Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013 — DT 27237

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27237
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Setter
Unknown*
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27237]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Deep Threat
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Experience
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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
*One regular visitor to Big Dave's Crossword Blog guesses that the setter might be Shamus (Philip Marlow).

Introduction

My electronic assistants enjoyed another day of rest today. I think I may have discovered the secret to finishing a puzzle without their help — don't throw in the towel too early! On the other hand, perhaps we have just had a run of unusually gentle puzzles.

We see several instances of a particular clue structure in today's puzzle — a structure to which I apply a bit of a different interpretation than does Deep Threat in his review.

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. The underlined portion of the clue is the definition.

Across


1a   Nouveau riche  weekend mountaineers? (6,8)

9a   A new Guide leader in camp -- that's touching (7)

Tent and camp are especially synonymous when used as verbs ⇒ I enjoy nothing more than tenting in the mountains.

Often the contraction "that's" will merely serve as a link between the wordplay and the definition. However, that is not necessarily the case in this clue. If one supposes the solution to be a noun, the definition must be "[something] that's touching" — where the word "something" is understood from the context of the clue. For similar clue constructions, see 24a and 13d.

Granted, tangent[5] can also be an adjective, so one might argue (as Deep Threat appears to do) that the word "that's" is merely a link word and that the definition is simply "touching". However, the equivalent term to "touching" would be "tangent to" rather than "tangent" ⇒ the line is touching the circle/the line is tangent to the circle.

10a   Hugs and fondles awkwardly (7)

11a   Plant is absorbing intermittent rain (4)

12a   Breathing apparatus reports air is polluted (10)

14a   American character rejected being adopted by half-German bloke (6)

Bloke[5] is British slang for a man ⇒ he’s a nice bloke.

In Britain, geezer[5] is a slang term that can be applied to any man ⇒ he strikes me as a decent geezer. In the UK, the word appears not to carry the same negative connotation that it does in North America, where it is a derogatory term for an old man, especially an eccentric one[3,4,11].

15a   Restoration must be carried out to save rich collection of memorabilia (8)

17a   Best old-fashioned vehicles making a comeback (8)

18a   Worried 1d's reversed for example (2,4)

It took a long time to realize that "1d" is not a cross-reference indicator in this clue.

21a   What WI members do in a queue? (7,3)

The solution to this clue brought a chuckle.

The Women's Institute (WI)[5] is an organization of women, especially in rural areas, who meet regularly and participate in crafts, cultural activities, and social work. Now worldwide, it was first set up in Ontario, Canada, in 1897, and in Britain in 1915.

22a   Northern relative reported protester (4)

It seems that natives of Liverpool (considered Northerners in Britain) pronounce "auntie" as ANT-EE rather than AAHN-TEE or AWN-TEE. Methinks that Liverpudlians are taking over the world as these days one almost never hears "aunt" pronounced any way other than ANT. I was always lectured that an "ant" is a six-legged insect and not your mother's sister.

24a   Most of horizon's visible between twin Appalachian peaks (that's in America!) (7)

A peak[5] may be either the topmost part or the foremost part of an object. The peak of a mountain is its highest point but the peak of a cap is its front edge. Thus, the setter uses the phrase "Appalachian peak" to deceptively denote the front (first letter) of the word Appalachian.

In Britain, a peak[5] is a stiff brim at the front of a cap. This is a usage, I believe, that is not entirely foreign to North Americans. However, we would be more apt to call it a bill[5] or a visor[5].

The definition is "[someplace] that's in America" — in which the word "someplace" is understood from the context of the clue. The structure of this clue is similar to that of 9a and 13d.

The Appalachians[5] is a mountain system of eastern North America, stretching from Quebec and Maine in the North to Georgia and Alabama in the South. Its highest peak is Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, which rises to 2,037 m (6,684 ft).

25a   A diner's fresh fish (7)

26a   IT consultant's small Y-fronts shrink (7,7)

The stem[5] is the main upright timber or metal piece at the bow of a ship, to which the ship’s sides are joined at the front end [as in the expression "from stem to stern"].

Y-fronts[5] is a British trademark for men’s or boys' underpants with a branching seam at the front in the shape of an upside-down Y.

Down


1d   Appropriate to go topless following start of sunny session (7)

2d   Secrecy and infidelity can't upset when love comes in (15)

In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒ love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.

3d   Lincoln died how we all hope to go? (4)

Abraham Lincoln[5] (1809–1865) was an American Republican statesman, 16th President of the US 1861-5. His election as President on an anti-slavery platform helped precipitate the American Civil War; he was assassinated shortly after the war ended. Lincoln was noted for his succinct, eloquent speeches, including the Gettysburg Address of 1863.

Lincoln likely did die "abed", in Petersen House across the street from Ford's Theatre after lying in a coma for some nine hours after he was shot. Hardly "how we all hope to go".

4d   Tailor's craft (6)

I was originally prepared to go along with Deep Threat's characterization of this clue as a double definition. However, the more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became with that approach. I have chosen to classify it as cryptic definition. As I see it, we are looking for a type of craft that has some specific attribute that would associate it with a tailor. Such a craft would be a CUTTER (since a tailor is a cutter of fabric).

However, the words "tailor" and "cutter" are not synonymous — which, in my opinion, means that this clue is not a double definition. Rather, being a cutter is an attribute (a specific job function) of a tailor. It does not encompass the totality of being a tailor (who must perform many other functions in the course of his work).

In mathematical terms, being a cutter is a necessary but not sufficient condition to establish the existence of a tailor. Or, put another way, all tailors are cutters, but not all cutters are tailors.

On the other hand, Deep Threat might well argue that I'm being overly pedantic and that the words "tailor" and "cutter" are close enough in meaning to be considered synonyms within the bounds of cryptic licence.

5d   Amateur still getting to grips with old piano (8)

Piano[3,5] (abbreviation p[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

6d   Live? Shot previously (10)

7d   Gravity specifically averted senility somehow (8,7)

In chemistry, relative density[5] (also known as specific gravity[5]) is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a standard, usually water for a liquid or solid, and air for a gas.

8d   Old god who's Irish mostly (6)

In Egyptian mythology, Osiris[5] is a god originally connected with fertility, husband of Isis and father of Horus. He is known chiefly through the story of his death at the hands of his brother Seth and his subsequent restoration to a new life as ruler of the afterlife.

13d   One hairstyle after another -- on the street that's exceptionally cool (10)

Here we encounter another example of a clue where the contraction "that's" does not merely serve as a link between the wordplay and the definition. The solution can be nothing other than a noun, so the definition must be "[something] that's exceptionally cool" — where the word "something" is understood from the context of the clue.

16d   Trumpet virtuoso's profession (8)

17d   Nothing suitable for the whole family to see? Disney's upset following ban (6)

The setter uses the phrase "for the whole family to see" to clue the letter U. Under the British system of film classification[7] a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" (or at least for children over 4 years of age).

Walt Disney[5] (1901–1966) was an American animator and film producer. He made his name with the creation of cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) was the first full-length cartoon feature film with sound and colour. Other notable films: Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942).

19d   Noted Forster in hospital department (7)

E. M. Forster[5] (1879–1970) was an English novelist and literary critic; full name Edward Morgan Forster. His novels, several of which have been made into films, include A Room with a View (1908) and A Passage to India (1924).

From my experience, I would almost say that the Crosswordland Hospital consists solely of the ear, nose and throat (ENT[2]) department.

20d   Sweat heartily in sizzling sauna causing distaste (6)

I suppose distaste as expressed by Frankly, I find your puerile humour to be sickening.

23d   Mariachi's entertaining song (4)
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)
[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wednesday, October 30, 2013 — DT 27236

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27236
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 22, 2013
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27236]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Libellule
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Experience
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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

Today we get what we have come to expect from Rufus — a very enjoyable puzzle that is not too taxing.

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. The underlined portion of the clue is the definition.

Across


1a   But nettle-rash can erupt and gain the ascendancy (4,3,6)

10a   Gets level, being faster (7)

11a   Boasting about a number well done (7)

Frequently, terms such as many or a large number will be used to clue a large Roman numeral - such as L (fifty), C (hundred), D (five hundred) or M (thousand). However, in today's puzzle, the setter settles for merely number.

12a   Born and died in poverty (4)

13a   He will shortly ring -- to say this? (5)

I would consider this to be a semi-all-in-one clue in which the entire clue is the definition, and where the first portion also constitutes the wordplay. However, this is a style of clue — one that is particularly associated with Rufus — that is difficult to classify. One might equally argue the case that the wordplay is "he will shortly ring" with the definition being "this". However, I don't favour designating pronouns on their own as definitions in clues such as this.

14a   Make an issue of time to return (4)

17a   Stay longer than most at the wicket? (7)

To "stay longer than most" in any context would be to outlast. In cricket, the last batsman to be dismissed would be "out last". This is another clue where the definition is not clear-cut. I have chosen to view the entire clue as the definition, but others might opt for merely the first portion of the clue.

18a   Pinero's play persuades one to take part (5,2)

Sir Arthur Wing Pinero[5] (1855–1934) was an English dramatist and actor. Notable works: The Second Mrs Tanqueray (1893).

19a   Acts for different agents (7)

22a   It's forbidden, and badly one hundred may take it (7)

24a   Returned to show off clothes (4)

25a   There's something hidden here -- sounds like money (5)

26a   In for a long viva voce (4)

In Britain, a viva voce[5] (often shortened to viva[5]) is an oral examination, typically for an academic qualification ⇒  (i) candidates may be called for a viva voce; (ii) assessment of the PhD is by thesis and viva voce. Viva can also be used as a verb meaning to subject (someone) to an oral examination ⇒ facing them sat the youth who was being vivaed.

Viva voce may also be used (1) as an adjective indicating (especially of an examination) oral rather than written a viva voce examination or (2) as an adverb signifying orally rather than in writing ⇒ we had better discuss this viva voce. To the best of my knowledge, this term is used in North America only as an adjective or adverb. I suspect that the these forms may predate its usage as a noun, and that this may be yet another example of the British propensity to turn adjectives into nouns.

29a   Batter section's defence (7)

30a   Soldiers ordered to carry equipment (7)

31a   Saucy play from which friends will return with delight (4,3,6)

Slap and tickle[5] is British slang for playful sexual activity all Walter thought about was a bit of slap and tickle in the grass.

Down


2d   News put out, with the dust allowed to settle (7)

3d   It has a point, may need filing (4)

4d   Farmers may combine to gather it in (7)

5d   In piping form (7)

Today, piping is not used in the sense of "hissing hot" — as it was yesterday.

6d   Display  stand (4)

7d   Scholar finding sums are uplifting (7)

Desiderius Erasmus[5] (circa 1469–1536) was a Dutch humanist and scholar; Dutch name Gerhard Gerhards. He was the foremost Renaissance scholar of northern Europe, paving the way for the Reformation with his satires on the Church, including the Colloquia Familiaria (1518). However, he opposed the violence of the Reformation and condemned Luther in De Libero Arbitrio (1523).

8d   Conjured up nightmare of apparition (7,6)

I can find no compelling evidence of there being any special meaning attached to the phrase "phantom figure". Googling "phantom figure" turned up a lot of hits for figurines of The Phantom[7], an American adventure comic strip. The Urban Dictionary [not the most authoritative source] defines phantom figure as someone who seems like they never grow up, coined in Nigeria in tribute to a basketballer who stayed 25 for three years in a row.

9d   One predicts there'll be a lot of money on the counter (7,6)

The wordplay here is FORTUNE (a lot of money) + (on; in a down clue) TELLER (the counter).

A teller works behind the counter of a bank, and that is the meaning of counter in the surface [no pun intended — but duly noted] reading. However, one of the duties of a teller is to count the money, so a teller could well be deemed to be a counter.

I note that Oxford Dictionaries Online characterises the word teller[5] (in the sense of a bank employee) as being chiefly a North American usage. However, other British dictionaries do not label it as such and Libellule certainly seems to be familiar with the term.

15d   Meat company included in embargo (5)

16d   Put on a soft layer (5)

Piano[3,5] (abbreviation p[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

20d   Am clear out of sugar after cooking (7)

21d   Fight and give a thrashing to a tough character (7)

A Spartan[2] was a citizen or inhabitant of ancient Sparta. Today, the term is applied to someone who is disciplined, courageous and shows great endurance. Sparta was a city in ancient Greece that was noted for its austerity and whose citizens were characterized by their courage and endurance in battle and by the simplicity and brevity of their speech.

22d   Occupy in monastic style? (7)

23d   Copper on trial, composed in dock (7)

The symbol for the chemical element copper is Cu[5] (from Latin cuprum).

27d   Buzzer was quiet (4)

See comment at 16d.

28d   The record is held by District of Columbia (4)
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)
[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Tuesday, October 29, 2013 — DT 27235

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27235
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Setter
Cephas (Peter Chamberlain)*
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27235 - Hints]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27235 -  Review]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Big Dave (Hints)
gnomethang (Review)
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Experience
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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

As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review.

*While gazza identifies the setter as Cephas, he does so in a rather tentative manner ("I thought that this was a Cephas production upon review but may be wrong").

Introduction

I managed to complete this without help from my electronic aids, despite the presence of some British personalities of whom I had never heard.

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. The underlined portion of the clue is the definition.

Across


1a   Possible murder weapon is hot clue at first (4,6)

Most dictionaries list piping (in the sense in which it is used in the wordplay) only in the idiom piping hot[5] which denotes, with respect to food or water, very hot ⇒ (i) the crust was piping hot; (ii) it is served warm, not piping hot . The term piping comes from the whistling sound made by very hot liquid or food. Nevertheless, The Chambers Dictionary — never fearing to stand alone — defines piping[1] as hissing hot or very hot — which certainly makes the expression "piping hot" appear to be rather redundant.

The weapons used in the board game Clue[7] (known as Cluedo in the UK) are candlestick, knife (dagger in the UK), lead pipe, revolver, rope, and wrench (spanner in the UK).

In earlier UK editions of the game, the lead pipe was called lead piping. Apparently, the early tokens were made out of actual lead and therefore pose a risk of lead poisoning.

6a   Gamble pawn in short time (4)

In chess, P[10] is the symbol for pawn.

9a   Group bent on dominating the old woman’s street (6,4)

10a   Aquatic creature in ocean and lake (4)

12a   Feel longing when away from  girl (4)

Unlike gnomethang, I thought that this was a fairly straight-forward double definition.

13a   Fanatic keeping slim having space for healthy food (9)

In printing, an en[5] is a unit of measurement equal to half an em and approximately the average width of typeset characters, used especially for estimating the total amount of space a text will require.

15a   Clergymen with afterthought about group helping couples (8)

Prelate[5] is a formal or historical term for a bishop or other high ecclesiastical dignitary.

Relate[7] is a charity providing relationship support throughout the United Kingdom. Services include counselling for couples, families, young people and individuals, sex therapy, mediation and training courses.

16a   Fool to make sarcastic remarks about saint (6)

18a   Mischievous creature in the style of an antelope (6)

In cooking, à la[5] denotes (with respect to a dish) cooked or prepared in a specified way fish cooked à la meunière. The term is also used informally to mean in the style or manner of afternoon talk shows à la Oprah.

20a   Prosperous time round New Hampshire that is creating good will (8)

23a   It has the makings of a scariest flight (9)

Gazza finishes his flight one step short of completion. The solution is an anagram (has the makings of) A SCARIEST.

24a   Breathe with difficulty when restrained by doctor (4)

26a   Could be evens? Yes and no (4)

Evens[5] is a British term meaning even money[5], viz. odds offering an equal chance of winning or losing, with the amount won being the same as the stake.

Thus the odds (on a racehorse, for instance) could be evens (as indicated by "yes"). On the other hand, odds (1st, 3rd, 5th], ...) cannot be evens (2nd, 4th, 6th, ...) as indicated by "no".

27a   Mother or father restricting Irish boy's diet (10)

A diet[5] is a legislative assembly in certain countries.

28a   Rubbish displayed by European art gallery (4)

Tat[5] is an informal British expression meaning tasteless or shoddy clothes, jewellery, or ornaments the place was decorated with all manner of gaudy tat.

The Tate Gallery[5] (commonly known simply as the Tate) is a national museum of art in London, England founded in 1897 by the sugar manufacturer Sir Henry Tate (1819–1899) to house his collection of modern British paintings, as a nucleus for a permanent national collection of modern art. It was renamed Tate Britain in 2000, when the new Tate Modern gallery opened.

29a   China to top local competition (5,5)

Crown Derby[5] is a kind of soft-paste porcelain made at Derby (a city in the Midlands of England) and often marked with a crown above the letter ‘D’ ⇒ [as modifier] displays of Crown Derby china.

In Britain, a derby[5] (also known as a local derby) is a sports match between two rival teams from the same area.

Down


1d   Member in political party branch (4)

M[10] is used in titles as the abbreviation for Member. For instance, it is found in professional designations such as MRAIC (Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada).

The Liberal Party[5] (abbreviation Lib.[5]) in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats; a small Liberal Party still exists.

2d   Gold mace perhaps an omen (7)

The symbol for the chemical element gold is Au[5] (from Latin aurum).

3d   Iron ship propelled by oars includes right place for reporters (5,7)

4d   Cremation facility observed when climbing mountains (8)

The Pyrenees[5] is a range of mountains extending along the border between France and Spain from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean. Its highest peak is the Pico de Aneto in northern Spain, which rises to a height of 3,404 m (11,168 ft).

5d   Subtle point in Hellenic etymology (6)

7d   The Now  Show (7)

The Now Show[7] is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which satirises the week's news.

From my experience, we speak about "the past" and "the future", but would be more likely to say "the present" rather than "the now" — except in the phrase "the here and now".

8d   Withdrawal symptoms make lord cut out what's essential (4,6)

In Britain, cold turkey[5] (as a noun) refers not only to the abrupt and complete cessation of taking a drug to which one is addicted, but also to the the unpleasant symptoms this causes stopping the drug may result in cold turkey. Apparently, it is a chiefly North American usage to employ the term as an adverb meaning in a sudden and abrupt manner I had to quit drinking cold turkey.

11d   She's author drawn to follow horseman (5,7)

She[7], subtitled A History of Adventure, is a novel by English writer Henry Rider Haggard (1856–1925), first serialized in The Graphic magazine from October 1886 to January 1887. She is one of the classics of imaginative literature, and as of 1965 with over 83 million copies sold in 44 different languages, one of the best-selling books of all time. Extraordinarily popular upon its release, She has never been out of print.

14d   Killjoy takes booty to harbour (10)

17d   Ashley or Cheryl's regulation salad (8)

The wordplay is COLE (Ashley or Cheryl) + S ('s) + LAW (regulation).

Ashley Cole[7] is an English footballer [soccer player], who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. According to this Wikipedia article, Cole is considered by many critics and fellow professional players as one of the best defenders of his generation, and by some to be the best left back in the world.

Cheryl Cole[7] is an English recording artist, songwriter, dancer and television personality who rose to fame in late 2002 when she competed in the British reality television show Popstars: The Rivals.

Oh, one more thing — the pair were once married. They began a relationship when they were living in the same block of flats in London and married in 2006. In January 2008, the couple almost separated after allegations were made that he had had affairs with three other women. He, however, disputed the allegations and the couple stayed together. In February 2010, the couple separated following four new allegations of adultery. She then filed for divorce which was granted in September 2010.

19d   Orchestra's place is to receive praise, praise for performance (7)

21d   Sums are wrong -- get a rubber (7)

22d   Unknown group of problem drinkers in pub will provide a market (6)

In mathematics (algebra, in particular), 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.]

25d   Guy is last (4)
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)
[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Monday, October 28, 2013

Monday, October 28, 2013 — DT 27234

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27234
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, July 19, 2013
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27234]
Big Dave's Review Written By
Gazza
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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

On my first attempt at this puzzle, I was able to solve most of the right-hand side but very little of the left-hand side. After returning from a workout at the gym, I was able to work my way through the unsolved clues.

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. The underlined portion of the clue is the definition.

Across


1a   A treble quaking in Anglican church had finally sung (10)

As an adjective, Anglican[5] means relating to or denoting the Church of England or any Church in communion with it.

The Church of England (abbreviation CE)[10] is the reformed established state Church in England, Catholic in order and basic doctrine, with the Sovereign as its temporal head.

6a   Stagehand needs good saw (4)

The abbreviation G[10] for good may relate to its use in rating school assignments or tests.

9a   Fatty stuff? It's very good having cover to hide it (5)

Having been awarded a G for a good result, you might think that a VG would be awarded for an even better result. However, in this clue, the setter sees "very good" in a different light.

Pi[5] is an informal British short form for pious.

10a   Bird snare put back on top of roof? (9)

12a   Paper full of stories, it seems? Don't believe them! (1,6,2,4)

Tissue[5] is used in the sense of an intricate structure or network made from a number of connected items such scandalous stories are a tissue of lies.

14a   Coming from home -- letter, something to be digested! (8)

15a   Love part of country, but not one part of USA (6)

In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒ love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.

17a   Day in town or city? City (6)

Durban[5] is a seaport and resort in South Africa, on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal; population 3,409,100 (est. 2009). Former name (until 1835) Port Natal.

19a   Performance finished -- how much money has been made? (8)

A turn[3] is a brief theatrical act or stage appearance.

21a   Queen at the end of pregnancy will be  worrying a great deal (6,7)

A queen[5] is an adult female cat that has not been spayed. To have kittens[5] is the British equivalent of the North American expression have a cow[5].

As noted in a number of comments on Big Dave's blog, this clue was rather timely, as the puzzle appeared in the UK only three days before the birth of Prince George. You may recall that he entered the world a few days later than expected, reportedly causing his great-grandmother, the Queen, to fret about the impact on her holiday plans.

24a   Mark in paper gets excited by winter ale (9)

A waterline[5] is a linear watermark in paper.

25a   Statistical representation has nothing to offer (5)

In statistics, an ogive[5] is a cumulative frequency graph.

26a   Fish glowing almost (4)

The rudd[5] is a European freshwater fish, Scardinius erythrophthalmus, of the carp family with a silvery body and red fins.

27a   What could conjure up the end, all bleak finally (5,5)

Down


1d   Learner gets cross about religious group (4)

The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various countries (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.

2d   French astronomer all excited about origin of proton star (7)

Pierre Simon, Marquis de Laplace[5] (1749–1827) was a French applied mathematician and theoretical physicist. His treatise Mécanique céleste (1799–1825) is an extensive mathematical analysis of geophysical matters and of planetary and lunar motion.

3d   The way to help someone who needs to be patient? (7,6)

4d   A very quiet old place would be suitable (8)

Pianissimo (abbreviation pp)[5] is a direction used in music to mean either (as an adjective) very soft or very quiet or (as an adverb) very softly or very quietly.

5d   Always having a poetic style? That is strange (5)

7d   Bird we'd released in arena (7)

Upon the mention of redwing[5], British readers would likely think of a small migratory thrush, Turdus iliacus, that breeds mainly in northern Europe, with red underwings showing in flight. On the other hand, North American readers would be more likely to picture our red-winged blackbird.

8d   Rustic folk gathered around back of mill for a joke? (10)

11d   Reckon before puzzling to import English encyclopedia maybe (9,4)

13d   It's not hot and dry and gets her old cows suffering (4,6)

16d   Mathematical number not quite worked out (8)

18d   Fascinated, seeing one old American soldier dressed in colour (7)

In Britain, vet[5] is short for veterinarian (as it is in North America, despite what Oxford Dictionaries Online has to say) but not for veteran. In the UK, a veteran[5] is a soldier who has seen considerable active service rather than, as in North America, a former member of the armed forces. The use of vet as a short form for veteran also seems to be uniquely North American — thus the use of "old American soldier" to clue VET.

20d   Undergarment I obtain short? Just a bit (7)

In Britain, an undershirt is is known as a vest[10] (and what North Americans generally think of as a vest would be called a waistcoat).

22d   Liquid upset over iron tool (5)

The symbol for the chemical element iron is Fe[5].

23d   Spring  satisfactory? Fancy that! (4)
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)
[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Saturday, October 26, 2013 — Hodge Podge

Introduction

Today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon contains a rather eclectic collection of clues. It takes us from 18th century painting to 20th century sci-fi, travels from the ocean depths to outer space, and refreshes us with French wine and Irish beer.



Solution to Today's Puzzle

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

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

Across


1a   PAST|EL — PAST (former) + EL (train of Chicago)
In the US, the El[5] is (1) an elevated railway, especially that in Chicago; or (2) a train running on an elevated railway the El rumbled by.
4a   H(ANGS T)EN — HEN (chick's mother) containing (admitting) ANGST (dread)
Hang ten[5] is a surfing term meaning to ride a surfboard with all ten toes curled over the board’s front edge.

Note: in the clue, the setters utilise an inverted sentence structure.
9a   RE(LIE)F — REF (boxing official) containing (about) LIE (deceptive story)

10a   S|TALKING — S (first [letter] of Seals) + (and) TALKING (chewing the fat)

12a   PINOT NOIR — anagram (agitated) of PORTION IN
Pinot Noir[5] is the name of a black grape or the wine made from it.
13a   _M|I|AM|I_ — hidden in (caught in) scaM I AM In

14a   {THE IRON GIANT}* — anagram (roaming freely) of ITINERANT HOG
The Iron Giant[7] is a 1999 American animated science fiction film using both traditional animation and computer animation, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and based on the 1968 novel The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. The film was critically acclaimed but a box office flop.
18a   GAINS|BO|ROUGH — {GAINS (gets) + ROUGH (coarse)} containing (about) BO (body odour)
Thomas Gainsborough[7] (1727–1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter. Perhaps his most famous work is The Blue Boy (c. 1770).
21a   HA|I|TI — HA (that's funny) + I (†) + TI (note)
Ti[5] is the North American spelling of the the seventh note of a major scale in tonic sol-fa — the British spelling being te.
22a   T(OLE)RANCE — OLE (cheer) containing (in) TRANCE (dazed state)
Standing is the gerund form of the verb to stand[5] which is used in the sense of to endure or tolerate. Grammatically, "standing", as a gerund, is a verb form which functions as a noun. However, I cannot think of a single instance where I might use it as a substitute for the noun "tolerance". For instance, I would say "My tolerance of his rudeness had reached its limit" but not "My standing of his rudeness had reached its limit".
24a   CAPE T|OWN — CAPET (family of French rulers) + OWN (have)
The House of Capet[7] ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328.
25a   A|GREED — A (†) + GREED (selfish impulse)

26a   S(IN)ECURE — SECURE (safe) containing (holding) IN (popular)

27a   C(LOSE)D< — LOSE (ditch) contained in (in) a reversal (going back) of DC (Washington; District of Columbia)


Down


1d   PAR(APE)TS — PARTS (sections) containing (caging) APES (simians)

2d   S(A)LINGER — SLINGER (pitcher) containing (embracing) A (†)
J. D. Salinger[5] (1919–2010) was an American novelist and short-story writer best known for his novel of adolescence The Catcher in the Rye (1951).
3d   _EVENT_ — hidden in (featured in) SEVENTeen
Seventeen[7] is an American magazine whose audience is teenage girls.
5d   {ASTEROID BELT}* — anagram (recycled) of OLD BATTERIES

6d   {GOLD MINER}* — anagram (rudely) of GLOM DINER

7d   TRI(B)AL — B (band's leader; leader [first letter] of Band) contained in (involved in) TRIAL (court case)

8d   NOG|GIN — NOG (Yuletide drink) + (with) GIN (booze)

11d   CONNING TOWER — CONNING (fooling) + TOWER (tug boat, perhaps)

15d   REALISTIC* — anagram (false) of ARTICLE IS

16d   GU(INN)ESS — GUESS (speculate) containing (about) INN (tavern)
Guinness[7] is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness (1725–1803) at St. James's Gate, Dublin. The company has had its headquarters in London since 1932 and is now part of the British based multinational alcohol conglomerate Diageo.
17d   THRE(AD)ED — AD (advertisement) contained in (in) {THREE (3) + D (†)}
The solution is used in the sense "He threaded his way through the masses of sunbathers stretched out on the beach".
19d   CHECKS~ — sounds like (in conversation) CZECHS (some Europeans)

20d   P(I|GP)EN — PEN (write) containing (about) {I ([Roman numeral for] one) + GP (doc; general practitioner)}

23d   REGAL< — reversal (brought back) of LAGER (beer)
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)
[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon