Saturday, July 31, 2010 - All Bases Covered

Introduction

Today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon definitely covers all the bases.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

23d Bum ride in a city park (5)

My first attempt here was SLIDE, which I eventually had to delete.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a FIRS|T (L)IGHT - FIRS (evergreens) + {TIGHT (crowded) containing (around) L (lake)}

6a W|HAM - W (with) + HAM (meat)

9a R(EVER)ED - EVER (always) contained in (dressed in) RED (scarlet)

10a R(WAND)AN - RAN (sprinted) containing (carrying) WAND (stick)

12a WOO_ - WOOD (forest) with final letter deleted (endlessly)

13a SECOND S|TORY - TORY (Conservative) following (going after) SECONDS (ticks)

14a LEIFMOTIF* - anagram (renovated) of MOTEL IF IT

17a ROS(I)E - ROSE (got up) containing (around) I (one); Rosie O'Donnell: a former American talk show host

19a SERAC< - reversal (returning) of CARES (worries) 21a DO|S PAS|SOS - DO (make) + SPAS (health resorts) + SOS (help); John Dos Passos: American novelist

23a THIRD PERSON - anagram (stranger) of DROPS HINT RE

26a _LIE_ - hidden in (essential to) aLIEn; essential = core

27a AN(TEN)NA - ANNA (Russian professional tennis player Anna Kournikova) containing (keeps) TEN

28a A|C|CRETE - A + C (hundred bucks; i.e., hundred dollars) + (on) CRETE (Greek island)

29a PARE~ - sounds like (audibly) PEAR (fruit)

30a HOMECOMING - a Spoonerism for "comb humming"

Down

1d {FARE|WELLS}~ - sounds like (said) FAIR (visually appealing) WELLES (American actor Orson Welles)

2d _R|A|VIOLI_ - hidden in (in) baR A VIOLInist

3d TIRES - double definition; "wears out" and "important parts of a car"

4d INDIC(A)TED - INDICTED (charged) containing (outside) A (article); [Note: the setters have inverted the structure of the clue]

5d HER|ON - HER (that woman's) + ON (riding)

7d HIDE(O)US - O (ring) contained in (stuck in) {HIDE (skin) + (by) US}

8d M(ONE)Y - ONE (single) contained in (among) MY

11d AUSTR__IA - AL deleted from (leaves) AUSTRALIA (one country)

15d MACE|DON - MACE (club) + DON (professor); Alexander the Great: a Greek king of Macedon

16d {FISH SCALE}* - anagram (improved) of FLIES CHAS

18d {EASTER EGG}* - anagram (abstract) of SEGREGATE

20d RO(I)STER - ROSTER (lineup) contains (maintains) I

22d SALIERI* - anagram (new) of ISRAELI; Venetian composer Antonio Salieri

23d TRAM|P - TRAM (ride in a city) + P (park)

24d ERA|TO - ERA (period of time) + TO (for)

25d _NA|CHO_ - hidden in (some) banaNA CHOcolate

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, July 30, 2010 (DT 26224)

This puzzle, by Rufus, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Monday, April 26, 2010

The National Post has skipped DT 26223 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, April 24, 2010

Introduction

Although I finished this puzzle relatively quickly and had little need to resort to my Tool Chest, the wordplay for several clues left me a bit perplexed.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

take silk - [Phrases] British become a Queen‘s (or King’s) Counsel.

Who Killed Cock Robin? - English nursery rhyme

Used in Solutions:

giro - noun

• [mass noun] a system of electronic credit transfer used in Europe and Japan, involving banks, post offices, and public utilities
• [count noun] British a cheque or payment by giro, especially a social security payment: any chance of a pound till the giro comes?

lag³ - British informal noun a person who has been frequently convicted and sent to prison: both old lags were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

narrow boat - [Collins English Dictionary] noun a long narrow bargelike boat with a beam of 2.1 metres (7 feet) or less, used on canals.

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26224].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

11a Country boy holds map (7)

Lapland, it would appear, can mean many things - but it is definitely not a country.

13a Always on the go, is Ivy! (9)

Libellule reviews this clue as if it were a down clue, stating that "on" signifies "above". My interpretation is that the clue implies that if a traffic light, for example, were set (or became stuck in its change cycle) such that it was "always on the go", it would be "ever green".

24a Self-banking type of aircraft (8)

This is one of the clues where the wordplay left me puzzled. Although Libellule's review did not fully resolve the issue - it did clearly indicate that "giro" is synonymous with (or at least a variant of) banking. It seems that giro is an electronic funds transfer system used in Europe and Japan.

25a Serving men and women operate from behind it (4,4)

Another one for which I failed to completely comprehend the wordplay. I missed the tennis connection, instead focusing on men and women serving either in the armed forces (perhaps accounting for the "base" part of the solution) or in bars and restaurants.

5d Observing what comes from a dumb-bell? (6)

I thought SILENCE would be an excellent solution - too bad it doesn't fit. However, I was definitely on the right track.

6d They take silk before becoming high fliers (6)

If one does not know the British expression "take silk" meaning to become a Queen's Counsel (presumably because these lawyers wear silk robes), the surface reading is completely lost. In fact, without this knowledge, the clue is almost gibberish.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, July 29, 2010 (DT 26222)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, April 23, 2010

Introduction

Based on the relative ease with which I completed today's puzzle, I thought that it might get a two-star rating from Big Dave's crew. However, my sense of accomplishment got a bit of a boost on finding that it actually rated three stars, although Gnomethang does state that he "was wavering between two and three stars for difficulty".

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

Gawain - (in Arthurian legend) one of the knights of the Round Table who quested after the Holy Grail. He is the hero of the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

mate - noun 1 British informal a friend or companion: my best mate Steve.

ripping - adjective British informal, dated splendid; excellent: she's going to have a ripping time.

Ven. - adjective Venerable (as the title of an archdeacon): the Ven. William Davies.

Today's Links

A review of today's puzzle by guest reviewer Gnomethang may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26222].

Today's puzzle appeared in the U.K. on St. George's Day and the English seem to be grasping at straws trying to find a reference in the puzzle to their patron saint, while the Welsh commiserate with them as St. David was similarly ignored on his day.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

23a Insect gets to scamper around little old vegetable (8)

To add a small detail to Gnomethang's analysis, the setter here uses the phrase "little old" to signify O; that is, a "little" bit (the first letter, in fact) of the word "old".

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 (DT 26221)

This puzzle was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, April 22, 2010

Introduction

While not a terribly difficult puzzle today, there are enough Briticisms and other obscure references to create a fair bit of a challenge.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

Adamite - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 2. a nudist, esp a member of an early Christian sect who sought to imitate Adam.

brew - verb 5 (especially brew up) to plan or prepare something • brew up trouble.

Tourist Trophy - noun an award given to the winner of the motorcycle races that are held annually on the Isle of Man. Often shortened to TT.

Used in Solutions:

Enid Blyton - English writer of children's books.

Derby - a city in the East Midlands region of England.

introit - noun Christianity a hymn, psalm or anthem sung at the beginning of a service or, in the Roman Catholic Church, as the priest approaches the altar to celebrate Mass.

local - noun 2 British someone's nearest and most regularly visited pub.

local derby - [Derby³] noun 1 (3^rd bullet) British a sports match between two rival teams from the same area.

pop¹ - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 3. Informal a try; attempt have a pop at goal.

raki or rakee - noun an aromatic alcoholic liquor drunk in the Levant, Greece and Turkey.

rural dean - noun in the Church of England: a clergyman with responsibility over a group of parishes.

titch or tich - noun British colloquial a very small person.

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26221].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

11a Possible reason attempt to secure TT is dashed? (3,4)

I recognized TT immediately as the trophy awarded to the victor in the Isle of Man motorcycle race (it having appeared often in previous puzzles), which - together with the numeration and checking letters - allowed me to get the correct solution. However, the wordplay was another matter, and I had to read Big Dave's review to discover that one meaning for "attempt" is POP (at least in Britain). A subsequent search for this meaning through several dictionaries (Oxford, Chambers) came up empty until I eventually found it in Collins.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 (DT 26220)

This puzzle, by Jay, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Introduction

I found it to be a relatively easy puzzle today, an assessment that is confirmed by Tilsit who awards it only two stars for difficulty.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

do - verb 5 (3^rd bullet) British informal swindle: a thousand pounds for one set of photographs — Jacqui had been done.

Used in Solutions:

E² - abbreviation 9 International Vehicle Registration code: España (Spanish), Spain.

L² - abbreviation 2 learner driver.

orris² - [Collins English Dictionary] noun a kind of lace made of gold or silver, used esp in the 18th century.

read - verb 5 chiefly British study (an academic subject) at a university: I'm reading English at Cambridge;[no object] : he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics.

stag - noun 3 Stock Exchange, British a person who applies for shares in a new issue with a view to selling at once for a profit.

Today's Links

Tilsit's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26220].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, July 26, 2010 (DT 26219)

This puzzle, by Shamus, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Introduction

I did fairly well today, completing the puzzle. However, despite having the correct solutions, I was somewhat stumped by the wordplay on a couple of clues.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

bit - noun 3 informal a girl or young woman: he went and married some young bit half his age

Used in Solutions:

Clare College - a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.

fete - noun British a public function, typically held outdoors and organized to raise funds for a charity, including entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments: a church fete

gout⁴ - Taste; relish.

H - abbreviation International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet hotel

other ranks - plural noun (abbreviation OR) chiefly British members of the armed services who do not hold a commissioned rank.

R - abbreviation recipe

Sale Sharks - a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Guinness Premiership.

tearaway - noun British colloquial an undisciplined and reckless young person.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26219].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

18a Price was paid for this tearaway? (6)

Not being acquainted with the British expression tearaway and failing to pick up on the reference to American actor Vincent Price left me unable to decipher the wordplay in this clue. The definition is "tearaway" (an ill-behaved child) with the solution being HORROR, which is also the movie genre by which Vincent Price earned his living.

21a Sadly a sign to withdraw wine (7)

For some reason, I was not able to get my head around this clue - getting hung up on thinking that "sadly" might be an anagram indicator and looking for the fodder to be a word meaning "a sign to withdraw" that I suspected might somehow be a variant on the word "alarums".

The definition is "wine" and the solution is MARSALA. The wordplay is a reversal (to withdraw) of ALAS (sadly) + RAM (a sign; i.e., of the Zodiac).

19d A recipe taken up with relish for stew (6)

I know gout (actually goût) is a word in the French language, but does it also exist in the English language in the sense of taste or relish? After searching through quite a large number of dictionaries, I finally found one that lists this meaning (see Today's Glossary).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, July 24, 2010 - A Meet Puzzle

Introduction

There appears to be no defined theme to today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon. One clue did prove to be rather difficult to pin down. Shakespearean scholars may have an easier time with it.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

19d Fare well in meet, garnering second (7)

The definition is "fare well" with the solution being PROSPER. The wordplay is PROPER (meet) containing (garnering) S (second). This meaning for meet is definitely a new one for me.

From Collins English Dictionary, we find the following definition:

• meet² - adjective Archaic proper, fitting, or correct.

while the following entry appears in the American Heritage Dictionary:

• meet² - adjective Fitting; proper: "It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place"(Shakespeare).

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a P(ROT)RUDE - PRUDE (Victorian) containing (carrying) ROT (baloney)

5a PARSEC* - anagram (converting) of PCS ARE

9a TALUS - double definition; "bone" and "rock debris"

10a CO(N)ST|RAIN - {COST (price) + rain (drops)} containing (around) N (midmonth; i.e., the middle letter of the word "month")

12a TAVERNA* - anagram (smashed) of TV NEAR A

13a TO(R|ON)TO - {R (revels initially; i.e., the initial letter of the word "revel") + ON (airing)} contained in (in) TOTO

14a PROVEN(AN)CE - AN (article) contained in (found in) PROVENCE (French area)

16a WARD< - reversal (seen from the rear) of DRAW (sketch) 19a POST - double definition; "advertise" and "job"

20a CO(N|SULTAN)T - {N (new) + SULTAN (ruler)} contained in (in) COT (bed)

23a OA(R)FISH - R (piece of raft; i.e., first letter of the word "raft") contained in OAFISH (stupid)

25a R(A|MAD)AN - RAN (published) containing (about) {A + MAD (crazy)}

26a PROCTORED* - anagram (bananas) of RECORD TOP

27a TANG|O - TANG (bite) + O (doughnut)

28a RO(TIN)I - TIN (can) contained in (eaten by) ROI (French king; i.e., French word meaning king)

29a CONSIDER* - anagram (novel) of I SCORNED

Down

1d PIT S|TOP - PITS (stones) + (with) TOP (head)

2d OB(LI)VIOUS - OBVIOUS (easy to see) containing (around) LI (Long Island)

3d RO(SARI)ES - SARI (wrap) contained in (covered with) ROES (caviar's)

4d _DIC|TA_ - hidden in (element from) perioDIC TAble

6d ATTIRE - sounds like (in the ear) A TIRE (ring of rubber)

7d SPA|IN - SPA (mineral spring) + IN

8d CO(NCO)RD - NCO (sergeant, perhaps) contained in (involved in) CORD (string)

11d NOTICES* - anagram (redesigned) of SECTION

15d A|NOT|HER - A (alto) + NOT + HER (that woman)

17d A|BAN(DONE)D - DONE (finished) contained in (in) {A + BAND (group)}

18d CLE(M)AT|IS - {CLEAT (spike) + IS} containing (gaining) M (mass)

19d PRO(S)PER - MEET (proper) containing (garnering) S (second); see Commentary on Today's Puzzle

21d TAN|DOOR - TAN (light brown) + DOOR

22d HILT|ON - HILT (handle) + ON (Ontario)

24d ROO(S)T - ROOT (cheer) containing (around) S (front of stadium; i.e., first letter in the word "stadium")

25d RODE|O - RODE (went on) + (with) O (nothing)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, July 23, 2010 (DT 26218)

This puzzle, a lovely creation from Rufus, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Monday, April 19, 2010

The National Post has skipped DT 26217 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, April 17, 2010

Introduction

Libellule characterises this puzzle as "Another fun crossword today, not difficult but certainly entertaining" and I couldn't have said it better myself. My favourite clue had to be 6d which brought a huge smile to my lips when the penny finally dropped.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

AC - abbreviation 1 alternating current.

CE - abbreviation 1 Church of England.

Isis - the name given to that part of the River Thames which flows through the city of Oxford.

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26218].

When this puzzle was published in the U.K., the Brits were enduring the ash cloud produced by the Icelandic volcano.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

12a Current male desire (4)

I have to admit that I missed the correct wordplay for this clue, thinking (albeit with a high degree of uncertainty) that it might be A (ampere, a unit of electric current) + CHE (the South American revolutionary).

5d Man going to the match who couldn’t stop the salt pouring out (7,5)

My best attempt to explain this clue was to trace the salt reference to the Irish Wedding Salt Ceremony, an Irish wedding tradition in which the bride and groom each pour a container of pure salt into a larger receptacle, symbolizing their two lives being intertwined and inseparable, just as the salt is mixed together so that no one can separate the bride's grains of salt from those of the groom.

However, Libellule has done me one better - identifying a reference to the poem, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

15d Note reciprocation about a point of principle (5)

The definition is "principle" with the solution being TENET. The wordplay is TE (note [of the musical scale]) + ET (reciprocation; i.e., the same thing returned [which gives rise to a reversal]) containing (about) N (north; i.e., a point [of the compass]).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, July 22, 2010 (DT 26216)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, April 16, 2010

Introduction

If you experienced a sense of déjà vu as you worked your way through this puzzle, you have good reason. This puzzle previously appeared in the National Post on January 20, 2010 as DT 26049 and is reviewed here. The error arose with The Daily Telegraph which also printed the puzzle on two occasions. I definitely recognized seeing many of the clues before - I just didn't realize that I had seen them all together in one puzzle.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

DUP - abbreviation Democratic Unionist Party, a Protestant loyalist party in Northern Ireland.

(House of) Lords - the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

syllabub - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 2. (Cookery) British a cold dessert made from milk or cream beaten with sugar, wine, and lemon juice.

Territorial Army (abbreviation TA) - noun in the UK: a fully trained volunteer force intended to provide back-up to the regular army in cases of emergency.

trendy - adjective British colloquial 1 said of someone: following the latest fashions. 2 said of clothes, music, clubs, bars, etc: fashionable at a particular time. noun (trendies) someone who is, or who tries to be, at the forefront of fashion.

Today's Links
Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26216]. You may also find his review on the occasion of the original publication at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26049].

This puzzle may have improved with age. When he reviewed it on its original appearance, Gazza said "Having got used to the Friday puzzle being the highlight of the week, I must admit to being a tad disappointed with this one. There’s nothing specifically wrong with it, but I didn’t get the “wow” factor from any of the clues, and (I know this is subjective, and others may disagree) I thought that it was on the easier side of average in terms of difficulty." This time around he had this to say, "This is just about the easiest Giovanni crossword I can remember, so all of our usual correspondents should be able to finish it. As we always say, just because it’s relatively easy does not mean that it can’t be entertaining, and it has a fair number of clues which I enjoyed."

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

1d Workplace in American institute, insecure on the outside (6)

The "American institute" here is not the Smithsonian which was the first idea to pop into my mind. Rather it is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (DT 26215)

This puzzle was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, April 15, 2010

Introduction

It seems that many solvers were expecting more than this puzzle delivered - but as the setter puts it in 17d, "That's all there is, everyone".

I completed this puzzle in record time without needing to dip into my Tool Chest. I expect some of the British commuters had it finished before the train left the station.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

conversion - noun 3 [count noun] Rugby a successful kick at goal after a try, scoring two points.

CY - abbreviation International Vehicle Registration code Cyprus.

John Ross (J. R.) Ewing - a nefarious fictional figure on the hit CBS television series Dallas (1978–1991).

gen -noun British informal [mass noun] information: you've got more gen on him than we have.

I³ - abbreviation 1 Independent. [Note: although the online version of Chambers does not list independence as one of the terms for which I serves as an abbreviation, no doubt it may be found in the unabridged version]

ta - exclamation British informal thank you

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26215].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 (DT 26214)

This puzzle, by Jay, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Introduction

A rather enjoyable puzzle that created a bit of a stir among writers on Big Dave's site. I did need to use some of the implements in my Tool Chest to crack a few British expressions.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

abstract - [American Heritage Dictionary] noun 2. To remove without permission, filch; [Collins English Dictionary] verb 5. Euphemistic to steal. [Note: apparently not a Briticism, but also not a meaning with which I was acquainted]

loo¹ -noun British informal a toilet.

mob-handed -adverb British informal in considerable numbers: they came mob-handed

notably large in size or extent

View entry

REME - abbreviation Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and AH64 Apache helicopters to dental tools and cooking utensils.

silencer - noun 1 British a device fixed to the exhaust of a motor vehicle to reduce engine noise [North America muffler].

sub - noun 5 British informal an advance or loan against expected income.

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26214].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

10a Place for training shoes like this? (8)

This cryptic definition is a play on platform shoes. As Big Dave points out, a "place for training" is a place for boarding (or disembarking from) trains. I must admit that I did not see this connection myself, instead thinking that "training" might be a play on the British meaning of form as "a class or year in a school". Thus, shoes might receive their training in a plat form (I know, this is probably pretty feeble reasoning - although I prefer to label it extreme lateral thinking).

13a Archer's final letter on biography from prisoner (5).

The surface reading of this clue may be an allusion to British author and former politician Jeffrey Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare, whose political career ended with his conviction and subsequent imprisonment (2001–2003) for perjury and perverting the course of justice.

24a Hide from people related to Aries? (8)

The definition is "hide" for which the solution is GOATSKIN. The wordplay is "people related to Aries" or "goat's kin". However, since Aries is a ram and Capricorn the goat, the clue probably should have read "people related to Capricorn". Some visitor's to Big Dave's site tried to make the argument that goats and sheep are all part of the same family in the animal kingdom and should therefore be considered to be related.

8d Audacity - virtue they heartlessly welcomed (8)

The definition is "audacity" with the solution being TEMERITY. The wordplay is MERIT (virtue) contained (welcomed) in TEY {they heartlessly; i.e., the word THEY with H (hearts) deleted}. The word "heartless" is interpreted as "without hearts", as one might say of a hand in a game of cards.

This clue gave rise to much discussion on Big Dave's site. The controversy revolved around two points. "Heartless" is often used to indicate the deletion of the middle letters of a word, in which case "they heartlessly" would be TY. Some commenters had also assumed that "heartless" meant "without heart" and argued that the clue was incorrect since H is an abbreviation for "hearts" (the suite in cards) and not "heart". Others pointed out that "heartless" could also mean "without hearts" when referring to a hand in a game of cards.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, July 18, 2010 (DT 26213)

This puzzle, created by Ray T, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Introduction

With six clues remaining, I was at an impasse and had to peek at a few of Gazza's clues. I discovered that I had an incorrect solution at 24a which was blocking progress in the southeast quadrant. That, together with a couple of possible Briticisms - ensure meaning protect and instant meaning this month - did me in.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

extra time - noun football, etc additional time allowed at the end of a match because of time lost through injury, or in order to achieve a decisive result.

girlie girl - noun A woman who behaves in a predominantly feminine manner (that is, who is not by any means a tomboy).

tick⁴ - noun British colloquial credit • buy it on tick.

Used in Solutions:

ensure - [Collins English Dictionary] verb 2. to make safe or secure; protect.

hooker - noun 3 rugby the forward whose job is to hook the ball out of a scrum.

inst. - abbreviation instant, i.e., of or in the current month (see instant adj 4). • my letter of the 14th inst.

instant - adjective 4 (abbreviation inst.) relating to or occurring in the current month.

L² - abbreviation 2 learner driver.

Maud - a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

neurone - [American Heritage Dictionary] noun Chiefly British Variant of neuron.

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26213].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

20a Fixes charge, say (5)

Despite fully understanding the intent of this clue, I could not think of any word that satisfied it until I read Gazza's review. My downfall was in not thinking of the correct meaning of fix. I thought of repairing and bribing, but overlooked the idea of securing or attaching.

24a Imperfectly m-master pronunciation? (7)

In meaning, STUTTER was close - but, as a solution, it thwarted my efforts in most of the southeast quadrant.

23d Match tied before extra time (5)

If you watched some of the FIFA World Cup matches this summer, you probably understand the surface reading here. Extra time in soccer is somewhat equivalent to overtime in hockey, although it also includes injury time.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, July 17, 2010 - Maximization

Introduction

In today's Cox and Rathvon puzzle, we encounter five prefixes plus one word denoting largeness.

Commentary on Today's Puzzle
12a Organize $1,000 political platform (5)

In old gangster movies, $1,000 was a G note. Has it become a K in the computer age?

1d Grandfather takes exercise with dolphins (9)

Filling in PORPOISES for this clue was a bad move. Not only could I not make sense of the wordplay but it prevented me from solving the whole northwest quadrant until I discovered my error.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a GI|GAB|ITS - GI (soldier) + GAB (talk) + (and) ITS; the first large-scale prefix (GIGA-)

5a SPIDER< - reversal (back) of REDIPS (again drops) 10a A|B|STAIN - A + B (blue) + STAIN (blemish)

11a N(AS|ALL)Y - {AS (like) + ALL (everyone)} contained in (in) NY (New York)

12a PLAN|K - PLAN (organize) + K ($1,000)

13a ULTRACOOL* - anagram (dancing) of TO CALL OUR; the second large-scale prefix (ULTRA-)

14a SUPERHERO* - anagram (rearranged) of OUR SPHERE; the third large-scale prefix (SUPER-)

16a HITCH - double definition; "thumb" (as in "thumb a ride" or hitchhike) and "problem"

18a SO(WE)D - SOD (turf) containing (outside) WE

20a MA|CROC(O)S|M - MA (mother) + {[CROCS (crocodiles) + M (mass)] containing (around) O (nothing)}; the fourth large-scale prefix (MACRO-)

23a MAXIMIZED - the wordplay (made into Gorky's style) is a play on words involving the name of Russian author Maxim Gorky.

24a _KE|A|NU_ - hidden in (featuring) taKE A NUmber; Canadian actor Keanu Reeves

25a SP|INNER - SP (pair of spurs; i.e., the first two letters of the word "spurs") + INNER (private)

26a I|R(ON)ING - I + RING (call) containing (about) ON (performing; on, as in "You're on" meaning on stage or on the air)

27a A|U|GUST - A + U (university) + GUST (rush; as a wind)

28a MEGASTAR* - anagram (disrupted) of ARTS GAME; the fifth large-scale prefix (MEGA-)

Down

1d GRAMPUSES - GRAMPS (grandfather) containing (takes) USE (exercise)

2d GA(S LAM)P - SLAM (impact) contained in (in) GAP (narrow opening)

3d B(L)ACK - L (left) contained in (in) BACK (rear)

4d TON|SURE - TON (weight) + OK (sure)

6d PISTACHIO* - anagram (busted) of HAITIS COP

7d {DOLE OUT}~ - sounds like (said) "dough lout"

8d _ROY|AL_ - hidden in (in) tROY ALmost

9d ONE-TWO - sounds like (we hear) {WON (was victorious) TOO (also)}

15d RU(DIME)NTS - DIME (money) contained in (grasped by) RUNTS (little guys)

17d HAMBURGER* - anagram (new) of HAREM GRUB

19d WAX(W)ING - WAXING (growing) containing (around) W (start of winter; i.e., first letter of the word "winter")

20d M(OZ)ART - MART (store) containing (stocking) OZ; Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

21d CODEINE* - anagram (oddly) of ONE ICED

22d {ON A DIET}* - anagram (bad) of IDEA NOT

23d MISHA_ - MISHAP (accident) with the final letter deleted (near-accident); Russian ballet dancer Mikhail (Misha) Baryshnikov

24d K|IOWA - IOWA (Hawkeye State) following K (kay)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, July 16, 2010 (DT 26212)

This puzzle, a creation of Rufus, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Monday, April 12, 2010

The National Post has skipped DT 26211 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, April 10, 2010

Introduction

For a while, I thought that I might repeat yesterday's feat of completing the puzzle unaided. Alas, being at home today, the temptation of dipping into my readily available Tool Chest proved to be too great and I resorted to it with four or five stubborn clues remaining unsolved. Who knows, given a few hours by the lake, I might have cracked them on my own.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

oche - noun darts the line, groove or ridge on the floor behind which a player must stand to throw. Also called hockey or hockey line.

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26212].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

13d Corrupt deal, say? (4,6)

The definition is "corrupt" for which the solution is LEAD ASTRAY. The wordplay "deal, say" is a reverse anagram and it indicates that the word "deal" could be (say) an anagram of LEAD. In a cryptic crossword puzzle such an anagram could be clued as "lead astray".

15d Dog may have a second helping (5)

The definition is "dog" and the one we want is a BOXER. A boxer may also be a prizefighter, who would have a "second" (assistant) in his corner, tending to him between rounds.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, July 15, 2010 (DT 26210)

This puzzle, by Giovanni, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Friday, April 9, 2010

Introduction

I solved today's puzzle while basking in the sun at the beach - and thus without access to my Tool Chest. I confess that I threw in the towel - several times, in fact. However, each time, after a cool dip in the lake, I picked up the puzzle again and one or two more pieces would fall into place. And, what do you know, I eventually completed this three star puzzle without aids.

There were some wonderful clues today giving rise to some eureka moments when (as the Brits like to say) the penny dropped. Among the best were 1a, 28a, 9d and especially 4d. The puzzle received virtually universal acclaim from the Brits (a rare event indeed) - with even the normally curmudgeonly Barrie chiming in with "What a superb puzzle ...".

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

maiden - noun 4 cricket a maiden over; that is, an over from which no runs are scored, where an over is either (1) a series of six balls bowled by the same bowler from the same end of the pitch or (2) play during such a series of balls.

Used in Solutions:

locum - noun British short for locum tenens, a person who stands in temporarily for someone else of the same profession, especially a cleric or doctor.

Today's Links

Libellule's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26210].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

1a Maiden maybe with nothing on? That keeps them thrilled (4,3,4)

This clue can be read in several ways. In one surface reading, we have a naked young woman exciting those observing her. In a second surface reading, we may have a cricket player thrilling the fans by bowling a maiden (an over producing no runs) in a scoreless game (with nothing on [the scoreboard]). Finally, there is the cryptic meaning, which is so well explained by Libellule. According to him, "over the moon" is a football (soccer) expression. If so, it would appear that our setter is mixing his sports.

I must confess that I saw only the first two readings described above (and being on a beach surrounded by the former may have drawn my focus to it). Although I did get the correct solution, I thought the clue might be a cryptic definition referring to mooning, i.e., baring ones buttocks in public. I was a bit uneasy about this reasoning as I thought that mooning really wasn't the same as having nothing on. I must say that I enjoyed this clue when I first saw it, but now that I have read Libellule's explanation, I appreciate it even more.

Nevertheless, I am disappointed that Libellule chose not to provide an illustration to accompany his commentary on this clue!

18a King possibly gets to confront quirky character (4,4)

I hesitated for the longest time to enter FACE CARD here as it is apparently a North American expression, with the British equivalent being court card. However, as this did not elicit a comment from Libellule or the other Brits, perhaps the term face card has now taken root in Britain.

24a Violent fanatic out of time, about to be given suspension (9)

Like Libellule, I struggled with the wordplay for this clue - and only saw it completely after reading his review. My problem was in not recognizing that mist could mean suspension (I was thinking of suspension only in terms of something hanging or of a penalty or interruption). However, I would offer a slightly modified version of his interpretation.

• EX (out of) + T (time) + RE (about) + (to be given) MIST (suspension)

I think "to be given" is an explicit charade indicator - where, if X is given Y, then Y is added onto X.

7d Public school's grounds for optimism when England is threatened? (7,6)

The clue, whose solution is PLAYING FIELDS, is an allusion to the statement by the Duke of Wellington that "The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton".

I have to admit that I failed to see this, instead thinking that "playing Fields" might somehow refer to playing the records of Gracie Fields, an English actress, singer and comedienne who is noted for the time she devoted to entertaining troops during World War II. Having read through the comments at Big Dave's site, I discover that I am not alone in drawing this connection.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 (DT 26209)

This puzzle was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, April 8, 2010

Introduction

Like many of the Brits, I thought today's puzzle warranted more than the two stars for difficulty awarded by Big Dave.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Clues:

international - noun 1 a sports match or competition between two national teams. 2 (also internationalist) someone who takes part in, or has taken part in, such a match or competition.

nap³ - noun 2 British a tipster's prediction of the probable winner of a race.

Henry Tate - an English sugar merchant noted for establishing the Tate Gallery, London.

Tate - an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art.

Tate & Lyle plc - a U.K.-based multinational agri-processor primarily known for its sugar refining and golden syrup business which trades on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TATE.

Used in Solutions:

cap - noun 8 a someone chosen for a team representing a country, etc; b the fact of being chosen for such a team.

G² - abbreviation 1 German.

Port Louis - is the capital of Mauritius.

punter - noun 1 informal, chiefly British a person who gambles, places a bet, or makes a risky investment; a customer or client, especially a member of an audience; a prostitute's client.

River Alph - a fictional river mentioned in the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The poem begins "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan/ A stately pleasure-dome decree : / Where Alph, the sacred river, ran ..."

SM - abbreviation 2 Sergeant-Major.

Jack Teagarden - American jazz trombonist, bandleader, composer, and vocalist.

U² - adjective Brit colloq said especially of language: typical of or acceptable to the upper classes [therefore, posh].

Today's Links

Big Dave's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26209].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

17a Ploughing ahead with it begs this question? (5,3,3,4)

I actually failed to spot the anagram, thinking this was a cryptic definition. Certainly if one were to plough ahead with some endeavour (ignoring or failing to take into consideration the opinions of others), one might well be met with the reaction expressed in this question. Knowing that it is also an anagram makes the clue even more interesting.

15d Sweet old man in Tate? (5,5)

This clue, clearly intended to evoke an image of the Tate Gallery, is also a reference to Sir Henry Tate, the British sugar merchant and philanthropist who bankrolled the establishment of the gallery.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 (DT 26208)

This puzzle, created by Jay, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Introduction

I completed about half the puzzle before flipping open the Tool Chest today. In hindsight, I can't believe that I wasn't able to solve more clues without aid.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

back - noun 6 sport a player whose usual position is behind the forwards (see forward noun), and who in most sports is a defender, but who (e.g., in rugby) may also attack.

esp. (or espec.) - abbreviation especially.

Football Association (abbreviation FA) - a governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

RAF - abbreviation Royal Air Force.

Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE) - the field engineering and construction corps of the British army.

Social Democrats - a U.K. political party which was founded in 1981 and dissolved in 1988 and again in 1990 but seems to keep springing back up.

Today's Links

Tilsit's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26208].

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

24d Hotel employee showing quiet maturity (4)

Tilsit states that a page is "the UK equivalent of a bell-hop in the States." However, Chambers and Wikipedia both identify porter as the U.K. equivalent to bellhop. Maybe porter and page are interchangeable terms in Britain, or perhaps British hotels engage both porters and pages, the former to do the heavy lifting and the latter for lighter duties.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, July 12, 2010 (DT 26207)

This puzzle, by Shamus, was originally published in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Introduction

While today's puzzle was not difficult on the whole, I had to fall back on Gazza's review for an understanding of the wordplay in one of the clues.

Today's Glossary

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

Used in Solutions:

dep. - abbreviation 6 deputy.

EC (Eastern Central) postcode area - a group of postcode districts in central London, England encompassing almost all of the City of London and parts of several London Boroughs.

R - abbreviation recipe

tick¹ - noun 2 Brit colloq a moment • Wait a tick.

v. - abbreviation (presumably) verse [Note: I was unable to locate a source to validate this; however, it would not surprise me if it were to be found in the unabridged version of Chambers. ]

Today's Links

Gazza's review of today's puzzle may be found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26207].

Today, the Brits chat about the perceived (by some) issue of an excess number of anagrams in the puzzle. They also vent their spleen over technical difficulties experienced with The Daily Telegraph's online crossword site, known as Clued Up (or, not so affectionately, by many as Screwed Up).

Commentary on Today's Puzzle

9a City with little change in cost - it's naturally seen as steep? (9)

I saw the solution from the definition (it's naturally seen as steep) together with the checking letters. I also twigged to some of the wordplay - ECIP in PRICE (cost). I even figured that the P in ECIP likely stood for pence (little change). I was to discover from Gazza that I failed to see that EC is the postcode area for the City of London and that IP (1 pence) is little change. What is most galling is that I vaguely recall having seen similar wordplay in the past.

7d Key choice when playing sport (3,6)

Did I once comment that hockey never appeared in the British cryptics - only cricket, rugby, and football (soccer) - with the occasional mention of tennis, rowing and golf. It seems that Shamus is out to prove me wrong in this puzzle which appeared in the U.K. during the final week of the NHL regular season. A Canadian would almost never see the need to say "ice hockey" with the word "hockey" itself automatically carrying the connotation of a game played on ice. We would say "field hockey", "street hockey" or "roller hockey" to denote a game of hockey played on a surface other than ice involving footwear other than ice-skates. However, in much of the world, the reverse is true.

14d Clear connection shown around verse that's mournful (9)

I presume that V is an abbreviation for verse, although I was unable to find a source to confirm this. The definition is "mournful" with the solution being PLAINTIVE. The wordplay (as eventually dawned on me) is PLAIN (clear) + {TIE (connection) containing (shown around) V (verse)} [PLAIN|TI(V)E].

While I was solving the puzzle, I had thought that Ve might possibly be an abbreviation for verse, in which case the wordplay could have been PLAIN (clear) + TI {a reversal (shown around) of IT (connection)} + VE (verse?) [PLAIN|TI|VE]. I thought IT might mean connection in the sense of sex appeal (as in "I felt a strong connection from the moment I first met her"). However, as I began writing this item, the more plausible explanation jumped out at me (which happens quite often - I have found that having to write down one's thoughts often causes one to rethink a position).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, July 10, 2010 - Supernatural

Introduction

One might say that today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon is magical.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"CD" Cryptic Definition; "DD" Double Definition
	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a D(ARK) ARTS - DARTS (bolts) containing (encasing) ARK (sacred chest)

5a WAN|D - WAN (looking pale) + D (departs; perhaps an abbreviation that might be seen on a train schedule)

9a H(OUD|IN)I - HI (greeting) containing (when carrying) {reversal (back) of DUO (pair) + IN}

10a C(ABBA|L)A - {ABBA (Swedish band) + L (left)} contained in (in the middle of) CA (California)

12a ROLE* - anagram (cryptic) of LORE

13a B|ROOMS|TICK - B (blue) + ROOMS (quarters) + TICK (mark)

15a BASIL(IS)K - IS contained in (between) {BASIL (herb) + K (king; chess notation)}

16a P|OTTER - P (passing) + (by) OTTER (weaselly beast)

19a _MER|LIN_ - hidden in (some) farMER LINeage

21a WERE|WOLF< - WERE (used to be) + reversal of (in retrospect) FLOW 24a W|ITCH|C|RAFT - W (woman's foremost; i.e., first letter of the word "woman") + ITCH (desire) + C (cold) + RAFT (float)

25a W(IS)E - IS contained in (in) WE (our group)

27a T(URNS) IN - URNS (funerary vessels) contained in (clad) TIN (metal)

28a {TI|TA|NI|A}< - reversal of (reversed) {A + IN (connection) + AT IT (busy)} 29a RAPT~ - sounds like (in audition) WRAPPED (covered)

30a HOG(WAR)TS* - anagram (upset) of GHOST containing (about) WAR (fight)

Down

1d DO|UGLAS* - DO (make)

2d REIN~ - sounds like (sonically) RAIN (precipitation)

3d A|PI(AR|IS)T - {AR (unopened jar; i.e., the word "jar" without its opening letter) + IS} contained in (in) { A + PIT (hole)}

4d TUCSON* - anagram (revised) of COUNTS

6d _ARA|BIST_ - hidden in (sitting in) ankARA BIStro

7d D|RANK - D (friend's final; i.e., final letter in word "friend") + RANK (status)

8d CHERUBIM* - anagram of (ordered) MUCH BRIE

11d BU(S TOKE)N - STOKE (feed) contained in (in) BUN (some bread)

14d SLEIGHTS~ - sounds like (in speech) SLIGHTS (pointedly neglects)

17d RIFLEMAN* - anagram (mobile) of FILM NEAR

18d {BEEF STEW)* - anagram (ruined) of FEW GOOD

20d {RAT|TRAP}< - reversal of (turning) {PART (leave) + TAR (sailor)}

22d ORIENTS* - anagram (bananas) of IN STORE

23d BRAND|O - BRAND (assign a label) + (to) O (old)

24d WA_TER - WAITER (server) minus I (shedding one)

26d STAR_ - STARE (rude look) without its final letter

Signing off for today - Falcon