Feb 15 clues & answers
Every clue of this Indian mini crossword by Mangesh Ghogre, with the answer and, where it helps, how the wordplay works. Solve it yourself first: the puzzle is open to subscribers.
Across
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1A
Salty letters?
NACL
NaCl is the chemical formula for sodium chloride, or table salt. So its letters are “salty.”
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5A
What a butterfly emerges from
COCOON
A cocoon is a protective covering where an insect develops before emerging. Butterflies more precisely emerge from chrysalises, but “cocoon” is often used loosely in crossword clues.
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7A
Risk ___, as an investor
AVERSE
“Risk-averse” describes an investor who prefers to avoid risk. So the missing word is “averse.”
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8A
Big ___: Indian online market
BASKET
BigBasket is a major online grocery marketplace in India. “Basket” completes the brand name BigBasket.
Down
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1D
Stellar explosion
NOVA
A nova is a sudden, bright burst from a star. It happens when material on a star’s surface erupts, making “NOVA” a fitting answer for “stellar explosion.”
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2D
Points of no return?
ACES
An ace is a serve in tennis that the opponent can’t return. So aces are points of no return.
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3D
Brown, coaster material
CORK
Cork is often brown and is commonly used to make coasters. It helps protect tables from hot or wet cups.
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4D
Get rid of, as some weight
LOSE
“Lose” means to get rid of or reduce something. You can lose weight by making your body weigh less.
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5D
Kaali-peeli, in Mumbai
CAB
A kaali-peeli is Mumbai’s famous black-and-yellow taxi. A taxi is a cab, so the answer is CAB.
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6D
What Koli people cast wide in the Arabian Sea
NET
The Koli people are a fishing community along India’s western coast. They cast wide nets into the Arabian Sea to catch fish.