Monday, February 17, 2014 — DT 27319

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27319
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, October 26, 2013
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27319 - Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27319 - Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By crypticsue (Hints) crypticsue (Review)
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 █ - solved but without fully parsing the clue █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog █ - yet to be solved
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. This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, February 15, 2014 edition of the National Post.

Introduction

Today's puzzle proved to be fairly gentle and I did not need to disrupt the holiday plans of my electronic reinforcements.

On that note, I would like to wish a Happy Family Day to readers in those provinces celebrating today.

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   See leader's husband introduced to chap Boris sacked (10)

A see^[5] is the place in which a cathedral church stands, identified as the seat of authority of a bishop or archbishop.

In Britain, I would expect the surface reading of the clue to be seen as an allusion to London mayor Boris Johnson^[5].

6a   Jazz fan follows singular singing style (4)

Scat^[5] is improvised jazz singing in which the voice is used in imitation of an instrument.

Oxford Dictionaries Online confirms my suspicion that cat^[3], used in the sense of a player or devotee of jazz music, is chiefly a North American term^[5].

9a   In an impasse, like followers of Rastafarianism without its leader (10)

The antecedent of the possessive pronoun "its" is Rastafarianism; thus we must interpret "its leader" to mean 'the leader [first letter] of Rastafarianism'.

Rastafarianism^[5] is a religious movement whose followers have distinctive codes of behaviour and dress, including the wearing of dreadlocks and the smoking of cannabis, and follow a diet that excludes pork, shellfish, and milk.

10a   Kiss  Gregory? (4)

Gregory Peck^[5] (1916–2003) was an American actor whose many films range from the thriller Spellbound (1945) to the western The Big Country (1958); he won an Oscar for his role in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).

12a   I was first to go round food store (4)

13a   Make a fresh plan covering new standard at sea (3,6)

British Red Ensign

The Red Ensign^[5] is a red flag with the Union Jack in the top corner next to the flagstaff, flown by British-registered ships.

Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965)

A variant of the Red Ensign served as Canada's national flag until 1965 when it was replaced by today's Maple Leaf Flag. Canada's Red Ensign^[7] bore various forms of the shield from the Canadian coat of arms in its fly during the period of its use.

15a   Source of luxury food -- rush ahead to acquire tons (8)

16a   He is bound by supreme command (6)

18a   Sack a Government leader in illegal party (6)

20a   Word spoken by Ernie's partner -- it's spicy (8)

No, the partner is not Bert.

Ernie Wise^[7] (1925–1999) and his partner Eric Morecambe^[7] (1926–1984) comprised the British comedy duo Morecambe and Wise^[7].

23a   I harm gent suffering bad experience (9)

24a   Indication of one's ignorance? (4)

Canadian solvers escaped the fate of solvers in the UK, where the clue ran over two lines making the hidden word especially difficult to see.

26a   Keen old fellow coming round (4)

27a   Adapts iris to make a house plant (10)

The aspidistra^[5] is a bulbous plant of the lily family with broad tapering leaves, native to eastern Asia and widely grown as a houseplant.

28a   Corrupt English teaching system (4)

29a   Painting with trendy girl held by me is a piece of tack (10)

A martingale^[5] is a strap or set of straps running from the noseband or reins to the girth of a horse, used to prevent the horse from raising its head too high.

Down

1d   Functionary gets a day in Rome cut short (4)

In the ancient Roman calendar, ides^[5] was a day falling roughly in the middle of each month (the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th of other months) from which other dates were calculated.

2d   Two afternoon drinks provided by high-class mansion (7)

In Britain, tea is informally known as cha (or chai or char)^[5].

The British distinguish between afternoon tea and high tea, although both may be referred to simply as tea^[10]. Afternoon tea^[2,5,7,10] (or Low Tea) is a light afternoon meal, typically eaten between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, at which tea, sandwiches, biscuits [British term for cookies or crackers] and cakes are served. High tea^[7] (also known as meat tea) is the evening meal or dinner of the working class, typically eaten between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

In Britain, U^[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒ U manners. The term, an abbreviation of  upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956). In Crosswordland, it is frequently clued by words such as posh and superior — or, as in today's clue, high-class.

3d   Computer entrepreneur's taken a cut, hiding bad sign in market (12)

Billingsgate^[5] is a London fish market dating from the 16th century. In 1982 the market moved to the Isle of Dogs in the East End.

Bill Gates^[5] is an American computer entrepreneur who co-founded the computer software company Microsoft and became the youngest multibillionaire in American history.

4d   King fell over, thus being put first in place of invalids (8)

K^[5] is an abbreviation for king that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess ⇒ (i) declarer overruffed with ♦K and led another spade; (ii) 18.Ke2.

A fell^[5] is a hill or stretch of high moorland, especially in northern England. Moor^[5] is a chiefly British term for a tract of open uncultivated upland, typically covered with heather.

5d   Nymphs so upset about study (6)

In Britain, to read^[5] means to study (an academic subject) at a university ⇒ (i) I’m reading English at Cambridge; (ii) he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics.

In Greek and Roman mythology, an oread^[5] is a nymph believed to inhabit mountains.

7d   Crack odd characters in cartel associated with depravity (7)

8d   Proceeds with review, making you pay attention (4,6)

Notice^[3] is used in the sense of a printed critical review, as of a play or book.

The phrase "making you" links the wordplay to the definition. The overall sense of the clue is that executing the wordplay makes [for] you [the person doing the solving] the solution to the clue.

11d   Break Italian football team on purpose (12)

Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A., commonly referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan^[7] outside of Italy, is a professional Italian football [soccer] club based in Milan, Lombardy, Italy.

14d   Could be eccentric Moore -- star man ultimately (10)

Sir Patrick Moore^[7] (1923–2012) was an English amateur astronomer who attained prominent status in that field as a writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter [host]. He was the presenter of the world's longest-running television series with the same original presenter, the BBC's The Sky at Night. Because of his long-running television career and eccentric demeanour, Moore was widely recognised and became a popular public figure.

17d   Traditional musician with funny tune in repertoire (8)

A lutenist (or lutanist^[5]) is a lute player — as is a lutist^[5].

19d   Tramp from Virginia, accompanying Union Army general (7)

Ulysses S. Grant^[5] (1822–1885) was an American general and 18th President of the US 1869–77; born Hiram Ulysses Grant; full name Ulysses Simpson Grant. As supreme commander of the Union armies, he defeated the Confederate army in 1865 with a policy of attrition.

21d   Shot at great sporting event (7)

22d   Three naughty characters on ocean feeling sick (6)

The "three naughty characters" are the first three characters of NAUghty. Unless otherwise specified, the usual practice is to select letters from the front of the fodder.

25d   Part of church where Welshman's turned up (4)

Evan^[7] is a Welsh masculine given name, a Welsh form for the name John.

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