Friday, September 4, 2009 (DT 25912)

This puzzle was originally published Saturday, April 25, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Contrary to the Brits, I found today's puzzle - especially the lower half - to be one of the more difficult in quite some time. I had only solved three or four clues before opening the Tool Chest, and even with the use of the puzzle solving aids found there, it took me quite a long time to complete the puzzle.

Today's Glossary

Some possibly unfamiliar abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions used in today's puzzle

AV - abbrev. Authorized Version: the English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1611 under the direction of King James VI and I; also called King James Bible or King James Version

ratty - Brit. informal bad-tempered and irritable (defn. 4)

Rom - a male Gypsy (entry 2)

Toby Jug - a beer jug or mug in the form of a stout old man wearing a three-cornered hat

TT - abbrev. Tourist Trophy: motorcycle races that are held annually on the Isle of Man

up the spout - Brit. informal useless or ruined or (of a woman) pregnant

Today's Links

This being a Saturday prize puzzle in the UK, there was a lot of chatter on AnswerBank concerning it. I found fourteen questions on AnswerBank discussing today's puzzle. They (together with the clues to which they relate) are:

• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-a: 26ac
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-b: 4d, 19d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-c: 4d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-d: 16ac, 13d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-e: 16ac, 20ac, 27ac, 7d, 21d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-f: 27ac, 21d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-g: 5d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-h: 9ac, 6d, 20d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-i: 14ac
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-j: 17ac, 22ac, 17d, 20d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-k: 5d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-l: 12ac, 14ac, 4d
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-m: 17ac
• AnswerBank [DT 25912]-n: 29ac, 3d, 15d

Big Dave's date-of-publication hints for today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25912]-Hints and Peter Biddlecombe's post-submission-date review at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25912]-Review.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

14ac Can, in a way, be one's allotted task (5)

Peter Biddlecombe takes minor issue with the inclusion of "be" in this clue ("... 'be' is surface padding which does nothing in the cryptic reading ..."), although this aspect of the clue presented me with no difficulty. I interpreted it as merely a linking word expressing equality between the two elements of the clue, similar to the commonly seen use of a word such as "is" (which, after all, is just third person singular of "to be").

7d Show preference for Bible quartet included (6)

Like Big Dave, my initial take on this clue was that it called for "quartet" to be included within "Bible". That is, I assumed the meaning was "Bible (with) quartet included". However, the reverse is actually true - "Bible" is included within "quartet". That is, the proper interpretation is "Bible (that) quartet included (within itself)". Nevertheless, I do tend to agree with Big Dave - the construction, if not bad, is certainly awkward.

Signing off for today - Falcon