Thursday, 9 November 2023

No 14016, Thursday 09 Nov 2023, Incognito

Solution to 19A 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
8   Drug used in thyroid operation (4) DOPE [T]
9   After losing gold, gladiator scrapped to get jewelled headband (5) TIARA glAdIAToR*
10 Having nothing, order a musical instrument (4) OBOE {OB{O}E}
11 Excitedly has butter in retreat (6) ASHRAM {HAS*}{RAM}
12 Unpaid item destroyed in rest hour? (4,4) FREE TIME {FREE}{ITEM*}
13 What you could be if this line was blank! (8) CLUELESS Definition by example
15 Student dropping first letter for breadwinner (6) EARNER lEARNER
17 I left chief holding small rotating drum (7) CAPSTAN {CAP{S}TAiN}
19 Raise electricity tax with ease, I hear (7) ?L?V?T? (Addendum - ELEVATE {EL}{E{VAT}E}- See comments)
22 Martial art from Altaic highlands (3,3) TAI CHI [T]
24 Was no net returned for getting carpentry tool? (5,3) TENON SAW [T<=]
26 Where one may rest holding tea in a relaxed manner, for starters? Right! (8) ARMCHAIR {A}{Re...d}{Ma...r}{CHAI}{R}
28 American wearing pleated sari in country (6) RUSSIA {R{US}SIA*}
30 Cooked a meal devoid of energy for monk (4)  LAMA {A+MeAL}*
31 Christian saint's clear: "Diamonds taken away by American" (5) LUCIA LUCI(-d+a)A
32 Alien captures president in doorway leading outside (4) EXIT {E{XI}T

DOWN
1   Woman loves taking first session in courts (4) WOOS {W}{OO}{Se...n}
2   Intrepid female has no hearing organs (8) FEARLESS {F}{EARLESS}
3   Setter eating some ice-cream behind animal accommodation and stall (6) STYMIE {M{Ic...m}E}<=>{STY}
4   A creature whose former part loves to eat the remainder! (7) CATFISH  {CAT}{FISH}
5   Goodbye! We're travelling in autumn! (8) FAREWELL {FA{WERE*}LL}
6   Medico rejected fish on mountain (6) DOCTOR {COD<=}{TOR}
7   Retired gentleman carries spectacles in chamber (4) ROOM {M{OO}R<=}
14 Los Angeles has included capital (5) LHASA {L{HAS}A}
16 More's additional run from a no-ball, for example (5) EXTRA [DD]
18 Friendly... remains so even after losing a hundred... (8) AMICABLE (AMI(C)ABLE)
20 Ivan danced in front of shack and disappeared (8) VANISHED {IVAN*}{SHED}
21 Draw a model on some land (7) ATTRACT {A}{T}{TRACT}
23 Commanding officer, accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff, drinks (6) COCOAS {CO}{COAS}
25 No railway track in this country? (6) NORWAY {NO}{R}{WAY}
27 Starboard propeller makes loud noise (4) ROAR {R}{OAR}
29 Eye part displayed in Kashmiri school (4) IRIS [T]

Reference List
Small = S, Right = R, Energy = e, Diamonds = D, American = A, Alien = ET,  Woman = W, Female = F, Hundred = C, Model = T, Railway = R, Starboard = R

38 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Probably organs is right. A man with one ear can hear!

      Delete
    2. The anno should be f+earless with no space between ear and less.

      Delete
    3. Clue says no hearing organs, not no hearing.

      Delete
  2. THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES..

    Vladimir was FORTUNATE, that the STAGGERing Putin was way laid by a brunette who was dressed as a BASSET. He later learnt, she was an EXPAT married to an English BARONET.

    When the FLAMENCO started with great POMP, Putin looking DAFT and OUTRIGHT uncomfortable, was forced to take the floor with her. Seeing his chance, Vladimir guided Anna away from the APERTURE of Putin's eyes.

    GOING INTO the Banquet hall, he had no idea what to tell Anna. Fetching a SMOOTHIE for her and an ASTI for himself, he told her, he was a handy man who worked with SPIES. From setting WIRETAPS to DETONATING bombs, he was an EXPERT in many fields. As he was AMPING her up with his stories, a CHESSMAN entered the scene.

    Supposedly a knight, he wore a hood with a pattern of SOLIDIS & PERIODS. He was accompanied by 3 MAGIS, who looked like MIME artists. Even after straining his EARDRUMS, Vladimir could not decipher their whispers. As he was GROWING impatient, he saw an INGOT change hands. His suspicion was further AFFIRMED, when Anna suddenly left with them, without a backward glance.

    The Pamphlet PAPERS lay orphaned on the table. Dejectedly he picked them up and left for his hotel. He was ALL IN, after the exciting day. Donning his NIGHT WEAR, he collapsed onto his bed, into a deep dreamless sleep.

    What happened next?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. I always had that doubt- what is the difference between amiable/ amicable- usage wise.

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    2. While both are similar, I believe amiable is also lovable.

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    3. Amicable is acceptable /no discord. Amiable is lovable. In usage atleast.

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    4. Amiable is about an individual who has a friendly disposition. Amicable is about a group ( at least two) with regard to their interactions. An amicable settlement is one which is agreeable for all concerned. An amiable gentleman is a friendly man irrespective of people who come into contact with him.

      Delete
    5. AJ - Where have u been? Hope all fine!
      Both me & Vladimir have missed u. 😊

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    6. Gowri - I am very much here! I made a remark in the blog day before yesterday. It is heartening to learn that you missed me! But Vladimir missing me is a little far-fetched?

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    7. Thank you AJ fir crystal clearing my doubt.

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    8. Vladimir missed u - becos u normally comment on my stories & I find that v v encouraging!

      Delete
    9. Sorry Gowri, will be back in form soon, hopefully.

      Delete
  4. On the morrow...
    We see Vladimir on an ARMCHAIR in his King ROOM day dreaming....
    Dreaming of being in Chennai's ANNA nagar in his DOCTOR friend's
    house adjacent to the newly opened ANNALAKSHMI restaurant.
    He is humming an old Beatles song " ANNA, just one more thing girl"
    Recalls her FAREWELL near the EXIT as she VANISHED." If only I had put in
    some extra EFFORT to ATTRACT her..."
    All of a sudden he wakes up and is CLUELESS.
    What happened next?


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. His friend was a Dr.ANNAmalai.

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    2. What a bummer! Vladimir must be in some ASHRAM now. 😁

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    3. He is in ThiruvANNAmalai Ashram...

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    4. CGB! I've never had so much fun in my life. Vladimir is all encompassing!
      Thank u so much!
      Thank u Colonel for giving us this space & this freedom!

      Delete
  5. 19 across, easily solved, let others try

    ReplyDelete
  6. 19A raise=elevate
    El from Electricity
    Tax=vat
    Ease:ee(homophone)
    Correct?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EL for Electricity doesn't seem conventional. But the anno looks fine.

      Delete
    2. I think we need to hear it from someone with rasgolla in the mouth.

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    3. EL for Electricity remains dubious!

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    4. I had Ele(-C) with tax as lessen.
      Ele bate~elevate.
      Just with a bengali tone!!

      Delete
  7. Hi,
    Why is Vladimir the central person in all these stories ?? Just curious.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It all started With Vladimir one day (Putin one of the clued words that day?) and CGB decided to continue with him - thought of making it a mega serial instead of independent episodes (of course, there was popular support)
    CGB- do you have the first episode by any chance?

    ReplyDelete
  9. It was his "What happened next?" that led to a continuation, am I right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What happened next was waaay before Vlad.

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    2. "Adventurous Vladimir was EDGED OUT
      By CHASTE LOLITA no doubt,
      On his part
      Tried FROM THE HEART
      But finally had to elsewhere scout."

      Think this is the beginning

      Delete
    3. Vladimir was a guy amiable,
      His separation was amicable,
      He did forego
      And let go,
      Resulting in continuation of our fable!

      Delete
  10. 22-A. Martial art from Altaic highlands. Although, I solved it instantly, wish to know if Tai Chi is primarily a martial art since it is believed to be a Chinese psycho-physical exercise like Yoga & not necessarily a competitive sport like Judo, Karate etc.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Can someone explain the anno for OBOE?
    Fun and easy grid.
    My fav - AMICABLE, FEARLESS, STYMIE.
    Thanx Kishore.
    C u next month!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Having(cont ind) nothing(O) , order(Order of British Empire(OBE) ) a musical instrument - OBOE.
      I am not confident if order translates to OBE.

      Delete
    2. OBOE has appeared quite a few times in grids open for everyone to solve(with rules) for some time. If I recollect correctly @AJ came up with OBOE more often.

      Delete
  12. Yes. It comes frequently. I also filled.
    Didn't know order is OBE.
    Thanx.

    ReplyDelete

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