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