Monday, November 16, 2009 (DT 25986)

This puzzle was originally published Tuesday, July 21, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

My performance on today's puzzle was somewhat less than stellar. However, I can take satisfaction from the fact that the clues with which I had problems were also the ones with which many of the Brits had difficulty. Like many of those who left comments on Big Dave's blog, it was the north-east quadrant that caused me grief. If you follow the link to Big Dave's Blog, you will actually find a couple of clues explained by the setter himself.

Today's Glossary

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

David Cameron - leader of the British Conservative Party

newmarket - Brit. a card game named after Newmarket, the Suffolk racing town

on the pull - Brit. attempting to attract someone sexually

pontoon - Brit. a card game in which players try to acquire cards with a value totalling twenty-one (known in North America as blackjack, twenty-one or vingt-et-un)

shower - (noun, defn. 6) Brit. an incompetent or worthless group of people

tenner - Brit. a ten-pound note

tombola - Brit. a game in which tickets are drawn from a revolving drum to win prizes

wenching - (verb, defn. 2) going courting or associating with girls

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Telegraph Crossword Blog [DT 25986].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

1a Character study, perhaps (11)

I believe that I initially solved this clue on the basis that COMPOSITION is the only word that matches the checking letters (and, even with one of the checking letters missing, there was really no other viable option). My explanation for the wordplay was similar to that put forward in Gazza's review. However, as the setter explains in his reply to Gazza's post, the clue is actually a double definition. In the first definition, composition is used in the sense of character, constitution, or make-up (as in "One's composition may be tested by trying times"). In the second definition, composition is used in the art world sense of a study (as per Gazza's explanation). I think this is one of those cases where one either "gets it" or not. Many of the Brits seemed to remain sceptical even after receiving the explanation from the setter - who admitted that it was perhaps not the best of clues!

10a Come to from anaesthetic? (7)

I failed to recognize that "come to" could mean number. Therefore, I attempted to construct a rather convoluted explanation of the wordplay, along the lines of "Come to [this state] through the use of (i.e., from) an anaesthetic". That is, after using an anaesthetic, one is in a number state than before using it. Not elegant - but the best I could manage to do.

17a Walk beside the seaside (9)

While the "correct" answer is ESPLANADE, there were many (including myself) who originally supposed the solution to be PROMENADE. In fact, the latter seems to better match the clue than the "real" solution. Again the setter provided an explanation on Big Dave's Blog, in which he states that Chambers shows esplanade as a synonym of walk. If my inference is correct, he seems to imply that there are two elements to this clue - ESPLANADE as a walk (based on Chambers) and ESPLANADE as being beside the seaside. However, given that an esplanade is a particular kind of walk (i.e., one beside the seaside), this argument breaks down and there really are not two parts to this clue. By the way, it is interesting to note that one of the major office complexes in downtown Ottawa is called L'esplanade Laurier and it is neither a walk nor beside the seaside.

4d Small butts providing thrills (5)

I kicked myself in the butt for not being able to see the answer to this clue. After an endless search for the answer, I had to fall back on Gazza's hints for the solution.

Signing off for today - Falcon