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| Artwork by Prasanna |
Solution to 29A 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.
LET'S REPLAY
ACROSS
1 Entered "N/A" (her office rejected revealing court action) (8) FOREHAND [T<=]
5 Form cults bristling to seize power (6) SCULPT {SCUL{P}T*}
9 Indian state's push for growth (7) UPSURGE {UP}{SURGE} (Correction - {UP'S}{URGE} - See comments)
10 Reversing scene? Staple part of a bowler's arsenal (7) TOPSPIN {SPOT<=}{PIN}
11 Propose firing head of firm (5) TABLE sTABLE
12 Fabric worn by Spain's male court judges (8) LINESMEN {LIN{ES}{M}EN}
13 Killing every now and then was the way she relaxed (2,4) AT EASE {wAs+ThE+wAy+ShE}
14 Unfairly characterise Jedi's mugshot? (8) MISJUDGE {JEDIS+MUG}*
18 What one often gets from a sleuth sneakily capturing a bit of unfaithfulness (3,5) THE USUAL {A+SLEUTH}* over {Un...s}
20 Dismisses puzzles (6) STUMPS [DD]
23 Plonks back with laziness, without a thought (8) STUPIDLY {PUTS<=}{IDLY}
25 Provoke pain in Tokyo regularly (5) ANNOY {pAiN+iN+tOkYo}
27 Work's... well, evil? (7) SERVICE {'S}{ER}{VICE}
28 One awfully into animals and birds (7) PIGEONS {PIG{ONE*}S}
30 Rain, wind at terminals coming in turbulently, signal flight closures (8) LANDINGS {raiN}{winD} in {SIGNAL}*
DOWN
1 Random illness caught aunt badly (9) FLUCTUANT {FLU}{CT}{AUNT*}
2 Gentleman: "In hindsight, I almost sounded ridiculous" (7) RISIBLE {SIR<=}{I}{BLEw}
3 Controls a variety of shares, including half of sensex, after recession (9) HARNESSES {HAR{SENsex<=}SES*}
4 Born in turmoil, led conflict (6) NEEDLE {NEE}{LED*}
6 Review of these pacts shows some outstanding features (5) CAPES [T<=]
7 See what people are saying about bill on IPL's restructuring (3-4) LIP-READ {RE}{AD}<=>{IPL*}
8 Bomb smelled bad (burning sulphur) (4) TANK sTANK
10 Game in which "fault" and "net" are reviewed (6) TENNIS {SIN}{NET}<=
15 Experiencing post-flight problems is not regular around east terminal — disheartened! (3-6) JET-LAGGED {J{E}{Te...aL}AGGED}
16 Scholars in universities say IST superior (9) ESSAYISTS [T]
17 Wade softly and turn (6) PADDLE {P}{ADDLE}
19 Scamper around and start to sweat after old lover blackmails (7) EXTORTS {TROT<=}{Sw..t}<=>{EX}
21 Rainy season is imminent, as explained in Jamaica (7) MONSOON {MON SOON}
22 Setter's irrational about love, per complaint (6) MYOPIA {MY}{O}{PI}{A}
26 Male, possibly out of his league (4) ISLE [T]
Reference List
Power = P, Spain = ES, Male = M, Well = ER, High security level = Z, Caught = CT, Born = NEE, On = RE, Bill = AD, East = E, Softly = P, Irrational = PI
26d
ReplyDeleteMan, possible from isle of man.
Can it be male???
Hi. The reference I think is to Malé, island and capital of Maldives.
DeleteThat's right!
DeleteIs it ever referred as isle!
DeleteThe term is "male island."
Isle means a small Island. Male is a small island
Delete21d wouldnt it "soon mon"
ReplyDeleteMon, I think they use it at both ends of sentences. Yes, mon :-)
Delete9a typo!
ReplyDeleteYes, UP'S URGE is the intent.
DeleteI think the theme is sports in general, in which case a few more words like Paddle, Stumps, Harnesses....
ReplyDeletePigeons that are used in trap shooting.
ReplyDeleteI can read a Nina 'Ping pong' in the last but one (14th) column
ReplyDeleteOr the theme is just Table Tennis?
ReplyDeleteYou win a "point"
DeleteIs it the match point?!
DeleteThanks, Col., for the blog and thanks to all the solvers. Here are my notes for this crossword:
ReplyDeleteNotes
The theme of this crossword is table tennis. A secondary theme is lawn tennis, as there is much overlap between these sports (some thematic clues do relate to only one of the two).
PING-PONG can be seen as a nina running down the second-to-last column. The following entries are related to the theme:
1A. FOREHAND.
10A. TOPSPIN.
11A. TABLE.
10D. TENNIS.
27A. SERVICE.
17D. PADDLE.
24D. POINT.
LINESMEN (12A.) were a part of lawn tennis till recently.
The title, "Let's Replay," is a play on the fact that a "let" call on a table tennis serve means the serve touched the net and is not counted—the server has been instructed by the umpire to serve again. In other words, "Let's (Let is) Replay."
Like my previous THC crosswords this year ('24), this one too uses exactly 24 letters in the solution words.
Personal notes
DeleteI do quite enjoy playing table tennis myself. Am not *that* good at it, but am not that bad either. I always carry the following items in my backpack: a ping-pong paddle and a ball or two, and a towel (the latter is a versatile and invaluable carry-on, as famously noted by Douglas Adams).
As we head into another summer, my adorably *badmash* dog Oona is now nine, and every little health issue she now experiences is a sharp reminder that these incredible creatures have an unfairly short lifespan. Every day with them is worth cherishing!
I was a serious player of Table tennis in my school days with a good coach. However I could not continue and later switched to tennis. We used to call it Ping pong those days- a very good game which could be continued long after retiring from tennis. Thank you Ratnakar. Table tennis players are called paddlers.
DeleteBTW 'Let' (allow/ hindrance) is a 'Reserve' in tennis also.
Nice! Yes, "let" is a replay in tennis too, but only once (unlimited in table tennis).
DeleteIt is unlimited in tennis as well. Only Fault is only once and second is a double fault conceding a point.
DeleteWhen the ball touches the net and still lands in the correct area on serve, it is called a let. In both Tennises that is allowed as a no-shot.
DeleteMartina Navratilova advocated "no lets and no double faults" some ti. ఈ back.
Last words were "some time back". Pardon my spell checker.
DeleteAs a matter of fact, it was tried in some low level tournaments for a short time. I think the idea was abandoned.
DeleteThe title 'Let's replay' is given only in the on line version?
ReplyDeleteRequest Col. to display it in the blog for the sake of a few of us who still solve it on paper.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to post it (the title for my crossword) here from next month, no worries (and no need to add another burden for Col.).
DeleteTitle added
DeleteThank you Col.
Delete29a, fake = ersatz
ReplyDeletetears* = fodder
Grandiose = anind
High security level = z
fake = { ( ERSAT)* (Z)}
Nice grid, finished just now. Favs were LINESMEN, STUPIDLY, RISIBLE, LANDINGS to name a few. I also had a doubt whether Male had been mistakenly used for Man in the clue for ISLE, then realised that it was Male' (refreshing change from Man for isle which has been very often!)
ReplyDeleteFor a change, got the Nina and theme words too.
Thanks, Gussalufz and Col.
Good artwork by Prasanna for May 1st.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ramki.........Special Thanks to Col. I am very much thankful to THCC platform where I explore my skills as well as CW.
DeleteNice grid & nicer notes.
ReplyDeleteMy fav - PIGEONS, RISIBLE, STUPIDLY, SERVICE.
Thanx Viresh!