Monday 18 December 2023

No 14048, Monday 18 Dec 2023, Afterdark

Solution to 26A 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   Auditor said you denied shortage of resources (8) CAPACITY {CA}{PAuCITY}
5   Leaders of people's revolution instigating strife, ordered neta to confinement (6) PRISON Acrostic Semi&lit
10 Musical work not in open-air arrangement (5) OPERA {OPEn+AiR}*
11 Periodical war seen with past president inflamed (9) NEWSPAPER {WAR+SEEN+P+P}*
12 Roughly 67% of the team at one side of hill (9) ELEVATION {ELEVen}{AT}{1}{ON}
13 Clay sculpture showcased in English home at the entrance (5) EARTH {ART} in {E}{Home}
14 Ankit tensed holding baby animals (6) KITTEN [T]
15 Perhaps a silent agent with another in retreat following Southern general (7) SLEEPER {REP<=}<=>{S}{LEE}
18 Images of police officer in coat regularly in news (7) FIGURES {F{IG}UR}{nEwS}
20 Drink is No 1, top; from the east (6) POTION [T<=]
22 Presses taxmen to stop working (5) IRONS {IR{ON}S}
24 Intolerant trouble-maker at international event eliminating top two leaders (9) IMPATIENT {IMP}{AT}{I}{evENT}
25 Speculative first name deleted after English master became sensitive (9) EMOTIONAL {nOTIONAL}<=>{E}{M}
26 Frequent trouble... (5) V?S?T (Addendum - VISIT [DD] - See comments)
27 ...worry with sisters sadly losing independence (6) STRESS SiSTERS*
28 Can press release help cover errors at the summit? (8) PRESERVE {PR}{SERVE} over {Er..s}

DOWN
1   Top honcho starts to lambast erratic, reckless AC (6) COOLER {COO}{La...t}{Er...c}{Re...s}
2   Earlier end price was fixed by government (9) PRECEDING {END+PRICE}*{G}
3   Access their cart to redesign features (15) CHARACTERISTICS*
4   X is back on confrontation... (7) TENSION {{TEN}{IS<=}{ON}
6   ...regarding offer by leaderless locals and proxies (15) REPRESENTATIVES {RE}{PRESENT}{nATIVES}
7   Outstanding payments up erroneously in instalment (5) SUPER [T]
8   Hornet stings? Run on the edges in a direction (8) NORTHERN {HORNET}*{RuN}
9   A side in ship swerves (6) SWINGS {S{WING}S}
16 Chair is made be expert with iron and stainless steel shows zero error essentially (9) PROFESSOR {PRO}{FE}{SS}{0}{erRor}
17 Bureaucrats are away, to chill and rest often (8) OFFICERS {OFF}{ICE}{ReSt}
19 Son's at New York escorting relative that's lean (6) SKINNY {S}{NY} over {KIN}
20 Dad's upanyas, loved and relished from the beginning, sought-after (7) POPULAR {POP}{Up...s}{Lo..d}{And}{Re...d}
21 First uncle in government's bust (6) STATUE {STAT{Un..e}E}
23 Smell of egg's sour (5) ODOUR {O}{DOUR}

Reference List
Past = P, President = P, English = E, Southern = S, Genral = LEE, Master = M, Independence = I, Government = G, Regarding = RE, Ship = SS, Son = S

34 comments:

  1. Thank you Aferdark....26A donewith Aha moment...........will post after 1 PM. if not posted by others. BTW, Many more Happy returns of the day to Col.sir.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy birthday Col. Hav a gr8 day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Col! I'd sent u a Margazhi Kolam yday.
    Can u kindly post it today?
    Thank u!
    On paper bday wishes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not appropriate for me to put it in the main post. Thanks anyway.

      Delete
    2. Colonel ! I sent a Margazhi Rangoli
      - which u.put every year.

      Delete
    3. I thought you meant the one for Birthday

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

    ReplyDelete
  5. 14A I believe kitten is a singular noun. Clue shows plural.
    3D anagram fodder is missing an 'i' and has an extra 'e'.

    ReplyDelete
  6. col.sir - 16D - PROFESSOR showing one extra 'P'.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Best Wishes for a very Happy Birthday and many Many Happy returns of the Day!!
    May the Col. and our blog thrive for a long long time and continue to inspire us all.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 22A- Isn't the working (ON) stopping IRS?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is there more to 'to stop' as a containment/insertion indicator? Google took me to clueclinic.com, where 'stopping/stops' is listed as insertion indicator of advanced type(can go both ways?).

      Delete
  9. 27A visit(DD).
    Means Frequent and trouble?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes.
      I frequent/visit/trouble this blog regularlyšŸ˜€

      Delete
  10. May I suggest something for consideration by the Blog admn.
    The Friday format of permitting members to come up with solutions attracts more participation and is also good for learning. What do the others think about this? Can we follow the same on all days?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent suggestion. I would love that.
      Having said that, there are things to consider. Only my opinion.
      1. The blog is administered by veterans of Cryptic Crossword voluntarily.
      2. We see people not following rules(sorry to say but, cheating) even for one day in a week.
      3. Circling back to first point, this is a non-profit blog.
      IMHO again.

      Delete
    2. For 1&3 above- It’s a great initiative. We are grateful to the veterans for the same.
      For 2- We can have simple transparent rules. First violation- cautionary advice; Second- barred access from commenting for a week ; Third- barred permanently. šŸ™‚
      Just for consideration. Thank you.

      Delete
    3. My third point was to say resources are scarce, at least the way I see it, to implement your suggestions.
      Of course, we need to hear it from the executives.

      Delete
    4. Still, I feel @Surendra has a considerable suggestion.
      There maybe some chaos for a couple of weeks or so. I am sure it will bring more quality and quantity to the blog.
      A trial for the new yearšŸ˜šŸ™

      Delete
    5. It need not go from Friday to all days at once. An extra day a week to start with may not be bad. IMHO.

      Delete
    6. Ideas are okay but I am not for such a wholesale change. Maybe we can add one more day in the week. Shall think it over.

      Delete
    7. That sounds very promising coming from you Col. Sir!

      Delete
  11. Thanks for all the Birthday wishes

    ReplyDelete
  12. Replies
    1. first Uncle(U) in government(STATE)
      bust - STAT(U)E

      Delete
  13. This time round - aftermarket has been v easy.
    My fav - VISIT, OFFICER, SKINNY.
    Thanx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Col!
    Repeating myself.
    Last 3 years - I've been sending you Margazhi Rangolis for the entire month, which you have been posting. Is there any issue this year, or is it some miscommunication ?
    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First of all I didn't see what you had sent earlier as I was out in Kerala for the last two weeks.
      Secondly I felt once for a festival is fine but for a whole month is too much. Besides it takes up a lot of space in my drive as uploaded images get saved there.

      Delete
  15. Thank u, once again, for giving me this space these past years.
    Regards

    ReplyDelete

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