Saturday 1 July 2023

No 13906, Saturday 01 Jul 2023, Arden

ACROSS
1   Start getting caught, that's very rare (6) SCARCE {SCAR{C}E}
4   Authority rests only with a soldier (8) COMMANDO {COMMAND}{O}
9   Mention shortly, perhaps it's not late (2,4) ON TIME MENTIOn*
10 Transport portal (8) ENTRANCE [DD]
12 Propound by writing on something very tiny (8) POSITRON {POSIT}{R}{ON}
13 Country cricket team, income varies (6) MEXICO {XI} in {COME}*
15 Perhaps flash me pet! (6,6) GORDON SETTER {GORDON}{SETTER}
18 I am determined to take day off and shift before noon... (4,8) ANTE MERIDIEM {I+AM+DETERMINEd}*
21 ...a day rolls past as one settles in (6) ADAPTS {A}{D}{PAST*}
22 Tablet to block this thing in the blood (8) PLATELET {PLATE}{LET}
24 Vessel earlier found around church (8) SCHOONER {S{CH}OONER}
25 Starts falling in line, music industry counts on movies (6) FILMIC Acrostic
26 Cops land in trouble during such bad weather (4,4) COLD SNAP*
27 Forbid such primitive structure in the country (6) BHUTAN {B{HUT}AN}

DOWN
1   Ban on worker? Yes, ban (8) STOPPAGE {STOP}{PAGE}
2   Ability or right to sit up through a trial (8) ARTISTRY {A}{R}{SIT<=}{TRY}
3   Manifestation of intimacy - so not leading to better relationships among countries (6,2,7) COMITY OF NATIONS*
5   Make noise like an animal - it's allowed outside home (4) OINK {O{IN}K}
6   I'm doubtful about her credential as an Hollywood actress (7,8) MARLENE DIETRICH {IM+HER+CREDENTIAL}*
7   Trade union accepts top company representative (6) NUNCIO {NUN{Co...y}IO*}
8   Regularly poaches many a wild animal (6) OCELOT {pOaChEs}{LOT}
11 Those with two hands maybe holding arms (7) HOLSTER {THOSE+L+R}*
14 Say extremely lousy, completely (7) UTTERLY {UTTER}{LousY}
16 Relish old malt whisky with Ambassador (8) DIPLOMAT {DIP}{O+MALT}*
17 Maybe happiness caught in this sign (8) EMOTICON {EMOTI{C}ON} Semi&lit
19 First piggy back on cycle, it's a long distance (6) PARSEC {Pi..y}{ARSE}{C} 
20 Both sides have to long for her (6) RACHEL {R}{ACHE}{L}
23 Star valley (4) VEGA [DD] Not sure of second definition Link updated, see comments 

Reference List
Caught = C, Only = O, Writing = R, Day = D, Church = CH, Right = R, Home = IN, Hands = L,R, Old = O, Cycle = C, Sides = L,R 

21 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Whenever let comes, I think of let in tennis when the ball hits the netcord and falls right. It allows the service to be right but there is a hindrance/ block. So a reserve is ordered.

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  2. I have a grievance against 13A. It is okay to split income as in come. We are used to it now. But to apply anagrind to come alone (after splitting) is not fair to the solver.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. 'Come prepared- taking Cricket team to the country'- would have been better

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    2. Come prepared sounds nice.

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  3. This is what I could find on searching-
    La Vega, Dominican Republic

    Wikipedia
    https://simple.wikipedia.org › wiki › La_Vega,_Domi...
    The Dominican city of Concepción de la Vega, usually known as La Vega, is the ... of the island ("Vega" means valley): the Cibao Valley or Royal Valley.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Google doctionary lists vega for valley. (Have to search valley).

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  4. vega
    noun
    (in Spain and Spanish America) a large grassy plain or valley.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 13a - could not get proper anno. I am not an expert. Got the solution. but the word 'income' is single entity. how to extract the word 'come' to get with MEXICO. i AM NOT FINDING THE DELETION INDICATOR FOR 'IN'.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My anno.
    In means inside the word 'come'.
    Cricket team:Xi
    Xi inside come :Mexico.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Split income as in come (no indication needed) XI (cricket team) in (come)*
    Exactly what I had said above- not fair to the solver.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Typical of Arden. He has used similar words earlier though i do not recollect properly. A few other setters have also copied . So the clue is not only the word itself but with conjunction of the setters name it comes out h

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    2. I haven't seen your post at 09:10. anyway, noted and corrected my anno. i think setter has well word play here.

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  8. Nice puzzle. OCELOT, NUNCIO, EMOTICON were favs.
    One question: Since "flash" refers to Flash Gordon in 15A, which is a proper noun, should it not be capitalized?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even in today's guardian c/w, Flash Gordon finds a place

      Delete
  9. Nice grid. Typical Arden.
    Though I got PLATELET - the anno is not clear to me.
    I could neither find PLATE as a synonym for tablet, nor LET for block. Can someone clarify?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found a meaning for LET as Obstacle.

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    2. I found plate too. Thanx.

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    3. Please see my comments earlier about Let

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  10. My favs were - EMOTICON, RACHEL, STOPPAGE.
    Thanx Arden!

    ReplyDelete

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