Tuesday 4 June 2013

No.10790, Tuesday 04 Jun 13, Buzzer


ACROSS

6 Unruly comedian is out of control (8) DEMONIAC - comedian* - Anag.
9 He makes money from one wanting to spend capital (6) EARNER - Head off - The word from which the deletion is made is to be provided by any reader
10 A vessel that is slightly cracked (4) AJAR - Two meanings
11 Benefit from backing salesman is rather overwhelming (10) PERQUISITE  - PER<- QU(IS)ITE - Charade with reversal and c/c 
12 Dictator, totally gutless, managed to take flight in the end (6) TYRANT - T[otall]Y RAN [fligh]T - Charade with middle-off and tail-pick
14 Having a day off, toddler's playing with grandpa (7) OLDSTER - to[d]dler's* - Anag. after deletion
15 Building councils deplore potential graffiti makers (8,7) COLOURED PENCILS - councilsdeplore* - Anag. 
18 Medley, nowhere near right previously (7) FARRAGO - FAR R AGO - Charade
20 Phoney king's close to facing impedance (6) ERSATZ - Charade Anno to be provided by any reader
22 Agree to take leave in difficulty (10) - COMPLEXITY COMPL(EXIT)Y - C/c
23 Stately bird of Botswana (4) SWAN - Telescopic in Botswana
24 It helps identify one designated driver without vehicle (2,4) ID CARD - I D (car)d - Charade with c/c
25 Former marine becomes a judge (8) EXAMINER - Ex-aminer* - Charade with anag

DOWN

1 Cross over a threshold (4) DOOR - 'Rood' (cross) reversed - Rev.
2 One calls into question stupider reforms (8) DISPUTER - stupider* - Anag.
3 Embarrassed about romp leading to pay back (6) REFUND - RE(FUN)D - C/c
4 Fundamentals of money and tax say (5,5) BRASS TACKS - Charade with homophone
5 Inspector allowed stealing of chest (8) PECTORAL - Telescopic in 'inspector allowed'
7 Appreciate diplomat not against taking top job (5) ENJOY - EN[-v+j]OY - Letter change
8 Gas cooker split in half? (6,7) CARBON DIOXIDEAnno to be provided by any reader
13 Eccentric chap, royal prince of fable (10) APOCRYPHAL - chaproyal p - Anag. 
16 Unburdens sailor carrying very heavy goods (8) OFFLOADS - O(ff. load)S - C/c
17 Anybody in general army wearing uniform (8) EVERYMAN - EVE(RYMA*)N - C/c with anag. - Comment on the anno invited.
19 List of things to do time and again (6) AGENDA - AGE-NDA* ? - Charade with anag. - Comment on the anno invited
21 Mock golf supporters on the radio (5) TEASE - "tees" - Homophone
23 Case / to go well  / with dress (4) SUIT - Three meanings

Notes and Queries

1a - What exactly is a threshold? Is it the aptest of defs. for 'door'?

6a - Perhaps a clearer def. could have been used.

14a - That only one 'd' is to be removed from the anagram fodder 'toddler's' is carefully indicated. - Would a grandpa be necessarily an oldster?


Cartoon by Rishi
You know, when I am at the computer I am so engrossed that I don't even notice my formidable wife entering and placing a dhabara-thamler of coffee on the table by my side. After several minutes when I cast a sideward glance on hearing the screech of the kuyil on a tree branch outside my second-floor window I find the beverage waiting forlornly for contact with my lips. So you can't really blame Gita for calling me forgetful ("gone case" as Tamilians would say) and insisting that I must have memos glued over my veshti as to what I should do when. (If you want an enlarged pic, double-click on the image.)

15a - "Colour pencil"  is a phrase used widely in India. 'Coloured pencil' is found in Chambers; 'colour pencil' is not!

23a - What is the real national bird of Botswana? Visit here for an excellent photo:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/24969-Botswana-National-Bird

4d - "To get down to the brasstacks" - I became familiar with this expression while reading novels of Erle Stanley Gardner - anyone remember?


36 comments:

  1. 20 Phoney king's close to facing impedance (6) ERSATZ

    {ER}{SAT}{Z}

    ReplyDelete
  2. 9 He makes money from one wanting to spend capital (6) EARNER = Y +EARNER

    8 Gas cooker split in half? (6,7) CARBON DIOXIDE=
    (COO) -KER= C + OO Carbon + Dioxide.

    17 Anybody in general army wearing uniform (8) EVERYMAN - EVE(RYMA*)N Wonder whether General is an Anag Ind?
    19 List of things to do time and again (6) AGENDA - AGE-NDA* Whether and is an anag ind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 19 List of things to do time and again (6) AGENDA - AGE-NDA* Whether and is an anag ind?

      I took AGAIN to be the anagram indicator.

      Delete
    2. I meant 'Again' in my post. Is it OK?

      Delete
    3. Or is it Tim(e and ag)*ain

      Delete
    4. Nagesh see explanation given by Buzzer @ 1:55, below

      Delete
  3. (COO) -KER= C + OO = Carbon + Dioxide.

    Question mark in the clue means Buzzer asks for concession in interpretation of OO as Dioxide?

    ReplyDelete
  4. 9 He makes money from one wanting to spend capital (6) EARNER
    One wanting: Y +EARNER. Spending cap= Minus Y

    ReplyDelete
  5. Replies
    1. Thanks.

      Commenters here might like to read a contribution of mine in the fakingnews website that was published yesterday evening:

      http://my.fakingnews.firstpost.com/2013/06/03/mannequins-debate-lingerie-ban/

      Delete
  6. 10 A vessel that is slightly cracked (4) AJAR - Two meanings

    This is a charade: {A}{JAR}

    ReplyDelete
  7. In my view 10A is not a DD

    A = A
    vessel = JAR
    that is slightly cracked = {A}{JAR}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's right! It seems I had not paid careful attention.

      Thanks also for Commenters' contributions in parsing a couple of clues. I was lazy to work the annos out when they did not occur to me in a flash.

      Delete
  8. 24 It helps identify one designated driver without vehicle (2,4) ID CARD

    D for designated, with no indicator?

    ReplyDelete
  9. 8 Medley, nowhere near right previously (7) FARRAGO - FAR R AGO

    I'm not clear about this:

    Is nowhere near: FAR AGO? And 'right' previously means that R precedes FAR AGO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FAR: nowhere near
      R: right
      AGO: previously

      Delete
    2. Thanks. So used to seeing 'previously' as sub for position ind. and was misled.

      Delete
  10. Wonderful Pangram with no obscure words. Buzzer continues to enthrall

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Didn't realise it was a pangram till you pointed out!

      Delete
    2. Antennae was up when J & Q appeared

      Delete
  11. Lakshmi,
    Z is the symbol for electrical impedance

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks CV for the blog. Informative, entertaining and also inviting visitor participation.

    Let me see if I can talk my way out of the questions.

    All definitions from Chambers

    1a - What exactly is a threshold? Is it the aptest of defs. for 'door'?
    threshold (noun) : doorstep, sill, doorway, door, entrance, entry, brink, verge, starting-point, dawn, beginning, start, commencement, outset, opening

    6a - Perhaps a clearer def. could have been used.
    It was meant to be one of those clues where you can read either end as the definition/anagram indicator and hence chose 'unruly' and 'out of control'

    20 Phoney king's close to facing impedance (6) ERSATZ
    Phoney = ERSATZ
    King's = ER'S
    close to = at
    facing = juxtaposition indicator
    impedance = Z (like Ajeesh mentioned)

    17 Anybody in general army wearing uniform (8) EVERYMAN - EVE(RYMA*)N Wonder whether General is an Anag Ind?

    General as in 'widespread' or 'sweeping'

    19 List of things to do time and again (6) AGENDA - AGE-NDA* Whether again is an anag ind?

    Again as in 'afresh' or 'anew'

    (COO) -KER= C + OO = Carbon + Dioxide.
    Question mark in the clue means Buzzer asks for concession in interpretation of OO as Dioxide?


    Yes. CO2 is not strictly COO, hence the QM

    24 It helps identify one designated driver without vehicle (2,4) ID CARD D for designated, with no indicator?

    DD (abbrev)
    1.Deo dedit (Latin), gave to God
    2.Designated driver
    3.Direct debit (also dd or d/d)
    4.Divinitatis Doctor (Latin), Doctor of Divinity
    5.Dono dedit (Latin), gave as a gift (or dd)

    That covers them all I think?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Is there an online version of Chambers dic?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Raghunath. But I suspect that it is a diluted version. The iPad App (Rs 270/-) however is complete.

      http://www.chambers.co.uk/thesaurus.php

      Delete
  14. Another lovely run from Buzzer. Very enjoyable.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have the hard copy of the dic 1998 ed. The DD abbrv for eg is not listed.

    ReplyDelete
  16. If you have the commercial software Crossword Compiler of Antony Lewis, it has Chambers with some other dictionaries inbuilt. And the Chambers dict. is the recent 11th edn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the Chambers 12th edn and it does list out DD as mentioned by Bhavan.

      It also has a separate entry.

      D/D or dd abbrev : days after date; day's date.

      Delete
  17. CV: THRESHOLD; Through which a groom carries his bride into the bedroom? Where a groom takes his decisive step to doom for martydom and loses his life's freedom?

    I remember having hunted high and low in Bombay for my first Everyman's book on crossword puzzles, having read about it. I could see a copy at the British Council library only for reference and not to be even loaned, It was a precursor to the Newman's book ,exactly similar. I even wrote to the Publishers in London to no avail. However,years later in Kenya, a fellow crossword buff, gifted it to me, as he had a spare copy, complete with his own comments, additions and remarks, which I treasure even today. Talk about serendipity !
    Incidentally, I have now managed to complete the two shelf-smelling books that you were kind enough to give me, when you visited me in Coimbatore. They were restored (isn't a work of art always restored?), fully stitched, reinforced in their spines and duly cellophane wrapped before use. I'll always treasure these two books. Thanks again.

    How books and folks take you back to fond memories !

    ReplyDelete
  18. CV,
    Ref.- Nice cartoon-Do you need a reminder tag for something that you do 24 hrs?!

    Just the second comment inviting reader participation indicated straightaway that today's blogger is CV. Nice & enjoyable. Thank you.

    Nice Pangram,Bhavan. Lot of work goes into your offering- always.

    Yes,Raju. Books are a treasure(and a pleasure) even in these days of internet & e-books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm waiting for the days when they invent something that will make the aroma of printed matter, musty smell of books from a library, the ruffle of a page or even the falling off of an old leaf kept inside a book by some one as a fond memory engraved in it by a thumb--- to be enjoyed in an E- reader. Not very far off, I'm sure !

      We are indeed living in beautiful times of advancement in science but lucky enough to still savour the flavours of yore.

      Delete

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