Fifteenth Anniversary of the Blog on Sunday 04 Feb 2024

I plan to post a 21 x 21 Community crossword for the 15th Anniversary of my blog which falls on Sunday 04 Feb 2024. 

The Grid has 64 clues and is not a themed one. All those who are interested please send me an email at deepakgita@gmail.com and I will send you two words/phrases each. Please set a clue and send it back to me latest by 31 Jan 24 ALONGWITH YOUR INTENDED ANNOTATION. 

The grid will be run as a competition grid and solutions (in the form of a filled grid) to be submitted to me by email, by 12 Noon on 09 Feb 24. A lucky draw will be taken from the all correct entries and the winner will get a prize. Name of the winner will be published on 11 Feb 24 and the grid will then be published as a special on Sunday 11 Feb 24. All those who have set clues can also participate in the competition.

Special, Sunday 01 Feb 2015, 6th Anniversary Prize Jumbo, Pluralist

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Since this is a prize crossword, no comments on the solutions to be shown anywhere on the blog. I will be moderating the comments between 10:30 AM on 01 Feb and 8:30 PM on 03 Feb so that no one inadvertently reveals a solution.

2.  Solutions may be sent to my e-mail : deepakgita@gmail.com in the following formats  :-

     (a) Screen shot or an image of the completed grid  or

     (b) As a word document (Annotated solutions will have to be in this format).

     

3.   Following prizes will be given.

    (a) Prize for all correct entry. This prize winner will be a random selection from the all correct entries.

    (b) Prize for the first entry with correct annotations (annos to match with those intended by the setter).

4.  Only one prize per head [to ensure that someone doesn't bag both :-)], by chance in case someone wins more than one then prize at (a) above will go to the second name thrown up in the random selection.

     

5.  Entries will be received till 8:30 PM (as per my computer clock) on 03 Feb 2015.

6.  Results with solutions will be displayed on the 6th anniversary of the blog i.e., at 8 AM on 04 Feb 2015. The regular blog of 04 Feb will appear at 9 AM.

7.   Each entry to be accompanied with a soft copy of your photograph, postal address and contact numbers.

8.  My decision as sole judge (I have my wife's permission to say so), will be final and binding and cannot be contested in any court :-)

9.   And last but not the least, thanks to Abhay for sending this in and letting me use it as the Anniversary special.

ACROSS 
10 Moulds the mind within sea animals (11)
12 Uropod cut in half just in the insect's abdomen (7)
13 Winged sandals cast at a liar (7)
14 Less common to find odd ages regularly taking on the three Rs (5)
15 Grow less intimate apart, or lightly sleep off? (5)
16 Found on side A, "Taken In" possibly makes Nell agog (4,3)
17 3/5 of 22 and 2/3 of 10 add up to a short story (5)
18 Small rodent eats Indian cloth (5)
19 Avid one excitedly referring to a mole (7)
21 Singer Bruce led Aqua's comeback, essentially (5)
23 Parasite strain caught (5)
24 Capital city known for Rebus puzzles? (9)
26 Follower perhaps reunited disbanded hitmen (9)
29 Gnome, too, oddly followed Hollande's word (5)
32 Order setter, perhaps, to undertake a journey in hiding (5)
34 Minute aquatic organisms seen in north-east Texas city after evaporation of under-hydrogenated water (7)
35 Publish a central depiction of an old Germanic letter (5)
36 Infatuation a high-ranking officer had for a butterfly (5)
37 One is against a person deseeding cotton (7)
38 Post office suppresses steamy picture (5)
39 That's a good beginning, Bill! (5)
40 In Switzerland, a long line wears an expression of disbelief at finding bread for the Sabbath (7)
41 Surround swimmer when troubled at first (7)
42 Locks set in motion by sensitive mechanism (4,7)

DOWN
1   Novel describing able collector of incredible facts? Not really (3,8,2,6)
2   Manage lien turning up lots of money in Africa (10)
3   Special bread dessert picked up for explosive variant of Russian mixed drink? (6,4)
4   Half of them called for a Mass in 24 (6)
5, 25 Tipsy metal worker preceded by almost aristocratic writer (8,9)
6   A stance taken when parrying detailed query about untenanted redevelopment of the lot (6)
7   Wander around military college with principal leading way to African building (8)
8   Drain out dense, fixed concrete (8)
9   "Quarter it", two women echo, finding direction before being stuck in the middle (7,4,3,5)
11,33 Odder representation of Sinatra on film and book (9,2,1,5)
20 Put up with malfunctioning cloak for Robert Englund initially (5)
22 Last flaw in erstwhile unwilling guest (2-3)
25 (see 5 down)
27 Circa 50 CE, Il Duce exiled criminal cell where all were involved, it is found, in cases of rape (6,4)
28 That devilish study, for example, contains bronze orb and trunk (10)
30 Reflection of standard chronograph display comprising, say, three digits? (3,2,3)
31 When done with a quick but thorough look… (4-4)
33 (see 11 down)
36 …find folios in a heap of rubbish (6)
37 Writer, given names, censored and edited so automatically! (6)

Across Lite version can be accessed at 6th Anniversary Prize Jumbo

All the best.

Results of Prize Special, Sun, Oct. 20, 2013

The above is the numbered solution grid of the crossword.

The clues with the annotated solutions:

ACROSS

1   See doctor's operation on outskirts of Bellary (4,2) DR OP BY

4   Makes fast sale by using a devious method (6) BELAYS*

8   A good shrew not starting attack (7) A G [o]GRESS

9   Bathroom fixture manufacturer using voice booster for dish (7) CERA MIC

11 Instils awe into concerns of dieters (10) WAISTLINES*

12 Sharpness of knife cutting sides of account book (4) [l]EDGE[r]

13 Mother's working to be a novel lawyer (5) MAS ON

14 Delicacies for attractive women in the U.S.? (8) CUPCAKES

16 Shoe for spymaster losing tip of Oxford in big event (8) M OCCASI[o]N

18 Agreements with Comrade may get cars, perhaps (5) [com]PACTS

20 Requests for jobs taking no time (4) [t]ASKS

21 Disregarding a group working in Gujarat's capital (10) A BAND ON IN G

23 Office aids turning out the same again and again (7) COPIERS

24 News is this is the time when everything is a problem (7) MESS AGE

25 Lacking refinement, but could be hearty (6) EARTHY*

26 Tell it's creative work by rascals (6) IMP ART

DOWN

1   Follow mother's principle (5) DOG MA

2   Roots of cars from which money is thrown out (7) [m]ORRISES

3   Extremes in Wimbledon producing mean verses (9) BASELINES

5   They are against all odds (5) EVENS

6   In the manner of dame relaxing in Californian city (7) A LA MEDA*

7   Such bees have no bite in them, obviously (9) STINGLESS

10 These snakes disturb Nana's coda (9) ANACONDAS*

13 Doctor on saint -  one in a Wilkie Collins classic (9) MO ON ST ONE

15 A hope that may go up in smoke - or down the drain (4,5) PIPE DREAM

17 Dismiss bank employee (7) CASHIER (double def)

19 Card game in which players hold a new ace (7) C(A N)AST A

21 Expression of dismay as raga's stretched to ultimate stretch (5) AARG* H

22 Time to be near pet at last (5)  NIGH T

Director and Col. Deepak Gopinath thank the following (in no particular order) who sent in their entries:

Ajay Chadha, New Delhi

Bhalchandra Pasupathy, Chennai

Gita Balakrishnan, Kolkota

Gita Iyer, California

Kishore M. Rao, Bangalore
Lakshmi S. Vaidyanathan 

Mohsin Ahmed, Bangalore

Mrs. Pavalamani Pragasam, Madurai
Prasenjit Bhowmik, Bangalore

Raghunath, P., Hyderabad

Ramesh Jagannathan,Hyderabad
Prof. Nadathur S. Rangarajan, Hyderabad
Rangarajan, K, Bangalore

N. Rengaswamy, Chennai
Sandhya Paruchuri, Hyderabad

Suresh Dorbala,Vizag

C. N. Umamaheshwar (Raju), Coimbatore
Dr. S.Venkatesh, New Delhi
Vinayak Rao Ekbote, New Delhi

From among all the eligible entries, the following was selected by an online computer randomization process as the winner of the single book prize. 

The winner is

Ajay Chadha, New Delhi

The book will be sent to him by courier as soon as possible. 

(PS: The book was sent by SpeedPost at 11-30 a.m. on Tue, Oct.22) 

(PS 2: On on-line tracking, I understand that the packet has been delivered.)

Thanks are due to Director for contributing the puzzle and to Col. Deepak Gopinath for hosting this competition. It was fun conducting the event. 

Prize Special, Sun 20 Oct 2013, Director

SUNDAY PRIZE SPECIAL

Today's special is a prize crossword set and contributed by Director.

Please do not post any answers in the Comments section today.

Answers need to be sent to chaturvasi@yahoo.com before 10 PM IST Monday 21 Oct 2013. Real name, e-mail ID and complete postal address to be included in the mail.

Solve the puzzle completely and send your answers in text form thus:

Across:  1..., 4 ..., 8 ... etc.
Down: 1 ..., 2 ..., 3... etc.

Or, if you can, as a filled-in grid form. Either method is OK.

The winner of the single prize (a slim book of Tamil stories by Narasiah translated in English by C. G. Rishikesh) will be chosen by draw from all all-correct entries received any time till the closure of the competition. Entries received after the closure will not be considered. Nor incomplete or mutilated entries.

The competition is open to anyone living anywhere in the world but the prize can be sent only if the winner is resident in India. The names of all all-correct entrants will be notified on this blog.

The decision of Director and of the blog-owner is final.

ACROSS

1   See doctor's operation on outskirts of Bellary (4,2)

4   Makes fast sale by using a devious method (6)

8   A good shrew not starting attack (7)

9   Bathroom fixture manufacturer using voice booster for dish (7)

11 Instils awe into concerns of dieters (10)

12 Sharpness of knife cutting sides of account book (4)

13 Mother's working to be a novel lawyer (5)

14 Delicacies for attractive women in the U.S.? (8)

16 Shoe for spymaster losing tip of Oxford in big event (8)

18 Agreements with Comrade may get cars, perhaps (5)

20 Requests for jobs taking no time (4)

21 Disregarding a group working in Gujarat's capital (10)

23 Office aids turning out the same again and again (7)

24 News is this is the time when everything is a problem (7)

25 Lacking refinement, but could be hearty (6)

26 Tell it's creative work by rascals (6)

DOWN

1   Follow mother's principle (5)

2   Roots of cars from which money is thrown out (7)

3   Extremes in Wimbledon producing mean verses (9)

5   They are against all odds (5)

6   In the manner of dame relaxing in Californian city (7)

7   Such bees have no bite in them, obviously (9)

10 These snakes disturb Nana's coda (9)

13 Doctor on saint -  one in a Wilkie Collins classic (9)

15 A hope that my go up in smoke - or down the drain (4,5)

17 Dismiss bank employee (7)

19 Card game in which players hold a new ace (7)

21 Expression of dismay as raga's stretched to ultimate stretch (5)

22 Time to be near pet at last (5)

To attempt the Crossword on a separate page follow the link THCC PRIZE SPECIAL

All the best, may the luckiest person win.