Monday, October 24, 2011 - DT 26617

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26617
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, July 29, 2011
Setter Giovanni
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26617]
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 █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog

Introduction

It was satisfying to finish this puzzle without aid from my Tool Chest. However, the clues where I first found the solution and then puzzled over the wordplay was certainly not small in number. Several of the British expressions were new to me - in particular "do a bunk", "ding-dong" and "dodder".

Notes on Today's Puzzle

References: 
¹ - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
² - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
³ - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
⁴ - TheFreeDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)
⁵ - Oxford Dictionaries Online (Oxford Dictionary of English)
⁶ - Oxford Dictionaries Online (Oxford American Dictionary)
⁷ - Wikipedia

7a   In Britain, uni is apparently a commonly used short form for university, so a "uni doc" would be a 'university doctor'. Student drivers in the UK must display an L (for 'learner') on their vehicles. Thus, in cryptic crosswords, the words "student" or "learner" appearing in a clue often signify the letter L.

As well, in Britain, the degree required to practice medicine is a Bachelor of Medicine (MB, from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus), which is equivalent to a North American Doctor of Medicine (MD, from Latin Medicinae Doctor). The degree of Doctor of Medicine also exists in Britain, but it is an advanced degree pursued by those who wish to go into medical research. Physicians in Britain are still addressed as Dr. despite not having a doctoral degree.⁷

8a   In Britain, a class or year in a school is called a form⁵. Thus the British would say 'fifth form' whereas North Americans would say 'fifth grade'.

13a   An able seaman⁵ (abbreviation AB) is a rank of sailor in the Royal Navy above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. In Britain, bunk off⁵ means to abscond or play truant from school or work and "do a bunk⁵" is to make a hurried or furtive departure or escape.

21a   Under the British system of film classification⁷ a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" (or at least for children over 4 years of age). In his review, Gazza refers to this as the "old film classification", although one would gather from the Wikipedia article cited that it is still in use.

23a   A decalitre is 10 litres (approximately 2.2 Imperial gallons or 2.6 US gallons).

25a   Litotes⁵ is ironical understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary. For example, by using "not inconsiderable" rather than "extensive" (which Gazza cleverly manages to slip into his review).

2d   In the UK, the Territorial Army⁵ (TA) is a volunteer force locally organized to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined manpower for use in an emergency. Cum is Latin for 'with' and is found in phrases such as summa cum laude (with the highest distinction).

5d   In Britain, a ding-dong⁵ is a fierce argument or fight.

7d   The membership of the Upper House of the British Parliament, the House of Lords, comprises the Lords Spiritual (26 senior bishops of the Church of England) and the Lords Temporal (life peers appointed by the Monarch and hereditary peers). Thus the Lords Temporal are the "'unspiritual' peers". By the way, the formal title of the House of Lords is The Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.⁷

14d   The Tate Gallery⁵ (or simply the Tate) is a national museum of art at Millbank, London, founded in 1897 by the sugar manufacturer Sir Henry Tate (1819–99) to house his collection of modern British paintings, as a nucleus for a permanent national collection of modern art. It was renamed Tate Britain in 2000, when the new Tate Modern gallery opened.

17d   The Criminal Investigation Department² (CID) is the detective branch of the British police force.

19d   The definition given by Search Chambers for dodder is "to move in an unsteady trembling fashion, usually as a result of old age". Oxford Dictionary of English⁵, Collins English Dictionary⁴ as well as American Heritage Dictionary³ all provide similar definitions. However, I should have known to skip these sources and go directly to the "bible" (The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition)¹ where the definition is "to shake, to tremble, to totter or progress unsteadily, as a result of age; to potter; to ramble in talk; to be decrepit in mind or body".

Signing off for today - Falcon