Diwali Bonanza Crossword

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Across
  1. 3. While your pleas for a slightly easier workout may fall on deaf ears, bring this person any other problem and you'll receive an earnest, thoroughly researched response, along with all the help you could ask for.
  2. 5. Forget sightseeing and tourist attractions. While in New Jersey, what was Ganesh’s rather dependable destination for his biryani fix?
  3. 6. Leave this pair alone for a couple of minutes, and the temperature drops. The next interaction could involve days of icy silence. What is this ongoing diplomatic conflict called?
  4. 10. After one particularly eventful New York night, one passenger's condition was bad enough to warrant an unscheduled stop somewhere beneath the Hudson. Where did this little detour happen?
  5. 12. What became an unlikely dance instructor for someone who occasionally turns a spotless living room into a private dance studio?
  6. 14. This person's favourite hobby is finding creative ways to provide little reminders of how neglected they feel, strategically deployed whenever Ganesh is unavailable. What's the name of this tactic?
  7. 15. Some need this person to build their quads, others need them to keep theirs functional. What is this person to both?
  8. 17. Favourite reality show featuring this person’s own house, shops and occasionally a misplaced slipper.
  9. 19. When life decided to give Ganesh a rather terrible plotline, these two were less interested in the drama and more interested in making sure the lead character made it through, by taking on the roles of his unofficial New York support crew.
  10. 20. A rainy college afternoon, two people singing along, and a rather intrusive question about someone's parentage. Which Yuvan song was playing?
  11. 21. At the crack of dawn, they’re busy ensuring nobody escapes leg day unscathed. By 6 PM, they looks like they’ve survived the apocalypse. What creature do they turn into?
  12. 24. A personality and voice fit for a Disney movie, but apparently its owner can't be serenaded into a good night's sleep.
  13. 26. The first time we got together socially, there was surprisingly more running around than talking. What were we doing?
  14. 28. A regular feature of doctor consultations along OMR and a frequent excuse for missing a game.
  15. 30. Being friends sometimes apparently comes with an unusually demanding job description, unrealistic expectations and the occasional unexpected detour. But somehow, this person keeps putting up with all of it and still shows up when it matters.
  16. 31. A Korean shopping stop, a road trip, bowling, laser tag, Floor Is Lava and an impromptu staycation — a perfect day of spontaneous fun. Except, we overlooked one person's biggest dislike. What was it?
  17. 32. Somewhere along the journey from college to corporate life and beyond, this person went through quite a transformation. Today, there's a new title being worn with considerable pride — devoted family man.
  18. 34. The onboarding came with a warm welcome and one missing detail: the person bringing me aboard was jumping off a sinking ship. What’s their surname?
  19. 35. Whether it's keeping an eye on things from miles away or managing the latest addition to the household, they somehow approach life's little complications with the same reassuring response: it'll all work out.
  20. 36. An Asian dish that both the fitness coach and his client can agree on, even when they might disagree on workout intensity.
Down
  1. 1. When the barber is replaced by Grandma and the styling guide is replaced by an imaginary bowl, what are you left with?
  2. 2. Most toddlers start with Amma and Appa. This one seems to have chosen a rather more enlightened addition to her vocabulary.
  3. 4. A familiar promise that has left at least one friend waiting by the phone.
  4. 7. The brand behind the watch I may now have to retire for reasons unrelated to horology
  5. 8. New country, unfamiliar creatures, and not a hint of hesitation. On the first trip abroad, which slow-moving creatures did this little one happily interact with?
  6. 9. Red chutney in Kannada tells us a lot about this place tucked away in peaceful isolation, one person’s idea of a beautiful countryside getaway. For another, it’s a night straight out of a horror movie, complete with eerie silence, questionable seating and the feeling of being stranded in the middle of nowhere.
  7. 11. This workplace that matches people for life, but couldn't keep one employee for even two months.
  8. 13. One man's cinematic legacy has a rather vocal guardian, an artificial intelligence gets endless late-night conversations. At this point, we're genuinely unsure which one is the more serious relationship. Who can tell us?
  9. 16. The pre-wedding meeting with the bride-to-be had a rather smoky venue. Where was it?
  10. 18. A memorable getaway where one morning's discovery involved a bloodstained bedsheet and an unexpected overnight guest.
  11. 22. Face out in the open, but not a strand of hair exposed. Which mode of transport calls for this very specific dress code?
  12. 23. From the racetrack to the big screen, one is known for his speed, style and signature salt-and-pepper swagger; the other needs no introduction when the opening notes of a song are enough to give him away. When these two come together in Kandukondain Kandukondain, whose cinematic loyalties are we looking at?
  13. 25. One Head Chef, three sous chefs, a KitchenAid and an unnecessarily elaborate production process. What breakfast staple emerged from the kitchen?
  14. 27. One son kept the nation singing; another keeps its vehicles running. One supplied the soundtrack, the other supplies the fuel. Which place can claim both?
  15. 29. This colleague’s adventures and photoshoots are solo, but the commentary somehow always becomes a group activity
  16. 33. There's one spot on this little one's body where absolutely nothing is allowed to settle. Try putting anything there and watch it get rejected faster than an unwanted guest. Which part is the no-go zone?