Friday, February 18, 2011 (DT 26404)

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26404
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, November 22, 2010
Setter Rufus
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26404]
Big Dave's Review Written By Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - **	Enjoyment - ***
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┐ ████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┘
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26403 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, November 20, 2010

Introduction

I thought I would need to resort to the Tool Chest today with three or four clues remaining to be solved. However, one final determined push caused them to fall. The final holdouts were 4a, 1d, 6d and 7d. I managed to solve 18a without understanding the allusion to the Duke of Wellington. However, a gentle nudge from Libellule sent me off on an interesting jaunt through the bedrooms of the British upper class.

Finally, based on feedback that it is difficult to read, no more red text on green background in the glossary.

Anagram Indicators

Anagram indicators are words in the clue that instruct us to rearrange the letters in a word, word scrap, or group of words to form a different word. By "word scrap", I mean a string of letters that does not form an actual word. For instance, a clue may instruct us to delete letters from a word (thus creating a 'word scrap') which is then anagrammed to make a new word [my spell-checker is telling me that 'anagrammed' is, itself, a new word].

There are a vast number of words that setters employ as anagram indicators and it is sometimes not easy to see why words qualify for this role. The use of a word as an anagram indicator may be based on a meaning that is not one of the first to come to mind - and may even be founded on a meaning that is archaic or otherwise quite obscure.

In Commentary on Today's Puzzle, I examine a couple of instances of this found in today's puzzle.

Today's Glossary

Selected abbreviations, people, places, words and expressions appearing in today's puzzle

Appearing in Clues:

The meanings listed in this section may reflect how the word is used in the surface reading of the clue. Of course, that meaning may be contributing to the misdirection that the setter is attempting to create.

evens - plural noun British another term for even money: the colt was 4-6 favourite after opening at evens

Appearing in Solutions:

"Publish and be damned" - retort of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, to courtesan Harriette Wilson (his former mistress) when informed of her plans to write her memoirs.

Harriette Wilson (1786 - 1845) was a celebrated British Regency courtesan, whose clients included the Prince of Wales, the Lord Chancellor and four future Prime Ministers. Among her other lovers with whom she had a business arrangement was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, who commented "publish, and be damned" when informed of her plans to write her memoirs. Her decision to publish was partly based on the broken promises of her lovers to provide her with an income in her older age. The memoirs are still in print. [If you work the streets of Hintonburg, you are called a prostitute (or worse); if you ply your trade in the bedrooms of the British nobility you are referred to as a courtesan].

stitch-up - noun British informal an act of placing someone in a position in which they will be wrongly blamed for something, or of manipulating a situation to one's advantage

suspender - noun

• 1 (usually suspenders) British an elastic strap attached to a belt or garter, fastened to the top of a stocking to hold it up
• 2 (suspenders) North American a pair of braces for holding up trousers

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.

21a   Troops stepped out in this formation (7)

The key to understanding the wordplay in this clue is to know that an echelon is a step-like formation of soldiers; that is, a formation in which each succeeding rank of soldiers is displaced laterally relative to the rank preceding it - a point that several of the Brits appear to have missed, judging by their comments.

22a   Cheering custom following papal trip (8)

The definition is "cheering" with the solution being APPLAUSE. The wordplay is USE (custom) after (following) an anagram (trip) of PAPAL.

In this clue, the use of "trip" as an anagram indicator is likely based on the meaning, 'to dance around' [trip - verb walk, run, or dance with quick light steps].

5d   Earned aggravation when closed (6)

There is a bit of discussion on Big Dave's site regarding "closed" meaning "neared". I think it does in the sense of "As the Spitfire closed, the German pilot took evasive action".

14d   Uncle Sam's braces (10)

This clue depends on the solver not equating "braces" with 'suspenders', and thus works in Britain but falls down in North America. In Britain, suspenders are used to hold up socks, rather than trousers.

I love the illustration that Big Dave has inserted to accompany Libellule's hint for this clue. The only way it could be improved might be to have the buxom young lady outfitted in socks and British suspenders : )

16d   Cut-throat bunch of hustlers (8)

The definition is "cut-throat", having the solution RUTHLESS. The wordplay is an anagram (bunch) of HUSTLERS. I would presume that "bunch" qualifies as an anagram indicator due to its meaning "collect or fasten into a compact group". Thus the letters forming the word "hustlers" can also be collected into a compact group (word) that just happens to be 'ruthless'. Nevertheless, I was not surprised to see several of the Brits object to this word being used as an anagram indicator.

Signing off for today - Falcon