Stats -We had a good response to “Fee Fie Fo Fun” and there were 30 submissions for this puzzle. Of those who submitted 21 got the full grid score of 35 and 13 people got the maximum possible score of 41. Here’s the Solution grid.
The following questions were asked at the end of the puzzle..
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- What’s the NINA?
- List four words related to the NINA in the Grid?
- Annotate Clue 16D
The correct answers to these were
(1) RUSSIA (highlighted in Green)
(2) Highlighted in yellow in the grid – any four of Caviar, Bolshoi, Kremlin, Don and Vodka
(3) R{S(-t)RATEGI(-c)}*R
Here are the Annotations.
Across:
1 Disciple to disagree about book (6) – V(OT)ARY
4 I crave most desperately to have a rare delicacy (6) – A>>ICRAV(-E)*
8 Fond of a party with band (7) – A DO RING
9 These are used to hold authority over Indian policeman (7) – FORCE SP<<
11 Can Vegas, if regulated, be helpful in maintaining one’s reputation ? (4-6) – CANVEGASIF*
12 Animal’s in unfamiliar territory at first (4) – NEW T(-erritory)
13 Exists,essentially (2) – (ex)IS(ts) &lit
14 Completely hated her yellow pants (5-9) – HATEDHERYELLOW*
18 That man’s extremely handsome (2) – H(-andsom)E
19 Egg yolk’s ultimately good (2) – O (yol)K
20 They operate drills etc ? (6,8) – CD
24 We object, America! (2) – DD
25 Acute sorrow (4) – DD
26 Current rent rates modified by the head of Magicbricks (4,6) – GULF RATES* M
28 Good? No, fantastic big show, mostly about love and longing at the onset, staged here (7) – BI SHO*<< O L
29 King beheaded monster, made a citadel (7) – K (-G)REMLIN
30 Implement long term strategy ensuring revenue at the earliest (6) – ERA S E R
31 Figure knight’s inside for liege (6) – PRI(N)CE
Down:
1 Drinking this in excess leads to vomiting, often delirium,kills appetite (5) – Acrostic
2 Missile destroyed port close to the Dominican Republic (7) – PORT*E DO
3 What one might do at a temple to awaken a memory (4,1,4) – Punny DD
5 Surrounded by some young nomads going north (5) – REV T
6 Perfume to excite (7) – DD
7 Used plow & rakes to make strands here (9) – PLOWRAKES*
10 You slept? I tossed about miserably (9) – YOUSLEPTI*
13 Sex is important on vacation (2) – I(-mportan)T
14 Why Reverend’s food got consumed (9) – FARE WORE Spooner
15 Later, head off to find bird (3) – (-T)HEN
16 Official from Rajasthan Royals initially took brief, strategic timeout anyway (9) – RR <<STRATEGI(-c) -T*
17 Daughter’s working for professor (3) – D ON
21 Sharapova is in Utah, partly backing an African country (7) – ReV T
22 Like a son (2) – A S
23 Crew member from Asian country keeps behind mostly (7) – O(ARS-e)MAN
26 Blog about the end of the world (5) – GLOB*thE
27 Retired teacher involved in Adult Education(primary) gives result (5) – A (RIS<<) E
Here is the scorecard (sorted by total score and then in the order of submissions received)
Congrats to Kishore, who submitted the first all correct entry and to all others who managed to “max” the score.
14 people rated the puzzle as “Excellent”, 1 rated it between “Excellent” and “Good” and 13 rated it “Good”. Thanks “Mythical” for a mini-tour to Russia, the most “happening” place this season and for an enjoyable grid.
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.