Satyen Nabar's Sun Spl analysed

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Saturday, 18 November 2023

No 14023, Saturday 18 Nov 2023, Afterdark

Too many errors by Afterdark nowadays.

ACROSS
9   Egg-laying mammals sheltered in stormy ocean, lack oxygen (7) ECHIDNA {HID} in {oCEAN}*
10 Perhaps collectors' items once, found on old attic, timeless and exceptional (7) EXOTICA {EX}{O}{ATtIC}*
11 Most slippery socialite runs away leaving auditor (7) OILIEST SOcIaLITE*
12 Say, infant's kit is delayed, still stuck inside (7) LAYETTE {LA{YET}TE}
13 Embarrassingly drunk lady dancing outside (9) ABASHEDLY {A{BASHEd}DLY*} How does the 'D' get deleted?
15 Land between faults can be found at Hyderabad capital or strait (5) HORST {Hy...d}{OR}{ST}
16 Removed seeds from ripe plum 50%, some durian to distribute (7) RIPPLED {RIPE+PLum+Du...n}*
19 Intellectual property used by two doctors primarily yields a method of laundering (4-3) DRIP-DRY {DR}{IP}{DR}{Yi...s}
20 Bad yeast leads to eye boils (5) STYES Error in fodder
21 New alliance primarily between two sets of soldiers to empty trucks of jewels (9) ORNAMENTS {OR}{N}{Al...e}{MEN}{Tr..kS}
25 Matrimonial special, only shown at American channel at the end (7) SPOUSAL {SP}{O}{USA}{c...eL}
26 Strange to sob at exercise lifting 100 with intensity at the start (7) CRYPTIC {CRY}{PT}{C} over {In...y}
28 Comprehend lessons somewhat, could be everlasting (7) ENDLESS [T]
29 Evasive English earl at backend takes first exit (3-4) EEL-LIKE {E}{E}{KILL<=}{Exit}

DOWN
1   Fish? More stew will be consumed by artists (6) REMORA {RA}{MORE*}{RA}
2   Type of cactus used to brew alcohol extracting the essence (6) CHOLLA ALCoHOL*
3   Inoperative papers kept by LTTE has no content (4) IDLE {ID}{LttE}
4   Remained at the back to finally engage in duel first (6) LASTED {LAST}{e...gE}{Duel}
5   Positioned with trick indeed (8) DEPLOYED {DE{PLOY}ED}
6   Worship of many Gods is a diabolical ploy to have them embrace one saviour at the beginning (10) POLYTHEISM {PLOY*}{THE{1}{Sa...r}M}
7   Say, spent Dec/Jan in West Indies at rented building (8) WINTERED {WI}{RENTED*}
8   I stepped out calmly and openly (8) PATENTLY PATiENTLY
14 S is related to me by a marriage, say (4-6) HALF-SISTER  [CD] What is the 'S' for? See comments
16 A leading strategist got into break when editor confronted (8) RESISTED {RES{1}{St...t}T}{ED}
17 Shipments of ally crossing Yemen's capital on road with no resistance, succeeded at the end (8) PAYLOADS {PA{Ye..n}L}{rOAD}{Su...d} Succeeded in the beginning or at the end?
18 Most peculiar to start for dinner, have bread at New York time (8) DROLLEST {Di...r}{ROLL}{EST}
22 Missing king's pants, it's a hoot (6) NICKER kNICKER
23 Fool returned money with shrewdness!... (6) NITWIT {TIN<=}{WIT}
24 ...after creating ruckuses involving us and him (6) SUCKER RUCKusES*
27 Yesterday uncle led elves from the entrance on Christmas (4) YULE Acrostic

Reference List
Oxygen = O, Once = EX, Old = O, Time = T, Auditor = CA, Strait = ST, Intellectual property = IP, New = N, Special = SP, Exercise = PT, 100 = C, English = E, Earl = E, Artist = RA, Editor = ED, Resistance = R, New York Time = EST(Easten Standard Time), King = K

at

17 comments:

  1. Sree Sree18 November 2023 at 08:33

    14d "S is" Reverse charade!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kolluru Koteswara Rao18 November 2023 at 08:39

      I think he intends it to be read as SIS which is half-sister

      Delete
    2. Rao Pilla18 November 2023 at 09:14

      I think that is the intention. SIS.

      Delete
    3. D.Chandrasekhar18 November 2023 at 09:25

      I also think so. Alike the clue 'indeed' which is joint word, S space is could be read as SIS as KK puts it.

      Delete
    4. Rao Pilla18 November 2023 at 19:58

      Excellent point made by @D.Chandrasekhar.
      When one word(e.g. indeed) can be parsed as two(in deed),
      two words (S is) can be parsed as one(SIS).

      Delete
  2. Sree Sree18 November 2023 at 08:40

    17d succeeded-S is std abbreviation!
    "At the end" Only positional of S (cryprically redundant). More for completion of sentence in surface.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kolluru Koteswara Rao18 November 2023 at 08:41

    17D Succeeded = S [chambers]

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sree Sree18 November 2023 at 08:42

    22d typo KnickerS.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sree Sree18 November 2023 at 08:42

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sree Sree18 November 2023 at 08:47

    Last-ed.
    Didn't expect this from AD.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sree Sree18 November 2023 at 08:53

    24d doubt about def?
    him alone does not lead to sucker.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rao Pilla18 November 2023 at 09:12

      +1

      Delete
    2. Maria Pereira18 November 2023 at 23:19

      I agree, sucker = him is a huge stretch and hard to justify.

      "us and Patsy" would be tighter on the definition, but maybe a little too obvious.

      "us and one taken" has a bit more cryptic misdirection and I think reads more clearly.

      Fun puzzle otherwise. Funnily enough I didn't even notice the flaws in YEAST <=> STYES nor the surplus D in "ABASHEDLY" while solving, though they are undeniably there

      Delete
  8. Rao Pilla18 November 2023 at 09:12

    17D succeeded at the end: S is the front end.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rao Pilla18 November 2023 at 09:33

    'Backend = kill<<' is like an Ardenism.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gowri18 November 2023 at 23:37

    Easier than usual After Dark.
    Few clues more like Arden.
    My fav - PAYLOADS, HALF SISTER, DEPLOYED.
    Thanx

    ReplyDelete

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