Tuesday, February 25, 2014 — DT 27326

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27326
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, November 4, 2013
Setter Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27326]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Libellule
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

Introduction

Today we have another fine puzzle from Rufus. As I've commented in the past, his clues are by far the most difficult to categorize of any setter that I have encountered. The reason being his liberal use of cryptic definitions, of which he is the acknowledged master.

Reflections on Cryptic Definitions

Since adopting the practice of underlining the definition in clues, I have struggled with how to properly markup cryptic definition type clues. I now believe that I may have come up with a workable approach which I will explain below with the aid of several examples from today's puzzle.

Cryptic crossword clues can be looked at as occupying a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, one finds the regular cryptic crossword clue which has a definition and wordplay and a surface reading that bears no relation to the definition. An example of such a clue is 19a in today's puzzle:

• 19a   Accompanying a student, nevertheless (6)

where the definition is "nevertheless" and the wordplay is WITH (accompanying) + A (from the clue) + L (student; learner [driver]).

At the other end of the spectrum, one finds what I think of as a pure cryptic definition — a clue which relies on a play on words and cannot be broken down into sub-components. In today's puzzle, prime examples of this type of clue would be 13d and 14d:

• 13d   Yet it's likely to be a slender hope (3,6)

This clue relies on the irony that two words that are antonyms (slender and fat) when paired with words that are roughly synonymous (hope and chance) produce terms that are synonymous.

• 14d   It needs a good wind before it moves (9)

This clue is premised on the reader misinterpreting wind as a movement of air rather than activating a mechanical device.

In such clues, no subsidiary indication (wordplay or qualifying statement) is present. There is simply an element of irony or a right way and a wrong way — or, sometimes, more than one wrong way — to read the clue. For such clues, I will use solid underlining for the entire clue.

Between these extremes is a grey zone where —  positioned along a continuum — one finds clues whose characteristics are not so black and white.

For instance, 23a is a semi-& lit. (semi-all-in-one) clue in which the entire clue can be considered to be the definition. However, the clue can be decomposed into a vague definition ("what may be served") and wordplay — in this case, a charade:

• 23a   What may be served in porcelain at meal-time (5,3)

As a definition, the entire clue denotes CHINA TEA (what [something that] may be served in porcelain [cups] at meal-time). The wordplay is CHINA (porcelain) + (at; situated next to) TEA (meal-time; in Britain). For such clues, I will use solid underlining for the quasi-definition (the vague partial definition) and dashed underlining for the wordplay.

As another example, one finds clues such as 10a where the entire clue could be considered to be the definition, but which can be decomposed into a primary indication (frequently a very vague definition) and a subsidiary indication (a qualifying statement that narrows the scope of the definition, often in a whimsical manner):

• 10a   A race of more than local interest (8)

While the entire clue is a cryptic definition, the clue can be broken down into a general definition (a race) which refers to the National (a British horse race) and the qualifying phrase "of more than local interest" which provides the subsidiary indication to distinguish the particular race of interest from any of a number of other races. For cases such as this, where it is possible to decompose a cryptic definition into a definition and qualifying phrase, I will use solid underlining for the primary indication (definition) and dashed underlining for the subsidiary indication (qualifying phrase).

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   Having for sale  item put up for the present time (8)

"The present time" is a whimsical way to say 'the time of year when presents are exchanged'.

6a   Unveil the ultimate sex-op surgery (6)

9a   Opinion to contradict loudly (6)

Forte^[5] (abbreviation f^[5]) is a musical direction meaning (as an adjective) loud or (as an adverb) loudly.

10a   A race of more than local interest (8)

The National^[5] is another name for the Grand National^[5], an annual horse race established in 1839, a steeplechase run over a course of 4 miles 856 yards (about 7,200 metres) with thirty jumps, at Aintree, Liverpool, in late March or early April.

11a   Spot of colour trouble in America (8)

The fact that the "spot" specified by the definition just happens to be "in America" is likely a coincidence. I have seen many clues where the place called for by the definition is in a totally different part of the world from what is indicated in the wordplay.

12a   On winding road it's showing skill (6)

13a   It's the done thing in France (4,8)

Fait accompli^[5], a phrase adopted from French, means a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it. In French, it literally means 'accomplished fact' (or, a bit more colloquially, 'done thing').

16a   Bound, but also not bound, to be unreliable (4,3,5)

19a   Accompanying a student, nevertheless (6)

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.

21a   Right  to succeed (4,4)

"Right" is used as a verb in the sense of to set right.

23a   What may be served in porcelain at meal-time (5,3)

China tea^[5] is tea made from a small-leaved type of tea plant grown in China, typically flavoured by smoke curing or the addition of flower petals.

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. It typically consists of a hot dish such as fish and chips, shepherd's pie, or macaroni cheese [macaroni and cheese to North Americans], followed by cakes and bread, butter and jam. Occasionally there would be cold cuts of meat, such as ham salad. Traditionally high tea was eaten by middle to upper class children (whose parents would have a more formal dinner later) or by labourers, miners and the like when they came home from work. The term was first used around 1825 and high is used in the sense of well-advanced (like high noon, for example) to signify that it was taken later in the day.

24a   Kiss in love story said to make a neat ending (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.

Neat^[5] is an archaic term for a bovine animal or, as a mass noun, cattle.

25a   Farewell words to the French about to meet death (6)

Adieu^[5] [a word adopted from French] means (1) as an exclamation, goodbye and (2) as a noun (plural adieus or adieux), a goodbye ⇒ he whispered a fond adieu.

In French, the combination of à (to) and les (plural form of the definite article) becomes aux (to the).

26a   Resented  becoming unwell? (5,3)

Down

2d   Quake in the centre, more or less (6)

3d   Company about to broadcast somewhere in Egypt (5)

Cairo^[5] is the capital of Egypt, a port on the Nile near the head of its delta; population 6,758,600 (est. 2006).

4d   Result of a big blow to the economy? (9)

5d   Canal boat almost departed with wrong load (7)

6d   Not a hit certainly, but he plays his part (5)

In cricket, an extra^[5] is a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited to the batting side rather than to a batsman. Examples (of which the first two are mentioned by Libellule in his review) include:

• a leg bye^[5] - a run scored from a ball that has touched part of the batsman’s body (apart from the hand) without touching the bat, the batsman having made an attempt to hit it;
• a no ball^[5] - an unlawfully delivered ball, counting one as an extra to the batting side if not otherwise scored from; and
• a wide^[5] (or wide ball) - a ball that is judged to be too wide of the stumps for the batsman to play, for which an extra is awarded to the batting side.

In the theatre, an actor with a walk-on part is commonly referred to as a spear carrier^[5].

7d   Favouring lightweight in list of bouts (9)

Gramme^[3,11] is a chiefly British variant spelling of gram.

Programme^[3] is a chiefly British variant spelling of program.

8d   Painless exercising for dogs (8)

13d   Yet it's likely to be a slender hope (3,6)

14d   It needs a good wind before it moves (9)

15d   Made fish pie for the hungry (8)

As an anagram indicator, pie^[10] is a variant spelling of pi^[10], a printing term meaning, as a noun, (1) a jumbled pile of printer's type or (2) a jumbled mixture or, as a verb, (1) to spill and mix (set type) indiscriminately or (2) to mix up.

17d   Beat a doctor in final (7)

In Britain, the degree required to practice medicine is a Bachelor of Medicine^[7] (MB, from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus), which is equivalent to a North American Doctor of Medicine (MD, from Latin Medicinae Doctor). The degree of Doctor of Medicine also exists in Britain, but it is an advanced degree pursued by those who wish to go into medical research. Physicians in Britain are still addressed as Dr. despite not having a doctoral degree.

18d   State one is found in after very good neighbourly party (6)

The expression very good^[5] (a dated variant of very well) is used to express agreement or consent ⇒ very good, sir, will that be all?.

So^[5] is a conjunction that can be used to introduce a question (so, what did you do today?) especially one following on from what was said previously (so what did he do about it?).


One can certainly imagine an English butler saying Very good, sir, will that be all?. Someone a bit less refined might express this same idea as "So, will that be all?".

20d   Rubber solution from past times (5)

22d   Make progress in friendly relations (3,2)

Although Libellule indicates in his review that this is a double definition, I do not see how that can be so — and I did try hard to justify his conclusion. The solution, GET ON, is a verb whereas "friendly relations" is a nounal phrase and "in friendly relations" is (I believe) an adjectival phrase. As a result, I will deem this to be a cryptic definition which can be decomposed into a definition (make progress) and a qualifying phrase (in friendly relations).

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