Wednesday, 28 May 2025

No 14496, Wednesday 28 May 2025, Karaoke

Solution to 22D 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   It comes before fraction of a second essentially implied perhaps by books (7,5) DECIMAL POINT {A+seCOnd+IMPLIED}*{NT}
9   Guy from college taking drink after mixing a drop of brandy (5) CABLE {C}{A{Br...y}LE}
10 Hotbeds run over run (9) NURSERIES {RUN<=}{SERIES}
11 Students take time to clear volume for marks (7) NOTICES NO(-v+t)TICES
12 Mortified remains found in a sack (7) ABASHED {A}{B{ASH}ED}
13 Without any uncertainty, mixed alcoholic drink (8) TINCTURE {UNCERTaInTy}*
14 Group to change sides. It's a clerical habit (5) FROCK F(-l+r)ROCK
18 Nothing lost for a bait? Decline! (5) DECAY DEC(-o+a)AY
20 Spooner says "Need toilets for the unfinished tasks" (8) BACKLOGS (lack bogs to backlogs)
24 Nurse is slow to understand work (7) LACTATE {L{ACT}ATE}
26 Most effortless employment initially getting a short afternoon nap (7) EASIEST {{Em...t}{A}{SIESTa
27 Big-bellied uncle hits short boy brutally (2,3,4) IN THE CLUB {UNCLE+HITs+B}*}
28 Heavenly food fish, new for Thor at first (5) MANNA MAN(-t+n)NA
29 Revolting expert leaves weather forecast in a mess. Expect unpleasant things to happen (4,3,5) FEAR THE WORST {WEATHER+FORecaST}*

DOWN
 She makes introductory appearance? Director is extremely tense after having doubt (9) DEBUTANTE {DE{BUT}AN}{TensE}
2   Hair style of staff maybe? (4-3) CREW-CUT {CREW}{CUT} Maybe/Cut? (Addendum STAF = {CREW cut} - See comments)
3   The cloth is under-sized and small to put on (8) MINISTRY {MINI}{S}{TRY}
4   Rope in associate involved in criminal trial (6) LARIAT {LARI{A}T*}
5   Live recording of exercise outdoor (4-3) OPEN-AIR {O{PE}N AIR}
6   It comes straight from the horse's mouth perhaps? (5) NEIGH [CD]
7   Worried about cheat carrying iodine and deadly poison (7) ACONITE {A{CON}{I}TE}
8   Adult party goes out of the way (5) ASIDE {A}{SIDE}
15 Stop rig hiding mutineers heartily bound together (5-4) CLOSE-KNIT {CLOSE}{K{m..iNe..s}IT}
16 What a violinist would do to play and acknowledge applause (4,1,3) TAKE A BOW [DD]
17 Puffers' accessory, almost thrash out in any case (7) ASHTRAY {THRASh}* in {AnY}
19 Lay a drink of holly near old city (7) AMATEUR {A}{MATE}{UR}
21 Running a risk around high mountains primarily in this place? (7) KASHMIR {A+RISK}* over {H}{Mo...s}
22 He drinks excessively, king moves up in the same way (5) ?L?I? (Addendum - ALKIE AL(+k)I(-k)E - See comments)
23 Saint leaves in secrecy for hospital in good shape (6) HEALTH (-st+h)HEALTH
25 Girl with copper connection (5) CUTIE {CU}{TIE}

Reference List
Books = NT(New Testament), College = C, Run = R, Time = T, Volume = V, Boy = B, New = N, Small = S, Associate = A, Exercise = PE, Adult = A, Old city = UR, High = H, King = K, Saint = ST, Hospital = H

37 comments:

  1. 2d is staf in my version not staff

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Prasad. This was my intended wordplay. Unfortunately, it was corrected during spellcheck stage, I guess. WP has since been restored online.

      Delete
  2. 27a I couldn't find oed ref for big bellied as pregnant.
    Can someone please post a link.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 3D- Strangely ' The cloth' ( or rather taking the cloth) also refers to become a barrister in England

    ReplyDelete
  4. Replies
    1. There are many “Aha” moments today. Thanks KKR.
      Sathia

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Paddy, when was Kashmir risk-free?
      By the way, I intended this clue as &LIT

      Delete
  6. 29a doesn't the deletion (ace ) be visible in the clue (or be like a church!) and not synonym!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't understand your point.

      Delete
    2. We have to get ace from expert to delete the word. How is it possible logically!
      Is it not indirect?
      Reverse engineering logic should not be primary defence.

      Whereas a church leads to ace since it's shortforms and not synonym.

      Delete
    3. I think it is ok . We are deleting reversal of ace from the fodder before doing anagram

      Delete
  7. A very good CW KKR. Too distracted to enjoy fully. Many Aha moments and some doubts too. Blog to the rescue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very Intersting WP by Karoke......lot of Aha moments....esp....22D.......Thank you KKR. Throughly enjoyed your clues.

      Delete
  8. +1. KKR, just curious to know how much time you would have spent to make this grid, if you don't mind sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 22D - {AL(IK}<=E}
    drinks - ALE
    king - KI
    moves up -IK
    Def., same way = ALIKE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your decision is incorrect as it will not go well with 27AC. DRM Rao and Devi Prasad are right

      Delete
    2. alkaline getting sound like . bult alike not using often.......my ans is incorrect....as the annotation for king is only K not for KI.

      Delete
    3. I mean to say alkie.....not alike.....typo in above..pl.

      Delete
  10. 22D:alkie=alcoholic-the same way=
    (alike), king(k) moves up in (alkie).

    ReplyDelete
  11. Agreed. But I don't think it could be done at a stretch. Still time could be approximated.
    We are not able to do even solving at a stretch!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is it about publishing the comment at exactly 1300hrs.
      Sir? Solving was done in the
      morning itself. I start typing at
      1255hrs., look for errors,
      correct if any and post it
      as the clock strikes 1300hrs.
      Even then I came at no. 3!!

      Delete
    2. The system will register whoever triggers and captured based on timeline.. It's all about system receiving and speed. even every seconds counted . In fact we all 3 in same time. But I pressed the button excactly after a second.....If we go in sys file, the difference btween myself and DNM Rao will be 1 or 2. This is what I perceived. Experts may say in deeper version.

      Delete
  12. @KKR - Trio posted your the unsolved clue in Hat-trick way.

    ReplyDelete
  13. In 29a, is the word "revolting" absolutely necessary ?
    Even if it says expert leaves, I can simply strike off letters a,c,e...right ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ace in reverse order and hence revolting.
      forECAst.
      If it is jumbled, an anagram indicator may be needed.
      If ace is in same order, nothing is needed.

      Delete
  14. Dear Mr.Rao,
    Enjoyed attempting the assorted clues compiled by you in today's grid, and as usual relied on this worthy Blogsite for those of my futile attempts.
    However, I could not correlate the clue & solution for 15-D.
    Kindly clarify this aspect. Thanq...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 15D- Stop= Close
      Rig= Kit, which is sopped by N (EngiNeers heartily)
      Close K(N)IT

      Delete
  15. Not a suave one is today's.

    ReplyDelete
  16. 7dn -> is 'ate' a synonym for 'worried'?

    ReplyDelete

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