Solution to 8D 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 Form of dance is usual entertainment, primarily for the people watching (8) AUDIENCE {DANCE+Is+Us..l+En...t}* Semi&lit
5 Fix key (6) STAPLE [DD}
9 Writer of novel is able and ready for starters (8) RABELAIS {IS+ABLE+And+Re..y}* Never heard of him!
10 Tourist attraction in South America's remote island (6) SAFARI {SA}{FAR}{I}
12 Pro athlete finally with perfect score, gets stuck with fine and warning (9) FORETOKEN {FOR}{a...tE}{T{OK}EN}
13 Members of Mensa do splurge over soft drinks (5) SODAS [T<=]
14 Sunrise daily augurs wonderful new beginnings (4) DAWN Acrostic
16 He sees special river creature (7) SPOTTER {SP}{OTTER}
19 Part of machine in plant broken by mischievous lad (7) TREADLE {TRE{LAD*}E}
21 Only kind of music to listen to (4) SOLE (~soul)
24 Mostly worked hard after retirement to become a poet (5) ELIOT TOILEd<=
25 Arrest of criminal happened around middle of March (9) APPREHEND {APP{maRch}EHEND*}
28 Celebrates end of the short run, tucking into cereals (8) REJOICES {R{thE}{JOg}ICES}
29 Declare: "The statement, completely void of substance, cannot stand" (6) DETEST {De...rE+ThE+St...nT}
30 Move towards setter No. 1, about to be embraced by sweetheart (4,2,2) HOME IN ON {HO{ME}{N1<=}ON}
DOWN
1 Died after a fight at sea (6) ADRIFT {D}<=}{A} and {RIFT}
2 Hampers with fresh breads (6) DEBARS*
3 Brilliance of English student in management exam (5) ECLAT {E}{C{L}AT}
4 One cracking a case using smart know-how (7) CHICKEN {CHIC}{KEN} I'm not very clear on the definition
6 John's revolted by tail of lizard in breakfast food - it could be poisonous (9) TOADSTOOL {LOO<=} <=>{TOA{l...rD}ST}
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8 Agent is weeping over failure, wasting time (8) E?I?S?R? (Addendum - EMISSARY {tE{MUSS}ARY} - See comments)
11 Animals squealed when lifted (4) GNUS<=
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17 Took part in a tight contest, finally finished (8) ATTENDED {A}{t..hT}{c...sT}{ENDED}
18 King meeting rebellious army unit (8) REGIMENT {R}{MEETING*}
20 Check once in the morning (4) EXAM {EX}{AM}
21 Boss to drink more rum (7) SUPREMO {SUP}{MORE*}
22 It guides boats, primarily over stormy ocean (6) BEACON {Bo..s}{OCEAN}* Semi&lit
23 Boy not even likely to succeed? (4-2) ODDS-ON {ODD}{SON}
26 Express one's feelings in reviewing online book (5) EMOTE {E}{TOME}<=
Reference List
South = S, America = A, Island = I, Perfect score = TEN, Special = SP, Number = N, Sweetheart = HON, Died = D, English = E, Student = L, Management exam = CAT, Know how = KEN, John = LOO, President = P, Many = L, Time = T, King = R, Drink = SUP, Online = E, Book = TOME
8D EMISSARY = Agent {is weeping (TEARY) wasting time EARY to include MISS, failure}
ReplyDelete23d)
ReplyDeleteBoy - son
Not even - odd
By that the solution should be sono dd right? How do we get odd son?
That question mark at the end.
Deleteodds on favorite is likely to succeed.
DeleteMy intent was for the clue to be read as "Boy not even" = "ODD SON" rather than as a charade and hence had added the question mark. But maybe it was confusing.
Delete4d CD! Case:eggshell
ReplyDeleteChic Ken (smart/ knowhow)
DeleteI am ref to Col doubt. A chicken cracks an eggshell(,case). def is CD.
DeleteI think Col.'s doubt is - one cracking a case is chick and not chicken.
DeleteOnes?
DeleteThough I got the intention of the clue, my doubt was as mentioned by Paddy.
DeleteYes the definition was intended to be a CD (referring to the chicken cracking the case i.e. the eggshell) I had thought chick is also a chicken (i.e. a baby chicken)
DeleteWe say don't count your chickens before they are hatched right? Did not go deeply into the nuance.
21A- I had it as solo (kind of music)
ReplyDelete16a imho. See is incomplete def for spot. Would have preferred sees difficulties.
ReplyDeleteA spotter sees. So what is wrong with that?
DeleteNot wrong Col. Just incomplete or inadequate.
DeleteLike cluing a doctor for an ENT. To be sure ENT is a doctor. But doctor isn't enough to identify an ENT.
The primary identifier of a spotter is that he identifies/locates a difficult to see ( normally) person/thing/situation.
It is OK in wp (spotter to seer) but i just think def need to be more precise.
To spot something is to see it - that is what I had in mind.
DeleteNo STAPLE diet.
ReplyDeleteNo SAFARIS.
No whiskies and SODAS.
No money.
No chicks. No CHICKEN.
No PLAUDITS.
Life ADRIFT for Vladimir and he DETESTED it.
Finally he REJOICES with a mega-million lottery ticket in his hand...
What happened next?
In such a gloomy situation, do you think it is worth to try his hand at lottery? ha ha
DeleteNot sure if he bought it! Maybe it was lying by the roadside.
DeleteBest Wishes for the lottery!
ReplyDeleteJust a doubt - is 9ac indirect anagram? I applied novel (anagrind) to 'is able' and then understood i have to fit in A and R (and ready or starters) into the fodder but was somehow not happy with the result
ReplyDeleteIt is not an indirect anagram - the fodder is (IS ABLE + A R from the acrostic). Since the acrostic indicator is clearly mentioned, I do not think it is an indirect anagram.
DeleteThanks for clarifying Ramki.
DeleteWith 'for starters' there, it is fine. But not fair to use the name (one half!) of a 15th century French novelist.
ReplyDeleteHmm that word was sort of force-fitted to the grid and I could not change it easily. But did not realize that he is so unknown! Maybe def could have been "French writer" to make it easier.
DeleteVery enjoyable grid. Favs are Emissary and Chicken. Thanks Ramki!
ReplyDelete+1..liked the clueing of FORETOKEN and TOADSTOOL very much, the latter's surface reading was chuckle worthy while the former, though a new word to me was crackable and learnt an usable word. Thanks Ramki.
DeleteThank you KKR and CPC
DeleteEnjoyed solving though could not get Forestool, thd French author and chicken. Posted a tale piece just now.
ReplyDeleteForetoken i meant. I poste my talepiece a while ago but it isn't showing up.
DeleteThanks Ramesh. I got a notification about your tale piece but not able to see it here!
ReplyDeleteRamesh's comments had gone into Spam
DeleteThe tale starts with the EMISSARY Devan. The warrior prince Kalan a great SPOTTER of talent picks Devan to be his agent. He sends Devan to spy on suspicious happenings in Dambur an important town, report to his sister and his father the king at the capital, and then return.
ReplyDeleteAn enthusiastic Devan takes this as his EXAM to win the hearts of the royals. He sets out at the break of DAWN to deliver these unwritten messages. It was a long arduous ride along the mighty river Bonny with rice (the STAPLE diet crop) growing on numeroys fields on its banks and fertile grasslands where herds of animals like GNUS and cattle freely roamed around. After a trip as adventurous as a SAFARI, he reaches the outskirts of the town of Dambur. Encountering the parade of Vettar senior the SUPREMO chief of the king's army Devan is overwhelmed and aghast.
Devan then enters the palacious building of the local chieftain of Dambur where he heard a plot is being hatched. He is APPREHENDed by security guards who take him to the army chief's 2nd in command Vettar junior. Devan using the name of a friend manages the situation and is received as a guest. He REJOICES drinking spirits and drinks like SODAS watching a sprightly dance. He slips out and reaches the spot in the building where a clandestine meeting ATTENDED by many small chieftains of the kingdom is on. Devan listens carefully and understands the plot is to make a rival Madhu, who DETESTs the princes, as the next king.
Recovering and leaving the building he sees another parade of Vettar senior's gracious first lady Mohini. Devan with his gift of gab manages to get her AUDIENCE. She gives him her ring which is like a gate pass for entry to the palace asking him to meet her there.
En route he encounters the powerful enemy rebels indulging in sorcery as evil as DAEMON. With cunning ang guile he hoodwinks them and HOMEs IN ON to his destination the palace. Devan enters the palace using the ring to gain access.
He meets the king recovering from a severe illness caused by consuming CHICKEN mixed with TOADSTOOL leading to food poisoning. Devan conveys the message and sets forth to meet the beatiful princess Reva the king's daughter. He falls in love at first sight and his mind becomes poetic citing lines like ELIOT. He fancies his ODDS ON winning her hand. She listens to him and is pleased. Reva then gives him an ADDITIONal duty of taking a message to her younger brother Verman fighting a battle overseas at the Island of Vankapuri.
Devan reaches out to a resourceful boat girl Kuzhali of whom he has heard many PLAUDITS. They reach Vanakpuri and meet and befriend the prince. Meanwhile, the king sends an armed escort with a REGIMENT to bring back Verman.
The plot thickens as an enemy gang DEBARred from the kingdom arrives on a ship to kill Verman. A battle ensues. The powerful enemies vanquish the king's men and capture Devan tying him to the flagpost of their ship. Prince Verman then fights a SOLE battle and defeats the enemy and releases Deva too. In the melee the ship catches fire and they jump into the sea. Kuzhali in her boat rushes to save the men ADRIFT.
The story pauses here - does she save Prince Verman the Jewel of Bonni?
Maybe we will know in a few weeks!