Monday 15 May 2023

No 13865, Monday 15 May 2023, Crescent

Solution to 18D 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
8   Drink some wine from counter (4) FENI [T<=]
9   Ring returning gold, sound of digging into mountains? (10) OROLOGICAL {O}{OR<=}{LOGICAL
10 Herb to the West, or coriander primarily, that Latin cooking shares (8) CILANTRO {OR}{Co...r}<= over {LATIN}*
11 'A' quality shelled nuts served with milk (2,4) AU LAIT {A}{qUALITy}*
12 People close to chief can cheat to some extent (4,2) KIND OF {KIND}{tO}{c..eF} (Addendum - {KIN}{DO}{c..eF} - See comments)
13 Boater, say going round Italian island, an islander? (8) TAHITIAN {HAT<=}{IT}{I}{AN}
15 Fancy silver bringing out pet passion to have the perfect set (3,4,1,5) FIT LIKE A GLOVE {LIKE}{AG}{LOVE}<=>{FIT} (Addendum - {LIKE}{AG} in  {FIT}{LOVE} - See comments)
17 Poor souls, by inhaling Ecstasy, wish to sneeze? (5,3) BLESS YOU {SOULS+BY}* over {E}
19 Army told to switch position resulting in defeat (3,3) SEE OFF {(~ sea)SEE}{OFF}
21 Head over before time for soup (6) POTAGE {TOP<=}{AGE}
23 State is dividing group in revolt (8) UPRISING {UP}{R{IS}ING}
24 Instant reprimand of sorts (6-4) SECOND-RATE {SECOND}{RATE}
25 Join a bar (4) ABUT {A}{BUT}

DOWN
1   Old house of Florence Nightingale, essentially about the same in retrospect (6) MEDICI {n...tIn...e}{C}{IDEM}<=
2   Cocktail sort of rummy, rum all but dainty (3,3,2) GIN AND IT {GIN}{DAINTy}*
3   Fabulous creature's horn just sticking outside from hay (5,5) TOOTH FAIRY {TOOT}{H{FAIR}aY}
4   Target most vulnerable area of huge gaur, jolt and run off (2,3,3,7) GO FOR THE JUGULAR {OF+HUGE+GAUR+JOLT+R}*
5   Hip American supporting those that crow aloud (4) COXA {A}<=>{(~cocks)COX}
6   Olive tree's first new flower (6) VIOLET {OLIVE+Tree}*
7   Suicidal king out of bounds, like in a jungle (8) KAMIKAZE {K}{A}{M{lIKe}AZE}
14 Main way to deal with setter - perhaps answering this for clue? (4,6) HIGH STREET {SETTER}* [RA]
15 Succeeded in doubling base amidst collapse (8) FOLLOWED {FOL{LOW}{E}D} 
16 Excited voters missing leader may remain longer than expected (8) OVERSTAY {VOTERS*}{mAY}
18 Spread pounds scammed in cloud (6) S?A?O
20 Day spent by pool to conduct non-competitive event (3,3) FUN RUN {FUNd}{RUN}
22 Stops boundaries (4) ENDS [DD]

Reference list
Gold = OR, Italian = IT, Island = I, Ecstasy = E, About = C, The same = IDEM, Run = R, American = A, King = K, Base = LOW, Base = E, Day = D

23 comments:

  1. 12a cheat:do
    Kin (do) f
    Can:container.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 15a is there a typo in anno. (Like ag in (love <=>fit))!
    Def is perfect set.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IMHO-
      Fancy= Like, Silver= Ag, Passion= Love, Bringing out=Fit & To have is the containment indicator.
      Def. is Perfect set

      Delete
    2. 15A It's FIT (LIKE AG) LOVE
      fancy= like
      silver= ag
      bringing out= insertion ind
      pet= fit (as in a childish fit of sulkiness, tantrum etc)
      passion= love
      have the perfect set= fit like a glove (verb)

      Delete
  3. Total disaster today. Got 2 clues only.. my ways of thinking were completely different from the annotations and solutions here.. long way to grow. Too tough.. wish there has been some easier ones interspersed to make it fun.. very difficult clues though not unreasonable

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1If you don't to say some unkind wirds I would suggest he is less than reasonable.

      Delete
    2. To add, as PG Wodehouse would have it
      With today's THC I am not disgruntled but far from being gruntled.

      Delete
    3. Surprisingly, I found 'Gruntled' in Free Dic.-
      "(informal) Happy or contended,satisfied".
      I did not expect it.

      Delete
    4. Takes time to get used to any new Setter's cluing style. Perseverance is the key.

      Delete
  4. Annotation for 19a is not understood. What is see? Can someone kindly clarify?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Can I try 18d?
    18d, cloud = shadow
    Scammed = had
    Spread = sow
    Spread pounds Scammed in
    = [s (had)ow]

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tough but satisfying solve today. Loved AU LAIT, KIND OF, BLESS YOU, TOOTH FAIRY, OVERSTAY. Had to google to confirm OROLOGICAL and COXA. Thanks Crescent and Col.
    But for Q it is a pangram too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Loved this crossword though time consuming. Many *aha* clues.Thanks Crescent.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 18D is still unsolved.
    Is it Shadow? - S(HAD)OW
    Sow = Spread
    But had is pounds scammed?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Prasad & KKR. This pound-=pen. I never thought of it.
    So, 'In' is just a connector?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Stray cattle used to be put in pound and in my younger days illiterate villagers used to pronounce it as 'Bound' and it has stayed with me. I have got confused many times!

    ReplyDelete

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