteTaking clothes off
Desire...yen.
6D - QUERIES {QU}{ER}{IE}{S}
ReplyDeleteQueen takes queen: QU ER
That is: IE
Magnus's end: S
Definition: Doubts
8D - THREE
DeleteEvery now and then : indication to remove letters regularly
We hear that: (-w)E (-h)E(-a)R (-t)H(-a)T} = EERHT
Uplifting: Reversing to become THREE
20A - SPRAY CAN (Spoonerism of ~Cray Span, Cray being a computer company and span being cover)
DeleteDefinition: medium of expression for graffiti artist
4.a.entry passess.....tickets
ReplyDeleteWith....w
Crossed at entrance..t replaced by w
Wickets....gates
A correction for 13a CORROSIONS
ReplyDelete19.a
ReplyDeleteFree treat.....tea tr
Samples of armenian Yorsh...... a y
Beverage delivery platform...tea tray.
10A: Possibility = CONJECTURE. Do magic tricks = CONJURE, including anagram (juggling) of ETC
ReplyDelete8D. Number = THREE. Reversed alternative letters from "we hear that"
9D. Statue that can melt = SNOWMAN. Monster's hear = S. Right away = NOW. Wow = MAN!
14D: Muscle = RETRACTOR. Anagram of (injured) "terror act"
18A. Grow excited = COME TO LIFE. Space traveller = COMET. Over = O. Fiction (LIE) featuring (including) female = F
9d 👌
Delete14.a retractor also means surgical instrument to retractor tissues.
ReplyDelete28 a dry clean
ReplyDeleteAnagram of my calendar - am
20a SPRAY CAN for graffiti artist
ReplyDeleteReverend is SANford includes
a medium of expression is PRAY
Computer cover ic C
S PRAY C AN
Anno Incorrect
DeleteI thought the anno involves CRAY SPAN ; CRAY computer SPAN=cover
Delete21d PLANT is position
ReplyDeleteJupiter is PLANET. E overlooked
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCorrection in 20 a in 4th line is 'is' not 'ic'
ReplyDelete25D LED; tail acrostic, &lit
ReplyDeletefolloweD thE personneL <=
DeleteFollowed is trailing .contrary is LED. personnel is to be backed (removed) from a synonym of followed if i am correct
ReplyDelete26A RANI - queen
ReplyDeletenation - Iran
Revolutionised - I moved to end
26a Pl relook
ReplyDeleteI think all the solutions are in. I'll post my notes for this crossword shortly...
ReplyDeleteRandom aside: I think there is a reasonably standard way of providing succinct annos (* for anagram, << for reversal, parentheses for containers, etc.). I wish there were a standardized way of providing *detailed* annos too. I know this blog has a pretty good scheme. I have my own take, as do other setters/solvers. There are similarities across these schemes, and yet, there are lots of differences too. I see a few annos above that struggle to provide details clearly or are slightly incomplete/incorrect. A uniform system might help with this situation.
Think all done
ReplyDeleteAC 11,12 and 24 annos need fine tune.
11a TSETSE - insect
Deleteplace repeatedly - set+set
circled - last 't' coming to the front
24a FAST BOWLER
Delete{flowers at}* around {b}
I can spot ZEPPELIN in the last column. Any connection to the crossword?
ReplyDeleteYes! See comment by sree sree replying to Ramki earlier. I'll spell out the details shortly.
DeleteHere are my notes for this crossword. Many thanks to all solvers for giving it a go!
ReplyDeleteNotes
Running down the unchecked cells in the last column, you can spot the word ZEPPELIN. Together with 25d., it forms the name of a famous rock music group as the nina: LED ZEPPELIN. Band members Robert PLANT and Jimmy PAGE appear as solutions to 21d. and 9a., respectively.
STAIRWAY, at 1a., is the first word from the title of Led Zeppelin's most famous song, Stairway to Heaven. The word "graffiti" used in the surface of 20a. is the second half of the name of the album, Physical Graffiti, by the group.
Aside: the surface of 9a. is autobiographically accurate.
This crossword uses a new grid design, that will replace the one that I used in my THC crossword #13591, as that grid had a few minor issues. I have taken the opportunity to include two three-letter lights in this new grid. Three-letter lights are not there in any other THC grid of mine, so this also opens up some unexplored territory for me. A minor celebration of that is seen in the solution to 8d., which is THREE.
The crossword landed on a prime number (13633) again, but thankfully not a third palindromic prime in a row, as that would have been a bit too uncanny :-). I had a bit more spare time during my vacations last month, so I have another THC crossword waiting in line this month. Let's see what number it gets!
This puzzle is a pangram.
Personal notes
Good news on the finch front: it turns out that having lost a nest, one of the finch families regrouped and built a new nest in an even more hidden corner of my house's facade. And they succeeded—a few beautiful and adorably demanding finch chicks appeared in that nest! All have flown away now, hopefully leading fun-filled finch lives.
Such detailed notes! IMO, this CWP is "na bhootho, na bhavishyathi" . 🙏
DeleteIt's a toss up- which is more interesting, the CW or the notes.
DeleteBirds are always lovely to watch. Fledglings are incomparable in their beauty.
They leave the nest pretty soon.
It is with deep regret that I announce the passing away of Cdr Ganapathi ( Guns). He was the seniormost follower of this blog. Pasted below is the message I received from his son Sriram.
ReplyDeleteDear Sir,
This is Sriram the son of Cdr R Ganapathi.
With great sadness I wish to inform you that my father passed away this morning following a brief illness. He was 93.
He really enjoyed the online Hindu Sunday Xword corner and the bonhomie you all shared.
Our family thanks you and the other solvers and setters for bringing so much more joy and excitement in the life of 'Guns'
The warmest regards to you and your family Sir!
Sriram
--
Sriram Ganapathi
It is a sad news for all of us. I express my condolences to Mr. Sriram Ganapathi and the other members of his family.
DeleteThe Cdr was active in the blog and set a few Sunday specials also. May his soul rest in peace
Yes. It was inspiring and asssuring in someways to have Cdr sir around. May his soul rest in peace.
DeleteOm shanti. Cdr Ganpathi was a keen follower, solved and enjoyed appreciating the setters. We will miss him here. Condolences to the family.
DeleteSadgati praptirastu 🙏
Delete11a i thght, set cycled tse repeatedly tse tse
ReplyDeleteIt is not cycled but circled. T coming to the front is more appropriate for this than merely as a anagrind for set.
DeleteCircled and cycled same effect. Set to tse.
DeleteSad to hear about the passing away of Cdr.Ganapathy. It is always very sad to miss any of our bloggers, esp.the senior most and a very active one at that.
ReplyDeleteCol.
Please pass on our collective condolences to his son Sriram. So nice of him to keep us informed. May his soul rest in peace.
Collective condolences already sent.
DeleteSorry to hear this news. Om Shanthi
ReplyDelete