Puzzle at a Glance
|
|---|
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28926 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28926] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
KiwiColin (half of the 2Kiwis duo) | |
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
| |
I am currently on vacation. Today's posting was prepared prior to my departure and reviews the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post unexpectedly skipped three puzzles on Monday, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.
| |
Introduction
What can I say other than another terrific puzzle from Jay!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:
|
The review of a clue takes the following general structure:
#a/d Clue containing parsing markup (num*)
* num = numeration
Explanations pertaining to the wordplay (or first definition in a double definition)
(Horizontal separator)
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 program, 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:
|
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 directly from a dictionary or at least phrased in a non-misleading fashion similar to one that would be found in a dictionary
- 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 (for example, defining topiary as "clip art")
- a "whimsical definition": a definition "invented" by the setter often by extrapolating a non-existent meaning for a word from a similar word (for example, defining a bird as a "winger" [something possessing wings] or a river as a ''flower" [something that flows] or to extrapolate that, since disembowel means 'to remove the innards of ', that discontent must mean 'to remove the contents of')
- a "definition by example": the presence of one of these is often flagged with a question mark (for example, defining atoll as "coral?" where an atoll is but one form that coral may take).
I identify precise definitions by marking them with a solid underline in the clue and other varieties of definition (such as cryptic definitions, whimsical definitions, definitions by example, etc.) 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.
ExamplesI 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.
A few examples may help to illustrate these points more clearly.
The first example is a clue used by Jay in DT 28573:
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).
- 4d Fellow left work // a failure (4)
The second example is a clue used by Giovanni in DT 28575:
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.
- 29a Female going to match // travels with mother in advance (10)
The third example is a clue used by Rufus is DT 28583:
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/).
- 18d Knight caught by misplaced big blow /is/ staggering (8)
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)
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
Across
| 1a | Spirit present initially in busy street // musicians (10) |
| 6a | Graduate teacher's // furniture items? (4) |
A Bachelor of Education[7] (B.Ed.) is an undergraduate professional degree which prepares students for work as a teacher in schools, though in some countries additional work must be done in order for the student to be fully qualified to teach.
| 10a | Artist volunteers to eat one // side order (5) |
"artist" = RA (show explanation )
A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.
hide
A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.
hide
"volunteers" = TA [Territorial Army] (show explanation )
In the UK, Territorial Army[5] (abbreviation TA[5]) was, at one time, the name of a volunteer force founded in 1908 to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency. Since 2013, this organization has been called the Army Reserve.
hide explanation
In the UK, Territorial Army[5] (abbreviation TA[5]) was, at one time, the name of a volunteer force founded in 1908 to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency. Since 2013, this organization has been called the Army Reserve.
hide explanation
Raita[5] is an Indian side dish of yogurt containing chopped cucumber or other vegetables, and spices. Raita[7] is is often referred to as a condiment, but unlike traditional western condiments such as salt, pepper, mustard and horseradish that make dishes more spicy, raita has a cooling effect to contrast with spicy curries and kebabs that are the main fare of some Asian cuisines.
| 11a | Hobby that's hip, possibly in the recent past (9) |
Philately[5] is the collection and study of postage stamps.
| 12a | Sink // fuel container (7) |
A scuttle[5] is metal container with a handle, used to fetch and store coal for a domestic fire.
| 13a | Fancying /and/ cooking stew with one (5,2) |
| 14a | Mark felt differently, always // suffering from this (7,5) |
The definition is a cryptic way of saying 'something that causes suffering'.
Scarlet fever[5] is an infectious bacterial disease affecting especially children, and causing fever and a scarlet rash. It is caused by streptococci.
| 18a | Hard coat /produced by/ processing cast iron unit (12) |
| 21a | Furious // tabloid in terrible need (7) |
Rag[5] is an informal term for a newspaper, typically one regarded as being of low quality.
| 23a | Off colour, playing football? (3,4) |
In Association Football (otherwise known as soccer or, to the Brits, simply football) and some other games, the term red card[5] (noun) denotes a red card shown by the referee to a player who is being sent off the field [i.e., ejected from the game for a serious violation of the rules] ⇒
Guerra was shown the red card for a foul on Meijer.
For less serious infractions, the referee would caution a player by showing a yellow card[5]. [A second yellow card results in ejection from the game.]
| 24a | Fighter // freed irregular, almost capturing student (9) |
"student" = L [driver under instruction] (show more )
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
hide
 |
| Automobile displaying an L-plate |
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
hide
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
Irregular[5] (usually irregulars) denotes a member of an irregular military force ⇒ Reconstruction efforts are under way, but American troops remain targets of almost daily attacks by Iraqi irregulars. |
| 25a | Love stay in Scotland -- // such colour (5) |
"love" = O [tennis term] (show explanation )
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
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
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
Stay[5] is a Scottish* and South African term meaning to live permanently ⇒ (i)
where do you stay?; (ii)
Although most of the inhabitants stay in shacks, they clearly take pride in their environment.
* If you need further proof, see TQ's contribution (Comment #7) on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
| 26a | Homer's expression, holding onto son /for/ money (4) |
Homer Simpson[7] is one of the main protagonists in the American animated television series The Simpsons as the patriarch of the eponymous family. The series. a satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle, parodies American culture, society, television, and many aspects of the human condition.
Homer's main and most famous catchphrase, the annoyed grunt "D'oh!"[7], is typically uttered when he injures himself, realizes that he has done something stupid, or when something bad has happened or is about to happen to him.
"son" = S [genealogy] (show explanation )
Dosh[5] is an informal British term for money ⇒
cycling saves you a heap of dosh.
| 27a | An all-rounder's chance is here, // no matter what happens (2,3,5) |
All-rounder[5] is a British term for a versatile person or thing, especially a cricketer who can both bat and bowl well.
For the first definition, one needs to apply a literal interpretation to the phrase constituting the solution.
Down
| 1d | This one's off before reckless // party (6) |
Thrash[5] is an informal British term for a party, especially a loud or lavish one ⇒
Henry's charity ball had been one hell of a thrash.
| 2d | What in Madrid coming after university /is/ incomparable (6) |
In Spanish, qué[8] is a pronoun meaning 'what'.
Uni[5] is an informal term (originally Australian) for university ⇒
he planned to go to uni.
What did he say?
| |
|---|---|
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, KiwiColin refers toFawlty Towers[7] is a British television sitcom broadcast on BBC in 1975 and 1979. Only 12 episodes were made (two series of six episodes each). The programme will certainly be familiar to many on this side of the pond as it has been broadcast in North America. The show was ranked first on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000.the Spanish ‘what’ that we all learnt from Fawlty Towers. The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay* on the "English Riviera". The plots centre on tense, rude and put-upon owner Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil (Prunella Scales), comparatively normal chambermaid Polly (Connie Booth) who often is the peacemaker and voice of reason, and hapless and English-challenged Spanish waiter Manuel (Andrew Sachs), showing their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests and tradespeople. Manuel, the waiter, is a well-meaning but disorganised and confused Spaniard from Barcelona with a poor grasp of the English language and customs. He is verbally and physically abused by his boss. When told what to do, he often responds, "¿Qué?" ("What?"). |
| 3d | Work in the theatre, creating an appearance (7,7) |
| 4d | Classified // source of energy found in new crop test (3,6) |
Although, in his hint, KiwiColin refers to the "physics symbol for energy", the setter does not actually utilize this implicit device but rather explicitly clues E as the "source [initial letter] of Energy".
| 5d | Suffers after runs /and/ horizontal bars (5) |
"runs" = R [cricket notation] (show explanation )
| 7d | European in motion to accept English court /is/ optional (8) |
"European" = E (show explanation )
E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).
* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.
hide
E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).
* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.
hide
Live[5] (in reference to a wheel or axle in machinery) means moving or imparting motion ⇒ (i)
Well it's American and it's got a live axle so it's bound to be no good, right?; (ii)
Most lay the blame for its lack of handling on the live rear axle.
"court" = CT (show explanation )
Ct[2] is the abbreviation for Court in street addresses — and possibly in other contexts as well.
hide explanation
Ct[2] is the abbreviation for Court in street addresses — and possibly in other contexts as well.
hide explanation
| 8d | Extract from essay on a race // so long? (8) |
Sayonara[5] is an informal US exclamation [of Japanese origin] meaning goodbye ⇒
the beautiful Diana was twenty-one when she said sayonara.
| 9d | The point of African optimism (4,2,4,4) |
The Cape of Good Hope[5] is a mountainous promontory south of Cape Town, South Africa, near the southern extremity of Africa.
Unanother long-held belief dashed
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope[7] is the southern tip of Africa. This misconception was based on the misbelief that the Cape was the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Contemporary geographic knowledge instead states the southernmost point of Africa is Cape Agulhas about 150 kilometres (90 mi) to the east-southeast.
| |||
| 15d | Create a diversion /in/ harbour (9) |
| 16d | Conned crossing threshold, // conflicted (8) |
Post Mortem
| |
|---|---|
| I knew the British slang. My downfall came from concentrating on threshold in its literal sense rather than its figurative sense. Like Miffypops (Comment #3 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog) and many others, I tried to use EDGE and also even considered LEDGE. |
Do[5] is an informal British term meaning to swindle ⇒
a thousand pounds for one set of photos — Jacqui had been done.
| 17d | Runs /from/ moaner on board ship (8) |
"on board ship" = 'contained in SS' (show explanation )
In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is almost invariably a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS[5]. Thus phrases such as "aboard ship" or "on board ship" (or sometimes merely "aboard" or "on board") are Crosswordland code for 'contained in SS'.
hide explanation
In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is almost invariably a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS[5]. Thus phrases such as "aboard ship" or "on board ship" (or sometimes merely "aboard" or "on board") are Crosswordland code for 'contained in SS'.
hide explanation
Scarper[5] is an informal British term meaning to run away ⇒
they left the stuff where it was and scarpered.
What did he say?
| |
|---|---|
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, KiwiColin refers toWhereas North Americans merely whine, it would seem that Brits both whine and whinge.a moaner or a whinger .... Whinge[5] is an informal British term that means:
|
| 19d | Stick around at home /for/ the dog (6) |
| 20d | Arrival /of/ express after a day (6) |
What did he say?
| |
|---|---|
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, KiwiColin writesThis puzzle was published in the UK on December 19, 2018, well into Advent*.We had to have one seasonal clue. * Advent[5] being the first season of the Church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays. |
| 22d | Body language revealing // Nobel prize winner (5) |
American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature[7] in 2016 "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition". The New York Times reported: "Mr. Dylan, 75, is the first musician to win the award, and his selection on Thursday is perhaps the most radical choice in a history stretching back to 1901."
Key to Reference Sources:Signing off for today — Falcon
[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)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.