Special, Sunday 11 Feb 2024, 15th Anniversary Crossword Results and more

Thanks for the response to the 15th Anniversary Crossword Community Special Jumbo.

In all I received 40 solutions of which there were 19 all correct entries. Thanks once again to Viresh Ratnakar for helping me to set up the post to receive and check submissions directly which saved me a lot of effort in checking each entry individually for errors. 

ALL CORRECT 

Sree Sree Jacob Brahmakulam Ravi Ramanan R Nagendra Prasad D Narayanaswamy K Koteswar Rao Bhalachandra Pasupathy Ramki Krishnan Gowri H Rohit Agarwal M  Balasubramaniyam Mohan Thiyagarajan Lakshmi Prakash Sabareesh Iyer Vinayak Rao Ekbote Viresh Ratnakar Venkatesan P Kiran Cheruku Abhishek Sridhar

WITH ERRORS

Ranjani Srikanth, Ramesh Babu, Harish Kamath, Rengaswamy, Ratna Rao, Lakshmi Vaidyanathan, Vasant Sreenivasan, Dr A Jayalakshmi, Mona Sogal, Suresh MS, H Ramachandran, Dr Mukund Jaganathan, Dr Ashit Hegde, Dr Satyen Nabar, Michael Harms, Jacob Jayakar, Raju, PB Padmanabhan, Ramesh Kosaraju, Aashirwad Viswanath, Shruthi and Easwar Kumar

CLUES

40 clues attracted votes towards the top three clues. Dr Satyen Nabar's clues (16A & 17D) got 17 votes followed by K Koteswar Rao's clues (1A & 45D) with 13 votes and Lakshmi Vaidyanathan's clues (40A & 26D) with 11 votes. 

The other setters whose clues got mentioned were Bhalachandra Pasupathy and Abhishek Sridhar (7 votes), Vinit W (6 votes), Ramachandran, Sreenivasan and Sree Sree (5 votes), Samit Kallianpur, Rao Pilla, Sabareesh Iyer, Mohanraj Thiyagarajan and Ajeesh (4 votes), Ramesh Kosaraju, Veeraraghavan, Viresh Ratnakar and Ramki Krishnan (3 votes), Ravi Ramanan, Aashirwad Viswanath, Shrikanth T and Sarvesh CK (2 votes). Clues by Nick Loader, Vasant Sreenivasan, PB Padmanabhan and Kishore M Rao  got one vote each.

WINNERS

Winner from the all correct entries randomly picked (using the 'Rand feature' of excel) is D Narayanaswamy Congratulations. Your prize is winging it's way to you.

The winner for the top clue is Dr Satyen Nabar for his clue NATURAL CHILDBIRTH "Type of delivery in truth had brilliance, leaving England's captain flummoxed (7,10)" which garnered 11 votes. Congratulations. Your prize is also winging it's way to you.

The Crossword is reproduced below for your solving pleasure.

5 answers per commenter as usual till 4 PM (Annotations compulsory) After 4 PM anyone can answer the remaining if any.

Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Please also highlight errors if any in the cluing as many novices had set clues and they can learn from their mistakes if pointed out.

Enjoy.

Madras Day Special, Sunday 27 Aug 2023, Incognito

This Madras Day Special is available only in the Online site of The Hindu Crosswords.

ACROSS

1   Container containing non-Indian tamarind is next to a raft (9) CATAMARAN {CA{TAMARind}{A}N}

5   Mistakenly flog game (4) GOLF*

9   Wandering Africans leave a venerated Catholic friar (7) FRANCIS AFRICaNS*

10 Actress Doris' time of illumination (3) DAY [DD]

11 In favour of model citadel (4) FORT {FOR}{T}

12 Having endless sex after long time? Use rubber! (5) ERASE {SEx}<=>{ERA}

13 English writer receives nothing for now demolished market near railway station (5) MOORE {MO{O}RE}

15 Distant source of light seen in forest area (4) STAR [T]

18 They may be available for taking in Chepauk and Kollywood (6) EXTRAS [C&DD]

21 Sick after church? Difficult to get this in city having hot, hotter and hottest weather... (5) CHILL {ILL}<=>{CH}

23 Took seat around Indian holy man (5) SAINT {SA{IN}T}

24 King, judge or gentleman, partially (6) GEORGE [T]

26 If rejected, Zulus sputter, releasing gas (4) FIZZ {IF<=}{ZZ}

30 Company support for snake found in Croc Bank (5) COBRA {CO}{BRA}

32 Agitated South African releases ostrich and local animals (5) FAUNA {soUth+AFricAN}*

33 Wrongly take hardwood (4) TEAK*

34 Type of train for bird? (3) EMU [DD]

35 Get favourable with definitive treatment (7) PROCURE {PRO}{CURE}

36 Consumes some rice at supper (4) EATS [T]

37 Bingo's two little ducks – just two short of two dozen (6,3) TWENTY TWO [00]

DOWN

1   At first, chief of finance takes charge for drink (6) COFFEE {Ch..f}{Of}{Fi...e}{FEE}

2   Belying its name, the above is very popular in this locality in Chennai (1,5) T NAGAR (~ tea nagar)

3   Fish got from horrible marketplace not having tap (8) MACKEREL MARKEtpLaCE*

4   Spicy soup and sambar prepared without boiling at first (5) RASAM SAMbAR*

6   Avoid choosing pot (3,3) OPT OUT {POT}* [RA]

7   Strain arising from flier flying around top of tower (6) FILTER {FIL{To..r}ER*}

8   Dramas organised in Presidency town (6) MADRAS*

14 Propeller is used in Goa regularly (3) OAR [T]

15 Bath-room has no cleaning equipment, for starters (3) SPA SPAce

16 Relative's gold placed on holy book (4) AUNT {AU}{NT}

17 Lost directions in Chennai to get tea (4) CHAI CHennAI

19 Draw an item of neck-wear (3) TIE [DD]

20 All India Radio's broadcast (3) AIR [Acrostic & DD]

22 Zulus leaving United States return to church in Indian metro (3) LUZ ZULus<=

23 After son travels to Marina, for example (8) SEAFRONT*

24 Girl gets accommodations for men getting married (6) GROOMS {G}{ROOMS}

25 Poet's above coercion to some extent (3) OER [T]

26 Useless dossier about union territory (6) FUTILE {F{UT}ILE}

27 Fanatic tar escapes from lazaretto building (6) ZEALOT LAZarEtTO*

28 Majestic Australian has puff (6) AUGUST {AU}{GUST}

29 Look! Commencement of bottle opening in pavilion! (6) GAZEBO {GAZE}{Bo...e}{Op...g}

31 Just a scoop of ice-cream? Plenty and sufficient... (5) AMPLE sAMPLE

Reference List

Model = T, Church = CH, Indian = IN, Zulu = Z, Support = BRA, Gold = AU, Holy book = NT(New Testament), Girl = G, Australian = AU

Special, Thursday 24 Aug 2023, KKR

Artwork by Prasanna

Three answers per commenter till 6 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.

Special, Sunday 10 Feb 2019, 10th Anniversary Crossword Results and more

Thanks for the response to the 10th Anniversary Crossword Community Special Jumbo.

In all I received 26 solutions of which there were 21 all correct entries. Details as under

All correct

Dr Mukund Jagannathan

Prasad

Dr Satyen Nabar

Bhavan

Ramki

Vasant

Bhala

Sowmya

Rishi

KKR

Vinayak

Supriya

MB

Neelima

Mona

Raju

Nagendra Prasad

Lakshmi Prakash

VA George

Dr Krishnamoorthy

Srinidhi

With errors 
Ramani 
Sreenivasan S 
Venkatesan
Padmanabhan
Jacob Brahmakulam

31 clues attracted votes towards the top three clues. Dr Satyen Nabar's clues (54A&9D) got 10 votes followed by Bhavan's clues (62A&17D) with 8 votes and Bhala's clues (29A&5D)with 7 votes. 

The other setters whose clues got mentioned were Shrikanth (6 votes), Supriya (5 votes), Aakash (5 votes), Ashit Hegde (4 votes), Koteswara Rao (4 votes), Ramki (4 votes), Fraser (4 votes), Devanathan (3 votes), Srinidhi (2 votes), Jyotsna (2 votes), Ramesh (2 votes)

Clues by Mona, Self, Abhay, Kishore, Sudarsan, Lakshmi and Ashwini got one vote each.

Winner from the all correct entries randomly picked using the 'Rand feature' of excel is Bhalachandra Pasupathy Congratulations. Your prize is winging it's way to you.

The winner for the top clue is Dr Satyen Nabar for his clue "Spreading intolerance and extremes of bias! Not new for parties (12)" which garnered 6 votes. Congratulations. Your prize is also winging it's way to you.

The Crossword is reproduced below for your solving pleasure.

5 answers per commenter as usual till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory)

Please provide all your answers in one comment.

ACROSS
1   Sad miss by winger (8)
6   Vicious retort left by retired comic is second to none (10)
13 Never break bottle! (5)
14 Time to retire staff with debts at firm (9)
15 The next symphony Beethoven might have written? (5)
16 Lasting defeat I’d brought about among nubile cast (12)
18 Type of gun lacking energy's used around university to produce another type of gun (4)
19 Believe God lies within self (3)
21 Ice pan lifted in exceptional praise (5)
23 Woman asked for time husband left Church (5)
25 Many abandoned failure for bright young thing (3)
27 Setter, asked to assess, got angry (5)
29 Regrettably about to kiss cousin, practically dashed bawdy (9)
31 Initially the work over for a number (3)
32 Will 's asleep ? Not exactly! (6)
34 Mature libertine Pirandellian looking inward in retirement (5)
35 Empty garret accommodates first class carriage (4)
36 Wind cord around wide joint (4)
38 Paramount, say, wants set cleared out for advanced recording (5)
40 Almighty Bolt blows away amateur in trial (6)
41 Disgusting! Revolutionary habit without appeal (3)
42 Longshoreman and Jobs party again (9)
45 Dress material for pretty daughter (5)
46 Sure, they equalize scores in closing stages (3)
47 Store auditor's money (5)
49 Doctor Alan's way of speaking (5)
50 Members of playschool, obviously shy (3)
52 Look high and low for company doctor (4)
54 Spreading intolerance and extremes of bias! Not new for parties (12)
59 Pace maintained by a contemporary (5)
60 Clear about life after spending half of it being unaware (9)
61 Former religious head (5)
62 They illuminate V-8's casing evenly in grey line (4,6)
63 Bird that's half bacon (8)

DOWN
2   Brilliant learner surprisingly hired after he's dismissed by university (5)
3   Adam's wife is in the vehicle (3)
4   Start from the centre of peppermint roll (5)
5   Romeo and Juliet, not taking sides in feud, found flirting (3,4)
6   Very old conservative gangster is forthright (5)
7   Some witch-owned Chinese dog (4)
8   Actors act here in the beginning (5)
9   Invite nice nurse at busy hospital department (9,4,4)
10 Bones turned up in soybean lunch (5)
11 Birthday girl arrives, maybe by Sunday latest (11)
12 Video about recoiling gun (7)
17 Cost-friendly car to rent? Seemingly impossible (4-13)
20 Lounge for a haircut (4)
22 Exercise is permitted to recover and sharpen the dog and bone (9)
23 Perhaps question married couple on order (3)
24 Don't love heat generation (4)
26 Father overjoyed to emerge quickly (3-2)
28 Thorough fool takes one pair to America (9)
30 Sports equipment obtained by secretly asking (3)
33 Transfer of property in favour of poor recluse having nothing (11)
35 Awkward week had by the composer of “The Beggar’s Opera” (5)
37 Man’s worth isn’t innate (3)
39 Smart watch I can text from (4)
41 Silence follows bachelor's party (4)
43 Gaze at some grey egrets (3)
44 Female leaves vanity,finds purpose (7)
48 Leading man found in bed with cigar (7)
51 Returning alumnus receives honour? Sweet! (5)
53 Low Long Island radish (5)
55 Oriental Vase rolls to edge of roof (5)
56 Some seawater is eroding vertical pipe (5)
57 Old kind of biscuits kept in reserve (2,3)
58 Boring leaders babble like absurd humbugs (4)
61 Discharge patients under supervision for starters (3)

Across Lite version can be accessed at 10th ANNI CW

Enjoy.

Special, Sunday 04 Feb 2017, 9th Anniversary Special Community Jumbo

On the 9th Anniversary of the blog I would like to thank one and all who visit this blog this also includes all those who are silent followers and have never commented here. It is your continued support which gives me the inspiration to continue.

Thanks to Koteswar Rao, Lakshmi Vaidyanathan, Dr Satyen Nabar, Vasant Sreenivasan, Srinidhi Sreenivasan, Ramki Krishnan, Mona Sogal, Padmanabhan, Bhavan, Ajeesh, Dr Jyotsna Deo, Ashit Hegde, Dr Mukund Jagannathan, Bhargav, Dr Ashwini Nabar, Raju Umamaheswar, Faten Ismail, Kishore, and Rishikesh for contributing clues for this crossword.

FOUR ANSWERS per commenter with annotations till 8:30 AM on 05 Feb. Setters can also enter their answers for clues other than the clues they have set themselves.

At the end of this Crossword I have provided a survey form where I would like all of you to vote for the top three clues as per your choice. Clue voted the best will earn a prize for the setter. Results for this will be announced at 8 AM on 11 Feb 18. Just in case the Survey Form doesn't work, please also send me an email with your selection of top three clues.

ACROSS
12 Runaway bride, nearly took-off, we hear.. Must be an ailment (4,3)
13 New help is mad - crackers! (9)
14 Routine problem before birth (2,5)
16 Something to eat? Nothing, let's meet in a mess (9)
17 "Freeze!" police operation removing naked boy student going around University (3,2)
18 Musical fellow recalled stirring feelings (9)
19 Listener is with Lok Sabha peers (5)
20 Lacking origin, said/expressed greeting mostly relevant to ancient language (3,4,6)
21 Essential Renin broken down (5)
22 Helps adult son and female relatives without hesitation (7)
24 Crowned Head Constable resolved the lead arresting the Prince (9)
26 Drunk? Real drunk, to be precise (7)
28 Opponent wasted years going after profit (9)
31 Even duets carry a gift (5)
32 Girl's disappearance with essentially slimy model turning into an inflammatory issue (9)
34 Shapely , elegant relative is about to have sex (5-6)
37 They allow on craft providing food and lodging before game (8,5)
41 High class is in force to join a game (7,6)
42 Stop in Kashmir or Gaza Strip? (7,4)
43 Cover in the gap confused an aircraft approach (5,4)
45 Lead junction hold up leads to river end (5)
47 Stern foes changed with 'please' and the like (9)
50 Not on the job, wretched man, had some enchiladas, was almost ill (7)
52 Spawnings give the measures of  an aircraft athwart! (9)
54 Collector fires Sam and returns boxes (7)
56 Wine mama consumed surreptitiously (5)
58 Making out with former partner, zingier or it fizzles? (13)
60 Love a model? I ignored his words (5)
62 Novel boy resolves steamy row (3,6)
63 One in the lab making noise (5)
64 Female lap dancing for Canadian icon (5-4)
65 Grotesque incongruous creature is a wild and distant dream (7)
66 Tea with lemon juice-add a bit of echinacea- it changes colour (9)
67 Intricate ballet after noon that will feature 14 women playing (3,4)

DOWN
1   Initially annual report to bring up overdue payment (6)
2   Scram! Get away from those barriers! soundly causing indignities (8)
3   Brilliantly showing  strong libido from Uruguay with stealth (10)
4   I so desired initially to appear in blockbuster like “game of thrones “ for e.g (8)
5   Count upon one after a trick tape manoeuvre (10)
6   Beat the first two - the rest should surrender (6)
7   Plant the man, Harry to get representative (4,6)
8   Respected first name in perfumes I discovered finally (8)
9   Refrain from riot trouble and enroll hurriedly (10)
10 Fellow is in small accommodation but he's a person for you, me and others (8)
11 Average fellow hugs English princess (6)
12 Lift embargo on backlash (9)
15 Reverses deliveries, lures out! (9)
23 First look inside manoeuvre for a rifle mechanism (5,6)
25 Bugs irritated Ted's eyeball (11)
27 Club, perhaps, gets iron printing machine of some sort (6,5)
29 Ninus, for a change essentially protects member of a sect (7)
30 Essentially wants research covering ethnic group's revolutionary revival (7)
32 Ruffians kidnapping daugher and son - children under one's care (7)
33 Hide in South East island (7)
34 No second coffee/tea (3)
35 In no situation one can stay there (3)
36 Regular divide for a data repository (3)
38 Bartender has expertise (3)
39 Lock up, restrain a burglar? (3)
40 Appeared for college admission exam (3)
43 Good stuff to master, a habitual response being syntactically correct (9)
44 Yes, father intrudes into latcher rambling on and on. That's Ideal! (10)
45 Not smart! Robbed a chicken, baked a Turkish Delight (5,5)
46 A Pole taken back by Scot to look so it's said at waterbody (7,3)
48 Female campaigned for grand piani carved on tree (10)
49 Demanding girlfriend and nearly unavailable. I’m backing out (9)
51 Doctor agrees to have an alcoholic drink (8)
52 Sorbet in liquid and solid form ? (5,3)
53 Hemp tins arranged for transportation (8)
55 Seen frequently in palm-court estate of a lover (8)
57  Brief discomfort restraining my wildcat (6)
59 Strange story about Exa (A very uncommunicative person) (6)
61 Ancient Greek's article on prohibition (6)

Across Lite version can be accessed at 9th ANNI CW

All the best.

Create your own user feedback survey

Special, 15 Aug 2017, Twin-set

FOUR answers per commenter (Annotations compulsory) till 6 PM. 8 AM on 16 Aug 17.
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

Published in the Freedom supplement of The Hindu today

Across

1 Earmark a national symbol (4)

3 Attempt extremely secret meeting (5)

6 A politician follows court rule to economise (6)

14 Popular face (no novice) returning home (5)

15 Book from right-minded mate of a different disposition (7,2,8)

16 Choose - pick no second! (5)

18 Warrior sheltered by woman in Jaipur (5)

19 Cancelled activist's handout in a rush (9)

24 Pester a tribal (4)

25 Downgrade two of Rajasthan's mounted police (4)

27 Saints preserving opus get concessions (4)

28 Netaji initially boarded ocean-going submarine enthusiastically (4)

29 Beginning of what Pippa does is ignored by fools (5)

31 Figure something happening in the limits of shanty (7)

32 What 47 and 65 were to 15 (7)

34 A Hindu verse 50 doubled for old emperor (6)

36 Head of Department with loads of aimless scribblings (7)

38 Fate of Pondicherry's small baby (7)

40 Tantric zone Karachi ended abruptly in chaos (6)

41 Delhi's landmark reportedly scanned for a little time (3,4)

44 Appointed ruler's bad - old in line (7)

46 Thread stocked in coastal isles (5)

47 Our country's father figure (4)

48 Dress of mother at pre-noon (4)

49 Deputy, with hesitation, is a colour changer (4)

50 Record find cut by half (4)

53 Insect to yield, accepting enrolled nurse’s hint (9)

57 Health drink - a whole lot to international college head (5)

60 Spiritual leader on books: it's an eye-opener (5)

62 Saying 'no' politely - one form of which is 5 (5,12)

63 "Begin working with one on LOC arrangement." "Consider it done." (5)

64 Crushes good parts of fruit (6)

65 Statesman loses spectacles in one hour of riot (5)

66 What the British did - very head of establishment thrown out (4)

Down

1 Rugby team's pipe has model length (7)

2 Alien enters a small area of land in narrow mountain ridge (5)

4 Italian capitalist runs country (5)

5 Dharna - it's terribly popular (3-2)

7 Indian party's against exam on ship (8)

8 Indian obtained bar of precious metal (5)

9 Old British PM has a type of bread (5)

10 Law cited erroneously (5)

11 Capote leaves operation theatre with desperados initially wearing part of Superman's dress (5)

12 Correct article when current is withdrawn (4)

13 Student wears a fantastic tika - a mark made on the forehead (5)

17 Bring down after century? It's madness! (5)

20 Indian ascetic resides in Godavari's hinterland (5)

21 Storage furniture for council of ministers (7)

22 Relaxes as sea recedes around ship after end of cyclone (5)

23 Hot in pen? Squirm! (6)

26 Analyse centre of decay from great distance (6)

30 So slang composition can become rallying phrases? (7)

31 Passover meal created from chopped reeds (5)

33 Silence! Yankees are hugging lady with diffidence (5)

35 One deadly sin, okay? (6)

37 Fed up with Australian lieutenant's failure to make payment (7)

39 Fighter in beret dropping ends becomes a self-exile (6)

42 Avoid Ms Peron's demand to some extent (5)

43 Romping primate has lost it - change boundaries (5)

45 Grant's death at university's first examination (5)

46 Told untruth about inventor and defamed (8)

51 Hundred and fifty Englishmen take tea said to be mild (7)

52 Remove accessories from runway (5)

53 Boast about new coin (5)

54 The sort of metals, perhaps, top lab found in crushed bone (5)

55 Disguised identity of person spilling gin around company (5)

56 Author's last words: "Novel's incomplete...revised ... I ..." (5)

58 Bill includes ring for executioner's equipment (5)

59 Apache eremite camouflages happiness (5)

60 Help after commencement of rebel's attack (4)

61 Almost bad nut is cracked by a native of Africa (5)

Across Lite version can be accessed at FREEDOM CROSSWORD.

Enjoy.

SOLUTION GRID

Special, Sunday 01 Jan 2017, El Commandante

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Enjoy this 25 x 25 Special by our new setter El Commandante. Bouquets and brickbats welcome.

FOUR answers per commenter till 2 PM.
Please provide all your answers in one comment.

ACROSS
13 Man to place something on a surface noisily for a Physicist (8)
14 Extra thin glassy coating applied on pottery (9)
15 Converted twelve, head west for victory material (6)
16 Blue blooded sign without energy to track lost king in melee (10)
17 Dark one got off (5)
18 Violinists will do this to accept credit (4,1,3)
19 Cheers! Alcoholics Anonymous sozzled complaints (8)
20 Returning reference held second-mentioned toady (9)
21 Peaceful dry quarter (6)
22 365 days no good over Indian hungriness (8)
25 Superior maybe right type of fish (5)
27 Rate jug holding some drink at the end (5)
30 A very large number not sick in Israel (4)
32 Merit of scrap in grouse on ship (10)
36 Pleasure trip's a process section of the week (7)
37 Cast over a short key chest (6)
39 By accident hang other reps as they study individual cultures of mankind (13)
40 Hopelessness as returning editors held special on knight's crazy ends (11)
42 A citizen's distinctive doctrine? Patriotism? (11)
44 Goes into  tizzy, and Ash zaps her irregularity (13)
47 Roman statesman's measure (6)
48 Free legal service for Irish singer (3,4)
49 Coach after tea is sweet at heart (4,6)
50 I am a small multifaceted religious teacher (4)
52 Communication in the past quarter without our neighbour (5)
53 Cutting a cross in Germany (5)
55 'You go' said short slave East European (8)
58  Tapeworm in a tea! Not in order (6)
61 Two Gulfs and two Bays make up this main! (6,3)
64 Measure, definite characteristic of an Ibex (8)
66 Land owner took umbrage at heart over large arboreal rodent (8)
67 Plant variety in Diana's bed (5)
68 Consul in trouble over victory action lost statute in violent turmoil (10)
69 Prairie restoration held something more spacious (6)
70 Palm nodes destroyed central portion of cell (9)
71 Despatched containing joint mass consignment (8)

DOWN
1   Have Irish Catholics refused in pairs to attend to locks (8)
2   Oh Dear! Karnataka is not here (6)
3   Russian pastries made by sufi master at Kozhikode lost without last four (8)
4   Alpha roster's ancient lighthouse (6)
5   Teenager's almost satiated all primed up and vigorous (8)
6   Albumen stirred without mass is another mass of particles (6)
7   Just for example a boxer on a train by arrangement (11)
8   One in need with a new garter cut in half (6)
9   Agree to short term on the day before (6)
10 When women agree internally it produces a reaction (6)
11 Stir fry Zinc, Aluminium, Titanium, Radium with Calcium! (8)
12 Crazy jointer lost some time to put things back together (6)
23 Able to keep memories about a temporary shelter I have (9)
24 Spore bearing mass of a puffball found in jungle bamboo (5)
26 One in Karnataka or a Maori greeting of good health (3,3)
27 Across's jurisdiction (9)
28 At first you're usually patient after the doctor said stop talking (3,2)
29 Oddball from the European Commission with stated focus (9)
31 Scarves to recreate types of stitches (9)
33 Cold-shouldering of some tribes, primarily an act of apartheid (9)
34 Creative in general with promissory notes (9)
35 Rocky putsch is to settle in part (9)
38 Easy twins manufactured Pianos (9)
41 A cross initially held in a book of the Old Testament, Indian-German Mathematician (6)
43 Class of elementary particles leapt out (5)
45 Spirited variable established by youth (5)
46 Manage after relating to N or S is an instrument (11)
51 Model male relative arrested returning Indian (8)
54 Distressed Gaul went into prolonged state of deep sleep with this complaint (8)
56 Protein chunk for all to see on endless line (8)
57 Song transported having just taken off (8)
59 Free returning auditor resigned (6)
60 Distinctive character over an alternative for appearance of coloured lights (6)
61 Fail to justify loud faith (6)
62 In a pretensiously posh way the french princess danced away at first (2-2-2)
63 Took a chair on a returning vehicle used to find directions (3-3)
64 Turnover if primarily nothing is hot at the end (6)
65 Internally uses a mexican seasoning (6)

Across Lite version can be accessed at EL COMMANDANTE 1

Enjoy.

SOLUTION

Special, Saturday 24 Dec 2016, Balderdash

TWO ANSWERS per commenter till 6 PM (Annotations compulsory)
Please provide your answers in one comment.            

                

                                             A SPECTRAL SYMBOL FOR X'MAS                                     

As against the two dimensions, which are familiar to crossword solvers, i.e.  ‘Across’ and ‘Down’, this puzzle is 3 dimensional. The third dimension is ‘Away’. The cubical grid is visualised as five layers (each layer being a 5x5 square) of the cube in the grid below. The directions Across, Down and Away are marked alongside the grid for your reference. All answers are 5 letters long, but one of them is made up of two words. Solve like you would solve a regular puzzle – you have crossings from an additional direction as you go along. It might make things easier if you fill in the Across and Away answers first, and then the Down clues.

After solving. if you look around the middle of cube, you may find some connections to the festive season, as indicated in the title. Though at the heart of it, you will find a sweet nothing. These may be mentioned in the blog after the entire puzzle has been solved here.

 

Across
1	Ace loses first place resulting in strain
4	Joint bowel movement?
7	Run around a fortune-teller’s aid
10	To some extent, bosun cleans relative
13	G-man who treats spirit
14	Sir, returning key terminals can be dangerous
15	Flyer one buried in piece of land
18	Mason arrived carrying sound equipment
19	Look around a zoo initially, and take possession by force
Down
1	Provide online joke
2	Do better with some luck after old age
3	Time to let out river
4	Slightly moves borders
5	Sportsman brought into this world around first of June
6	Watt consumed right liquid, for example
7	Badly frustrated after loss of well-organised trade in areas under control
8	Initially, respected Indian sadhu having intellect
9	Meth manufactured around end of July for Herb
Away
1	First lady takes books to convention, perhaps
2	Queen embraces Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. That’s hot stuff!
3	Idiot gobbles egg, for example
10	Old city(German)’s presser
11	Go over religious symbol
12	Portal’s bad net/line
15	Violently opposes, leaving Post Office, to get money
16	Nail broken when travelling around American island
17	Number of Magi’s dimensions found in this puzzle

This format of the puzzle is not supported by AcrossLite. Hence, a printable version is available at
Balderdash9.

Enjoy

Solution Grid

Two Themed entries CROSS and GHOST run across the centre of the central layer, forming the symbol of a cross.  At the absolute centre of the cube is a O or 0 signifying 'Shunya' or nothing.

It is a pangram