Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 (DT 26192)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, March 19, 2010

Introduction

I struggled with today's puzzle, needing to pop open Ye Olde Tool Chest after having solved only two clues. Either this was a rather difficult puzzle or my brain has been frozen by the unseasonably cool weather we are experiencing today. Some tricky Briticisms contributed to the challenge - not to mention the error in clue 12a. My biggest shortcoming, however, was failing to recognize the cricket reference at 8d. Still, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that Gazza awarded it four stars for difficulty, realizing that it was not only myself who found it a bit daunting.

Error in Today's Puzzle

12a Thus mademoiselle is given a French flower (5)

Once one figures out the solution and reverse engineers the wordplay, it is quite obvious that there is an error in this clue (one that originated with The Daily Telegraph). The clue should read:

12a Thus madame is given a French flower (5)

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

Durham - a city in North East England, the county town of County Durham

gin2 - noun 3 a trap for catching small game. [Note: the picture that Gazza uses to illustrate this type of trap looks to me like what would be called a leg-hold trap in North America]

on - [Chambers] adjective 6 cricket on the side of the field towards which the bat is facing, usually the batsman's left and the bowler's right. Opposite of off.

Note: although Chambers (the online version, at least) does not list the word on as a noun, it certainly seems to be one in the cricket world, with its meaning easily obtained through extrapolation from its definition as an adjective, by deleting a single word (ironically, that being the word "on"):

on - [Chambers (by extrapolation)] noun cricket the side of the field towards which the bat is facing, usually the batsman's left and the bowler's right. Opposite of off.

Chambers does list the word off as both an adjective and a noun:

off - [Chambers] adjective 6 cricket on the side of the field towards which the batsman's feet are pointing, usually the bowler's left. Opposite of on (adj 6). noun 2 cricket the side of a field towards which the batsman's feet are pointing, usually the bowler's left.

Used in Solutions:

form - noun 6 chiefly Brit. a class or year in a school.

fringe - noun 2 chiefly Brit. the front part of someone’s hair, cut so as to hang over the forehead. [Note: seemingly what would be called bangs in North America]

leg - [Chambers] noun 7 cricket a (also leg side) the side of the field that is to the left of a right-handed batsman or to the right of a left-handed batsman; b a fielder positioned on this side of the field. See also fine leg, long leg, short leg, square leg.

Or, the same idea, expressed a bit differently by Oxford:

leg - [Oxford] noun 16 (also leg side) Cricket the half of the field away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. The opposite of off.

legless - adjective 2 Brit. informal extremely drunk.

S2 - abbreviation 7 International Vehicle Registration code Sweden.

splodge - noun & verb Brit. another term for splotch.

Ted (short for Teddy Boy) - a British youth subculture which started in London in the 1950s and rapidly spread across the UK, typified by young men wearing clothes inspired by the styles of the Edwardian period, and strongly associated with American rock and roll music of the period.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26192].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

4a Love to be given rest, ending with ugly fatness (7)

The definition is "fatness" with the solution being OBESITY. The wordplay is O (love) + (to) BE + (given) SIT (rest) + Y (ending with ugly; i.e., the final letter - or ending - of the word "ugly"). The word "to" here means abutting as in the expressions "Shoulder to the wheel" or "Nose to the grindstone" and is used as an explicit charade indicator. Similarly, the word "given", used in the sense of "added to", is an explicit charade indicator. The third charade indicator is implicit.

8d Drunk on ship when entertaining the French (7)

I failed to recognize the cricket reference here, despite having encountered it numerous times in the past. The definition is "drunk" with the solution being LEGLESS (British slang). The wordplay is {LEG (on; a cricket term) + SS (ship; abbreviation for steamship)} containing (when entertaining) LE (the French; i.e., the French word meaning "the").

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 (DT 26191)

This puzzle was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, March 18, 2010

Introduction

I thought it was a relatively easy puzzle today, and it seems that Libellule concurs - having awarded it two stars for difficulty.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

MEP
- abbreviation Member of the European Parliament.

stick - noun 7 Brit. informal severe criticism or treatment.

Used in Solutions:

dominant - noun 1 music the fifth note on a musical scale.

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26191].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

11a Say - isn't fig revolting? On the contrary (10)

Unless I am mistaken (which has certainly been known to happen), the word "revolting" in this clue is doing double duty. Its first role is serving as an anagram indicator for SAY ISNT FIG, which leads to the solution SATISFYING. Its second job is as part of the definition, "revolting, on the contrary". My confidence in this analysis is bolstered by the fact that it seems to correspond to that put forward by Libellule in his commentary.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, June 28, 2010

Monday, June 28, 2010 (DT 26190)

This puzzle, set by Jay, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Introduction

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Well, today is really not Saint Patrick's Day - but it was when this puzzle was published in the U.K. And that piece of information should provide quite a bit of help in completing this puzzle. The luck of the Irish seemed to be with me as I finished this one totally unaided - but, then again, Big Dave only awarded it two stars for difficulty.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

Horizon - a long-running BBC documentary television series, dealing with science and philosophy

jar1 - noun 2 Brit. informal a glass of beer.

River Liffey - a river in Ireland, flowing through the centre of Dublin.

pud - noun Brit. informal short for pudding.

RE - abbreviation Brit. the Corps of Royal Engineers (or member thereof); such a soldier is commonly known as a sapper: noun 1 a military engineer who lays or detects and disarms mines. 2 Brit. a soldier in the Corps of Royal Engineers.

Sky - a brand name for satellite television providers and channels across the world, owned by News Corporation, including British Sky Broadcasting as well as operations in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, India, Germany, Italy, and Latin America.

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26190].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

10a Evidence of liquidity between banks (5)

I got the gist of this clue, but my first attempt at a solution was not correct - or rather, it was not what the setter had in mind. I still think my answer could well be a better one. Having only the middle letter as guidance, I wrote in WAVES. I recognized that something between banks would likely be a river, and waves would be evidence of liquidity. In Canada, many rivers are frozen solid in the winter and thus not liquid at all (at least not on the surface).

23a A 10, for example, left sounding dubious (6)

In this clue, the number 10 is a cross reference, and indicates that one must substitute the solution for clue 10a into this clue, giving us "A river, for example, left sounding dubious".

14d Became conscious of a trail, half-ruined (8)

This trail might be found, for example, on the solution to 23a.

20d Broadcaster (cable) getting Horizon (7)

Sky would be well known to the Brits as a satellite television provider, so the word "cable" in parentheses is likely a deliberate attempt to throw them off the trail. Horizon is a long-running BBC science documentary series, perhaps somewhat along the lines of the PBS series Nova or the CBC's The Nature of Things.

24d In favor of travel, but give it a miss (5)

This solution to this clue took longer than necessary as I got hung up on thinking that "in favor of" might be PRO (which it isn't).

25d A bit of a nasty ear infection (4)

And a bit of "nasty" misdirection here, as well. The clue could read "A bit of a nasty eye infection" which would probably qualify it as a semi &lit. clue - but that would make the solution too obvious, wouldn't it?

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Saturday, June 26, 2010 - At the Post


Introduction

This weeks offering from Cox and Rathvon takes us to the track for the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Racing - the Canadian version, not the American one. The races making up the Canadian Triple Crown are the Queen's Plate, the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Breeders' Stakes. The Queen's Plate is the oldest thoroughbred horse race in North America.

If the timing of this puzzle was meant to coincide with the running of the Queen's Plate, it has appeared a week early. This year, the Queen's Plate is being held on July 4 (a bit later than its usual date), to match the Royal Visit to Canada of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh who will be guests of honour at the event.

Seven horses, all of whom are featured in today's puzzle, have been winners of the Canadian Triple Crown. Listed in order of their year of victory, they are:
  • 1959 - New Providence
  • 1963 - Canebora
  • 1989 - With Approval
  • 1990 - Izvestia
  • 1991 - Dance Smartly
  • 1993 - Peteski
  • 2003 - Wando
Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

Ameslan - an acronym for American Sign Language

PB - peanut butter [Note: while this expression may not appear in the dictionary, I believe the expressions PB (peanut butter) and PB & J (peanut butter and jelly) are likely well known to generations of North American children]

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition

"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed

"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted
Across

1a PRAVD*|A - anagram (travelling) of PAD RV + (with) A

4a _AMI(CAB)LY - [f]AMILY (leaderless clan; i.e., FAMILY with the first letter deleted) containing (takes) CAB (taxi)

9a P(OTHER)B - OTHER (different) contained in (when coated with) PB (peanut butter)

11a CAUTION* - anagram (new) of AUCTION

12a UNFED - [t]U[r]N [a] F[i]E[l]D (ignoring the odds in TURN A FIELD; i.e., deleting the letters in odd numbered positions); "on a fast" refers to fasting, as one might do at Lent

13a DOWNSTAGE* - anagram (drifting) of WANDO GETS

14a INCOMPARABLE* - anagram (after remedying) of LIMP CANEBORA

19a TRIP|LE (CROW)NS - TRIP (engage) + {LENS (camera device) containing (capturing) CROW (boast)}

22a KEEPSTI*|LL - LL (two lengths) following (behind) an anagram (entangled) of PETESKI

24a CON|DO - CON (against) + DO (party); flat is used in the sense of an apartment, and condo is short for condominium

25a C|ON|SENT - C (Conservative) + ON (riding) + SENT (thrilled with)

26a NECTARS* - anagram (sloshing) of canters

27a POSITI(O)N - anagram (excited) of PINTO IS containing (about) O (companion's second; i.e., the second letter of the word "companion")

28a RE(V)EL|S - {V (victory) contained in (in) REEL (dance)} + S (smartly's debut; i.e., first letter of the word "smartly")

Down

1d POP |MU|SIC - POP (dad) + (and) MU (Greek character) + SIC (attack; e.g., command to a dog)

2d ARTIFICE* - anagram (reviewed) of RACE IF IT

3d D|READ - D (distance) + READ (understand)

5d M(A|C)AW - {A + C (piece of candy; i.e., first letter of the word "candy")} contained in (in) MAW (mouth)

6d COUNSELOR* - anagram (treated) of COOL NURSE

7d BRIDAL~ - sounds like (heard of) BRIDLE (equine headgear)

8d YANKEE - cryptic definition; play on words, with "yankee" supposedly being someone who is yanked

10d BEDLAM|P - BEDLAM (zoo) + P (path's foremost; i.e., first letter in the word "path")

15d MARES NEST* - anagram (busted) of STEERSMAN [Note: the enumeration for this likely should have been (4'1,4)]

16d A|M(ESL)AN - A + MAN (guy) containing (adopting) ESL (English as a second language)

17d SWAN LAKE - {WAN (pale) + L (lake)} contained in (in) SAKE (benefit)

18d ESPO|USES - ESPO (nickname for former National Hockey League player Phil Esposito) + USES (employs)

20d SK(Y)CAP< = SKCAP {reversal (back) of PACKS (prepares to travel)} containing (around) Y (day's end; i.e., final letter in the word "day") 21d TENNIS_ - TENNISH (roughly mid-morning; i.e., near ten o'clock) with the final letter deleted (unfinished)

23d I(N)TRO* - N (organ finally; i.e., the final letter of the word "organ") contained in (interrupts) an anagram (playing) of TRIO

24d CACHE~ - sounds like (for audit) CASH (money)

Post Script

This post is appearing a few days late, as I returned this past weekend from a week-long trip, only to be faced with the pressing need to tackle a computer badly in need of maintenance that had decided to act up on the eve of my departure a week earlier. That task eventually stretched into hours and then days - severely limiting the time available to solve crossword puzzles and write blogs. Hopefully, this episode is behind me and I can now get back to a more or less regular schedule.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, June 25, 2010

Friday, June 25, 2010 (DT 26189)

This puzzle, set by Ray T, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Introduction

I was able to solve about three-quarters of this puzzle unaided, but needed to dig into the Tool Chest to complete the south-east quadrant. This was partly - though by no means entirely - due to initially entering an incorrect solution at 24a.

Political Overtones

I detect a distinct political theme today - with appearances by a Labour leader (13a), a Socialist leader (25a), an Opposition leader (7d), and a Conservative leader (11d) - not to mention current British Prime Minister David Cameron (3d) and the former holder of the office, Gordon Brown (4d). Of course, at the time that this puzzle appeared in the U.K., Mssrs. Cameron and Brown were occupying the reverse roles. It would appear that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg failed to make this puzzle. There are also several allusions to authority, politics, influence and privilege, including the Ten Commandments (1a), "grand, posh language" (10a), "right" (14a), "declaration from winner" (15a), "person of authority" (17a), "Crown" (20a), "vote for right" (7d), "Kingdom's premier" (8d), "reshuffle" (11d), and "left" (23d).

Although this puzzle appeared almost a month prior to the commencement of the 2010 U.K. general election campaign on April 12, some of the clues almost appear to be a comment on it. For instance, "Shock vote for right? Opposition leader's winning" (7d) seems eerily prescient. And is "Kingdom's premier lower than cheat" (8d) a commentary on Gordon Brown, the then serving prime minister of the U.K.?

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

nit - noun informal 2 Brit. a stupid person.

U2 - adjective Brit colloq said especially of language: typical of or acceptable to the upper classes. Compare non-U. [By extension, posh]

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26189].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

24a Stick up job (7)

An initial incorrect solution (POSTING) impeded progress in the south-east quadrant. It seemed like a plausible solution, with posting meaning "chiefly Brit. an appointment to a job, especially one abroad or in the armed forces" as well as its use in the sense of posting (sticking up) advertising notices (posters). After having determined that my first attempt was wrong, this clue remained the final one to crack.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010 (DT 26188)

This puzzle, created by Rufus, was originally published Monday, March 15, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

The National Post has skipped DT 26187 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, March 13, 2010

Introduction

It is a rather enjoyable puzzle today - and not too difficult, even with the cricket terminology.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

draw stumps - verb 1 cricket To declare an end to the days play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps. 2 idiomatic To cease doing something, at least for the day.

tick - noun 3 Brit. informal a moment.

Used in Solutions:

spoon - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 3 Golf a former name for a No. 3 wood.

Today's Links

Rishi's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26188].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wedneday, June 23, 2010 (DT 26186)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published Friday, March 12, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

The National Post has skipped DT 26181 through DT 26185 which were published in The Daily Telegraph from Saturday, March 6, 2010 through Thursday, March 11, 2010

Introduction

Some - but probably not all - of the Brits would think that we are enjoying a rare treat, having been served up Giovanni puzzles now on two consecutive days.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

fag end - noun informal, chiefly Brit. 1 a cigarette end. 2 a useless remnant.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26186].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

25a Twin's position, one of twenty-one on the board (6)

Is this a reference to a scrabble board, or possibly to dominoes? Neither, we need to focus on a dart board. By the way, even the Brits argued over whether the true number is 20 0r 21.

22d High nest - end of the year and that is to come down (5)

Choosing the wrong spelling here caused a delay in solving 21a. My initial attempt was:

AERIE = AER {anagram (to come down?) of EAR (end of the year; i.e., latter portion of the word "year")} + IE (that is)

I did recognize that this hypothesis necessitated the existence of a somewhat unlikely anagram indicator (to come down).

The correct solution is:

EYRIE = E (end of the; i.e., last letter in the word "the") + YR (year) + (and) IE (that is)

I had supposed that the phrase "to come down" might be either (or, perhaps, both) superfluous padding for the surface reading or a statement of the obvious (i.e., this is down clue). However, Gazza identifies it as a charade indicator in a down clue.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 (DT 26180)

This puzzle, a Giovanni creation, was originally published Friday, March 5, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Today's puzzle is the usual excellent offering from Giovanni.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

MOT - noun (in the UK) a compulsory annual test of motor vehicles of more than a specified age — ORIGIN abbreviation of Ministry of Transport.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26180].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

5d Artist and beat girl going after the money in a group of countries (7,7)

Does beat really mean lam? It would seem to when used as part of a phrase, such as "beat it" or "beat a hasty retreat". However, when used on its own, I wonder if it is correct.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, June 21, 2010

Monday, June 21, 2010 (DT 26179)

This puzzle, from an anonymous setter, was originally published Thursday, March 4, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

As the Brits would say, a gentle offering today.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

compere - noun Brit. a person who introduces the acts in a variety show.

non-U - adjective Brit colloq said of behaviour, language, etc: not acceptable among the upper classes.

Used in Solutions:

Assembly Member (AM) - member of the National Assembly for Wales [source: Libellule's review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog]

hessian - noun U.K. coarse fabric: a coarse strong jute or hemp fabric. Use: bags, upholstery.

Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) - a British chemical company, since 2008 a subsidiary of AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world.

The Military Medal (MM) - a military decoration (discontinued in 1993) awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land.

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26179].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

26d American perfume's socially unacceptable smell (4)

One may debate whether this is a double definition or a cryptic definition. Either way, it relies on the following two devices:
  • the American spelling of the word forming the solution is ODOR and the British spelling is ODOUR
  • in Britain, U means acceptable to the upper classes while non-U means not acceptable to the upper classes
Thus ODOUR without the U (non-U or socially unacceptable) becomes ODOR.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Saturday, June 19, 2010 - Let the Bells Ring


Introduction

One might say that today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon is a real bellringer.

I am away from home for the weekend - and thus without access to all my usual tools to create the blog. As a result, I have been experimenting with some new tools - for example, to create the JPEG image of the puzzle on the right.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition

"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed

"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted
Across

1a MACE - double definition; "spray used to debilitate" and "staff"

3a AR(CHIME)DES* - anagram (aimlessly) of READS containing (about) CHIME (ring)

9a {SHAR-PEI}* - anagram (altered) of PHRASE I

11a L(A|Y)OVER - {A + Y} contained in LOVER (paramour)

12a AP(PEAL)ING - PEAL (ring) contained in (involved in) APING (copying)

13a _NER|VE_ - hidden in (some) thinNER VErbenas

14a HE(PC)AT - PC (personal computer) contained in (confiscated by) HEAT (cops)

16a ANG LE|E - ANGLE (viewpoint) + E (error)

20a POE|TRY - POE (short story writer; Edgar Allan Poe) + TRY (essay)

21a S(POT)-ON - POT (grass) contained in (fenced by) SON (boy)

24a I(DIO)M - IM (I'm) containing (embracing) DIO (the Italian's deity; i.e., Italian word for "god")

26a BILL|A|BONG - BILL (check) + A + BONG (ring)

28a SHO(T)GUN - SHOGUN (Japanese dictator) containing (adopts) T (sort of square; T-square: drafting instrument)

29a ANDORRA* - anagram (rockily) of ROAD RAN

30a AYA(TOLL)AHS* - anagram (cryptically)

31a CHAS_ - CHAS[e] (pursue) with the final letter deleted (endlessly); Chas: short form of Charles (Charles, the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne)

Down

1d MUST|ACHE - MUST (essential) + ACHE (longing)

2d CHAMP - double definition; "noisily munch" and "hero"

4d RAISIN_ - most of the letters (mostly) of RAISIN[g] (cultivating)

5d HA(LOGE)NS - LOGE (box) contained in (held by) HANS (Holbein; German painter Hans Holbein)

6d MAY|AN - MAY (springtime) + (with) AN

7d DIVER|GENT - DIVER GENT ("fellow like Cousteau"; Jacques-Yves Cousteau: French diver and undersea explorer)

8d STREEP* - anagram (getting changed) of PETERS; American actress Meryl Streep

10d PLAC(AT)E - AT (resting) contained in (in) PLACE (spot)

15d {PEPSI COLA}* - anagram (shifts) of EPISCOPAL

17d LA(PLAN)D - LAD (boy) contains (has) PLAN (scheme)

18d TRI(BUN)AL - BUN (roll) contained in TRIAL (court proceeding)

19d A|NAG|RAMS - A + NAG (no-good horse) + RAMS (runs into)

22d SIESTA* - anagram (rearranged) of SEAT IS

23d B(L)EACH - L (left) contained in (in) BEACH (oceanside strip)

25d MA|GOO - MA (mother) + GOO (icky stuff); Mr. Magoo: a cartoon character who is known for his extreme nearsightedness

27d OPRAH< - reversal (returned) of HARPO; Harpo Marx: member of the Marx Brothers comedy team and Oprah Winfrey: American talk show host

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, June 18, 2010

Friday, June 18, 2010 (DT 26178)

This puzzle, set by Jay, was originally published Wednesday, March 3, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

Computer problems occurring on the eve of a journey out of town delayed the posting of this issue of the blog.

Error in Today's Puzzle

11a Dollars initially invested in victory might provide a source of energy (9)

The enumeration for this clue should be (4,5) rather than (9).

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

lorry
- noun Brit. a large, heavy motor vehicle for transporting goods or troops. [North America: truck]

Used in Solutions:

Ascot Racecourse - a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing.

court card - noun (in a pack of playing cards) a king, queen, or jack of any suit; US [or Canadian] equivalent face card

L
2 - abbreviation 2 learner driver. [by extension, student]

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26178].

The Brit's today are focused on Rachel Riley's legs and other attributes. I would guess that Ms. Riley may be Britain's answer to Vanna White.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday, June 17, 2010 (DT 26177)

This puzzle, set by Ray T, was originally published Tuesday, March 2, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

I thought that today's puzzle was a bit less taxing than the one yesterday, although Gazza does rate it four stars for difficulty. In any event, after getting virtually all of the northwest quadrant and scattered clues elsewhere throughout the puzzle, I did have to resort to the use of a couple of instruments from my Tool Chest in order to complete the puzzle.

Errors & Variations in Today's Puzzle

9a Relate gets adult forward in anguish (9)

In the U.K., this clue appeared in the printed version as:

9a Relate gets adult forward in anguish (9)

and on The Daily Telegraph's Clued Up website as:

9a 'Relate' gets adult forward in anguish (9)

where Gazza says "The quotes around Relate are to indicate that it is the Marriage Guidance and Counselling Service [see Today's Glossary] which you are supposed to think about in the surface reading."

Minus the italics or quotation marks and without ever having heard of the British charity Relate, the surface reading of the clue is pretty nonsensical.

16d A dish served cold could mean his revenge! (9)

Two variants of this clue appeared in the U.K., with the version above being used in the print edition of The Daily Telegraph, while the online Clued Up site had the following:

16d A dish served reheated could mean his revenge! (9)

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

Mum - the first brand of commercial deodorant, developed in the U.S. and patented in 1888. According to Wikipedia, the brand is still popular in the United Kingdom and a number of other countries around the world.

Relate - a U.K. charity providing relationship support services such as counselling for couples, families, young people and individuals, sex therapy, mediation and training courses.

Used in Solutions:

Herm - the smallest of the Channel Islands that is open to the public and is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

real2 - noun 2 a former coin and monetary unit of various Spanish-speaking countries.

sup1 - verb dated or N. English take (drink or liquid food) by sips or spoonfuls.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26177].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 (DT 26176)

This puzzle, by Rufus, was originally published Monday, March 1, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

The National Post has skipped DT 26175 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, February 27, 2010

Introduction

I thought that today's puzzle was considerably more difficult than the typical "Monday" fare served up by Rufus - and I see that Rishi expressed similar feelings.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

bloomer1 - noun Brit. a large loaf with diagonal slashes on a rounded top.

Used in Solutions:

bag and baggage - completely • clear out bag and baggage. [see also this link]

Paul Gascoigne - a retired English professional football player, commonly known as Gazza

Gosport - a town in Hampshire, England on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour opposite the city of Portsmouth.

loaf1 - noun 3 slang the head or brains • Use one's loaf: Brit. informal use one’s common sense. probably from loaf of bread, rhyming slang for head.

Today's Links

Rishi's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26176].

I am surprised that none of the Brits commented on the fact that the the football player in 1a was apparently known by the nickname Gazza.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

14a Once put down, it can be served (4)

I thought that "once put down" might refer to dropping the writ, i.e., the process of a prime minister seeking a writ of election for a new parliament. However, if this were to be the case, the clue would be a bit of a mixed metaphor (or perhaps a dog's breakfast), as it is a different kind of writ that is served (i.e., a court order). Perhaps Rishi's explanation is better.

19a Carried on organising coup-d'etat but having to drop out (5,2)

In this clue we must form an anagram (signaled by the indicator organising) of COUPDETAT after having dropped some letters, but our dilemma is in deciding which ones to drop. Is this clue telling us that we have to drop the word OUT or is it instructing us that we must have the word TO drop out? Fortunately, only one of these options produces the correct number of letters needed in the solution.

23a A service for car and plane travellers (7)

This was the last clue to be solved. Based on the checking letters, it appeared that the solution must either be AIRLINE or AIRSIDE. Either could apply to "plane travellers" (airside refers to the part of the airport inside the security cordon, whereas landside refers to the part outside the security cordon), but I struggled to find an association for either with car travellers. Finally, it dawned on me that an airline could be "a tube which transports air under pressure", used to inflate tires (or tyres in Britain).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 (DT 26174)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published Friday, February 26, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

I solved about three-fourths of this puzzle fairly rapidily. However, similar to the experience reported by many of the Brits, my progress ground to a crawl in the northwest quadrant.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

token - noun 2 a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services.

Used in Solutions:

Frank Bridge - an English composer

Desperate Dan - a character in the British comic, The Dandy

Elgin - a town in Moray, Scotland

flat2 - noun chiefly Brit. a set of rooms comprising an individual place of residence within a larger building.

gong - noun 2 Brit. informal a medal or decoration.

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty - usually known as the National Trust (abbreviation NT), is a conservation organisation in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

para - noun informal a paratrooper.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26174].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, June 14, 2010

Monday, June 14, 2010 (DT 26173)

This puzzle was originally published Thursday, February 25, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

My Tool Chest remained firmly closed today, so I was expecting that this offering would elicit few stars for difficulty from Big Dave's crew. I was therefore a bit surprised to see that it rated three stars from Libellule. I even managed to decipher the name of the previously unknown-to-me English cartoonist.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

daily - noun 2 (also daily help) Brit. dated a domestic cleaner.

Used in Solutions:

char2 - noun Brit. informal a charwoman.

Heath Robinson - English cartoonist who is best known for drawings of eccentric machines; similar to his American counterpart, Rube Goldberg, his name has entered the language as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contraption.

MB - abbreviation 1 Bachelor of Medicine. Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus.

on dit - [Collins English Dictionary] noun a rumour; piece of gossip [from French, literally: it is said, they say]

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26173].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

24a Drug used in extremely severe case (8)

Here, I got the solution before figuring out the wordplay. Even then, I pursued a few false leads before finally finding the right path. Although I realized that one needed the first and last letters of "severe", initially I mistakenly suspected that the indicator for this might be "case". At first, I also wrongly supposed that these letters formed the first and last letters of the solution (making it a container type clue), rather than the first two letters of the solution (making it a charade).

The definition is "drug", with the solution being SEDATIVE. The wordplay is SE (extremely severe; i.e., the first and last letters of the word "severe") + DATIVE (case, in the grammatical sense).

2d Band playing Hart score (9)

Libellule says "Interestingly enough search on google does show a few composers whose second name is Hart". I thought that this might possibly be a reference to Lorenz Hart, who together with Richard Rodgers wrote the music for a number of Broadway productions. Although the term score encompasses both the vocal and instrumental parts of a musical composition, since Hart was the lyricist of the pair, I suppose that it would be more likely for a choir to sing his work than for an orchestra to play it.

In writing this, I had to electronically leaf through a few dictionaries trying to sort out what is meant by the term score. Some dictionaries defined score in very vague terms such as "The music written for a film or a play". However, we sometimes use the term music to mean both the vocal and instrumental components of a composition (e.g., "the music of the Beatles") while at other times we use the phrase "words and music" which seems to imply that the lyrics are a separate entity from the music.

5d Executive on the government side (11)

Like Libellule, I was sure that I must have missed some clever nuance in this clue - but that seems not to be the case. Libellule's sentiments on this clue echo my own thoughts precisely (or, given that he would have been first to voice them, I guess I should reverse that).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Saturday, June 12, 2010 - Concert in New York


Introduction

In today's puzzle, Cox and Rathvon seem to imagine a concert (4d) by a renowned Canadian classical musician who is introduced to us immediately in 1a, although his instrument does not appear until 15a. The performance takes place at a famous opera house in New York City (7d). He first performs alone (27a), playing works by several composers, including ones from the United States (1d) and Italy (21d) as well as a rare performance of a composition by one from Poland (23d). He then launches into what is surely his signature piece formed by 19a and 31a. As a finale, he picks up the baton to conduct an orchestra and choir in several works by Johann Sebastian Bach, including Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (28a) and Widerstehe doch der Sünde (18d). However, the program may not have included any of Bach's works represented at 7d.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

22a Song with a melody from the East (4)

Here "melody" is AIR and "from the East" means the letters run right to left or RIA (i.e., it is a reversal indicator).

2d Mike's good new musher (6,3)

Every source that I consulted indicated that a "musher" is the driver of a dog team, and not one of the dogs making up the team. However, it is this latter - albeit apparently incorrect - meaning that the setters clearly intend in this clue.

16d Heroism going astray in strange retrospective (7-2)

This would likely not have been the last clue to be solved, had I only known that the solution is spelled DERRING-DO (rather than DARING-DO).

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition

"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed

"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted
Across

1a {GLENN GOUL}*|D - anagram (muffed) of LONG LUNGE + D; Glenn Gould: Canadian classical pianist

6a O|MAR_ - O (love, a score of zero in tennis) + MAR (blemish); Omar Sharif - Egyptian actor

9a VI|KINGS - VI (Roman numeral for six) + KINGS (chess pieces)

10a NE(GAT)ED - NEED (deficiency) containing (holding) GAT (revolver)

12a SUMATRA* - anagram (terrible) of TRAUMAS; Sumatra: an island in western Indonesia

13a A|R|BUT|US - A + R (river) + BUT (apart from) + US (you and me); Arbutus: a genus of trees in the family Ericaceae

14a _UND O_ - hidden in (feature of) foUND Object

15a KEYBOARD* - anagram (after moving) of DAY BROKE

19a GOLDBE(R)G* - anagram (awfully) of BOGGLED containing R (rap at first; i.e., initial letter of the word "rap"); Rube Goldberg: American cartoonist

22a A|RIA< - A + RIA {a reversal (from the East) of AIR (melody)} 25a HOG|ART|H - HOG (monopolize) + ART (paintings) + H (hot); William Hogarth: English painter

27a SO|LO(IS)T - IS contained in (in) {SO (very) + LOT (large number)}

28a POTS|DAM - POTS (takes a shot at) + DAM (mother); Potsdam: capital of the German state of Brandenburg

29a {IN|SIGHT}~ - sounds like (hearing) {INN (tavern) + CITE (mention)}

30a NONE~ - sounds like (said) NUN (sister)

31a VARIATIONS* - anagram (broadcast) of ON AIR A TV IS


Down

1d G(IVES) OUT - IVES (American composer) contained in (seized by) GOUT (joint pain); Charles Ives: American composer

2d {ESKIMO DOG}* - anagram of (new) MIKES GOOD; musher: sled dog (apparently incorrect definition, see Commentary on Today's Puzzle)

3d N(I|NET)Y - {I (one) + NET (profit)} contained in (in) NY (New York)

4d ONSTAGE* - anagram (doctored) of AGES NOT

5d LI(NEAR) B - LIB (Liberal) contains (keeps) NEAR (handy); Linear B: a syllabic script that was used for writing Mycenaean Greek

7d M(OT)ET - MET (opera house) containing (filled with) OT (Old Testament); Metropolitan Opera House: an opera house located in New York City

8d RADISH - a cryptic double definition; "radish" is an artificial construct meaning sort of (signified by the suffix -ish) rad, with rad being a slang expression meaning awesome.

11d GI|B|RAN - GI (soldier) + B (bishop) + RAN (raced); Khalil Gibran: Lebanese-born American poet

16d DERRING-DO - ERRING (going astray) contained in DDO {reversal (retrospective) of ODD (strange)}

17d FLORID* - anagram (nuts) of LID FOR

18d CAN|TATAS - CAN (terminate, as to fire an employee) + TATAS (farewells, with a nod to our British visitors)

20d BO(HEM|I)A - BOA (snake) containing (spanning) {HEM (border) + I (half IN; i.e., half of the letters contained in the word "in")}; Bohemia: a historical region of Central Europe constituting the western part of the present-day Czech Republic.

21d ROSSINI* - anagram (playing) of IRONS IS; Gioachino Antonio Rossini: Italian composer

23d CHOP|IN - CHOP (cut) + IN (popular); Frederic Chopin: Polish composer

24d C(LOSE)T - LOSE (forfeit) contained in (in) CT (court) [Note: the setters use an inverted sentence structure in the clue]

26d GO(T) ON - GOON (ape) containing (taking) T (time)

Postscript

Information in the introduction is drawn from several Wikipedia entries, including:
Bach: The Goldberg Variations is the 1955 debut album of the Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould. An interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988), the work launched Gould's career as a renowned international pianist, and became one of the most well-known piano recordings ...

At the time of the album's release, Bach's Goldberg Variations ... was outside the standard piano repertoire ... The work was considered esoteric and technically demanding, requiring hand crossing in various places when played on a piano. Gould's album both established the Goldberg Variations within the contemporary classical repertoire and made him an internationally famous pianist nearly "overnight". First played in concert by Gould in 1954, the composition was a staple of Gould's performances in the years following the recording.

Glenn Gould "was extremely critical of Frédéric Chopin. In a radio interview, when asked if he didn't find himself wanting to play Chopin, he replied: 'No, I don't. I play it in a weak moment — maybe once a year or twice a year for myself. But it doesn't convince me.'"

This cantata [Widerstehe doch der Sünde] is notable in being the only Bach cantata recorded under the direction of the famed Canadian pianist, conductor and Bach specialist Glenn Gould (1932-1982) ...

[Johann Sebastian Bach] also wrote six surviving works he called motets; ... [however, I could find no evidence that these works formed part of Gould's repertoire].

On April 10, 1964, Gould gave his last public performance ... For the rest of his life, Gould eschewed live performance, focusing instead on recording, writing, and broadcasting. Towards the end of his life, he began conducting; he had earlier directed Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 and the cantata Widerstehe doch der Sünde ... His last recording was as a conductor, conducting Wagner's Siegfried Idyll ... He had intended to give up the piano at the age of 50, spending later years conducting, writing about music, and composing.

Glenn Gould died on October 4, 1982 - less than two weeks beyond his 50th birthday - following a stroke.
Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, June 11, 2010 (DT 26172)

This puzzle, set by Jay, was originally published Wednesday, February 24, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

It having been a rather busy day yesterday, today I find myself playing catchup, trying to wrap up yesterday's unfinished business as well as tackle that of today.

While Big Dave rates today's puzzle as only two stars for difficulty, the Briticisms in it may elevate it by a notch for those of us on this side of the pond. I certainly needed to open my Tool Chest about midway through the puzzle.

Did you notice the hint printed below today's crossword for solving the Cox and Rathvon puzzle published on June 5, 2010? Of course, regular readers of this blog knew that information a week ago.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

lower socio-economic groups - see NRS Social Grade (section following)

Used in Solutions:

CAMRA (acronym Campaign for Real Ale) - a consumer organisation in England, whose main aims are promoting real ale, real cider and the traditional British pub.

funfair - noun chiefly Brit. a fair consisting of rides, sideshows, and other amusements.

get at - [Collins English Dictionary] verb 3. to irritate or annoy persistently; criticize • she is always getting at him.

L2 - abbreviation 2 learner driver [and, by extension, student].

tick4 - noun Brit colloq credit • buy it on tick.

tick over - [Collins English Dictionary] verb 1. Also idle Brit (of an engine) to run at low speed with the throttle control closed and the transmission disengaged.

Very light - noun a flare fired into the air from a pistol for signalling or for temporary illumination.

NRS Social Grade

According to Wikipedia, "The NRS social grades are a system of demographic classification used in the United Kingdom. They were originally developed by the National Readership Survey in order to classify readers, but are now used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market research. Their definition is now maintained by the Market Research Society."

The system has six categories, which from top to bottom are labeled A, B, C1, C2, D, and E. The two lowest categories are the working class (D) which comprises semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers, and those at the lowest level of subsistence (E) which is made up of casual or lowest grade workers, pensioners and others who depend on the welfare state for their income.

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26172].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Thursday, June 10, 2010 (DT 26171)

This puzzle, by Shamus, was originally published Tuesday, February 23, 2010 in The Daily Telegraph

Introduction

This puzzle seemed to exhibit a split personality. I was able to solve a good portion of it unaided (mostly on the right hand side). However, the left hand side (especially the top half) was a far greater challenge - requiring fairly extensive use of my Tool Chest and even a couple of peeks at Gazza's review on Big Dave's site. Judging by remarks left on Big Dave's blog, I am not alone in finding that quadrant to be the most difficult.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

bolshie - adjective Brit. informal deliberately combative or uncooperative

Man U - (in full, Manchester United Football Club) a professional association football club based in Manchester, England

Used in Solutions:

nutcase - noun informal an offensive term for somebody with a psychiatric disorder

popinjay - noun old use, derogatory a vain or conceited person; a dandy or fop.

Real Madrid - (in full, Real Madrid Club de Fútbol) a professional association football club based in Madrid, Spain

san - abbreviation for sanatorium (British spelling of sanitarium): noun 1 a hospital for the chronically ill or convalescents, originally especially for consumptives. 2 a health farm. 3 Brit a sickroom in a boarding school, etc.

tin - noun 6 Brit slang money

trail - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 2. the act or an instance of trailing

trail - [Collins English Dictionary] verb 9. on television or radio to advertise (a future programme) with short extracts (i.e., trailers)

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26171].

Again today, there was a bit of chatter about the weather at various locations around the U.K., but, more prominently, a vigorous discussion concerning the strengths and weaknesses of various football clubs - and whether association football or rugby union is the superior sport.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

1a Bill producing problem around back of restaurant (6)

I recognized that the clue called for a five letter word meaning "problem" containing (around) T (back of restaurant; i.e., the last letter in the word "restaurant"). However, my first choice (being NOTICE) proved to be incorrect. I had surmised that NO ICE, clearly a problem in a bar, might also present difficulties to a restaurant. When Gazza's hint still did not confirm whether or not this attempt was correct, I took a peek at the first letter of his solution from which I learned that I needed to find a different word for the solution.

10a Cheesecake and seconds in special bistro unusually much appreciated (3-2)

Even after getting the correct solution based on the definition (cheesecake) and checking letters, it seemed to take forever before the wordplay finally hit me. We are looking for the second letter in each word in the phrase "sPecial bIstro uNusually mUch aPpreciated".

12a Deranged chap's cycling helmet maybe (7)

If you have looked at Today's Glossary, you will have seen that Encarta, being politically correct perhaps to a fault, defines the solution to this clue as an "offensive term".

25a Field presenting Man U's international rival? (5)

In this clue, the setter presumes that since Manchester United is commonly shortened to Man U, a similar treatment could be applied to Real Madrid to produce Real M. To the best of my knowledge this is not actually done in practice, which is why this clue is a cryptic definition - as flagged by the question mark - and not a double definition.

2d Complaint produced by a heat supplier? (9)

Here is yet another instance of taking a long time to recognize that I was driving on the wrong road. From a couple of checking letters, I had guessed (wrongly, as it turned out) that the solution might end in STOVE (heat producer). In this clue, "complaint" is used in the sense of a medical ailment and the "heat producer" we are looking for is not to be found in one's home.

3d Make clear old tool in discussion (7)

I clearly encountered a mental block on this clue. I did get the correct solution fairly readily but I was only able to explain the wordplay after receiving a bit of a nudge from Gazza. Here, "in discussion" is a homophone (sounds like) indicator.

7d Hundred detained by correct law (5)

While the wordplay could be satisfied by putting C (Roman numeral for one hundred) inside (detained by) a noun meaning correct, the result TRUCE would not satisfy the definition (law). However, you will arrive at the right answer if you substitute a verb meaning correct in place of the noun meaning correct.

18d Advance publicity about a very hard work (7)

The definition is "hard work" with the solution being TRAVAIL. The wordplay is TRAIL (advance publicity) containing (about) {A + V (very)} producing TR(A|V)AIL.

My interpretation is that trail is a noun used in the sense "an instance of trailing" where the verb to trail means "to advertise with a trailer; i.e., with short extracts from a future programme". However, Gazza indicates that trail is a synonym for trailer in that "Chambers has for trail: a television or cinema trailer." As always, one can always count on Chambers to have definitions seemingly found nowhere else.

Signing off for today - Falcon