Starting Off – Solutions, Annotations & Results

Stats -We had 35 submissions for this puzzle, which is a new record for this season. Of those who submitted, 23 got the full score of 32. A number of people managed to answer at least one if not both the bonus questions asked as well..

The grid came with an unusual set of Solving Instructions. These were..

“Each solution must be entered in the grid after omitting it’s first letter. The Enums referred in brackets is for the number of letters that are to be entered in the grid after taking the starting letter off. These starting letters that were dropped need to be jumbled to give you the answer to questions asked at the end of the puzzle

Here’s the Solution grid

The following questions were asked at the end of the puzzle..

1. Acc. to the jumble if, 1 ARE BUT 2 OF OUR 3. What’s 1 (5 letters)
2. What are 2 and 3 (8 letters each)

To answer this, you needed to use the Starting letters of all the answers, after eliminating the words “Are, but, of, our” which have been given.  Interestingly enough, while some of our solvers thought “GRIDS”, “TIRES”, “WEIRS” or “WIRES” are but “PRODUCTS” of our “THOUGHTS”, the actual answer that this exercise should have yielded, is this famous quote by John Dryden

Here are the Annotations.

Across:

8 Meeting holder’s torn attire (6) (W)EBINAR : BIN>>WEAR
9 One’s raised to support fashionable women? (3) (R)AMP : CD
10 Law enforcement official regularly seen outside field (4) (S)COPE : COP>>S(-e)E(-n)
11 Handy tips? (10) (F)INGERNAILS : CD
12 1 of 11 covered by metal once (4) (T)ALON : T, (11 refers to 11A – Fingernails)
13 Distilled wine, say without charge (6) (R)EFINED : Fine>Red
16 Will examine specialist after morning time (8) (T)ESTAMENT : TEST ENT<<AM
17 Straddle a Harley, according to some? (7) (B)ESTRIDE : Punny DD Best Ride
18 Nothing beats a trip (before Fall) to countries in the West (7) (O)CCIDENT : ACCIDENT-A+O
22 Caught by Spooner, say judge almost splits (8) (C)REVASSES : C+REV+ASSES(-S)
25 Free to leave shortly and run around (6) (U)NRAVEL : LEAV(-E)+RUN*
26 Healthy enamel protects animal (4) (H)YENA: T
27 She just got married to struggling hero with no money (10) (H)ONEYMOONER : HERO+NO+MONEY*
30 Anyone noble, good & extremely lovable, at the outset (4) (A)NGEL : Acrostic &Lit
31 Man, perhaps lives by the bounds of life (3) (I)SLE : IS+L(-if)E
32 Damage caused prior to registration of old vehicle (3,3) (U)SED CAR : CAUSED*+R

Down:
1 Pure at heart, outlaw relates to town (4) (U)RBAN : (-p)UR(-e)+BAN
2 Approximately 30g or 20 subdues you, say (4) (O)UNCE : ONCE<
3 Without publicity, calm daughter romanced (8) (S)ERENADED : Serene D<AD
4.Revolutionary leader is learned (7) (R)EALISED : IS LEARNED*
5.Prepare to print final sentence in extremely timely trial (3,3) (T)YPE SET : TY PEST <<E
6 Say facebook, as I claimed, is fresh – nothing boring (5,5) (S)OCIAL MEDIA : AsIClaimed*<<O
15 Bun, baker cooked with ale, became hard (10) (U)NBREAKABLE : BUN BAKER ALE*
19 Her job could be on demand? (8) (E)CONOMIST : CD
20 Working with Church previously (3) (O)NCE : ON+CE
21 That woman lived poorly packing clutter (7) (D)ISHEVEL : She>>LIVED*
23 Raised say, on no account for retaliation (6) (R)EVENGE : Eg Never<<<
24 Advocate’s partner found online, say? (6) (E)SPOUSE : E Spouse
28 Fines merchandise? (4) (G)OODS : GOOD S
29 John follows exercise nut (4) (P)ECAN : PE CAN

Here is the scorecard (sorted by score and then in the order of submissions received)

Congrats to Venkat, the current IXL champ, who was the first one to submit an all correct entry and to all others who maxed the score as well.

30 people rated the puzzle as “Excellent” and 5 rated it “Good”. 23 out of 32 clues in the grid got picked atleast once in the top 3 favorites voted by the solvers. The clue for “Bestride” was picked by 14 out of 35 solvers, as one of the favorites. Fingernails, Honeymooner and Crevasses each got 10 votes or more.

Did you enjoy the puzzle? Do you have any feedback for us or for the setter. Do comment in the blog and let us know.