Thursday 13 March 2014

No 11031, Thursday 13 Mar 2014, Gridman


ACROSS
1   Poor Danes go aboard in gloom (7) SADNESS {S{DANES*}S}
5   Insect makes Latin deputy stop short on street (6) LOCUST {LOCUm}{ST}
9   PYT on the wall? (3-2) PIN-UP [CD]
10 Somehow I’ve got Aga tried (4,2,1,2) GAVE IT A GO*
11 Controversy about plant? (7) RHUBARB [DD]
12 British student’s note in a shambles (7) ETONIAN*
13 Talk continuously — cricket score has been made (3,2) RUN ON [DD]
14 Early Chaplin film not a pleasurable experience (1,4,4) A DOG'S LIFE [DD]
16 What you might do at the beach — try to get an appetizer (2,3,1,3) GO FOR A DIP [DD]
19 Daughter gets lot of papers in vision (5) DREAM {D}{REAM}
21 A little of the cereal mixture is sweet (7) TREACLE {The}{CEREAL*}
23 Somehow get a tar for the boat race (7) REGATTA*
24 Being lax, I got a blob for musical accompaniment (9) OBBLIGATO*
25 What you might say as you leave France (5) ADIEU [CD]
26 Some knave stalked virgin (6) VESTAL [T]
27 A middleman may not take such positions (7) EXTREME [CD]

DOWN
1   Is entourage pro organised more than necessary? (14) SUPEREROGATION New word for me.
2   Fellow leads to just unattractive and naive woman chaser (3,4) DON JUAN {DON} {J}{U}{A}{N}
3   Former wife simple enough to clarify (7) EXPLAIN {EX}{PLAIN}
4   British Government’s inroads transcribed in advertisement medium (9) SIGNBOARD {B+G+INROADS}*
5   The French going around almost level embankment (5) LEVEE {L{EVEn}E}
6   Easily attachable sun-glasses, ear-rings or ties (4-3) CLIP-ONS [CD]
7   His law I transcribed to an African language (7) SWAHILI* Expect some exchanges between K, R & R
8   Retaliatory action at table by seer, say (14) COUNTERMEASURE {COUNTER}{MEASURE}
15 Opens up or dissolves by intention (2,7) ON PURPOSE*
17 Drink tossed back to female -- that is on the house (7) FREEBIE {F}{REEB<=}{IE}
18 Proof of purchase about to be put by chair, we’re told (7) RECEIPT {RE}{CEIPT}(~seat)
19 Follow accountant right in horse-drawn vehicle (7) DOGCART {DOG}{CA}{RT}
20 In-between no engineer would turn and twist (7) ENTWINE IN-beTWEEN*
22 Gridman backing top learner in means of communication (1-4) E-MAIL {E-M<=}{A1<=}{L}

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64 comments:

  1. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:30

    9A - GM, thanks for introducing the pretty young thing! Never knew the abbreviation.

    SUPERREROGATION and COUNTERMEASURE were heady. Learnt a few new words today, courtesy Google chacha, like OBBLIGATO (brain got wobbling!) and LEVEE.

    Many well-clued words like SADNESS, LOCUST, DREAM, TREACLE, REGATTA, VESTAL, EXTREME, DON JUAN, EXPLAIN, SIGNBOARDS, ON PURPOSE, FREEBIE, RECEIPT, DOGCART, E-MAIL and the like.

    7D - Kishore and Raju might join me in saying, Assante sana, Bwana Gridman!

    11A - did not know until now this connotation. In Bambaiya Hindi, there is an expression, Kai ko khali-pili rubab dikhata hai?, implying 'throw weight around or put on airs for no reason', perhaps. Any connection with 'controversy' ? ;-)

    Phrases like GIVE IT A GO and GO FOR A DIP added fun to the solving mission.

    Very enjoyable puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:32

      Corr. In the penultimate para, pls read 'Phrases like GAVE IT A GO...'

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 08:35

      Diyo, mzee! Sure Gridman deserves it!

      Delete
    3. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:39

      Yes is ndiyo in Kishwahili...

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 09:23

      Yup, I went by how we used to pronounce it. The n is rather subdued

      Delete
    5. Richard13 March 2014 at 09:36

      But the nasal 'n' sound prevails.

      Delete
  2. Mukundala Balasubramanyam13 March 2014 at 08:32

    A centum to start the day ! Quite an enjoyable CW. Thanks, CV Sir.

    ReplyDelete
  3. VMA Nair13 March 2014 at 08:33

    Easy and Nice puzzle

    ReplyDelete
  4. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:34

    Surprised to see no graphic for 9A from our built-in toonist.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 08:37

      9a along with 16a and 22d are cross referenced in the DJ toon

      Delete
    2. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:40

      Oh, yes, quite a melange. Hadn't noticed properly.

      Delete
    3. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 08:46

      I hate to see a flat T-shirt.

      Delete
    4. Mukundala Balasubramanyam13 March 2014 at 08:56

      Perhaps, a full and round T-shirt may not fit Kishore ! ;-)

      Delete
    5. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 08:57

      Maybe Kishore thought that some letters of the legend might be lost in the downs.

      PS: What is the correct term for the lettering on T-shirts?

      Delete
    6. Richard13 March 2014 at 09:02

      A legendary question...

      Delete
    7. Col_Gopinath13 March 2014 at 09:15

      Let's coin an answer for CV's PS poser, on the lines of Graffiti, no prizes for the best though.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 09:17

      Frontal Massage!

      Delete
    9. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 09:21

      Proverb = in favour of action

      Delete
    10. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 09:21

      Maxim mum

      Delete
    11. Richard13 March 2014 at 09:22

      Chest text...

      Delete
    12. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:22

      Chest Script

      Delete
    13. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:24

      Bosom Text

      Delete
    14. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:25

      Chewonit!

      Delete
    15. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:33

      Tee Cosy

      Delete
    16. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:35

      For a Telenganite...

      The T-word

      Delete
    17. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:36

      Tee tattoo

      Delete
    18. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:39

      A friend of mine is too shy to come out with his coinage...

      Bustline

      Delete
    19. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 09:40

      I think that settles it.

      Delete
    20. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 10:48

      Maybe Kishore thought that some letters of the legend might be lost in the downs.

      Then the words should be Dame Juan ...

      Delete
    21. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 10:49

      Bravo Richard. Experience shows.

      Delete
    22. Rengaswamy13 March 2014 at 10:57

      Sub-Scribe

      Delete
    23. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 13:00

      ... Hands on experience, Richard.

      Delete
  5. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:45

    19D - Why do they call it a dogcart, by the way, when it is drawn by a horse? Phunny language, this. The catgut is never made from the guts of cats...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 08:55

      Dog-carts were originally drawn by a dog or team of dogs. In the early 1900s Britain is said to have banned them.

      URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogcart_(dog-drawn)

      Delete
  6. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 08:51

    Actually. the expansion for PYT is something that I learnt only in this estimable blog.
    I came across it as a pointer to a photo in NIE and didn't know what it meant. It was indeed a pin-up, yet I could not - could not - figure it out. A co-poster here put me wise to it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard13 March 2014 at 08:54

      No wonder you could not figure it out...

      Delete
  7. Padmanabhan13 March 2014 at 09:36

    Missed centum by a whisker.
    Awesome anagrams stand as pillars at the 2 ends. Never knew anagrams to be so difficult- of course,one word was new.
    Very engaging puzzle to start the day with. Thank you Gridman.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard13 March 2014 at 09:38

      Paddy, an English professor of ours always advised us not to use a preposition to end a sentence with...

      Delete
  8. Padmanabhan13 March 2014 at 09:48

    Yes, thank you for pointing it out. I have read Gridman saying the same thing. Shall try to be more careful in future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard13 March 2014 at 09:51

      Paddy, I was just kidding. Pls take it in your stride. I too often end sentences with prepositions. I don't think it is a mighty offence.

      Delete
  9. Suresh13 March 2014 at 10:01

    When I seed the dogs in my area, I really feel that a dog's life is pretty cool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard13 March 2014 at 10:08

      Please don't seed them. The outcome could be a high yield, much to your chagrin...
      ;-)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 10:15

      I never thought animal husbandry was your thing, Suresh ...

      Delete
    3. Suresh13 March 2014 at 10:35

      I do not seed them, I only see them

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 12:59

      When do you plan to harvest your oats?

      Delete
    5. Chaturvasi13 March 2014 at 13:21

      "If you can look into the seeds of time
      And say which grain will grow and which will not,
      Speak, then, to me,"

      Delete
    6. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 15:47

      ... we have eaten on the insane root ...

      Delete
  10. Mukundala Balasubramanyam13 March 2014 at 10:02

    5 Insect makes Latin deputy stop short on street (6) LOCUST {LOCUm}{ST}

    Locum = Deputy. What is the role 'Latin' here ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mukundala Balasubramanyam13 March 2014 at 10:03

      Typo : 'role of'

      Delete
    2. Richard13 March 2014 at 10:06

      Locum is Latin word for deputy.

      Delete
    3. Mukundala Balasubramanyam13 March 2014 at 10:11

      Thanks, Richard.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 10:49

      This word was commonly used in the works of Richard Gordon and James Herriot.

      Delete
    5. Richard13 March 2014 at 10:56

      The word reminds me of a reference from Rig Veda: Sukritam u Lokam which in Sanskrit means ‘the word of the virtuous or region of the pious, referring to the hereafter.

      Delete
    6. Richard13 March 2014 at 11:06

      Sorry, pls read it as 'world of the virtuous...'.

      Delete
  11. Mukundala Balasubramanyam13 March 2014 at 13:11


    Richard @ 8:30 : 7D - Kishore and Raju might join me in saying, Assante sana, Bwana Gridman

    By copy pasting the above swahili wording, I couldn't get any correct English translation. Finally I removed one 's' from 'Assante' and lo,

    it pops out "Thank you, Lord Gridman!"

    ReplyDelete
  12. raju umamaheswar13 March 2014 at 14:26

    Lettering on T-shirts : TiTillating tattoo titles ? more tantalizing when worn by a T-girl?

    ReplyDelete
  13. raju umamaheswar13 March 2014 at 15:11

    CV: RHUBARB is the favourite amongst compilers since it has so many different meanings , isn't it?It is as versatile as the word ADAMANT, another favourite amongst you folks, as it permits so many permutations in a word play. ADAM _ANT..

    KIshore and Richard: Ndiyo is pronounced with the N almost silent . Like our first Lady Mama Ngina . I have had a great hilarious time correcting all my African friends when they call me Laanju-- like the Chinese R is L and and I wonder why they put an N before ju !! Effect of too much of Jujuism ? I '''cannot be able'' to understand !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 15:39

      That is how I remember it being pronounced, but Richard felt otherwise...kitu kidogo

      Delete
    2. Richard13 March 2014 at 17:50

      The written form is always 'ndiyo'. I stand my ground and rest my case. Kwaheri. Kazi ningi.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13 March 2014 at 18:38

      I ain't no expert. You win. Lala salaama.

      Delete
  14. Sujatha13 March 2014 at 16:37

    Am doing crosswords after some time. I managed to get all except two. A pleasure to learn new words like supererogation and obbligato. Thank you Gridman for a good puzzle for me to come back to.

    ReplyDelete
  15. PKPSwami13 March 2014 at 17:29

    I could crack all except 14a.Though well-clued I could not makeit.

    ReplyDelete

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