Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Tuesday, October 31, 2017 — DT 28494

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28494
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28494]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Mr Kitty
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 knew that 26a had to be my grandchildren's favourite toy but could I decipher the wordplay? Well, I stared at it seemingly forever with no idea of how to decode it. It was only as I was writing the review and on the verge of throwing in the towel and seeking help from Mr Kitty that the cricket connection clicked.

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 semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues. All-in-one (&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions are marked with a dotted underline. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

1a   Pitcher // in side we rated (4)

3a   Pilot study, then series of steps, /then/ this by pilot? (4,6)

9a   Manage // company training (4)

"training" = PE (show explanation )

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

hide explanation

10a   Serve salad, blended // sauce /being required/ (5,5)

The words "being required" are a bit of window dressing to enhance the surface reading. In effect, they convey the idea that "The solution is a word meaning ...".

Salsa verde[5] (Spanish, literally 'green sauce') can refer to either:
  • an Italian sauce made with olive oil, garlic, capers, anchovies, vinegar or lemon juice, and parsley
  • a Mexican sauce of finely chopped onion, garlic, coriander, parsley, and hot peppers
11a   Warn /of/ jam with last bit not used before date (7)

Mr Kitty is undoubtedly correct in his interpretation of the wordplay in which he has "[a] five-letter jam or crush minus the last letter" (PRES[S]). I, on the other hand, thought of an eight-letter foodstuff that I put on my toast minus its last half (PRES[ERVE]). I will grant that "last bit" is more likely to refer to a single letter than to half a word.

13a   Two articles about permit /for/ gymnast, perhaps (7)

14a   Considerate when drunk? // Blasphemous behaviour /is the answer/ (11)

A bit more window dressing here. The phrase "is the answer" serves a purpose similar to that of "being required" in 10a.

18a   What surveyor may use /in/ flat after ghost is seen (6,5)

A spirit level[5] is a device consisting of a sealed glass tube partially filled with alcohol or other liquid, containing an air bubble whose position reveals whether a surface is perfectly level.

Let Me Level With You
The instrument shown in Mr Kitty's review is a spirit level — but one more likely to be used by a carpenter than a surveyor.

A surveyor uses an instrument called a transit level which is an optical instrument, or a telescope, complete with a built-in spirit level that is mounted on a tripod. In the accompanying diagram, the spirit level is labelled "Leveling Vial".

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, flat[5] is the British term for what would be called an apartment[5] in North America.

21a   Instrument /that may be/ graduate's shortly (7)

22a   Flexible sort, odd /making/ stand (7)

Rum[5] is a dated informal British term meaning odd or peculiar ⇒ it’s a rum business, certainly.

23a   Conspicuous // signs attached to home (2,8)

24a   First to call round with trendy // piece (4)

25a   Old Fleet Street operative // kind to crossword compiler (10)

Fleet Street[5] is a street in central London in which the offices of national newspapers were located until the mid 1980s (often used as a metonym for the British Press) ⇒ the hottest story in Fleet Street.

26a   Toy that's in bits // on middle of floor (4)

For this clue, you need to wear your cricket hat. In cricket, the on[5] (also known as on side) is another name for the leg[5] (also called leg side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒ he played a lucky stroke to leg. The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).

Down

1d   Lark/'s/ flight enthralling a daughter (8)

2d   After drugs, journalists love // strong coffee (8)

The drug in question is Ecstasy (commonly known as E) (show explanation ). As "drugs" is plural in the clue, "Es" is plural in the solution (ES).

E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i) people have died after taking E; (ii) being busted with three Es can lead to stiff penalties.

* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).

hide explanation

"love" = O (show explanation )

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.

Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).

hide explanation

4d   Remove // ages on top of engravings (5)

5d   Conductor /of/ opera popular in Northern Ireland (9)

Tosca[7] is an opera in three acts by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica (1857–1919) and Giuseppe Giacosa (1847–1906). It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. 

"Northern Ireland" = NI (show explanation )

Northern Ireland[5] (abbreviation NI[5]) is a province of the United Kingdom occupying the northeast part of Ireland; population 1,775,000 (est. 2008); capital, Belfast.

According to Oxford Dictionaries, Northern Ireland[5] is the only major division of the United Kingdom to hold the status of province, with England[5], Scotland[5] and Wales*[5] being countries.

* Oxford Dictionaries did not always describe Wales as a country. However,they changed this after I pointed out in a previous blog that England and Scotland were described as countries while Wales was shown as a principality. Do I really have such power?

hide explanation

Arturo Toscanini[5] (1867–1957) was an Italian conductor. He was musical director at La Scala in Milan (1898–1903; 1906-8) before becoming a conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, New York (1908–21).

6d   Nothing controls // flab (4,7)

If "love" means nothing (see 2d) then naturally "nothing" must mean LOVE.

7d   Danger could come from // such a plot (6)

8d   Time to support subject set for discussion /in/ police force (3,3)

The Met[5] denotes the Metropolitan Police in London — otherwise known as Scotland Yard.

Delving Deeper
The Metropolitan Police Service[7] (widely known informally as the Met[5]) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police. The Met also has significant national responsibilities such as co-ordinating and leading on counter-terrorism matters and protection of the British Royal Family and senior figures of Her Majesty's Government. The Met is also referred to by the metonym Scotland Yard after the location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The Met's current headquarters is New Scotland Yard, in Victoria.

12d   Accomplices /in/ case? Scores I suspect (11)

15d   Straightening // a tendon without a need initially to replace it (9)

Who thinks that today's setter received a passing grade in anatomy class?

A tendon[5] is a flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.

A ligament[5] is a short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones or cartilages or holds together a joint.

16d   Accomplished advance /or/ defeat? (8)

17d   Bird // vivid in colour, duck (8)

"duck" = O (show explanation )

In cricket, a duck[5] is a batsman’s score of nought [zero] ⇒ he was out for a duck. This is similar to the North American expression goose egg[5] meaning a zero score in a game.

In British puzzles, "duck" is used to indicate the letter "O" based on the resemblance of the digit "0" to this letter.

hide explanation

19d   Old boy is to supply // musician (6)

"old boy" = OB (show explanation )

In Britain, an old boy[5] (abbreviation OB[2])  is:
  1. a former male student of a school or college ⇒an old boy of Banbury County School; or
  2. a former male member of a sports team or company ⇒ the White Hart Lane old boy squared the ball to present an easy chance from 12 yards.
It is also a chiefly British affectionate form of address to a boy or man ⇒ ‘Look here, old boy,’ he said.

hide explanation

As an anagram indicator, supply is used as an adverb meaning 'in a supple[5] manner'.

20d   Dozing // when cover drawn up (6)

22d   Regret clothing first two of children /in/ frilly lace (5)

A ruche[5] is a strip of pleated or frilled lawn, lace, etc, used to decorate blouses, dresses, etc, or worn around the neck like a small ruff as in the 16th century.
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)
[12] - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13] - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Monday, October 30, 2017

Monday, October 30, 2017 — DT 28493 (Published Saturday, October 28, 2017)

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28493
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 31, 2017
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28493]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Miffypops
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
Notes
This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, October 28, 2017 edition of the National Post.

Introduction

A few British terms hampered me today. In one case (the truck fuel at 25a), I needed electronic help to solve the clue. In a couple of other cases (the expression at 15a and the old banknote at 5d), even though I managed to come up with the correct solution, I needed help to parse the clue.

Coincidentally given that today is the eve of Halloween, 17a makes a rather appropriate appearance.

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 semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues. All-in-one (&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions are marked with a dotted underline. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

1a   Go after // funds to take in United (6)

"United" = U (show explanation )

In the names of sports clubs, U[5] is the abbreviation for United[5] — in Britain, a word commonly used in the names of soccer and other sports teams formed by amalgamation ⇒ Man U [Manchester United].

hide explanation

4a   Good man joins other ranks backing ruler -- /it's/ touching (8)

"other ranks" = OR (show explanation )

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks[5] (abbreviation OR[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

hide explanation

9a   Producing endless // dried fruit (6)

10a   Look smaller, /though/ unique (8)

12a   Failed Eastern // hombre (4)

Implicit Hint
There is an implicit hint present in this clue. The setter has used a North American term as the definition, implying that the solution is also a North American term.

Hombre*[5] is an informal North American term for a man, especially one of a particular type** the Raiders quarterback is one tough hombre.

* Origin: Mid 19th century (originally denoting a man of Spanish descent); Spanish, ‘man’
** the word hombre is usually accompanied by a modifier to specify the "particular type" as in the case of the usage example where we have one tough hombre

Dude*[5] is an informal North American term for a man or guy (often as a form of address) (i) hey dude, what's up?; (ii) if some dude smacked me, I'd smack him back.

* Origin: Late 19th century (denoting a dandy); probably shortened from doodle, perhaps with allusion to Yankee Doodle Dandy

13a   Wood // works in church (5)

In music, 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.

In the clue, the setter has used OPS (works) as the plural of OP (work). While this may be acceptable in Crosswordland, in the real world the plural form of Op. is Opp..

"church" = CE (show explanation )

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

hide explanation

14a   A shade // too near the knuckle? (4)

Near the knuckle[5] is an informal British expression meaning verging on the indecent or offensive.

17a   Spirited relations (5,7)

20a   Frowning with alarm -- no time /to reveal/ obvious mistake (7,5)

23a   A B C D F or G (4)

This is an  &lit.[7] (all-in-one) clue, a type of clue in which the entire clue not only provides the definition (according to one interpretation) but also serves as the wordplay (according to a different interpretation).

As a definition, each item in the list is a musical NOTE. As wordplay, we see that most of the notes of the scale are listed, but NOT E.

Variations on Not E and No Te(s)
Setters seem to find no end of ways to musically clue NOTE(S) as either Not E or No Te(s).

The most recent example that we have seen occurred as recently as Friday, in DT 28492, where Giovanni gave us:
  • 21a   Bits of music // jumping from las to dohs? (5)
In her reply to Comment #10 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue remarks that her favourite version of this clue appeared in Toughie 770. That clue is:
  • 20a      Do, re, me, fa, so or la/A, B, C, D, F or G?   Money-carrier hit repeatedly by ‘charmingly sweet’ singer (4)
in which the setter manages not only to work in both variations in a single clue, but throw in a third element as well.

The first list is missing the note "te" so gives us NO TE; the second list is missing the note "E" so gives us NOT E.

To decipher the third element of the clue, one must know that the theme of this puzzle — which was published in The Daily Telegraph on May 11, 2012 — is "The Owl and the Pussycat", a nonsense poem by English writer Edward Lear (1812–1888), first published during 1871 as part of his book Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets. The puzzle appeared on the eve of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Lear. The key pieces of information needed to solve the clue are found in the first half of the poem:
I
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
   In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
   Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
   And sang to a small guitar,
"O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
    What a beautiful Pussy you are,
         You are,
         You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!"

II
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!
   How charmingly sweet you sing!

Here is how crypticsue reviewed the clue on Big Dave's Crossword Blog:
So you look at the first part of the wordplay and you know what the lists represent so you write in the answer.   However, this is crafty stuff  – if you know your music (or even your ‘Sound of Music’!)  then you will have noticed that there are items missing from  the two lists.   You can split the solution two ways:  2, 2 showing what is missing from the first list; 3, 1 what is missing from the second.  In our poet’s day,  a £5 example of the solution was much larger and could be used by our themed couple to wrap up their provisions for the journey.  When 2d was  singing ‘charmingly sweetly’ to his beloved, he would have hit many a true musical sound.   Three separate pieces of wordplay for one little four letter word – amazing!

24a   Change of heart /for/ space traveller (5)

25a   Lorry driver (4)

Lorry[5] is the common name in the UK for the vehicle known in North America as a truck[5] — although the word truck would also seem to be well known to the Brits. In fact, Oxford Dictionaries rather circularly defines a lorry as being a truck and a truck as being a lorry.

Derv*[5] (also DERV) is a British term for diesel oil for road vehicles.

* Origin: 1940s (apparently Second World War forces' slang); acronym from diesel-engined road vehicle

28a   Rickshaw operators // who run the business? (8)

In my initial misguided approach, I attempted to interpret this as a cryptic definition with the word "running" indicating that I needed a term that would apply to a rickshaw operator who pulled his vehicle on foot as opposed to one who used mechanical means such as a bicycle, for instance.

29a   He spoke famously /of/ Circe corrupting love (6)

"love" = O (show explanation )

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.

Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).

hide explanation

Marcus Tullius Cicero[5] (106–43 BC) was a Roman statesman, orator, and writer. As an orator and writer Cicero established a model for Latin prose; his surviving works include speeches, treatises on rhetoric, philosophical works, and letters. A supporter of Pompey against Julius Caesar, in the Philippics (43 BC) he attacked Mark Antony, who had him put to death.

Scratching the Surface
In Greek mythology, Circe[5] is an enchantress who lived on the island of Aeaea. When Odysseus visited the island his companions were changed into pigs by her potions, but he protected himself with the magic herb moly and forced her to restore his men to human form.

30a   Tries to consume the whole // vegetables (8)

31a   Pitch a tent on American // college grounds (6)

Down

1d   Showing off, scrapping knight with maiden /and/ model (8)

"knight" = N (show explanation )

A knight[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a horse’s head, that moves by jumping to the opposite corner of a rectangle two squares by three. Each player starts the game with two knights.

N[5] is the abbreviation for knight used in recording moves in chess [representing the pronunciation of kn-, since the initial letter k- represents 'king'].

As an aside, it is interesting to note that the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines: 
  • K[2] as an abbreviation used in chess for knight. 
  • K[2] is a symbol used in chess to represent a king. 
  • N[2] is a symbol used in chess to represent a knight.
The dictionary fails to specify how one differentiates an abbreviation from a symbol.

On the other hand, both The Chambers Dictionary and the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary list K or K.[1,11] as an abbreviation for knight without specifying the specific context in which this abbreviation is used. However, the context may well be in an honours list rather than in a game of chess. In the UK, for instance, KBE[5] stands for Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

hide explanation

"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.

* 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.

hide explanation

2d   Gunners parachuting? // Bit of a shower (8)

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery[7] (abbreviation RA), is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.

3d   University can upset // this group (4)

5d   Crooked attorney sure /to make/ legal tender? (8,4)

In the UK, a Treasury note[10] (also called currency note) was a note issued by the British Treasury from 1914 to 1928 in two denominations, a £1 note and a ten shilling (£0.50) note.

Delving Deeper
Banknotes in the UK are normally issued by the Bank of England as well as by a number of commercial banks. At the start of the First World War, the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1914 was passed, giving the Treasury temporary powers to issue banknotes[7] in two denominations, one at £1 and another at 10 shillings. Treasury notes had full legal tender status and were not convertible for gold through the Bank of England. They replaced the gold coin in circulation to prevent a run on sterling and to enable purchases of raw materials for armaments production.

The promise (not adhered to) was that they would be removed from circulation after the war had ended. In fact, the notes were issued until 1928, when the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928 returned note-issuing powers to the banks.

6d   Bellows, losing head /in/ rows (4)

7d   Reformed ladies /show/ the highest standards (6)

8d   He's after fuel // cuts (6)

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, notice that Miffypops specifically refers to the fuel in question as that used to fire up your central heating.
From a British perspective, gasoline[10] and gas[10] (when used as an abbreviation for gasoline) are North American (and New Zealand) terms for petrol.

11d   One will provide care for a small charge (6-6)

Charge[5] is used in the sense of a person or thing entrusted to the care of someone ⇒ the babysitter watched over her charges.

15d   Climbing frame -- for ramblers? (5)

Rambler[5] is used in the sense of a person who walks in the countryside for pleasure.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops remarks that stiles have been [m]ostly replaced by kissing gates now.
Kissing gate[5] is a British term for a small gate hung in a U- or V-shaped enclosure, letting one person through at a time.

16d   Column seen in flight (5)

18d   Suddenly stop leading? // Time to get your skates on (6-2)

19d   Former // vicar in holy surroundings (8)

A vicar[5] is a member of the clergy, although the meaning of the term varies among religious denominations (show more ).

The term vicar may mean:
  • in the the Church of England, an incumbent of a parish where tithes formerly passed to a chapter or religious house or layman;
  • in other Anglican Churches, a member of the clergy deputizing for another;
  • in the Roman Catholic Church, a representative or deputy of a bishop;
  • in the US Episcopal Church, a clergyman in charge of a chapel;
  • a cleric or choir member appointed to sing certain parts of a cathedral service.
show less

21d   Reduced fare for buffet users? (6)

22d   A sweet's served up /in/ layers (6)

Sweet[5] is a British term for a sweet dish forming a course of a meal; in other words, a pudding or dessert.

26d   Lower section of natural // river (4)

The Ural River[5] is a river, 1,575 miles (2,534 km) long, that rises at the southern end of the Ural Mountains in western Russia and flows through western Kazakhstan to the Caspian Sea at Atyraū.

27d   One's needed to travel /and/ is in Virginia (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)
[12] - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13] - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Saturday, October 28, 2017 — Trick or Treat


Introduction

Today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon has an appropriate seasonal theme. While it was a treat to solve, it contains a couple of tricky solutions. After deciphering the guide at 10a from the wordplay, I recalled having encountered him on a previous journey through Crosswordland. It seems that the old cat at 26a was new to most of us. While I was able to correctly guess the correct arrangement of letters, I needed to consult my dictionary to confirm that my solution was correct.

As we are also in the midst of the World Series, it is only fitting that the puzzle also contains one hit and at least one error — maybe more.

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
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████
└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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 semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues. All-in-one (&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions — including whimsical and vague definitions — are marked with a dotted underline. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

1a   Lose sight /of/ Halloween creature at onset of dusk (2,5)

GO BLIN|D — GOBLIN (Halloween creature) + (at) D (onset [initial letter] of Dusk)

5a   Device for dispensing family/’s/ Halloween item (7)

PUMP|KIN — PUMP (device for dispensing) + KIN (family)

9a   Candy // we put into collection (5)

S(WE)ET — WE (†) contained in (put into) SET (collection)

10a   Guides // witches carrying diamonds (9)

C(ICE)RONES — CRONES (witches) containing (carrying) ICE (diamonds)

A cicerone*[5] is a guide who gives information about places of interest to sightseers.

* The word cicerone — which comes to English from Italian — derives from the name of  Roman statesman, orator, and writer Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), apparently alluding humorously to his eloquence and learning.

11a   Witch’s heart kept in dreadful, // secret places (8)

HIDEOU(T)S — T (witch's heart; middle letter [heart] of wiTch) contained in (kept in) HIDEOUS (dreadful)

12a   Maid // blocks the course of pair of elves (6)

DAMS|EL — DAMS (blocks the course of) + EL (pair [initial two letters] of ELves)

Before getting my hands on the right maid, I will admit that I checked the dictionary to see if BARSEL might possibly be a word.

14a   Big // heads of lizards and rats grinning evilly (5)

L_|A_|R_|G_|E_ — initial letters (heads) of Lizards And Rats Grinning Evilly

16a   Candy // medicine comes back in circular shapes (9)

LO(LLIP<)OPS — reversal (comes back) of PILL (medicine) contained in (in) LOOPS (circular shapes)

18a   Rita strangely captivated by skeleton // choir voices (9)

B(ARIT*)ONES — anagram (strangely) of RITA contained in (captivated by) BONES (skeletons)

19a   Mafia boss, or // angel? (5)

DON|OR — DON (Mafia boss) + OR (†)

21a   One wizard’s // representations (6)

I|MAGE|S — I ([Roman numeral for] one) + MAGE (wizard) + S ('s)

23a   Spook // directly inside swamp (8)

F(RIGHT)EN — RIGHT (directly) contained in (inside) FEN (swamp)
26a   Cat /or/ mink: a girl in disguise (9)

GRIMALKIN* — anagram (in disguise) of MINK A GIRL

Grimalkin*[5] is an archaic term for a cat (or a spiteful old woman).

* This term from the 16th century derives from grey + Malkin (pet form of the given name Matilda).

27a   Black-clad warrior // among children in jackets (5)

_N|IN|JA_ — hidden in (among) childreN IN JAckets

28a   Colour /of/ mint Peg chewed up (7)

PIGMENT* — anagram (chewed up) of MINT PEG

29a   Notice the scarecrow’s face // is angry (7)

SEE|THE|S — SEE (notice) + THE (†) + S (Scarecrow's face [initial letter])

Down

1d   Young lady collecting part of London/’s/ fuel (7)

GA(SOHO)L — GAL (young lady) containing (collecting) SOHO (part of London)

Soho*[7] is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable transformation. It now is predominantly a fashionable district of upmarket restaurants and media offices, with only a small remnant of sex industry venues.

* The name Soho[5] dates to the mid 17th cenury and probably derives from the old word soho, used as a hunting cry: the area was a royal park in Tudor times.

The setters could just as well used "... part of New York ..." in the clue.

SoHo[5] is an area of Manhattan, New York City.

* SoHo is an abbreviation that derives from SOuth of HOuston Street.

2d   Money // raised by word of mouth (5)

BREAD~ — sounds like (by word of mouth) BRED (raised)

3d   Pirate covered in bizarre tint /is/ someone shy (9)

INT(ROVER)T — ROVER (pirate) contained in (covered in) anagram (bizarre) of TINT

Rover[5] is an archaic term for a pirate.

4d   Lend cash to sports /for/ Olympic events (10)

DECATHLONS* — anagram (sports; verb meaning 'frolics') of LEND CASH TO

5d   Select // miner’s tool (4)

PICK — double definition

6d   Broadcast in the morning brought back // West Side Story song (5)

{MA|RIA}< — reversal (brought back) of {AIR (broadcast) + AM (in the morning)}

"Maria"[7] is a song from the Broadway musical West Side Story. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim. The song was published in 1956. "Maria" is sung by the male lead Tony when he learns the name of the girl he's fallen in love with is "Maria". The name "Maria" is spoken or sung in the song 27 times.


7d   Know Sting swirled // West Indian port (9)

KINGSTOWN* — anagram (swirled) of KNOW STING

Kingstown[7] is the capital, chief port, and main commercial centre of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

8d   Settles comfortably // in greenest Lesotho (7)

_NEST|LES_ — hidden in (in) greeNEST LESotho

13d   Outside shed, crackpots // unite defensively (5,5)

C(LOSE) RANKS — CRANKS (crackpots) containing (outside) LOSE (shed)

15d   Again perusing // note in city on the Thames (9)

RE(RE)ADING — RE ([musical] note) contained in (in) READING (city on the Thames)

Reading[5] is a town in Berkshire, southern England, on the River Kennet near its junction with the Thames.

17d   Popular gambling activity maintains general // poverty (9)

IN|DI(GEN)CE — IN (popular) + DICE (gambling activity) containing (maintains) GEN (general; abbrev. for military rank)

18d   Mention // second-rate telephone (5,2)

B|RING UP — B (second-rate) + RING UP (telephone)

20d   Antlers all over // some vacation cabins (7)

RENTALS* — anagram (all over) of ANTLERS

22d   Delete // Times error (5)

ERAS|E — ERAS (times) + E (error; abbrev. used in baseball)

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, the capitalized "Times" could refer to any of a number of newspapers around the world bearing this name, some of the more prominent being those published in London, New York, and Los Angeles.

24d   Camp dwelling hit at the end /of/ a decade? (5)

TENT|H — TENT (camp dwelling) followed by (at the end) H (hit; abbrev. used in baseball)

A decade is a group or series of ten, but none of my dictionaries define it as meaning a tenth. Might the setters have confused decade with decile[5] which, in statistics, is each of ten equal groups into which a population can be divided according to the distribution of values of a particular variable the lowest income decile of the population.

25d   Sketch // small set of tools (4)

S|KIT — S (small; abbrev.) KIT (set of tools)

Epilogue

Enjoy your trick or treating.
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)
[12] - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13] - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon

Friday, October 27, 2017 — DT 28492

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28492
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28492 – Hints]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28492 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Big Dave (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.

Introduction

My biggest challenge today was the homophone at 12a. While I managed to work them out from the wordplay, I had to look up the wreath at 14a and the old actress at 15d to verify that they actually exist — or, in the latter case, did at one time.

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 semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues. All-in-one (&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions are marked with a dotted underline. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

8a   A planet circling Earth // approaches (7)

E is definitely a symbol for earth (as a British Electrical Engineering term) and may — or may not — also be used as an abbreviation for our planet (show explanation ).

The Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and Collins English Dictionary websites as well as The Chambers Dictionary all show E[1,2,10] as being a symbol for earth without giving a particular context. However on TheFreeDictionary website, Collins English Dictionary, 12th Edition clearly specifies that E[4] is the symbol for earth in an Electrical Engineering context.

In Britain, earth[5] is used to mean:
  • (noun) an electrical connection to the ground, regarded as having zero electrical potential ⇒ ensure metal fittings are electrically bonded to earth 
  • (verb) to connect (an electrical device) with the ground ⇒ the front metal panels must be soundly earthed
The equivalent term in North American is ground[5] (both as a noun and a verb).

I can't help but note the irony that Oxford Dictionaries displays in defining earth as a British term meaning an "electrical connection to the ground" and ground as a North American term meaning an "electrical connection to the earth".



Also on TheFreeDictionary website, the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary lists E.[11] as an abbreviation for Earth. The capitalization of the initial letter suggests to me that this may likely be a reference to the planet. However, with the exception of The Chambers Dictionary listing S[1] (or S.) as the abbreviation for sun, I could find no other heavenly bodies similarly abbreviated.

hide explanation

10a and 11a   Become apparent // as the Witham, Welland, Nene and Great Ouse do (4,3,2,3,4)

The Wash[5] is an inlet of the North Sea on the east coast of England between Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

The River Witham[7] is a river of eastern England which rises in Lincolnshire and flows 132 km (82 miles) via a rather circuitous route to the Wash.

The River Welland[7] is a river of eastern England which rises in Northamptonshire and flows 105 km (65 miles) generally north and east to the Wash.

The River Nene[7] is a river of eastern England which rises in Northamptonshire and flows 161 km (100 miles) generally north and east to the Wash.

The River Great Ouse[7] is a river of eastern England which rises in Northamptonshire and flows 230 km (143 miles) generally north and east to the Wash.

11a   See 10a

12a   Country that was divided // making progress rapidly, we hear (5)

This has to be by far the most challenging homophone clue ever foisted upon the North American ear. It involves two words that the Brits (or, at least, some Brits) pronounce nearly identically. However, most North Americans would pronounce neither word in this manner. The word "career" (), when pronounced in a non-rhotic (show explanation ) accent typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain, sounds like "Korea" () as pronounced by a Brit.

Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.

hide explanation

Not surprisingly, even some of the Brits had trouble with this one. But then, I understand there to be some 50 or so different dialects spoken in the UK and there always seems to be a divergence of opinion among speakers of different dialects when it comes to homophone clues.

13a   Frank // put foot down (5)

Frank[5] means to stamp an official mark on (a letter or parcel) to indicate that postage has been paid or does not need to be paid.

14a   Man needs permit /for/ wreath (7)

A chaplet[5] is a garland or circlet for a person's head.

17a   /What's/ green lawyer been spinning? // Alternative sources of power (9,6)

The word "what's" is playing a role similar to that of a link word. It is included to make the surface reading sound grammatically proper. The setter could have written "Green lawyer been spinning alternative sources of power" which sounds like Southern US dialect "Brer rabbit been eatin' my carrots ag'in" — or Chicago gangster talk (see 25d, I been beaten up by hoods).

19a   Engineers in dismay /making/ gear (7)

"engineers" = 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

21a   Bits of music // jumping from las to dohs? (5)

In tonic sol-fa, if one were to jump from las to dohs, they would skip the tes and thus there would be NO TES.

Delving Deeper
In music, te[5] (also ti[2]) is the seventh note of the major scale in tonic sol-fa.

Judging by a perusal of entries in American and British dictionaries, the only recognized spelling in the US would seem to be ti[3,4,11] whereas, in the UK, the principal — or only — spelling would appear to be te[2,3,4,11], with ti given as an alternative spelling in some dictionaries. Oxford Dictionaries is more emphatic, giving the spelling as te[5] with ti shown as the North American [by which Oxford customarily means US] spelling.

24a   Hanger-on /given/ shelter by church (5)

26a   Soldier/'s/ drunk dearer gin (9)

In the British Army, a grenadier[10] is a member of the senior regiment of infantry in the Household Brigade*.

* A household brigade[5] is a brigade comprising troops having (at least nominal) responsibility for guarding the monarch or head of state.

27a   Ignore rules going round a kind of junction // as fast as possible (4,3)

28a   Where yachtsmen sail, keeping very // well-funded (7)

The Solent[7]is the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually. 

Down

1d   Caught stars /in/ decay (6)

"caught" = C (show explanation )

In cricket, one way for a batsman to be dismissed is to be caught out[5], that is for a player on the opposing team to catch a ball that has been hit by the batsman before it touches the ground.

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation c.[2,10] or c[5] denotes caught (by).

hide explanation

In astronomy, Aries[5] is a small constellation (the Ram), said to represent the ram in Greek mythology whose Golden Fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts.

In astrology, Aries[10] (also called the Ram) is the first sign of the zodiac, symbol , having a cardinal fire classification, ruled by the planet Mars. The sun is in this sign between about March 21 and April 19.

2d   Check // on race (8)

3d   We prosper with engineering drawing in university /in/ dominant country (10)

4d   Varied choice essential /in/ popular sport in Canada etc (3,6)

5d   In a frenzy // 'Good Morning' the wrong way round (4)

6d   Queen's written in pink // pen (6)

"Queen" = R (show explanation )

Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.

Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.

Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.

In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.

Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution.

hide explanation

7d   Changing hat style // not likely to be noticed (8)

9d   Fraud // upset Apple computers (4)

15d   Old actress /gives/ former UN chief the bird (4,6)

Kofi Annan[5] is a Ghanaian diplomat, secretary general of the United Nations 1997–2006.

Dame Anna Neagle[7] (1904–1986), born Florence Marjorie Robertson, was a popular English stage and film actress and singer and dancer.

Delving Deeper
Anna Neagle was a successful box-office draw in the British cinema for 20 years and was voted the most popular star in Britain in 1949. She was known for providing glamour and sophistication to war-torn London audiences with her lightweight musicals, comedies and historical dramas. Almost all of her films were produced and directed by Herbert Wilcox, whom she married in 1943.

In her historical dramas Neagle was renowned for her portrayals of British historical figures, including Nell Gwynn (Nell Gwynn, 1934), Queen Victoria (Victoria the Great, 1937 and Sixty Glorious Years, 1938) and Edith Cavell (Nurse Edith Cavell, 1939).

16d   Bag to boil for cooking /that is/ required for musicians (9)

In music, obbligato[5] (US obligato) denotes an instrumental part, typically distinctive in effect, which is integral to a piece of music and should not be omitted in performance(i) with piano obbligato; (ii) the obbligato part.

17d   Everyday existence /is/ prevalent, engrossing English entirely (4,4)


18d   Sold // dog in rush (8)

In the wordplay, "dog" is a verb meaning to follow and rush is a plant that grows in marshy areas.

20d   Postwar housing, // before great 1960s style (6)

22d   Goblin /shows/ ill will without resistance (6)

In the wordplay, "without" is used in the sense of outside rather than lacking.

"resistance" = R (show explanation )

In physics, R[5] is a symbol used to represent electrical resistance in mathematical formulae.

hide explanation

23d   Where military types consume // Horlicks (4)

Make a horlicks[10] is an informal British expression meaning to make a mistake or mess ⇒ his boss is making a horlicks of his job.

Scratching the Surface
Horlicks[5] is a trademark for a drink made from malted milk powder. The product is named after James and William Horlick, British-born brothers whose company first manufactured the drink in the US.

25d   Bonnet /for/ American gangster (4)

In her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue shows this clue as a double definition but divides it differently than I have although she mentions my way of splitting it as an alternative.

As I have marked the clue above, the first definition uses bonnet[5] and hood[5] in the sense of coverings for the head. However, although they are both head coverings, I would not say that they are the same thing.

From a British perspective, the second definition uses hood[5] (abbreviation of hoodlum) as an informal North American term for a gangster or similar violent criminal I been beaten up by hoods.

On the other hand, were we to opt for crypticsue's marking:
  • Bonnet for American // gangster (4)
then, in the first definition, bonnet[5] (British) and hood[5] (American) would be used in the sense of the hinged metal canopy covering the engine of a motor vehicle. In the second definition, hood would be used in the North American sense meaning a gangster. Although the clue does not explicitly indicate that a North American term is needed here, the word gangster[11,12] itself is of American* origin. Therefore, we might conclude that the clue implicitly calls for an American term.

* however, unlike the word "hood", the word "gangster" appears to have been fully accepted into British English

I believe that there may yet be another way to parse this clue, as a semi-all-in-one clue:
  • Bonnet for American gangster (4)
in which the entire clue is a cryptic definition that one can interpret as "what an American gangster would call the bonnet of his car" and embedded within it is a straight definition "American gangster" or HOOD.

I think trying to classify crossword clues is akin to categorizing birds. If a newly discovered specimen does not fit neatly into the classification scheme, it is because of a deficiency in the classification scheme and not due to an improperly designed bird.
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)
[12] - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
[13] - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)
Signing off for today — Falcon