Thursday 26 October 2023

No 14004, Thursday 26 Oct 2023, Lightning

Solution to 8D 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.

Open for anyone to answer, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
1   Save criminal with aid (8) CONSERVE {CON}{SERVE}
5   Signs of affection king is showing - extremely surprising at first (6) KISSES {K}{IS}{Sh...g}{Ex...y}{Su...g}
9   Former lover to squeal about Channel Islands levying tax (8) EXCISING {EX}{SING} over {CI}
10 Mostly trim issue for inventor (6) EDISON {EDIt}{SON}
12 Seasoning item cut short these days in green meal (5) SALAD {SALt}{AD}
13 Kidnapping of sailor near channel by revolutionary leader (9) ABDUCTION {AB}{DUCT}{NO 1<=}
14 Rare mark by church (6) SCARCE {SCAR}{CE}
16 Bury one male - it's not final (7) INTERIM {INTER}{1}{M}
19 Took for granted that Sam used building (7) ASSUMED*
21 Food sent back by king for is a bread based item (6) BURGER {GRUB<=}{ER}
23 Can a rookie hide botched dish (9) ENCHILADA {CAN+A+L+HIDE}*
25 Part of harmony we hear (5) PIECE (~peace)
26 Mock journey going past Delaware (6) DERIDE {RIDE}<=>{DE}
27 Terribly upset lad throbbed (8) PULSATED*
28 Yardsticks for leaders? (6) RULERS {DD]
29 Plunder area, murder a doctor (8) MARAUDER {A+MURDER+A}* Shouldn't it be PLUNDERER? See comments

DOWN
1   Food that may make you smile in front of a camera (6) CHEESE [CD]
2   Jewellery wild scene lacks for the most part (9) NECKLACES {SCENE+LACKs}*
3   Relieved that lease described houses (5) EASED [T]
4   Very hard worker with time gets to a position of superiority (7) VANTAGE {V}{ANT}{AGE}
6   Guide caught in country by small hill (9) INDICATOR {INDI{C}A}{TOR}
7   Primarily seafood (uncooked) specially housed in a wrap (5) SUSHI Acrostic Semi&lit
8   Equivalent words in partial summary extracted in the middle of ninety minutes (8) S?N?N?M? (Addendum - SYNONYMS {SYNOpsis}{Ni..tY}{Mi...eS} - See comments)
11 Indian dish largely ingested for starters (4) IDLI   Acrostic Semi&lit
15 Prompt to consume a left over (9) REMAINDER {REM{A}INDER}
17 Film editor covering European community is chosen again (5,4) REELECTED {REEL}{TED} over {EC}  (5,4 or 2-7)? 
18 Clear and well formed system of timekeeping (8) CALENDAR*
20 Fellow returned without hot liquid - it has protein (4) DHAL {LA{H}D<=}
21 Daring spirit of supporter very oddly unreal (3,4) BRAVURA {BRA}{V}{UnReAl} (3,4 or7) Enu error?
22 Delicate offer (6) TENDER [DD}
24 Vehicle by old lake - it's a part of Christmas celebrations (5) CAROL {CAR}{O}{L}
25 Italian delicacy finished by amateur at first (5) PASTA {PAST}{Am...r}

Reference List
King = K, Former lover = EX, These days = AD, Sailor = AB, Church = CE, Male = M, King = ER, Rookie = L, Area = A, Very = V, Caught = C, Small hill = TOR, Hot = H, Old = O, Lake = L

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48 comments:

  1. Sree Sree26 October 2023 at 09:03

    29a online version had different spelling forcing pastr instead of pasta for 25d.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 09:26

      Print edition says- "....by amateur st first". Probably online version says rookie?

      Delete
    2. Sree Sree26 October 2023 at 09:27

      No. It also says amateur at first.

      Delete
    3. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 09:29

      Where did the R come from?

      Delete
    4. Kolluru Koteswara Rao26 October 2023 at 09:38

      The online version now stands corrected as PASTA and MARAUDER. However, the enu for 17dn and 21dn still continues to be wrongly shown

      Delete
  2. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 09:24

    Smooth lightning- if there can be one.
    Very happy Idli finds it's place among enchiladas and burgers!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 09:26

    Nice picture of idling vadsi sambar by Col.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 09:27

    Waiting for Vladimir to taste idli!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. C.G. BHARGAV26 October 2023 at 10:00

    Vladimir perchance saw the CALENDAR.
    His heart PULSATED as the month shown was December.
    He rushed to book his tickets to Chennai for the music season.
    "Oh. The sabha canteens! The steaming IDLIS with sambar and white chutney after
    TENDER coconut payasam! DHAL and what not..."

    What did he eat in the INTERIM?
    SALAD, PASTA, BURGER and ENCHILADA of course!!
    What happened next?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 10:02

    Thank you for accomodating Eater's choice!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Maria Pereira26 October 2023 at 10:04

    Awkward enums and typos in this one today. I got red crosses on MARAUDER (which is also a verb, FYI Col. Though not often used this way.)

    Can someone help me parse 21A?

    Food sent back by king for is a bread based item (6)

    I get GRUB is reversed, king is ER, but what's up with "For is" here? "is" makes the surface totally gross, and doesn't seem to have a role in the wordplay... so why's it there? Is it just a weak clue, or (more likely) am I missing something devilishly clever here?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. C.G. BHARGAV26 October 2023 at 10:14

      Bra=supporter. Rest is shown above.

      Delete
    2. Maria Pereira26 October 2023 at 10:23

      You are talking about 21D. I even included 21A in my post! 💁‍♀️

      The wording I am asking about has no meaningful notation above. Vladimir must have EASED into the comment section, only reading a PIECE of my post. One should CONSERVE ones words and read the REMAINDER of the post, before proceeding to TENDER a response.

      Delete
    3. C.G. BHARGAV26 October 2023 at 10:25

      Poor Vladimir! Tenders his apologies.

      Delete
    4. Maria Pereira26 October 2023 at 10:29

      Accepted with amused affection. 😅 I can MARAUDER a bit in the comments section, if this thread is any INDICATOR

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 11:41

      21A- 'Is' goes with the surface. Only 'For' is unnecessary and agree it sticks out like a sore thumb. wp is Def.

      Delete
    6. Economizer26 October 2023 at 20:02

      Amusing exchange. Nicely done.

      Delete
  8. Maria Pereira26 October 2023 at 10:06

    Unrelated: I now very much want to try Idli. First I've heard of it and it looks fun

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 11:34

      Welcome to Chennai- Idli's capital with sambar to add spice to it, as shown by Col. in his main post.

      Delete
    2. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 11:35

      Of course there are good South Indian restaurants all over where you can taste it.

      Delete
    3. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 11:42

      That looks more like Andhra Idli, vada serving. The Chennai idli is spongy compared to Andhra one because of the ingredients. Sambar, of course, belongs to Chennai. But our Bombay(a misnomer) chutney and coconut chutney with Idli are very delicious.😋
      Just for fun Paddy garu!😅

      Delete
    4. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 11:42

      Only, when you taste it make sure you have more sambar than Idli!

      Delete
    5. C.G. BHARGAV26 October 2023 at 11:53

      https://www.thebetterindia.com/262530/chennai-iconic-eatery-best-idli-sambar-ratna-cafe-tamil-nadu/

      Delete
    6. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 11:53

      🤣

      Delete
  9. Vasanthi26 October 2023 at 11:04

    8dn synonyms
    Syno(psis) n(inet)y m(inute)s

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 11:45

      Detailed annotation will be nice.

      Delete
    2. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 13:03

      'Summary' on double duty?

      Delete
    3. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 13:41

      Summary- Synopsis- Partial gives Syno
      Middle extracted from N(inet)Y M(inute)S- NYMS
      Syno nyms. Def.- Equivalent words

      Delete
    4. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 14:23

      Makes sense to me. I prefer, the setter explaining when there is a question!

      Delete
    5. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 14:26

      Time zones make it almost impossible. He is in U.S.
      I would not mind your assuming me to be the setter- it's a nice CW.

      Delete
    6. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 15:10

      Still, I would like the clue explained for every letter and other characters involved.

      Delete
  10. R Nagendra Prasad26 October 2023 at 11:35

    Surprisingly a stroll in the park by Lightning. Was over in a jiffy.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 13:11

    @Maria Pereira,
    star commenter of the day(or more) 👌

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 13:34

    And the conversation between @Maria Pereira and @C.G. BHARGAV has to be added to the best in the blog's records

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gowri26 October 2023 at 19:12

    What should have been a breezy walk in the park became a tortured trot - due to the enus of bravura & re elected.
    Then went back & read Prasads comment in ydays post & finished the grid.
    Thanks Lightning and
    Thanks Prasad!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Economizer26 October 2023 at 20:03

      +1, the grid was quite easy in the 15-20 minute range for solving, and I wasn't even going to complain about one or two unimaginative charades...but the typos and enum errors are hard to forgive.

      Delete
  14. Economizer26 October 2023 at 20:05

    King cannot stand for ER.

    ER = Elizabeth Regina = (in Latin) Queen Elizabeth, the current King's mother

    King = K, R (from the Latin rex), HM (His Majesty), or GR (George Rex), or CR (Carolus Rex/Charles Rex). Also BB (B.B. King, singer-songwriter)

    Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossword_abbreviations#K

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Economizer26 October 2023 at 20:06

      The above comment is in reference to

      21A Food sent back by king for is a bread based item (6) BURGER {GRUB<=}{ER}

      Delete
    2. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 20:45

      I can't say there is any specific source. But King and Queen stood for English Raja(ER) and English Rani(ER) for me in THC. They have worked so far. 🤔

      Delete
    3. Sree Sree26 October 2023 at 23:10

      It's always better to check OED before making such sweeping dismissal.
      If it's listed there, it is there.

      Delete
    4. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 23:43

      I clearly said, I have no source. If it works, somebody in the late 1980's may have put it in my mind.
      Oh, well. I have no evidence to equate King with ER.

      Delete
    5. Rao Pilla26 October 2023 at 23:54

      @Sree Sree, if your message was in response to mine it is fine.
      Otherwise ignore my response.

      Delete
    6. Sree Sree27 October 2023 at 09:11

      It was for Econ.

      Delete
    7. Sree Sree27 October 2023 at 09:12

      https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=Er&title=21st

      Delete
    8. Economizer27 October 2023 at 17:18

      Thank you for the reference. I stand corrected.

      Delete
  15. Padmanabhan26 October 2023 at 21:56

    I believe Edward Rex (ER) is used for King in CW's.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maria Pereira26 October 2023 at 22:23

      I think it's Edward Rex as well.

      One example in the wild (I hope the link works!):
      https://www.reddit.com/r/london/comments/15ujx2d/er_vii_king_edward_vii_whats_the_oldest_people/

      Delete

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