Sunday 25 December 2022

The Sunday Crossword No 3234, Sunday 25 Dec 2022

MERRY CHRISTMAS
Artwork by Prasanna

Rangoli by Gowri

ACROSS
1   Cleaner cut out unwillingness (10) RELUCTANCE*
6   Nag a swimmer (4) CARP [DD]
9   Monks party with pint-sized beers? (10) DOMINICANS {DO}{MINI CANS}
10 Everyman rues regularly being simple (4) MERE {ME}{RuEs}
11 Proficiently cook pungent almondy dessert (8,4) BAKEWELL TART {BAKE WELL}{TART}
15 Novelist related incomplete tale, not right (7) TOLSTOY {TOLd}{STOrY}
16 Showing signs of experience, worked from home? (5-2) LIVED-IN [DD]
17 Most frilly, encased in lilaci.e., stimulating (7) LACIEST [T]
19 Not good, missing small cakes (7) MUFFINS {MUFFINg}{S}
20 Interbreed one's deer, did you say? I swear! (5,2,5) CROSS MY HEART {CROSS}{MY}{HEART}
23 Gently knocks back argument (4) SPAT<=
24 I avert their topless cavorting in Côte d'Azur etc (3,7) THE RIVIERA {I+AVERT+tHEIR}*
25 A collection of rabbits suffices (4) DOES [DD]
26 Air arrival (10) APPEARANCE [DD]

DOWN
1   Intruder, somewhat impolite (4) RUDE [T]
2   Large Incan metropolitan area (to begin with)? (4) LIMA Acrostic Semi&lit
3   Get through to little Leonard's way of seeing things (7,4) CONTACT LENS {CONTACT}{LEN'S}
4   Mischievous English rector with yen for sport (7) ARCHERY {ARCH}{E}{R}{Y}
5   Obscure, formerly, in California (7) CONCEAL {C{ONCE}AL}
7   Home to ancient Wonder, dramatic rain and density in Amazon's character (10) ALEXANDRIA {ALEX{RAIN+D}*A}
8   Bizarrely persistent charm (10) PRETTINESS*
12 Britpop anthem Fever Lover I remixed (4,7) LIVE FOREVER {FEVER+LOVER+I}*

13 Perversely idealistic and stressed, in a way (10) ITALICISED*
14 Somehow locate tree for pickers? (10) ELECTORATE*
18 Store trifles and beer ingredient (7) TOYSHOP {TOYS}{HOP}
19 'Exercise core, men': former tennis ace (7) MCENROE*
21 Carol heading north in Spanish city (4) LEON<=
22 With no coverage, support announced (4) BARE (~bear)

Reference List
Party = DO, Right = R, Good = G, Small = S, English = E, Rector = R, Yen = Y, California = CAL, Density = D

42 comments:

  1. Col.has not yet seen this. but there will be a special- we will have to wait till 10.30 to know who it is going to be.

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  2. Maybe he too is in the IXL venue for stage rounds

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  3. Any idea who are all attending- I mean from our blog?
    Surprised there were no Best Wishes in yesterday's blog.
    Anyway, I belatedly extend my Best Wishes to all participants.

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  4. waiting for sunday special........

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  5. Beautiful artwork by Prasanna and nice rangoli by Gowri. Thanks Prasanna and Gowri.

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  6. Sorry, I forgot to mention there will be no special due to IX L finals

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  7. Known commenters here at the finals are Vinayak. Sowmya. Ramki, Kumaresh,

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  8. Preliminaries are on at the moment. Will inform you'll when the top 6 are selected

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  9. Live streaming of the onstage at the following link
    https://youtu.be/GgJLIblWRzg

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  10. Where in Bangalore is this ? Are spectators allowed ?

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  11. Oh that's pretty close by. When is a good time to go?

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    1. I would say now. So you can watch the stage round

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  12. right away. Prelim rounds are going on. All are welcome

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  13. There is nothing happening on live coverage right now

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  14. Ok. Will try to make it post lunch. I hope there will still be something going on around 2 pm.

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  15. Sure. Stage round may start just about that time. Dont miss it if you are so close by

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  16. Finalists on stage will be 7 as there is a tie at the 6th spot. Total points in prelim 56.
    Ramki 56, Sashwat 55, Venkatraghavan 50, Raj Jayaram 49, Mukund Jaganathan 44, Ashit Hegde 39, Arvind Ramaswamy 39

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  17. nice to know about the event update. Thank you sir

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  18. Col. Request showing the close up of board more frequently. The grid and the clue are not clear in the long shot.

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  19. At the end of round one of on stage finals
    Raj Jayaram 40
    Ramki 35
    Sashwat 35
    Mukund 25
    Ashit 25
    Arvind 15
    Venkat 15

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  20. Congrats to Mr Ramki on his second hattrick 👏👏👏

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  21. Very nice putting faces to the names on this blog.

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  22. Nice seeing them all and extremely happy to watch Ramki walking away with the trophy!

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  23. Congratulations to Ramki & all the other winners! 😊😊😊

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  24. Thank you everyone! Tough contest and great show by all podiumists - Shashwat, Raj Jayaram, Venkat, Mukund, Ashit and Arvind.

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