Friday, 1 September 2023

No 13959, Friday 01 Sep 2023, Arden

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS ONLY
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PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

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ACROSS
1   In short "A tale" - there is no interest for it (7,7) CURRENT ACCOUNT {CURRENT}{ACCOUNT}
10 Winger's lift at home (5) ROBIN {ROB}{IN}
11 Reverberates - another reason for failure? (9) RESONATES {REASON*}{SET<=}
12 Left one in lead, only a sugar pill (7) PLACEBO {P{L}{ACE}B}{O}
13 Stop! Nothing to hold me back! (7) EMBARGO {O}{GRAB}{ME}<=
14 What is held by United States, say in reparation? (5) ASSET [T<=] Semi&lit
16 Walk way to retain billboard? Follow intuition, perhaps (9) ESPLANADE {LAN{AD}E}<=>{ESP}
19 Seamstress will eat wearing short gloves (9) MIDINETTE {MI{DINE}TTEn}
20 Show rejection in some hospital certificate (5) ECLAT [T<=]
22 Dictator in trial, looking extremely neat (7) TIDIEST {T{IDI}EST}
25 Sign of authority gets dubious respect (7) SCEPTRE*
27 Hottest in a waysorted it out, right inside (9) TORRIDEST {SORTED+IT}* over {R}
28 Private meal, hasn't started (5) INNER dINNER
29 As Kurds danced, took weekend off for a pastime (5,3,6)  DUCKS AND DRAKES {AS+KURDS+DANCED+weeK}*

DOWN
2   Bin used as substitute - is it fair? (9) UNBIASSED*
3   Wash and go up anonymously (5) RINSE {RI{N}SE}
4   Shelter housing missile, extremely cramped (9) NARROWEST {N{ARROW}EST}
5   Beer drinking, is this a way? (5) AISLE {A{IS}LE}
6   Able to escapfinally and stop at the thicket of bamboo (9) CANEBRAKE {CAN}{e...pE}{BRAKE}
7   Decapitated ram, say (5) UTTER bUTTER
8   Material that sets our ground (7) TUSSORE*
9   Drink with general consent to accept blame (6) GRAPPA {G{RAP}PA}
15 Endeavours to protect girl and hides here (9) TANNERIES {T{ANNE}RIES}
17 Urge male to hold the clothes in place (5,4) PRESS STUD {PRESS}{STUD}
18 Lancelot accepting a representation suddenly (3,2,4) ALL AT ONCE {LANCELOT+A}*
19 Transformed with time consumed in keeping dirt out (7) MUTATED {MU{T}{ATE}D}
21 Party takes him in principle (6) THEORY {T{HE}ORY}
23 Physicist finds it dry on the way up and cloudy (5) DIRAC {ARID<=}{C}
24 Connection with money that is invested (3-2) TIE-IN {T{IE}IN}
26 Around one acre to put up a plant (5) ERICA {ER{1}CA<=}

Reference List
A = Ampere = CURRENT, Left = L, Only = O, Billboard = AD, Right = R, Time = T, Cloudy = C


87 comments:

  1. 28A: (_d)INNER
    10A: ROB(IN)
    8D: TUSSORE..sets+our*
    20 A: ECLAT..Rev T
    25A: SCEPTRE..respect*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 10A was a lovely clue. Simple charade. "Winger's lift at home (5)"

      Delete
  2. By far, most gratifying puzzle for me in some time. Finding the annotations is more difficult than the answers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 27 ac torridest anagram of sorted it with r ie right

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 27A Hottest in a way sorted it out, right inside (9)
      Solution = TORRIDEST
      Hottest = Definition
      SORTED IT = anagram fodder
      out = anagrind
      right = R
      Inside = Containment indicator

      What is "in a way" doing in the clue? Is it part of the definition? "Hottest, in a way"?

      Separately, I am scratching my head for the meaning of the surface reading. It contains 3 phrases tacked together with commas that together don't seem to mean anything!

      Delete
    2. There is only one comma. It IS cryptic in a way🙂

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. 5 Beer drinking, is this a way? (5)

      Solution = AISLE
      Beer = ALE
      Drinking = containment ind
      IS = containment fodder
      a way? = Definition

      "This" appears to be redundant.

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. This a way? - has an unsaid Is in front.
      AISLE answers to
      'This a way?'- Definition

      Delete
  5. 19Ac MIDINETTE -{MI{DINE}TTE(-n)}

    ReplyDelete
  6. Replies
    1. Brilliant solve. I had used the crossings to solve it but was stuck on the anno. There was a subtle wordplay at the end implying the entire thing subsidiary indication to be reversed to arrive at the definition.

      Delete
  7. 12a : PLACEBO (P(L)(ACE)B)(O)

    Definition : A sugar pill.
    (A pill that is given to a patient like a drug but that has no medicine in it )

    L(left)+ACE(one) in PB(lead)+O(only)

    Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb

    ReplyDelete
  8. 19 ac midinette-seamstress.
    short gloves -mitte(n).eat-dine.
    mi(dine)tte.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 3D RINSE
    Go up: Rise
    Anonymously: without Name (n)
    Rise without N: Rinse
    Definition: Wash

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymously = delete N. Is this common in crosswords?

      Delete
    2. This is the only anno I couldn't figure out. Got it from this comment.

      Delete
  10. 11A Reverberates(def) - RESONATES
    another(anagrind) reason*
    for (link)
    failure? - setback? - TES
    (RESONA*)(TES)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Failure?" = setback was interesting, though beyond the line of fair subsidiary wordplay. The wordplay should lead directly to the solution, not to a further step of wordplay.

      Delete
  11. 16 a. ESPLANADE: walk
    ESP: intuition( extra sensory perception
    LANE: way
    AD: billboard
    ESP LAN (AD) E

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think (walk) way is on double duty as definition and lane.

      Delete
    2. walk as noun is a route meant for walking for pleasure; so is esplanade.
      way is a route on which one may walk or run for any purpose.
      I thought the setter did not mean double duty for either word.

      Delete
    3. Good solve AJ mam. I was not getting anno. for ESP

      Delete
    4. Good solve. I had got the word ESPLANADE using the crossings and given up on the anno, eventually finding out through your comment.

      Delete
  12. compensating....
    29 ac ducks and drakes-pastime.
    as kurds danced k* wee(k)end

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was dancing with Kurds for long before realising its arden.

      Delete
  13. 22A – {T{IDI}EST}
    Trial – Test
    Dictator – Idi Amin
    Def. Neat - Tidiest

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would have preferred to have it as 'Say, dictator' since it is part of a proper name.

      Delete
    2. I disagree regarding the proper name.

      If the clue has a proper noun indicating a generic word (or proper noun) in the solution, then we need an indicator to make it fair. For example, if the clue had "Idi" and the solution had DICTATOR then we could say that "Idi, say" would have been a fair indication.

      Since the clue is the other way round - generic indicator in the clue with a specific example in the solution, the clue is fair as it is. It is normal for example to have "River" in a clue meaning DEE or TEES or NILE in the solution. Why not the same for "dicator" = IDI?

      ----

      Side note regarding the same issue: yesterday I was solving Guardian Cryptic 29162 by Picaroon. One of the main clues was - "Will fruit put in drinks finish in lemonade? (11)" with the solution {SHAKES}{PEAR}{(-lemonad)E}. I thought this clue was unfair as the definition is "Will", which is a proper noun. However on the solution blog fifteensquared, there were 100+ comments on the puzzle and not a single one pointing this out! The post is interesting as the puzzle across solutions also have a subtle theme.

      https://www.fifteensquared.net/2023/08/30/guardian-cryptic-29162-by-picaroon/

      Delete
    3. Will for william is very common in england/gaurdian. Even SS is also ref with that name in local.
      So its fair for them.

      Delete
  14. 2d UNBIASSED: Fair, unbiased alternative selling
    (bin used as)*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2D Bin used as substitute - is it fair?

      My comment: Substitute as anagrind - is it fair???

      Delete
  15. 4D N(ARROW)EST = extremely cramped
    shelter = NEST
    housing = containment indicator
    missile = ARROW

    ReplyDelete
  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. 1A CUURENT ACCOUNT; there is no interest for it; In short A = current (ampere); tale=account

    ReplyDelete
  18. 6D. CAN (able) + E (last letter of "escape") + BRAKE (stop) = CANEBRAKE = a thicket of bamboo

    ReplyDelete
  19. 7d UTTER = Say
    Ram = Butter, decapitated (- B)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Though "butter" in the clue = RAM in the solution seems to be common in clues, I found it strange that "ram" in the clue should mean BUTTER in the solution.

      That would be like putting Nile in the clue and expecting the solvers to put FLOWER in the solution.

      Delete
    2. Ram(animal) is a noun synonymous with butter(one who butts), not a name(proper noun) like Nile.

      Delete
  20. Dirac. C(ARID)=<. Physicist
    Dry=Arid, Cloudy-C
    On the way up is reversal indicator.
    Had to google to confirm Paul Dirac as a theoretical physicist.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. From Big Bang Theory
      Sheldon: I brought Amy here to show her some of the work I'm doing.
      Amy: It's very impressive, for theoretical work.
      Sheldon: Do I detect a hint of condescension?
      Amy: I'm sorry, was I being too subtle? I meant compared to the real-world applications of neurobiology, theoretical physics is - what's the word I'm looking for? Hmm, cute.
      Sheldon: Are you suggesting the work of a neurobiologist like Babinski could ever rise to the significance of a physicist like Clerk Maxwell or Dirac?
      Amy: I'm stating it outright. Babinski eats Dirac for breakfast and defecates Clerk Maxwell

      Delete
    2. Oh yes, that was a memorable scene 😁

      Delete
    3. Anyway, credit to me for having solved the clue, though I did not watch Big Bang theory, Of course, wiki is there to help people like me!!

      Delete
    4. I think ARID<= C would be more appropriate anno

      Delete
    5. Used to have the theme song of big bang theory by bare naked ladies as my ringtone. That episode between Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler is legen, wait for it..., dary!
      That (legendary stuff) is from 'how I met your mother'.

      Delete
  21. 17a, Press Stud = To hold clothes in place
    Urge = press
    Make = stud

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sorry again, it id 17d and not 17a

    ReplyDelete
  23. 14A-asset-what is held; united staTES SAy in reverse; not sure if reparation means reverse though

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1, "reparation of" could be an anagram indicator. "Repulsion" and "Repelling" could be reversal indicators.

      Delete
  24. 19D MUTATED = Transformed {MUD, dirt taking time T, ATE consumed}

    ReplyDelete
  25. 4d NARROWEST
    shelter = nest
    missile = arrow
    Nest housing arrow
    Def : extremely cramped

    ReplyDelete
  26. Down 9, 15, 24, 26 remaining.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Replacement for 4d
    15d : TANNERIES
    endeavors = tries
    girl = anne
    def: hides = animal skin (tannery is a place where animal skin in processed)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I got the TANNERIES anno because of hides, but HIDES HERE as a definition lacks something.

      Delete
  28. 15d (T(ANNE)RIES) = place with hides / skins; Anne from girl; Endeavours => tries

    24d (T(IE)- IN) = connection; Money=> Tin; that is => ie

    26d ERICA = a flowering plant: anagram of Acre + I from one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right. Acre reversal around I. "Put up" being the reversal instructor.

      Delete
  29. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  30. Yes, Prasad's solution will also be cryptic!

    ReplyDelete
  31. overall view Friday's special experienced with challenging & interesting. lot of debates and interactions. Thank you Col.sir & Arden.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Some words had an interesting French etymological connection: MIDINETTE, ECLAT, SCEPTRE, ESPLANADE. Seeing IDI as "dictator in trial" in 22A was amusing. 1A (Charade) and 29A (Anagram) were challenging but key clues to open up the grid.

    CANEBRAKE, GRAPPA and TUSSORE were interesting words to research. I think my mother owns some saris made with TUSSORE silk.

    Rather unfairly, "substitute" was used as an anagrind in 2D and "reparation" as a reversal indicator in 14A. In two clues, the wordplay led to additional wordplay: "failure"->setback->{SET<=}->{TES} in 11A and "anonymously"->without name->{(-n)} in 3D, also unfair to the solver in my opinion. In 15A "Hides here" as the definition for TANNERIES was on the borderline, as the definition contained adequate information to arrive at the solution but it was grammatically incomplete, seemingly in the name of misdirection.

    In 17D, the definition was a verb while the solution was a noun - a part-of-speech mismatch.

    My clue-of-the-day was 19D {MU{T}{ATE}D} ("Transformed with time consumed in keeping dirt out"). It was a fine charade with an agreeable surface reading.

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  34. I started filling the grid mainly marking the junctions(crossings) because I wasn't 100% about a lot of them. As the crossings started matching, started looking at the clues more closely to arrive at the answers.
    For instance, in 11A I needed TES for answer and to account for failure. Reverse engineering worked.
    Probably some clues are unconventional, but gave me aha moments.

    ReplyDelete
  35. 19A solution should show
    short gloves as 'mittens - ns'.
    Not as shown, that is 'mitten-n'.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Arden has not served a garden variety CW, for sure! I like it👍

    ReplyDelete

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