Welcome to our new setter ECONOMIZER. Bouquets and Brickbats welcome.
Please submit all your answers in one comment.
Enjoy.
(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)
Enjoy.
2d USELESS
ReplyDeleteMonica = seles (tennis player)
seles in US
def: incompetent
4d COMPRISING
Delete(crimson + pig)*
def: containing
8d LACONIC
Delete(conical)*
def: concise
monica (proper noun) needs an indication.
DeleteRe: Proper noun - what sort of indication would suffice? Something like "Say, Monica in America is useless"?
Delete14d SUBTERFUGE - deception
ReplyDelete{future begs*}
A note on this clue. Definition could be either "Sham" or "deception". Anagrind could be either "sham" or "deception" depending on which is considered to be the definition.
Delete22d SATAN [T]
ReplyDelete1ac - MUSE - consider
ReplyDeleteSum - problem 《= + e drug
8d LACONIC - concise
ReplyDelete{conical*}
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ReplyDelete3dn - ENVIRONMENT - surroundings
ReplyDelete(In (at home) + env + tormen)*
indirect anagram.
DeleteIs indirect anagram an absolute no-no? What are the technical constraints to be followed by the setter?
DeleteIndirect anagram is absolutely no-no in any cryptics.
DeleteStandard abbreviation, not synonyms, leading to unambiguious abbr are accepted.
Ambiguios single letters are tolerated. Like side could mean r/l/s etc.
Otherwise the anagram fodder need to be plainly visible in the clue.
Like flas(-h)+o is accepted. Ply* is not.
DeleteNoted. Thank you for clarifying that. I also recommend explicitly adding this guidance under the "guidelines for Sunday Specials". As the page also encourages experimentation, it may be useful to recap for new setters what does not count as experimentation.
Delete21D. Clear= remove
ReplyDeleteC= conservative
Lear= king( Shakespeare's)
16A: NEUROTIC NICE TOUR*
ReplyDelete23A: BETRAYING E + TYING BRA*
14D: SUBTERFUGR FUTURE BEGS*
16a what is the anind!
Deletedoes around/about mean along with. how does the two fod's come together for anagram.
Yes. Was difficult to parse this. WP needs correction.
Delete16A Obsessed about tour around Nice...(8)
DeleteDefinition: Obsessed
Anno: {NICE* anind: around} around {TOUR* anind: about}
Now that you point it out I think "around" doing double duty is ambiguous and that there should be a separate anind included for Nice.
Maybe I could reword it as 16A Obsessed about tour around nice resort...(8)
16a NEUROTIC: obsessed
ReplyDelete(Tour nice)*
how is it a combined anagram!
DeleteEconomizer - that was easy. Done & dusted.
ReplyDeleteAnd quite delightful.
Thanx for a great Sunday start
Wow! Well solved. I'll have to hope my next grid proves more challenging for you.
Delete12A- Satin- (stain)*
ReplyDeleteDef.- Polished finish
Replacement
ReplyDelete17a DECENNIA - decades
{nice Dance*}
You have a small typo in your anno
DeleteYes, auto correction 🙂
Delete{nice Dane*}
26A (repl 14d repeat)
ReplyDeleteCOKE C(-h)OKE suffocate H = Heroin
20A-Facts= F Acts- Statistics
ReplyDeleteMeasures= Acts?
Think of "Acts" as in "Acts of Parliament"...they are measures passed by the state.
Delete18a TOASTS: drinks
ReplyDeleteTO(AS)TS
Tots: kids around as: assam
23A. Betraying= unfaithful
ReplyDeleteLeading escort= e
Tying bra suggestively is anagrind
E+ tying bra
17d: DIFFERS: disagrees( quarrels?)
ReplyDeleteD ( daughter) I(F: fellow)FERS: fries with f, cooking is anind
Chambers Thesaurus lists "quarrel" as a synonym for "differ"
DeleteThanks Economizer. Am wiser now
DeleteRepl for 16a
ReplyDelete19d TANTRIK:mystic
TK: empty track
ANTRI: detailed train
25A. Springtime= youth
ReplyDeleteSpring= fountain
Date= diet
For suggesting anagrind
Your anno is incorrect, the clue is not an anagram.
DeleteSPRINGTIME is correct. However the anno is incorrect.
DeleteSpring= fountain
DeleteTime= date
Beside suggesting that time is next to spring
Thanks
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ReplyDeleteOh..Springtide passes the muster?
ReplyDelete1 ac muse sum <e.problem-sum.
ReplyDeletedrug -e
11 dn pancake scan-pan.block-cake
Grid has consecutive unches
ReplyDeleteCol, are consecutive unches discouraged? As this was my first grid, I used the example provided in Wikipedia under the Cryptic Crossword article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptic_crossword
Deleteabsolute no no in THCC blog (THC also till date except an odd one for short time in earlier era when things were getting defined). this grid is technically allowed in some publications.
DeleteI for one stopped solving after spotting them.
I'm quite sure none of my subsequent grids has this problem. Can you explain why such a pattern is not permitted?
Delete@Col I suggest adding this requirement to your blog's page entitled "Sunday Specials". I had gone through the requirements there in detail prior to submission. This requirement was not mentioned.
DeleteNo more than two unchecked letters in a row
DeleteRoughly half the letters checked in every word. In an 8-letter word, at least 4 letters will be checked. Where the word length is odd, some publications might round down the number of checking letters to just below half; those with stricter standards of fairness like The Times and Gridman's grids in The Hindu round it up. This means that in a 7-letter word, at least surely 3 will be checked.
If two unches occur together, the Times grid has an additional rule that they will not be the first two or last two letters of the word.
4A, 9A, 24A and 25A have consecutive unches. In the case of 4A and 25A, 50% of the letters are checked. In the case of 9A and 24A, 7 out of 15 letters are checked, which is the maximum possible for a 15-letter clue.
DeleteFrom the net..
DeleteI stand corrected. It is possible to have 8 checks in a 15-letter clue.
DeleteIn the down clues
DeleteThis grid has three unchecked letters in a row, breaking the first rule of fair checking. I know of no other daily crossword that would consider this grid publishable.
Again from the net..
DeleteJust to clarify, @Gowri my grid here does not have 3 unchecked letters in a row, but rather the example provided in Shuchi's blog CrosswordUnclued has the 3 unchecked letters in a row.
DeleteIf the grid has 3 unchecked * (typo)
DeleteCorrection: 8 out of 15 is the maximum number of checks possible for a 15-letter clue. I agree that 7 out of 15 could be considered technically unfair.
DeleteAs a clarification, @Gowri's comment regarding 3 unchecks in a row does not apply in the case of this grid.
its more about fairness to solver.
Deletecrosswords once were more about language than general knowledge. (meaning most words were from dictionary than popular.) Easy-ness to have an educated guess based on crossings was also a factor in grid setting. unches make them more hunches than guesses.
more importantly the setters challenge should be on setting the clue than difficulty of navigating grid.
DeleteI don't think @Gowri's comment re: 3 consecutive unches applies here.
DeleteFor 4A and 25A, 50% of the letters are checked. However I agree that 7/15 checks is not ideal when 8 is possible (I stand corrected from my comment above that 7 is the maximum possible).
Just to clarify - I don't think the comments regarding 3 unches (or "more than 2 consecutive unches") in a row apply in the case of the current grid. For 4A and 25A, we have 50% of of the letters checked which I believe is fair. I agree that the situation is less than ideal for 9A and 24A, where 8/15 checks are possible but only 7 have been checked in the grid above.
Delete"No more than two unchecked letters in a row" - @sree_sree, hope you will change your mind and continue solving the grid.
Deletethats why I said technically other publications allow.
Deleteplease avoid here.
i even give a dissent note on perfectly (for cryptic crossy's) checked grids but where the navigation is congested by only one or two arterial roads!
There are also 2 consecutive unches in 16A and 17A, but again 50% of the letters are checked and nowhere are there "more than 2 consecutive unches".
Delete@sree_sree, noted re: avoiding the pattern here. My subsequent grids don't have this problem. I recommend adding this technical requirement under "guidelines for sunday specials" in this blog. Currently only grid size and symmetry are mentioned on that page.
Deletesymmetry does miss. this is a hybrid grid between even-checking grid to odd-checking gridd.
DeleteNote to new setters: don't use the grid from Wikipedia for your first grid!
Delete@sree_sree I think symmetry needs to be better defined. I see horizontal symmetry but not vertical symmetry in this grid. The requirements for this site specify "symmetry" but not whether horizontal symmetry, vertical symmetry or both.
Delete@sree_sree do note that symmetry in this grid is consistent with the THC standard of 180-degree rotational symmetry. Recent grids by Gussalufz and other setters in the THC have the same level of symmetry. The switch from odd-to-even checking doesn't matter. This is because when the grid is flipped upside down the checks are in the same locations.
DeleteI wont argue if the defence is textbook.
DeleteSo in gen terms:
isnt there a loss of symmetry when you shift from odd to even checking. Half of it is even and half of it is odd!
How is that symmetry.
This grid is symmetric because the definition of symmetry is "having the same appearance when rotated a certain amount along an axis". The textbook definition of symmetry for cryptics is "half-turn symmetry" or 180-degrees. That means that flipping the grid upside down should produce black-and-white blocks in the same positions. This is similar to, though not technically the same as "mirror symmetry", which is usually applicable for 3D objects.
DeleteRegardless of half the checks being even and half being odd, if you turn your screen upside down you will observe that the black and white squares appear in the same position as they were when the screen was right-side up, thereby meeting the definition of symmetry. Try it!
This grid's symmetry holds because the change from odd-checks to even-checks happens after Row 8 which is the exact horizontal midpoint of the grid. The 8th row follows a directionally agnostic symmetry. This means that the left half and the right half of the 8th row are identical, which is not the case for the other rows (and which does not have to be the case for half-turn rotational symmetry in cryptics).
23 built-assembled.
ReplyDeleteblt-sandwich b(ui)lt
Wondered how BLT is sandwich.
DeleteGoogled and found it stands for
bacon, lettuce and tomato
All done?
ReplyDeleteAm sorry. But what r consecutive unches? Can someone explain?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete10a TEARDROPS = Sobs
ReplyDeleteDrink TEA
Royal R
Falls DROPS
6d TIMES = Circumstances
Deleteoverturned SEMITruck
Insured contain. Indicator
7d RESET = Reform
DeleteStop REST consuming E ecstasy
10a TEARDROPS = Sobs
ReplyDeleteR for Royal in drink TEA and falls DROPS
(TEA)(R)(DROPS)
10A-Heavy Metal Music-CD
ReplyDelete4A-Collateral-Security-Co(l)(late)ral
10a not a cd.
Deleteheavy metal-lead; arrangements-music
Delete12a SATIN = Polished finish
ReplyDeleteStain* wiping. as anind I believe
6D TIMES <==T (semit)ruck
ReplyDeletelead- heavy metal; Arrangements-music
ReplyDelete2D- To get Seles from Monica. it had to be "Monica,say". Otherwise no clue to connect.
ReplyDeleteDuly noted. As a proper noun it requires an indication.
DeleteI had another clue like this in a subsequent grid, which has also now been corrected. Thanks @Padmanabhan and @sree_sree for pointing it out.
DeleteI had another clue like this in a subsequent grid, which I have corrected. Thanks @Padmanabhan and @sree_sree for pointing it out.
Delete7d. RES(E)T= Reform
ReplyDeletestop = REST
consuming ecstasy = E
Replacement for 6d
ReplyDelete24a ELECTRIC GUITARS
GUITARS (air gust*)
Not just an Anagram
Delete4a. CO(L)(LATE)RAL =Security
ReplyDeletestudent = L
delayed= LATE
,plastered with = containment ins
wine = CORAL
13 d Apocalyptic
ReplyDeleteanno?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnybody want to give the anno for 5D?
ReplyDeleteWell solved Sathia
ReplyDelete5 dn loafs.flas-h+o*
ReplyDeleteA small story about the life of this clue. Initially I had written "Behold a female Pole's buns" for the anno {LO}{A}{F}{S}. However when typing it up I realized that the plural for buns is LOAVES, making the definition incorrect.
DeleteSo I reworded it to "Behold a female Pole's bums" for the same anno. But I felt that anatomically a person has a "bum" (singular) and not multiple bums.
Finally I had to settle for "Endlessly flash old shapely bums".
Thanks Sathia. I certainly will.
ReplyDeleteIf 9A is RA, what is the Anagrind? Electric?
ReplyDeleteWhy 'Heard on the radio'?
4A- Is 'Coral' a synonym for wine? I think there is coral wine, but I have not come across coral as a synonym for wine.
ReplyDeleteCoral describes a pinkish-red or pinkish-orange colour, similar to wine. Collins and some other sources list "wine" and "coral" as synonyms for red. I wasn't able to find it in Chambers, though. I guess I'll take the brick-bat in this case. I think it's an unusual usage even though it fit well into the surface.
DeleteCoral describes a pinkish-orange or pinkish-red colour. Collins and other sources list "coral" and "wine" as synonyms for "red". However Chambers does not. I think it's unusual enough to merit discussion. While "coral" seemed to fit well into the surface of the clue, I'm not sure I'd use the "coral" and "wine" as synonyms again.
DeleteSynonyms must be listed under same definition.
DeleteMany words have more than one definition and each def could have synonyms.
The synonyms from def 1 cannot be used to replace synonym from def 2.
Red has one def for colour and second def for wine.
I understand your point regarding synonyms in general. I also concede that CORAL for "wine" is unusual.
DeleteHowever, I must add that the words "red", "wine" and "coral" all have definitions as colours.
Again thats not the point.
DeleteRed and yellow both are colours. But obviously they are not synonyms!!!
Wine-red and coral-red are different shades of red. Obv they are not synonyms. While "red, perhaps" could lead to both wine and coral.
DeleteAgreed on both counts.
Delete24A is a Reverse Anagram, not 9a. The anagrind is ELECTRIC while the fodder is AIR GUST. The definition is "heard on the radio?" indicating that electric guitars are something that might be heard on the radio.
ReplyDeleteAnno for 13D remains unsolved.
ReplyDeleteAnno pending for 13D.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get the full anno either
ReplyDeleteSobriety - aa
Retreating cop - poc
Jerk - tic
How do u get lyp?
A(poc)a + lyp (??) + tic.
LYP comes from "rude, cross" where PLY is a synonym for cross. I guess it is an indirect anagram.
DeleteLip for rude but not sure what the homonym indicator was ?
DeleteI could not get 'Electric' as anagram indicator in the Chambers Crossword dictionary that I have or in Crossword unclued. I don't remember to have come across the same in THC.
ReplyDeleteNoted @Padmanabhan. I took liberty with that one.
ReplyDeleteI don't think cross can be synonym for ply. Ply is a layer,fold.pleat etc.
ReplyDeleteOne can "ply" a river, for example.
DeleteThat is travel and not necessarily cross.
DeleteYes, you're correct. This one is not entirely fair to the solver.
DeleteI had used "electric" in the sense "having or producing a sudden sense of thrilling excitement." For example, "the concert had an electric atmosphere."
ReplyDeleteMany synonyms seem stretched to suit surfaces. Yes,surface is important but synonyms must easily lead from one to another directly.
ReplyDeleteNoted @Padmanabhan. I'll be combing through my subsequent grids with Chambers in hand.
DeleteCrossing has as synonym journey, passage etc. but not cross.
ReplyDeleteElectric can be explosive/volatile.
ReplyDeleteBut def is too vague esp when it has a meaning of indicating homophone in cryptics.
9a falls under def by e.xample. such would req "could be one (member of the def class)" type of indicator. For eg etc....
ReplyDeleteLessons learnt (for new setters):
ReplyDelete1. No indirect Anagrams
2. No consecutive unches
3. Grid to be symmetrical (both H and V)
4.Indictor for proper nouns
5. Careful about combined anagrams
6. Careful about synonyms
DeleteThanks for compiling this list, RK.
DeleteRegarding unches, I am still confused as to whether any consecutive unches at all are objectionable, or whether "more than 2 consecutive unches" are objectionable. On the one hand, it would mean 2 consecutive unches are ok, but 3 or more are unfair. On the other hand, it would mean that no consecutive unches at all are allowed.
2 cannot be avoided. Initially it is better and safer to use any of the grids used here or in THC. Many variants are available and you can choose any of them that suits you.
DeleteRegarding unches - as per my understanding after checking several THC puzzles -
Deleteno consecutive unches at all.
Pl correct me if I am wrong.
Simple: one has to go by the publishers rules.
DeleteNo consequitive unches in THCC blog. THC till today is same.
This group is predominently THC buffs with New learners/entrants.
So we can have any amount of gen discussion but for this blog safe to take no consecutive unches at all.
I agree that publisher's rules must be followed. It would be rather useful for such rules to be expressed clearly in writing in advance by the publisher!
DeleteI don't think both H and V symmetry are required in THC grids. Only one of the 2 are required.
DeleteIs ", say" not sufficient indication in the case of 9A?
ReplyDeleteNice recap Ramesh.
ReplyDeleteGrid construction has nothing to do with my instructions for Sunday Specials. No unches and the requirement of symmetry is standard for cryptic crosswords
ReplyDeleteHow universal is the standard of banning non-consecutive unches if the Times allows consecutive unches! Regarding symmetry, the grid here has 180-degree rotational symmetry but not 90-degree symmetry. What is the standard? It appears there is variability. I present the following excerpt from Shuchi's blog. https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2009/09/crossword-grid-symmetry.html
Delete"Rotational Symmetry
All mainstream crossword grids have 180° rotational symmetry, also called two-way symmetry or half-turn symmetry. This means that when the grid is turned upside down, the black squares and white squares are in the same locations. Some grids also have 90° symmetry, which is four-way symmetry or quarter-turn symmetry.
The rotational symmetry doesn't affect the solving in any way, just adds to visual appeal (except if you have a Poirot-esque obsession with order then it will help by not distracting you from the solving). It does help the setter in keeping other aspects of the grid consistent across the puzzle."
In each case, I have noted your preference for publication in this blog and my subsequent grids remain unaffected.
The reason I recommend explicitly stating it on your site is there seem to be a variety of standards. Even articles on popular crossword sites seem to indicate that there are no hard-and-fast global standards.
Especially as your instructions for Sunday Specials solicit experimentation by the setter, it would be appropriate to clarify that experimentation is unwelcome in the matters of 90-degree rotational symmetry and any consecutive unches.
DeleteI just said symmetry, I never said that it should be 180°. I am not aware if Times allows consecutive unches as I have never seen one there.
DeleteI love the song Paradise City. Thank you for putting it in the grid.
ReplyDeleteCheers! I'm glad someone here likes the song.
DeleteThanks Col. for publishing this puzzle and thanks to the blog followers for attempting and pointing out various improvements. I hope you'll find the next edition satisfactory.
ReplyDeleteEconomizer,
ReplyDeleteBy the way the 'Guidelines' for Sunday Specials were framed by our very own Gridman who was a respected authority in the world of Crosswords.
As regards your harping on the word 'experimentation' he had clarified that it was with reference to clue writing
I have read the page re: experimentation and understand your point that it is with regard to clue writing. Duly noted, sir.
DeleteApocalypse is a biblical prophecy about the end of the world. + Cops and + jerk (tic)
DeleteTo defend, yes. One might argue ones way out that its sufficient. After a long discussion, I would give up and agree.
ReplyDeleteIf it were fodder, say would be more than sufficient.
But definitions should be as crisp as possible.
So if its avoidable (if the clue is amenable to rephrasing), avoid it.
For someone interested , spoiler alert: very long and detailed summarization
ReplyDeletehttps://academic-accelerator.com/encyclopedia/cryptic-crossword
One other point Gridman had explained in a most simple way-
ReplyDeleteOne must be able to move continuously on white squares without a break moving only horizontally or vertically, the way we fill it up. In this grid,for example, the NE corner (right top) is isolated from the rest of the grid. It is not about symmetry.
Btw - this grid is neither horizontally symmetrical, nor vertically symmetrical. It is diagonally symmetrical.
DeleteHence works when u turn it upside down.
@Gowri I would trust your opinion on symmetry as you are an experienced Rangoli artist!
Delete