Tuesday, January 21, 2014 — DT 27299

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27299
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, October 3, 2013
Setter RayT (Ray Terrell)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27299]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Falcon
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 █ - solved but without fully understanding the wordplay or definition █ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's blog █ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's blog █ - yet to be solved

Introduction

Despite having reviewed this puzzle for Big Dave's Crossword Blog when it first appeared in the UK back in October, it was by no means a write-in today. I did suspect after reading a few clues that I had seen it before (a feeling that was confirmed as read a few more clues). Surprisingly, very few solutions came to me automatically — and, I am sure, some required as much effort the second time around as they did on the first sighting.

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. The underlined portion of the clue is the definition.

Across

7a   Decline Academy's opening award (7)

At this time of year especially, one might think of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences^[7] (the organization that hands out the Oscars) — and this could well be what the setter intended. However, perhaps he had some other organization in mind, such as the Royal Academy of Arts^[5], an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain — and which makes awards to students displaying excellence in various artistic genres.

8a   Spun news for the audience (7)

The definition could lead one to either WHIRLED or WHIRRED, but only the latter satisfies the wordplay.

Whirr^[2] (or whir) means to to turn or spin with a whirring noise. While Chambers lists the primary spelling as whirr, Oxford and Collins indicate that it is whir^[5,10]. The American Heritage Dictionary states that whirr^[3] is a chiefly British spelling. No matter — the past tense is the same in either case.

10a   Concluded being taken in by bounder's too demeaning (10)

Concluded as in "I concluded from his noncommittal answer that it would be unlikely to see him at the event".

11a   Country's military acted largely independently initially (4)

Mali^[5] is a landlocked country in West Africa, south of Algeria; population 13,443,200 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), other languages mainly of the Mande group; capital, Bamako. Until 1958, it was known as French Sudan. Conquered by the French in the late 19th century, Mali became part of French West Africa. It became a partner with Senegal in the Federation of Mali in 1959 and achieved full independence a year later, on the withdrawal of Senegal.

For the benefit of those reading my review on Big Dave's blog, Timbuktu^[5] (also Timbuctoo) is a town in northern Mali; population 35,600 (est. 2009). It was formerly a major trading centre for gold and salt on the trans-Saharan trade routes, reaching the height of its prosperity in the 16th century but falling into decline after its capture by the Moroccans in 1591. It is a name commonly used in reference to a remote or extremely distant place ⇒ from here to Timbuktu.

12a   Judge again almost remains putting innocent fools inside (8)

14a   Two characters or six from Latin in etymology (6)

With the inferred words made explicit, this clue would become "Two characters [from Latin] or six [characters] from Latin in etymology."

15a   Do nice strip perhaps showing outline (11)

The use of the word "describe" as a containment indicator is a common cryptic crossword convention. This device relies on describe^[3] being used in the sense of to trace the form or outline of ⇒ describe a circle with a compass. Using the same logic, a description would be an outline.

19a   Drink with container overturned. Apple perhaps? (6)

If you are reading my review on Big Dave's blog, a cooker is what the British call a gas or electric kitchen stove. They use the term range for a stove burning fuels such as wood or coal, i.e., an appliance with an actual fire inside it.

20a   Prayer certain to produce happiness (8)

22a   Secretary, say, returning call (4)

23a   Illegal traffic of criminal gang pinching paintings back (10)

25a   A number eating seconds dehydrated (7)

26a   Ran odd broadcast about 'I, Robot' (7)

Down

1d   Tricky problem from head of Stradivarius fiddle (7)

A Stradivarius^[5] is a violin or other stringed instrument made by Italian violin-maker Antonio Stradivari (circa 1644–1737) or his followers. Stradivari^[5] devised the proportions of the modern violin, giving a more powerful and rounded sound than earlier instruments possessed. About 650 of his celebrated violins, violas, and violoncellos are still in existence.

2d   Suffered  pain in the neck (4)

3d   Virgin's pursued, reportedly (6)

4d   Mystery of hound with no end, strangely (8)

5d   Great unrest with demo out of control (10)

One must be careful how one groups the elements of this clue. The correct grouping leads to an anagram (out of control) of a charade {UNREST + (with) DEMO}.

6d   Lower level in Scottish river (7)

The Dee^[5] is a river in NE Scotland, which rises in the Grampian Mountains and flows eastwards past Balmoral Castle to the North Sea at Aberdeen. Another river of the same name rises in North Wales and flows past Chester and on into the Irish Sea.

9d   Line up vessels for giving praise (11)

13d   Girlfriend, the woman welcoming little time on technique (10)

16d   Skill seen in Crown Derby for example (8)

Derby^[5] is a city in the Midlands of England, on the River Derwent; population 244,700 (est. 2009).

Crown Derby^[5] is a kind of soft-paste porcelain made at Derby and often marked with a crown above the letter ‘D’ ⇒ displays of Crown Derby china.

There was some debate on Big Dave's blog concerning the use of capacity as a synonym for skill. However, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines capacity^[2] as mental ability or talent ⇒ Jim's capacity for maths [British term for math] was not enough to pass the exam.

17d   Ankara chiefly includes former capital city (7)

Ankara^[5] has been the capital of Turkey since 1923; population 3,763,600 (est. 2007). Prominent in Roman times as Ancyra, it later declined in importance until chosen by Kemal Atatürk in 1923 as his seat of government. Until 1930, it was known as Angora.

Karachi^[5] is a major city and port in Pakistan, capital of Sind province; population 12,827,900 (est. 2009). Situated on the Arabian Sea, it was the capital of Pakistan 1947–59 before being replaced by Rawalpindi.

18d   Out of control in craft at sea (7)

21d   Queen, group falling from grace (6)

The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of  Queen Elizabeth is ER^[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.

24d   'Inter' football team? (4)

Football Club Internazionale Milano S.p.A., commonly referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan^[7] outside of Italy, is a professional Italian football [soccer] club based in Milan, Lombardy, Italy.

Bury^[7] is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It is the home of the Bury Football Club^[7], an association football [soccer] team that plays in League Two, the fourth tier in the English football league system.

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