Saturday, September 29, 2012

Saturday, September 29, 2012 - At the Garage

Introduction

In today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon, we visit an auto service shop where the setters give the mechanical systems of our car a thorough going over and offer us a choice of fuels. However, after 28a, our next stop may be the body shop.






Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed

"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue

Across


1a   SUSPENSION* — anagram (engineer) of USES PINS ON

6a   S|TOP — S (south) + TOP (peak)

9a   {TEL AVIV}~ — sounds like (vocally) TELL OF (describe) EVE (the first lady)
To fully appreciate the homophone, one must read the solution as a phrase in which "tell of eve" sounds like "Tel Aviv".
10a   TEA SE|TS — TEASE (harry) + TS (Eliot; American-born British poet T. S. Eliot[7])

12a   NICK — double definition; "Santa" & "shaving mishap"

13a   D(RIVE T)RAIN — RIVET (bolt) contained in DRAIN (exhaust)

15a   GASOLINE* — anagram (in a mixture) of {GAIN + (and) LOSE}

16a   A|BLEST — A (one) + BLEST (charmed)

18a   THROWN~ — sounds like (in the sound) THRONE (big chair)

20a   METHANOL* — anagram (adjusted) of HOTEL MAN

23a   COMBUSTION* — anagram (arranged) of SO CUT MOB IN
Combustion is the function performed by (or job) of the engine.
24a   S|TUB — S (small) + TUB (tank)

27a   ALL|IS|ON — ALL (everybody) + IS (†) + ON (performing)
Mose Allison[7] is an American jazz blues pianist and singer.
28a   IMP|ACTS — IMP (rascally; used as an adjective) + ACTS (deeds)
As with 9a, one must read the solution as a phrase to fully appreciate the homophone, "imp acts" being "rascally deeds".
29a   _H|OR|N_ — hidden in (part of) PlymoutH OR Nissan

30a   ELECT(RODE)S — RODE (were carried) contained in (among) ELECTS (picks)

Down


1d   SATIN_ — SATIN[G] (filling) with the final letter deleted (almost)

2d   SO|LACES — SO (true; "It was seen to be so") + LACES (ties)

3d   E|NVY — E (English) + N[A]VY with the letter A deleted {lacking A (†)}

4d   S(EVER)ING — SING (confess) containing EVER (always)

5d   OCTAVE — O (circle; letter shaped like a circle) + CT (court) + (and) AVE (avenue)

7d   _T|HE S|AME_ — hidden in (in) facT HES AMErican

8d   POST(NAT)AL — POSTAL (crazy) containing (about) NAT (Nathaniel)
Go postal[5] is US slang for go mad, especially from stress [with reference to cases in which postal employees ran amok and shot colleagues].
11d   AUTOBAHN* — anagram (plays) of TUBA NOAH
An autobahn[3] is an expressway in Germany and German-speaking countries.
14d   B(LOW)OUTS — BOUTS (fights) containing (about) LOW (†)

15d   {GATE-CRASH}* — anagram (manoeuvres) of CARTHAGES

17d   DEMONIAC* — anagram (funny) of COMEDIAN

19d   _R|AMBLER — R {final letter (in the end) of MisteR} + AMBLER (walker)

21d   NOT|ICED — NOT (†) + ICED (frozen)

22d   ATONAL* — anagram (badly) of AN ALTO

25d   B|USES — B (initial letter of (head of) Bureau) + USES (takes; "takes a taxi (or bus)")

26d   SPAR< — reversal of (returning) RAPS (blows)
Key to Reference Sources: 

[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
[7]   - Wikipedia
[8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Signing off for the moment — Falcon

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012 - DT 26919

Vacation Edition
Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26919
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 16, 2012
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26919]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes
The National Post has skipped DT 26918 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, July 14, 2012.

I am currently on vacation. Today's abbreviated posting was prepared prior to my departure and provides a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post has been known to alter its publication schedule unexpectedly, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Signing off for today — Falcon

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Thursday, September 27, 2012 - DT 26917

Vacation Edition
Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26917
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, July 13, 2012
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26917]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes
I am currently on vacation. Today's abbreviated posting was prepared prior to my departure and provides a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post has been known to alter its publication schedule unexpectedly, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Signing off for today — Falcon

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - DT 26916

Vacation Edition
Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26916
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26916]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes
I am currently on vacation. Today's abbreviated posting was prepared prior to my departure and provides a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post has been known to alter its publication schedule unexpectedly, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Signing off for today — Falcon

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - DT 26915

Vacation Edition
Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26915
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26915]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Pommers
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes
I am currently on vacation. Today's abbreviated posting was prepared prior to my departure and provides a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post has been known to alter its publication schedule unexpectedly, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Signing off for today — Falcon

Monday, September 24, 2012

Monday, September 24, 2012 - DT 26914

Vacation Edition
Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26914
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26914]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ / ★★★ Enjoyment - ★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes
I am currently on vacation. Today's abbreviated posting was prepared prior to my departure and provides a link to the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog for the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post has been known to alter its publication schedule unexpectedly, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Signing off for today — Falcon

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Saturday, September 22, 2012 - Colour Palette

Introduction

Today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon is a rather colourful affair which might suggest the flag of Armenia.

Blogger is misbehaving today and obstinately refusing to let me upload images to this post. Thus there is no JPEG version of the puzzle — or picture of the Armenian flag. You can download a PDF version of the puzzle from the link above.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed

"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue

Across


8a   {PAINT THE TOWN RED}* — anagram (weaving) of PATTERN DONE WITH

10a   LATER|AL — LATER (down the road) + AL (Pacino; American actor Al Pacino[7])

11a   {IN|TENSE}~ — sounds like (sounded) {INN (guesthouse) + TENTS (shelters)}

12a   SHAM|BLING — SHAM (phony) + BLING (jewellery for a rapper)

14a   H|EDGE — H (high; on a weather map) + EDGE (side)

15a   {SINGING THE BLUES}* — anagram (bum) of BEGINS SLEUTHING

18a   LO(D)GE — D (dee) contained in (in) LOGE (theatre section)

20a   CAS(SET)TES — SET (arranged) contained in (in) CASTES (groups)

22a   SANG|RIA< — SANG (vocalized) + reversal (returning) of AIR (tune)

23a   {AT LARGE}* — anagram (shaking) of A LEG RAT

25a   {YELLOW BRICK ROAD}* — anagram (cast) of WORK CORDIALLY BE

Down


1d   SPELLS — double definition; "at work, replaces" & "hexes"

2d   MIST|RAIN — MIST (haze) + (before) RAIN (shower)
Note: the setters have inverted the normal sentence structure.
3d   S|TAR — S (second) + TAR (sailor)

4d   SHILLING — double definition; "promoting" & "an old British coin"

5d   S|T|RING — S (small) + T (time) + RING (telephone)

6d   S(WITCH)ABLE — WITCH (crone) contained in (wearing) SABLE (fur)

7d   IRONED* — anagram (surprisingly) of DENIRO
Robert De Niro[7] is an American actor, director and producer. If this is who the setters have in mind, they — or, perhaps, the typesetters — have spelled his name incorrectly.
9d   D(I)ETERS — I (interest; as received on an investment) contained in DETERS (bars)

13d   B(OILER) ROOM — OILER (lubricator) contained in (in) BROOM (cleaner)

15d   SP(LASH)Y — SPY (†) containing (holds) LASH (whip)

16d   HIS|PANIC — HIS (†) + PANIC (wild fear)

17d   ULTERIOR* — anagram (ground; like coffee beans) of RULE TRIO

19d   D|ANGLE — D ([Roman numeral for] 500) + ANGLE (fish)

20d   CR(A|BB)Y — CRY (yell) containing (about) {A (†) + BB (shotgun pellet)}
Although I was surprised to see "shotgun pellet" used to clue BB, research shows that BB is one of the standard sizes for lead shot[7] used in shotguns. Air guns, commonly called BB guns[7], originally used BB size shotgun pellets but they now use special pellets that are slightly smaller than BB size shot — although these pellets continue to be known in common parlance as BBs.
21d   STEADY* — anagram (apart) of DAY SET

24d   _LA|KE_ — hidden in (in) KitengeLA KEnya
Kitengela is a plain in Kenya, located south of the capital Nairobi. It is the site of the Kitengela Game Conservation Area. There is also a town named Kitengela in the area.
Key to Reference Sources: 

[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
[7]   - Wikipedia
[8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Friday, September 21, 2012

Friday, September 21, 2012 - DT 26913

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26913
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 9, 2012
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26913]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes
The National Post has skipped DT 26912 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, July 7, 2012.

Introduction

Today we have the usual enjoyable fare from Rufus — and rather on the easy side to boot. The last one in for me was 8d. I set the puzzle aside this morning with this one clue left to solve. I picked the puzzle up again later in the day and pondered this clue some more. I was about to activate my electronic assistants when the penny finally dropped with a resounding clang.

Vacation Break

As next week I will be travelling on vacation, the blog will appear in an abbreviated format. I have prepared daily postings containing the Puzzle at a Glance feature which provides some key facts related to the puzzle that I expect to be published that day, including a link to the review of that puzzle at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. However, as the National Post has been known to alter its publication schedule unexpectedly, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

9a   State not fancied by many (5)

A common cryptic crossword device is to use expressions such as "many", "a great many" or "a large number" to indicate a large Roman numeral. The particular Roman numeral is not specified, so the solver must select the appropriate one from a range of possibilities — generally L (fifty), C (one hundred), D (five hundred) or M (one thousand).

11a   Divine, the French crew’s accommodation (10)

Le[8] is the masculine singular form of the French definite article.

21a   Split the rent (4)

I thought that "split" must have been used in the sense of to rend — which would make this a very poor double definition. However, Libellule describes "split" as meaning to go at full speed. I eventually found that meaning in The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition —  although it appears (with that sense) in none of the several other dictionaries that I consulted.

I am familiar with the expression lickety-split[1], which Chambers says is a US term derived from lick[1] (probably in the sense "vigorous speed") and split[1] (presumably in the sense "to go at full speed").

28a   Business returns, thanks to college (7)

Ta[5] is an informal British exclamation signifying thank you ⇒ ‘Ta,’ said Willie gratefully. In Britain, takings[5] is the amount of money earned by a business from the sale of goods or services ⇒ the big test for the shop’s new look is whether it’ll boost takings.

King's College might refer to either of two British educational institutions, although Libellule opts for the first of the two listed below.
  • King's College[7], whose formal name is The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge, is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. King's was founded in 1441 by Henry VI, soon after he had founded its sister college in Eton.
  • King's College London[7] (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third-oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, receiving its royal charter in the same year. In 1836 King's became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London.
I note that Rufus seems to have reupholstered a clue that he used in DT 26889 (National Post: August 24, 2012; The Daily Telegraph: June 11, 2012):
  • 28a   Proceeds, thanks to royalty (7)
1d   Artist enters restaurant for a bottle (6)

RA[5] is the abbreviation for Royal Academician, a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5], an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.

3d   Comrade is disturbed with nervous reaction from American party (10)

Libellule says that the solution is "a word that is relating to, or characteristic of an American political party". It is far more than that, being the actual name of the party.

5d   Belt buckles worn by men (9)

Libellule suggests that "buckles" is used as a noun (fastenings), leading him to conclude that the solution is a "stretch". I would submit that buckle[10] is used as a verb, meaning to fasten with a buckle (or, in other words, to link) — and therefore not at all a stretch.

8d   Familiar name for a tanner (8)

In reading Libellule's review, I see that I failed to detect an element of the wordplay. In Britain, sunshine[5] is used as a friendly or sometimes threatening form of address ⇒ hand it over, sunshine.

13d   Out of trouble, sailing past Holland (3,3,4)

Hook of Holland[7] (Dutch: Hoek van Holland, literally "Corner of Holland"), also known as the Hook (De Hoek), is a town in the western Netherlands. It is situated on the North Sea coast, on the north bank of the Nieuwe Waterweg ship canal. The town is administered by the municipality of Rotterdam as a district of that city.
Key to Reference Sources: 

[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
[7]   - Wikipedia
[8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Thursday, September 20, 2012 - DT 26911

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26911
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, July 6, 2012
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26911]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
██████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

This puzzle did not give me major difficulties - with the exception of the Scottish institution of higher learning which I had not previously encountered. Not only did it account for the two across clues for which I needed to seek assistance but it also provided two checking letters for 18d (which quickly fell into place once I had identified the university).

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

7a   My hesitation about central heating after second day it isn’t needed! (8)

About a week ago, we encountered this British exclamation that can take on a variety of forms. Cor[5] is an informal British exclamation expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm ⇒ Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!

Related exclamations are (1) blimey[5] (also cor blimey), an exclamation used informally to express surprise, excitement, or alarm and (2) gorblimey[5], an informal expression of surprise or indignation.

In case anyone is wondering, c.h.[1] appears in The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition as an abbreviation for "central heating". 

9a   Artist and count meeting only very occasionally (6)

RA[5] is the abbreviation for Royal Academician, a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5], an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.

12a   Festive occasion with a couple of unknowns –- lots of stars too (6)

In mathematics, an unknown[10] is a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation ⇒ 3y = 4x + 5 is an equation in two unknowns. [Unknowns are typically represented symbolically by the letters x, y and z.]

15a   Complete country, as it was, without Scripture (6)

Eire[5] is the Gaelic name for Ireland, and was the official name of the Republic of Ireland from 1937 to 1949.

17a & 24a   University tower that somehow enthrals one (6-4)

Heriot-Watt University[7] is a public research university based in Edinburgh, established in 1821 as the world's first mechanics' institute. The eighth oldest higher education institution in the United Kingdom, it has been a university by Royal Charter since 1966.


20a   A cool den specially made for pet (8)

A clue more to be expected from Ray T than Giovanni!



23a   Awfully quaint, a Fifties youth is seen as behind the times (10)

Ted[2] is British slang for Teddy boy. In 1950s Britain, a Teddy boy[5] was a young man of a subculture characterized by a style of dress based on Edwardian fashion (typically with drainpipe trousers, bootlace tie, and hair slicked up in a quiff) and a liking for rock-and-roll music.The name comes from from Teddy, pet form of the given name Edward (with reference to Edward VII's reign). Judging by the entry in the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, it would appear that the application of the term may not be limited solely to youth of the 1950s. It defines Teddy boy[2] as an unruly or rowdy adolescent, especially one in the 1950s who dressed in Edwardian-style clothes, e.g. drainpipe trousers and a long jacket.

1d   Start off with exploit that is to restrict tax (8)

VAT[5] (value added tax) is a tax on the amount by which the value of an article has been increased at each stage of its production or distribution. This system of taxation is used in Europe, where it is known as the VAT (or, more fully, the EU VAT) and in Canada, where it is called the GST (Goods and Services Tax) or, in provinces where the federal and provincial sales tax systems have been integrated, the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax). This system of taxation is not currently in use in the United States.[7] 

2d   Duke’s odd — one has stretched skin (4)

Rum[5] is dated British slang meaning odd or peculiar.

6d   Look — a delicate batting stroke! (6)

In ball games, glance[5] means to deflect (the ball) slightly with a delicate contact ⇒ he glanced the ball into the corner of the net [seemingly a reference to soccer]. In cricket — the sport of interest in this clue — it means (1) to deflect (the ball) with the bat held slantwise or (2) to play such a stroke against (the bowler) ⇒ Simpson glanced Statham’s fourth ball.

18d   Source of pleasure is English paper (8)

This clue was no trouble at all — once the Scottish University had finally revealed the remaining two checking letters.
Key to Reference Sources: 

[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
[7]   - Wikipedia
[8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - DT 26910

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26910
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Setter
Ray T (Ray Terrell)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26910]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

For Ray T fans, there is a lot to enjoy in this puzzle which leans a bit toward the less difficult end of the scale.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

9a   Analytical detective approaches questioning (10)

A detective inspector (DI)[5] is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

11a   Keep subdued melody following return of Queen (8)

Queen Elizabeth's initials are ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.

12a   Criminal swindle — then never-ending bird (6)

In Britain, do[5] is an informal term for swindle ⇒ a thousand pounds for one set of photos—Jacqui had been done.

18a   A battle fixing toilet after flood (8)

The Battle of Waterloo[7] was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. An Imperial French army under the command of Emperor Napoleon was defeated by the armies of the Seventh Coalition, comprising an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington combined with a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher. It was the culminating battle of the Waterloo Campaign and Napoleon's last. The defeat at Waterloo ended his rule as Emperor of the French, marking the end of his Hundred Days return from exile.

Loo[5] is an informal British term for a toilet.

2d   Active soldier, bitter outside (5)

In Britain, bitter[5] is beer that is strongly flavoured with hops and has a bitter taste ⇒ a pint of bitter.

3d   Game delivery round wicket by English (9)

A delivery[5] is an act of throwing, bowling, or kicking a ball, especially a cricket ball ⇒ he reached 59 runs off only 42 deliveries. However, in the cryptic reading, wicket is not a cricket term. A wicket[5] (also wicket door or wicket gate) is a small door or gate, especially one beside or in a larger one. In North America, the term wicket is also used for  an opening in a door or wall, often fitted with glass or a grille and used for selling tickets or a similar purpose.

Bagatelle[10] can be either of two games; (1) a game in which small balls are hit and then allowed to roll down a sloping board on which there are holes, each numbered with the score achieved if a ball goes into it, with pins acting as obstructions[5] (also known as pinball[10]) and (2) bar billiards[10], a table game played in British pubs, etc, in which short cues are used to pocket balls into holes scoring various points and guarded by wooden pegs that incur penalties if they are knocked over.

4d   Chest of a divine being — that’ll get a 10! (6)

In Norse mythology, Thor[7] is the god of thunder (among other things). As alluded to by Gazza in his comments, this puzzle appeared in the UK on Thursday[7], the name of which is derived from Old English Þūnresdæg and Middle English Thuresday, which means "Thor's day".

5d   Electorate in end settled for political alliance (7,8)

An entente (also known as an entente cordiale)[5] is a friendly understanding or informal alliance between states or factions ⇒ the emperor hoped to bring about an entente with Russia. The Entente Cordiale was an understanding between Britain and France reached in 1904, forming the basis of Anglo-French cooperation in the First World War.

7d   Oasis or Nirvana dropping Ecstasy (5)

Oasis[7] were an English rock band, formed in Manchester in 1991, that came to an acrimonious end near Paris in 2009. Nirvana[7] was an American rock band, formed in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987, that came to a tragic end in Seattle, Washington in 1994.

8d   Telegraph line? (9)

The Daily Telegraph[7] (in which this puzzle appeared in Britain) is a daily morning broadsheet conservative-leaning newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. It is the sister paper of The Sunday Telegraph[7]. The papers are run separately with different editorial staff, but there is some cross-usage of stories, and the two titles share a website.
Key to Reference Sources: 

[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
[7]   - Wikipedia
[8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012 - DT 26909

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26909
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26909]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Falcon
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
Legend:
- solved without assistance
- incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
- solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

I originally blogged this puzzle when it appeared in The Daily Telegraph in July. At the time, I commented that "I found the puzzle, while quite enjoyable, to be a bit less difficult than usual". Strangely enough, it seemed barely slightly easier the second time around.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

1a   Lie about London’s food (4,3)

Pork pie[5] is a traditional British dish being a raised pie made with minced, cooked pork, typically eaten cold. Pork pie (customarily shortened to porky[10]) is also British (specifically cockney) rhyming slang for a lie.

A cockney[5] is a native of East London, traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church). Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the H from the beginning of words and the use of rhyming slang[5].

Thus, in this double definition clue, the first definition is "lie about London" — very specifically referring to the East End of London[7].

5a   Iris maybe making bread (7)

A bloomer[10] is a plant that flowers, especially in a specified way ⇒ a night bloomer. In Britain, bloomer is also the name of a medium-sized loaf, baked on the sole of the oven, glazed and notched on top. Yet another British meaning for the word (though one which does not come into play today) is a stupid mistake or blunder.

11a   A couple of tomatoes added to stew creates an awkward situation (3,6)

The American Heritage Dictionary thinks that hot pot[3] [two words] is a chiefly British term for a stew of lamb or beef and potatoes cooked in a tightly covered pot, while Oxford Dictionaries defines hotpot[5] [one word] as a British term for a casserole of meat and vegetables, typically with a topping of sliced potato. Chambers 21st Century Dictionary spells it hotpot[2] and describes it as chopped meat and vegetables, seasoned and covered with sliced potatoes, and cooked slowly in a sealed pot[2]. Finally, Collins English Dictionary defines hotpot[10] as a baked stew or casserole made with meat or fish and covered with a layer of potatoes.

12a   River horse, so to speak (5)

The Rhône[5] is a river in SW Europe which rises in the Swiss Alps and flows 812 km (505 miles), through Lake Geneva into France, then to Lyons, Avignon, and the Mediterranean west of Marseilles, where it forms a wide delta that includes the Camargue. The comment "well mostly, at least" in my review on Big Dave's blog was intended to refer to the fact that the river is mostly in France (and not that one is supposed to use less than all the letters in the name).

17a   Live in reduced surroundings? It’s hardly worth considering (5,4)

Small beer[5] is a British expression used to describe a thing that is considered unimportant ⇒ even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most stockbrokers even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most stockbrokers.

23a   Nothing in beer — and no one runs for wine (5,4)

The pint[5] is the standard measure for beer in Britain ⇒ we’ll probably go for a pint on the way home. In the United Kingdom, draught beer must be sold in Imperial measure and, by law, certain steps must be taken to ensure that a pint of beer is indeed a pint. Though this can be achieved using so-called "metered dispense" (calibrated pumps), the more common solution is to use certified one-pint glasses.[7] [read more]

On cricket scorecards, R[5] appears as an abbreviation for run(s).

25a   Go and live abroad with no golf, in Dubai for example (7)

Golf[5] is a code word representing the letter G, used in radio communication.

26a   Identification required in a town generates sarcasm (7)

In Britain, a city[5] is a town created a city by charter and usually containing a cathedral.

28a   Boffin becoming chief of hen production (7)

In the UK, boffin[5] is an informal term for (1) a person engaged in scientific or technical research ⇒ the boffins at the Telecommunications Research Establishment or (2) a person with knowledge or a skill considered to be complex or arcane ⇒ a computer boffin.

1d   Set the level and tried to sell (7)

In my review at Big Dave's site, I used the phrase "adjusted the frequency" as a hint for "set the level". I now see that there are a couple of far more appropriate senses of the word pitch that I could have used. Pitch[3] may mean either (1) to set at a specified downward slant ⇒ pitched the roof at a steep angle or — better yet  — (2) to set at a particular level, degree, or quality ⇒ pitched her expectations too high.

5d   House call? (5)

The British version of bingo[7] bears very little resemblance to the North American game of the same name (or one might say that they are about as similar as cricket and baseball). The British game (formerly called housey-housey) and the North American version both involve matching numbers drawn at random to those on tickets (Britain) or cards (North America). However, the format of British tickets is totally different from that of North American cards — and, consequently, so are the winning combinations. In Britain, it is common for winners to yell "House!" (rather than "Bingo!") when a winning combination is attained.

7d   Sugar from whisky like this raised energy (7)

Malt[5], in addition to being barley or other grain that has been steeped, germinated, and dried for use in brewing or distilling and vinegar-making, is short for malt whisky. Maltose[7], also known as malt sugar, is produced from germinating cereals, such as barley, as part of the brewing process.

18d   Funny thinking heralded by the first of April (7)

Herald[10] means to precede or usher in. Thus "heralded by" indicates 'preceded by'.
Key to Reference Sources: 

[1]   - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2]   - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4]   - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
[5]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6]   - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
[7]   - Wikipedia
[8]   - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
[9]   - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon