Thursday, 11 June 2026

No 14817, Thursday 11 Jun 2026, KrisKross

Solution to 12A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered 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   Chemist's quick to wrap wound (8) PHARMACY {P{HARM}ACY}
5   Reportedly delivers heavy woollen fabric (6) FRIEZE (~frees)
9 &13 They are used to revive sailors with BO? (8,5) SMELLING SALTS {SALTS}<=>{SMELLING}
10 It can hold breakfast food for one - greasy pot originally lined with copper (6) EGGCUP {EG}{Gr...y}{CU}{Pot}
12 Opponents try drills. Many give up (4,5) L?S? H?A?T (Addendum - LOSE HEART - {LO{S,E{HEAR}T}See comments)
13 See 9A
14 Top trends in poems (4) ODES {mODES}
16 Temple town's function for a zealot (7) PURITAN {PURI}{TAN}
19 Obscure quotations seen in memes regularly (7) ECLIPSE {mE{CLIPS}mEs}
21 Panel changing sides in a month (4) JURY JU(-l+r)RY
24 Country's popular face left out (5) INDIA {IN}{DIAl}
25 Pin ads around a flyer (9) SAND PIPER {PIN+ADS}*{PER}
27 AI software not opening novel - it's an irritating problem (6) IRITIS {sIRI}{ITS*}
28 Primarily many people excited in arena, resulting in this? (8) STAMPEDE {STA{Many}{Pe...e}{Ex...d}DE} Semi&lit
29 One suffering hurt before try-out (6) MARTYR {MAR}{TRY*}
30 Woman is pinched by spoilt kid, most rude (8) BRASHEST   {BRA{SHE'S}T}

DOWN
1   Step dancing with extremely lovable crush (6) PESTLE {STEP*}{Lo...lE}
2   Doctored images revealing bias (6) AGEISM
3   Enrich soil greatly, taking in fertilisers essentially (5) MULCH {MU{f...iLi...s}CH}
4   Dismiss very stupid person in campaign (7) CANVASS {CAN}{V}{ASS}
6   Administrator is back, charged with direction to rule (9) REGISTRAR {R{E{GIST}RA<=}{R}Anno not clear (Addendum - {RE{GIST}{R}AR} - See comments)
7   Intensify police case, missing deadline (8) ESCALATE {CASE*}{LATE}
8   Showing ten pigeons flying all around (8) EXPOSING {E{X}POSING*}
11 Break small plaything (4) STOP {S}{TOP}
15 Evil God filled with power, chiefly crazy (9) DEPRAVITY {DE{PR}{crAzy}}ITY} (Correction - {DE{P}{RAVe}ITY} - See comments)
17 Idle vagrant, a bit intoxicated, overwhelmed by strange fever (8) DELIRIUM {IDLE*}{R{In...d}UM}
18 Glue dries for the most part, turning more muddy Glue mostly dries turning more muddy (8) SLUDGIER {GLUe+DRIES}*
20 Some require a strategic direction (4) EAST [T]
21 After a month, bread counter becomes cleaner (7) JANITOR {JAN}{ROTI<=}
22 Ball's area (6) SPHERE [DD]
23 Tune with hint of romance… girl starts crying (6) URGENT {TUNE+Ro...e+G}*
26 American uncle excited about cats (5) PUMAS {SAM}{UP}<=

Reference List
Opponents = S,E(South and East in Bridge card game), Function = TAN, Popular = IN, Very = V, Rule = R, Small = S, American uncle = SAM

37 comments:

  1. 6dn back=rear; direction=gist; r=rule - RE[GIST+R]AR

    ReplyDelete
  2. Krisskross has used all tge tricks of the trade and more.
    Challenging absorbing puzzle!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In 7D, what is the role of police?
      (Case)* missing is anagram indicator
      Deadline is late
      Sathia

      Delete
    2. In 26D, about= up? Is it another version of use of about!
      Sathia

      Delete
    3. Missing deadline = late and police anagram indicator for case.
      OK. Thanks.
      Sathia

      Delete
    4. 26D:
      Excited = UP, about is the reversal indicator

      Delete
    5. Excited= Up. About is reversal ind.

      Delete
    6. Thanks Ramki and Paddy.
      Sathia

      Delete
  3. I had a doubt about 1A.
    Chemist= Pharmacist?
    Free Dict. says " In Britain Chemist/ Chemist's refers to a pharmacy.
    So 's is relevant.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 12A, Lose heart= Many give up(def.)
    opponents=Lose, Heart=drill
    so, Lose heart
    The word Lose refers to people who lose or drop match.
    Heart means to reach to the core of an issue(drill)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You got the answer right. Your parsing is 18D.

      Delete
    2. Give up is lose heart. What is the role of Many?

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  5. IMO 15Dn anno - {DE{P}{RAV(-e)}ITY}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Correct! DEITY (God) around P + RAV(-e), def = evil.
      Col, could you please correct the anno?

      Delete
    2. Left early. Driving to Coimbatore. Will correct after reaching.

      Delete
  6. 18d whats the deletion indicator for 'e' in glue. "For the most part" IMO should pertain to DRIES. Has 'turning' got any role?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. +1 Dries glue for the most part turing it more muddy ....would have been better

      Delete
    2. Mea culpa - the clue was wrong. Thanks for pointing it out.
      It has been changed to
      Glue mostly dries turning more muddy (8)
      in the online version.

      Delete
  7. Tough one from the Ace. Could get there in the end though. Enjoyed thoroughly. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 12A:lose heart=give up
    opponents (e,s) try(hear), many(lot)
    drills=anagrind
    {(es)(hear)(lot)}*

    ReplyDelete
  9. No anagram here. Drills is not anagrind. Relook.
    You are almost there.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Make 'ES' to 'SE' and you have it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am not getting it. Please reveal.

      Delete
    2. IMO drills is container indicator to split (lot).
      Opponents are s, e ( may be from bridge game)
      Try is hear
      Many is lot
      ((Lo(s+e)(hear)t))
      Sathia

      Delete
    3. Thanks. Didn't see drill as containment indicator.

      Delete
  11. Yes. S&E are Bridge opponents.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 12A: Lose Heart
    Opponents: SE (from bridge)
    Try: Hear (in a court of law)
    Drills: Inclusion/containment indicator
    Many: Lot
    Give up: definition

    ReplyDelete

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