Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 — DT 28201

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28201
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28201]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
KiwiColin
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's offering from Jay is both gentle and entertaining. The review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog is written by one half of the usual New Zealand blogging duo.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Good cast will accept a // cut (6)

"good" = G (show explanation )

The abbreviation G[10] for good likely relates to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

hide explanation

Cast[3] (verb) is used in the sense of to shed or molt ⇒ the snake cast its skin.

5a   Raised // the sack, putting insect in (8)

9a   Will they keep the viewers in touch? (7,6)

10a   Authoritative book about poor dad /being/ compliant (8)

Here biddable[5] (adjective) is not a bridge term but a word denoting meekly ready to accept and follow instructions ⇒ a biddable, sweet-natured child.

11a   Relocating North Yemen's capital /is/ causing problems (6)

Scratching the Surface
North Yemen[7] is a geographic term, used to designate the Yemen Arab Republic (1962–1990), its predecessor, the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1962), and their predecessors that exercised sovereignty over the territory that is now the north-western part of the state of Yemen in southern Arabia.

Neither state ever designated itself as "North Yemen" and the term only came into general use when the Federation of South Arabia gained independence as the People's Republic of South Yemen in 1967 making such a distinction necessary. Prior to 1967, the North was known in short form simply as "Yemen." In 1970, South Yemen changed its name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen thus eliminating any directional reference in either of the Yemens' official names but the existence of two Yemens preserved the North Yemen and South Yemen designations in popular parlance. Alternate forms were "Yemen (Sanaa)" for North Yemen and "Yemen (Aden)" for South Yemen after their respective capital cities.

The merger of the two Yemens in 1990 ended the term's association with an independent state but "North Yemen" continues to be used to refer to the area of the former Yemen Arab Republic and its history and, anachronistically, to pre-1967 polities and events (e.g. the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen or the North Yemen Civil War).

12a   Obstruction mainly by European nations originally // acting as one unit (2,4)

14a   Business /needing/ to be more flexible about source of income (8)

16a   Trials coming after prisoner // disputes (8)

19a   Continue // to hold volunteers in check (6)

"volunteers" = TA (show explanation )

In the UK, Territorial Army[5] (abbreviation TA[5]) was, at one time, the name of a volunteer force founded in 1908 to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency. Since 2013, this organization has been called the Army Reserve.

hide explanation

Continue is used in the sense of retain or not relinquishDespite protests by feminists, the Roman Catholic Church is determined to continue its traditional practice of an exclusively male priesthood.

21a   Liaison /of/ blonde chasing footballers from the East (6)

The Football Association[7], also known simply as the FA, is the governing body of football [soccer] in England. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest football association in the world and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the amateur and professional game in England.

23a   Church work must be duplicated // quickly (4,4)

"work" = OP (show explanation )

In music, an opus[5] (plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.

The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..

Opus[5] can also be used in a more general sense to mean an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒ he was writing an opus on Mexico.

hide explanation

Chop-chop[5] is a term coming from pidgin English meaning quickly or quick ⇒ 'Two pints, chop-chop,' Jimmy called.

25a   Turn game around and show backs /to be/ contentious (13)

Evita[7] is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. It concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón [known familiarly as Evita], the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. The story follows Evita's early life, rise to power, charity work, and eventual death.

26a   Teaches // Tom to wear polished suede (8)

27a   Men without millions are inclined // to sign up (6)

Down

2d   Lawsuit covering university // sale (7)

3d   United shown in high definition, /becoming/ polished (5)

4d   Disadvantages /of/ support during ties (9)

5d   Spreads // complete in case of banks (7)

6d   Done time? /That's/ clear (5)

7d   Brewing ale cost us /for/ this stew (9)

A cassoulet[5] is a French stew made with meat (typically pork, goose, and duck) and beans.

8d   The quality /of/ Messi at heart -- hence lacking height (7)

Scratching the Surface
Lionel Messi[7] is an Argentine footballer [soccer player] who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team. He is often considered the best player in the world today and rated by many in the sport as the greatest of all time

13d   Feeling lazy -- /it's/ the garlic being cooked (9)

15d   Punch // admitted by goalkeeper for a team (9)

17d   Rude // worker from France getting priority (7)

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for France is F[5].

Here, rather than impromptu, offhand[10] means without care, thought, or consideration; sometimes, brusque or ungracious an offhand manner.

18d   Endorses // merchandise that's less than perfect (7)

20d   Promises phosphorus-free new // chemical compounds (7)

The symbol for the chemical element phosphorus is P[5].

In chemistry, an isomer[5] is each of two or more compounds with the same formula but a different arrangement of atoms in the molecule and different properties.

22d   Scope of authority /after/ turning clock back (5)

Remit[5] (noun) is a British term denoting the task or area of activity officially assigned to an individual or organization the committee was becoming caught up in issues that did not fall within its remit.

24d   Cool // youngster docked and left (5)
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, November 29, 2016

Tuesday, November 29, 2016 — DT 28200

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28200
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28200]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
ShropshireLad
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
- 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

As is often the case in "Tuesday" puzzles (which recently have actually been appearing in the National Post on Tuesday), several of the clues have a distinctively North American flavour. This has caused some to wonder whether the setter might be an ex-pat from this side of the pond.

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, ShropshireLad questions a few of the definitions found in today's puzzle. Granted, they may not be the the most common usage of the words involved but I can see nothing wrong with them.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Broadcaster has quarrel regarding west-facing // building (10)

Sky plc[7] [private limited company] is a British satellite broadcasting, on-demand Internet streaming media, broadband and telephone services company with headquarters in London. It has operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. Sky is Europe's biggest and leading media company and largest pay-TV broadcaster, with 21 million subscribers. Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox owns a 39.14 per cent controlling stake in the company.

6a   Senior/'s/ outraged? Not half! (4)

Scratching the Surface
Not half[5] is an informal British expression meaning to an extreme degree or very much so she didn’t half flare up! [meaning that she flared up up to an extreme degree (she was not merely "half upset" but fully upset) or, in other words, she hit the roof].

9a   About to apply // reason (5)

10a   Exchanges // knitted garment with us (9)

12a   Earning /from/ gambling, good for bishop (7)

"good" = G (show explanation )

The abbreviation G[10] for good likely relates to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

hide explanation

"bishop" = B (show explanation )

B[5] is an abbreviation for bishop that is used in recording moves in chess.

hide explanation

13a   Son starts to look extremely exhausted -- prompting this? (5)

This is a semi-&lit. (or semi-all-in-one) clue (show explanation ) in which the entire clue acts as the definition while the portion of the clue with the dashed underline provides the wordplay.

In an &lit. clue[7] (or, as some prefer to call it, all-in-one clue) the entire clue provides not only the definition (when read one way), but under a different interpretation also serves as the wordplay.

In a semi-&lit. clue (or, as some prefer to call it, semi-all-in-one clue), either (1) the entire clue acts as the definition while a portion of the clue provides the wordplay or (2) the entire clue acts as the wordplay while a portion of the clue provides the definition.

hide explanation

15a   Free // drink after one drops one! (7)

17a   State // cleared criminal (7)

19a   Bride's upset about invitations, initially -- // they're below par (7)

In golf, a birdie[5] is a score of one stroke under par at a hole. [Note that the Brits seem to say "at a hole" rather than "on a hole".]

21a   Endure sitting in the German // express (7)

"the German" = DER (show explanation )

In German, der[8] is one of the several forms that the definite article may assume.

hide explanation

The expressing and delivering is done verbally.

22a   Royal // appears in picture gallery (5)

24a   Describe // former lover? Unattractive (7)

27a   A daughter calling /for/ permission to enter (9)

28a   Gullible // citizen ignoring Brexit's conclusion (5)

Scratching the Surface
Brexit[5] is a term for the potential departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union ⇒ (i) the debates barely touched on the impact a Brexit might have on the City [the London financial district used as a metonym for the British financial markets]; (ii) the report warned that Brexit would reduce the EU's potential GDP.

This term was coined in 2012 (originally as Brixit), a blend of British (or Britain) and exit, probably on the pattern of Grexit (coined earlier in the same year).

Grexit[5] is a term for the potential withdrawal of Greece from the eurozone (the economic region formed by those countries in the European Union that use the euro as their national currency) ⇒ renewed fears of a Grexit have been shaking the financial markets. The term was coined in 2012 as a blend of Greek (or Greece) and exit.

29a   Child taken round new // class (4)

30a   Torch /is/ snazzy and easy to carry (10)

Flash[5] (adjective) is an informal British term meaning ostentatiously stylish or expensive ⇒ a flash new car.

Torch[10] — in addition to its historical meaning — is the British name for a flashlight.

From a British perspective, flashlight[5] is the North American name for an electric torch.

Down

1d   Lay off // dry white wine (4)

Sack[5] is a historical term for a dry white wine formerly imported into Britain from Spain and the Canaries.

2d   Child/'s/ potty gone rusty (9)

3d   The man's in court /for/ a case (5)

"court" = CT (show explanation )

Ct[2] is the abbreviation for Court in street addresses — and possibly in other contexts as well.

hide explanation

4d   A rising artist restricted by shortcoming: // greed (7)

"artist" = RA (show explanation )

A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain. 

hide explanation

5d   Tied up /or/ about to tie the knot (7)

7d   Information about // literary style (5)

Gen[5] is an informal British term for information ⇒ you’ve got more gen on him than we have.

8d   Upset, pa's despair // fades away (10)

11d   Annie perhaps /makes/ false claim about American (7)

Annie[7] is a Broadway musical based upon the popular comic strip Little Orphan Annie created by American cartoonist Harold Gray (1894–1968). The original Broadway production, which opened in 1977, ran for nearly six years and won the Tony Award for Best Musical.

14d   Clumsily move ahead of sailor? // Hazel's possibly knocked down by him (10)

The entry for jack in The Chambers Dictionary would fill a page if it were not spread over parts of two pages. Among the definitions, one finds jack[1] defined as (often with capital) a sailor.

The hazel[5] is a temperate shrub or small tree with broad leaves, bearing prominent male catkins in spring and round hard-shelled edible nuts in autumn.

From a British perspective, a lumberjack[5] (also lumberman) is a North American term for a person who fells trees, cuts them into logs, or transports them to a sawmill.

The Lumber in the Attic
In Britain, lumber[5] has a totally different meaning than it does in North America, being articles of furniture or other household items that are no longer useful and inconveniently take up storage space.

16d   Hangers-on that are frozen out? (7)

18d   Promoting // a volume about discoing? On the contrary (9)

20d   Peculiar // ice in drinks all overturned (7)

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, ShropshireLad writes in relation to this clue Not sure the definition is ‘nailed on’ here..
I see no issue. Peculiar[5] is used in the sense of particular or special [that is, unique to the situation] ⇒ any attempt to explicate the theme is bound to run into peculiar difficulties.

21d   Deputy closes // banks (7)

23d   Street urchin: // a male consumed by alcohol (5)

25d   Cancel // a Northern university being hosted by the Netherlands (5)

One could assemble the legos either as A + N + {U contained in NL}; or A + {(N + U)} contained in NL}.

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for the Netherlands is NL[5].  

26d   Reduce // study temperature (4)

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, ShropshireLad writes in relation to this clue An ever so slightly stretched definition?.
Not at all. Dent[5] is used in the sense of to have an adverse effect on or diminish ⇒ this neither deterred him nor dented his enthusiasm.
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, November 28, 2016

Monday, November 28, 2016 — DT 28199

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28199
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, August 22, 2016
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28199]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Miffypops
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

For those like myself who relish Rufus' whimsical cryptic definitions, this puzzle is a delight. The Monday maestro has outdone himself today. This puzzle is overflowing with them.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   The provision of a home for a small charge (8)

6a   They are bound to hold different views, for instance (6)

9a   Sailor girl, // one with unmarried sisters in her care (6)

"sailor" = AB (show explanation )

In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.

hide explanation

An abbess[5] is a woman who is the head of an abbey of nuns.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops writes that the girl in the clue could be any girl but this one was apparently a good queen.
Good Queen Bess[5] is a nickname for Queen Elizabeth I.

10a   One having a row at end of day /in/ the kitchen (8)

Scullery[2,3,4,5,10,11] is a historical, mainly British term* for a small kitchen or room adjoining a kitchen used for washing and storing dishes and utensils, vegetable preparation, and other dirty household work.
* but not British enough not to be found in American dictionaries.
11a   First course made clear // study on WW1 battleground (8)

Con[5] is an archaic term meaning to study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing)  ⇒ the girls conned their pages with a great show of industry.

The Battle of the Somme[5] was a major battle of the First World War between the British* and the Germans, on the Western Front in northern France July-November 1916. More than a million men on both sides were killed or wounded.
* By the way, there may also have been a few troops from Canada, Newfoundland (not yet part of Canada), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and various other parts of the British Empire—not to mention France—involved.
12a   Terribly chesty, // cut down the weed? (6)

Scythe[10] (verb) means to to cut (grass, etc) with a scythe.

13a   From which to draw money for the meat? (5,7)

This is a cryptic definition comprising a primary indication (or precise definition) — marked with a solid underline — in combination with a subsidiary indication (or indicative wordplay) marked with a dashed underline. Such indicative wordplay, or cryptic elaboration, while not constituting a second precise definition (as one would have in a double definition) does allude to an aspect of or attribute associated with another definition for or usage of the solution.

16a   Electrical fault // that racing drivers should be able to get round quickly (5,7)

Although the latter part of this clue (marked with a dashed underline) could well be deemed to provide cryptic elaboration to the first part of the clue (similar to the preceding clue), I have chosen to mark this clue as a double definition as the latter part is a definition in its own right for the solution (short circuit). This contrasts with the preceding clue, where I see no way that the phrase "(for) the meat" could be considered to be a definition in its own right for the solution to that clue (joint account).

19a   First form // make a fuss? (6)

Here, one is to interpret "first form" to mean "form [make] for the first time".

Create[5] is an informal British term denoting to make a fuss or complain ⇒ little kids create because they hate being ignored.

21a   Link accepted by spiteful female // gossip (8)

23a   Murder -- // one group of detectives seen in house (8)

"group of detectives" = CID (show explanation )

The Criminal Investigation Department (seemingly better known by its abbreviation CID[2]) is the detective branch of a British police force.

hide explanation

24a   Cramped // Northern shaft (6)

25a   Throw oneself /into/ gym without a breather (6)

Contrary to what Miffypops shows in his review, surely the definition is merely "throw oneself" and not "throw oneself into".

"gym [class]" = PE (show explanation )

PE[5] is the abbreviation for physical education [or Phys Ed, as it was known in my school days]. 

hide explanation

26a   Workers, perhaps none better, but all they make goes on horses (8)

Like many of those leaving comments at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I failed to appreciate the role of the phrase "perhaps none better". From Gazza and Rabbit Dave, who responded to Kitty at Comment #2, I learn that one needs to interpret this phrase as though it were written "perhaps none of whom is a better [one who wagers or places bets]".

I dithered over how to mark this phrase, finally deciding to show it as elaboration on the core clue. As I have said many times, some of Rufus' clues defy precise classification [and that is intended merely as a statement of fact and not a criticism as these clues are often numbered among my favourites].

Down

2d   He must have been given credit for something (6)

3d   Iron // clasp (5)

In the second definition, press[3] is used in the sense of to squeeze or clasp in fondness or concern ⇒ pressed her hand before leaving.

4d   It's not easy for him to get off at night (9)

5d   Beginning // Northern climb (7)

6d   Joins a dog-end that's picked up (5)

Dog-end[5] is an informal British term for a cigarette butt (also known in Britain as a cigarette end[2]), the unsmoked stub of a cigarette.

7d   William has attempt at /making/ butter (5,4)

8d   Stepping out /for/ 31 days in Greece's capital (8)

13d   Arab // girl rings doctor up in a novel (9)

A Jordanian is a native or inhabitant of Jordan[5] (official name Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan), a country in the Middle East east of the River Jordan; population 6,269,300 (est. 2009); official language, Arabic; capital, Amman.

14d   Admonished /as a result of/ bad education (9)

15d   Partly burn solid fuel // that draws well (8)

17d   Noisy game? (7)

Despite what Miffypops shows in his review, I would say that this is a cryptic definition rather than a double definition. "Noisy" is an attribute of rackets [dins] — not a synonym.

Rackets[7] (UK, Ireland, and Canada) or racquets (US) is an indoor racket (or racquet) sport played  in the United Kingdom as well as — sparingly* it seems — in Ireland, United States, and Canada. The sport is infrequently called "hard rackets," possibly to distinguish it from the related sport of squash (formerly called "squash rackets").
* apart from those in the UK, courts number 1 in Ireland, 7 in the US, and 1 in Canada (in Montreal).
The first rackets court in Montreal was built in 1825. The Montreal Rackets Club (founded in 1889) is reportedly the oldest in existence [a claim I find rather dubious].

Rackets is not to be confused with the North American game of racquetball[7] or the British game of racketball (considered to be a variant of squash despite having been originally based on racquetball). In 2016, the World Squash Federation announced an international 're-branding' of racketball as Squash 57 (the 57 referring to the diameter of the ball) in order to emphasise both its membership in the 'squash rackets' family, and its distinctiveness from U.S. racquetball.

18d   Indication of support // to approve (6)

A favour[2] is a knot of ribbons worn as a badge of support for a particular team, political party, etc.

Delving Deeper
Favours often take the form of a rosette[5], a rose-shaped decoration, typically made of ribbon, worn by supporters of a sports team or political party or awarded as a prize ⇒ the showjumping rosettes Samantha had accumulated.

In Britain, it is a common practice to wear a rosette to show one's allegiance to a sports team or political party.

20d   Pick // hat up and finally leave (5)

Tile[10] is old-fashioned British slang for a hat.

Sorting the Tiles
In fact, this expression may be English slang, and specifically cockney slang. However, it is apparently not rhyming slang but merely an allusion to the fact that "roofs are covered with tiles, heads with hats"[a]. The tile[5] forming the basis of this allusion is a roofing tile, a thin rectangular slab of baked clay or other material, used in overlapping rows for covering roofs. This is probably the most common roofing material in Britain.

The Chambers Dictionary states that tile[1] is slang for a hat or a Scottish term for a top hat. Various other sources define tile (or tile hat) as an informal term for a stiff hat or high silk hat. Another informal term for such a hat is a stovepipe hat. In this case, the allusion is to a different type of tile[2], a tube-shaped piece of fired clay used for building drains.

22d   Strain of the present day (5)

The "present day" will be upon us in less than a month during which time these strains will be constantly with us.
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, November 26, 2016

Saturday, November 26, 2016 — Bloomers in Peril

Introduction

For the most part,the grid for today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon filled in quite rapidly with only a couple of clues near the end putting up a bit of token resistance before surrendering.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

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
- solved but without fully parsing the clue
- yet to be solved

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

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

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (& lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-& lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

7a   Red // spy taken in by Mom (7)

M(AGENT)A — AGENT (spy) contained in (taken in by) MA (Mom)

8a   Cornmeal mush // tossed on plate (7)

POLENTA* — anagram (tossed) of ON PLATE

10a   Part of a play // observed through listening (5)

SCENE~ — sounds like (through listening) SEEN (observed)

11a   Counting // Greek character and Danish explorer, about 1000 (9)

NU(M)BERING — {NU (Greek character; thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet) + (and) BERING (Danish explorer [Vitus Bering[7]])} containing (about) M ([Roman numeral for] 1000)

12a   Ancient philosopher // converted to realist (9)

ARISTOTLE* — anagram (converted) of TO REALIST

15a   Sluggish // beaver's tail caught in one trap (5)

I|NE(R)T — R (beaver's tail; final letter [tail] of beaveR) contained in (caught in) {I ([Roman numeral for] one + NET (trap)}

16a   Grating sound // right in the middle of the hustle, maybe (11)

DISCO(R)DANCE — R (right; abbrev.) contained in (in the middle of) DISCO DANCE (the hustle, maybe)

The Hustle[7] is a catchall name for some disco dances (both line dances and partner dances) which were extremely popular in the 1970s. The dance originated in late 1972 in the South Bronx among Puerto Rican teens. A line dance called Hustle became an international dance craze in 1975 following Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony's song "The Hustle". The 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever showed both the line and partner forms of hustle, as well as something referred to as the "tango hustle" (invented just for that film by the cast, according to the DVD commentary). Afterwards, different line dance and couple dance forms of the Hustle emerged. Although the huge popularity faded quickly as the hype that was created by the movie died down, the hustle has continued and is now a "social dance"; it has taken a place beside swing, cha-cha-cha, tango, rumba, bolero, nightclub two step and other partner dances in America.

20a   Part of a flight // going through Paris errantly (5)

_RIS|ER_ — hidden in (going through) PaRIS ERrantly

21a   Mexican misses // snarled assertion (9)

SENORITAS* — anagram (snarled) of ASSERTION

23a   Spread // damage invented about Los Angeles (9)

MAR|MA(LA)DE — MAR (damage) + {MADE (invented) containing (about) LA (Los Angeles)}

25a   Story about biologist's first // chart (5)

TA(B)LE — TALE (story) containing (about) B (Biologist's first [letter])

27a   Hit from behind, // deer ran off (4-3)

REAR-END — anagram (off) of DEER RAN

Note to British readers: Rear-ender is a North American term for a shunt; to rear-end is to shunt.

28a   Serious // article penned by Hemingway (7)

E(A)RNEST — A ([indefinite] article) contained in (penned by) ERNEST (Hemingway; American writer Ernest Hemingway[7])

Down

1d   Eyeball // some frog legs (4)

_OG|LE_ — hidden in (some) frOG LEgs

2d   Eat // for comic effect, we hear (6)

IN|GEST~ — sounds like (we hear) IN JEST (for comic effect)

3d   Flowers // land inside vehicles (10)

CAR(NATION)S — NATION (land) contained in (inside) CARS (vehicles)

4d   Unwanted mail // charts sent back (4)

SPAM< — reversal (sent back) of MAPS (charts)

5d   Certain African // arranged real gain (8)

ALGERIAN* — anagram (arranged) of REAL GAIN

6d   Draw // Tolkien creature with one binder (10)

ENT||I|CEMENT — ENT (Tolkien creature) + (with) I ([Roman numeral for] one) + CEMENT (binder)

Ents[7] are a race of beings in English writer J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world Middle-earth who closely resemble trees. They are similar to the talking trees in folklore around the world. Their name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for giant.

7d   Baryshnikov, before piano // accident (6)

MISHA|P — MISHA (Baryshnikov; Latvian-born ballet dancer Mikhail "Misha" Baryshnikov[7]) + (before) P (piano; abbrev. [musical direction])

9d   Idioms // fit into creative pursuits (6)

AR(GO)TS — GO (fit;a square peg will not go into a round hole) contained in (into) ARTS (creative pursuits)

13d   Asian river test // of manufacturing (10)

INDUS|TRIAL — INDUS (Asian river; the longest river of Pakistan) + TRIAL (test)

The Indus River[7] is a major south-flowing river in South Asia. The total length of the river is 3,180 km (1,980 mi) which makes it one of longest rivers in Asia. Originating in the western part of Tibet, the river briefly crosses the northwestern tip of India and then flows along the entire length of Pakistan to emerge into the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi. It is the longest river of Pakistan with more than 90% of its length located within the borders of that country.

14d   Eden garden newly // at risk (10)

ENDANGERED* — anagram (newly) of EDEN GARDEN

17d   Tops // breakers with nails (8)

SURF|ACES — SURF (breakers; ocean waves) + ACES (nails; the gymnast nailed her routine finishing with a spectacular dismount)

18d   Border in a pop // textbook for youngsters (6)

P(RIM)ER — RIM (border) contained in (in) PER (a pop; for each)

19d   Climb // a trail (6)

A|SCENT — A (†) + SCENT (trail; one left by an animal that a hunting dog might follow)

22d   Put new wheels on, /or/ quit (6)

RETIRE — double definition

I have marked the first definition with a dotted underline as I expect you are not going to find it in a dictionary. It is an inferred definition obtained by observing that if applying a new coat of paint is to repaint, then by logical extension installing a new set of tires must be to retire. The clue is also questionable from the perspective that wheels and tires are not really the same thing. I think a question mark at the end of the clue would have been highly appropriate.

24d   Assistant/'s/ silly idea (4)

AIDE* — anagram (silly) of IDEA

26d   Made a horn sound // sad to the audience (4)

BLEW~ — sounds like (to the audience) BLUE (sad)

Epilogue

The title of today's review is inspired by 3d and 14d.
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

Friday, November 25, 2016

Friday, November 25, 2016 — DT 28197

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28197
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, August 19, 2016
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28197]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Tilsit
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
- 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

I'm afraid that I am a few days late reporting for duty. However, here is my review of Friday's puzzle in case anyone is still interested. I have taken the liberty of backdating the posting time so that the reviews appear in the proper sequence.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (&lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Old-style rule, // prior to anything being written down? (9)

Prescript[5] is a dated (thus "old-style") formal term for an ordinance, law, or command.

9a   Part of SA /gets/ sun and zero water -- zero! (6)

SA[5] is the abbreviation for South Africa.

Wet means water as a verb ⇒ After sowing the seed, wet the ground thoroughly.

Soweto[5] is a large urban area, consisting of several townships, in South Africa south-west of Johannesburg. In 1976 demonstrations against the compulsory use of Afrikaans in schools resulted in violent police activity and the deaths of hundreds of people. The name comes from So(uth) We(stern) To(wnships).

10a   In Cyprus a post's secured // a small vessel (9)

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for Cyprus is CY[5].

11a   Accident /when/ little Philip's swallowed Romanian money (4-2)

Pip[7] is a common nickname for Philip (including its numerous alternative spellings and feminine forms).

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Tilsit suggests that to identify the shortened form of the name Philip we think of the main narrator in Great Expectations.
Great Expectations[7] is the thirteenth novel by English writer Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel; a bildungsroman that depicts the personal growth and personal development of an orphan nicknamed Pip.

The leu[5] is the basic monetary unit of Romania, equal to 100 bani.

12a   List // minister of religion as being into home improvements? (9)

"minister of religion" = RECTOR (show explanation )

A rector[5] is a member of the clergy, although the meaning of the term varies among religious denominations. The term denotes:
  • in the the Church of England, an incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent,
  • in other Anglican Churches, a member of the clergy who has charge of a parish;
  • in the Roman Catholic Church, a priest in charge of a church or of a religious institution.
hide explanation

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Tilsit tells us that this name for a minister of the church could also be the title of an officer of a University.
A rector[5] is the head of certain universities, colleges, and schools.

DIY[5] (abbreviation of do-it-yourself) is a British term* for the activity of decorating, building, and making fixtures and repairs at home by oneself rather than employing a professional DIY avoids the difficult relationship between householder and professional decorator.
* Despite being characterized as "British" by Oxford Dictionaries, I should think that the term is hardly unfamiliar to North Americans.
13a   Bishop getting in the way of walkers, // beast! (6)

"bishop" = RR (show explanation )

Right Reverend[5] (abbreviation RR[2]) is a title given to a bishop, especially in the Anglican Church ⇒ the Right Reverend David Jenkins, Bishop of Durham.

hide explanation

A ferret[5] is a domesticated polecat* used chiefly for catching rabbits. It is typically albino in coloration, but sometimes brown.
*  The polecat[5] referred to here is not a skunk but a weasel-like Eurasian mammal with mainly dark brown fur and a darker mask across the eyes, noted for its fetid smell.
17a   A little // female dog companion let loose (3)

"companion" = CH (show explanation )

A Companion of Honour (abbreviation CH) is a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour[7], an order of the Commonwealth realms* founded by King George V in June 1917 as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion.
* A Commonwealth realm[7]* is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and has Elizabeth II as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch.
hide explanation

19a   To administer a Co. differently, // move towards giving everyone a say (15)

20a   Clumsy person /in/ a gym (3)

"gym [class]" = PE (show explanation )

PE[5] is the abbreviation for physical education [or Phys Ed, as it was known in my school days]. 

hide explanation

21a   Process of 'refuelling' -- // what you need to get 'ot (6)

One Dropped Aitch Deserves Another
The device being used here is that an aitch dropped in the clue implies an aitch dropped in the solution.  

The clue is written in the cockney[5] dialect spoken in the East End of London which is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words. A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church).

However, as once pointed out in a comment on Big Dave's Crossword Blog "it’s not just Cockneys that don’t pronounce initial aitches – Yorkshire folk for example!".

25a   A person, if misshapen, /should get/ particular garments (9)

In Britain, pinafore[2] can mean either:
  1. (sometimes shortened to pinny) an apron, especially one with a bib; or
  2. (also pinafore dress) a sleeveless dress for wearing over a blouse, sweater, etc.
The name comes from from "pin + afore", because it was formerly 'pinned afore', i.e. pinned to the front of a dress.

Meanwhile, on this side of the pond ...
In North America,  a pinafore dress is known as a jumper[5]. Ironically, in Britain, a jumper[5] is a long-sleeved sweater, typically a pullover.

Thus, if a British lass were to wear a pinafore over her jumper and a North American gal were to wear a jumper over her sweater, they would be dressed identically.

26a   Around the walls of tabernacle see most unusual // symbols (6)

Although Native American totem poles may be the first thing to come to mind, the term totem[5] has a more general meaning being a natural object or animal that is believed by a particular society to have spiritual significance and that is adopted by it as an emblem.

27a   Unsettled person // that is to shout angrily about money (9)

Tin[5] is a dated informal British term for money ⇒ Kim’s only in it for the tin.

28a   Forcibly carry off // very little one covered in spots? (6)

Ravish[5] is used in an archaic sense meaning to seize and carry off (someone) by force ⇒ there is no assurance that her infant child will not be ravished from her breast.

Ravish also has a dated [less old-fashioned than archaic] usage meaning (said of a man) to rape (a woman) ⇒ an angry father who suspects that his daughter has been ravished and a literary usage meaning to fill (someone) with intense delight or enrapture ⇒ ravished by a sunny afternoon, she had agreed without even thinking. [These latter two usage examples present an interesting juxtaposition (suggesting that the father's suspicions were unfounded).]

29a   Track // badly fouled up with wire (9)

Bridleway[5] (also bridle path) is a British term for a path or track along which horse riders have right of way.

Down

2d   Band's helper /gets/ fee finally after radio broadcast (6)

3d   Son is given meat, // not a thick slice (6)

4d   Give an account of // soldiers deceased (6)

"soldiers" = RE (show explanation )

The Corps of Royal Engineers[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.

hide explanation

5d   Artist // left with a tinier part needing to be changed (8-7)

6d   Brit collaring little pests, an // officer (9)

Pom[5] is short for Pommy[5] (also Pommie), a derogatory informal Australian and New Zealand term for a British person.

7d   Heavenly body // is remote, I do fancy (9)

A meteoroid[5] is a small body moving in the solar system that would become a meteor if it entered the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite[5], on the other hand, is a piece of rock or metal that has fallen to the earth's surface from outer space as a meteor.

8d   Being efficient, manage to protect maiden needing shelter (9)

By using a complex sentence structure, the setter has forced the link word "being" to the head of the clue. Were we to restate the clue, we might more clearly see that this is the case.
  • Manage to protect maiden needing shelter /being/ efficient (9)
"maiden"  = M (show explanation )

In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over in which no runs are scored.

In cricket, an over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end. On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation O[5] denotes over(s).

hide explanation

14d   Days before Christmas with university about /to provide/ exciting experience (9)

Advent[5] is the first season of the Church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.

15d   Like 20, // I am the bee's knees with musical coming up (9)

The numeral "20" is a cross reference indicator directing the solver to insert the solution to clue 20a in its place to complete the clue. The directional indicator is customarily omitted in situations such as this where only a single clue starts in the light* that is being referenced. 
* light-coloured cell in the grid
The bee's knees[2,4,5,10] is an informal British expression denoting an outstandingly good person or thing.

Delving Deeper
I had always regarded the expression the bee's knees as US slang dating from the flapper era of the 1920s. Surprisingly, not only is the term not to be found in my American dictionaries, but none of my British dictionaries considered it to be a dated term. Moreover, Collins 21st Century Dictionary[2] characterizes it as a British term and the Cambridge Idioms Dictionary identifies the bee's knees as a British and Australian expression. On the other hand, Oxford Dictionaries (in a notation that seems to have vanished in the recent revamp of its website) alluded to the present meaning of the term being American in origin.

The meaning of this term has undergone a reversal over time. The Farlex Trivia Dictionary tells us that the expression bee's knees has been used from 1797 for "something insignificant". Oxford Dictionaries (prior to the recent revamp of its website) informed one that the term was first used to denote something small and insignificant, and was transferred to the opposite sense in US slang. This is not unlike cool becoming synonymous with hot (popular) and sick meaning excellent.

 Evita[7] is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. It concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón [known familiarly as Evita], the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. The story follows Evita's early life, rise to power, charity work, and eventual death.

16d   I'm one involved with cost (9)

This is an &lit.[7] clue (sometimes called an all-in-one clue). The entire clue (when read one way) is the definition, but under a different interpretation takes on the role of wordplay.

17d   Beastly sound /from/ a sailor capsizing (3)

"sailor" = AB (show explanation )

In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.

hide explanation

18d   Part of formal attire /for/ the match (3)

Tie[5] is a British term meaning a sports match between two or more players or teams in which the winners proceed to the next round of the competition Swindon Town have gained themselves a third round tie against Oldham.

The foregoing usage example does not mean — as a North American might presume — that Swindon Town and Oldham played to a draw in the third round. Rather, it means that Swindon Town defeated their opponent in the second round and will move on to face Oldham in the third round.

22d   Blasted // theologian restricting English composer (6)

"theologian" = DD (show explanation )

Doctor of Divinity[7] (abbreviation D.D. or DD, Divinitatis Doctor in Latin) is an advanced academic degree in divinity.

Historically, the degree of Doctor of Divinity identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects. In the United Kingdom, Doctor of Divinity has traditionally been the highest doctorate granted by universities, usually conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction. In the United States, the Doctor of Divinity is usually awarded as an honorary degree.

hide explanation

Thomas Arne[7] (1710–1778) was an English composer, best known for the patriotic song Rule, Britannia!. He also wrote a version of God Save the King, which became the British national anthem, and the song A-Hunting We Will Go. Arne was the leading British theatre composer of the 18th century, working at Drury Lane and Covent Garden.

23d   Starter perhaps /for/ run (6)

Starter[5] is a chiefly British term* meaning the first course of a meal.
 * Although, according to Oxford Dictionaries, this is a British term, it is certainly one that is by no means foreign to Canada.
Run[5] means (of hounds) to chase or hunt their quarry ⇒ the hounds are running.

Course[5] means to pursue (game, especially hares) with greyhounds using sight rather than scent ⇒ (i) many of the hares coursed escaped unharmed; (ii) she would course for hares with her greyhounds.

24d   The female's at home, upset with a // medical condition (6)
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