Saturday 15 June 2013

No 10800, Saturday 15 Jun 13, Lightning

Too much of an effort though trying to adjust the widths of the new format. Getting a hang of it though, however I'll stick to my original format in future unless someone finds an easier solution to this. I'm stumped by 27A.

ACROSS

1   MAVERICK Rebel from Michigan State in the heart of black sea (8) {M{AVER}I}{blaCK sea}
5   EGGCUP Container for say, grand trophy (6) {EG}{G}{CUP}
9   BACTERIA Microorganisms react a bit stunted upon mutation (8) {REACT+A+BIt}*
10  HAMLET The Bard’s village? (6) GK
12  LEVEE For the most part, flatten eastern embankment (5) {LEVEl}{E}
13  APPLIANCE Gadget from computer manufacturer captures interest across networking conferences at first (9) {APPL{I}{A}{N}{C}E}
14  PRESTO Propose measure to leave central Estonia quickly (6) (Addendum - See comments) {PR{EST}Opose} {PRES{en}T}{O}
16  TITANIC Liner capsized in Atlantic, losing balance in the middle (7) {IN+ATlanTIC}*
19  AMADEUS A scholar prosecuted over a movie (7) {A}{MA}{DEUS<=}
21  PIRACY Copyright infringement, fast to engulf Ireland (6) {P{IR}ACY}
23  BALALAIKA Instrument that a research department sent back with famous space dog (9)

 {BAL}{A}<={LAIKA}
25  CRASH Hard currency, king in downturn (5) {C{R}ASH}
26  ITALIC Edit a license displaying a special typeface (6) [T]
27  BONA FIDE Genuine, well-organised bid on a fine, essential        {BID ON A F}*{E}
quarterback (4,4)
 Anno pending (See comments)
28  GANDHI Head of Georgia and Hawaii — a great leader (6) {G}{AND}{HI}
29  ONE PIECE Swimsuit that typically hides her belly button (3-5) [CD]




DOWN

1   MOBILE Spy, outside the borders of Brunei, willing to relocate (6) {MO{BruneI}LE}
2   VICE VERSA Six engineers, very hesitant to initially shift automobile the other way around (4,5) (Addendum - See comments) {VI}{CE} {VERy}{S}{A} {VI}{CE} {V}ER}{S}{A}
3   REEVE Turn back with English officer (5) {REEV<=}{E}
4   CHICAGO Musical, trendy in the past (7) {CHIC}{AGO}
6   GLADIATOR Gold tiara ordered for Roman fighter (9) {GOLD+TIARA}*
7   COLON Mark a body part (5) [DD]
8   PATIENCE Tolerance of those who require therapy in speech (8) (~patients)
11  SPAT Bicker over bugs (4) TAPS<=
15  SHELLFISH That woman will trawl for a marine creature (9) {SHE'LL}{FISH}
17  NECTARINE Sweet secretion in oriental fruit (9) {NECTAR}{IN}{E}
18  GAMBLING Without end, sport flashy jewellery for a bet (8)
Bet should be GAMBLE		 {GAMe}{BLING}
20  SLIP Fault in Southern rim (4) {S}{LIP}
21  PLATOON Detailed scheme to join every other subdivision of a company (7) (Addendum - See comments) {PLA{TOO}N} {PLAn}{TO}{jOiN}
22  CHEESE Wine pairing that brings a smile to your face (6) [CD]
24  LEARN Inclination to overcome resistance to gain knowledge (5) {LEA{R}N}
25  CLASP Firmly hold buckle (5) [DD]













LINK TO SOLUTION

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43 comments:

  1. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 08:34

    I think 27a is BONA FIDE from the crossings that you have given and the def, "genuine". Will work out the anno in a trice.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 08:34

    10 is a CD, since ref is to his play which means a village. GK answer would be Stratford

    27a BONA FIDE, Anno not sure B ON A... OR BIDONAFINE*-IN
    For some time, I thought the first word was REAL. Got the answer after crossings.

    Were you able to use my template? Have you made any changes, pl let me know. In the subsequent version, I have adjusted the widths of clue no. to 2 and answer to 15

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 08:37

      When I had adjusted col. width for the clue col. I had the same issue like you have in 8d, with the answer and clue number appearing vertically centered against two lines. But I can solve that by formatting the clue column.

      Delete
    2. Deepak Gopinath15 June 2013 at 09:11

      I used your excel sheet with some adjustments like reducing the column widths by trial and error. Finished product doesn't look too god, especially when viewed in the mobile version. Just checked the witdth of the col for the clue says 54.29

      Delete
    3. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 09:30

      I too was not very satisfied. Will give it another go on Monday. If it still does not look 'god', as you say, I will stick to the known devil of the past.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 09:33

      That also depends on whether I get Vulcanised on Monday.

      Delete
  3. SandhyaP15 June 2013 at 08:35

    27 ?O?A ?I?E Genuine, well-organised bid on a fine, essential quarterback (4,4)

    {B{ON}{A} {F}ID}{E}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 08:39

      Quarterback?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 08:40

      Quarter can be E, but qb?

      Delete
    3. Bhavan15 June 2013 at 09:05

      (bid on a f)* + e (essential or central part of 'quart E rback')

      Delete
    4. Anonymous15 June 2013 at 09:32

      Thanks. Would the conversion of fine to f in the anagram fodder make it an indirect anagram? Or is it ok?

      Delete
    5. Bhavan15 June 2013 at 09:38

      It is fine. Single letter substitutions are OK in anagrams as long as they are derivable easily.

      Personally I like to use a word that starts with the same letter, so to specify 'I', I prefer 'India' to 'current'.

      Delete
    6. Kishore15 June 2013 at 09:40

      Thanks again.

      Delete
    7. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 10:03

      Anagram fodder can have a word for which you have to substitute a letter (or two?). This ploy may defer the solver spotting the anag fooder even as it facilitates the work of the setter. But the word must yield the abbr easily - without any ambiguity. Using a word that just begins with the letter wanted is also not permitted. But as Bhavan indicates above, if it is a recognisible, valid abbr., it is fine. It goes without saying that the single-letter of an abbreviation will necessarily be the initial letter of the word.

      Delete
  4. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 08:36

    Well, it is an anagram, 'well-organised' being the anag ind. Fodder is BID ON A F
    Yet to work out the rest!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 08:38

    The fodder is BID ON A F[in]E?

    Explain "essential quarterback".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepak Gopinath15 June 2013 at 09:02

      I think Lightning overlooked the E already in the fodder and added quarterback to indicate an E at the end(back)

      Delete
    2. SandhyaP15 June 2013 at 09:07

      E = essential quart E rback

      Delete
    3. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 09:12

      Sandhya, you got it! Congrats!

      And the surface reading is so plausible in an environment and at a time when players are bought in a bid.

      Delete
    4. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 09:14

      The praise should go first to Bhavan and equally to Sandhya as we don't read all the messages before we post ours.

      Delete
  6. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 09:45

    I had 2D as {VI}{CE} {V}{ER}{S}{A}. Hesitant =ER

    ReplyDelete
  7. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 09:51

    Nice one from Lightning. 10A was my CoD

    ReplyDelete
  8. Suresh15 June 2013 at 10:12

    Lightning's Bonafides have been established at last

    ReplyDelete
  9. VP15 June 2013 at 10:14

    Couple of clarifications:

    18D: Missed the trick with gambling and bet. Free dictionary lists gambling in the noun form as "a bet", but looking at it again today, am not convinced. Apologies for the same.

    27A & 2D: Annos by Bhavan (9:05) & Ramesh (9:45) were exactly what I had in mind.

    Annos for 14A & 21D are different from what I had in mind. Not sure if the wordplay is not clear enough

    ReplyDelete
  10. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 10:26

    I had 14A as {PRES{-EN}T}{O} & didn't have an anno for 21D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Suresh15 June 2013 at 10:28

      21D is PLA(-n) TO + ON from every other letter of Join

      Delete
    2. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 10:31

      I got as far as PLA & TO. Didn't get on. On hind sight looks obvious

      Delete
  11. Raghunath15 June 2013 at 10:27

    21 Detailed scheme to join every other subdivision of a company (7)PLAn (TO)(ON)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 10:28

      Nicely done

      Delete
    2. Raghunath15 June 2013 at 10:29

      21 Detailed scheme to join every other subdivision of a company (7)PLAn (TO)(jOiN)

      14 A anno as per Ramesh is right I think.

      Delete
    3. Bhavan15 June 2013 at 12:36

      I took this as :

      Detailed scheme = PLAT
      to join every other = tO jOiN
      subdivision of a company = platoon

      Delete
  12. Raghunath15 June 2013 at 10:36

    Suresh,
    Lightning's Bonafides have been established at last

    I don't think there was any doubt. I do think he takes great pains in cluing to be fair to solvers.
    Nice puzzle, VP.

    ReplyDelete
  13. VP15 June 2013 at 10:41

    These above annos from Ramesh/Suresh/Raghu are the ones I had in mind.

    Final teaser: The grid contains 8 words from a common theme :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 10:45

      ouch .. movies

      Delete
    2. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 10:48

      and all winning Oscar best picture ?

      Delete
    3. RameshJ15 June 2013 at 10:52

      nope .. some are pre oscar

      Delete
    4. VP15 June 2013 at 11:02

      Agreed, the terms Oscar and Best Motion Picture has taken its course over time, but Academy Award for Best Picture in a broad sense has been fairly consistent since inception. The theme was based on single word movie names from those that won the top honors since the beginning.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture

      Could use upto 8 given grid fills etc.

      Delete
  14. Raghunath15 June 2013 at 10:47

    I think it is Hollywood movies: GANDHI, TITANIC, CHICAGO, PLATOON, HAMLET, AMADEUS, CRASH & BALALAIKA

    ReplyDelete
  15. VP15 June 2013 at 10:55

    Ramesh @ 10:48: Spot on wrt the theme :)

    Raghu @ 10:47: Spot on with all names, except that BALALAIKA was not on my list to begin with. It just happened to get there with the crossings. I had GLADIATOR instead.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Chaturvasi15 June 2013 at 11:55

    Today the papers had pictures of a cricketer at a temple. I liked the heading for the pic in ToI: MEASURING UP. (To what, I thought.)

    There was humour - unintended or intended - in the caption. It said: "The suspended ... player was weighed with plaintains."

    The pic showed him sitting in a pan (of the balance) that was several inches above the ground. Suspended indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard15 June 2013 at 13:47

      Sporting a beard, he looks a wee bit different in that photograph.

      Latest buzz: Grapevine has it that he is going to tie the knot with a damsel from the royal house of Jaipur. Seems to justify the name of the team - Rajasthan Royals. Doesn't it?

      Delete
  17. VJ15 June 2013 at 16:39

    28A: I was just wondering.

    The definition is "great leader." Well, had it been "leader," "Indian leader" or something, it'd have been more objective and neutral. Adding "great" makes it a little subjective and opinionated IMO. I ain't denyin' that Gandhi was a great leader, but in a crossword where we look for objectivity, are these kinds of subjective definitions expressing setter's personal views on a subject, okay?

    ReplyDelete

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