Saturday, October 30, 2010

Saturday, October 30, 2010 - Trick or Treat

Introduction

As requested by an anonymous follower of the blog, here is the second Cox and Rathvon puzzle published during my sojourn in Italy - yet another one that I have yet to solve.

Note: I just noticed (November 14) that the status of this blog was still showing as draft. It seems that I somehow managed to neglect to hit the publish button.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Thank you to Matt Mitchell for providing the solution to today's puzzle. As I have yet to solve the puzzle myself, the solution is presented as provided by Matt in a comment to my blog of October 16, 2010.


To boldly go… aw, I’m sure some other constructor’s been here before

Across

1a MAGIC TRICK*—anagram (shattered) of GIMCRACK IT. “Gimcrack” was a word my late father in law used a lot. Being the practical sort, but also a tinkerer, he was alternately annoyed and amused by gimcracks.
6a <—reversal (sent back) of BURG (city)
9a S(COW)LED—COW (bovine) contained in (aboard) SLED (luge)
10a BA(D OME)N—BAN (prohibit) containing (around) DOME (prominent part of St. Peter’s [Basilica]).
12a SAT|AN—SAT (met, as in a legislature) + AN (one)
13a ALL SAINTS*—anagram (crude) of STALLS IN A
14a OF|F|ICE—OF + a Female + ICE (diamonds)
16a PR(A)ISE—PRISE (jimmy, as in forcing open) containing (receiving) A
20a MANT(R)A—MANTA (ray) containing (interrupted by) start of Repetitive
21a T(ARM)AC*—anagram (oddly) of ACT containing (carrying) ARM (weapon). Tarmac, a contraction of “tarmacadam” is a common name for the paved apron of an airport.
24a HALL|O(WEE)N—WEE (midget) contained in (in) HALL (foyer) + ON
26a B|ASSO—B (good) + AS SO (as such)
27a ST(R)ATUS—Right contained in (in) STATUS (position)
28a TH|ROUGH—THe (most of “the”) + ROUGH (grinding)
29a S(OH)O—OH (I see) contained in (into) Significant Other (initials)
30a DUTCH TREAT*—anagram (weird) of TRUTH ACTED

Down


1d M(IS)USE—IS contained in (taken by) MUSE (arts patron)
2d G(HOST | T)OWN—GOWN (dress) containing (worn by) HOST (army) + T (Troops)
3d COLON—double definition
4d RADIAN(C)E*—anagram (excited) of ARIADNE containing (about) Cup
5d CAB|ALA—CAB (hack) + A LA (using the style of). This is a variant spelling of “Kabbalah.”
7d RA(ME)N—RAN (spilled) containing (around) ME
8d BAN(I)SHEE—I (one) contained by (adopted by) BANSHEE (female spirit)
11d DI(AGRA)M—AGRA (Taj Mahal site) contained in (shown in) DIM (faint)
15d FAR(M) OUT—Mass contained in (held by) FAR OUT (unconventional). Here Hex use delegate as a verb.
17d IN CO(STU)ME—INCOME (salary) containing (keeping) STUart
18d _E MP HAS IS_—onE MP HAS ISsues
19d MA(G)NETIC*—anagram (bum) of MITE CAN containing (about) G ($1,000, as in “grand”)
22d DESSAU*—anagram (inept) of SUED AS. I do listen to modern music (allow me to plug the composer Kile Smith [http://kilesmith.com/] and his work Vespers, a 21st century composition for 16th century instruments [Navona CD 5809, Amazon B001UPIWQS or on iTunes]), but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything by Paul Dessau (Germany, 1894-1979).
23d TO|P HAT—TO (until) + PHAT (cool, urban slang)
25d L|ARCH—Large + ARCH (bridge)
26d BU(R)ST—silveR (last of) contained in (in) BUST (chest)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday, October 29, 2010 (DT 26305)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26305
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26305]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - **
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thursday, October 28, 2010 (DT 26304)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26304
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Setter
Jay
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26304]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Crypticsue
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - *** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 (DT 26303)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26303
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Setter
Shamus
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26303]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - **** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 (DT 26302)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26302
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 26, 2010
Setter
Rufus
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26302]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

1. The National Post has skipped DT 26301 published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, July 24, 2010.
 
2. While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday, October 25, 2010 (DT 26300)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26300
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, July 23, 2010
Setter
Giovanni
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26300]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - **** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Saturday, October 23, 2010 - To Boldly Go ...

Introduction

As requested by an anonymous follower of the blog, here is the first Cox and Rathvon puzzle published during my sojourn in Italy - one that I have yet to solve.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Thank you to Matt Mitchell for providing the solution to today's puzzle. As I have yet to solve the puzzle myself, the solution is presented as provided by Matt in a comment to my blog of October 16, 2010.

To boldly go… aw, I’m sure some other constructor’s been here before

Across

9a RE(TE)ACH—Alien equals “ET”: book it. The kicker in this clue was leaving “reach” alone. How many of you were trying to find a synonym for that one?
10a PER(FOR)M—FOR (pro) contained in PERM (hairdo). Easy starter.
11a CAPTAIN KIRK*—anagram (out) of PICK AIR TANK. Off to the races, assuming you watched the old series.
12a _E|EL_—hidden (caught by) erniE ELs.
13a S(P)EED—P (chemical symbol for phosphorus) contained in (in) SEED (grain).
14a ASTEROID*—anagram (for) of A HORMONE’S
16a, 18a WILLIAM SHATNER*—anagram (case) of TALL IRISHMAN WE. Convenient that the name is 7,7 and Hex are good enough to put them not only on the same line but on the middle line. That’s attention to detail.
19a S|PACES|HIP—S (small) + PACES (steps) + HIP (in)
21a RA(P)ID—RAID (attack) containing (capturing) P (first letter [leader] of “people’s”)
24a A|SH—A (letter ‘a’) + SH (quiet)
25a THE KLINGONS*—anagram (off) of THEN GO SLINK. I’ll leave it to a Trekkie commentator to point interested solvers to a good online introduction to Klingons: did you know you can learn to speak the Klingon language
26a LA|RAM|IE—LA (Los Angeles) + RAM +IE (that is). Laramie is a city in Wyoming, and the clue reads even better if you remember that Los Angeles was the National Football League home of the Rams for many years.
27a EVENING—double definition

Down

1d ~WRECKS—sounds like (reportedly) “rex” (Latin king)
2d STA(P)LE—P (first letter [chief] of “police”) contained in (interrupts) STALE (old)
3d FAR AND WIDE*—anagram (shot) of DAWN FIRED A
4d PHANTASM*— anagram (changed) of MANS PATH
5d S|PRINT—S (first letter [bit of] of “sloppy”) + TYPE (print)
6d T|R|E|K—first letters (starts) of The Remote European Kingdom
7d COME|DI(A)N—COME (arrive at) + DIN (uproar) containing (holding) A.
8d I’M A LOSER*—anagram (bad) of IS LAME OR
15d REAR|RANGES—REAR (back) + RANGES (burners). Efficient cluing.
16d W(ASS)AILS—WAILS (loudly protests) containing (about) ASS (dope)
17d LEA(THE)RY—THE (article) contained in (penned by) LEARY (Timothy the hippie). Timothy Leary was an early proponent of LSD (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_of_a_Mind).
18d SUP|PLIED—SUP (have food) + PLIED (layered)
20d ~HEELED—sounds like (of hearing) HEALED (cured)
22d ~PROFIT—sounds like (in speech) PROPHET (prognosticator)
23d DO|SAGE—DO (manage) + SAGE (wise)
25d TOME—double definition

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010 (DT 26299)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26299
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26299]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - **
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Thursday, October 21, 2010 (DT 26298)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26298
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Setter
Jay
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26298]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Crypticsue
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 (DT 26297)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26297
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Setter
Ray T
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26297]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - *** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Tuesday, October 19, 2010 (DT 26296)

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26296
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 19, 2010
Setter
Rufus
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26296]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - *** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

1. The National Post has skipped DT 26295 published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, July 17, 2010.
 
2. While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, October 18, 2010

Monday, October 18, 2010 (DT 26294)

Introduction

Today I depart for Italy, where I will be taking in the sights for the next two to three weeks. I have created a series of posts that will be published each weekday during my absence providing a link to the review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle that I expect to be published on that date based on the recent publication schedule. However, there are no guarantees that the National Post will not decide to vary the schedule from the one that I have forecast. I expect to reactivate the complete blog early in November.

Forecast
Based on recent publication pattern
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26294
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, July 16, 2010
Setter
Giovanni
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26294]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - ***
Notes

While I vacation in Italy, each weekday the blog will consist simply of a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle expected to be published on that date based on the recent publication pattern. Please be aware that the National Post may deviate from the forecast schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Saturday, October 16, 2010 - At University

Introduction

In today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon, we are taken on a tour of eight Canadian Universities - with a side trip to Canada's oldest national park.

On Vacation

Today we may have been visiting universities in Canada, but for the next couple of weeks I will be sightseeing in Italy. As a result there will be no blog for the next couple of weeks. Please come back and visit the site in November.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a MCMASTER* - anagram (busted) of TERM SCAM; "school" = McMaster University

5a SP(I)RIT - SPRIT (pole) containing (taking) I (interest)

9a MA|SON - MA (mother) + (and) SON (child)

10a DALHOUSIE* - anagram (changed) of LOUISE HAD; "school" = Dalhousie University

12a CUR(A)T|OR - {CURT (brief) + OR (choice)} containing (about) A

13a G(REND)EL - REND (rip) contained in (into) GEL (set)

14a BRAND|ON - BRAND (stigma) + ON (attached to); "school" = Brandon University

16a B|ROCK - B (fairly good; as a school grade) + ROCK (modern music); "school" = Brock University

19a T(R)ENT - R (run; as in baseball - or cricket) contained in (in) TENT (temporary shelter); "school" = Trent University

21a BI|SHOPS - BI (head of boys' institute; i.e., the first letters of the words "boys' institute") + SHOPS (markets); "school" = Bishop's University

24a CAB(I)NET - I (one) contained in (riding in) {CAB (taxi) + NET (clear)}

26a {OLD SALT}* - anagram (at sea) of LAD LOST

27a CONCORDIA* - anagram (playing) of ACCORDION; "school" = Concordia University

28a NI<|GER - reversal of (retreating) IN + GER (German)

29a RE(FUN)D - RED (ruby) containing (receives) FUN (entertainment)

30a CAR(LE)TON - CARTON (box) containing (outside of) LE (the French; i.e., the French word meaning "the"); "school" = Carleton University

Down

1d M(IM)ICS - IM contained in (surrounded by) MICS (microphones)

2d MI(SERAB*)LE - anagram (moving) of BEARS contained in (in) MILE (distance)

3d SINATRA* - anagram (turned) of ARTISAN

4d ELDER - double definition

6d P(ROVER)B - ROVER (pirate) contained in (in) PB (chemical symbol for the element lead)

7d _RES|OD_ -hidden in (in) pastuRES ODdly

8d TRE(ELI)K|E - ELI (biblical priest) contained in (in) {TREK (journey) + E (east)}

11d LEG|ENDS - LEG (part of a journey) + ENDS (destroys)

15d DE(BUT)ED - BUT (only) contained in (in) DEED (performance)

17d ON(S|LAUGH)T - ONT (Ontario) containing (disrupted by) {S (small) + LAUGH (giggle)}

18d S(TOCK) CAR - SCAR (mark) containing (including) TOCK (timer's pronouncement; i.e., sound made by a clock)

20d T(IN)HORN - THORN (something sharp) containing (about) IN (popular)

22d OR(DIN)AL - DIN (racket) contained in (caught by) ORAL (exam)

23d STYRO*|N - anagram (new) of STORY + N (new); William Styron - American novelist and essayist

25d BAN|FF - BAN (forbid) + FF (instruction to play very loudly; i.e., abbreviation for the musical direction fortissimo); Banff National Park

26d O|S|AKA - O (operator) + S ('s) + AKA (alias; i.e., abbreviation for also known as)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday, October 15, 2010 (DT 26293)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26293
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26293]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - **

Introduction
It is another abbreviated blog today as I countdown the days until I depart for Italy. Judging from the introduction to Big Dave's review this puzzle should not prove too challenging.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010 (DT 26292)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26292
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Setter
Jay
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26292]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - **** Enjoyment - ***

Introduction

The blog is brief today as I have been rather busy catching up with chores neglected due to my last trip as well as preparing for my next one. Judging by Big Dave's opening remarks, this puzzle may well prove to be quite challenging.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 (DT 26291)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26291
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Setter
Shamus
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26291]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - *** Enjoyment - ***


Introduction

Having just returned from a trip over the Thanksgiving Day long weekend, I am furiously trying to prepare for another, a two-and-a-half week trip to Italy. As a result, I will be taking a bit of a hiatus from the blog. During the few moments this week that I have been able to devote to solving puzzles, I have managed to complete small portions of the puzzles published on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Consequently, the entries for the next few days will not only be rather abbreviated, but - unfortunately - somewhat late.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 (DT 26290)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26290
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 12, 2010
Setter
Rufus
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26290]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - *** Enjoyment - ****


The National Post has skipped DT 26288 and DT 26289 which were published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, July 9 and Saturday, July 10, 2010

Introduction
Seven hours behind the wheel today returning from a weekend trip left little time for doing puzzles. I did manage to complete this puzzle after arriving home. I nearly threw in the towel with the lower right hand largely uncompleted, but a final push produced success.

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Solutions:

collier - noun chiefly British
  • 1 a coal miner
  • 2 a ship carrying coal
ward of court - noun British (in Britain and Ireland) someone placed under the protection of a court; in the United States, Australia and New Zealand the term is ward of the court, and in Canada it is Crown ward.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

11a Sort of stone sink (4)

Like Jcal, who leaves a comment on Big Dave's blog, my first attempt here was DROP, which can describe the shape of a gemstone and also means sink. This error seriously held me up in getting the two intersecting down clues.

23a Its launchers hope it will sink (7)

SUBMARINE might have been a good solution if the space available in the grid had been larger. However, rather than this underwater military craft, we need a weapon it might fire.

29a They're given to those who beg for weapons, we hear (4)

Presumably the soft British R causes arms to be pronounced the same as alms. Although Gazza questions this point in his review, if you follow the links and listen to the British pronunciation of these two words, you might be inclined to side with the setter. If you listen to the American pronunciation, you will clearly see that the homophone fails on this side of the Atlantic (although not provided, the American pronunciation of alms is similar to the British pronunciation).

12d Wrong way to make wealth (5,3,3)

I supposed that this was simply a cryptic definition, missing the fact that it is a reverse anagram.

15d Determined for son to go to public school (3,2)

Keep in mind that what the Brits call a "public school" would be a private school in North America.

25a Pretentious person has a job at last (4)

Gazza informs us that snob is "an old word for a cobbler (someone working at a last)". While I didn't find the word explicitly defined thus, Oxford does give the following as the origin of the word snob:
late 18th century (originally dialect in the sense ‘cobbler’): of unknown origin; early senses conveyed a notion of ‘lower status or rank’, later denoting a person seeking to imitate those of superior social standing or wealth.
Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Monday, October 11, 2010 - Thanksgiving Day

Introduction

It being Thanksgiving Day in Canada, the National Post did not publish today.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Saturday, October 9, 2010 - Let's Drink to Franks and Beans

Introduction

In today's puzzle, Cox and Rathvon serve up a simple meal of franks and beans (frankfurters and baked beans) together with a varied selection of drinks.

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Solutions:

Eric Gagné - Canadian-born former Major League Baseball pitcher

Hugh Grant - English actor and film producer

Hugo Awards - annual awards for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements

Bette Midler - American singer, actress and comedian

salty dog - a cocktail of gin or vodka and grapefruit juice, traditionally served in a salt-rimmed glass.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a S(OUR) MASH - SMASH (big success) containing (involving) OUR

5a MASS|IF - MASS (church celebration) + IF (provided)

9a _ITCHING - PITCHING (Eric Gagne's work) with the first letter deleted (after the first)

10a THERES|A -THERES (yonders's) + A

11a LEA|PT -PT (point) after (east of; i.e., to the right of) LEA (meadow)

12a S(WEE|T) TALK -{WEE (little) T (time)} contained in (amid) STALK (hunt)

13a {DAIRY M}<|AID - reversal (in return) of MYRIAD (a great many) + AID (help)

15a DU|SKY - DU (of the French; i.e., French word meaning "of the") + SKY (firmament)

17a HUGOS~ - sounds like (reportedly) HUGH (actor Hugh Grant) GOES (leaves)

19a OVERSLEEP* - anagram (wild) of LOVE SPREE

21a {BITTER ALE}* - anagram (after mixing) of BITE LATER

24a LA(R)VA - R (right) contained in (inside) LAVA (volcanic rock)

25a A(LIMO)NY - LIMO (fancy car) contained in (included in) ANY

26a TRIPOLI< - sounds like (reportedly) TRIPLE-E (very wide; i.e., EEE shoe size)

27a SO|LIDS - SO (true) + LIDS (tops)

28a {SALTY DOG}* - anagram (ruined) of GOT SADLY

Down

1d {SPILLED THE BEANS}* - anagram (bum) of IN DEBT A HELPLESS

2d UNC(E)ASING - E (error) contained in (in) UNCASING (opening)

3d MO(I)STLY - MOSTLY (largely) containing (covering) I (one)

4d SAG(A)S - SAGS (dip's) containing (penning) A (top grade)

6d A(BETTE)D - BETTE (singer Bette Midler) contained in (in) AD (commercial)

7d _SIE|NA_ - hidden in (in part) lasSIE NAmed

8d F(RANK)LY| S|PEAKING - {FLY (pilot) + S ('s) + PEAKING (in top form)} containing (holding) RANK (level)

10d TREADLE* - anagram (engineer) of ALTERED

14d ANOMALY~ - sounds like (discussed) AN AMELIE

16d S(WEAR) WORD - WEAR (sport) contained in (taken by) SWORD (blade)

18d STEROID* - anagram (that can make you) of SO TIRED

20d SO(LOIS)T - LOIS contained in (grabbed by) SOT (tosspot)

22d T|WILL - T (tailor's foremost; i.e., first letter of the word "tailor") + WILL (desire)

23d _EX|TRA_ -hidden (in) in SussEX TRAgedy

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, October 8, 2010

Friday, October 8, 2010 (DT 26287)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26287
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
 Thursday, July 8, 2010
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26287]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - **

Introduction

Monday will be Thanksgiving Day in Canada and I am away from home for the weekend. Thus the blogs are likely to be brief for the next few days.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Thursday, October 7, 2010 (DT 26286)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26286
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
 Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Setter
Jay
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26286]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - ***

Introduction

Big Dave rates today's puzzle on a par with the one we saw yesterday. Perhaps the reason I found today's offering less difficult and more enjoyable is due to being able to tackle it first thing in the morning when my brain was still fresh.

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Solutions:

doss - verb British informal 1 sleep in rough accommodation or on an improvised bed: he dossed down on a friend's floor

hard cheese - phrase British informal used to express sympathy over a petty matter
hard cheese - exclamation colloquial, often insincere or ironic bad luck!
nick - verb 2
  • British informal steal: she nicked fivers from the till
  • (nick someone for) North American informal cheat someone of (a sum of money): banks will be nicked for an extra $40 million
Territorial Army (abbreviation TA) - noun in the UK: a fully trained volunteer force intended to provide back-up to the regular army in cases of emergency.

tout1 - noun
  • 1 (also ticket tout) British a person who buys up tickets for an event to resell them at a profit [North American scalper]
  • 2 North American a person who offers racing tips for a share of any resulting winnings
Today's Links

The link to Big Dave's Crossword Blog is now found in the table at the top of the blog.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

4a Decorate, with help from sailor (8)

I want to focus on the use of the word "from" in this clue, which is used as a link word joining the wordplay to the definition. I suspect that some solvers, especially those new to cryptic crosswords, might solve clues like this without fully comprehending the role of the link word in the clue.

The definition is "sailor" and the wordplay (a charade) is DECK (decorate) + (with) HAND (help) producing the solution DECKHAND. The clue is a terse statement of what could be expressed more verbosely as "[One can get] 'decorate with help' from 'sailor' [by performing the appropriate action]" where, of course, the words in single quotation marks must be replaced by the appropriate substitutes. In this case, the 'appropriate action' is to split the solution (DECKHAND) into two words (DECK and HAND).

13a Diplomas once protective of craftsman (5)

Although I quickly spotted our craftsman busy at his stonework from the definition and checking letters, I failed to see him lurking in the wordplay (clued by protective). Instead, I supposed that MAS (Masters of Arts) would account for "diplomas", leaving me with a fruitless search to justify ON meaning "once protective of" - thinking that I was looking for some archaic meaning for the word "on".

17a Ignore an interlude by getting drunk (4,1, 5,3)

Having fooled me on 13a, our setter almost pulled off the same feat again. Once more I got the solution from the definition and checking letters, but had trouble with the wordplay (and I don't even have the excuse of a blind eye). The definition is "ignore" and the wordplay is an anagram (getting drunk) of AN INTERLUDE BY resulting in the solution TURN A BLIND EYE.

My initial thought was that TURN = "interlude" and so I was vainly trying to figure out if A BLIND EYE might mean "getting drunk" (it seemed plausible that this might be a British expression). The word turn has many meanings, several of which might equate to "interlude". However, the best match is probably a meaning used in British theatre "a short theatrical act, especially in music hall, cabaret, etc." [Collins English Dictionary, noun 18] which might be seen to be similar to interlude meaning "a brief piece of music, dance, etc., given between the sections of another performance" [Collins English Dictionary, noun 3].

25a Food that's unlucky when hard (6)

I am sure that this was one of the easiest clues for the Brits and likely one of the first to be solved. It was quite the reverse in my case as I had never heard the expression on which the clue is based.

26a One privy to secret supporter of opener (8)

Many Brits are likely to see opener as suggesting "a [cricket] batsman who opens the batting", equivalent to the leadoff batter in baseball. Bridge players on both sides of the Atlantic may see it as "the player who makes the first bid in the auction". More than a few Canadians are likely to think of a device to pop the cap off a bottle of beer. However, it is none of the above. It is something that opens to give access to your back yard, for example (or garden, in Britain).

27a Stopped being formal in hearing (6)

I misinterpreted (or can we say, interpreted differently) the wordplay. Big Dave explains that this is meant to be a homophone (sounds like) clue, where the homophone indicator is "in hearing" and STAYED (stopped, as in the sense of "resided") sounds like STAID (formal). I had thought of another meaning for stay, being the formal term for the stopping of a court proceeding (hearing). With this is mind, a lawyer speaking to a judge in a hearing would use the formal term 'stayed' rather than the informal term 'stopped'. Perhaps the clue was not intended to be read this way, but it is always interesting to come up with plausible explanations of the wordplay that were not foreseen by the setter.

22d Group nicking silver from abandoned cottage (5)

I started Today's Commentary by discussing the use of the word "from" in 4a. Here we have the same word but used in a different manner. In this clue, there is no link word between the definition and wordplay (i.e., the boundary is implicit). The definition is "group" and the wordplay is an anagram (abandoned) of COTTAGE with AG (chemical symbol for silver) removed (nicking ... from; nick being British slang meaning steal). The solution is OCTET (an eight member musical group). Thus "from" which was a link word in 4a plays a different role here, being part of a deletion indicator (nicking ... from).

One might wonder about the use of abandoned as an anagram indicator. I suppose if a cottage is abandoned, it will eventually fall into a state of disrepair (which would be a form of change or transformation).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 (DT 26285)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26285
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
 Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Setter
Ray T
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26285]
BD Reviewer
Gazza
BD Rating
Difficulty - ** Enjoyment - ***

Introduction

You have probably noticed a bit of a different look to the blog today. I have collected together some of the information about the puzzle that was previously scattered through the blog and placed it in a single table at the beginning of the blog. You will now be able to see this information at a glance, rather than searching through the blog for it. In the table, you will find The Daily Telegraph sequence number (which does not appear in the National Post), the date on which the puzzle was published in The Daily Telegraph in the U.K., the identity of the setter (if known), a link to a review of the puzzle at Big Dave's Crossword Blog and the identity of the reviewer, as well as the number of stars awarded by the reviewer for difficulty level and enjoyment.

Although both today's puzzle and yesterday's puzzle were awarded two stars for difficulty by the reviewers at Big Dave's site, I certainly found today's puzzle to be considerably more difficult. However, that may not be the case for everyone. Sometimes we just seem to be more in tune with the style of certain setters.

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Solutions:

brief - noun 2 British informal a solicitor or barrister: it was only his brief's eloquence that had saved him from prison

River Trent - a major river in England

Today's Links

The link to Big Dave's site is now found in the summary box at the beginning of the blog.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

11 Double eagle producing handicap (9)

There is a spirited discussion on Big Dave's site regarding an albatross (a score of three under par in golf) being termed a double eagle in the U.S. Most of the comments question why, given that an eagle is two under par, a double eagle would be only three under par. I wondered if the origin might relate to wagering on games, where the payoff for three under par might have been double that for two under par. However, while I found lots of evidence that betting on golf games may have played a part in the emergence of golf scoring terminology, I found no evidence to support my specific hypothesis.

By the way, the scoring terms are birdie (one under par), eagle (two under), albatross (three under), condor (four under) and ostrich (five under). A condor is a hole-in-one on a par-five hole or a score of two on a par-six hole. According to Wikipedia, a condor has only been accomplished four times in history and an ostrich (a hole-in-one) on a par-six hole has never been achieved (and is unlikely to ever to be seen). Par-six holes are over 600 yards in length and are exceedingly rare. In fact, most golfers probably don't even know that such holes exist (and likely would prefer not to know!).

24a Platform for 'Brief Encounter'? (9)

Brief Encounter is a 1945 British film, much of which was shot at Carnforth railway station in Lancashire, England. Thus many of the Brits made the connection to railway platform and entered CARNFORTH here. Not being familiar with the film, I didn't fall into this trap. However, after seeing that COURTROOM would fit the checking letters, I did expend some time in trying to determine whether the film might be a courtroom drama (it's not). The clue is a play on the word brief which is an informal term used in Britain for a lawyer. A courtroom is the platform (or stage) on which lawyers confront (encounter) each other.

4d External protection for canines? (6)

I recognized right away that "canines" were likely teeth. Unlike some of the Brits, I did not write BRACES into the grid. However, having played hockey in my younger days, I did spend time looking for a British expression meaning mouthguard. Oh, in case you are wondering, that is not me in the picture - it is Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers in his playing days.

8d One may go down fast (8)

This is a cryptic definition of a TOBOGGAN. What interests me, though, is seeing Gazza illustrate the clue with a picture of a bobsleigh. Checking Oxford, however, I see that toboggan is defined there as "a long, light, narrow vehicle, typically on runners, used for sliding downhill over snow or ice" which certainly sounds an awful lot like a bobsleigh. However, that is not at all what I know as a toboggan, which according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is a "long, narrow, runnerless sled constructed of thin boards curled upward at the front end".


Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 (DT 26284)

This puzzle, by Rufus, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Monday, July 5, 2010

The National Post has skipped DT 26283 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, July 3, 2010

Introduction

Today we have a typically enjoyable - if slightly less difficult than usual - puzzle from Rufus. Libellule awards it two stars for difficulty and three for enjoyment. I was able to complete it unaided as I sat in my doctor's waiting room, out of reach of my Tool Chest.

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Solutions:

boob1 - noun
  • 1 British an embarrassing mistake (also verb make an embarrassing mistake)
  • 2 North American a foolish or stupid person
Note: not to be confused with its appropriately superscripted companion definition boob2
c. - abbreviation 1. cricket caught

circus - noun [in place names] British a rounded open space in a town where several streets converge: Piccadilly Circus

departmental store - noun British a department store
Note: Judging by the rarity of its appearance in dictionaries (including British ones), I would have to think that this term is not in common use in the U.K.. Presumably, the Brits, like North Americans, use the term department store. Most of the instances of usage that I found were in reference to India, so the term may be used there. Perhaps it is a vestige of usage from colonial times that has since fallen out of favour in Britain but survived in India.
feather-brain - noun a silly or absent-minded person
Note: The meaning of this term is fairly self-evident. However, Oxford (ODE) is the only dictionary to spell it with a hyphen. Without exception, every other dictionary (at least, among the extensive list of them that I regularly consult) spells it as as a single word, featherbrain.
nick1 - [Collins English Dictionary] verb 2. Slang, chiefly British a. to steal; b. to take into legal custody; arrest

warren (also rabbit warren) - noun
  • a network of interconnecting rabbit burrows
  • British historical an enclosed piece of land set aside for breeding game, especially rabbits

Today's Links
Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26284].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

28a For an NCO such punishment may well involve stripes (8)

Before reading Libellule's review I had not twigged to the possibility that the punishment could have been a couple of lashes. Perhaps as I had first entered DEMOTION here, I was fixated on the idea that we were dealing with a sergeant who had a stripe removed (actually two, one from each arm).

21d Show where traffic goes round (6)

My first entry here was CIRCLE, but it failed on two counts. First, as I was soon to discover, it does not match the checking letter provided by 30a. Second, a circle is not a show - but a circus is. In Britain, a circus is 'a rounded open space in a town where several streets converge'. Traffic goes round there because a circus almost invariably contains a traffic circle. Another definition for circus is 'a public scene of frenetic, noisy, or confused activity', and I can't help but wonder whether this sense of the word evolved from the shenanigans of the travelling company of performers or from the traffic chaos in the centre of British towns.

By the way, traffic circles are beginning to be introduced into Ottawa. We have long had one intersection in the middle of the Central Experimental Farm (a large park in Ottawa that is also an active agricultural research institution) that looks like a traffic circle but which does not adhere to the rules of traffic flow for a traffic circle. When I first moved to Ottawa from Nova Scotia, where I was familiar with traffic circles (called rotaries there), I was nearly involved in an accident when I attempted to navigate this intersection as if it were a traffic circle - and all the other drivers followed a different set of driving rules. Now that we have several real traffic circles in the city, it seems that the potential for disaster can only increase if we continue to allow this abomination to exist.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, October 4, 2010

Monday, October 4, 2010 (DT 26282)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, July 2, 2010

Introduction

Similar to many of the Brits, it took me a while to get started (not until I had read through the clues at least twice). And like Lea, I first solved the upper half of the puzzle - managing to do it unaided but not without a lot of intense concentration. For the bottom half, I had to resort to assistance from my Tool Chest. As a number of the Brits commented, the clues in a Giovanni puzzle often do not look overly difficult in hindsight but can seem totally daunting until "the penny drops".

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Solutions:

advert1 - noun British informal an advertisement

Sebastian Coe - British middle distance runner who is numbered among the dominant athletes of the 1980s

cor - exclamation British informal expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm: Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!

full back (US fullback) - noun (in certain team games) a player in a defensive position, playing at the side of the field in soccer and hockey [obviously field hockey] and behind the other backs in rugby
  • Note 1: Being a British dictionary, the ODE (Oxford Dictionary of English, not to be confused with the Oxford English Dictionary - an error of which I have been found guilty in the past) uses the term hockey in reference to field hockey and would undoubtedly refer to what Canadians know as hockey as ice hockey.
  • Note 2: While Oxford gives the spelling as full back (with the U.S. spelling being fullback), both Chambers and Collins show this word spelled only as fullback
  • Note 3: A fullback in American or Canadian football is a player in an offensive position, specifically "an offensive backfield player whose position is behind the quarterback and halfbacks and who primarily performs offensive blocking and line plunges"
  • Note 4: Collins specifically states that a fullback is "one of two defensive players positioned in front of the goalkeeper" in soccer, field hockey and ice hockey. However, in ice hockey, this position is called defence and the player is called a defenceman (in both men's and women's hockey). It did occur to me that field hockey terminology might be used in British ice hockey, but judging by the roster of the Manchester Phoenix of the British Elite Ice Hockey League, the terminology is the same in Britain as in Canada.
nates - plural noun Anatomy the buttocks [Note: I have seen and heard countless names for this part of the anatomy, but it seems that I have never encountered the proper anatomical term until now]

tin - noun 1 British informal, dated money

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26282].

It is often interesting and informative to read through the comments on Big Dave's site. For instance, today I added to my knowledge of cricket. I knew that a cricket match consists of two innings played over a period of five days. However, it is intriguing to learn that one can solve a cryptic crossword while playing. Given that a batsman may bat a century (100 hits) or more before being out, I suppose that a player has lots of spare time while waiting to bat. I certainly hope that is the right interpretation - I'd hate to think that the puzzle was solved while the player was on the field :-)

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

18a A French prisoner's disciplined, but not locked up (13)

I felt that I knew the answer as soon as I read the clue, and immediately wrote in UNCONFINED - leaving me with three empty spots in the grid!

Signing off for today - Falcon