Solution to 2D 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
11 Agents of strong players (7) FACTORS {F}{ACTORS}
12 Work for channel (7) PRODUCT {PRO}{DUCT}
19 Embarrassing enema after exclusive party with Snoop Dogg, perhaps (5,4) STAGE NAME {STAG}{ENEMA*}
22 Story, say, about subject (5) LIEGE {LIE}{EG<=}
24 Commercial flight of Indian aviation company on duty in Rhode Island (3,4) AIR TAXI {AI}{R{TAX}I}
26 SPECTRE's leaders, in Bond's overreaching grasp, grumble about ridiculous totalitarianism (7) BOGGART Acrostic
27 I'm not sure, right or wrong (5) ERROR {ER}{R}{OR}
28 Thought of settling matter, replacing iPad finally with books (9) SENTIMENT SE(-d+NT)NTIMENT
DOWN
1 Stylish cop with suspect (6) SPIFFY {SP}{IFFY}
2 Spooner's sullen, mercurial, absurd (8) ?A?C?C?L ()
4 Unhealthy atmosphere dictated setter's breathlessness (6) MIASMA (~ my asthma)
5 Country primarily following ludicrously dopiest authoritarian (8) DESPOTIC {Co...y}<=>{DOPIEST}*
6 Pet's upset over snack (4) TACO {CAT<=}{O}
7 Adjusting for outliers in metro districts, urban left's outperforming initially (6) MODULO {MetrO}{D}{Ur..n}{Left}{Ou...g}
17 Mate, soil after remixing is most fertile (8) LOAMIEST*
18 Ran and spoke pompously about exercise (8) OPERATED {O{PE}RATED}
20 Dawn of some pterosaur or archosaur (6) AURORA [T]
21 European bad boy and popular girl going out (6) EBBING {E}{B}{B}{IN}{G}
23 What's left in test at Edgbaston? (6) ESTATE [T]
25 Vibe of Jaguar car oddly ignored (4) AURA {jAgUaR+cAr}
Reference List
Strong = F, Male = M, I'm not sure = ER, Right = R, Books = NT, Over = O, Maiden = M, Exercise = PE, Bad = B, Boy = B, Girl = G
22A Is liege a Lord or Subject ?
ReplyDeleteIt's used for both. See https://chambers.co.uk/search/?title=21st&query=liege and https://www.thefreedictionary.com/liege
DeleteIts like todays marketing terminology
DeleteBest, bestest, best of bestest.
Thats how ruler/lords titles went.
So liege is an overlord for some and he inturn is a subject of a higher lord!
Thank you Viresh and Sree Sree Prasad
DeleteFree dic.says both.
ReplyDeleteOne of those words!
Learned a lot of things today. Thank you Gussalufz.
ReplyDeleteAwaiting your note.
Thanks! Notes coming up soon...
Delete18A: about is acting as containment indicator?
ReplyDeleteSathia
Yes, it is.
Delete26A- I was thinking about Humphrey Bogart (did not know the exact spelling)
ReplyDelete16A- Is 'Ult' a standard abbreviation for ultimately?
ReplyDeleteIt's Chambers-listed is my defence :-). https://chambers.co.uk/search/?query=ult&title=21st
DeleteThank you Ratnakar.
DeleteThanks to the Col. for blogging, and to all solvers! Here are my notes:
ReplyDeleteNotes
This crossword hides a nina that says "PRIME NUMBERS," down the middle column and continuing across the fifth row from the bottom.
The following entries are connected to the theme of prime numbers: FACTORS (11a), PRODUCT (12a), MULTIPLICATIONS (16a), and MODULO (7d).
The title alludes to the fact that the number one is not included in the definition of prime numbers even though it seems to meet the criteria. Here's a good reference for the reasons: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/roots-of-unity/why-isnt-1-a-prime-number/
This is my second THC in 2024, and just like the first one, it uses exactly 24 letters in the grid.
Personal notes
I composed this one mostly in India during my visit there in January (mostly on flights to/from India, to be precise). During this trip, apart from running the Mumbai half marathon, I also ran nostalgically through the streets of the city where I was born and lived through my school years: Bhopal. They are also starting a yearly marathon there now. Perhaps I'll run that some day.
Best Wishes for your Marathon efforts.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletePlease don't give what you think is the solution unless you can give proper annotation. Your yesterday's answer was also deleted for the same reason.
DeleteDear Mr. Padmanabhan,
DeleteYour crisp response on the relevance of ANNOTATION has prompted me to recall that good old tongue-twister:
After much consideration, Dr. Radhakrishanan came to the conclusion that the matriculation examination is a botheration for the population of Indian nation whose prime occupation is cultivation through irrigation....
Your response, in turn, @Suresh Panje ji reminded me of the line from 3 Idiots movie.
Delete"arey kehna kya chahte ho?" š
Col., BTW the solution for 2D was given in the filled grid!
ReplyDelete2D sour (sullen) fickle (mercurial) to far cical
ReplyDeleteSounds like the intended answer. But Spooner may have said 'farsickle'. Last syllable ain't kosher, imho. Rev. Spooner is a learned man.
DeleteSour fecal matter could be farcicalš
DeleteGood one!
ReplyDeleteNice & interesting grid Viresh. As always notes add to it.
ReplyDeleteLiked
PEACE PIPE (though learnt cep only now from the blog), ARTICHOKE, MULTIPLICATIONS (learnt ult also only now).
Thanx for all those lessons.