Monday, July 15, 2013 — DT 27158

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27158
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, April 22, 2013
Setter Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27158]
Big Dave's Review Written By Libellule
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★	Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Experience ┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ ███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ 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 27157 which was published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, April 20, 2013. This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, July 13, 2013 edition of the National Post.

Introduction

Based on the National Post's recent publication pattern, I was expecting a "Saturday" puzzle today. However, as I was solving the puzzle, the thought did enter my mind that this offering seemed to display a bit of a Rufus flavour. No wonder — is is a "Monday" puzzle from Rufus.

For me, the difficulty level was more like a three stars than the single star that Libellule awarded it. Admittedly, I was attempting to solve it while sitting beside a lake in 30° C conditions. Perhaps the sun fried my brain — or I was distracted by the lovely, young bodies surrounding me.

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.

Across

1a   Strong, pure flow in circulation (8)

6a   It's naturally placed among Latin phrases (2,4)

9a   Upper class taken in by government figure (6)

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. 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). In Crosswordland, it is frequently clued by words such as posh or superior — but today it merely adopts its straightforward meaning.

10a   Actor in a play to get personal protection (8)

11a   With new income around, company becomes profitable? (8)

12a   Put out in West winds (6)

13a   Lessen stress with treatment for lack of sleep (12)

16a   Do this and there may be the devil to pay (4,4,4)

In his hint, Libellule alludes to Faust^[7], the protagonist of a classic German legend. Faust is a highly successful scholar but one so dissatisfied with his life that he makes a pact with the Devil — through an intermediary, Mephistopheles — exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. According to the terms of the bargain, Mephistopheles will serve Faust with his magic powers for a set number of years, but at the end of the term, the Devil will claim Faust's soul and Faust will be eternally damned.

19a   Didn't work, or worked as a musician? (6)

21a   Fruit with coverings -- they're bananas (8)

North American dictionaries show the solution as two words (3,5)^[3,11].

23a   Capital affected in bad upset (8)

Is the anagram indicator "bad" or "upset"? Its neither.

24a   Where T comes for pudding (6)

In Britain, afters^[5] is the sweet course following the main course of a meal; in other words, pudding ⇒there was apple pie for afters.

25a   Eggs on  toast (6)

26a   Way speed can be controlled (8)

Down

2d   Working, getting correct mark, attaining credit (2,4)

In Britain, tick^[5] (used in the phrase on tick) means on credit • the printer agreed to send the brochures out on tick. The term apparently originates as a short form for ticket in the phrase on the ticket, referring to an IOU or promise to pay.

3d   College announced what courses should be (5)

Eton College^[7], often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent [private] school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor". It is located in Eton, near Windsor in England, and is one of the original nine English public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868. [Note: In Britain, "public schools" are a special class of private school; what North Americans would call public schools seem to be referred to in Britain by terms such as state-run or state-funded schools].

4d   Forename's out of place for secret order member (9)

A Freemason^[5] is a member of an international order established for mutual help and fellowship, which holds elaborate secret ceremonies. The original free masons were itinerant skilled stonemasons of the 14th century, who are said to have recognized fellow craftsmen by secret signs. Modern freemasonry is usually traced to the formation of the Grand Lodge in London in 1717; members are typically professionals and businessmen.

5d   Enthusiasts may wax it (7)

6d   What I'm called as I do it wrong (5)

I would say that this is a semi-all-in-one clue. The entire clue is the definition with the latter portion of the clue providing the wordplay.

7d   Coastline that's rocky in parts (9)

8d   Go over review of art and poetry (8)

13d   The last runners try to be first in it (5,4)

14d   Secretarial skill is little help (9)

15d   Is it operated by the ring finger? (4,4)

I was in the general vicinity with DOORBELL — but that attempt did little to help — in fact, it considerably hindered — with the intersecting across clues.

In British English, a bell push^[5] is a button that operates an electric bell when pushed.

17d   Where man cuts adrift? (7)

18d   Animal  hunt (6)

20d   Don  to come into line (5)

22d   Adapt or change later (5)

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)
^[11] - TheFreeDictionary.com (Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary)

Signing off for today — Falcon