ACROSS
1 Demands and obtains kiss in ultimately lamentable performances (6) EXACTS {X} in {l...lE}{ACTS}
4 The red flag or The Stars and Stripes Forever? (8) STANDARD [DD]
9 Toiler you picture inputting something thunderously, primarily? (6) TYPIST Acrostic Semi&l;it
10 Celebrated audibly in multiple flights (8) STOREYED (~storyed)
11 Victorian cuisine: scoff a kind of dove, very excited (4,6,4) MOCK TURTLE SOUP {MOCK}{TURTLE}{SO}{UP}
15 Brigade, the unruly kind (3-7) BIG-HEARTED {BRIGADE+THE}*
19 English getting runs? One, for a long stretch (3) ERA {E}{R}{A}
20 Out of Sellotape now, all of a sudden (2,3,4,5) AT ONE FELL SWOOP {OF+SELLOTAPE+NOW}*
24 Alpinist's regrettable lack of control (8) TAIL SPIN*
25 Socialist in Caracas: Trotskyist? (6) CASTRO [T]
26 An absent-minded shopper might be this vacant (8) LISTLESS {LIST LESS}
27 Read third letter aloud depicting Biblical impediment (3,3) RED SEA (~read c)
DOWN
1 Guess teatime's off? (8) ESTIMATE*
2 When computer's overwhelming Everyman's a kind of jelly (5) ASPIC {AS}{P{I}C}
3 Cricket match on TV: fourth of batsmen in experimental gear (4,5) TEST TUBES {TEST}{TUBE}{batSmen}
6 Invaders laying waste to Australian navy: they're expected (5) NORMS NORManS
7 See our way to resort? Don't worry (2,3,4) AS YOU WERE {SEE+OUR+WAY}*
8 Two posters stuck up displaying avant-garde art (4) DADA {AD<=}{AD<=}
12 Music and cakes for guttersnipes (11) RAGAMUFFINS {RAGA}{MUFFINS}
14 Charmers, ones that are often fruity (9) SMOOTHIES [DD]
16 Once again enthral, seeing cabbages pruned and half of fragrant sprigs (2-7) RE-ENSLAVE {gREENS}{LAVEnder}
17 Chart with an old record climbing: it's Spanish (8) PAMPLONA {AN+O+LP}{MAP}<=
21 A plan's arranged, not initially paying through the nose (5) NASAL {A+pLANS}*
22 Swears, finding piece of haggis in porridge earlier (5) OATHS {OAT{Ha...s}S}What's the role of 'EARLIER'?
23 To some extent get along with other people (2,2) ET AL [T]
Reference List
Kiss = X, Very = SO, Excited = UP, English = E, Runs = R, Australian = A, Navy = N, Old = O, Record = LP(Long Play)
No Sunday special from today till completion of the online rounds of IXL.
ReplyDeleteHoliday Special will be there only in case of a newspaper holiday.
Noted col.sir.
DeleteAll the best to all IXL participants for the Practice round today.
ReplyDeletePlease remember that nobody should discuss IXL clues here till the results for each round is announced.
Done and dusted! Had one or two guesses which were hopefully correct.
DeleteExolve library by Gussalufz is an incredible tool for use in online publications and such tournaments. Solving was a smooth experience with a familiar interface.
DeleteAll the best to other contestants.
Delete22D. I think, earlier refers to Haggis. In is a containment indicator.Boiled Oats is porridge.However, no indicator of boiled
ReplyDeleteEarlier (stage) refers to period before they were made into porridge. "Piece of" refers to H in haggis.
DeleteI had entered RE-ENSNARE for 16D though I was unable to account for the anno.
ReplyDeleteRe: 4A, "The Stars and Stripes" is a flag and can be called a STANDARD. However, "The Stars and Strips Forever" is a song and as such can it be used as a definition for STANDARD? Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars_and_Stripes_Forever
In 11A, how is "very excited" = SOUP?
In 14D "Charmers" as definition for SMOOTHIES was well done but as an imprecise definition ought to have been indicated with a question-mark or similar. The wordplay for 12D RAGAMUFFINS was delightful.
Re: 11A, I see it now. {very}{excited} = {SO}{UP}.
Delete4a look up musical standard.
DeleteJungle jungle patha chala hai
Chaddi pehen ki......
is also a std.
Wonderful explanation Prasad. Thank you.
Delete17d typo!!
ReplyDelete(Map<=)(an o lp <=)
17 Chart with an old record climbing: it's Spanish (8)
DeleteHere "climbing" is the reversal indicator. I feel there should be 2 separate reversal indicators - one for {MAP} and another for {PL}{O}{NA}. Otherwise the cryptic parsing leads to PLONAPAM, not PAMPLONA.
With makes climbing both.
DeleteInteresting practice round of IXL. Eminently doable. Hope it remains the same in active rounds.
ReplyDeleteThen it will be fastest fingers first, rather than art of the trade.
DeleteVery TRUE. I lose out there regularly,completing at my own speed.
DeleteHow can it be fastest fingers only. Art of the trade is also required without which fastest fingers is of no use
DeleteWe mean fastest solver not just entering
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCol, Ref. List needs modification. Excite=UP; very=SO
ReplyDeleteAnyone from the blog(from beginning) won this tournament?
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong. Children( of our roots) win spelling contests elsewhere!
Ramki [Kriskross] is the consistent winner. He won more times than anyone so far.
DeleteAs a matter of fact, Col Gopinath won the inaugural IXL contest after which he joined the organizing committee!
Delete👌👍
DeleteWhat's the procedure/qualification to join the organizing committee?
DeleteThere is no such procedure. It is the organisers of IXL who decide on these issues
DeleteWith due respect, there has to be an in and out. 😎
DeleteIs there a method to verify our grid in the IXL rounds
ReplyDeleteNo. It will be verified when we release the results on Wednesday :)
DeleteDo Crossword competitions encourage teams to compete - by team i mean two persons in lieu of one? Can we not say two brains are better than one? Just a random thought from an amateur.
ReplyDeleteCertain events allow teams to compete, for example IIT Madras Crossie contest.
Delete