Wednesday 12 February 2014

No 11006, Wednesday 12 Feb 2014, Arden


ACROSS
1   It could be cast or stuck on to rip sofa out (7,2,5) PLASTER OF PARIS {PLASTER} {OF PARIS}*
As seen by one at 6D
10 Bard in writing (5) HOMER [CD] (Addendum - {HOME}{R} - See comments)
11 Submission order is on one without name (9) OBEISANCE {OBE}{IS}{A{N}CE}
12 Cleat holding battered boat on wet land (4,3) PEAT BOG {PE{AT BO*}G}
13 Worker gets fruit for food (7) ALIMENT {A{LIME}NT}
14 Place of one’s birth (5) NATAL [DD]
16 Note, minaret construction will stop (9) TERMINATE {TE}{MINARET*}
19 Caught with clinching evidence — given after one is said to have studied it (3-6) RED-HANDED (~read){RED}-{HANDED}
20 Vagrant ship (5) TRAMP [DD]
22 Spain at crossroads over some top cover (7) STETSON {ST{E}{T}S}{ON} Anno not clear (Addendum - {=>ST}{E}{TS<=}{ON} - See comments)
25 Capital protection using a watchman & a guard (7) MANAGUA [T]
27 Instrument say, to study the heart for example (4,5) REED ORGAN (~read){REED} {ORGAN}
28 He has some faith in the Indian way (5) RASTA [DD]
29 Racketeers harm organisation, according to this study (6,8) MARKET RESEARCH*

DOWN
2   Criticised but survived without a doctor (9) LAMBASTED {LA{MB}ASTED}
3   Clean and empty bag before grate (5) SCRUB {SaC}{RUB}
4   Stretched but happy to get active before midnight (9) ELONGATED {EL{ON}{G}ATED}
5   Musical did exclude the boy (5) OPERA OPERAted
6   Being a sceptic, the chief of police misses it somehow (9) PESSIMIST {P}{MISSES+IT*}
7   Get up around noon for what comes after 3 (5) RINSE {RI{N}SE}
8   Develop respect for the spirit (7) SPECTRE*
9   Composer’s work in unfinished state (6) CHOPIN {CH{OP}INa}
15 Plenty of weight bearing mineral (9) LOADSTONE {LOADS}{TON}{E}
17 True minds reform elements (9) RUDIMENTS*
18 Angelica’s treated for pain relief (9) ANALGESIC*
19 After food and drink avoid a pulpit (7) ROSTRUM {ROaST}{RUM}
21 The scheme is a never ending one on the surface (6) PLANAR {PLAN}{A}{R}
23 Setter in strange surroundings, not say, a ruler (5) EMEER {E{ME}EERie}
24 River cutting off Iowa from country (5) NIGER NIGERia
26 Opera with Roman characters (5) NORMA*

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51 comments:

  1. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 08:32

    10a Bard=Homer, in=(at) home, writing=r
    22a Spain=E(spana), junction of two streets (cross roads), over=on ST(E)TS ON

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 08:36

      In 22a top cover is defn

      Delete
    2. Chaturvasi12 February 2014 at 08:52

      "Crossroads' being indicated as ST -- TS,where two streets each from one direction meet, is a novelty.
      ===
      THC may or may not be comparable to top-class UK crosswords but it is certainly not inferior to at least some UK setters' work in some mainstream UK newspapers and is certainly better than some original crosswords appearing in UK regional newspapers. This is my opinion. Agree or disagree?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 08:56

      (W)hole-heartedly agree

      Delete
    4. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 08:57

      Agreed. Kishore's anno is spot on!

      Delete
    5. Col_Gopinath12 February 2014 at 08:59

      Agree totally

      Delete
    6. Suresh12 February 2014 at 09:36

      Agree that THC cws have become almost world class. If they were able to remove the occasional, or should I say, far too frequent printo they would be there right on.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 08:43

    28a somehow reminded me of

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XNQAhLaBdo

    though it is not rasta but rafta there

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mukundala Balasubramanyam12 February 2014 at 10:21

      Kishore at his best ! One for the 'song' and the other for 'toon' !!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 10:35

      Par maine aisa to nahin kaha tha!

      Delete
    3. Mukundala Balasubramanyam12 February 2014 at 10:57

      Main kaha tha hoona !

      Delete
  3. Chaturvasi12 February 2014 at 08:55

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi12 February 2014 at 08:57

      Kishore
      Nice cartoon.
      It seems that the idea in most of your cartoons appears to be based on pun/wordplay (as befits the forum in which it appears).
      A trait that I have noticed in Ajit Ninan's work.
      ===
      PS: Why is the skin of the patient as well as the doc green?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 08:58

      The sketch is recycled, but the text is new!

      The previous use for the toon was as Yogini on 2.8.13. The text at that time was based on my wife sustaining foot injury when coming off from Shirshasana. Coincidentally, my wife took a tumble day before yesterday without any major damage.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 09:01

      Green? My bug bear - colour blindness, behind which I can always hide my colouring mistakes!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 09:30

      Ergo hoc, ergo propter hoc?

      Delete
  4. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 08:56

    3 Clean and empty bag before grate (5) SCRUB {SaC}{RUB}

    RUB is used as a verb (not noun) so should it have been RUBBING

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 09:00

      Rub my head, please.

      It can be a verb too, as can grate

      Delete
    2. Chaturvasi12 February 2014 at 09:01

      I don't understand what Raghu means. I see no problem in the clue.
      Clean - def
      and - link
      empty bag - S[a]C
      before - position ind
      grate - v. = rub - v.(5)

      Delete
    3. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 12:37

      What I meant was is grate correct as verb at the end? Should it have been grating (verb). If grate was a noun it was fine. If the sentence began with grate as verb it was o.k.

      Delete
    4. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 12:39

      "Take guard before batting" or "take guard before bat". Which is correct?

      Delete
    5. mohsin12 February 2014 at 12:58

      I believe "grate" here is a noun for the surface reading, and a verb for the cryptic reading

      Delete
    6. mohsin12 February 2014 at 13:00

      Grate(n) = a metal framework/fireplace

      Delete
    7. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 13:48

      That is exactly the point. However is it OK? Grate is a noun and is it OK to derive rub from it?

      Delete
  5. Richard12 February 2014 at 09:01

    The cartoon reminded me of a recent report that most of the tiny national tricolors made of plastic that are put on sale during our national days like the Independence Days come from China.

    Does anyone see a perceived threat to our nationalism?

    By the way, CV, a few days ago you had asked other bloggers to set clues for a four-letter word. Could we have a critical opinion about them, please?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi12 February 2014 at 09:14

      I have been busy attending to a personal affair - which even today has not ended. Also, I have been frequently away from home and computer/Internet connection.
      Will try to sum up the clues ASAP.

      Delete
    2. Richard12 February 2014 at 09:17

      Sorry, no pressure, no sweat. Pls take your time.

      Delete
    3. Col_Gopinath12 February 2014 at 10:09

      By the way, our tricolours made of plastic are banned as per the Flag Code of India 2002

      Delete
  6. Chaturvasi12 February 2014 at 09:19

    Following up on a comment of Richard above, in TV visuals I often see that the colour of the top band in the flag is not saffron but red or tending to red.
    Once I wrote a letter to the Editor on this but that was not published.
    Believe me, I sometimes have this feeling even in flags on official tables in official meetings.
    Is it a trick of my eye or is it a trick of computer visuals? Or is it an oversight of makers of flags?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard12 February 2014 at 09:35

      That is a 'flag'rant violation of the National Flag Code. Anybody can drag the person / institution involved to court.

      But, then, who has the patience or the time to do it, when it is only the national honour and not any personal interest, which is at stake?

      Delete
  7. Suresh12 February 2014 at 09:34

    Minor nit on 1A. Should it not be stick instead of stuck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 12:32

      As the sentence begins with 'it could be' so stuck is correct.

      Delete
    2. Suresh12 February 2014 at 14:09

      Not quite Raghu. 'It could be' is a part of the definition and to say this part is doing double duty is a stretch, I feel.

      I would say that stuck is incorrect and it should have been stick

      Delete
  8. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 09:51

    Temple no more

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mukundala Balasubramanyam12 February 2014 at 10:29

    CV Sir @ 8:57 : Re : 'toon' : Why is the skin of the patient as well as the doc green?

    They must be Martians and not Earthlings, I believe !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 10:36

      Talk of interplanetary trade. Martians using POP made in Germany

      Delete
  10. Unknown12 February 2014 at 11:31

    Totally agree with Chaturvasi sir - the standard of THC today is as good as many UK cws!
    Richard, about the plastic Indian National flag - the code specifies that the flag can be made of cotton, silk or paper. Not plastic or polythene. There is little knowledge about this, specially among the roadside vendors. So, ideally, import of plastic flags from China should not be allowed!
    Kishore, very sorry to learn that your wife had another fall a few days ago. Hope she has recovered.
    Good day all!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 12:29

      Thanks for your concern, ma'am. She is quite fine now.

      Delete
  11. raju umamaheswar12 February 2014 at 14:54

    I fully agree with all the fellow-bloggers that today's crossie by ARDEN is absolutely world-class-- flawless, impeccable and intelligently crafted. It is a masterpiece, no doubt. The credit should rightly go to the compilers who slog to make our blog so unique-- hardly to the Hindu ! Here, the messenger is the medium !
    Is it our colonial hang-up that we compare ourselves to the UK compilers? Nay, we have outclassed them.Except from my cuttings collections , I hardly do any UK crossies nowadays and I do not miss them a wee bit. Thanks, Col and all ye-THC setters.

    ReplyDelete
  12. raju umamaheswar12 February 2014 at 15:02

    KISHORE: Your toon was very good. I have seen in the recent past, enough of Plaster of Paris at the Ganga Hospital here The footfalls here (pun-intended!) are worse than in a railway station ! UGH !! So agonizing to see those bike riders in various stages of broken bones with spikes protruding from all over the feet !

    Sorry to hear of your dear wife taking a (s) tumble . Glad that she's up and about. Like they say in Kenyan politics-A stumble is not a fall !! What were you doing when it happened? hel;ped her out like they say in the TV series, with both hands behind her hips and she looking up at you longingly and thankfully?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 16:05

      I was kilometers away and could only lend telephonic support.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12 February 2014 at 16:06

      How is you missus now?

      Delete
  13. Mukundala Balasubramanyam12 February 2014 at 16:58

    24 River cutting off Iowa from country (5) NIGER NIGERia

    What is 'lowa' for in the clue pl ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raghunath12 February 2014 at 17:11

      Iowa; IA (abbreviation)

      Delete
    2. Mukundala Balasubramanyam12 February 2014 at 17:23

      Thanks Raghu. Hope IA for IOWA, I for India and not Lima phonetically.

      Delete
  14. Mukundala Balasubramanyam12 February 2014 at 17:13

    My take on 28 Across was RISHI and subsequently I couldn't get 21 Down. But for these two, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, solving this entertainer from Arden.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nizarpervad12 February 2014 at 17:54

    15A , could somebody explain how "TON" and "E" come there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Col_Gopinath12 February 2014 at 18:14

      Plenty of = LOADS
      weight = TON
      bearing = E (East - compass bearing)
      mineral = Definition = {LOADS}{TON}{E}

      Delete
  16. Navneeth13 February 2014 at 00:57

    28A with an increment of 1 in the enu could be THEIST. (Assuming that I for Indian is accepted, of course.)

    I found 4D rather funny and strangely comforting, doing the crossword on the bus while returning home from work at half past 10 at night.


    ReplyDelete

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