Solution to 17D 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 Cessation of restriction; lecturer's staff can visit East frequently (11) ABANDONMENT {BAN}{DON}{MEN} in {eAsT}
9 Broadcast on saint's adoption of a pet at outskirts of Rome recalled (7) SCATTER {S{CAT}T}{RomE<=}
10 Resolve to act after total fell short (7) PURPOSE {POSE}<=>{PURe}
11 Victor's wife walked away? It's personal (5) INNER wINNER
12 We solvers, in a frenzy, use second part of clue here & there (9) OURSELVES {SOLVERS}*over {clUE}
13 Rhea gleefully caged a bird (5) EAGLE [T]
15 Encircles America from the rear right with ammos, perhaps (9) SURROUNDS {US<=}{R}{ROUNDS}
18 Handling party people's tough primarily (9) TREATMENT {TREAT}{MEN}{To..h}
21 Go over patent (5) CLEAR [DD]
22 Abandoned princess is with king, perhaps, having frequent needs (9) DISCARDED {DI'S}{CARD}{nEeDs}
24 Had won without captain (5) EATEN bEATEN
27 Synopsis is released, story about adventure essentially (7) OUTLINE {OUT}{LI{a..eNt..e}E}
28 Reckless speed; reckon lorry's gutted hopelessly (11) DESPERATELY {SPEED*}{RATE}{LorrY}
DOWN
1 Ascetic daydreaming about money! (9) ABSTINENT {ABS{TIN}ENT}
3 Ted on rising, made green tea for the auditor & washer, perhaps (9) DETERGENT {TED<=}[GREEN*}{(~tea)T}
4 After stealing one run, Harry over runs and gets tense (7) NERVOUS {OVER+rUNS}*
5 Half of them, pepper door of ruler (7) EMPEROR {thEM}{pepPER}{doOR}
6 After killing auditor, rotten cheater is followed by four (5) THREE cHEaTER*
7 Influence criminal at Vatican, in church (8) CONVINCE {CON}{V}{IN}{CE}
8 Openers are vital, scoring at the start (4) KEYS {KEY}{Sc...g}
14 Considering chant coming in the end, stopped visitor short (8) GUESSING {SING}<=>{GUESt}
16 Gang torches tramcars partly (9) ORCHESTRA [T]
17 Oddly kind lecturer lives in a filthy place (9) S?R?N?E?Y (Addendum - STRANGELY {ST{RANGE}{L}Y} - See comments)
19 Without using head, idleness can become perpetual (7) ENDLESS iDLENESS*
20 Baby frog can be a pet doll without tail (7) TADPOLE {A+PET+DOLl}
22 Walk back, jump over marsh at one end that's wet (4) DAMP {P{Ma..h}AD<=}
23 Withdraw annuity saved in retreat for gift (5) AWARD [T<=]
25 Tense wife gets cool again (5) TWICE {T}{W}{ICE}
Reference List
Saint = ST, Wife = W, Right = R, Princess = DI, Daughter = D, Money = TIN, India = I, Run = R, Auditor = CA, Vatican = V, Church = CE, Lecturer = L, Tense = T
MEANING OF LIFE
ReplyDeleteABRAHAM Connery, the MATINEE IDOL, was the latest COMET in Hollywood's firmament. A RHINESTONE Cowboy in his earlier films, he rose to fame with his SPINE CHILLING thriller - 'Killer from LAOS'.
Such was the charm he EMITTED that his fans of all ages ADULATED him. On several occasions, when he visited movie halls, his fans had broken down the STAGE DOOR to meet him and take his autograph.
With fame came arrogance & soon Abraham imagined himself to be no less than the IRON MAN. He forgot that he was a MERE SPRIG from the ghettos of New York whose childhood was spent in NISSEN HUTS with an ever present CONSTRAINT for money & leisure.
With little INCENTIVE, he slipped into drinking & drugs. PALLIER than ever before with the shadier elements of the MACROCOSM, he spiralled into a life of depravity. Filled with CARNALITIES, he SLEPT TOGETHER with a different partner each day. IN ALL, he was completely ENSLAVED by the so called vices,
which resulted in his ultimate PITFALL.
He was diagnosed with a rare combination of diseases which were affecting his blood CELLS. When the doctors declared, that he needed a rare kind of bone marrow transplant, available only in one in a million, his world came crashing down. Suddenly he felt not an IOTA of IMPETUS to pursue his starry life & realised the meaninglessness of it all.
He strictly avoided the press & media for fear of MISREPORTS.
However word GOT AROUND & his fans were stunned.
And then the unbelievable happened. Millions of his fans - of all races, ages & genders came forward to try for a bone marrow match. Special clinics were set up across 12 states by the film fraternity where the screenings were done.
They found not one, but 3 matches.
Finally Xuan Lee Won, a Vietnamese American, who owned a small firm marketing NUOC MAM, was selected. Over a gruelling 9 months & multiple transplants, Abraham recovered & his body started making its own new clean blood cells.
When he wanted to meet Xuan Lee, he realised, much to his shock that Lee had been discharged long back & no one knew where he lived. A Get Well note to Abraham was all that remained.
On the day of his discharge, he met his fans outside the hospital. With tears in his eyes, he thanked them & displayed Lee's note to them.
We conclude by saying Abraham had a great 2nd innings where he was a true hero both on & off screen & has a prominent place in Hollywood's Hall of Fame.
Comets return. Good story
DeleteGood story.
DeleteSathia
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ReplyDeleteNo GUESSING as to what happened next. The Academy AWARD was given to him posthumously.
ReplyDelete😃
DeleteOnly with Vladimir - What happened next gets u unexpected answers
ReplyDeleteTea for the auditor - T
ReplyDeleteOddly=strangely
ReplyDeleteFilthy place=sty
L from lecturer
Kind means range (as in a range of things
means things of same kind)
Great solve, I was wondering how to insert range, 👍👍
ReplyDelete3 down not across
ReplyDelete22A. How is king a card? Please explain
ReplyDeleteThink of King in a pack of cards
Delete