Monday, June 17, 2019 — DT 28927 (Published Saturday, June 15, 2019)

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28927
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, December 20, 2018
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28927]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By pommers
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
This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, June 15, 2019 edition of the National Post. I am currently on vacation. Today's posting reviews the puzzle that I expect to be published today. However, as the National Post unexpectedly skipped three puzzles last Monday, there is no guarantee that my forecast will necessarily prove to be accurate.

Introduction

I don't recall much about the solving experience for this puzzle although I do note that I needed a bit of electronic help to finish. The review was cobbled together under trying circumstances while away from home after the National Post skipped three puzzles last Monday necessitating the scrapping of the reviews for those three puzzles that I had prepared prior to my departure.

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 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: 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 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).

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 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.

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	Cleaned // quietly inside vehicle (6)

"quietly" = P [music notation] (show explanation )

Piano^[3,5] (abbreviation p^[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

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5a	Glimpsing // first bit of gunk beside piercing (8)

9a	Appreciate eastern Cornwall town's // biscuits (10)

St Ives^[7] is a seaside town and port in Cornwall, England. St Ives is well known from the nursery rhyme and riddle "As I was going to St Ives", although it is not clear whether the rhyme refers to the Cornish town or one of several other places called St Ives.

Here and There
The British use the term biscuit[3,4,11] to refer to a range of foods that include those that would be called either cookies or crackers in North America. A North American biscuit[5] is similar to what is known in Britain as a scone.

10a	Indulgence // consumed by major gymnast (4)

11a	Consider // overwhelming Spain in marine attack (3,5)

"Spain" = E [IVR code] (show explanation )

Spanish Licence Plate Format
(The IVR code is on the left below the EU flag emblem)

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for Spain is E^*[5].

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^* from Spanish España

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Consider^[10] is used in the sense of to think carefully about or ponder on (a problem, decision, etc); contemplate.

See about^[10] is used in the sense of to investigate; enquire into ⇒ to see about a new car.

12a	Sloppiness /from/ the French kiss, one totally discontented (6)

"the French" = LA (show explanation )

In French, the feminine singular form of the definite article is la^[8].

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The setter uses "discontented" to indicate that the inner letters of "TotallY" are to be removed. This cryptic device is based on the whimsical logic that if disembowel means to remove one's innards, then it only stands to reason that discontent must mean to remove one's contents.

13a	Trim left side of boundary /to make/ another (4)

15a	Long // time wound up with former lover to begin with (8)

18a	Work in a sty, I'd fancy // there's no worse place (8)

"work" = OP (show explanation )

In music, an opus^[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.

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. The plural form of Op. is Opp..

Opus^[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒ he was writing an opus on Mexico.

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19a	Unceremonious // over leaving playing area (4)

"over" = O [cricket term] (show explanation )

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation O^[5] denotes over(s), an over^[5] being 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.

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21a	Swordsman // runs after handler of stolen goods (6)

"runs" = R [cricket notation] (show explanation )

On cricket scorecards [not to mention baseball scoreboards], the abbreviation R^[5] denotes run(s).

In cricket, a run^[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.

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23a	Got on // space vessel within berth (8)

In printing, an em^[5] can be either of the following:

• a unit for measuring the width of printed matter, equal to the height of the type size being used; or
• a unit of measurement equal to twelve points.

Ark^[5] is an archaic name for a ship or boat. The best known example is undoubtedly Noah's ark^[5], the ship in which Noah, his family, and the animals were saved from the Flood, according to the biblical account (Gen. 6-8).

25a	Sea creature /is/ a food with shell on back (4)

26a	Modern // mobile few in England ordered (10)

27a	Trashy // clubs girl in Putney regularly ignored (8)

"clubs" = C [card suit] (show explanation )

Clubs^[2]) (abbreviation C^[1]) is one of the four suits of playing-cards.

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"girl" = LASS (show more )

Lass^[5] is a Scottish and Northern English term [although one that is extremely well-known — not only in Canada — but around the world] for a girl or young woman ⇒ (i) he married a lass from Yorkshire; (ii) village lasses.

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Scratching the Surface
Putney[7] is a district in south-west London, England in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

28a	Want // expensive threads, leaving studies aside (6)

Read^[5] is a British term meaning to study (an academic subject) at a university ⇒ (i) I’m reading English at Cambridge; (ii) he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics.

Down

2d	Short boy who asked for more // fruit (5)

Oliver Twist^[7], subtitled The Parish Boy's Progress, is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens (1812–1870), published in 1838. The story is about an orphan, Oliver Twist, who is born into a life of poverty and misfortune in a workhouse.

During the several years he spent at the workhouse, Oliver Twist^[7] is brought up with little food and few comforts. One day, around the time of his ninth birthday, the desperately hungry boys decide to draw lots; the loser must ask for another portion of gruel. The task falls to Oliver, who at the next meal tremblingly comes forward, bowl in hand, and begs the overseer, Mr. Bumble, for gruel with his famous request: "Please, sir, I want some more".

3d	Common // pal never dances tango (9)

Tango^[5] is a code word representing the letter T, used in radio communication.

4d	On-line business // boss bringing in nothing after October is upset (6)

Managing director^[2] (abbreviation MD) is the British term for chief executive officer, a director in overall charge of an organization and its day-to-day running, often carrying out the decisions of a board of directors.

5d	Let on // what poacher handing out freebies did (4,3,4,4)

The second definition is a literal interpretation of the idiom that is the solution.

6d	Certain // hoop inside a bustle getting misshapen (8)

7d	Maybe trainer announced // requirement to make profiteroles (5)

A profiterole^[5] is a small ball of soft, sweet choux pastry^* filled with cream and covered with chocolate sauce, served as a dessert.

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^* Choux pastry^[5] is very light pastry made with egg, typically used for eclairs and profiteroles.

8d	Near rush to imbibe whiskey, /that's/ habit of one retiring (9)

Whiskey^[5] is a code word representing the letter W, used in radio communication.^*

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^* Most sources stipulate the use of the Irish and US spelling of the word "whiskey" for this purpose.

Whiskey or whisky

In international radio communication, according to The Chambers Dictionary*,  Whiskey[1] or whiskey[1] is a code word for the letter w. Both Oxford Dictionaries Online and Collins English Dictionary also show the spelling (when used in this sense) as Whiskey[4,10] or whiskey[5]. However, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary specifies the spelling as Whisky[2]. According to Wikipedia, the NATO phonetic alphabet[7], officially denoted as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, and also commonly known as the ICAO phonetic alphabet, and in a variation also known officially as the ITU phonetic alphabet and figure code, is the most widely used radiotelephone spelling alphabet. However, the article is somewhat ambiguous, in most cases showing the spelling as Whiskey  However, a table in the section dealing with International Aviation[7] shows the ICAO spelling as Whiskey prior to 1956 and Whisky from 1956 onward.

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Habit^[5] is an archaic term for clothes ⇒ in the vile habit of a village slave.

14d	Heading off fraud suspect with entry // ticket (3,6)

Day return^[5] is a British term for a reduced-price fare for a journey on public transport out and back in one day.

16d	Climbing in automobile, silver and gold, to go up // country (9)

The symbol for the chemical element silver is Ag^[5] from Latin argentum.

The symbol for the chemical element gold is Au^[5] (from Latin aurum).

17d	Clandestine groups // entering unknown into vaults (3,5)

"unknown" = Y [algebraic notation] (show explanation )

In mathematics (algebra, in particular), an unknown^[10] is a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation ⇒ 3y = 4x + 5 is an equation in two unknowns. [Unknowns are customarily represented symbolically by the letters x, y and z.]

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20d	Moving down river, overseas // on boat, perhaps (6)

22d	Stroke /in/ slow movement (5)

24d	Something happening /in/ square that's close (5)

Square^[5] means to make the score of (a match or game) even ⇒ his goal squared the match 1–1.

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