Friday, September 14, 2018 — DT 28726

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28726
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, April 30, 2018
Setter Mister Ron (Chris Lancaster)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28726]
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

Today's puzzle is an entertaining one from Mister Ron in which you will find members of various political stripe present — a Liberal, a Tory, and an Independent.

The frequent mention of Dada in the early comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog arises from Miffypops having initially misidentified the setter (a fact he acknowledges in his intro).

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.

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 The Story 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.

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Across

1a   Leave the Titanic, perhaps -- /and/ its orchestra? (7,4)

9a   Sailor /and/ soldier with queen (9)

"queen" = ER (show explanation )

The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER^[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.

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10a   Kiss and cuddle /in/ club (5)

As Jezzafox points out at Comment #36 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, one would need to be quite a contortionist to kiss while spooning.

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Spoon^[5] is a dated term for a golf club with a slightly concave wooden head.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops refers to a spoon as a golf club with the loft of a modern nine iron. This bit of misinformation gets corrected in the thread arising from Comment #6. The spoon "was most equivalent to today’s fairway woods of various lofts – 3-woods, 5-woods, 7-woods".

11a   Settle // a match? (6)

12a   Some yeti going around // national park (8)

Yosemite National Park^[5] is a national park in the Sierra Nevada in central California. It includes Yosemite Valley, with its sheer granite cliffs and Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in the US.

13a   Former partner left at sea? // Send overseas! (6)

15a   Pressure provided by affair /is/ trivial (8)

"pressure" = P (show explanation )

In physics, p^[5] is a symbol used to represent pressure in mathematical formulae.

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18a   Betrayal? // It's in the bag (8)

Shop^[5] is an informal British term meaning to inform on (someone) ⇒ she shopped her husband to bosses for taking tools home.

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops provides a list of alternative synonyms for the act of betrayal ... informing on someone. Dobbing them in. Ratting on them. Grassing them up.. Dob[2,5] (often dob someone in or dob on someone) is an informal Australian and New Zealand term meaning to inform on or betray (someone) ⇒ (i) Helen dobbed me in to Mum; (ii) He's in the prison, he's dobbing on his prison mates, on other inmates, and he's very scared for his life. Grass[5] is an informal British term meaning: (noun) a police informer (verb, often grass on or grass up) to inform the police of someone’s criminal activities or plans ⇒ (i) someone had grassed on the thieves; (ii) she threatened to grass me up.

19a   Hospital // not quite secure, one's admitted (6)

21a   Copper left argument about // items of clothing (8)

"copper" = CU (show explanation )

The symbol for the chemical element copper is Cu^[5] (from late Latin cuprum).

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23a   Live article carrying firm // warning (6)

26a   Head/'s/ working and working to get Independent on board (5)

"Independent" = I (show explanation )

I^[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the context of a politician with no party affiliation.

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Onion^[1] is slang for the head.

27a   Cold playing golf /in/ open space (9)

If you were playing golf, you would be on [the] course.

28a   Set in stone // what stylists might have done? (3,3,5)

The second definition is a literal interpretation of this figurative expression.

Down

1d   Pacify // monkey eating greens (7)

I managed to solve this clue despite apes not being monkeys and peas not being greens.

A monkey^[2] is any mammal belonging to the primates other than a human, ape, chimpanzee, gibbon, orang utan or lemur.

Greens^[2] are vegetables with edible green leaves and stems.

2d   Liberal put in jail with no defences /or/ excuse (5)

"Liberal" = LIB (show more )

The Liberal Party^[5] (abbreviation Lib.^[5] or L^[2])^* in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats. However, a small Liberal Party still exists although it has no representation in the UK Parliament, no Members of the European Parliament (MEP), no members of the Scottish Parliament, nor any members of the National Assembly for Wales.^[7] Today, the party holds only a handful of seats at the local government level.

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^* Although Lib.^[5] may be the more common abbreviation for the Liberal Party in Britain — likely to distinguish it from the the Labour Party^[5] (abbreviation Lab.^[5]) — Chambers 21st Century Dictionary indicates that L^[2] may also be used.

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3d   Hot temperature in faulty adapter? // One could be lethal (9)

"temperature" = T (show explanation )

The abbreviation for temperature is t^[2].

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A deathtrap is a place, structure, or vehicle that is potentially very dangerous ⇒ a match can turn a foam-filled armchair into a deathtrap in seconds.

4d   Require // massage, we hear (4)

5d   Musical // chairs mostly played around particular day (8)

6d   Old-fashioned // grandpa's second-hand clothes (5)

7d   Sing about English // herbal remedy (7)

Ginseng^[5] is a plant tuber credited with various tonic and medicinal properties.

8d   Command // underling to support party (8)

14d   Poor complain endlessly about king/'s/ broadcast (8)

"king" = R (show explanation )

In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms^*, Rex^[5] (abbreviation R^[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

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^* 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.

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16d   Lie /from/ policeman working undercover, possibly? (9)

Split (5,4), the solution might describe a policeman who has infiltrated a criminal gang.

17d   Brisket perhaps /that's/ sold too cheap? (8)

Undercut^[10] means to to charge less^* than (a competitor) in order to obtain trade [business].

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^* Note: the solution to the second definition is in the past tense, so (despite the spelling being identical to that of the present tense) means "to have charged less than ...".

Mislabeled Beef?

Has our setter mislabeled his cuts of beef? Do not brisket and undercut come from opposite ends of the cow — brisket from the lower front and undercut from the upper rear? Brisket[5] is meat cut from the breast of an animal, typically a cow. Undercut[1,5] is a British term for the tenderloin*, or fillet**, or underside of a sirloin*** of beef. * tenderloin[5] is the tenderest part of a loin of beef, pork, etc., taken from under the short ribs in the hindquarters ** a fillet[5] is a beef steak cut from the lower part of a sirloin *** sirloin[5] is good-quality beef cut from the loin British Beef Cuts Note: Beef cuts[7] differ around the world. The above discussion refers to British cuts. I do take note that the clue drew not a peep of complaint on Big Dave's Crossword Blog so perhaps I have misinterpreted the dictionaries (although they seem pretty clear) or the dictionaries have it wrong.

18d   Criminal sources // something sweet (7)

20d   Challenge // Tory over care (7)

"Tory" = CON (show more )

A Tory^[10] is a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in Great Britain or Canada.

The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.^[10] or Con.^[10].

Historically, a Tory^[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.

The Conservative Party^[5] is a a major British political party that emerged from the old Tory Party under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s. Since the Second World War, it has been in power 1951–64, 1970-74, and 1979–97. It governed in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats from 2010 until the general election of May 2015, in which it was returned with a majority.

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22d   Turning up at home, getting into bed, /is/ pick-me-up (5)

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops refers to a cot as a small bed. In Britain, a small bed with high barred sides for a baby or very young child is called a cot[5] rather than a crib[5] as it is known in North America.

24d   My American soldier/'s/ dog (5)

Cor^[5] is an informal British exclamation expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm ⇒ Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!.

"American soldier" = GI (show explanation )

A GI^[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒ she went off with a GI during the war.

Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).

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What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops instructs us to Find a word meaning my or blimey. Blimey[5] (also cor blimey) is an informal British exclamation used to express surprise, excitement, or alarm. Another variant of this term is gorblimey[5], an informal expression of surprise or indignation.

25d   Rule 100 should be dropped // soon (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)
^[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)

Signing off for today — Falcon