Friday 24 June 2011

No 10189, Friday 24 Jun 11, M Manna

Would have been a decent crossword but for the few inconsistencies.
Slow connection today so not adding any cartoons.
ACROSS
1   - Go off by oneself to sketch detail (4,5) - {DRAW} {A}{PART}
6   - Good man gets a warning to say nothing and hideaway (5) - {ST}{A}{SH}
9   - Inferior foreigner undergoing training in armed forces (5) - {CAD}{ET}
10 - Related to the family originating from Lancaster (9) - ANCESTRAL*
11 - Before decent, drunken predecessor! (10) - {ANTE}{CEDENT*}
12 - Supervise text publication (4) - EDIT [CD]
14 - Ceased to associate (7) - DROPPED [E]
15 - Head doctor makes a point to order hard cheese (7) - {C}{HEDDAR*} Where does 'C' come from*
17 - Assumed as true so posted one out (7) - {POS{I}TED} Supposed to be an Anagram?
19 - Passed the ball transversely (7) - CROSSED [E] Why ball?
20 - Kind and virtuous person without alternative (4) - {S{OR}T}
22 - Rambling with company in a natural setting (10) - {IN{CO}HERENT}
25 - North African in a loose jacket? (9) - TANGERINE [DD] Tangerines don't have loose jackets. (See comments)
26 - Readjust rates and rents (5) - TEARS*
27 - Draw up preliminary plan outline (5) - DRAFT [E]
28 - Organised chaos on a large scale (9) - GRANDIOSE*
DOWN
1   - Now a cricket club building at Asian capital (5) - DACCA* (ad+a+cc)
2   - Dad converted one with difficulty into extra rooms (9) - {ADD}{I}{TION*}S 'S' from?
3   - Expect the French here to fill in worker and head (10) - {ANT}{ICI}{PATE}
4   - Official payment made out to a ward by Ted (7) - {A}{WARD}{ED}
5   - Skilled person in mechanical art (7) - TECHNIC [CD]
6   - Say nothing because muffled by a scarf (4) - {S{AS}H}
7   - There's a large number to deliver, sharp! (5) - {A}{C}{RID}
8   - In case, the steer should be tied up in the hold (9) - {HOL{STERE*}D}
13 - Arden, for example, surrounded by hard grass must be planted anew (10) - {RE{FOREST}ED}
14 - Attested about it and put down (9) - {DEPOS{IT}ED}
16 - Reckless road speed is criminal (9) - DESPERADO*
18 - Rhythmic movements to music (7) - DANCING [E]
19 - House office to care for student affected with acute intestine infection (7) - {C{HO}{L}ERA}*
21 - Nora asks daughter to call for her (5) - {RON{D}A*}
23 - Experience with a small portion (5) - TASTE [CD]
24 - Measures people may take a stand on (4) - FEET [DD]



13 comments:

  1. Rhythmic movements to music (7) - DANCING

    Forget about non-crypticness.

    The def, 'Rhythmic movements' suggests that the word required is a noun in plural form but...

    One of the inconsistencies!

    Pity the solver!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think 25A has nothing to do with the fruit. Its allegedly a DD with references to one from Tangiers and a loose fitting women's jacket.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The official spelling of the city is DHAKA, I think.

    In which case, should the setter give a hint that the word required uses old spelling?

    Or should the use only the new spelling in the grid?

    What do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  4. CV@08:48. I think it is ok even without an indication of old spelling.

    ReplyDelete
  5. CGR,
    Nice to read your letter in Editorial page of The Hindu.

    Thanks
    Ajeesh

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would hesitate to call it even a decent Crossie given all the Es/CDs and the number of inconsistencies in the clues.
    Apart from the ones already commented upon,
    24: Measures people may take a stand on - feet or foot is a measure and not measures. People stand on their feet and do not 'take a stand on' their feet.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Vikram

    I was just wondering whether I should not examine this crossword (I haven't solved it) and see how many clues will really pass without a demur. But I was in no mood for that.

    Ajeesh

    Thanks for having noticed my letter. As I knew that any details would be cut out, I did not write at length. So the letter has been published as is.

    Here I can give details:

    The first occasion was when I had to rusticate in Durgapur, WB, for a year as I was uncomfortable in the school/hostel or lodge in Calcutta and returned home (my Dad was Dy Financial Adviser in DSP in its incipient stage).

    The second was when I failed in SSLC after having got a first class in the aggregate and missed the chance of winning a trophy for district first in the English paper (88 per cent in the year 1958).

    The third was when I abandoned B. Sc. physics after a year of study and took up Eng. Lit.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 19A-
    In football/Hockey when one passes the ball from one wing to another,it is said he sent a cross.(as against kicking the ball forward/backward)

    15A- Cheddar

    The only extra word is "a point".How can this be C?

    ReplyDelete
  9. CV

    Rusticate is used to mean either retiring to or living in the country or more commonly being sent down from college/school as a punishment. Since there was no element of punishment involved and it was your decision to withdraw of your own volition for personal reasons, 'rusticate' appears to be an inappropriate choice of word given its penal connotation.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 'Rusticate' also means "to go to, live in or spend time in the country" (rural district - at that time I have seen forests being felled by bulldozers right opposite our houses to make way for quarters for personnel working at the steel plant) as opposed to a big city (Calcutta, in this case). So I don't think my use of the word was inappropriate.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Deepak

    Got a message from Dave (now in Ireland) to say that he has been solving THC on his iPhone and that he enjoyed Gridman's last outing. He will soon be in Kottayam for a couple of weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. CV,

    Good to hear news about David

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gridman and Manna are also following on the footsteps of NJ, throwing all canons of grammar, syntax and norms of compiling to the winds. They all should take a lesson from the compiler of The Daily Telegraph of London. I have been doing these crosswords from my collections and I enjoy them so thoroughly.

    Lingam is a Sanskrit word(see 23rd June) and though I did get the answer, I felt very uneasy having even attempted to solve that crossword.

    Takes all sorts to muddle your mind with not just lateral thinking but multi-lateral thinking.!!

    We solvers have a right to ask the Hindu to appoint a Crossword Editor. Any takers ? Chaturvasi saab? or Shucchiben? Or even Colonel saab, who is always so punctilious?

    Raju Umamaheswar

    ReplyDelete

deepakgita@gmail.com