Stuck for annotations at places.
ACROSS
1 Petition papers (5) PRESS [DD]
4 Proper for a team to hold drill (9) PERFORATE [T]
9 Round enclosure say firm on the insides and outside (4-3) OPEN-AIR {O}{PEN}-{sAy}{fIRm}
10 Imagine doctor, vet essentially, going over a mountain lion (5,2) DREAM UP {DR}{vEt}{AM UP<=}
11 Trouble in the marrow for a crawler (9) EARTHWORM*
12 For the most part of Fools’ day it provides protection (5) APRON {APRil ONe}
13 Number of sell-out silver pieces? (6) THIRTY [CD]
15 Be subject to nameless stress (8) UNDERLIE UNDERLInE
18 Jaw broken in bedlam (8) MANDIBLE*
19 Fed asked for divine help reportedly (6) PREYED (~prayed)
22 Country begins to regress under really awful leader (5) RURAL {R}{U}{R}{A}{L}
24 Only gaudy pants for a girl (5,4) YOUNG LADY*
26 Fruit America’s mostly said to produce (7) AVOCADO {A}{VOCAl}{DO}
27 One about to obtain working alternative for a metal container (4,3) IRON ORE {1}{R{ON} {OR}E}
28 Delegate is courteous to a fault (9) OUTSOURCE*
29 Design criteria for glasses (5) SPECS [DD]
DOWN
1 In favour of taking exam in March (7) PROTEST {PRO}{TEST}
2 Chief setter turns up always (5) EMEER {EM<=}{'EER}
3 Peg that is kicking off food (9) SPAGHETTI*
Pl see above cartoon
4 Mostly risk overdose. (6) PERIOD {PERIl}{OD} And I was wondering for a long time why only one clue had the full stop
5 Essential male pattern to be untrimmed (8) RUDIMENT UNTRImMED*
6 Token form of resistance (5) OMEGA [CD]
7 Department of navy — tidal army in other words (9) ADMIRALTY*
8 A stretch of vessels seen in an English river (7) EXPANSE {EX{PANS}E}
14 Private dinner (I’m host) with no starters (9) INNERMOST {dINNER+iM+hOST}
16 For example input/output during upsurge is shockingly bad (9) EGREGIOUS {EGR{EG}{I/O}US<=}
17 One likes the stage and pergola built around yard (8) PLAYGOER {PLA{Y}GOER*}
18 Spoil pet with love in a marked way (7) MARCATO {MAR}{CAT}{O}
20 Thirst or yen to wear outfit (7) DRYNESS {DR{YN}ESS} How does the E of YEN get deleted? See comments
21 Fill up in earnest gobbling like a wolf (6) LUPINE [T]
25 Excellent sandwiches left unattended (5) ALONE {A{L}ONE}
9a FIRM on the insiders =IR , Say for ~IR =AIR
ReplyDelete9 Round enclosure say firm on the insides and outside (4-3) OPEN-AIR {O}{PEN}-{A}{IR}
ReplyDelete{A}{IR}: sAy, f{IR}m
Insides of SAY & FIRM
DeleteThanks Sandhya, I got that dot at 8:30 and by the time I edited the post it had got published
DeleteYour anno is more convincing, Sandy. I took 'say' as a homophone indicator.
Delete9 Round enclosure say firm on the insides and outside (4-3) OPEN-AIR {O}{PEN}-AIR Anno pending AIR = S(A)y (IR)m
ReplyDelete20 Thirst or yen to wear outfit (7) DRYNESS {DR{YN}ESS} How does the E of YEN get deleted?
ReplyDeleteYN: abbreviation of YEN
Thank you, 24A.
DeleteIt's not there in Chambers
DeleteYn as an abbr. of Yen is in the Chambers dict. app on my machine.
DeleteIt is also in my 2003 print edn.
Has it been discarded in your edn?
Wait for the 2012 edn coming out shortly to see if it is re-introduced!
I have the 2012 print edition which does not carry this abvn against both the meanings of Yen
DeleteI just checked Chambers online, it's not there as well
DeleteChambers online is not the same thing as the printed edition. It is rather an attenuated version of BRB.
DeleteBTW, 2012 is a mistake in my earlier post. A new, slightly enlarged version of the print edition is due in the UK in a couple of months. Maybe it is the 12th edition. Is what you have 11th edition?
Mine is the 12th edition
DeleteI have the 12ed too. Yn is noted as an abb. for Yen. Last item on pg 1821
DeleteYenna?
DeleteFound it, I was looking under the entry for Yen, didn't realise Yn was a separate entry
DeleteSome days back I noticed a similar usage. From then on I have started looking at the abbn. rather than the word itself.
Delete26A seems to crop up so often in spite of someone's aversion for it...
ReplyDelete17 One likes the stage and pergola built around yard (8) PLAYGOER {PL{AY}GOER*}
ReplyDeletePERGOLA* around Y = PLA(Y)GOER*
11A - Some Chinese food connoisseurs may stop eating spaghetti from now on.
ReplyDeleteThe punchline in the cartoon should read '...forgot to draw the plate'.
Why Chinese?
DeleteSince spaghetti is very common in Chinese food, although not restricted to it.
DeleteThanks, Richard. Corrected.
DeleteSome Chinese food connoisseurs may stop eating spaghetti from now on.
DeleteEspecially if the hissed the mystery lectures and tasted the whole worm
That reminds of:
DeleteWhat is worse than finding a worm when you cut an apple?
Half a worm.
Some Chinese food connoisseurs may stop eating spaghetti from now on.
DeleteOur early bird might relish the platter.
Yuck!
DeleteSpaghetti is mostly associated with Italian cuisine.
DeleteThe surface reading of 25ac is excellent.
ReplyDeleteWhile thanking the Col for this blog where a devoted set of solvers visit everyday and give expression to the pleasure that they derive from this pastime, I would say that the THC doesn't seem to get the kind of appreciation that it should get,
The paper, besides giving space to the feature, is doing nothing to promote it.
Apart from this blog and a couple of solver-managed blog/messageboard - at least some of the visitors of these may be the same - reception is muted.
Papers seem to carry the feature for the sake of carrying. Take the Brand crossword in BL. Good, but the font size used for clues is rather small. They can easily print the solution in run-on paras and the space saved by removing the grid and making use of large white space alongside the present grid can be utilised to increase type-size of text.
It can't be argued that the present blank space is 'scribbling pad'. In any newspaper there is plenty of white space elsewhee on the page, esp. in advts. for the solver to scribble.
Very valid point. Someone can launch an e-mail petition to the editor, which, after being circulated among THCC members, can have a provision to add their names and forward to the persons concerned.
DeleteThis is just a suggestion. Not sure whether it will work.
BL must be given credit to have introduced an interactive version of the Brand cwd - TH is yet to do this for THC, though such a request has been voiced often.
DeleteI am always grateful to the advertisers, especially who provide whitespace. Their waste is our benefit.
DeleteTheir job is done. You not only notice it but use it as well (probably some time look for it)
DeleteIn glossy magazines, the current-day page layout pattern affords so much of blank space that we end up paying 50% of the price in black and 50% in white. ;-)
DeleteHappy must be happy
DeleteYes AVM :)
DeleteThanks CV sir, for your suggestion regarding the print version of the crossword. I will have a word with Ed and the publishing team to see how your feedback can be implemented. Will also communicate your appreciation for "pioneering" the interactive version:)
DeleteOoh so Happy is happy :-D
Delete6D - A hospital is named after the last character of the Greek alphabet. What do our friends feel about it?
ReplyDeleteProbably because one spends one's last days there, and then it is 4down.
DeletePeriod was excellent and I missed it until I saw the blog. I remember reading about a clue being just that- .
DeleteNo problem as long as it is not 'lost'! Omega as the last letter of alphabet may not be popularly known.
ReplyDeleteI remember this sign more as a symbol of resistance than as a letter- the 'w' form is remembered better.
Kishore has probably spoiled the appetite for spaghetti for everybody, not just Chinese.
ReplyDeleteI remember a joke once told by my father-
An Indian doctor (Ayurvedic) wanted to give a placebo to a patient and went a step further to make the patient not even take that. He gave a bottle of medicine and told the patient," Do not think about a monkey when you take this medicine." And you know the rest!
Thank you Sandhya and DG for clearing up many doubts - specially 9A.
ReplyDeleteMercato was new for me.
Grey cells had to work pretty hard to solve this one.
This blog, with solutions is, much appreciated. Earlier I would go bonkers trying to solve the last few clues which evaded me!
CV sir is quite right in saying that THC does not get due appreciation!
Actually grey cells sprout out as grey hair
DeleteOnly in late age?
DeleteSome friends may say nothing seems to sprout. That probably means the grey cells are all used up
DeleteMy son asked me, "Dad, How do you say that I inherited all my brains from my mother?". I just replied,"I still retain mine".
Delete12 For the most part of Fools’ day it provides protection (5) APRON {APRil ONe}
ReplyDelete5 Essential male pattern to be untrimmed (8) RUDIMENT UNTRImMED*
12 : ONE for ?
5 : What is the deletion indicator for 'm' pl ?
Fools' day is April One. Most part of that is APR of April and On of One, to form APRON
DeleteThank you Rengaswamy.
Delete5. It's a composite anagram.
DeleteAnswer(defined as "essential") + M(male), when anagrammed (indicated by "pattern") becomes UNTRIMMED
i.e. (answer + M)* = UNTRIMMED ---> solve for answer
http://www.crosswordunclued.com/2011/01/composite-anagrams.html
Thank you very much, Mohsin. :)
DeleteGone through the link too and found it quite informative. Thanks, once more !
Delete12 For the most part of Fools’ day it provides protection (5) APRON {APRil ONe}
ReplyDeleteA bit vague when the fraction isn't clearly defined.
A question on 22A.
ReplyDeleteDoes the word begins have a form that could be taken to mean "beginnings," "starts" or something? Somehow using "begins" in the sense to mean taking of first letters don't seem right.
Thoughts?
I had written abt this in the morning but inadvertently deleted it. Here begins is a verb, but it also means start a noun, so I presumed it's OK when annotating. I would have preferred starts in place of begins.
DeleteThank you Mohsin for picking out the correct article. Going through this, we must agree that Buzzer has handled it extremely well.
ReplyDeleteRef. Mohsin's 1.06
ReplyDeleteChinese call those squirmy, slippery things as noodles whereas, Italians use a thicker variety and call them spaghetti. What is the staple element in either, I know not. May be wheat as spaghetti and rice as noodles? You should see the Chinese eating the noodles with chopsticks out of a bowl ,held closer to the mouth, and slurp the stuff in, whereas, Italians twirl the stuff around a fork and deftly mouth them in. Have you ever seen any one, eating noodles with fingers,swiping the stuff ,like thair saadam? Yes ,I have, here in Coimbatore.
ReplyDeleteThottukka Salna!
Deletetranslation please ! Google has failed me !
DeleteSide dish Salna
DeleteSalna (or Chalna) - vegetable or chicken - is a side-dish that goes well with paratha (this kuruma is also eaten with chapathi, dosa, kuska biriyani and even idlis). Parota taste grows exponentially when dunked in salna, and tasted after some time.
DeleteThe soaked mixture, I presume, is Kotthu Parota
DeleteCorrect
DeletemY WIFE SAYS IT IS salan AND NOT SALNA ?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJirAdMxpC0 Watch it
DeleteYes.
DeleteSalan is something the Hyderabadis will be familiar with.
DeleteEsp Mirchi ka salan. Not for me .
DeleteFound the puzzle tougher than yesterday, novel clues being 9Ac and 4 Dn. Out of the box clue is 5Dn, a rare composite anagram, as pointed out by Mohsin @ 1:06 pm.
ReplyDeleteBuzzer thy name is NOVELTY ! Looking forward to many more of this kind from you. Thank you. :)
Agree with you.
DeleteTitle of an article in the Bang edition of Metro Plus, today, is as follows "I dreamed a dream ... ". Is it correct English?
ReplyDeleteIt is not usual to just say "I dreamed." or "I dreamt." For some reason, however, these seem incomplete. In British English, "dreamt" is common, though "dreamed" is also fairly popular. A more common way of saying it would be "I have a dream." or "I had a dream". This way, one could avoid the repetition. If it was followed by a description, one could say "I dreamed that..." or "I dreamt last night."
DeleteMany may remember the famous speech 'I have a dream' by the civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. But, here, he was only expressing a wish - of an end to racism in the US. His address from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial proved a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.
"I dreamed a dream" almost always refers to the literal experience in a dream state while asleep. When we say, "I had a dream that, in India, we will eradicate illiteracy in the next decade," we allude to a desire or goal metaphorically.
It should be dreamt, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt should be dreamt, shouldn't it, Paddy? Not isn't it ...
DeleteAgreed. But what is your answer for the original question?
DeleteDeepak
Delete'Dreamed' is correct.
Would you use burned or burnt? Learned or learnt? I think you would use either.
Similarly, you may use either dreamed or dreamt.
Probably the environment, context, conversation or essay - such things will influence which word you're using.
Past participles ending with -ed are more common in AmE than BrE. For instance, "I learned to play" is AmE, while "I learnt to play" is BrE. Ain't it so?
DeleteWhy would one say 'dreamed a dream' instead of 'had a dream', unless he was daydreaming or deliberately dreaming?
DeleteLet me rephrase before a Nadathur or a Venkatesh comes:
DeleteProbably the environment, context, conversation or essay - such things will determine which word you're using.
or
Probably the environment, context, conversation or essay - such things will influence your choice of the word.
You can't be so prosaic!
DeleteOccasionally some expressions add colour to your speech.
I might write: "I have never smoked a smoke in the truest sense of the term. My father was a chain smoker; my brother-in-law too was. But I have found no pleasure in smoking. Maybe when I had some beer with my friends, I might have held a burning cigarette between my fingers but that may have been just a passing show.
A BOAT, beneath a sunny sky
DeleteLingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July--
Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Pleased a simple tale to hear--
Long has paled that sunny sky;
Echoes fade and memories die;
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.
Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Lovingly shall nestle near.
In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die;
Ever drifting down the stream--
Lingering in the golden gleam--
Life, what is it but a dream?
The above poem "Life is but a Dream" by Lewis Carroll is from his book 'The Hunting of the Snark and Other Poems and Verses'. This seemingly lighthearted and whimsical poem is about the boatride that Charles Dodgson went on with Alice Liddell and her two sisters. It was on this boat ride that Dodgson told the three girls the story of Wonderland, which served as his rough draft version of the Alice books. The initial letters of the lines spell out ALICE PLEASANCE LIDDELL, to whom the poem is dedicated
In the last stanza, Carroll uses a metaphor to relate the boat to life, and then calls life "a dream." This is his way of saying that in reality life is just the way it is, people grow old, memories are forgetten, and there's not much to do about it. In the last line, by claiming life to be a dream, and hence no longer a reality, he makes the point, in his characteristic way,that nothing matters because it's all just make-believe anyway.
Both are given in free Dic.
ReplyDeleteBut if you mean whether dream should be repeated ( 'I dreamed' should be sufficient) it is sometimes done for emphasis.
Our blog is making up in a way after spoiling the spaghetti.
ReplyDeleteBTW, spaghetti appears in today's quick CW also. There seems to be frequent coincidence.
Dreamt is the only word ending with mt
ReplyDeleteNot correct!
DeleteWe have other words ending in -mt:
redreamt
undreamt
Also daydreamt and outdreamt.
DeleteComments is near 100 Must cross it
ReplyDeleteCan be done by having views on VJ's query @ 212.
ReplyDeletePaddy, I dreamt a dream would be impeccable. But I dreamed a dream would not be wrong, as CV has said. Sometimes using language outside a boilerplate template can make it interesting or convey emphasis or dramatic effect.
ReplyDeleteColonel,
ReplyDelete"I dreamed a dream..." is likely a reference to the song from the musical Les Misérables (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dreamed_a_Dream).
And this is arguably the most popular rendition of that song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BvBkTmDWBA.