Tuesday, 11 February 2025

No 14405, Tuesday 11 Feb 2025, Incognito

Solution to 14D 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
8   Average time to produce component (4) PART {PAR}{T}
9   Operation? Time for entertainment! (5) OPERA {OP}{ERA}
10 Places for getting nourishment in North and South (4) INNS {IN}{N}{S}
11 The French aristocrat is discharged without punishment (3,3) LET OFF {LE}{TOFF}
12 Do women book personal area in centre of city? (8) DOWNTOWN {DO}{W}{NT}{OWN}
13 What star produces in Panama, for example? (5,3) STRAW HAT*
15 & 23 Jump and fall in the US? (6,6) SPRING AUTUMN  [CD]
17 Type of clouds one may see soon after Monday (7) MONSOON {SOON}<=>{MON}
19 Half of herons call for fish (7) HERRING {HERons}{RING}
22 Starting to run in the country results in injury (6) SPRAIN {SP{Run}AIN}
24 Stall fee revised in handbills (8) LEAFLETS*
26 Captain is holding very extraordinary leaders and prisoners (8) CAPTIVES {CAPT}{I{Very}{Ex...y}S}
28 Gypsum merchant's totalling machine (6) SUMMER [T]
30 Allege losing one crustacean (4) CLAM CLAiM
31 Damp beam covering centre of mine (5) RAINY {RA{mINe}Y}
32 Phillip's seeds (4) PIPS [DD]

DOWN
1   Go out with daughter, getting tea mixture (4) DATE {D}{TEA*}
2   Members of Turkish dynasty cook tomato with natural salt at first (8) OTTOMANS {TOMATO*}{Na...l}{Salt}
3   Fool returns with a hot bathroom accessory (6) LOOFAH {FOOL<=}{A}{H}
4   Once more editor corrects "Dieters" incorrectly (2-5) RE-EDITS*
5   Always destroyed before alien returns... Destroy! (3,5) LAY WASTE {ALWAYS*}{ET<=}
6   Tops of new trees protected by bent wire in cold season (6) WINTER {WI{New}{Tr..s}ER*}
7   Precipitation in frigid weather falls nowadays to some extent (4) SNOW [T]
14 Left back carrying nothing for group of soldiers (5) T?O?P (Addendum - TROOP {PO{O}RT<=} - See comments)
16 Group of nine performersone mentioned in New Testament (5) NONET {N{ONE}T}
18 Around 4, Monroe is irritated and is capable of eating plant and animal matter (8) OMNIVORE {OMN{IV}ORE*}
20 Seafood items produced by students in dilapidated rooms around park (8) ROLLMOPS {LL} in {ROOMS}* over {P}
21 Maybe it's lace and capable of stretching (7) ELASTIC*
23 See 15 Across 
25 Quantitative and qualitative assessments of Sulfur, for example, in Arsenic (6) ASSAYS {A{S}{SAY}S}
27 Partner from Montreal lying partly (4) ALLY [T]
29 Old post office exhibition (4) EXPO {EX}{PO}

Reference List
Time = T, Operation = OP, The in French = LE, Women = W, Book = NT(New Testament), Daughter = D, Hot = H, Alien = ET, Student = L, Park = P

Monday, 10 February 2025

No 14404, Monday 10 Feb 2025, Arden

Solution to 4D 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
1   Got state transport, didn't like it at first (8,5) ACQUIRED TASTE {ACQUIRED}{STATE*}
10 Get them out in the next spell - both evacuated (5) EXPEL {nEXt}{sPELl}
11 Dish for poor loser... in case (9) CASSEROLE {CAS{LOSER*}E}
12 Both sides accept only the French style, for example (4,5) ROLE MODEL {R}{O}{LE}{MODE}L}
13 Indian city traffic millions follow (5) SALEM {SALE}{M}
14 At sea escort a small vessel (7) COASTER* Semi&lit
16 Observes from the east-gets up to attack (3,4) SET UPON  {NOTES<=} over {UP}
18 To be paid more than expected (7) OVERDUE {OVER}{DUE}
20 Order a state to consume Indian stuff (7) SATIATE {A+STATE}* over {I}
22 Fish for Jack - he never ate any fat (5) SPRAT [GK]
24 Demolished domes in UP - places to go on a trip (5,4) OPIUM DENS*
26 Desperately clings to a wistful thought (9) NOSTALGIC*
27 Talking about reality - some of it is bizarre (5) OUTRE [T]
28 Change of heart in love, provoke for doing a patch-up job (7,6) DARNING NEEDLE {DAR(-l+n)NING}{NEEDLE}

DOWN
2   Carbon copy - everyone came up to see a star (7) CAPELLA {C}{APE}{ALL<=}
3   Came together to eat most of the fruit - that was never-ending (9) UNLIMITED {UN{LIMe}ITED}
4   Ran with one inside two parts of a circle (5) R?C?D (Addendum RACED {R}{ACE}{D} - See comments)
5   Reveals record misses (9) DISCLOSES {DISC}{LOSES}
6   Insists one is not totally against (5) AVERS AVERSe
7   Spinner gets to bowl to a hooker (7) TROLLOP {T{ROLL}OP}
8   The green man could be found here (5,8) ZEBRA CROSSING [CD]
9   Mrs. Lee manages to treat this viral disease (6,7) GERMAN MEASELS*
15 Told to study, say 'heart of a music maker' (4,5) REED ORGAN {(~read)REED}{ORGAN}
17 To allow briefly to gather pace - a brave monument (5,4) TOTEM POLE {TO}{TEMPO}{LEt}
19 A sure shot - India borders on a supercontinent (7) EURASIA {A+SURE}*{IndiA}
21 Support a black leader - send up some coffee (7) ABETTAL {A}{Bl..k}{LATTE<=}
23 Mark one in two (5) TWAIN {TW{A}IN}
25 Old South American preserved (5) INCAN {IN CAN}

Reference List
Sides = R,L, Only = O, The in French = LE, Millions = M, Indian = I, Carbon = C, Parts of a circle = R(Radius), D(Diameter)

Sunday, 9 February 2025

Special, Sunday 09 Feb 2025, Gridman

Three answers per commenter till 1 PM (Annotations compulsory) 
Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)


Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword No 3344, Sunday 09 Feb 2025

13D, 
ACROSS
1   Morph: OK, OK Mr Hart, here we have an artist (4,6) MARK ROTHKO*
6   An idiot yesterday, in a manner of speaking (1,1,1,1) A S A P {A}{SAP}
9   Those choosing prison for Spooner: might they be hampered? (10) PICNICKERS (~nick pickers to picnickers)
10 Storage unit for socks, nip of putrid atmosphere (4) PAIR {Pu..id}{AIR}
11 Used woolly thinking when lacking illumination? (7,5) COUNTED SHEEP [CD]
15 Walk out on salsa band onstage for using a sample (7) ABANDON [T]
16 Evidently clumsy type – and a loafer (7) SLIPPER [DD]
17 Swallowing duck, one checks for poison; I say ‘Cheers!’ (7) TOASTER {T{O}ASTER}
19 Residents x workers? (7) TENANTS {TEN}{ANTS}
20 Sinful American peels back – and out (6,6)  FALLEN ASLEEP {FALLEN}{A}{PEELS<=}
23 I appreciate that German is curt, having unpleasant air (4) DANK {DANKe}
24 Can Guaraní get translated for C. American? (10) NICARAGUAN*
25 It goes well with curry, whichever way you look at it (4) NAAN <=> [CD]
26 ‘Hot location acceptable’ – tiny oriental feline (5,5) HELLO KITTY {HELL}{OK}{ITTY}

DOWN
1   Everyman, having taken on work, to look miserable (4) MOPE {M{OP}E}
2   Dicky and Fatty (4) RICH [DD]
3   Calling for the French? (6,1'4) RAISON D'ETRE [CD]
4   Admitted what the sights may be (5,2) TAKEN IN [DD]
5   Cores – or, reportedly, senior members of what sounds the same? (7) KERNELS (~colonels)
7   Southern facility by river restrained aquatic menace (3,7) SEA SERPENT {S}{EASE}{R}{PENT}
8   Present alternative rendering, albeit parallel – here represents a suitable example, primarily! (10) PARAPHRASE Acrostic &lit
12 Snack recipe concocted in experimental facilities (7,4) SCIENCE PARK*
13 Dinin’ on chocolate eggs, you say, in Steinbeck novel (4,2,4) EAST OF EDEN (~easter feedin'}
14 Film in Almodóvar’s language for the White House (10) CASABLANCA {White House in Spanish = CASA BLANCA}
18 Appreciate fizzy ale, Sire? (7) REALISE*
19 Newspaper exposé showing Archer and friend scratching bottom (4-3) TELL-ALL {TELL}{ALLy}
21 Relative somewhat daunted (4) AUNT [T]
22 Jealousy picked up from leading characters in Nouvelle Vague? (4) ENVY (~No...e ~Va..e}

Reference List
American = A, Work = OP, Southern = S, River = R

Saturday, 8 February 2025

No 14403, Saturday 8 Feb 2025, Arden

 ACROSS
1 That is fed to rams to form partnerships (3-3) TIE-UPS {T{IE}UPS}
4 Exchange rate starts fluctuating - American currency today is man made (8) ARTEFACT {RATE*}{Fl.........g}{Am.....n}{Cu.....y}{To..y}
10 Current passing through magnetic flux is hard to understand (9) ENIGMATIC {I inside MAGNETIC*}
11 In the beginning, some are cartilages, rest are bones (5) SACRA [Acrostic]
12 Gunfire by gunners in force (7) BARRAGE {BAR{RA}GE}
13 Broken at last - one eager to get some material (7) NANKEEN {brokeN}{AN}{KEEN}
14 Time to follow the bard (5) ERATO {ERA}{TO}
15 Unfinished job - details on vertebrates (8) CHORDATA {CHORe}{DATA}
18 British ex-prime minister died - had a national following (8) DISRAELI {D}{ISRAELI}
20 Many kinds of high flyers (5) MYNAH {MANY*}{H}
23 Works wearing the boot in police station (3,4) COP SHOP {C{OPS}HOP}
25 Star workers are inside (7) ANTARES {ANT{ARE}S}
26 Countryside right on a mountain range (5) RURAL {R}{URAL}
27 They offer a shortest way to change resistance (9) RHEOSTATS* Semi &Lit
 28 Papal edict from the Vatican perhaps covers an unknown target (5,3) BULL'S EYE {BULL}{SE{Y}E}
29 Latest - we are back in the house (6) NEWEST {N{WE<}EST}

DOWN
1 Three times greater over central Denmark - run from an earthquake (8) TREMBLER {TRE{denMark}BLE}{R}
2 Retire abroad supported by a country (7) ERITREA {RETIRE*}{A}
3 Display a surly hairstyle (9) POMPADOUR {POMP}{A}{DOUR}
5 Recombines as castor oil needs transport (14) RECONSOLIDATES*
6 German city providing 50% of basic necessities (5) ESSEN {ESSENtials}
7 Old worker having nice appliance (7) ANCIENT {ANT over NICE*}
8 Coaches //are a part of these (6) TRAINS [D & CD]
9 Extend escalator on both sides - do they carry the sick and the injured? (9,5) STRETCHER PARTY {STRETCH}{EscalatoR}{PARTY}
16 Give up position and wealth, no time for a cup of coffee (9) DEMITASSE {DEMIT}{ASSEt}
17 Men on board battle it out here (5,3) CHESS SET [CD]
19 Drive over - intermittent rain is risk (7) IMPERIL {IMPE{RaIn}L}
21 Talk about the dubious warrantee we relinquished (7) NARRATE {wARRANTEe}*
22 Swedish car maker half-heartedly introduces car like beetle (6) SCARAB {SaAB over CAR}
24 Manages borders around Arunachal, finally (5) HELMS {HE{arunachaL}MS}

REFERENCE LIST
That is= I.E. (id est), Current=I, Gunners=RA(Royal Artillery), One=An, Died=D, Work=Op, Right, Run=R, Time=T. 

Friday, 7 February 2025

No 14402, Friday 07 Feb 2025, Arden

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS FOR FRIDAY ONLY
All those who are not regular commenters but who are rookie commenters or silent followers of the blog are requested to post answers with annotations in the comments section. In your own interest please avoid looking up the answers from the interactive version. Don't hesitate to post your annotations, in case you make a mistake in the annotation someone will correct it with the right annotation.

PLEASE NOTE, SOLUTIONS WITHOUT ATTEMPTING THE ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED

Each commenter is requested to post only 5 answers thereby giving others also a chance to participate. Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Regular solvers/Veterans can post 1 answer each, but after 11 AM only.

Thanks for the response, here's the regular blog.

ACROSS
9   Obscure figure, exchanging 100 for 50 at first (7) ECLIPSE E(+c-l)CLIPSE
10 Ideal uniform - a point to tailor (7) UTOPIAN {U}{A+POINT}*
11 MrPatel lost a knight (7) TEMPLAR*
12 Agree to disrobe - it's nothing in Spanish country (7) GRENADA {aGREe}{NADA}
13 Representation of light coming through the entrance (9) PORTRAYAL {PORT{RAY}AL}
15 Return to a team (5) ASIDE {A}{SIDE}
16 Seen working with girl in the country (7) SENEGAL {SEEN*}{GAL}
19 Hesitates to collect interest and surrenders (7) WAIVERS {WA{I}VERS}
20 Has samples of packaged tea (5) ASSAM [T]
21 Before starting all matches are like cricket, hockey and soccer (4,5) BALL GAMES {Be...e}{ALL}{GAMES}
25 Patron has left in the middle - I'm ruined (4,3) DONE FOR {DON{lEFt}OR}
26 Affinity for music and wine (7) RAPPORT {RAP}{PORT}
28 In Italianit's essential to review some of the verse (7) SESTINA [T<=]
29 All together for pennies - regularly receiving service (2,5) EN MASSE {pEnNiEs} over {MASS}

DOWN
1   Attack golf in other words (4-2) BEAT-UP GOLF* = FLOG =  BEAT [RA] Too convoluted
2   Extremely fanciful Yank - I can ignore a gay man (6) FLAMER {Fa...uL}{AMERican}
3   Round and round, lift a stone (4) OPAL {LAP}{O}<=
4   Fancy rate accepted by shop (6) BETRAY {B{RATE*}Y}
5   Seal a flat or cottage... (8) BUNGALOW {BUNG}{A}LOW}
6   ...means status is coming down (10) MODERATING [DD] (Correction - {MODE}{RATING})
7   Kindle, pack it in the bag (8) VITALISE {V{IT}ALISE}
8   They talk of spending penny for new shoes (8) SNEAKERS S(-p+n)NEAKERS
14 Trump at play, elected to pick up his pet slogan - A cat indeed! (10) RAGAMUFFIN {R{MAGA<=}UFF}{IN}
16 Hit and run - that is careless (8) SLAPDASH {SLAP}{DASH}
17 Curiosity about one's sins (8) NOSINESS*
18 West African with oil trade - could become billionaire (8) LIBERIAN {LIBERIAN+OIL}*={BILLIONAIRE} [CA]
22 Top level changes - it's more difficult to find where fat accumulates (6) LARDER (-h+l)LARDER
23 Current passing through wet insulation shows red (6) MAOIST {M{A}OIST}
24 Entrance examination-like to pick up some material (6) SATEEN {SAT}{NEE<=} (Correction - {NEET}{AS}<=)
27 Show Italian banker and politician (4) POMP {PO}{MP}

Reference List
100 = C, Fifty = L, Uniform = U, Nothing in Spanish = NADA, Interest = I, Penny = P, New = N, Current = A

Thursday, 6 February 2025

No 14401, Thursday 06 Feb 2025, Arden

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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
1   Partly it is a new concoction (6) TISANE*
4   Cocktail waiters get inadequate tip, so to speak (2,2,4) AS IT WERE {WAITERS}* over {i...tE}
9   Finally found it in USA - random checks? (6) AUDITS {f..nD+IT+USA}*
10 Money stolen might bring down a game (8) BUCKSHOT {BUCKS}{HOT}
12 Empty threat - I look around and do nothing (3,5) SIT TIGHT {SI{Th..aT}{I}GHT}
13 Abandoned childcare, had to go round (6) CIRCLE {CIRCLE+HAD}*={CHILDCARE} [CA]
15 A song in celebration of marriage composed by Tom and Phil Aaron (12) PROTHALAMION*
18 Evidences show place is in terrible state (12) ATTESTATIONS {ATTE{STATION}S*}
21 Keen to protect girl in a corner (6) CRANNY {CR{ANN}Y}
22 A rare medical condition - relapses partially because of sugar (8) DEMERARA [T<=]
24 Media director imbibing alcohol - outsiders make a song (8) MADRIGAL {MediA}{Di...oR}{Im...nG}{Al...oL}
25 Pretentious in greeting (6) CHICHI {CHIC}{HI}
26 A theatre person takes time to get a fish (8) STURGEON {S{T}URGEON}
27 Enemy desperate to get hold of an unknown protein (6) ENZYME {EN{Z}YME*}

DOWN
1   Patterns running across the nave, say (8) TRANSEPT*
2   Second book on insurrection... (8) SEDITION {S}{EDITION}
3   ...even so, not accompanied by status (15) NOTWITHSTANDING {NOT}{WITH}{STANDING}
5   Stagger in as guest, uninvited (4) STUN [T]
6   Last challenge, act on it - think he somehow can accept defeat stoically? (4,2,2,3,4) TAKE IT ON THE CHIN {c...gE+ACT+ON+IT+THINK+HE}*
7   Deplorable hesitancy without any moral principles (6) ETHICS HESITanCy*
8   The final encounters go up in value (6) ESTEEM {thE}{MEETS<=}
11 Tea cups besides a football team (7) CHELSEA {CH{ELSE}A}
14 Fallen in love with small babies' wear (7) SMITTEN {S}{MITTEN}
16 Upset harmony over Catholic kingdom (8) MONARCHY {MONAR{C}HY*}
17 At home in a country (8) ?S?A?I?E ()
19 Rascals quietly involved in swindles (6) SCAMPS {SCAM{P}S}
20 Third of silver and gold in the carriage (6) LANDAU {siLver}{AND}{AU}
23 Palm tree tops - some are grown outside (4) SAGO Acrosctic

Reference List
In = CHIC,  Time = T, Unknown = Z, Second = S, Small = S, Catholic = C, Quietly = P

Wednesday, 5 February 2025

No 14400, Wednesday 05 February 2025, Saral

Solution to 16A 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
8   Comprehensive blog is managed by a student (6) GLOBAL {BLOG*}{A}{L}
9   Museum in Russia rejecting master's endowment (8) HERITAGE HERmITAGE
11 Grave worker following one mass near Rio, say (9) IMPORTANT {ANT}<=>{1}{M}{PORT}
12 Changed diets and courses (5) TIDES*
13 Client is with associate fighting and unyielding (9) INELASTIC {CLIENT+IS+A}*
16 Feast time, welcoming Australian prince (5) A?A?E (Addendum - AGAPE {AG{A}{P}E} - See comments)
17 Girl with extraordinarily simple look (7) GLIMPSE {G}{SIMPLE*}
19 Large uniform tailor finally repairs for soldier (7) REGULAR {LARGE+U+t...oR}*
21 Singer adjusting tone, a piece of rhythm (5) TENOR {TONE*}{Rh...m}
22 Ordeal of poor emigrant filled with hatred primarily (9) NIGHTMARE {NIG{Ha...d}TMARE*}
24 Bird leaving large island tree (5) PECAN PEliCAN
25 Playing drama in front of sick, old creature (9) ARMADILLO {DRAMA*}{ILL}{O}
27 Struggle of criminal to move rapidly outside college (8) CONFLICT {CON}{FLI{C}T}
28 Fat cat pushed back small first class miniature tree (6) BONSAI {NOB<=}{S}{A1}

DOWN
1   Stirring up, double gin containing Italian vermouth (8) IGNITING {GIN*}{IT}{GIN*}
2   Lovers left inside carriage? (6) COUPLE {COUP{L}E}
3   Market square (4) FAIR [DD]
4   Basically dangerous, wrong bet, put you in this? (4) DEBT {Da...s}{BET*} Semi&lit
5   Crazy daughter is given a lesson describing rule (10) DISTRAUGHT {D}{IS}{T{R}AUGHT}
6   No-nonsense attitude of party against firm (8) HARDBALL {BALL}<=>{HARD}
7   Tenant without the home at last (6) LESSEE {LESS}{thE}{homE}
10 Tailless cat sitting on the temple (8) PANTHEON {PANTHEr}{ON}
14 Clearly a fee included in claim (10) APPARENTLY {APP{A}{RENT}LY}
15 As per Spooner security arrived in bridge, perhaps (4,4) CARD GAME (~ guard came to card game)
18 Upright and kind at heart with no money (8) INNOCENT {kINd}{NO}{CENT}
20 Eloquence of Herriot, possibly charming at first (8) RHETORIC {HERRIOT*}{Ch...g}
21 Set up books with special picture above themes (6) TOPICS {OT<=} with {S}<=>{PIC}
23 Finally book of maps with bar (2,4) AT LAST {ATLAS}{T}
25 Cars manoeuvering curves (4) ARCS*
26 Spirit brought up destruction (4) DOOM<=

Reference List
Student = L, Master = M, Mass = M, Associate = A, Australian = A, Prince = P, Girl = G, Uniform = U, Large = L, Island = I, Old = O, College = C, Small = S, Italian Vermouth = IT, Left = L, Daughter = D, Rule = R, Books = OT(Old Testament), Special = S, Bar = T

Tuesday, 4 February 2025

No 14399, Tuesday 04 Feb 2025, Karaoke

Solution to 1A 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

ACROSS
1   Sounds like interest-free, blessed? (6) S?C?E? (Addendum - SACRED (~ sake rid) - See comments)
4   Falls miserably wearing fashionable clothing (4-4) HALF-SLIP {H{FALLS*}IP}
9   Some invigilator chides for bloomer (6) ORCHID [T]
10 Awfully mistaken king leaves for female show (8) MANIFEST {MISTA(-k+f)FEN}*
12 Look for our chat show (8) DISCLOSE DISC{+lo-our)LOSE
13 Odd time to get off horse for grapevine (6) RUMOUR {RUM}{hOUR}
15 Say this when you are surprised or when you couldn't solve the crossword (5,4,2) WORDS FAIL ME [DD]
18 They carry babies with them - Bothersome toddlers mainly perhaps (7-2-2) MOTHERS-TO-BE {BOTHERSOME+To...s}*
21 Consumer's right recognized by court (6) CLIENT {C{LIEN}T}
22 Fresh Indian drink is taken through the mouth (8) ORIGINAL {OR{I}{GIN}AL}
24 Wife spent time with company's money for squawk box (8) INTERCOM {wINTER}{CO}{M}
25 It gives pleasure when bird cuddles chick heartily (6) HEROIN {HERO{chIck}N}
26 Compound interest essentially a point to work out (8) ATROPINE {intERest+A+POINT}*
27 Till inside compounds in conflict (2,4) AT ODDS {A{TO}DDS}

DOWN
1   Climax of blue film at the beginning (8) SHOWDOWN {DOWN}<=>{SHOW}
2   Overconfident Spooner's hit therapy (8) COCKSURE (~sock cure to cocksure)
3   Special beedis with finishing touch of herbal. They are fit for consumption (7) EDIBLES {BEEDIS+h...aL}*
5   Unfortunately, model leaves Titan (4) ALAS AtLAS
6   An unsuccessful person just cuts short, come-on! (7) FAILURE {FAIr}{LURE}
7   Will one heartless criminal keep out of sight? (3,3) LIE LOW {WILL+OnE}*
8   Safe bet finally won by counterpart (5) PETER {PE{beT}ER}
11 Mind-reading skill of editorial essence, it is useful in making paper (7) ESPARTO {ESP}{ART}{e..tOr..l}
14 It has problems arising from rhubarb, eglantine (7) ALGEBRA [T<=]
16 It is borrowed from another language after resolving an old row (4-4) LOAN-WORD*
17 Says no to drinks initially coming with fake license (8) DECLINES {Dr...s}{LICENSE*}
18 Catch phrase by soft seductive woman (7) MANTRAP {MANTRA}{P}
19 Table, most comfortable, not new (7) SUGGEST SnUGGEST
20 Pine tree cut perhaps for one who consumes selectively (6) DIETER {DIE}{TREe*}
21 Language spoken by a neighbouring country (5) CHINA {CHIN}{A}
23 Find a new word for money (4) COIN [DD]

Reference List
Fashionable = HIP, King = K, Female = F, Look = LO, Horse = H, Court = CT, Indian = I, Wife = W, Company = CO, Money = M, Till = TO, Model = T, Soft = P, New = N

Monday, 3 February 2025

No 14398, Monday 03 Feb 2025, Gussalufz

Solution to 14A 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 solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

LOVE?
ACROSS
1   Grant from a Dutch university (5) ADMIT {A}{D}{MIT}
4   Pompous, abrupt old city staff (9) BOMBASTIC {BOMBAy}{STICk}
9   Common cold heralded by nasty green drips essentially (7) GENERIC {C}<=>{GREEN*}{drIps}
10 Launch platform, say, packaging trendy wife (7) SHIPWAY {S{HIP}{W}AY}
11 The Spanish swimmer is playful (6) ELFISH {EL}{FISH}
12 Never ceasing to rip my art and craft? (8) TRIMARAN {To+RIp+My+ARt+ANd}
14 Good man, embracing wife, rejected fling (4) T?S?
15 Justice, etc., maybe from savage carrot-and-stick gal not lacking in drama? (5,5) TAROT CARDS {CARROT+AnD+STick}*
18 Caught cook to request aloo tikkis? (10) CROQUETTES {C}{TO+REQUEST}*
19 "Release me!" snapped the thing (4) EMIT {ME<=}{IT}
22 Wreck lingerie, snagging one too small in size (8) RECKLING [T]
24 Younger journalist overexerting, last to leave after work (6) JUNIOR JOURNalIst*
26 Sob! Bamboo may be periodically chopped around trees (7) BAOBABS {SoB+bAmBoO+mAy+Be}<=
27 Potential double blows after wicket (5-2) WOULD-BE {DOUBLE}*<=>{W}
28 Extremely spiteful punk in destruction-mode inherently (9) UNKINDEST [T]
29 Feel sorry for beheaded bird (5) EGRET rEGRET 

DOWN
1   Swell golden dress a royal discarded (7) AUGMENT {AU}{GarMENT}
2   Declaration from fellow: "I party, love" (9) MANIFESTO {MAN}{I}{FEST}{O}
3   So, after drinking a bit of rum with a joint, drive? (6) THRUST {TH{Rum}US}{T}
4   Left out of dark side? (4) BACK BlACK
5   Grew quiet and dwelled after a letter from Greece (10) MUSHROOMED {SH}{ROOMED}<=>{MU}
6   Unreasonable G.M. fired from board opening vacancy in Munich (1,3,4) A BIT MUCH {gAmBIT}{MUniCH}
7   Building a railway engine, perhaps (5) TOWER [DD]
8   Oddly, curry helpings without guidance create "outbursts" (7) CRYINGS {CuRrY}{helpINGS}
13 Hang on, want ideas treated on virtue, ultimately (4,3,3) WAIT AND SEE {WANT+IDEAS}*{v...rE}
16 Sleep well beyond one, tucked in and getting rest (9) REMAINDER {REM}{A{1}ND}{ER}
17 Surpass in training? Not until we can run regularly (8) OUTLEARN {nOt+UnTiL+wE+cAn+RuN}
18 A beast of a vehicle I purchased, 50% off! (7) CARIBOU {CAR}{I}{BOUght}
20 Cycling coach gets tense with anxiety (7) TORMENT {(-men)TOR(+men)MEN}{T}
21 Tense medical procedure strongly putting out chief of surgery (6) FUTURE {F}{sUTURE} (Correction - (-s+f)FUTURE - See comments)
23 Grandfather possibly shut up after a sip of codeine (5) CLOCK {LOCK}<=>{Co...e}
25 Secretly start without bothersome person (4) TWIT [T]

Reference List
Dutch = D, Cold = C, Trendy = HIP, The in Spanish = EL, Wife = W, Caught = C, Wicket = W, Royal = R, Joint = T, Left = L, Quiet = SH, Sleep = REM, Well = ER, Strongly = F

Sunday, 2 February 2025

Special, Sunday 02 Feb 2025, Ghaza

Three answers per commenter till 1 PM (Annotations compulsory) 
Please submit all your answers in one comment.  

(COMMENTS ENTERED WITH LESS THAN THREE ANSWERS/ANNOTATIONS WILL BE DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE, UNLESS THE COMMENTER SPECIFIES THAT IT IS A COMPENSATION FOR A REPEAT)


Enjoy.

The Sunday Crossword No 3343, Sunday 02 Feb 2025

ACROSS
1   No trace of husband or nephew in Hibernia or lands further south (6) IBERIA hIBERnIA
5   Six slices of tripe set alongside old Spanish bread (6) PESETA [T]
8   Spooner tells us one seasoning food’s approaching being delightful (2,4,2,3) AS NICE AS PIE (~ a spicer's nigh to as nice as pie)
11 Scarlet towers over not-so-bright stars (3,6) RED DWARFS {RED}{DWARFS}
12 Overly loud American, looking back, going on (5) AFOOT {TOO}{F}{A}<=
13 Philippine city’s enthralling student paper (7) MANILLA {MANIL{L}A}
14 They split – to do the reverse! (7) ELOPERS (Run away to join) 
15 Called out: Starter’s cooking – taste? (7) SOUPCON (~soup's on)
17 Earl, scoundrel, overcome by booze, making misstep (7) ERRATUM {E}{R{RAT}UM}
20 Morning deity rejected doctrine (5) DOGMA {AM}{GOD}<=
21 Quack, then maraud wildly in a kind of story (9) DOCUDRAMA {DOC}{MARAUD*}
22 Creating three of M*A*S*H’s characters? (11) ASTERISKING Definition by example
23 Brides delirious, in bits (6) DEBRIS*
24 In southeast, Dutch to leave S African grassland thin (6) SVELTE {S{VELdT}E}

DOWN
2   Solve this clue to beget grand urban construction! (11,4) BRANDENBURG GATE* &lit
3   Second life for polystyrene wall filling (7) RENEWAL [T]
4   Verify eccentric Cartesian (9) ASCERTAIN*
5   Fruit and asparagus tip falling to the floor (5) PEARS (-s)PEAR(+s)S
6   See opera – ENO – never seeing energy in its star? (7) SOPRANO {See+OPeRA+eNO}
7   Sherlock’s defining characteristic heard in final moments (3,4,8) THE HOME STRAIGHT (~the holme's trait)
9   School leavers’ event in which patriotic songs belted out at last? (4) PROM (From 'Last Night of the Proms')
10 Occupying this inventor? Safety, principally! (4) OTIS Acrostic &lit
14 Troubles, including yoga, tai chi etc (9) EXERCISES [DD]
15 Does the groundwork for gits? (4) SODS [DD]
16 He makes little effort, braggart downgraded at first (7) COASTER (-b+c)COASTER
18 About to eat, having swallowed whiskey and claret (3,4) RED WINE {RE}{D{W}INE}
19 Everyman getting fourth of rounds, suppressing touch of angst, reluctant to pay (4) MEAN {ME}{rouNds} over {Angst}
21 Reads about faces (5) DARES*

Reference List
Husband = H, Nephew = N, Loud = F, American = A, Student = L, Earl = E, Dutch = D, Energy = E, About = RE

Saturday, 1 February 2025

No 14397, Saturday 1 Feb 2025, Avtaar

 ACROSS
1 Approach without struggle from the moment you are seeking to master "Avtaar's Special" (6) AHIMSA {AH{I'M S}A}
5 Leek is wholly covered by shoot (8) SCALLION {SC{ALL}ION}
9 Fresh discharge over lake, silting every now and then (5-3) SPLIT-NEW {SP{L}IT}{N{Every}oW} {SP{L}{sIlTiNg}EW see comments
10 Hoist implanted with a power tool soft earth that is used for cutting grain (6) REAPER {REA{P}{E}R} E from? See comments
11 Habit is loose and not secure (6,6) SECOND NATURE*
13 Go, chasing the origin of Excalibur sword (4) EPEE {PEE}<=>{Excalibur}
14 Complete tally of banks in Timbuktu almost botched (3,5) SUM TOTAL {TimbuktU ALMOST}*
17 Portion of meat, cut noodles and batter with filling of oil (8) PASTRAMI {PASTa}{RAM}{oIl}
18 Tongue, eyes, thumbs, nails (4) ESTH [T] Chambers gives Esth as Esthonian, Estonian
20 Territory in the Pacific Ocean - land with uncapped view, possibly? (3,9) NEW CALEDONIA
{OCEAN LAND vIEW}* Semi &Lit
23 Master, I cracked spans of atoms' arrangement in molecules (6) STERIC [T]
24 Uncharacteristic mistake - missing zero - by head for accounting - one hundred thousand's taken back (8) ATYPICAL {TYPo}<=>{Accounting}+{I}{LAC<}
25 Pen essays without preface about pairings of chromosomes (8) SYNAPSES {PEN eSSAYS}*
26 Moving story? (6) CINEMA [CD]

DOWN
2 Wish age gets reversed after leaving college (4) HOPE {EPOcH<}
3 Yacht's cable is then fixed above a case of marble (9) MAINSHEET {IS THEN A MarblE}*
4 A nurse is concocting aromatics, principally for a solution to treat bruises (6) ARNICA {A}{RN}{Is}{Concocting}{Aromatics}
5 Two lads in Soweto, getting high after taking time off with girls, finally indulge in excesses (3,4,4,4) SOW ONE'S WILD OATS {TWO LADS IN SOWEtO}*{girlS}
6 Initials and header missing in text by a friend (8) ACRONYMS {sMS}<=>{A CRONY}
7 Bent limb cut by soldier (5) LEANT  {LEg}{ANT}
8 Makes too much fuss about revised core values essentially missing basics of team spirit resolution (10) OVERREACTS Anno not clear {CORE VAluES Team Resolution}* See comments
12 Ask for sealing a break on the surface (10) APPARENTLY {APP{A RENT}LY}
15 Enterprise dealing with checking metric for valuing stock (9) OPERATION O{P/E RATIO}N
16 Catches herds crossing old ground (8) PADLOCKS {PACKS} over {OLD}*
19 Working together in any case, after Australia, America and Spain dropped bombs (2,4) IN SYNC {IN}{aNY CaSe}*
21 Agents taking over old town in the Papal court (5) CURIA {C{UR}IA}
22 Lady's expression of loathing disregarded by British writer (4) MAAM MAughAM

REFERENCE LIST
Special=S, Lake=L, Power=P, Zero=O, One=I, Hundred Thousand=Lac, College=C, Nurse=RN (Registered Nurse), Time=T, Australia, America=A, Spain=E