No 13713, Thursday 17 Nov 2022, Afterdark

Solution to 25A 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.

ACROSS

1   Done with a group of actors. They are dull (8) OVERCAST {OVER}|{CAST}

5   Disorganised tour peacekeepers participating is to terminate (3,3) RUN OUT {R{UN}OUT*}

9   Line at temple entrance upset boy; to get cooler takes a sip of Kool-Aid (8) TAILBACK {Te...e}{AIL}{B}{AC}{Ko...d}

10 Chilling account, totally exciting narration at the start of series, perhaps (6) CATENA Acrostic

11 Devices to remap areas around mountain (8) AERATORS {AERA{TOR}S*}

12 Jewellery at branch rented (6) ARMLET {ARM}{LET}

14 Wife or son? Cooler one will get an admirer (10) WORSHIPPER {W}{OR}{S}{HIPPER}

18 Time demands when there is no time? Does away with (10) ERADICATES {ERA}{DICtATES}

22 Indian from Nagaland border area at Virginia with sweetheart (6) NAVAJO {Na...d}{A}{VA}{JO}

23 One boards taxi to procure flour in Delhi to make bread (8) CIABATTA {C{1}AB}{ATTA}

24 Account concerning the dead... (6) RELATE {RE}{LATE}

25 ...almost enough, put in the moon by a foreigner (8) ?I?I?I?O (Addendum FILIPINO {FILl}{I{PIN}O} - See comments)

26 Pass away? Go (6) OUTRUN {OUT}{RUN}

27 Fighter's roar after gaining energy; he is shifting (8) EMIGRANT {MIG}{RANT}<=>{E}

DOWN

1   Budget is finished, take deposit (6) OUTLAY {OUT}{LAY}

2   I am back with police officer. It's concerning the expat (6) EMIGRE {ME<=}{IG}{RE}

3   Measure copper parts (6) CUBITS {CU}{BITS}

4   I, with two men, disengage from extraordinary melodramatics of priests. (10) SACERDOTAL {mELODRAmATiCS}*

6   Daring fraud, I with a new leader unravelled (8) UNAFRAID {FRAUD+I+A+New}*

7   Six deliveries, round first slip and covers (8) OVERLAPS {OVER}{LAP}{Slip}

8   Vehicles of thespians; Tesla right? It's written in the front (8) TRACTORS {ACTORS}<=}{T}{R}

13 Self control of a sect is magic, sacrificing silver; extraordinary (10) ASCETICISM {A+SECT+IS+MagIC}*

15 Managed to return to party after getting sign of painter (8) LEONARDO {RAN<=}{DO}<=>{LEO}

16 New valet lives (not lives) with a small seal (8) VALVELET {VALET+LiVEs}*

17 From the beginning Jack is under Japan's intense training, studying ultimate martial arts (8) JIUJITSU Acrostic

19 Being unwell, boy inside is weakening (6)  EBBING {EB{B}ING*}

20 Ancient Greek region is a dry, primarily inhabitable cold area (6) ATTICA {A}{TT}{In...e}{C}{A}

21 Game starting late? Exposed plan (3,3) LAY OUT {pLAY}{OUT}

Reference List

Peacekeepers = UN, Boy = B, Cooler = AC, Mountain = TOR, Wife = W, Son = S, Time = T, Area = A, Virginia = VA, Sweetheart = JO, Concerning = RE, Fighter = MIG, Energy = E, Men = M, Tesla = T, Right = R, Party = DO, Dry = TT 

No 13711, Tuesday 15 Nov 2022, Gussalufz

Solution to 28A 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.

On completion of 28A someone to identify the theme and the Nina.

ACROSS

1   Side-effects of experiment unexpectedly create more of the same? (2,6) ET CETERA {Ex...nT}{CREATE*}

5   Somehow, er, appropriate without a proper arrangement!? (6) PIRATE {er+approPRIATE}* Semi&lit

9   Mode of arrest backed in economic aid rackets (7) CARDIAC [T<=]

10 Approaches victory, overwhelmed by strange unease (7) AVENUES {A{V}ENUES*}

11 Correct to reject country's leader and god? Critical! (5) ACUTE ACcUraTE

12 Friend has ideas about fence (8) PALISADE {PAL}{IDEAS*}

13 "Colourful Spooner's set!" — setter (6) MOTLEY (~lot me to motley)

14 Reportedly what the pusher might have done before scoring pot (8) CAULDRON (~called run)

18 4 getting 2 out of 1000, 500, 500 (one's dream) (8) DIVISION {D}{I}{VISION}

20 Leading couple swapped alternative medicine (6) POTION {(o<=>p)POTION}

23 Slimy cop played games (8) OLYMPICS*

25 Stop one expressing love in public (5) AVERT {(-o+a)AVERT}

27 Rosé sprinkled over peeled mango fruit (7) ORANGES {OR{mANGo}ES*}

28 Unfortunately, all except leaders believe my powerful vision (4,3) E?I? E?E (Addendum - EVIL EYE  bELIEVE+mY - See comments)

29 European has clinched proof, after getting regularly rejected (6) FRENCH {Has+CliNchEd+pRooF}<=

30 Might extremely suspect radius measurement get left out? (8) STRENGTH {Su...cT}{R}{lENGTH}

DOWN

1   Cried from old medical problem (9) EXCLAIMED {EX}{MEDICAL*}

2   Critic's sick around middle of hamburger course (7) CIRCUIT {CIRC{h..bUr..r}IT*}

3   Lack of originality in setter's anagramming (9) TRITENESS* 

4   Steps for cooking fried rice properly, essentially (6) RECIPE {RICE*}{proPErly}

6   Features covered up by cosmetics (5) ITEMS [T<=]

7   Short after a second split (7) ASUNDER {UNDER}<=>{A}{S}

8   England is only occasionally laid-back (4) EASY {EnglAnd+iS+onlY}

10 Oscar wears a uniform at sea (6) AFLOAT {A}{FL{O}AT}

15 Copy potty mouth of known gangster and ex-US president (9) LOOK ALIKE {LOO}{Kn..n}{AL}{IKE}

16 Here, Tintin gets placed right away at a rank close to #100 (9) NINETIETH {HErE+TINTIN}*

17 Clowns worldwide making society go down (6) COMICS CO(-s)MIC(+s)S

19 Very quietly off to plunder a rural community (7) VILLAGE (-p+v)VILLAGE

21 Lettuce that can be seen bobbing in the sea (7) ICEBERG [DD]

22 A lock-up state (6) ASSERT {A}{TRESS<=}

24 Soldier checking computer for spelling (5) MAGIC {MA{GI}C}

26 Sound made by setter's wife getting money? (4) WOOF {W}{OOF}

Reference List

Victory = V, God = RA, Left = L, Second = S, Oscar = O, Potty = LOO, Gangster = AL, ex-US President = IKE, Right = R, Society = S, Very = V, Quietlt = P, Lock = TRESS, Soldier = GI, Wife = W

No 13706, Wednesday 09 Nov 2022, Incognito

Had time at the airport so completed the CW before the flight took off.

Solution to 18D 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.

ACROSS

8   Cut enlargement in digestive tract of bird (4) CROP [DD]

9   Ale is spilt in passageway (5) AISLE*

10 Sole part of London lyceum (4) ONLY [T]

11 Nudges and moves bowels (6) ELBOWS*

12 US tender rigged without a break (8) UNRESTED*

13 She is thrown out of revolving swivel chair in public uprising (5,3) CIVIL WAR {sWIVeL+ChAIR}*

15 Mix cola in container for lubricant (6) OILCAN*

17 Family group going around Rio displays musical instrument (7) CLARION {CLA{RIO}N}

19 Did silk spoil crash helmet? (4,3) SKID LID*

22 Note about feathered appendage producing sudden stab of pain (6) TWINGE {T{WING}E}

24 Shrines built around Cape show affluence (8) RICHNESS {RI{C}HNESS*}

26 Noel made mixed fruit drink (8) LEMONADE*

28 Lets in promotion materials around Massachusetts Institute of Technology (6) ADMITS {AD{MIT}S}

30 Kill copper and students (4) CULL {CU}{L}{L}

31 Lean girl's article (5) THING {THIN}{G}

32 Domesticate wild mate (4) TAME*

DOWN

1   Spoken in Windsor alehouse (4) ORAL [T]

2   Traveller on ice, going around Post Office circle, is more eerie (8) SPOOKIER {S{PO}{O}KIER}

3   Watched after spooks returned in capital (6) WARSAW {SAW}<=>{RAW<=}

4   Wrongly say, "True creek" (7) ESTUARY*

5   Bakery production, including eggs, in annual journal (8) YEARBOOK {YEARB{00}K*}

6   Bit code, perhaps, with learner (6) MORSEL {MORSE}{L}

7   This uncle is confused in absence of number (4) CLUE UnCLE*

14 Horribly wail about new relative by marriage (2-3) IN-LAW {I{N}LAW*}

16 One girl? That's wrong! (5) AMISS {A}{MISS}

18 Excited to carve son's hams (8) O?E?A?T? (Addendum - OVERACTS - {TO+CARVE}*{S} See comments)

20 Explosive item is blasted behind Andy by mistake (8) DYNAMITE {ITEM}*<=>{ANDY*}

21 As sire can be bizarre... (7) ARSENIC*

23 Head's old one's refurbished (6) NOODLE*

25 Alter small coins (6) CHANGE [DD]

27 In absence of 21, wildly amuses birds (4) EMUS aMUSEs*

29 Thomas has English book (4) TOME {TOM}{E}

Reference List

Note = TE, Cape = C, Student = L, Girl = G, Learner = L, Number = N, New = N, English = E

No 13408, Monday 22 Nov 2021, Dr. X

Solution to 26A 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.

ACROSS

1   Where bowler might be difficult to understand? (5,4,4) ABOVE ONES HEAD [DD]

8   Spar with American in scrap (5) JOUST {JO{US}T}

9   Inane fellow tottering around drunk on retirement is immature (9) INFANTILE {INANE+F}* over {LIT<=}

11 Devilishly cool female on vacation meets hunks heartily in jamboree (10) INFERNALLY {IN}{Fe..lE}{R{huNks}ALLY}

12 Cheese in gala, largely first-class (4) FETA {FETe}{A}

14 Visitor on tour covering provincial capital (7) TORONTO [T]

16 Forceful detectives about to arrest intoxicated star (7) DRASTIC {D{STAR*}IC<=}

17 Forces involved in relief for tsunami (7) EFFORTS [T]

19 Devise trick briefly to control unruly mare (5,2) DREAM UP {D{MARE*}UPe}

21 Appear in despair after losing girl (4) LOOM gLOOM

22 Chart outlined by foreign visitor, one studying about Covid-19, say (10) VIROLOGIST {VIRO{LOG}IST*}

25 Chancy romantic encounter in bed — tad anxious to win back love (5,4)  BLIND DATE {IN+BED+TAD}* over {L} (Correction - {BED+TAB}* around - {NIL<=})

26 Rust on most of strut rotating machine part (5) R?T?R (Addendum - ROTOR {ROT}{ROd<=} - See comments))

27 Perjury by trafficker about illegal sale at retro bar (5,8) FALSE EVIDENCE {F{SALE*}{DIVE<=}ENCE}

DOWN

2   One deceiving student, caught by guard (7) BLUFFER {B{L}UFFER}

3   Modify to include entire broadcast relating to treatment of animals (10) VETERINARY {V{ENTIRE*}ARY}

4   Yes, in France and Germany, it’s a mystic device (5) OUIJA {OUI}{JA}

5   Boundary around a field, poorly raked (9) ENFILADED {EN{A+FIELD}*D}

6   Try to find number in booth (4) HUNT {HU{N}T}

7   Silly tirades, most jejune (7) ARIDEST*

8   Pregnant after brief affair? Me too! (4,3,4) JOIN THE CLUB [CD] (Addendum - {IN THE CLUB}<=>{JOb} - See comments)

10 One freeing top American criminal (11) EMANCIPATOR*

13 Track model abandoning show in resort (4,6) RACE COURSE {R{ACt}ECOURSE}

15 Determined old boy, popular in country (9) OBSTINATE {OB}{ST{IN}ATE}

18 Free, endless ice-cream soda around American state (7) FLORIDA {FLO{RID}At}

20 Many mention about conducting one operation primarily relating to cell division (7) MEIOTIC {M}{CITE<=} over {1}{Op...n}

23 Compile book describing about symbols in ancient manuscripts (5) OBELI [T<=]

24 Advantage increases with Australia’s opener dismissed for duck (4) ODDS (-a+o)ODDS

Reference List

Fellow = F, Cool = IN, Girl = G, Bar = DIVE, Student = L, Yes in French = OUI, Yes in German = JA, Number = N, Model = T, Old Boy = OB, Many = M

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

Ruth Bishop, flew in from FLORIDA to TORONTO to address a scientific congress of VIROLOGISTS.  She was a woman who had come up by her own EFFORTS in this INFERNALLY difficult field of virology, staging a successful HUNT for a tiny viral particle that was only one-billionth of a metre. This little monster causes INFANTILE diarrhoea – a disease that takes the toll of about 5 lakh infants every year, all over the world. She had named the virus ‘rotavirus” because of the similarity of its shape to the [THIS WORD WILL BE ADDED LATER] wheel. This virus also afflicts young calves in dairy farms, as any VETERINARY practitioner knows.

Now, if I tell you the details of her research, I am sure it will go ABOVE ONE’S HEAD (including mine!). Suffice it to say, she overcame the ODDS, by her OBSTINATE persistence, and her innovativeness. She had devised a DRASTICally unconventional way to grow the virus- using MEIOTIC cell culture. She was not bogged down by her initial scientific papers getting rejected by peer reviewers, marked with red OBELI and with the ARIDEST of comments, some even accusing her of giving FALSE EVIDENCE, all but short of calling her a BLUFFER. I guess most of the seniors who reviewed her papers could not digest the fact that a young woman had done what they could not do.

In Toronto, she took to the podium and enthralled her knowledgeable audience with the process   of discovery of the rotavirus. But it is her final message that held the most appeal.  I quote: “The real JOUST is not between virologists but between the virologist and the virus. If you DREAM UP big, stay focussed and never quit, you will come out a winner in the RACE COURSE of research. Do so and you can JOIN THE CLUB of people like Salk and Sabin, Epstein and Barr. There are many LOOMing threats from viruses to humans. Let us put our joint efforts to become the EMANCIPATORS of mankind”.  I unquote. The thunderous ovation she got that night is a signal that the scientific world is changing, albeit slowly.

P.S. Ruth Bishop and her work on rotavirus is real. I could not help adding a little spice to the story. 

The Sunday Crossword No 3177, Sunday 21 Nov 2021

ACROSS

1   Potato I coated in chocolate and seed put before Queen (5,5) MARIS PIPER {MAR{I}S}{PIP}{ER}

6   Noisy scene, mass online chat (4) ZOOM {ZOO}{M}

9   Concede around New Year: 'Florida's where retiree might live' (6,4) GRANNY FLAT {GRAN{NY}{FLA}T}

10 Goes spearing, we're told, in hellish river (4) STYX (~sticks)

12 About time pilots returning, each a long way off (7,5) STREETS AHEAD {S{T}REETS<=}{A HEAD}

15 Pronounced a little slaver 'redeemable' (7) AVERRED [T]

16 Help to oversee French swine, not on air (2-5) CO-CHAIR {COCHon}{AIR}

17 Hot liquid state (7) TABASCO [DD]

19 Author's two automobiles? Almost (7) CARROLL {CAR}{ROLLs}

20 Being successful, UN had pop tune composed (2,3,2-3-2) ON THE UP-AND-UP*

23 Expensive ducks (4) DEAR [DD]

24 Palace where ninth stanza read aloud? (10) VERSAILLES (~verse aisles?) Anno not clear (Addendum  ~ verse I - See comments

25 Nasty infestation tormenting scalps, primarily! (4) NITS Acrostic &lit

26 Upset that dodgy actress secures vehicles (6,4) ESTATE CARS {ATE} in {ACTRESS*}

DOWN

1   Faces simpletons (4) MUGS [DD]

2   Read 1,000, not 500 + 500 sheets of paper (4) REAM REA(-d+m)M

3   The son shrugs off noisy creatures (4,8) SONG THRUSHES* 

4   Toward wicket, one lacking faith died down (7) INFIELD INFI(-d)EL(+d)D

5   The last ictodosaur, somewhat resilient (7) ELASTIC [T]

7   Cowboy may be seen here, avoiding saloon? (2,3,5) ON THE WAGON [DD]

8   Adjusted sound of quiz with plenty of meat (5,5) MIXED GRILL {MIXED}{GRILL}

11 Ruin anecdote about some choreography (5,7) DANCE ROUTINE*

13 Where those who are harmless are said to have no weapons? (4,6) EAST LONDON Definition by example. How a cockney from East London would say 'armless

14 Everyman has pound, wanting a drink and a snack (5,5) MELBA TOAST {ME}{LB}{A}{TOAST}

18 Unopened body of work describing he who went to Hell and back? (7) ORPHEUS {cORP{HE}US}

19 Second time for drive in Trudeau's land: it's a pastime (7) CANASTA CANA(-d+st)STA

21 Regularly pulling at bone (4) ULNA {pUlLiNg+At}

22 Goddess brought about emphatic agreement in Mexico (4) ISIS {SI}{SI}<=

Reference List

Queen = ER, Mass = M, Florida = FLA, Time = T, 1000 = M, 500 = D, Died = D, Second = S, Drive = D, Agreement in Mexican = SI

No 13406, Friday 19 Nov 2021, Karaoke

GURPURAB GREETINGS

Artwork by Prasanna

RULES FOR POSTING COMMENTS ON FRIDAYS 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

1   Obsessed with H-bombs regularly shown in short film (6) PHOBIC {P{HbOmBs}IC}

5   Rated exchange (8) TRADEOFF {RATED}* [RA]

9   Rich source of mining wealth initially carried in gondola at sea (8) GOLCONDA {Ca...d} in {GONDOLA}*

10 It’s poisonous material spreading around old city (6) DATURA {DAT{UR}A}

11 Harry Potter’s mom at after-the-event discussion (4-6) POST-MORTEM*

12 A boring person never misses first opportunity on review (4) YAWN {No WAY}<=

13 Ruler from Arabia/Middle East originally queen? (5) AMEER {Ar...a}{Mi...e}{East}{ER}

14 Write about the greatest Asian language (6) NEPALI {PEN<=}{ALI}

17 Model’s second prize carries one thousand dollars (4-2) MOCK-UP {MO}{C{K}UP}

19 Reported enticement at the place of omission (5) CARET (~carrot)

22 Above 1-16/26? (4) ATOP {A to P of Alphabets}

24 This settlement is not to the liking of lawyers maybe (3-2-5) OUT-OF-COURT [CD]

25 Very small and easy thing to watch a sentimental movie (6) WEEPIE {WEE}{PIE}

26 It is natural to join forces again mostly, provided England first joins (4,4) REAL LIFE{RE-ALLy}{IF}{En...d} 

27 Cut off reconstructed agreements ignoring emerging markets primarily (8) ESTRANGE {AGREemENTS}*

28 Swimming sturgeons got off the sharks (6) NURSES StURgEoNS*

DOWN

2   Headdress with spectacles? It brings bad luck (6) HOODOO {HOOD}{00}

3   Change your mind, God! (9) BACKTRACK {DOG<=}

4   Ignore the wrongdoing of bluff master at the end (7) CONDONE {CON}{DON}{thE}

5   Defector damaged portrait defacing party leader (7) TRAITOR pORTRAIT*

6   Bread-basket comes with incredibly bad warning (7) ABDOMEN {BAD*}{OMEN}

7   Record 100 but essentially caught out (5) ENTRY cENTuRY 

8   Take care of meals, first of all, when eating light lunch (8) FAREWELL {FARE}{When}{Ea...g}{Li..t}{Lu..h}

15 Poor literary work can go to fireplace (3-6) POT-BOILER {POT}{BOILER}

16 The strong point about the first rocket ship is fastness (8) FORTRESS {FORT{Ro...t}E}{SS}

18 Organic compound for youngster reportedly (7) PROTEIN {PRO}{TEIN(~teen)}

19 Lake bed before exclusive circle? (7) COTERIE {ERIE}<=>{COT}

20 Stop song (7) REFRAIN [DD]

21 Thief’s initial search for big bucks? Quite the contrary (6) TRIFLE {Th...f}{RIFLE}

23 Very poor person needs essential fruit daily (5)  PAPER PAuPER

Reference List

Old city = UR, The Greatest = Mohammed ALI, Second = MO, One thousand dollars = K, Spectacles = 00, Caught = C, Ship = SS 

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

It was well past midnight and I was on duty as a young intern in the Accident & Emergency ward of Osmania General Hospital. The NURSES tried hard to suppress their YAWN. I was lazily turning the pages of the WEEPIE novel I had in my hand for want of anything else to read. How I wished I could have a bite on my favourite PROTEIN bar?

All on a sudden the ENTRY of a police ambulance siren into the portico perked us all up. The policemen off-loaded a young man in his late twenties on a stretcher but had a tough time holding him down to it.  They had to call the NEPALI watchman in the hospital to assist them in restraining the patient. I noted that the patient was ranting like a madman, his fair skin was red and it burned like hell’s fire and for all the febrile delirium, he had not a drop of sweat. It was obvious he could not see or make eye contact with anyone.  The policemen said they had found him to have fallen from ATOP the walls of the GOLCONDA FORTRESS and that they had identified him as AMEER Mohamed from his wallet.  

The nurses followed the Standard Operating Protocol- collect blood for tests, start an IV drip, pass a tube through the nose into the ABDOMEN and another to the bladder, but all the while my mind raced through all sorts of possibilities. Head injury? An apoplexy? Meningitis? None of the MOCK UPs that had been done in final year medical school had prepared me for this live emergency. I tried to REFRAIN from calling for help but the head nurse Mrs. Shanthamma, realised that I was flummoxed and told me firmly “Doctor, please call Prof. Srinivas Rao, the on-call senior consultant”. He had already nicknamed me the HOODOO, because I had to wake him from his slumber every night for the past week to give him some bad news or the other.  He listened to my blurting out something and simply said “give the phone to Shanthamma”. He obviously trusted her more. The patient was wheeled out to the ICU and with a deflated ego and  not just a TRIFLE pissed off, I simply called up the senior resident in the ICU to hand over the case and plonked myself on the chair to snooze.

The next morning on rounds, Dr.Srinivas Rao berated me and my ilk. “What is wrong with you fellows? In your answer PAPERs, you all write that the symptoms of atropine poisoning- mad as a hatter, red as a beet, hot as a hare, dry as a bone and blind as a bat. But I cannot CONDONE you for failing to recognise it when you see an actual case. Had I not spoken to Shanthamma, you would well be doing the POST MORTEM on this patient. One night of stomach drainage, ventilation, neostigmine, fluid therapy and tepid sponging has turned him around.” So saying, he left in a huff. The rich parents, who were traced by the morning, shifted him to a 5- star private hospital. I heard that they paid the police handsomely to keep the matter OUT OF COURT.

I learnt later that this patient had had psychiatric issues including some PHOBIC behaviour. He had been a ganja addict and he had smoked weed that had been laced with DATURA, to heighten the psychedelic effect. Datura, the jimson weed of the nightshade family, I recalled contains atropine like alkaloids such as scopolamine and hyoscyamine that stimulate the brain and block the parasympathetic nervous system.

It is up to you to decide if this tale is a REAL-LIFE incident or just taken out of a POTBOILER. So long FAREWELL and adieu, till I meet with you with another tale, another day. 

No 13405, Thursday 18 Nov 2021, Avtaar

Solution to 5A 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.

ACROSS

1   Steamed potato stuffed with head of red turnip, perhaps? (7) TAPROOT {TAP{Red}OOT*}

5   Fusion of eggs in salad of green Alphonso mango for starters with topping of  yoghurt (7) ?S?G?M? (Addendum - ISOGAMY Acrostic {plus Yo...t} - See comments. Also see comments of setter for change in wording of this clue and 17A) 

10 Old British island state (4) OMAN {O}{MAN}

11 Tea caddy business reported by Spooner (10) DARJEELING (~jar dealing)

12 Information label in short document by Republican about blocking Quantitative Easing (1,1,4)  Q R CODE {DOC}{R}<= in {QE}

13 In a cryptic sense, it’s a pen (8) NOVELIST {ITS}* [RA] Semi&lit

14 Complex rubber getting removed by cleansing chemical element (9) ALUMINIUM (-condom+alum)ALUMINIUM

16 The 25th building in a block could be one (5) UNITY {UNIT}{Y}

17 Historic march within Delhi’s outskirts (5) DANDI {AND} in {DelhI}

19 Master admitting caliph’s first wayward son is taking over (9) ACCESSION {AC{Ca...h}E}{IS+SON}*

23 Range of old, abandoned computers getting transported (8) SPECTRUM {CoMPUTERS}*

24 Jerk damaged case of the pump (6) MUPPET {ThE+PUMP}*

26 Ideas incompletely conveyed by London daily about religious texts (10) SENTIMENTS {SENt}{TIME{NT}S}

27 Cross on the right of parrot’s crest (4) APEX {X}<=>{APE}

28 A female cuts way close to trees for squirrels (7) STASHES {A}{SHE} in {ST}{t..eS}

29 Boring creature — mere tit, possibly? (7) TERMITE*

DOWN

2   Most respected non-British commander (7) ADMIRAL  ADMIRAbLe

3   Refrain’s opening being supported by party music (5) RONDO {Re...n}{ON DO}

4   Dal served with bone china plate in East End (3,4) OLD BEAN {DAL+BONE}*

6   Swing delivery gets wicket (6) SWERVE {S{W}ERVE}

7   Hawk ascending over Bond’s playing area (4,5) GOLF LINKS {FLOG<=}{LINKS}

8   Torn denims and shirt shows attitude (7) MINDSET {DENIMS}*{T}

9   I say “Unite” in declaration (13) PRONOUNCEMENT {PRONOUN}{CEMENT}

15 A CID meets criminal for drugs (9) MEDICATES*

18 Most extensive cycling test before start of tournament (7) AMPLEST {(-s)AMPLE(+s)S}{To...t}

20 As one rising in business, am nervous (2,5) EN MASSE [T<=]

21 Pig out in open crossing meadow after bypassing lake (7) OVEREAT {OVER{lEA}T}

22 Revolutionary Austen protagonist supporting German resistance unit (6) GRAMME {EMMA<=}<=>{G}{R}

25 Lines up salmagundi plates (5) PSALM [T<=]

Reference List

Old = O, Republican = R, Rubber = CONDOM, Religious texts = NT, British = B, Party = DO, Wicket = W, Shirt = T, Lake = L, German = G, Resistance = R

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

ADMIRAL Vineet Varma (VV) has settled in DARJEELING after a glorious career in the Indian Navy. Your MINDSET about a retired serviceman is one who spends a jolly time at the club with some OLD BEANs. Our man is different.  He spends his mornings putting in the Army GOLF LINKS. He is never known to OVEREAT and so he has not gained a GRAMME after retirement. What really sets him apart from many such officers in Darjeeling is that for 3 hours before lunch every day he sits religiously at his desk writing, as he works on his third book, “Power of UNITY”.  

 

You might have heard of a NOVELIST who goes by the nom de plume of DANDI. This is the new AVTAAR of our retired admiral, who chose this - the name of the 6^th century Sanskrit grammarian and story teller- as his pen name, because his first book was a historical fiction-thriller set in Harshavardhana’s times. The PRONOUNCEMENT of the literary critics was that his work had not SWERVEd widely from facts, while spinning an engaging fantastic tale. They extolled the SPECTRUM of the SENTIMENTS of the characters that he portrayed vividly, which is a rarity in this genre- most others rely only on the twists and turns in the plot to engage the reader.

 

Naturally, working on sequels meant that he had to read a lot, which he did every afternoon at the Deshbandu District Library. No, don’t think of an old library with TERMITE ridden shelves and sepia books with crumbling pages. This library is so modern that it has managed to even replace the ACCESSION numbers on the books with Q R CODEs. This is also the venue of the History Club and STASHed away in its ALUMINIUM shelves are priceless well-preserved gems from the British era that are not lent out- you may only read them in the library.  This regular reading has given the admiral the AMPLEST scope to base his writings on. VV reads there until he hears the PSALMs being sung at the vespers from the St.Andrew’s church nearby, to the accompaniment of RONDO Capriccioso by the organist. He feels he is at the APEX of his creative thinking during the long solitary walk back home.   

On reaching home, he hurries to his desk to put down all the ideas that were brewing in his head during the walk. All this rigorous effort forms the TAP ROOT on which the tree of his literary output draws nourishment. Let us wish him well, for the upcoming book release that has been planned by his publishers also at Muscat, OMAN among other venues. May his tribe flourish.

No 13404, Wednesday 17 Nov 2021, Afterdark

Solution to 8D 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.

ACROSS

1   A book with poem on home (5) ABODE {A}{B}{ODE}

4   Can starts become concludes? (9) TRANSACTS*

9   Sequence of letters I released to take a pilgrimage (3) HAJ H(-i+a)AJ

10 Proverb for tool noticed (3) SAW [DD]

11 Flap in airplane has trouble year-round, regularly (7) AILERON {AIL}{yEaR+rOuNd}

12 Cashier’s pouch... (4) SACK [DD]

13 ... on hand given to a lawyer (English) on road (10) ACCESSIBLE {1}{BL}{E}<=>{ACCESS}

15 Part of a bow at rear, one missing is replaced ahead (5) RISER {R{IS)EaR}

16 Shocking virtues of French on slavery (9) SERVITUDE {VIRTUES*}{DE}

17 Stupid directions, many leaving upset (9) DISORIENT DIREcTIONS*

21 Cuts disc, one released with nothing in it, shameful to begin with (5) CHOPS {CH(-1+0)OP}{Sh...l}

23 Company speaker to expose something from newspapers (5,5) COMIC STRIP {CO}{MIC}{STRIP}

24 Ill-gotten wealth from chapel, Father’s storage (4) PELF [T]

27 Negotiate to release Victor’s seventh daughter from jail (7) INTERNE INTERveNE

28 Nothing’s new, one’s essentially old (3) NIL {N}{1}{oLd}

29 Look, female comes out as a genius... (3) ACE fACE

30 Lass dancing in splendid surroundings, a meadow (9) GRASSLAND {GR{LASS*}AND}

31 Herd in cage by force (5) FLOCK {LOCK}<=>{F}

DOWN

1   Longs to have a rebel society (5) ACHES {A}{CHE}{S}

2   Ends protests (7) OBJECTS [DD]

3   Preferably remodel secondhand boxes (4) ELSE [T]

4   New watch, neckties often seen in boxes (7) THWACKS {WATCH*}{necKtieS}

5   Dabbler Abraham ate urgently, portion of it (7) AMATEUR [T]

6   Buyer’s remorse follows after listening to this (5,5) SALES PITCH [CD]

7   Auditor at bar essentially in bout with a beast (7) CARIBOU {CA}{RIB}{bOUt}

8   Stupid directions, many randomly to circumvent law (9) S?N?E?E?S (Addendum - SENSELESS {L} in msny S&N&E - See comments)

14 Paper’s before had links and tapes earlier (10) PRERECORDS {PR}{ERE}{CORDS} 

15 Ruby’s working; it’s editing (9) REDACTING {RED}{ACTING}

18 Problem at Emirates’ central island (7) SUMATRA {SUM}{AT}{emiRAtes}

19 Terms are mixed up, if radical is replaced by a variable, it will be Maxima and Minima (7) EXTREMA {TERM(-s+x)X+ARE}*

20 Wore matching attire; intend to hold wife and dance (7) TWINNED {INTEND with W}*

22 Oscar, say dashed outside with Old Spice (7) OREGANO {O}{R{EG}AN}{O}

25 Compound of 26 and potassium creates a small particle (5) FLECK {CLEF*}{K}

26 Perhaps, symbol for chlorine electron and fluorine (4) CLEF {CL}{E}{F}

Reference List

Book = B, Lawyer = BL, English = E, Of in French = DE, Many = C, Company = CO, Victor = V, New = N, Female = F, Force = F,  Society = S, Auditor = CA, Directions = S,N,E, Law = L, Paper = PR, Variable = X, Wife = W,  Oscar = O, Old = O

GRID SAME AS YESTERDAY

No 13403, Tuesday 16 Nov 2021, Afterdark

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.

ACROSS

1   Bad temper? Take book, holy book (5) B?B?E (Addendum - BIBLE {BI{B}LE} - See comments)

4   We, people primarily, are immersed in feelings and doubts (9) SUSPENSES {S{US}{Pe...e}ENSES}

9   Superstar is old; conceals (3) SOL [T]

10 Wife and husband going where before? (3) ERE whERE

11 Hitchcock film about buccaneer, peacekeepers evicted... (7) REBECCA BuCCAnEER*

12 ... film’s climax edited by Bay (4) COVE COVEr

13 A soft fruit can be crushed for juice at the end on show (10) APPEARANCE {A}{P}{PEAR}{CAN*}{juicE}

15 A lawyer in posh car with navigation device (5) RADAR {R{A}{DA}R}

16 Study of people, advanced engineering at college can lead to technology (9) ETHNOLOGY {ETHNOLOGY+C=TECHNOLOGY}

17 Supports son’s efforts to earn name (9) SANCTIONS {S}{A{N}CTIONS}

21 Prompt umpire to substitute Jack with Napoleon (5) NUDGE (-j+n)NUDGE

23 Engaging in controversy at bar on missing son who has left (10) POLEMISING {POLE}{MISsING}

24 Divisions of a railway service (4) ARMS {A}{RMS} 

27 Stranger, a month before, turned his back to a musical group (7) OCTETTE {ET}<=>{OCT} and {ET<=} Not sure of Anno

28 Nothing’s new, one’s essentially old (3) NIL {N}{1}{oLd}

29 Anger is ruinous, eradicate first (3) IRE Acrostic

30 Cosmetic farce came undone (4,5) FACE CREAM*

31 A degree in display picture? High ego likely at the source (5) DPHIL {D}{P}{H}{I}{Li...y} Enumeration Should be (1'4). As per clue wording the solution will be DPHEL (Addendum - {DP}{H}{I}{Li...y} - See comments)

DOWN

1   It’s primitive when in pen (5) BASIC {B{AS}IC}

2   Passion in bed with sweetheart... (7) BELOVED {BE{LOVE}D}

3   ... always the first lady, ruminating in head (4) EVER {EVE}{Ru...g}

4   The French behind high tower (7) STEEPLE {LE}<=>{STEEP}

5   Squeal of child after cover is clipped (7) SCREECH {CH}<=>{SCREEn}

6   Driving after amber is lit? Will lead to sanctioning (10) EMBARGOING {GOING}<=>{AMBER}*

7   Part of duet following orchestra’s lead (7) SECONDO {SECOND}{Or...a}

8   Ray Peters designed stepney (5,4) SPARE TYRE*

14 Hari lost his head with them being stupid and having nervous reaction for Maths (10) ARITHMETIC {hARI}{THEM*}{TIC}

15 Four ports redecorated with a type of paint (4-5) RUST PROOF*

18 Many in independent India found in North primarily claim to be related to an Egyptian valley (7) NILOTIC {I{LOT}{I} after {N}then {Claim}

19 Shocking incident after mobs shelled (7) OBSCENE {SCENE}<=>{mOBs}

20 Say, meaning to thwack my heartless nasty son (7) SYNONYM {MY+NastY+SON}*

22 A mendicant like Maninder, Vishwanath internally (7) DERVISH [T]

25 Pinch small drink (liquor basically) (5) STEAL {S}{TEA}{Li...r}

26 Female in the front escaped (4) FLED {F}{LED}

Reference List

Book = B, Wife = W, Husband = H, Peacekeepers = UN, Soft = P, Lawyer = DA, Posh car = RR(Rolls Royce), College = C, Son = S, Name = N, New = N, Pen = BIC, The in French = LE, Child = CH, Independent = I, India = I, North = N, Small = S, Female = F

TalePiece

By Dr RKE

The OCTETTE played on when the SECONDO piatto was being served at the grand dinner hosted by Maxim de Winters at his OBSCENEly rich mansion, Manderly. The new Mrs. De Winters spun around with the zest of a DERVISH, welcoming the guests, making sure that the champagne was flowing and checking on the dishes. Maxim watched the goings-on with detachment. He wanted to STEAL away from the scene as he still longed to hold his BELOVED first wife, REBECCA, in his ARMS. No woman could EVER take the place of his Rebecca. Of all memories, the longest lasting and the most emotional they say are olfactory. Is that Rebecca’s FACE CREAM that his nose senses now?

The new Mrs.de Winters, in passing, NUDGEd Maxim, BASICally telling him to come out of his shell and put on the APPEARANCE of a gracious host. His mind went back to the day, when he swore on the BIBLE and said his marriage vows to Rebecca. Who would have imagined that “till death do us part” would come so cruelly ERE long? Of course, he had a D.PHIL in ETHNOLOGY from Oxford, knew so well about people’s behaviour, but nothing prepared him for the IRE he had to face from Rebecca’s family, who all thought he had murdered Rebecca. They were not willing to buy Maxim’s claim that she had accidentally fallen off the STEEPLE; the tabloid press had indeed been POLEMISING on whether that she was pushed down to her death by Maxim’s faithful housekeeper, Mrs.Danvers. She had fallen on to the road winding around the COVE on the back of the seaside mansion and it did not help matters that near her body were found the marks of the SPARE TYRE on the front wheel of Maxim’s Rolls Royce and a trace of the RUST PROOF paint from the front fender was seen on her dress. His claim that his car had SCREECHed to a halt on seeing the lifeless body and that he had FLED from the scene in fear, had NIL support. The Scotland Yard had still not taken Maxim off from their RADAR. The mystery will probably live on as long as SOL shines on earth.

Disclaimer: I have not taken the SANCTION from Alfred Hitchcock, whose name is a SYNONYM for SUSPENSE, to tamper with the story of Rebecca. 

No 13402, Monday 15 Nov 2021, Vulcan

Solution to 23A 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.

ACROSS

1   Preserve animal food (6) CANAPE {CAN}{APE}

4   Rate of a local tax, say (6) ASSESS {AS}{SESS(~cess)}

8   Selecting a picture (7) DRAWING [DD]

9   A time Spanish man hosted a politician (7) SENATOR {A}{T} in {SENOR}

11 Some new roles — some ending in disaster (4,2,4) MORE OR LESS {ROLES+SOME+d...eR}*

12 Working with unknown variables in black (4) ONYX {ON}{Y}{X}

13 Setter is smiling in support (1-4) I-BEAM {I}{BEAM}

14 Hold on with difficulty (8) RESTRAIN {RE}{STRAIN}

16 Moves forward with issues ahead of time (8) ADVANCES [DD]

18 Fibre Marie developed (5) RAMIE*

20 Instant photo (4) SNAP [DD]

21 Convict hunted down outside town, caught (10) CONTRACTED {CON}{TRAC{T}ED}

23 Reluctant girl on medicine (7) ?S?A?E? (Addendum - ASHAMED - {ASHA}{MED} - See comments)

24 Model, praised, had great ambitions (7) ASPIRED*

25 Hostile Southeastern state basically (6) AVERSE {SE}<=>{AVER}

26 Notice split coming (6) ADVENT {AD}{VENT}

DOWN

1   Vehicle to leave with shipment (5) CARGO {CAR}{GO}

2   Location unknown at this time and at this place (7) NOWHERE {NOW}{HERE}

3   Roam about in fear — it’s all around (9) PANORAMIC {PAN{ROAM*}IC}

5   Details — these are before your eyes (5) SPECS [DD]

6   Charm of posh English manor — fantastic surroundings (7) ENAMOUR {U} in {E+MANOR}*

7   State leader’s conservative approach and narrative (9) STORYLINE {St..e}{TORY}{LINE}

10 Indicate regarding offer (9) REPRESENT {RE}{PRESENT}

13 Ones in country’s islands (9) INDONESIA {IND{ONES}IA}

15 Users, ripped-off after gym shutting down, at a loss (9) SURPRISED {USERS+RIPpeD}*

17 Calm primate eating vegetables (7) APPEASE {AP{PEAS}E}

19 State-Church separated as a system (7) MACHINE {MA{CH}INE}

21 Game contributed by the Dutch essentially (5) CHESS [T]

22 Fair and equal trial to begin with (5) EVENT {EVEN}{Tr..l}

Reference List

Time = T, Man in Spanish = SENOR, Unknown variables = X,Y, One = RE, Town = T, Notice = AD, Posh = U, English = E, Regarding = RE, Gym = PE, Church = CH