Saturday, April 28, 2018 — Singles Not Admitted

Introduction

Today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon finds the setters in a playful but curt mood with several of the solutions being expressions verging on rudeness (chief among them 1a, 5d, and 14a). Our American setters also display their national colours (or, should I say colors) along with a few splashes of various shades of grey (or, should I say gray) — albeit well short of 50.

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

Click here for an explanation of conventions and symbols used in explaining the parsing of clues.

The purpose of this article is to explain the conventions and symbols that I use on this blog in explaining the parsing of clues.

Legend: The following symbols are used in reviews: "*" anagram "~" sounds like "<" indicates that the preceding letters are reversed "( )" encloses contained letters "_" replaces letters that have been deleted "†" indicates that the word is present in the clue

The review of a clue takes the following general structure:

#a/d   Clue containing parsing markup (num^*)

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^* num = numeration

Explanations pertaining to the wordplay (or first definition in a double definition)

(Horizontal separator)

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Explanations pertaining to the definition (or second definition in a double definition) and solution.

Explanatory Box

An explanatory box provides additional information about the clue. In most cases this information will not necessarily help in solving the clue but provides information about the clue. In the case of the weekday syndicated Daily Telegraph puzzles, such information is often intended to help the North American solver appreciate how the clue may be perceived by a British solver. These boxes may also provide information on people, places, films, television programmes, works of art and literature, etc. mentioned in the clue. Although the titles of these boxes will usually be drawn from a standard list, I do occasionally throw in a title specifically suggested by the subject at hand. The standard titles include: Scratching the Surface - an explanation of the surface reading of the clue Delving Deeper - in-depth information pertaining to a subject mentioned in an explanation Behind the Picture - for weekday puzzles, information about an illustration found on Big Dave's Crossword Blog What did he/she/they say? - for weekday puzzles, an explanation of a remark made in a review or comment on Big Dave's Crossword Blog What are they talking about? - for weekday puzzles, an explanation of a discussion on Big Dave's Crossword Blog One box that may provide information that could prove helpful in solving the clue is the following: Here and There - for weekday puzzles, discusses words whose British meaning differs from their North American meaning

Note that there are many types of cryptic crossword clue and it is not my intention to exhaustively go through all of them here. I will only deal with clue types to the extent necessary to explain the conventions and symbols used on the blog. Furthermore, be aware that, in the world of cryptic crosswords, there seems to be an exception to every rule.

With one exception that I can think of, cryptic crossword clues provide two routes to the solution. These are commonly referred to as the definition and wordplay. While these terms serve well for most clues, there are some cases where the more formal terms of primary indication and subsidiary indication may be more appropriate.

Most cryptic crossword clues consist of a definition (primary indication) and wordplay (subsidiary indication). The definition may be a "precise definition" (a definition that is either taken straight from a dictionary or at least phrased in a non-misleading fashion) or it may be a "cryptic definition" (a definition misleadingly phrased so as to misdirect the solver either with respect to the meaning of the definition as a whole or to an incorrect sense of a word used in the definition).

The only type of clue that I can think of where there are not two ways of finding the solution are those in which the entire clue is a cryptic definition.

I identify precise definitions by marking them with a solid underline in the clue and cryptic definitions by marking them with a dotted underline.

In clues in which both definition and wordplay are present, the two parts of the clue combine to provide an overall meaningful statement (the surface reading) which usually bears no relationship to the underlying cryptic reading of the clue. In some cases, an extra word or phrase will be inserted into the clue to create a meaningful link between the definition and wordplay. I define clues which contain such a link word or link phrase as having an explicit link and clues which contain no link word or link phrase as having an implicit link.

I mark the existence of an explicit link by enclosing the link word or link phrase between forward slashes (/link/) and mark the existence of an implicit link with double forward slashes (//) positioned between the definition and wordplay.

Examples

A few examples may help to illustrate these points more clearly.

The first example is a clue used by Jay in DT 28573:

• 4d   Fellow left work // a failure (4)

Here the definition is "a failure" which is marked with a solid underline to show that it is a precise definition. The wordplay parses as F (fellow; abbrev.) + L (left; abbrev.) + OP (work; abbrev. used in music) which gives us the solution F|L|OP. The double forward slashes (//) between the definition and wordplay indicate the existence of an "implicit link" between the two parts of the clue (that is, no extra words are inserted into the clue to form the link).

The second example is a clue used by Giovanni in DT 28575:

• 29a   Female going to match // travels with mother in advance (10)

Here the definition "female going to match" is cryptic (the setter is attempting to misdirect our thoughts to a sports event rather than a marriage ceremony) and thus is marked with a a dotted underline. The wordplay is {RIDES (travels) + (with) MA (mother)} contained in (in) BID (advance) giving us the solution B(RIDES|MA)ID. As in the first example, the double forward slashes indicate the presence of an implicit link.

The third example is a clue used by Rufus is DT 28583:

• 18d   Knight caught by misplaced big blow /is/ staggering (8)

Here the definition is "staggering" which is marked with a solid underline to show that it is a precise definition. The wordplay parses as N ([chess symbol for] knight) contained in (caught in) an anagram (misplaced) of BIG BLOW producing the solution WOBBLI(N)G. Finally, forward slashes mark the link word (/is/).

I also use distinctive underlining to mark &lit.^[7] and semi-&lit. clues. Note that the reviewers on Big Dave's Crossword Blog generally prefer to refer to these clue types by the less pretentious names of all-in-one or semi-all-in-one clues respectively.

In an &lit. clue^[7] (or 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 future, I will mark such clues with a combined solid and dashed underline. Although this is a departure from past practice, it would seem to make more sense than using a dotted underline as I have in the past). Henceforth, the dotted underline will be reserved for cryptic definitions.

In a semi-&lit. clue (or semi-all-in-one clue), either:

• the entire clue acts as the definition while a portion of the clue provides the wordplay; or
• the entire clue acts as the wordplay while a portion of the clue provides the definition.

For these clues, I will mark the definition with a solid underline and the wordplay with a  dashed underline. This means that a portion of the clue may have a solid underline, a portion of the clue may have a dashed underline and a portion of the clue may have a combined solid and dashed underline.

One final clue type is what I characterize as a cryptic definition comprised of a precise definition combined with cryptic elaboration. For example, in DT 28560 (setter unknown) the following clue appears:

•  26d   Heroic exploit, whichever way you look at it (4)

As the entire clue is a cryptic definition, it is marked with a dotted underline. The 'precise definition' is "heroic exploit" and is indicated by a solid underline.

Given the numeration, the precise definition could give rise to at least two solutions, DEED or FEAT. However, the 'cryptic elaboration' ("whichever way you look at it") indicates that the solution is a palindrome thereby immediately eliminating one of the two obvious choices.

Note that the part of the clue that I have called 'cryptic elaboration' does not provide a second independent route to the solution (as the wordplay would do in most other types of clue). Rather it merely provides a piece of additional information (elaboration) related to the 'precise definition'.

Again, this approach is a departure from past practice, but like the other changes mentioned previously is intended to remove inconsistencies in the way that I have been applying parsing markup to clues. The markup rules that I have been using until now evolved bit-by-bit over a long period of time resulting in some degree of internal inconsistency.

hide explanation

Across

1a   Head wear for a pig? // Who cares? (2,4)

SO W|HAT — SOW (for a pig; noun used as a modifier) + HAT (head wear)

Split the solution (3,3) and read it as a phrase.

4a   Termination // pinned to straying (3,5)

{END POINT}* — anagram (straying) of PINNED TO

This literally was my end point, being my last one in.

9a   One indigo, red, blue, and silver // sack of a sort (3,3)

A|I|R| B|AG — A (one) + I (indigo) + R (red) + B (blue) + (and) AG ([symbol for the element] silver)

Diffraction Digression

The abbreviation I for indigo may come from this being one of the colours of the rainbow, along with red and blue. Rainbow in Jasper National Park Rainbows[7] span a continuous spectrum of colours. Any distinct bands perceived are an artefact of human colour vision, and no banding of any type is seen in a black-and-white photo of a rainbow, only a smooth gradation of intensity to a maximum, then fading towards the other side. For colours seen by the human eye, the most commonly cited and remembered sequence is Sir Isaac Newton's sevenfold red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, remembered by the mnemonic, Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain (ROYGBIV). The abbreviations for red and blue could also be accounted for by their appearance on video connectors (RGB for red, green, blue).

10a   Plant /for/ apartment Q's predecessor, you say? (5,3)

{SWEET PEA}~ — sounds like (you say) SUITE P {the one before (predecessor of) SUITE (apartment) Q}

12a   Pass smoky-flavoured tea /in/ shade (5,4)

P|EARL GREY — P (pass; abbrev. used in a pass/fail grading system) + EARL GREY (smoky-flavoured tea)

13a   Darkish blue, // in and of itself (3,2)

PER SE —unsplit the solution (5) to get a dark greyish-blue colour

14a   Unfortunately, I can't // shut up (3,2)

{CAN IT}* — anagram (unfortunately) of I CANT

16a   Operation a rogue set back // from the start (2,4)

DA CAPO — reversal (set back) of {OP (operation; abbrev.) + A (†) + CAD (rogue)}

Da Capo^[5] (Italian, literally 'from the head') is a musical direction denoting repeat from the beginning.

20a   Tips about motorist's first // race site in France (2,4)

LE (M)ANS — LEANS (tips) containing (about) M (Motorist's first [letter])

Le Mans^[5] is an industrial city in northwestern France; population 148,169 (2006). It is the site of a motor-racing circuit, on which a 24-hour endurance race (established in 1923) is held each summer.

21a   Operated before doctor/'s/ break from work (1,3,1)

R AN|D R — RAN (operated) preceding (before) DR (doctor; abbrev.)

R and R^[10,12,14] is a term which originated in the US military that can stand for rest and relaxation, rest and recreation, or (especially in a military context) rest and recuperation.

24a   Like a mechanical switch // in location of furnace (2-3)

ON-OFF — hidden in (in) locatiON OF Furnace

25a   Halfwit, e.g., waving // banner of surrender (5,4)

{WHITE FLAG}* — anagram (waving) of HALFWIT EG

27a   Cyberspace hangout // recycled macho rot (4,4)

{CHAT ROOM}* — anagram (recycled) of MACHO ROT

I am tempted to mark the entire clue as the definition ☺

28a   Outspoken dancer's dress // over the top (3-3)

TOO-TOO~ — sounds like (outspoken) TUTU (dancer's dress)

29a   Edward put in pinker // dogwood shrub (3,5)

R(ED) OSIER — ED ([diminutive for] Edward) contained in (put in) ROSIER (pinker)

Red osier^[5] (more fully red osier dogwood) is a North American term for a shrubby dogwood with dark red shoots, Cornus stolonifera.

30a   Dorothy's companion // some-what robust in manner (3,3)

TIN MAN — hidden in (some-what) robusT IN MANner

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz^[7] is an American children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow, originally published in 1900. It has since been reprinted on numerous occasions, most often under the title The Wizard of Oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 Broadway musical as well as the iconic 1939 musical film adaptation.

The story chronicles the adventures of a young farm girl named Dorothy in the magical Land of Oz, after she and her pet dog Toto are swept away from their Kansas home by a cyclone^*. Shortly after arriving in Oz, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion who accompany her and Toto on their journey to the Emerald City to seek help from the Wizard in returning home to Kansas.

Its groundbreaking success and the success of the Broadway musical adapted from the novel led Baum to write thirteen additional Oz books that serve as official sequels to the first story.

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^* Baum uses the word cyclone while describing a tornado.

Down

1d   Historically unpopular law /in/ southern Tampa court (5,3)

S|TAMP A|CT — S (southern; abbrev.) + TAMPA (†) + CT (court; abbrev. found on street signs, for instance)

The Stamp Act^[5] was an act of the British Parliament in 1765 that exacted revenue from the American colonies by imposing a stamp duty on newspapers and legal and commercial documents. Colonial opposition led to the act's repeal in 1766 and helped encourage the revolutionary movement against the Crown.

2d   Distortion isn't commonly // work of a makeup artist (3,5)

WAR P|AINT — WARP (distortion) + AINT (isn't commonly)

War paint^[5,10,12,14] (or warpaint) is an informal term for elaborate or excessively applied make-up ⇒ (i) a drag queen in warpaint; (ii) her eyes were beautiful even through the warpaint.

3d   Article of great height // in any manner (2,3)

A|T ALL — A ([indefinite] article) + TALL (of great height)

5d   Present a fork? // Forget it! (2,3)

NO W|A|Y — how an emcee might introduce a fork-shaped letter to the audience

6d   Greek character and editor spot E.R. // exterminator (4,5)

PI|ED| PIP|ER — PI (Greek character; the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet)  + (and) ED (editor; abbrev.) + PIP (spot) + ER (E.R.; Emergency Room, the North American counterpart to the British A&E [Accident and Emergency] department in a hospital)

The Pied Piper^[5] is the hero of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, a poem by Robert Browning (1842), based on an old German legend. The piper, dressed in particoloured costume, rid the town of Hamelin (Hameln) in Brunswick of rats by enticing them away with his music, and when refused the promised payment he lured away the town's children in the same manner.

7d   Print a novel // to some extent (2,4)

{IN PART}* — anagram (novel) of PRINT A

8d   Harry Truman's inaugural // cups, saucers, etc. (3,3)

TEA SE|T — TEASE (harry) + T (Truman's inaugural [initial letter])

Scratching the Surface
Harry S. Truman[5] (1884–1972) was an American Democratic statesman, 33rd president of the US 1945–53. He authorized the use of the atom bomb against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, introduced the Marshall Plan of emergency aid in 1948 to war-shattered European countries, and involved the US in the Korean War.

11d   Cloudy occasion, we hear, /is/ top-notch (5,1)

{GRADE A}~ — sounds like (we hear) GREY DAY (cloudy occasion)

15d   Some marijuana among Tennessee's // green plants (4,5)

T(REE FER)N|S — REEFER (some marijuana) contained in (among) {TN (Tennessee; abbrev.) + S ('s)}

17d   Get money for // cold one before climb (4,2)

C|A|SH IN — {C (cold; abbrev.) + A (one)} preceding (before) SHIN (climb; ascend a rope, for example)

18d   Cabin dweller // cut lemon wrong (5,3)

{UNCLE TOM}* — anagram (wrong) of CUT LEMON

Uncle Tom^[5] is the name of the hero of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), an anti-slavery novel by American abolitionist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896). Today, in North America, the name is regarded as an offensive derogatory term for a black man considered to be excessively obedient or servile to whites.

Delving Deeper

Uncle Tom's Cabin[5] was the best-selling novel of the 19th century and the second best-selling book of that century, following the Bible. It is credited with helping fuel the abolitionist cause in the 1850s. In the first year after it was published, 300,000 copies of the book were sold in the United States; one million copies in Great Britain. In 1855, three years after it was published, it was called "the most popular novel of our day." The impact attributed to the book is great, reinforced by a story that when Abraham Lincoln met Stowe at the start of the Civil War, Lincoln declared, "So this is the little lady who started this great war."

19d   Make blue // puff with duck feathers (4,4)

DRAG DOWN — DRAG (puff; on a cigarette) + (with) DOWN (duck feathers)

22d   Something stolen /or/ mislaid: a torch (3,3)

{HOT CAR}* — anagram (mislaid) of A TORCH

23d   Easily available, // had not changed (2,4)

{TO HAND}* — anagram (changed) of HAD NOT

25d   White House: // "Am I being accused?" (3,2)

W|HO ME — W (white; abbrev., used perhaps in photography, B&W for black and white) + HOME (house)

Scratching the Surface

26d   Bug // in the Coliseum (1,4)

_E COLI_ —  hidden in (in) theE COLIseum

Scratching the Surface
The Colosseum[7] or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. The largest amphitheatre ever built, the Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum.

Epilogue

The early birds appear to have noticed that there are no single-word solutions in today's puzzle.

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)
^[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)

Signing off for today — Falcon