Monday, April 12, 2010 (DT 26117)

This puzzle by Rufus was originally published Monday, December 21, 2009 in The Daily Telegraph

The National Post has skipped DT 26116 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, December 19, 2009

Introduction

As is typical of a Monday puzzle, this one is perhaps a bit on the less difficult side. However, it is not so easy that I could complete it without resorting to my Tool Chest.

Today's Glossary

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

chancery - noun (Chancery or Chancery Division) Law (in the UK) the Lord Chancellor’s court, a division of the High Court of Justice (ORIGIN contraction of CHANCELLERY)

pinnace - noun chiefly historical a small boat forming part of the equipment of a larger vessel

RA - abbreviation 1 (in the UK) Royal Academician or Royal Academy

swop - [American Heritage Dictionary] verb & noun Chiefly British Variant of swap

Today's Links

Rishi's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26117].

From the discussion on Big Dave's site, we learn that the first crossword puzzle was published on December 21, 1913 (96 years to the day prior to the appearance of today's puzzle in The Daily Telegraph). If you are curious, you will find a link to that 1913 puzzle provided by Big Dave (buried in the comments to Rishi's review). I have also added this item to my Library (found in the sidebar to the right) where you will find it listed as Brief History of Crossword Puzzles.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

29a It is said to have proved a hit (6)

My first stab at a solution, which was GOTCHA, failed to score. However, I was definitely on the right track (or perhaps piste) and did eventually find the proper expression.

3d There's no advantage in breaking it (4)

This was yet another case where I had to retract my initial solution which I thought might have been EDGE. My thinking was that edge means advantage, so if one were to somehow alter (break) the word edge, the result would no longer mean advantage. It is a bit far-fetched perhaps - but I've become accustomed to some extremely off-the-wall clues lately.

Signing off for today - Falcon