Monday, January 16, 2012 - DT 26695

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26695
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, October 28, 2011
Setter Giovanni
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26695]
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 █ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog
Notes The National Post has skipped DT 26694 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, October 27, 2011

Introduction

For some reason, the National Post has skipped a Ray T puzzle that was highly rated by Big Dave. However, this offering from Giovanni also received high marks from Gazza. Aside from a minor stumble in the northwest quadrant, the puzzle did not give me too much trouble.

Notes on Today's Puzzle

This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.

5a   Head of State got rid of expert (7)

I got myself into a temporary pickle on this clue by having entered an incorrect solution at 2d.

7a   An attempt to bring shame (5)

Apparently British (although it does not sound foreign to my ear), bash^[5][9] is a noun meaning an attempt • have a bash at this quiz.

9a   Whiskery beast was outside front of local before game (6)

Rugby union (RU)^[5] is a form of rugby played in teams of fifteen, in contrast to rugby league^[5], which is played in teams of thirteen. The latter game was originated by a group of northern English clubs which separated from rugby union in 1895. Besides having somewhat different rules, the game differed from rugby union in always allowing professionalism.

10a   Around spring grass is growing (8)

In the UK, grass^[5] is used informally as a noun to mean a police informer and as a verb meaning to inform the police of someone’s criminal activities or plans (someone had grassed on the thieves). This expression may derive from rhyming slang (grasshopper = copper).

11a   Summer ending in debauchery after tea and wine (10)

In Britain, tea may informally be called char^[5] (or cha or chai).

19a   Person lived with is monotonous and dull, with little energy (8)

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, mat^[5] is the US spelling of matt (or matte)^[5], an adjective used to describe a surface or colour which is dull and flat or without a shine • prints are available on matt or glossy paper • a matt black. I am familiar with this word being spelled matte.

2d   ‘Countdown’ may be followed by this criticism that’s turned sour (5-3)

I entered BOOST-OFF and couldn't seem to get past it. BOOS did match "this criticism" and OFF is, of course, "turned sour". However, there is no accounting for the T. I did eventually realize my error when 5a finally fell into place.

Countdown^[7] (mentioned by Gazza in his hint) is a British game show involving word and number puzzles which is broadcast on Channel 4. With over 5,000 episodes having been broadcast since its debut on 2 November 1982, it is one of the longest-running game shows in the world, along with the original French version, Des chiffres et des lettres, which has been running on French television continuously since 1965.

3d   Courageously showing leg, see (6)

A see^[5] is the place in which a cathedral church stands, identified as the seat of authority of a bishop or archbishop. The Diocese of Ely^[5] is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in the city of Ely.

5d   Cut evident when son’s been give whip (5)

As Gazza also noted, 'give' should presumably be 'given'.

6d   Detachment from event of 24 February 1981 (13)

I didn't recognize the date, but the definition and checking letters were enough to give me the solution. I guessed that we might be  looking a some instance of military disengagement. However, 24 February, 1981 is the date on which the engagement of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer was announced to the world.

12d   Star rector played instruments in theatre (10)

The "theatre" here is one in which surgery would be performed in a hospital.

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 (Oxford Dictionary of English)
^[6] - Oxford Dictionaries (Oxford American Dictionary)
^[7] - Wikipedia
^[8] - Reverso Online Dictionary (Collins French-English Dictionary)
^[9] - Infoplease (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon