Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26339 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, September 7, 2010 | |
Setter Ray T | |
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26339] | |
Big Dave's Review Written By Libellule | |
Big Dave's Rating | |
| Difficulty - *** | Enjoyment - **** |
Falcon's Performance **** | |
Introduction
Once again I find myself one solution short of completing the puzzle unaided, having got lost in the wrong section of the orchestra at 7d.
Today's Glossary
Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle
Appearing in Clues:
fellow - noun 3 (2nd entry) British an incorporated senior member of a college: a tutorial fellow
Appearing in Solutions:
dean 1 - noun 2 (2nd entry) (in a college or university, especially Oxford or Cambridge) a senior member of a college, with disciplinary and advisory functions
gutter - verb 4. (of a flame) to flicker and be about to go out [a meaning that is new to me]
gutter press - noun (the gutter press) chiefly British reporters or newspapers engaging in sensational journalism, especially accounts of the private lives of public figures
N - symbol Algebraic Chess Notation knight (with K being used for king)
R - symbol Algebraic Chess Notation rook
Commentary on Today's Puzzle
This commentary should be read in conjunction with the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.
25a Fellow admitting compiler's lower in status (6)
We are not talking about just any fellow here, but 'a senior member of a college', for which another name is a dean. The clue also makes use of a fairly common cryptic crossword convention whereby the setter of the puzzle (who, in this case, chooses to identify himself as a compiler) uses first person pronouns to refer to himself. In this clue, our compiler happens to use 'me', but 'I' is often seen as well.
The definition is "lower in status" (with lower being a verb). The wordplay is DEAN (fellow) containing (admitting) ME (compiler) for which the solution is DEMEAN. The 's is a contraction for 'is' and serves as a linkword between the wordplay and definition.
7d One makes a noise from passing wind! (7,4)
A classic Ray T clue! I failed to find the correct solution as I spent my time floundering around in the brass section of the orchrestra searching for some type of horn, when I should have been over in the string section.
Signing off for today - Falcon
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