Wednesday, February 23, 2011 (DT 26406)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26406
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Setter Jay
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26406]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - **	Enjoyment - ***
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┐ ████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┘

Introduction

Having worked into the wee hours of the morning on a review of the puzzle (coincidentally also by Jay) appearing in today's Daily Telegraph for Big Dave's site, I should have been have been well-prepared to tackle this puzzle. I did dip into the Tool Chest for assistance on the last couple of clues. One of those (17a) is easy enough that I can have no excuse for not solving it unaided. However, I have a much better case for 21a, where the solution is a British word that I had never before encountered combined with some very tricky wordplay (well explained by Big Dave).

Today's Glossary

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

[Items marked with an asterisk are from a Cumulative Glossary of entries appearing, since the beginning of this year, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Solutions:

aggro - noun British informal

• aggressive, violent behaviour.
• problems and difficulties

alcopop - noun British informal a ready-mixed drink that resembles a soft drink but contains alcohol

River Dee - a 70-mile (110 km) long river in the United Kingdom that travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries (also any of several other rivers by that name in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia)

pot¹ - noun 3 [almost certainly British] informal a prize in a sporting contest, especially a silver cup

At the Free Dictionary Online, this meaning appears in Collins English Dictionary, but not in the American Heritage Dictionary. Furthermore, it appears in the U.K. version of Encarta, but not in the U.S. version.

metal - noun 2 (also road metal) broken stone for use in road-making

Somewhat surprisingly, this seems not to be a Briticism, as the definition also appears in American dictionaries.

satnav - noun navigation dependent on information received from satellites (more commonly known in North America as GPS)

U³ = abbreviation 1 unionist

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

This commentary should be read in conjunction with the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

15a   Beat favourite? In a race one might (7)

The clue is, I would say, a semi &lit. The entire clue serves as the definition which (once one untangles the convoluted manner in which it has been expressed) amounts to "one who might beat the favourite in a race". The is WHIPPET, a breed of racing dog. The wordplay is WHIP (beat) + PET (favourite).

Signing off for today - Falcon