Monday 1 May 2023

No 13853, Monday 01 May 2023, Gussalufz

Artwork by Prasanna

Solution to 16D 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.

One of my favourite songs by Santana
ACROSS
9   In our easy bandying, my companions and I relax (2,3,4) AS YOU WERE {OUR+EASY}* over {WE}
10 Jet's tail section occupied by losers, primarily (5) BLACK {B{Lo...s}ACK}
11 Shower soap hit the roof! (7) BARRAGE {BAR}{RAGE}
12 Growth is no lie, according to the Reverend (7) TOENAIL (~no tale to toenail)
13 Apply oil to clean electronic components (5) ANELE [T]
14 Submerge clergyman, pulling right back, maximally splashing water (9) DRIPPIEST {D(+r)RIP P(-r)IEST}
16 Impetuously doing in knight for rook in hunger for praise (8,7) STANDING OVATION {DOING*} in {STA(-r+n)NVATION}
19 After recession, "alternatively" managed section getting smaller (9) NARROWING {OR}{RAN}<=>{WING}
22 Lady, back off right away, am engaged (5) WOMAN {NOW<=} over {AM}
24 Some consider us newlyweds revolting, guaranteed! (7) ENSURED [T<=]
26 Vow broken by one jerk being stupid (7) IDOITIC {I D{1}O}{TIC}
27 Cigarette's rejected after conclusion of pangramsetter missing a trick, maybe (5) MAGIC {CIG<=}<={p...aM}{A} What's the role of 'setter'? (Addendum {CIGArettes<=} after {p...aM} - See comments)
28 Ate bananas at this place in West Germany and suffered (9) WEATHERED {ATE*}{HERE} in {W}{D}

DOWN
1   Essayist starts to draft apology letter (6) LAMBDA {LAMB}{Dr..t}{Ap...y}
2   Taking regular notes as you preview DNA results in medicinal study (8) AYURVEDA {As+YoU+pReViEw+DnA}
3   Arrest flamboyant poet and nut (3,2,3,2) PUT AN END TO*
4   Story of changing gender, switching sides (6) LEGEND GENDE(-r+l)L*
5   One flies free of charge in Gussie's pet Nevada city, reportedly (8) NEUTRINO {(~newt)NEUT}{ (~reno)RINO}
6   Strong beer sustains Belgium (4) ABLE {A{B}LE}
7   After dropping ill, hesitate getting leave (6) VACATE VACillATE
8   Frame sleek shot with a clipped feel (8) SKELETON {SLEEK*}{TONe}
15 Coward, perhaps exceptionally wary during predicament (10) PLAYWRIGHT {PL{WARY*}IGHT}
16 Assume crumpled clothes mark a star's issues? (8) S?N?E?M? (Addendum - SUNBEAMS {SU{NB}EAMS*} - See comments)
17 Confirm news about trouble with stock index (4,4) NAIL DOWN {N}{AIL}{DOW}{N}
18 In creative rutam mighty upset, like a child (8) IMMATURE [T<=]
20 Commit another crime, pocketing a grand, or quit? (6) RESIGN {RE}{SI{G}N}
21 On-screen controls on sailor's instrument (6) GUITAR {GUI}{TAR}
23 Batteries with sulphurous acid between poles (6) NICADS {N}{ACID*}{S}
25 Dress toplessly and swing (4) ROCK fROCK


Reference List
Right = R, Knight = N, Rook = R, West = W, Germany = D, Belgium = B, Grand = G, New = N, Poles = N,S

42 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Not quite (hadn't realized "after conclusion" can suggest R!). There's a more literal annotation.

      Delete
    2. Will wait a bit, hopefully someone will spot the anno soon. Hint: the "a" is a part of the def ("a trick, perhaps").

      Delete
    3. Yes! (CIGARETTES <<) after M -setter

      Delete
  2. Gussalufz always engaging. What a start for the day! Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. West is W, Germany is D (separately).

      Chambers online:
      D: abbreviation 1 especially US Democrat. 2 IVR: Deutschland (German), Germany. 3 cards diamonds. 4 physics electric displacement. See also 3-D (at three).

      Delete
  4. Sweet Potassium and iodine double sulphate (4)

    ReplyDelete
  5. 16 Assume crumpled clothes mark a star's issues? (8) {SU{NB}EAMS*}

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mark = NB: nota bene - Latin phrase used to indicate that special attention should be paid to something (Freedict)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The markings used to draw readers' attention in medieval manuscripts are (also) called nota bene marks.

      Delete
    2. Sandhya you used to be our CCE, how come you are answering the clue left for a novice or are you taking shelter as a Non-Regular?

      Delete
    3. I was wondering if it is the same Sandhya or different?

      Delete
    4. Person,cant say but blogger ids deifferent.

      Delete
    5. Oops, Sorry Col! I totally forgot that it was for novices!

      Delete
  7. Hopefully we'll connect better as setter and solver at some point, no worries! A setter's goal is to have their clues challenge, but ultimately yield (and hopefully entertain in the process).

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks as always, to all solvers and to Col. Gopinath for the blog. The thematic elements have all been listed above. Still, here are my notes for this crossword:

    Notes

    This crossword celebrates the legendary musician, guitarist sans compare, Carlos Santana. His last name can be seen as a nina running down the second column. Inner Secrets is the name of a Santana album, and in the preamble it also hints that there is a theme to be found.

    The following entries are connected to the theme:

    10a, 27a, 22a together form BLACK MAGIC WOMAN, a famous Santana song.
    4d: LEGEND.
    25d: ROCK.
    21d: GUITAR.

    Most of my recent THC puzzles have been pangrams. The surface of 27a refers to a pangram. But, this particular puzzle, for a change, is not a pangram.

    Personal notes

    With ChatGPT and Bard making waves, AI is very much in the news right now. I have been likening these conversation bots to "drunk uncles"—loquacious and opinionated creatures that do not make much sense when examined rigorously. I expect they will learn to make much more sense over time, but like with any other uncle or aunt, a certain amount of wariness will always be warranted on our part.

    Will these bots be able to solve crosswords? Absolutely. But I think the more interesting question is, will they be able to set crosswords? I think it will be harder for them to get there, but eventually, yes. But AI already does a great job in *assisting* a human setter (see the "Charades" and "Anagrams" tabs in my own Exet (https://exet.app) software, for example), and I think such assistive features are going to get better at a rapid pace!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hmm, I thought I had posted my notes, but the comment seems to have disappeared. Hopefully just some transient glitch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK, I reposted, saw my comment appear, and then the comment disappeared again. Not sure what's going on, but not trying again. Maybe the comment is too long and the system takes it down.

      Delete
  10. Can someone kindly clarify what is the basis for or ran<=. While 'or' refers to Alternatively, how did we get ran<=?

    ReplyDelete
  11. The query above is for 19 A.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After recession, "alternatively" managed section getting smaller (9)

      In the cryptic reading, the scope if the reversal indicator "After recession, ..." here is both "alternatively" (OR) and "managed" (RAN), yielding NARRO. Then, "section" is WING.

      Delete
    2. Thanks a ton for your prompt reply, sir. Understood.

      Delete
  12. Sorry sir, but how does one interpret that the reversal indicator is not applicable to section.?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no "formula" other than considering all possible interpretations that can be parsed. "Reversing A, B, C" can cryptically mean any of (a) ABC<<, (2) A<< + BC, (3) AB<< + C.

      Delete
  13. Thanks sir for your clarification. As a novice, I still have miles to go.

    But I have become addicted to The Hindu Crossword and try not to look at the blogs until I solve as many clues as possible during the day.

    This blog is very special for a novice like me. Lots to learn and understand. Thanks to the lovely setters, fellow bloggers and the founders of this blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is where crossings help. Also, in this case with 'getting smaller; being the def.chances of the solution ending with 'ing' are good. You can try that first before other permutations.

      Delete
  14. Viresh your posts had gone into Spam, I suppose very long posts go into spam

    ReplyDelete
  15. I see his post appearing twice! Both are safe.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What s meaning of symbol before rock? Where s symbolism glossary

    ReplyDelete
  17. 'f' crossed out. (Frock- F) as indicated by topless.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Nice crossword. Relax - AS YOU WERE? Got it with crossing.
    NARROWING, STANDING OVATION my fav
    Thanx Viresh!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! The "As you were' phrase is a military drill command to relax again after an "Attention!" command. "Stand at ease" is also equivalent (not sure if the difference is purely regional).

      https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/as-you-were

      Delete
    2. Thanx. I have seen/heard STAND AT EASE, but not the other. Should have googled..

      Delete

deepakgita@gmail.com