Saturday, March 2, 2019 — Uniquely On the Edge

Introduction

For the most part, today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon was completed quite quickly. However, with an overly full plate of commitments lying ahead of me, I tossed in the towel early and sought a bit of electronic help to reach the finish line.

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 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

8a   Gambler’s take /from/ Wednesday portion of a cricket game (8)

W|INNINGS —W(ednesday) + INNINGS (portion of a cricket game)

9a   Long-winded // prof, almost 59 (6)

PRO|LIX — PRO[F] with the final letter removed (almost) + LIX ([Roman numeral for] 59)

10a   Look next to box office // structure in a park (6)

GAZE|BO — GAZE (look) + (next to) BO (Box Office; abbrev.)

11a   Number having okay // vision (8)

E(YES)IGHT — EIGHT (number) containing (having) YES (okay)

12a   Forceful, // virile types caught by former soldier (8)

VE(HEMEN)T — HE-MEN (virile types) contained in (caught by) VET (former soldier)

14a   European land supplied with right // wrench (6)

SP(R)AIN — SPAIN (European land) containing (supplied with) R(ight)

15a   Ordering // rum in the big plaza (13)

ALPHABETIZING* — anagram of (rum) of IN THE BIG PLAZA

Rum^[5] is a dated informal British term meaning odd or peculiar ⇒ it’s a rum business, certainly. While it commonly makes an appearance as an anagram indicator in British cryptic crossword puzzles, it is not necessarily something I would expect to see in an American puzzle.

18a   Certain case/’s/ motion that’s a little shaky? (6)

QUIVER — double definition

Post Mortem
I seem to have encountered a mental block here. Being short of time, I lost patience and resorted to using a wordfinder program to suggest candidate words matching the checking letters. I had even suspected that the puzzle might be a pangram which should have been sufficient, in itself, to allow me to find the solution.

20a   Carrying computer, on the other hand, relieves // skydivers’ needs (3,5)

RI(P C|OR)DS — RIDS (relieves) containing (carrying) {PC ([personal] computer) + OR (on the other hand)}

23a   After musical improvisation with alto, I’m able to // like Bob Marley (8)

JAM|A|I|CAN — {I CAN} (I'm able to) following (after) {JAM (musical improvisation) + (with) A (alto; abbrev., singing voice)}

Bob Marley^[5] (1945–1981) was a Jamaican reggae singer, guitarist, and songwriter. (show more )

Having formed the trio the Wailers in 1965, in the 1970s he was instrumental in popularizing reggae. His lyrics often reflected his commitment to Rastafarianism.

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25a   Prophet: // in jail, he converted (6)

ELIJAH* — anagram of (converted) IN JAIL HE

26a   Following Zen for the most part, like crazy // fanatic (6)

ZE_|A|LOT_ — {A LOT} (like crazy; he loved her a lot) following (†) ZE[N] with the final letter removed (for the most part)

27a   Liaison /with/ heartless yoga practitioner (8)

MEDI_ATOR — MEDI[T]ATOR (yoga practitioner) with the middle letter removed (heartless)

Post Mortem
I found myself in the same boat here as at 18a and again called in the wordfinder program to bail me out.

Down

1d   Pass fuming // robber (6)

P|IRATE — P (pass; academic result in a pass/fail system) + IRATE (fuming)

2d   Rather involved, // must get into store (4-4)

K(NEE_D)EEP — NEED (must) contained in (get into) KEEP (store)

3d   In turnaround, O’Neill/’s/ ruined (6)

_UND|ONE_ — hidden in (in) turnaroUND O'NEill

4d   Key // passage recited (4)

ISLE~  — sounds like (recited) AISLE

5d   A short handout for reporters // back at the lodge? (5-3)

A|PRES-S|KI_ — A (†) + {PRESS KI[T]} (handout for reporters) with the final letter removed (short)

I have marked the definition as cryptic in that it more alludes to the solution than explicitly define it.

6d   Company landing place /for/ office machine (6)

CO|PIER — CO (company; abbrev.) + PIER (landing place)

7d   New thing in fruit // combat (8)

FI(GHTIN*)G — anagram of (new) THING contained in (in) FIG (fruit)

13d   Possessive // dynast’s last successor (5)

T|HEIR — T (dynasT's last [letter]) + HEIR (successor)

15d   Flattered // a failure about nearing the end (8)

A|DU(LATE)D — A (†) + DUD (failure) containing (about) LATE (nearing the end)

16d   Wickedness // at outskirts of Radio City (8)

AT|R_O|CITY — AT (†) + RO (outskirts [initial and final letters] of RadiO) + CITY (†)

Scratching the Surface

Radio City[7] comprises a portion of Rockefeller Center on 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) in New York City, specifically the following addresses: 1230 Avenue of the Americas — Simon and Schuster Building (originally U.S. Rubber Company Building); 30 Rockefeller Plaza — Comcast Building (originally RCA Building) which houses NBC Studios among other things; 1260 Avenue of the Americas — Radio City Music Hall; 1270 Avenue of the Americas — Amax Building (originally RKO Building).

17d   Tossing coin, liar /is/ not exactly sincere (8)

IRONICAL* — anagram (tossing) of COIN LIAR

19d   Shameful, catching a bass // that could thrive (6)

VI(A|B)LE —VILE (shameful) containing (catching) {A (†) + B (bass; abbrev., singing voice)}

The solution is an adjectival clause; something viable is something that could thrive.

21d   Fake // membership fees held back by post office (6)

P(SEUD<)O — reversal of (back) DUES (membership fees) contained in (held ... by) PO (Post Office; abbrev.)

22d   Tiny organism // I’d returned with article by Thomas (6)

DI<|A|TOM — reversal of (returned) ID + (with) A ([indefinite] article) + (by) TOM ([diminutive of] Thomas)

24d   Stupefied, // open umbrella inside (4)

_N|UMB_ — hidden in (inside) opeN UMBrella

Epilogue

I did recognize fairly early in the solving process that the puzzle was shaping up to be a pangram (a puzzle in which the solutions to the clues include at least one occurrence of every letter in the alphabet). I should have kept that in mind when I stalled on 18a.

While I patted myself on the back for spotting the pangram, I discover that Peter was even more perceptive — having not only seen the pangram but also realizing that the 26 letters positioned around the perimeter of the puzzle contain a single occurrence of each letter of the alphabet.

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