Wednesday, August 8, 2012 - DT 26874

Puzzle at a Glance

Daily Telegraph Puzzle Number DT 26874
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, May 24, 2012
Setter Ray T (Ray Terrell)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26874]
Big Dave's Review Written By Digby
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

After only a light workout yesterday from Jay, we get another gentle outing today from Ray T.

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   Worked up seeing classy pin-up embracing pole (5)

Digby is browsing the right section of the magazine rack — but has picked up the wrong publication when he says "... a kind of pin-up (as in Playboy)". Playboy has Playmates. It is Penthouse that has Pets.^[7]

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).

12a   Sailor posted around globe for soaking (9)

In the Royal Navy, able seaman (abbreviation AB)^[5], is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman.

This clue was roundly panned on Big Dave's site where many of the visitors complained that the definition does not match the solution. I have to think that the definition is intended to be "for soaking" rather than merely "soaking" (as soaking and absorbent are clearly not synonyms). I would say that if something is designed to be soaked (for soaking), it must necessarily be absorbent.

20a   The French try to get fashionable (6)

La^[8] is the feminine singular form of the French definite article.

23a   Individual doing little except relax initially (5)

Although Digby suggests that this is a semi all-in-one clue, I would venture to say that it is, in fact, a true all-in-one clue. The entire clue, read one way, serves as the definition and, read another way, forms the wordplay which tells us to use the initial letters of the first five words in the clue.

3d   Caught old band covering Queen set (7)

Here we have Ray T's signature reference to his favourite band, Queen.

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation c^[5] indicates caught (by) • ME Waugh c Lara b Walsh 19. By tradition, British monarchs use initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus Queen Elizabeth's initials (or cypher, as the Brits like to say) are ER^[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.

8d   Artist on ball capturing single light (8)

RA^[5] is the abbreviation for Royal Academician, a member of the Royal Academy of the Arts^[5], an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.

9d   Garage to stop Reliant rattling… (6,7)

Reliant^[7] was a British car manufacturer which was founded in 1935 and became defunct in 2002. Among its products was the Robin^[7], a small three-wheeled car (that was apparently commonly known as the "Plastic Pig"). This is not the same "nice Reliant automobile" that the Barenaked Ladies^[7] sang about in their song "If I Had $1000000"^[7]. That vehicle was a Chrysler K-car^[7] (Plymouth Reliant).

17d   Get more demented say, seeing puzzle (8)

We get the British newspaper version of the clue. Digby reports that the online version in the UK read "Get fiercer puzzle (8)".

19d   Endless tears over a red inflammation (7)

SOP^[10] (which appears in Digby's hint) is an acronym for standard operating procedure. Ernesto "Che" Guevara (1928 – 1967), commonly known as El Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist who was a major figure of the Cuban Revolution.

22d   Stands high on board ship (6)

As is commonly the case in cryptic crosswords, today's "ship" is a steamship (abbreviation SS^[5]).

Since stalls here is defined by the word "stands", it is unlikely to mean (as in Digby's example) "somewhere to keep, for example, horses". Rather, it would be a stand, booth, or compartment for the sale of goods in a market or large covered area • fruit and vegetable stalls.

25d         Scouting about company with new leader (5)

Recon^[10] is short for reconnaissance in US military slang.The British counterpart is recce^[10].

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