Saturday, April 30, 2011 - Up in the Air

Introduction

Unlike their previous offering, the theme of today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon is easy to spot - even if it is up in the air, as the setters take us for a ride in a variety of airborne vehicles.

By the way, a sharp-eyed reader did spot the theme in last week's puzzle. If you are curious, you can find out what it was by visiting last Saturday's blog.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a   TRIP|LANE - TRIP (journey) + (by) LANE (road)

5a   S|C|RUBS - S (second) + C (cup) + (and) RUBS (wipes)

9a   AG|LOW - AG ([chemical symbol for the element] silver) + LOW (base)

10a   S|PACES|HIP - S (small) + PACES (steps) + HIP (wise; as in "Having once been taken in, I'm now hip to her tricks.")

12a   INGRES|S - INGRES (French painter [Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres]) + S ('s)

13a   S(PL)URGE - SURGE (gush) containing (about) PL (place)

14a   HELICOPTER* - anagram (flying) of CHEER PILOT

16a   SPIT - double definition; "order from a dentist" & "sharply pointed rod"

19a   RAYS~ - sounds like (in the sound) RAISE (bring up)

20a   HO(V)ERCRAFT* -V ([Roman numeral for] five) contained in (packed into) {an anagram (convertible) of CAR FOR THE}

23a   {PIT|STOP}< - reversal (to the left) of {POTS (vessels) + TIP (tilt)}

25a   A|BETTOR (or A|BETTER) - A (one) + BETTOR/BETTER (gambler)

26a   TUR(B)OPROP* - anagram (shakily) of POUR PORT containing B (fifth [letter] of bourBon)

27a   TICKS - double definition; "checks" & "bloodsuckers"

28a   WREAKS~ - sounds like (audibly) REEKS (noxious odours)

29a   ZE(PP|ELI)N - {PP (pages) + ELI} contained in ZEN (Buddhist school)

Down

1d   TO|A|DISH - TO + A + DISH (beauty queen)

2d   ILL(EG)ALLY - EG (for example) contained in (with ... outside) {ILL (sick) + ALLY (friend)}

3d   LA(WREN)CE - WREN (architect [Christopher Wren]) contained in (wearing) LACE (fine fabric)

D. H. Lawrence - English writer

4d   NES(T)S - NESS (Scottish loch [Loch Ness]) containing T (first [letter] of The)

6d   C(RE)OLE - COLE (Porter [American composer and songwriter Cole Porter]) containing (carrying) RE (about)

7d   US|HER - HER (that woman) following (behind) US (our group)

8d   SAPIENT* - anagram (changing) of PANTIES

11d   AUSTERE* - anagram (processed) of TEA SURE

15d   PRO(S)PER - PROPER (fitting) containing (around) S (front [letter] of Spar)

17d   P(RACTIC*)AL - PAL (friend) containing (collecting) {an anagram (bats) of ARCTIC}

18d   S|CREW-TOP - S (southern) + CREW (team) + TOP (to pass)

19d   RO(PE T|O)W - {PET (favourite) + O (ring)} contained in (in) ROW (donnybrook)

21d   T{URNS) IN - URNS (vessels) contained in (clad) TIN (metal)

Note: submit is used in the sense of to hand in an assignment

22d   A(T WO)RK - TWO (pair) contained in (aboard) ARK (Noah's boat)

24d   TO(R)TE - TOTE (bag) containing (holding) R (last [letter] of layeR)

25d   A(MP)LE - ALE (beer) containing (split by) MP (legislator; i.e., Member of Parliament)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, April 29, 2011 - DT 26463

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26463
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, January 31, 2011
Setter Rufus
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26463]
Big Dave's Review Written By Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26462 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, January 29, 2011

Introduction

I made what I thought was a fairly easy puzzle more difficult by entering STREET VENDOR at 13a, thereby hampering for some time my efforts on the right hand side of the puzzle. Even though, in hindsight, the north east quadrant doesn't appear any more difficult than the rest of the puzzle I did need a gentle nudge from my tools to finish it. I was a bit surprised to see that the Brits were nearly unanimous in characterising this one as more difficult than usual (at least for a "Monday" puzzle).

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Solutions:

parole - noun 1 the temporary or permanent release of a prisoner before the expiry of a sentence, on the promise of good behaviour: he committed a burglary while on parole; historical a promise or undertaking given by a prisoner of war to return to custody or act as a non-belligerent if released.

schooner - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 2 British a large glass for sherry. 3 US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand a large glass for beer.

stand to - phrasal verb [often in imperative] Military stand ready for an attack, especially one before dawn or after dark.

street trader - noun a person who sells something in the street, either from a stall or van or with their goods laid out on the pavement. [I found no evidence to indicate definitively that this is a British expression, but I certainly would have said street vendor (in fact, I did!)]

tickle - [Collins English Dictionary] verb 5 to catch (a fish, especially a trout) by grasping it with the hands and gently moving the fingers into its gills.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, April 28, 2011 (DT 26461)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26461
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, January 28, 2011
Setter Giovanni
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26461]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

I think the the chart above makes my performance look a bit worse than it really was. I initially entered an incorrect solution at 5d (having put in PRODUCTS) which would have made this a very poor cryptic definition. With the help of my Tool Chest I was able to find the solution to 16a which also clearly showed that my solution for 5d was wrong. As I was soon to discover, 5d is actually a very nice anagram. Having sorted out that mess, I was then able to solve several more clues unaided (although I have not given myself credit for them in the chart).

The date that this puzzle was published in the U.K. marked the second anniversary of Big Dave's Crossword Blog. I would like to reiterate my congratulations to Big Dave on reaching this milestone that I originally extended to him in my blog of January 28.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

divine¹ - noun 1 dated a cleric or theologian.

Appearing in Solutions:

Axminster carpet - noun a type of patterned carpet with a cut pile Often shortened to Axminster. [after Axminster, in Devon, where such carpets are made]

*DD - abbreviation Doctor of Divinity.

dead letter - noun 1 a law or treaty which has not been repealed but is ineffectual or defunct in practice; a thing which is unimportant or obsolete: theoretical reasoning is a dead letter to a child. 2 chiefly North American an unclaimed or undelivered piece of mail.

mail drop - noun 1 North American a receptacle for mail, especially one in which mail is kept until the addressee collects it. 2 British a delivery of mail.

Sir Robert Peel - (1788–1850), British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1834-5 and 1841-6. As Home Secretary (1828–30) he established the Metropolitan Police (hence the nicknames bobby and peeler). His repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 split the Conservatives and forced his resignation.

*rum² - adjective British informal, dated odd; peculiar: it's a rum business, certainly

tartare - adjective [postpositive] (of fish) served raw, typically seasoned and shaped into small cakes.

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.

12a   Mottled piece of fruit - divine on the outside (7)

My initial inclination on seeing the phrase "piece of fruit" was to look for the name of a fruit with the final letter(s) deleted. However, the word "fruit" can be either singular or plural. So, if someone offered you a bowl of fruit, you might select a "piece of fruit", perhaps a pear - or an apple.

7d   Sort of delivery man said to fall down when fatigued? (4,4)

This clue has very smooth (and deceiving) surface reading. My immediate reaction was to look for some sort of delivery man as the solution. However, the definition is actually "sort of delivery" which is MAIL DROP (a term which has a somewhat different meaning in Britain than it does in North America, as can be seen from Today's Glossary).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, April 27, 2011 (DT 26460)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26460
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, January 27, 2011
Setter Ray T
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 264xx]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Today we have quite an enjoyable exercise served up by Ray T. It is perhaps a bit less challenging than his typical fare and he seems to be a bit more restrained than is sometimes the case - there being no blatantly risqué entries. However, read carefully and you will find a hint of his unmistakable style in clues such as 3d and 6d.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

The Independent - a newspaper in the United Kingdom owned since 2010 by the former KGB officer Alexander Lebedev. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition; The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily newspapers.

rhubarb - noun

• 3 British informal the noise made by a group of actors to give the impression of indistinct background conversation, especially by the random repetition of the word ‘rhubarb’.
• nonsense: it was all rhubarb, about me, about her daughter, about art
• 4 North American informal a heated dispute

Appearing in Solutions:

antipodes - plural noun (usually the Antipodes) two points on the Earth's surface that are diametrically opposite each other, especially Australia and New Zealand as being opposite Europe

cheroot - noun a cigar with both ends open

diabolo - noun a game in which a two-headed top is thrown up and caught with a string stretched between two sticks; the wooden top used in the game of diabolo

dosser - noun British informal, derogatory 1 a person who sleeps rough; a tramp 2 an idle person

Electra complex - noun Psychoanalysis old-fashioned term for the Oedipus complex as manifested in young girls

ide - noun another term for orfe (a silvery freshwater fish of the carp family, which is fished commercially in eastern Europe; Leuciscus idus, family Cyprinidae)

*mo - noun [in singular] informal, chiefly British a short period of time: hang on a mo!

*ness - noun [usually in place names] a headland or promontory: Orford Ness

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, April 26, 2011 (DT 26459)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26459
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Setter Jay
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26459]
Big Dave's Review Written By Falcon
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ N/A └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

I didn't immediately recognize this puzzle, but as I worked my way through it an unmistakable sense of déjà vu began to envelope me. I soon recognized that this is a puzzle that I had reviewed on Big Dave's site in January.

Given that it is the second time I have seen this puzzle, I have omitted the performance chart today.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

House of Lords - (in the UK) the higher chamber of Parliament, composed of peers and bishops

illumination - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 3 (often plural) Chiefly British a light or lights, especially coloured lights, used as decoration in streets, parks, etc.

Appearing in Solutions:

O² - symbol the chemical element oxygen

parson's nose - noun the fatty extreme end portion of the tail of a fowl when cooked Also called pope's nose. [Both versions of this expression would seem to exist on either side of the Atlantic.However, judging solely by these dictionary entries, the former version may be more common in the U.K. with the latter being more frequently seen in North America].

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, April 25, 2011 - Easter Monday

Introduction

It being Easter Monday, a holiday in Canada, the National Post did not publish today.

Enjoy the holiday.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, April 23, 2011 - Pyrotechnics

Introduction

It was somewhat difficult to discern a theme in  today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon. However, I eventually settled on 'pyrotechnics' based on the first and last across clues. Since pyrotechnics may also mean "a brilliant display, as of rhetoric or wit, or of virtuosity in the performing arts" [American Heritage Dictionary] or "brilliance of display, as in the performance of music" [Collins English Dictionary], perhaps the term may also have a connection with 16a.

I do apologize for the poor quality of the grid that appeared in my original posting. Since the Digital Edition published on the National Post website was missing the Weekend Post section containing the puzzle, I was forced to scan the puzzle from the print edition of the newspaper. As I only discovered this situation after I had completed the puzzle, I had to erase my markings - which unfortunately may have been still faintly visible. Fortuitously, I was able to do this as I use a pencil to do the puzzle (a revelation that the ink-obsessed Brits will surely find appalling).

The National Post has now updated their website to include the missing section of the paper and I have replaced the original scanned image with one of better quality.

Update: Theme Solved

Thanks to MG (see Comments section), I think we have uncovered the theme of this puzzle. The grid visually is a pinwheel. Prompted by his comment, I found this image of a pinwheel tile pattern.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a   PINWHEELS* - anagram (collapsed) of WHEN PILES

• pinwheel - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 3. the US and Canadian name for windmill [3]
• windmill - [Collins English Dictionary] noun 3. Also called whirligig British a toy consisting of plastic or paper vanes attached to a stick in such a manner that they revolve like the sails of a windmill. US and Canadian name pinwheel.

6a   PI(X)EL* - anagram (reorganized) of PILE containing (around) X ([Roman numeral for] ten)

7a   MAR(PLO)T - MART (shop) containing (broken into by) PLO

• marplot - [American Heritage Dictionary] noun An officious meddler whose interference compromises the success of an undertaking. [After Marplot, a character in The Busy Body, a play by Susannah Centlivre (1669-1723).]
• PLO - abbreviation Palestine Liberation Organization

10a   STRANG(L)ER - L ([Roman numeral for] fifty) contained in (in) STRANGER (alien)

11a   {NAOM|I}< - reversal (about) of {I + MOAN (complain)}

12a   AUDI|O~ - sounds like (sound of) AUDI (German car) + O (wheel)

14a   GAMB(O)LING - O (round) contained in (in) GAMBLING (casino activity)

16a   _ORCHES|TRA_ - hidden in (with some) tORCHES TRApped

18a   TO W|IT - TOW (drag) + IT (the thing)

20a   IN|DIA - IN (popular) + DIA (day in Central America; i.e., Spanish or Portuguese word for 'day')

21a   CHAR(AC)TER - CHARTER (rent) containing (includes) AC (air-conditioning)

23a   G(A|S P)UMP - GUMP (Hanks movie role) containing (involving) {A + SP (Spanish)}

Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks [in the title role], Robin Wright, and Gary Sinise. The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump, an Alabama simpleton who travels across the world, meeting historical figures, influencing popular culture, and experiencing firsthand some of the historic events of the late 20th century.

24a   RID(G)E - RIDE (go on horseback) containing (around) G (green)

25a   F(IREW)ORKS - anagram (tangled) of WIRE contained in FORKS (branches)

Down

1d   PAPE|RED - PAPE (French pope; i.e., French word for 'pope') + (and) RED (cardinal)

2d   NIX|ON - NIX (veto) + ON (airing; i.e., being broadcast)

Nixon is a 1995 American biographical film directed by Oliver Stone for Cinergi Pictures that tells the story of the political and personal life of former US President Richard Nixon, played by Anthony Hopkins.

3d   HALF-LIGHT - FLIGHT (escape) following HAL (Harold)

4d   ELMER* - anagram (lousy) of MERLE

5d   ST(RUNG) OUT - STOUT (brave) containing (takes) RUNG (step)

8d   {LEON|I}< -reversal (back) of {I ([Roman numeral for] one) + NOEL (Christmas)}

Téa Leoni (born Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni) is an American actress who has starred in a wide range of films including Jurassic Park III, The Family Man, Deep Impact, Fun with Dick and Jane, Spanglish, Bad Boys and Ghost Town.

9d   TAILGATER~ - sounds like (recited) {TALE (story) + GATOR (swamp denizen)}

10d   SH(AD)OWING - AD (commercial) contained in (in) SHOWING (broadcasting)

13d   O|PER|A| BUFF - O (love; as a score of 0 in tennis) + PER (according to) + A + BUFF (brawny)

buff - adjective North American informal (of a person or their body) in good physical shape with well-developed muscles: the driver was a buff blond named March

15d   MI|A| FAR|ROW - MI (note) + A + FAR (distant) + ROW (queue)

mi (British me) - noun North American Music (in tonic sol-fa) the third note of a major scale

Mia Farrow (born Maria de Lourdes Villiers Farrow) is an American actress, singer, and former fashion model who has appeared in more than forty-five films winning numerous awards and is also notable for her extensive humanitarian work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

17d   CEDES~ - sounds like (in the ear) SEEDS (germs)

19d   WITHERS - double definition; "base of a horse's neck" & "is affected by heat"

21d   _CA|PER_ - hidden in (found in) AfriCA PERhaps

22d   ADDER - double definition; "one engaged in finding a total" & "snake"

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, April 22, 2011 - Good Friday

Introduction

It being Good Friday, there is no edition of the National Post today.

Enjoy the holiday - a lovely spring day in Ottawa.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Thursday, April 21, 2011 (DT 26458)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26458
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26458]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

After getting the day off yesterday, my Tool Chest saw only limited action today. However, even though I avoided using it for the most part, I did make a fair number of educated guesses that fortunately proved to be correct.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

Ernie Els - South African professional golfer

mother's ruin - British informal gin

Princess Odette - the lead ballerina role in the ballet Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Appearing in Solutions:

a gogo - adjective [postpositive] informal in abundance; galore: Gershwin a gogo — all the hits [Origin: (1960s) from French à gogo, from Old French gogue 'fun']

coastguard - noun chiefly British a member of the coastguard organization

Interpol - an organization based in France that coordinates investigations made by the police forces of member countries into crimes with an international dimension

knock someone/thing about (or around) - phrasal verb injure or damage by rough treatment

knockabout - noun 1 a rough, slapstick comic performance

Patna rice - noun rice of a variety with long firm grains, which was originally produced at Patna [India]

suck it and see - idiom British & Australian informal to try something that you have not done before to discover what it is like or whether it will be successful: I'm not sure at this stage whether it's the right job for me - I've just got to suck it and see

swank - informal, chiefly British

• verb display one's wealth, knowledge, or achievements in a way that is intended to impress others: he was swanking about, playing the dashing young master spy
• noun - behaviour, talk, or display intended to impress others: a little money will buy you a good deal of swank

tiffin - noun dated or Indian a snack or light meal

Ben Travers (1886 – 1980) - British playwright best remembered for his farces

Wick - an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay.

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.

10a   Start to make a speech about one mother's ruin (9)

I am sure this clue was easily solved by the Brits. In my case, the real puzzle was (after having found the correct solution) trying to figure out why 'gin' might be called "mother's ruin". The name may derive from the reputed ability of gin, if consumed in large quantity, to induce abortion in pregnant women. An interesting account of the effects of gin-drinking on English society in the mid-eighteenth century can be found here.

16d   Topliner abroad in crime unit (8)

"Topliner" is seemingly not a popular word among lexicographers as I found it listed in only one source - Dictionary.com (which is based on The Random House Dictionary).

topliner - noun [related to the adjective topline]

1. [someone or something] so important as to be named at or near the top of a newspaper item, advertisement, or the like: a topline actress; topline news.
2. [someone or something] of the highest reputation, importance, etc.: a topline business firm.

Signing off for today - Falcon

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 (DT 26457)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26457
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, January 24, 2011
Setter Rufus
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26457]
Big Dave's Review Written By Libellule
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26456 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, January 22, 2011

Introduction

This gentle offering from Rufus allowed my Tool Chest to enjoy a rare day off today.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

Chelsea Football Club - an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football.

Appearing in Solutions:

bang on - phrase British informal exactly right: the programme is bang on about the fashion world [despite being cited by Oxford Dictionaries Online as British usage, this sense of the expression is certainly also commonly used here in Canada]

bang on (about) - phrasal verb British informal talk at tedious length about (something): the government banged on about competition and the free market [I would think that this sense of the expression is much less commonly used in Canada.]

*CE - abbreviation [1^st entry] Church of England

Ely - a cathedral city in the fenland of Cambridgeshire, eastern England, on the River Ouse; population 15,600 (est. 2009)

*L³ - symbol the Roman numeral for 50

le - French the

The Left Bank - (in French, La Rive Gauche) is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two: looking downstream, the southern bank is to the left, and the northern bank (or Rive Droite) is to the right.

R² (or R.) - abbreviation 4 a Regina (Latin), Queen; b Rex (Latin), King.

*sup¹ - noun

• a sip of liquid: he took another sup of wine
• Northern English & Irish alcoholic drink

toff - noun British informal, derogatory a rich or upper-class person

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.

9a   Indoor transport (8)

I had to think long and hard about the wordplay here and really only fully understood it after reading Libellule's review. I readily understood that "transport" could mean ENTRANCE in the sense of 'to fill with delight or wonder' (to use Libellule's words). However, I didn't initially fully grasp the other part of this double definition, in which an "In" door would refer to an entrance (just as an "Out" door would be an exit).

Signing off for today - Falcon

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 (DT 26455)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26455
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, January 21, 2011
Setter Giovanni
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26455]
Big Dave's Review Written By Gazza
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

I came close to completing today's puzzle without assistance, but did need to activate my research tools to discover the name of the hitherto unknown plants growing at 11d.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

Appearing in Solutions:

*AA - abbreviation [3^rd entry] (in the UK and South Africa) Automobile Association [a counterpart to the CAA (in Canada) or AAA (in the U.S.)]

*AB² - abbreviation [1^st entry] able seaman, noun a rank of sailor in the Royal Navy above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman

Desperate Dan is a wild west character in the British comic The Dandy.

The character first appeared in the first issue of The Dandy, dated 4 December 1937. He is apparently the world's strongest man, able to lift a cow with one hand. Even his beard is so tough he has to shave with a blowtorch.

O² - symbol the chemical element oxygen

*RE - abbreviation (in the UK) Royal Engineers, the field engineering and construction corps of the British army

time - enemy, as in "The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time." - William Butler Yeats

W - [The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition] abbreviation Physics weak

In particle physics a W particle or W boson is a hypothetical positively or negatively charged subatomic particle of large mass, responsible in theory for weak interaction between particles.

Appearing on Big Dave's Blog

valve - noun 1 [2^nd entry] British  short for thermionic valve, noun Electronics a device giving a flow of thermionic electrons in one direction, used especially in the rectification of a current and in radio reception [North American tube or thermionic tube]

Signing off for today - Falcon

Monday, April 18, 2011 (DT 26454)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26454
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, January 20, 2011
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26454]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

Although Big Dave panned today's puzzle, it drew mixed reviews from the visitors to his site.

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

daily - noun informal 2 (also daily help) British dated a woman who is employed to clean someone else's house each day

Appearing in Solutions:

Jeffrey Archer (Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare) - English author and former politician whose political career ended with his conviction and subsequent imprisonment (2001–03) for perjury and perverting the course of justice

Ch. - [The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition] abbreviation Chaplain

char² - British informal noun a charwoman

E² - abbreviation 1 Earl

mat³ - noun US spelling of matt (also matte) adjective (of a surface or colour) dull and flat; without a shine: prints are available on matt or glossy paper; a matt black

Pomona - a goddess of fruitful abundance in ancient Roman religion and myth.

*RN - abbreviation (in the UK) Royal Navy

Thurso - a fishing port on the northern coast of Scotland, in Highland council area, the northernmost town on the mainland of Britain; population 7,300 (est. 2009) [I now know from whence the nearby town in the Outaouais region of Quebec likely draws its name.]

unpriest - verb [The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition] to divest of priesthood. [Century Dictionary] To deprive of the orders or authority of a priest; unfrock. [Webster's Dictionary 1828]  To deprive of the orders of a priest. [Webster's Dictionary 1913] To deprive of priesthood; to unfrock.

.za - the Internet country code top-level domain for South Africa [an abbreviation of the Dutch Zuid-Afrika]

Signing off for today - Falcon

Saturday, April 16, 2011 - Cardinal Points

Introduction

In today's puzzle by Cox and Rathvon, the setters take us to the four major points of the compass - not to mention a few places in between.











Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted

Across

1a   NOR|TH IS(L)AND - NOR (and not) + {THIS (the one in question) + AND (also)} containing (admits) L (Liberal)

7a   WINDS|OR - WINDS (is twisted) + OR (in other words)

8a   MA(CAB)RE - MARE (horse) containing (and inside) CAB (carriage)

10a   S(WEE|T) CORN - SCORN (disdain) containing (about) {WEE (small) + T (piece of The}

11a   NO|TES< - reversal (from the rear) of SET ON (attack)

12a   MO(NI)TOR - MOTOR (engine) containing NI ([chemical symbol for the element] nickel)

14a   LE(AD D|O)G - {ADD (contribute) + O (nothing)} contained in (in) LEG (support)

15a   NO|T(I)ONS - NO (number) + {I ([Roman numeral for] one) contained in (among) TONS (many)}

18a   TATT(L)ER - L (left) contained in (with ... outside) TATTER (shred)

 20a   TO(R)US - {TO (in honour of; as would be said in proposing a toast) + US (Yankee)} containing (swallowing) R (a bit of Raised)

21a   LAKE NYASA - hidden in (through) "AngoLA KENYAS Accessing"

23a   R(A|IM)ENT - {A (article) + IM (I'm)} contained in (wearing) RENT (split)

24a   AM(NEST)Y - AMY (Amanda) containing (about) NEST (simple home)

25a   SOUTHAMPTON* - anagram (eccentric) of MUST PHOTO AN

Down

1d   NANKEEN - NAN (grandma) + KEEN (enthusiastic)

2d   RESET* - anagram (in a funny way) of TREES

3d   H|ARBOUR - H (hospital) + (with) ARBOUR (garden alcove)

4d   SEMINAL* - anagram (fluid) of IN MEALS

5d   ASCENDANT - DAN (Daniel) contained in (invested in) {A + SCENT (perfume)}

6d   _DE(BUT)ED - BUT (still) contained in (in the middle of) DEED (act)

7d   WESTMINSTER* - anagram (all about) of ITEMS STREWN

9d   EA(ST) GER|MANY - {EAGER (hot to trot) + MANY (a lot)} containing (around) ST (street)

13d   T|ROUSSEAU - Rousseau (French painter) following (is behind) T (time)

16d   T(URN)IPS - TIPS (ends) containing (seen outside of) URN (large pot)

17d   S|PLOT|CH - S (small) + PLOT (piece of ground) + (in front of) CH (church)

18d   {TAKE AIM}* - anagram (punk) of MIKE AT A

19d   LI(A|IS)ON - {A (allergy initially; i.e., first letter of "Allergy") + IS}contained in (picked up by) LION (cat)

22d   NONET - NO + NET (profit)

Signing off for today - Falcon

Friday, April 15, 2011 (DT 26453)

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26453
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Setter Jay
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26453]
Big Dave's Review Written By Big Dave
Big Dave's Rating
Difficulty - ★★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Performance ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ Legend: █ - solved without assistance █ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools █ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog

Introduction

We are currently experiencing a bit of unseasonably cold weather in the Ottawa area, so my brain may have been frozen today. At any rate, it took me a long time to make any progress on today's puzzle. The performance chart above certainly fails to portray the complete story.  Despite eventually solving all but two clues unaided, I struggled mightily in doing so. In fact, for quite some time it appeared that I might not be able to solve more than a mere handful of clues. So it was rather disheartening to see Big Dave characterize the puzzle as being one "that is not too difficult".

Today's Glossary

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

[An asterisk beside an entry merely indicates that it has been taken it from a Cumulative Glossary of entries which have previously appeared, in either this blog or its companion blog, the Ottawa Citizen Cryptic Crossword Forum.]

Appearing in Clues:

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.

plate - noun 3 [6^th entry] a light horseshoe for a racehorse

Appearing in Solutions:

black - British dated adjective 5 (of goods or work ) not to be handled or undertaken by trade union members, especially so as to express support for an industrial dispute elsewhere: the union declared the ship black; verb 2 refuse to handle (goods), undertake (work ), or have dealings with (a person or business) as a way of taking industrial action: the printers blacked firms trying to employ women

Con. - abbreviation British [1^st entry] Conservative (denoting the political affiliation of a Member of Parliament)

earth - noun 3 British electrical connection to the ground, regarded as having zero electrical potential: ensure metal fittings are electrically bonded to earth [cf. ground¹ - noun 7 North American electrical connection to the earth]

Equity - [under equity] noun 4 (in the UK, US, and several other countries) a trade union to which all professional actors must belong: [as modifier] an Equity card

*U² - abbreviation [2^nd entry] British universal (denoting films classified as suitable without restriction)

whites - [under white] noun 1 [3^rd entry] white clothes, especially as worn for playing cricket or tennis, as naval uniform, or in the context of washing: wash whites separately to avoid them being dulled

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.

12d   Rational support for listening to terrible fear of a clockmaker (11)

The definition is "of a clockmaker" with the solution being HOROLOGICAL. The wordplay is LOGICAL (rational) following (support) HORO {sounds like (listening to) HORROR (terrible fear)}. A couple of items likely merit some explanation. First, it being a down clue, the supporting element (LOCIGAL) comes after - i.e., below - the element that it supports (HORO). Second, taking into consideration the soft British R, HORROR (Pronunciation: /ˈhɒrə/) would sound like the first two syllables of HOROLOGICAL (Pronunciation: /hɒrəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/). Even if one can't read phonetic notation, one can see that the pronunciations would be identical.

Signing off for today - Falcon