Thursday, March 8, 2012 - DT 26741

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26741
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Setter Jay
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26741]
Big Dave's Review Written By Pommers
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

Introduction

I found this puzzle to be a bit less difficult than Pommers thought it to be. Perhaps having blogged a Jay puzzle yesterday for Big Dave's site tuned my brain to the right wavelength.

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.

10a   Instrument of agreement — Italy has refusal rejected (9)

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for Italy is I^[5].

15a   Sort of advertising ruined by defensive armour (8)

Despite the solution being a new term for me, I was able to decipher it from the wordplay (although I did have to look it up before I was at all convinced that such a word would actually exist). In Britain, a mailshot^[5] is (1) a dispatch of mail, especially promotional material, to a large number of people • retail multiples [presumably chain stores] use targeted mailshots to support new branches; (2) an item sent in a mailshot • I have just received a mailshot from another firm. It can also be used as a verb, meaning to send promotional material to (a large number of people) • you mailshot your prospect list with an offer.

25a   Get better regarding insurance (7)

In the UK, cover^[5] means protection by insurance against a liability, loss, or accident • your policy provides cover against damage by subsidence. This is likely equivalent to the North American term coverage^[5], the amount of protection given by an insurance policy.

28a   Shows friendliness, with energy for one of sons (8)

In Britain, matey^[5] (also sometimes spelled maty) is an informal term meaning (as an adjective) familiar and friendly; sociable • a matey grin. As a noun, it is used as a familiar form of address to a man • shove off, matey, she’s mine. As derivatives, we have the noun mateyness (or matiness), meaning friendliness and the adverb matily, meaning sociably.

29a   Inventor’s lack of affectation rejected (6)

Side^[5] is an informal British term (usually used with a negative) meaning a boastful or pretentious manner or attitude • there was absolutely no side to him.

1d   The drink for people under canvas surrounding hotel (8)

Yet another British term that I didn't know - but which easily fell out of the wordplay - champers^[5] is an informal term for champagne.

2d   Check carpet (4,3)

In Britain, carpet^[5] is an informal term meaning to reprimand severely • the Chancellor of the Exchequer carpeted the bank bosses. As well, in the UK, to tick someone off^[5] means to reprimand or rebuke someone • he was ticked off by Angela. In North America, this expression means to make someone annoyed or angry • Jefferson was a little ticked off, but he’ll come around.

6d   Fish for fresh char, catching nothing (5)

A roach^[5] is an edible Eurasian freshwater fish (Rutilus rutilus, family Cyprinidae) of the carp family, popular with anglers.

9d   Bale out distraught after dance with doctor, upset (14)

In addition to being a club at which people dance to pop music (as the term is understood in North America), in Britain a disco^[5] may also be a party at which people dance to pop music. Bale^[5] is an alternative British spelling of bail^[5], in the sense of to scoop water out of (a ship or boat) or, in the expression bale (or bail) out, to (1) make an emergency parachute descent from an aircraft or (2) withdraw from an obligation or commitment.

17d   Puts up with family’s military headgear (8)

A bearskin^[5] is a tall cap of black fur worn ceremonially by certain troops, such as the Guards in the British army. The bearskin is also worn by four Canadian regiments: Canadian Grenadier Guards,
Governor General's Foot Guards, Royal 22^e Régiment, and The Royal Regiment of Canada.

24d   This anticipates charge for police staff (5)

The subtlety of the wordplay escaped me as I failed to take into consideration the sense in which the setter is employing the word "anticipates". Here, anticipate^[5] means to act as a forerunner or precursor of or come or take place before (an event or process expected or scheduled for a later time). Therefore "this" (BATON) "anticipates" (comes before) "charge" in the expression 'baton charge'. A baton charge^[2] noun an operation in which police officers, with batons drawn for use, make a swift forward movement against a hostile crowd.

Key to Reference Sources: 

^[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)
^[10] - CollinsDictionary.com (Collins English Dictionary)

Signing off for today - Falcon