Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012 - DT 26788

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26788
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26788]
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

Introduction

Given that this puzzle appeared in the UK on Valentine's Day, one might have expected a bit more love. Instead, we see a single included — rather than couples. The only thing that seems even remotely romantic is the mention of passion fruit in a clue — and perhaps the inclusion of a woman's undergarment in a solution.

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.

3a   Crime writer Graham is on broadcast (5,5)

Dame Ngaio Marsh[7] (1895 – 1982), born Edith Ngaio Marsh, was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director.

10a   No longer working with child? (2,3,5)

Fortunately, I guessed this one correctly based on the checking letters. Up the spout[5] is a British expression that can mean either (1) no longer working or likely to be useful or successful his petrol gauge is up the spout, (2) [of a woman] pregnant, or (3) [of a bullet or cartridge] in the barrel of a gun and ready to be fired. The setter manages to incorporate two of the three meanings in the clue.

11a   Vehicle coming out of motorists’ club and trade centre, reversed (7)

The Royal Automobile Club[7] (RAC) is a British private club. Like many other "gentlemen's clubs" in London today, the Royal Automobile Club now has women as well as men as members. From the club's website we learn:
Founded in 1897 with the aim of encouraging the development of motoring in Britain, today the Royal Automobile Club is one of London’s finest private members' clubs, combining over 100 years of luxury and tradition with exceptional facilities and outstanding service. Members enjoy unlimited access to two superb clubhouses; the Pall Mall clubhouse, in the very heart of London, contains a unique range of accommodation, dining and sporting facilities, including what is arguably the finest swimming pool in London. The Woodcote Park clubhouse is set in 350 acres of Surrey parkland, complete with two 18 hole golf courses, together with a variety of other sports facilities, dining and accommodation.
13a   Dish produced by young man in French city, unfinished (7)

A roulade[5] is a dish cooked or served in the form of a roll, typically made from a flat piece of meat, fish, or sponge, spread with a soft filling and rolled up into a spiral. Rouen[5] is a port on the River Seine in NW France, chief town of Haute-Normandie; population 110,276 (2006). Rouen was in English possession from the time of the Norman Conquest until captured by the French in 1204, and again 1419–49; in 1431 Joan of Arc was tried and burnt at the stake there.

14a   Stuarts are assembled round front of historic Scottish landmark (7,4)

Arthur's Seat[7] is the main peak of the group of hills which form most of Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, Scotland.

22a   On board coach under way (2,5)

In train[5] (said of arrangements) means in progress an investigation is in train. While this expression did not sound odd to me, I include it as it doesn't seem to appear in many dictionaries.

26a   Bond to strike back (4)

Tonk[5] (which I think must be a British word, although it does not appear to be thus identified in the dictionaries) means (1) hit hard or (2) defeat heavily; trounce Villa were tonked by local rivals Birmingham City.

My first attempt at a solution was KNIT, which turned out to be incorrect - although I spent a fair amount of time trying to justify TINK meaning "to strike". I thought it might work as a tinker is a person who makes a living by travelling from place to place mending pans and other metal utensils (and I thought that to tink might possibly mean to hammer metal).

 2d   Friend Oscar, singer from a city in California (4,4)

 Oscar[5] is a code word representing the letter O, used in radio communication.

4d   Fish in Volga, perhaps (5)

 Gaper[5] is (1) another term for comber[5], a small fish (Serranus cabrilla, family Serranidae) that gapes when dead, occurring in shallow waters from the western English Channel to the Mediterranean or (2) a deep-sea anglerfish (Family Chaunacidae and genus Chaunax) that is able to inflate itself with water.

5d   Working together at home with tackle (2,7)

In harness[5] can mean either (1) in the routine of daily work a man who died in harness far beyond the normal age of retirement or (2) so as to achieve something together local and central government should work in harness.

6d   Screen doctor’s left one tense (8,3)

A medical officer (abbreviation MO)[5] is a doctor in charge of the health services of a civilian or military authority or other organization.

7d   Guard two rings graduate found in Rolls-Royce (3,3)

A roo bar[5] is Australian term for bull bar[5], a strong metal grille fitted to the front of a motor vehicle to protect it against impact damage. This suggests that just as we have to contend with deer and moose on our highways, Australians have to deal with kangoroos and the Brits with bulls (although I somehow doubt that bulls are running freely on British roadways).
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

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Saturday, April 28, 2012 - Showers Bring Flowers

Introduction

I thought that today's puzzle from Cox and Rathvon was a bit more challenging than usual. However, as I tackled it after having spent several hours outdoors with the temperature hovering at the freezing mark, my brain cells may not have had the opportunity to completely thaw out. The theme of the puzzle is appropriate as we will shortly transition from April (with its showers) into May (with its flowers). The former are sprinkled through the top half of the puzzle, while the latter sprout in the bottom half. In both halves, there is evidence of cryptic licence which — not unlike poetic licence[5] — is the freedom to depart from the facts of a matter or from the conventional rules of language when speaking or writing in order to create an effect.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

Legend: "*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed

"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue

Across

1a   DEMONS|TRA_TORS - DEMONS (fiends) + (and) {TRA[i]TORS (double-crossers) with the I deleted (having no Interest)}
Here "shower" does not refer to a spray of water. Instead, the setters use "shower" — with a bit of cryptic licence — to mean 'someone who shows (something)'.
9a   BUG|A|BOO - BUG (glitch) + (with) A (†) + BOO (frightening sound)

10a   AL (DENT)E - DENT (impression) contained in (gained by) ALE (serving at a brewpub)

11a   TOT|A|L - {TOT (kid) + L (Liberal)} containing (about) A (†)

12a   SPRINKLES* - anagram (mistakenly) of PRESS LINK

13a   DEN(SIT)Y - DENY (refuse) containing (holding) SIT (pose)

15a   MO(NI)TOR - MOTOR (mechanism) containing (†) NI ([symbol for the chemical element] nickel)

16a   CALIPER* - anagram (plastic) of REPLICA

19a   STE(AM)ED - STEED (horse) containing (put outside) AM (in the morning)

21a   {DA|FFO|DILS}< - reversal (on the way back) of {SLID (slipped) + OFF (†) + AD (notice)}

22a   MOGUL - double definition; "on a slope, bump" & "baron"

24a   W{HOOP)EE - HOOP (ring) contained in (wrapped with) WEE (little)

25a   INTENSE~ - sounds like (by the sound of) IN TENTS (inside shelters)

26a   FOUNTAINHEADS* - anagram (arranged) of A THOUSAND FINE
A fountainhead[2] is a spring from which a stream flows. Thus the setters use "flower" — again with a bit of cryptic licence — to mean 'something which flows'.
Down

1d   DEBUT< - reversal (in reverse) of TUBED (floated downstream)
The clue refers to tubing[7], a recreational activity in which an individual rides on top of an inner tube, either on water, snow, or through the air.
2d   ME(GAT)ON - MEN (guys) containing (packing) {GAT (heat; American gangster slang for a firearm, especially a pistol) + O (love; a score of zero in tennis)}

3d   NO|BEL - sounds like (heard) {NO (nary) + BELL (a chime)}

4d   TROTS|KY - TROTS (runs) + KY (Kentucky)

5d   A|NAG|RAM - RAM (batter) following (after) {A (†) + NAG (scolding reminder)}

6d   ORDINANCE* - anagram (breaking) of CON A DINER
In North America, an ordinance[5] is a municipal by-law.
7d   SING|LET - SING (spill the beans) + LET (rented)

8d   MEA(SURE)D - MEAD (fermented honey) containing (holding) SURE (steady)

13d   DUCK DOWN - double definition; "quickly lower" & "feathers for insulation"

14d   IM(PROM)PTU - anagram (out) of IM PUT containing (about) PROM (ball)

17d   L|I|FT|OF|F - L (left) + I ([Roman numeral for] one) + FT (foot) + OF (†) + F (filament initially; initial letter of Filament)

18d   R(AIM)ENT - AIM (train; as 'train one's sights on') contained in (in) RENT (torn)

19d   SASHIMI* - anagram (surprisingly) of IS AMISH

20d   M(AGENT)A - AGENT (spy) contained in (caught by) MA (mom)

22d   MATCH - double definition; "lighter" & "companion"

23d   L(O)ESS - O ([letter that looks like a] doughnut) contained in (coated with) LESS (no so; as in 'I prefer my curry not so hot')
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

Friday, April 27, 2012

Friday, April 27, 2012 - DT 26787

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26787
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, February 13, 2012
Setter
Rufus
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26787]
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
- 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 26786 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, February 11, 2012

Introduction

I'm not sure this puzzle deserved three stars for difficulty - my performance certainly would not support that rating. Then again, perhaps I just happened to be tuned to the right wave-length today.

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.

1a   Soldier gets pay for work, others may get it without work (7,6)

Follow the trail long enough and you will get an answer. Private income[5] is another term for unearned income[5], which is income derived from private means rather than from work. Private means[5] is a British term for income from investments, property, or inheritance, as opposed to earned income or state benefit (i) old people with private means can choose such care; (ii) he is a man of private means.

14a   Dog left to play with stones on the ice (4)

Big Dave illustrates this clue with a photo of Canadian curler Cheryl Bernard[5] from Calgary, Alberta - who is certainly anything but a dog! Bernard's rink won the silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. However, I am surprised that Big Dave passed up the chance to use the accompanying photo (which I strongly doubt is of Cheryl Bernard).

19a   US city entered in a huge novel conveyance (7)

Here conveyance[5] means the action or process of transporting or carrying someone or something from one place to another a busy centre for the conveyance of agricultural produce from the Billingshurst area. The meaning that I associate with this word, a means of transport or a vehicle, is characterised by Oxford as formal or humorous (which itself seems to be rather surprising mix of usages). Haulage[5] is a British term for the commercial transport of goods road haulage.

3d   It turns to face the incoming blow (4)

It seems that one learns something new every day. I never realised that the pointer of a weather vane faces the wind direction. I had always supposed that the arrow pointed in the same direction as the wind was blowing - but, in fact, it is just the opposite (a fact apparently known to only 4 out 5 American scientists). Perhaps this explains why a north wind is one coming out of the north rather than one blowing toward the north.

6d   One possibly in the lead as a conductor (4)

I knew we were dealing with electrical wires, but a difference between British and North American terminology did me in. In Britain, a lead[5] is a wire (1) that conveys electric current from a source to an appliance, or (2) that connects two points of a circuit together. Also, in Britain, a flex[5] is a flexible insulated cable used for carrying electric current to an appliance. I assume that a flex would be considered a lead in the first sense of that word. The equivalent term in North America would be cord[5] - which is what I chose to use. The proper "British" solution to the clue is core[5], the inner strand of an electric cable or rope - which would seem to apply under either of the foregoing definitions for lead. However, I don't feel so bad, seeing that even some of the Brits thought that the answer might be cord.

21d   Baltic country resort one is at (7)

Resort[2] is used as a verb meaning to sort something again or differently.Most dictionaries insist that this word requires a hyphen (re-sort) but Chambers allows either spelling.

23d   Possibly train as a mechanic (7)

An artisan[5] is defined as a worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand street markets where local artisans display handwoven textiles, painted ceramics, and leather goods. I know that mechanics[5] are a skilled workers who repair and maintain vehicle engines and other machinery, but I never considered them to be artisans. However, Oxford also shows an archaic meaning of mechanic to be a manual labourer or artisan the Mechanics' Institute.
Mechanics' Institutes[7] were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men. As such, they were often funded by local industrialists on the grounds that they would ultimately benefit from having more knowledgeable and skilled employees. The world's first Mechanics' Institute was established in Edinburgh, Scotland in October 1821. By the mid-19th century, there were over 700 institutes in towns and cities across the UK and overseas.
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

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Thursday, April 26, 2012 - DT 26785

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26785
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, February 10, 2012
Setter
Giovanni
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26785]
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

Introduction

Gazza certainly seems to have found this puzzle to be a relatively easy solve. I did well until I arrived in the southwest corner, at which point I needed to call in the electronic reinforcements.

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.

4a   Symbol of victory Parliament put back in old city (6)

In Britain, HP[10] is the abbreviation for Houses of Parliament. This abbreviation is also found in The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition.

8a   Consistently successful journalist is well-educated (8)

Said of  a sports player or team, in form[5] means playing or performing well. The British might also say on form to mean the same thing. Even in form (used in this sense) strikes me as an expression that would not hear frequently in North America.

12a   Animal books better than all others one’s given stars (10)

A bestiary[5] is a descriptive or anecdotal treatise on various kinds of animal, especially a medieval work with a moralizing tone. As the American Heritage Dictionary puts it "A medieval collection of stories providing physical and allegorical descriptions of real or imaginary animals along with an interpretation of the moral significance each animal was thought to embody. A number of common misconceptions relating to natural history were preserved in these popular accounts."[3]

13a   Something sung in film when the enemy walks past? (2,4,4,2)

"As Time Goes By"[7] is a song written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It became most famous in 1942 when it was sung by the character Sam (Dooley Wilson) in the movie Casablanca.

In cryptic crosswords, we often find that time is the enemy, expressed by Irish poet William Butler Yeats as "The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time" meaning that innocence and beauty are each subject to the ravages of time.

16a   Sterling Cafe badly organised with DIY facility? (4-8)

Sterling[7] is a Scottish family name, a grade of silver and the currency of the United Kingdom. The name of the Scottish city is spelled Stirling[7]. The definition is "with DIY [do it yourself] facility" and the solution is self-catering, which is used in British English as an adjective to describe a holiday or accommodation offering facilities for people to cook their own meals guests stay in self-catering apartments.

20a   Secluded Conservative girl meets the heartless revolutionary (10)

I clearly suffered a brain cramp when I failed to identify the girl in this clue, which Gazza illustrates with a picture of Canadian-born American actress Margot Kidder[7] who is perhaps best known for playing Lois Lane in four Superman movies from 1978 to 1987.

21a   Place that makes sense by the sound of it (4)

On my first read through, I thought the solution might be MINT (where cents are made). Luckily, the solution to 15d was so obvious that I quickly realized the error of my ways. I later realized that my original answer was highly unlikely in that the Brits would surely refer to the coins as pennies rather than cents.

23a   Country wants tax to come down (8)

Scot[5] was an archaic term for a payment corresponding to a modern tax, rate, or other assessed contribution.

24a   Back English author (6)

Laurence Sterne[7] (1713 – 1768) was an Irish-born British novelist and an Anglican clergyman. He is best known for his novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, and A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy

9d   Puts off performance in East Anglian town (11)

East Anglia[5] is a region of eastern England consisting of the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and parts of Essex and Cambridgeshire. Diss[7] is a town in Norfolk close to the border with Suffolk.

18d   One could make leap to edge of pond — after transformation! (7)

I saw the cryptic definition so quickly that I totally overlooked the anagram in this clue. Gazza's eye was clearly sharpen than mine.

19d   Very light one of them may be (6)

I recall having encountered this type of emergency signal in a puzzle somewhere in the distant past. By some miracle, it just popped to mind as I read the clue (well, I admit that I did have a little help from my friends, the checking letters). A Very light[5] is a flare fired into the air from a pistol for signalling or for temporary illumination [named after Edward W. Very (1847–1910), an American naval officer]. The clue, as Gazza puts it, employs a "Yoda-like word order" to express the idea that of all the types of FLARES in existence, one of them is the Very light.
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

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - DT 26784

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26784
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26784]
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
- 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

It may not have been among my favourite puzzles of all time, but my feelings about it are nowhere near as negative as those of Big Dave. I did need his help to understand the wordplay in a couple of places.

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.

1a   Sailors following course they may traverse quickly (5,5)

Epsom Downs[7] (which I would imagine might commonly be referred to informally as simply Epsom) is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half (2400m). It also hosts the Epsom Oaks for three-year-old fillies and the Coronation Cup for all ages over the same distance.

A down[5] (usually appearing in the plural, downs) is a British name for a gently rolling hill. In particular, the Downs[3] are two roughly parallel ranges of chalk hills in southeast England. The North Downs extend about 161 km (100 mi) from west to east; the South Downs, about 105 km (65 mi). Both are sheep-rearing areas.

The definition (which is cryptic) is "they may traverse quickly" referring presumably to the speed with which this solution passes through one's system.

13a   Short skirts are archaic, that’s it! (7)

In the UK, it[5] is an informal, dated term for Italian vermouth • he poured a gin and it [a cocktail containing gin and Italian vermouth].

Big Dave comments "I didn’t like this on two counts: a) mini only means short when used in context b) It needs to be capitalised if it is to represent Italian vermouth". However, there may be counterarguments on both points. One of the definitions given by Collins English Dictionary for mini[4] is a prenominal adjective meaning small or miniature. And the entry for "it" at Oxford Online (Oxford Dictionary of English) does not capitalise the word (see above).

14a   Knockabout Lee Evans recast with dismissal of a very minor character who catches the eye (5-7)

Lee Evans[7] is an English comedian, writer, actor and musician.

23a   Rate rib roast a snack? (7)

Rarebit[5] (also called Welsh rabbit) is a dish of melted and seasoned cheese on toast, sometimes with other ingredients.

24a    Rome loudly dismissed as a hotchpotch? (9)

Hotchpotch[5], the British equivalent to the North American term hodgepodge, can mean either (1) a confused mixture a hotchpotch of uncoordinated services or (2) a mutton stew with mixed vegetables. The wordplay only twigged once I had read Big Dave's hint. The answer to the clue, POTPOURRI, sounds like popery[5], a derogatory and chiefly archaic term for the doctrines, practices, and ceremonies associated with the Pope or the papal system (or, in other words, Roman Catholicism) the Anglicans campaigned against popery.

27a   Control attempt by sci-fi writer to incorporate a newchapter (10)

There is clearly a minor typo in the clue as it appears in the National Post, with the final two words having been run together.

1d   Finish with title taken by the Spanish (6)

El[8] is a Spanish word meaning 'the'.

2d   Nameless transgressor covering up hard evidence of fight (6)

In the past, I have seen criticism of clues such as this, which require the deletion of only one of two identical letters from the fodder. Some would argue that "nameless" should imply the removal of all the Ns from the fodder — just as penniless means having lost all one's pennies, not just a single penny.

3d   Turn of card forecast slip-up (14)

I have to admit (despite having worked in the field) that I failed to spot the reversed SIM card. A SIM[8] (also SIM card) is a smart card inside a mobile phone, carrying an identification number unique to the owner, storing personal data, and preventing operation if removed [acronym from subscriber identification module]. SIM cards are mandatory in GSM devices but have traditionally not been used in CDMA devices in North American (although they are used in these devices in Asia)[7].

9d   Beatle hero Ringo’s ‘gear’ — swinging! (6,8)

Given that gear is a slang term for the male genitals, I thought this puzzle might possibly be a Ray T creation. I wasn't able to find this meaning in any mainstream dictionary, but it is in the Urban Dictionary online (if one digs deeply enough). It may be a euphemism arising from gear[10] in the sense of personal equipment and accoutrements or belongings.

16d   ‘East London Eye’ is epic Emin creation (5,3)

I failed to pick up on the fact that "East London" here signals 'cockney'. A cockney[5] is a native of East London, traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (). Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by the dropping of Hs from the beginning of words and the use of rhyming slang[5], a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in Cockney rhyming slang. Thus a cockney would refer to an "eye" as 'mince' (from 'mince pie'). Big Dave's complaint with the clue alludes to the fact that the slang term for "eye" would be 'mince' and not 'mince pie'.

While  Tracey Emin[7] — an English artist and part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs (Young British Artists) is famous (or notorious) for many creations, I am not aware that mince pies are among them.
Highlights of her work include Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995, a tent appliquéd with names, exhibited at the Royal Academy in London and My Bed (shown at right), an installation at the Tate Gallery consisting of her own unmade dirty bed with used condoms and blood-stained underwear.
20d   Plain sailing primarily with Bolt closing on back-to-back records (6)

This is presumably a reference to Usain Bolt[7] who is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and (along with his teammates) the 4×100 metres relay as well as being the reigning Olympic champion in these three events.

22d         Something unusual about United with Ferdinand at back (5)

I managed to find the solution without having ever heard of this English athlete. Rio Ferdinand[7] is an English footballer (soccer player) who plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team. Note that the clue manages to include both his team (United) and his position (back).
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

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - DT 26783

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26783
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Setter
Jay
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26783]
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

This is not a typical Jay puzzle. Five clues cross-reference clue 10a, with the solutions to those clues being particular genres of the solution to 10a. In these clues, the numeral "10" found in the clue must be replaced by the solution to 10a in order to obtain the complete clue. In cryptic crosswords, it is customary to omit the across or down designation where there is only one clue originating at a particular numbered cell in the grid. Thus clue 10a can be referred to simply as clue 10 due to there being no clue 10d in the puzzle.

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.

1a   Footwear worn by socially acceptable form of 10 (5)

In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective with respect to language or social behaviour meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes (U manners). In today's puzzle, the setter clues it as "socially acceptable". The term, an abbreviation of  upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).

9a   Sickened by Auden capriciously adopting parliamentary constituency (9)

Wystan Hugh Auden[7] (1907 – 1973), who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet, born in England, later an American citizen, regarded by many as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.

15a   Encroach upon resorts in very French surroundings (8)

Trés[8] is the French word for "very".

18a   Greek’s old banger in call for help (8)

Oxford may consider it to be a British expression, but I believe that the term banger[5] is also used on this side of the pond to refer to an old car in poor condition they’ve only got an old banger.

23a   10′s light boat plies regularly (7)

While skiffle seems to be a somewhat similar in both the US and Britain, it appears to have achieved popularity in different eras in each country. According to Oxford Online (Oxford Dictionary of English), in Britain it is a kind of folk music with a blues or jazz flavour that was popular in the 1950s, played by a small group and often incorporating improvised instruments such as washboards while in the US it is a style of 1920s and 1930s jazz deriving from blues, ragtime, and folk music, using both improvised and conventional instruments.[5]

27a   State student allocated to form 1 is sort of 10 (9)

In Britain, a form[5] is a class or year in a school, usually given a specifying number. Thus the fifth form would be the linguistic counterpart to the fifth grade in North America and Form 1 would be like saying Grade 1

The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various countries (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.

3d   Choose right, love, and finish with silver! (7)

Electro[5] is a shortened form for electroplate[5] when used as a noun meaning electroplated articles. As I found this meaning only in British dictionaries, it would seem that this is a British usage.

The setter seems to have overlooked another opportunity for a cross-reference as electro is the name of a style of dance music with a fast beat and synthesized backing track.

4d   Mentioning mainly Liverpool, for example (popular with golf) (6)

Golf[5] is a code word representing the letter G, used in radio communication.

5d   Top craftsmen perhaps netting theologian’s fish (8)

A tiler[5] is a person who lays tiles a roof tiler. Tiddler[5] is British slang for a small fish, especially a stickleback or minnow.

7d   Foolishly, she can — accommodating idiot Englishman (9)

Sassenach[5] is a derogatory Scottish and Irish term for an English person.

17d   Justifications from French receivers (8)

The French word for "from" is de[8].

22d   Leave temporary accommodation to support lower socio-economic groups (6)

This clue is based on the NRS social grades[7], a system of demographic classification used in the United Kingdom. The categories were originally developed by the National Readership Survey to classify readers, but are now used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market research. They were developed over 50 years ago and achieved widespread usage in 20th Century Britain. The classifications, which are based on the occupation of the head of the household, are shown in the following table.

Grade Social class Chief income earner's occupation
A upper middle class Higher managerial, administrative or professional
B middle class Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional
C1 lower middle class Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative or professional
C2 skilled working class Skilled manual workers
D working class Semi and unskilled manual workers
E Those at the lowest levels of subsistence Casual or lowest grade workers, pensioners and others who depend on the welfare state for their income

25d   Old people finding source of coal in mines (5)

The Picts[5] were an ancient people inhabiting northern Scotland in Roman times.
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

Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday, April 23, 2012 - DT 26782

Puzzle at a Glance
Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number
DT 26782
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26782]
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

Introduction

Today's puzzle does not present too much of a challenge. I did think that the surface readings were very smooth, although fairly easy to see through for the most part.

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.

6a   Shy drunkard comes back with son (4)

This meaning of "shy" was new to me when we saw it recently on Friday, April 6 in DT 26769. As I said then, the meaning does appear in dictionaries from both Britain and North America. The American Heritage Dictionary defines it as to fling or throw (something) with a swift motion[3], Collins English Dictionary to throw (something) with a sideways motion[4], and the Oxford Dictionary of English to fling or throw (something) at a target he tore the spectacles off and shied them at her[5].

10a   Leave Detective Inspector with article in private (9)

A detective inspector (DI)[5] is a senior police officer in the UK.
Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
In general, a sapper[5] is a soldier responsible for tasks such as building and repairing roads and bridges, laying and clearing mines, etc.. In Britain specifically, the term is used for a private soldier in the Corps of Royal Engineers (RE)[5], the field engineering and construction corps of the British army. 

12a   Caesar perhaps appears regularly in troubled Rome (7)

This anagram of Rome could equally well have been clued as a reversal of Rome.

15a   Left with last bit of dignity after madman loses head completely (7)

Nutter[5] is British slang for a mad or eccentric person.

21a   Add in evidence about daughter (7)

In case you're puzzled by Gazza's parenthetical mention of "the sort a SOCO looks for", SOCO[5] is an acronym used in British meaning scene-of-crime officer.

27a   Tiger ate nuts after initially cutting snout (9)

If you were like me, you were able to solve this clue even without prior knowledge that snout[5] is British slang for a cigarette.

2d   Chippy — go in after fish (9)

As Gazza tells us, chippy[5] (also chippie) may be used in Britain as an informal term meaning either (1) a fish-and-chip shop there used to be a good chippy down the back of Albert Street or (2) a carpenter. Interestingly, I was familiar with these meanings from previous crosswords. However, I was not aware that chippy is North American slang for a promiscuous young woman, especially a prostitute. Now doesn't that open up some intriguing possibilities for trans-Atlantic confusion should a Brit mention having engaged a chippy to perform some services!

3d   Prime Minister rises following second snooze (5)

Sir Robert Peel[5] (1788–1850) was a British Conservative statesman who was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1834-1835 and again from 1841-1846. As Home Secretary (1828–1830) he established the Metropolitan Police (hence the nicknames bobby and peeler for police officers in Britain).

20d   We rest a high jumper (7)

In Britain, a jumper[5] is a knitted garment typically with long sleeves, worn over the upper body (in North American terms, a sweater). What we would call a jumper, the Brits would call a pinafore[5] (a collarless sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or [British] jumper [i.e., North American sweater]). Thus if a British lass wore a pinafore over her jumper and a North American girl wore a jumper over her sweater, they would be dressed identically.

I wonder if the garment shown in Gazza's illustration really qualifies as a jumper. It does seem to have long sleeves, but methinks it may fall a bit short in covering the upper body!

21d  One caught diving bird coming up for something to eat? (7)

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation c[5] indicates caught (by) ME Waugh c Lara b Walsh 19.
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