Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Crossword No 1.


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Across

1.   Magician tricks priest, lady rotating backwards without pole (15)
9.   We return with loud crystal to satisfy (7)
10. About to hold and unite again (7)
11. Happen to come to mind (5)
12. Outlines of arsenic so tempered (9)
13. Must change leaf for the right to cut standing timber (8)
15. Dress for a race with rage (6)
18. Gangster prevaricates to partners (6)
19. Dweller of woods, monarch after woods (8)
22. A society without stations (9)
24. Fragment of vixen trading direction for date (5)
25. Greed from pointless distraught variance (7)
26. Intoxicant makes me leave them alone unsettled (7)
27. Absurdly lucrative, curium provides overview of one’s expertise (10,5)

Down

1.   Clergymen of old Beaver States (7)
2.   Potent concoction of facet fuel (9)
3.   Judge initially tested Rhode Island emergency response (5)
4.   Cover oldness at equestrian event (8)
5.   Hedger loses drunk editor to gather (6)
6.   Game of tailless mark, finesse, and headless digit (3-3-3)
7.   Nearly sad auricles (5)
8.   Cut thus, alien returned to counterattack (7)
14. Favorites like it initially informal (9)
16. Bury tricot to unite closely (9)
17. Philosopher wrecks our ship with beheaded boyfriend (8)
18. Obsolete account outside broken chair (7)
20. Dual ear disorders help slugs feed (7)
21. Language places limb in Maastricht Treaty (6)
23. Step one took into heavenly body (5)
24. Chilled soup has Venture Capitalist writhing (5)

Based on suggestions received, opening up to 4 answers per solver. Please provide these in the comments section. 
 
If all the answers are not yet in by Sat Sep 10th, 10 AM  IST, I ll post whatever is remaining.

Thanks,
-VP




Posted by at

34 comments:

  1. Col_Gopinath6 September 2011 at 20:33

    VP,
    I think there is an error in the spelling of the answer for 21D

    ReplyDelete
  2. VP6 September 2011 at 20:39

    Colonel,

    Agreed. I saw this at the last moment, but could not do much without disturbing the grid.

    I checked the http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ and it listed the answer as an alternate spelling, so I left it as is. Not sure if alternate spellings should not be used or if they should be called out in the clue

    ReplyDelete
  3. Col_Gopinath6 September 2011 at 20:46

    Ok, seen.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Venkatesh6 September 2011 at 21:20

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  5. VP6 September 2011 at 21:55

    Duly changed the comment to specifically not ask for solutions in the comments section just yet. Sorry for the confusion.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Venkatesh6 September 2011 at 22:45

    @VP

    Excellent first effort.

    Learnt a couple of new words - 20D & 24D.

    Deleting comments may sound rude, particulary as you had invited them. It may be appropriate to 'defer' publication of the comments till such a time that you are ready to do so.

    I would suggest throwing the Cryptic CW open for solvers to take 4 clues at a time (and also commenting on the clue) till the entire solution comes in.

    You can also consider posting an Honors List of those sending in all correct entries.

    ReplyDelete
  7. VP6 September 2011 at 22:53

    Venkatesh,

    All your solutions were spot on. I ll cut-and-paste your comments as the first comment when I post the solutions.

    Am a novice blogger :) I wanted comments about structure of clues and solutions. I should have been specific not asking for solution set just yet. Did not mean to be rude, but I wasn't too sure how to leave your comment out there without spoiling it for others.

    From next time, I ll try to open it up in some interesting way.

    Thanks,
    -VP

    ReplyDelete
  8. VP6 September 2011 at 22:57

    Re: 20D and 24D, must admit they were new to me as well :) Was a bit stuck up with the SE corner of the grid, so instead of changing it wholesale went looking for new words.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Chaturvasi7 September 2011 at 07:30

    There is no bar on a crossword using an alternative spelling.

    Chapati, pilav and other Indian as well as non-Indian words appear in their variant spellings in crosswords.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Chaturvasi7 September 2011 at 08:31

    Having set a crossword and put it on the public domain, please ask visitors to enter four answers each and give a reasonable time (say, a week) for the puz to be completed, if possible. They may add pans and faves as well.
    As there has been a link in the Col's blog, I am sure there will be sufficient number of visitors to wrap up the puz.
    A setter publishing the answers himself would be like him solving his own puz.

    ReplyDelete
  11. F/1 Photography7 September 2011 at 08:44

    Looks like someone is having a blast post-retirement

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP7 September 2011 at 08:46

    Chaturvasi, Thanks for all the suggestions. I will open it upto with 4 solutions per solver.

    From next time, I will coordinate with yourself and Col to publish in a better way.

    ReplyDelete
  13. VP7 September 2011 at 08:59

    Travelator @ 08:44, too young to retire just yet. Having some fun in the first couple of days of life with a full time job. Need to get back on track today :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Chaturvasi7 September 2011 at 10:00

    VP

    Travelator was probably poking fun at me for bumping again and again onto myself, deleting some and posting others. Yes, I am a superannuated man for whom time stands still as Elia said somewhere.

    BTW, if you go to Dashboard, you can delete all the detritus "This post...".

    ReplyDelete
  15. Vikram Gopinath7 September 2011 at 11:23

    1A {PRESTI*}{DI}{G(-n)ITATOR<-}
    9A {SU<-}{FF}{ICE}
    10A {RE}{CLASP}
    11A OCCUR [DD]

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous7 September 2011 at 11:57

    2d EFFECTUAL*
    3d T R I E R (Acrostic)
    4d DRESS-AGE
    25a AVARICE*(-n)

    Bravo, VP!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Chaturvasi7 September 2011 at 11:58

    I have uploaded an interactive version of VP's crossword here:

    http://icrossword.com/share/?id=5996_vp.puz

    This enables you to solve the puzzle interactively without your having to take a print-out of the crossword.

    Crossword is VP's. Copyright: VP

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bhavan7 September 2011 at 12:03

    20. Dual ear disorders help slugs feed (7) RADULAE*
    21. Language places limb in Maastricht Treaty (6) TE(LEG)U
    23. Step one took into heavenly body (5) STA(I)R
    24. Chilled soup has Venture Capitalist writhing (5) SCHAV*

    ReplyDelete
  19. VP7 September 2011 at 12:10

    Chaturvasi, Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  20. Deepak Gopinath7 September 2011 at 12:21

    The post as Vikram Gopinath @ 11:23 is mine. Didn't realise that since I was using my son's laptop

    ReplyDelete
  21. Chaturvasi7 September 2011 at 12:23

    For the crossword in AcrossLite .puz format please use the following link:

    http://icrossword.com/share/?id=6012_vprev2.puz

    (This sets right a little prob that Col indicated in his blog.)

    ReplyDelete
  22. VP7 September 2011 at 12:55

    Test comment

    ReplyDelete
  23. VP7 September 2011 at 13:11

    Posting on behalf of Chaturvasi who is unable to post here:

    The problem persists.

    Chaturvasi's solutions:

    27a. Absurdly lucrative, curium provides overview of one’s expertise (10,5) CURRICULUM VITAE

    6d. Game of tailless mark, finesse, and headless digit (3-3-3) TIC[k]-TAC[t]-TOE No; it is TIC[k] TACT [t]OE

    Clue needs a little refinement for surface reading. I am also uncomfortable with the deletion of t when there is a t already and we need to give a subsidiary ind only for OE. I don't know if I am expressing myself clearly.

    18d. Obsolete account outside broken chair (7)
    A(RCHAI*)C

    Surface reading not quite plausible.

    8d. Cut thus, alien returned to counterattack (7) RIP OS TE

    Will 'thus alien returned' give OSTE?

    ReplyDelete
  24. VP7 September 2011 at 13:23

    Chaturvasi,

    6d: Agree, ideally I wanted to clue Tic, tac and toe as 3 words. I just couldn't figure out a way to do this. So ended up using headless, tailless etc.

    18d: Fair enough, should have come up with a more plausible one.

    8d: The intention was to provide reversal indicator for both SO and ET. In this case, should there be a reversal indicator separately for each word ?

    For e.g: Ignoring surface, should something like this should have been provided as a clue ?

    Cut thus backwards, alien returned to counterattack

    ReplyDelete
  25. Chaturvasi7 September 2011 at 13:28

    Yes, the revised clue (surface reading ignored) will give RIP-OS<-TE<.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Veena7 September 2011 at 15:42

    My 4:
    12A - Outlines of arsenic so tempered - Scenarios (Anagram of arsenic so)
    18A - Gangster prevaricates to partners - {Al}{lies}
    19A - Dweller of woods, monarch after woods - Forester (Woods - Forest, Monarch - Er)
    26A - Intoxicant makes me leave them alone unsettled - Ethanol (anagram of them-me+alone)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Raghunath7 September 2011 at 19:15

    17 A. Philosopher wrecks our ship with beheaded boyfriend (8): {ROU*}{SS}(-b)EAU
    24. Fragment of vixen trading direction for date (5) SHRE(-w)(+D)
    5.Hedger loses drunk editor to gather(6)GAR(-de*)NER.
    16. Bury tricot to unite closely (9)INTER KNIT

    ReplyDelete
  28. mathi7 September 2011 at 21:22

    1D {PAST}{ORs} -- OREGONs is bit vague
    7D {TRAGI}c
    22A {CAST}e{LESS} -- not exactly a society?
    13A {STUM*}{PAGE} -- a good one!

    A good attempt! You'll learn to develop a
    flair soon. A good puzzle should tease us
    gently and also contain some underlying
    subtle theme. To avoid spelling mistakes,
    use computer tools; I use a nice tool
    called 'Crossword Solver' (in Android
    phones) for cracking the hard ones!

    ReplyDelete
  29. VP7 September 2011 at 21:36

    Mathi,

    Thanks for the comments and pointers along with answers.

    1D: meant to ride on the plural form of state to account for the S rather than say ORegonS. In hindsight, should have provided something for S

    22A: Did not go by a dictionary definition, rather meant to go by a phrase we perhaps use colloquially "a casteless society"

    Last two remaining:

    15. Dress for a race with rage (6)
    14. Favorites like it initially informal (9)

    ReplyDelete
  30. SandhyaP7 September 2011 at 21:51

    13A Must change leaf for the right to cut standing timber (8){STUM*}{PAGE}
    15A Dress for a race with rage (6){A}{TT}{IRE}
    1D Clergymen of old Beaver States (7){PAST}{ORS}

    ReplyDelete
  31. VP7 September 2011 at 22:00

    Last man standing:

    14. Favorites like it initially informal (9)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Chaturvasi8 September 2011 at 06:49

    Re

    Philosopher wrecks our ship with beheaded boyfriend (8) {ROU*}{SS}(-b)EAU

    ---

    It is very important to ensure that the surface reading of a clue is plausible, reasonable, believable, however bizarre it may sometimes be.

    Here the word breakup is fine; grammar is OK; what they call 'cryptic grammar' too is fine.

    But - when a person is beheaded he is beheaded. How can a man commit an act with such a person?

    ReplyDelete
  33. VP8 September 2011 at 11:03

    Chaturvasi,

    Thanks, got the part wrt ensuring plausibilty in surface reading.

    Would this alternative work ?

    Philosopher wrecks our ship, beheads boyfriend

    ReplyDelete
  34. VP10 September 2011 at 09:34

    Last one is

    14. Favorites like it initially informal (9)
    PREFERITI: {PREFER} {IT} {I}

    I will post a consolidated list sometime today.

    Thanks again for all the answers and the comments/feedback.

    Will try to come up with another puzzle around the end of this month.

    ReplyDelete

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