Friday, February 28, 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014 — DT 27329

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27329
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27329]
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 parsing the clue
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- yet to be solved

Introduction

It is always interesting when I encounter a puzzle, such as today's, that I have already reviewed at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. Today, I recognized after only a few clues that I had seen the puzzle before. That is not always the case, as I am sometimes well into a puzzle before the light comes on. Despite recognizing that I was seeing the puzzle for a second time, it was by no means a write in. Some of the clues seemed as fresh the second time around as when I first saw them in November. As a matter of fact, today I failed to fully decipher the wordplay in 1d — just as I had failed to understand it the first time I saw it.

In my reviews here, I sometimes point out errors in or offer alternative interpretations to the reviews at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. My review of today's puzzle at Big Dave's site offers proof that no blogger is immune to making mistakes as I get to point out an error or two in my own previous review.

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


1a   Hit! Tenor bowed (7)

5a   Small bunk's what a good soldier should be given (7)

The word tripe may perhaps carry a different connotation in the UK than in North America. The American Heritage Dictionary defines tripe[3] as "something of no value; rubbish". It is unclear whether this refers to a worthless physical item or to nonsense (or both). Collins English Dictionary defines tripe[4] as "something silly; rubbish" which would seem to indicate nonsense rather than a worthless physical item. Oxford Dictionaries Online is perhaps the most clear in defining tripe[5] as "nonsense; rubbish" ⇒ you do talk tripe sometimes.

9a   As Melanie's hugging Anton's heart softens (5)

10a   Youth's twisted hooch lid, beginning to drink (9)

11a   After start of lecture he praised, worryingly, what Thatcher showed? (10)

Margaret Thatcher[5], Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven (1925–2013) was a British Conservative stateswoman, Prime Minister 1979–90. She was the country’s first female Prime Minister, and became the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century. Her period in office was marked by an emphasis on monetarist policies, privatization of nationalized industries, and trade union legislation. She became known for her determination and her emphasis on individual responsibility and enterprise.

12a   Only a pool (4)

Unfortunately, in my review at Big Dave's site, it looks like the entire clue is underlined. That is an artifact of the WordPress software (used by Big Dave's site) which causes underlining on adjacent words to bleed together forming what appears to be a single underline beneath the two words when, in reality, each word has been underlined separately.

14a   Strange air about good and refined type of worker in the country? (12)

18a   Crate's broken down, support's in vehicles making tracks (12)

Here is a case where I definitely did make a mistake in underlining the clue in my review at Big Dave's site.

21a   Do as you're told? No -- be yourself to an extent (4)

22a   Special parking needed by lorry Raul's manoeuvring (10)

Lorry[5] is the common British term for a truck.

Artic[5] is an informal British term for an articulated lorry [a semi-trailer[5] to North Americans].

25a   Enticing  long leg might be doing this (9)

It would seem that I made another error in underlining in my review at Big Dave's site by neglecting to underline the second definition.

In cricket, long leg[5] is a fielding position far behind the batsman on the leg side or a fielder playing this position.

The leg side[5] (also called simply the leg) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. The leg side is also known as the on side (or simply the on[5]). Naturally, the other side of the field is known as the off side[5] (also called the off).

In cricket, an appeal[5] is a call by a bowler or fielder on the umpire to declare a batsman out, traditionally with a shout of ‘How’s that?’ and to appeal is to make such a call.

26a   Urn thrown inside that is to harden (5)

27a   Hearing strange noises following start of stomachache (7)

28a   Ash, perhaps, wrapped around tips of stakes -- they're left for support (7)

Down


1d   Pattern cut in card left out in place of worship (6)

I had trouble with this clue the first time I saw it and no less difficulty the second time. Fortunately, I had my previous review to set me straight.

The wordplay is TEMPL[AT]E (pattern cut in card) with AT (in) deleted (left out). What I failed to notice on both occasions is that the word "in" has been used to clue AT.

Are "in" and "at" synonymous? In the following examples, I suppose that I could substitute "in" for "at" while retaining essentially the same meaning:
  • it was at university that he first began to perform
  • on my way to Toronto, I stopped at Kingston
2d   Discharge gun finally with a loud shot (6)

3d   Fares going up on flights? (10)

4d   Cuts or clips where cutters or clippers may be found (5)

In my review at Big Dave's site, this is another instance where the underlining idiosyncrasies of WordPress have come into play.

5d   Religious ceremony supporting leaders in small Pacific island (9)

6d   Perch on back of horse? That's what jockey did (4)

A perch is a historical unit of measure that was once used in Britain. A perch[5] (also called a pole or a rod) is a measure of length, especially for land, equal to a quarter of a [surveyor's] chain  or 5½ yards. To further confuse matters, a perch (also known as a square perch, pole, square pole, rod, or square rod) is a measure of area, especially for land, equal to 160th of an acre or 30¼ square yards.

7d   Trailblazers -- one found in jetties (8)

8d   Rocky dude -- Sly -- boxing third of contenders straight away (8)

Sylvester "Sly" Stallone[7] is an American actor best known for his portrayal of the characters boxer Rocky Balboa and soldier John Rambo.

13d   Hot tart cooked full of beans (10)

15d   Check headless cod (9)

Cod[5] is an informal British term meaning not authentic or fake a cod Mittel-European accent.

16d   Disciples finding type of energy's surrounding church (8)

A disciple[5] is a follower or pupil of a teacher, leader, or philosopher a disciple of Rousseau.

17d   Tries bait regularly with lures (8)

19d   Female left relative to show off (6)

20d   Artwork delivers for audience (6)

23d   Drunk's unwilling to part with money (5)

24d   Exhaust on one form of transport (4)

Are "tax" and "exhaust" synonymous? I suppose if one taxes to the limit, they are. This reminds me of a simplified income tax form that someone once proposed which would have only three lines:
  • Line 1: How much did you make?
  • Line 2: How much did you spend?
  • Line 3: Remit the difference
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

Thursday, February 27, 2014 — DT 27328

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27328
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27328]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
scchua
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★ / ★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Experience
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└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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 parsing the clue
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- yet to be solved

Introduction

As always, Jay delivers an enjoyable bit of exercise for the grey matter.

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


1a   In awe of deserter returning on board ship with transport (4-6)

In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is — in most cases — a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS[10]. Thus "on board ship" is code for 'contained in SS'.

Lorry[5] [which appears in scchua's review] is the common British term for a truck.

6a   Priest left with a degree (4)

9a   Phones Mafia and lies badly (7)

Brits refer to a mobile phone[5] as a mobile[5]we telephoned from our mobile to theirs. North Americans, on the other hand, refer to a cell phone[5] as a cell[5]call me on my cell.

10a   Be left in the air, floundering with no answer (7)

12a   Heritage organisation found in New Testament, originally? (8,5)

In Britain, the National Trust[5] (abbreviation NT) is a trust for the preservation of places of historic interest or natural beauty in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, founded in 1895 and supported by endowment and private subscription. The National Trust for Scotland[7], a separate organization, was founded in 1931.

14a   Put straight by requirement to accept a return of profit (8)

15a   Time in prison -- that is what golfer wants (6)

In British slang, do (one's) bird[5] means to serve a prison sentence [bird from rhyming slang birdlime 'time'].

I believe scchua's illustration shows Ann Margaret appearing in the film Bye Bye Birdie[7].

17a   Smooth Nick's naked and dry (6)

19a   Fork out if new bus is red (8)

21a   Minister accommodating family was worried about learner's working rule (10,3)

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.

24a   Ground-breaking tracks reversing across motorway (7)

The M1[7] is a north–south motorway [controlled access, multi-lane divided highway] in England connecting London to Leeds.

25a   Tools for putting rollers initially into driers (7)

As scchua's choice of illustration would appear to emphasize, it is likely that no person has been more closely associated with the towel than Brigitte Bardot.

26a   Conned by academic with bearing (4)

In Britain, do[5] is an informal term for swindle ⇒ a thousand pounds for one set of photos — Jacqui had been done.

A don[10] is a member of the teaching staff at a university or college, especially at Oxford or Cambridge.

27a   Police wrong about unhappy little lad? No -- the other way round! (4,2,4)

The phrase "No — the other way round!" tells us to reverse the logic of the statement preceding it. However, we must be careful how we perform this reversal of logic.

The statement in question is "wrong about unhappy little lad". While one might think that we need to change it to read "unhappy little lad about wrong", that would be incorrect. What we really need is "little lad unhappy about wrong" which parses as {BOY (little lad) + BLUE (unhappy)} containing (about) SIN (wrong).

The illustration in scchua's review is The Blue Boy[7] (c. 1770), a full-length portrait in oil by English painter Thomas Gainsborough (1727–1788).

Down


1d    House mite's home here? (4)

I consider the clue to be a semi-& lit. (or semi-all-in-one, if you prefer) and have underlined the entire clue to indicate this. The entire clue informs us that the solution is a place where a house mite's home may be found. While this very general definition provides a broad range of options (for instance, any conceivable type of dwelling), the wordplay narrows the choice down to a single possibility. The wordplay is "houSE MIte has [i.e., hides] home".

2d   One area under Britain is another country (7)

Alban[1] is an ancient name for the island of Great Britain, now used poetically for Britain, England, or especially Scotland.

3d   Result of votes on divorce? (5,8)

I'm afraid that I diverge from scchua's explanation on this clue. I don't see how it could possibly be a double definition. A "result of votes" would be a decision but there is absolutely nothing in that phrase to justify it being a definition for split decision. Only when one adds the qualification (subsidiary indication) "on divorce" (a divorce being a split) do we have enough information to point to split decision as the solution. Consequently, I would categorize this clue as a cryptic definition in which the primary indication is "result of votes" and the subsidiary indication is "on divorce".

4d   Fixed -- sorted out after regime lost heart (8)

My initial attempt here was incorrect. I thought the solution might be RESOLVED with the wordplay being RE (regime lost heart) + SOLVED (sorted out). It was only when the solution to 12a would not fit that I discovered my error.

5d   The majority of talk is about home country (5)

7d   Silver bullet stuck on bottom (7)

The symbol for the chemical element silver is Ag[5] from Latin argentum.

8d   Contrasts execution of Danes impounding church levies (10)

I have observed that executions in Crosswordland almost invariably involve beheading.

11d   It holds basket below inflation when it's rising (3-3,7)

13d   Unwilling  to be sick (10)

16d   Ringing can fool American (8)

In the UK, nit[5] is an informal term for a foolish person you stupid nit!.

18d   Stroke for timeless sailors in sultanate (7)

In rowing, the stroke[5] (or stroke oar) is the oar or oarsman nearest the stern of a boat, setting the timing for the other rowers.

20d   Sort of treatment for green wood (3,4)

In Britain, deal[5] means (1) fir or pine wood as a building material or (2) a plank made of fir or pine wood [what we in North America would commonly refer to as lumber]. Apparently, this meaning of deal[3,11] also exists (or once existed) in North America, but I would think that it is very rarely used now — especially by the general public. In Britain, lumber[5] has a totally different meaning, being articles of furniture or other household items that are no longer useful and inconveniently take up storage space.

22d   Barrage balloons finally seen on Oval ground (5)

The Oval[7] is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth — a ground[5] being an area of land, often with associated buildings, used for a particular sport.

As an anagram indicator, ground is either the past tense or the past participle (used as an adjective) of the verb grind[5]. An anagram indicator is a word that denotes movement or transformation. Grind denotes transformation in the sense that wheat is ground into flour.

23d   Man, say, caught by his legs (4)

The Isle of Man[5] (abbreviation IOM[5]), a British Crown dependency, is an island in the Irish Sea.
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

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 — DT 27327

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27327
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27327]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Gazza
BD Rating
Difficulty - ★★★ Enjoyment - ★★★
Falcon's Experience
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└────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘
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 parsing the clue
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- yet to be solved

Introduction

This puzzle was solved fairly quickly, although I did require a gentle nudge from my electronic assistants on the final two clues.

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


5a   City in Pennsylvania, and port in South Africa (8)

I was approaching this clue almost completely from the wrong end. I tried to insert a city into the abbreviation for Pennsylvania to get a port in South Africa.

Aden[5] is a port in Yemen at the mouth of the Red Sea; population 588,900 (est. 2004).

Pasadena[5] is a city in California, in the San Gabriel Mountains on the northeast side of the Los Angeles conurbation; population 143,080 (est. 2008).

Oxford Dictionaries Online goes on to state "[Pasadena] is the site of the Rose Bowl stadium, venue for the American Football Super Bowl". In its 48 year history, the Super Bowl[7] has been played at the Rose Bowl on only five occasions, the last time in 1993!

8a   Notice husband going back into church in Cheshire, perhaps (6)

The Church of England[10] (abbreviation CE[10]) is the reformed established state Church in England, Catholic in order and basic doctrine, with the Sovereign as its temporal head.

Cheshire[5] is a kind of firm crumbly cheese, originally made in Cheshire, a county of west central England.

10a   Perform with band associated with one show tune (2-2-2)

R.E.M.[7] was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. The group disbanded amicably in September 2011, announcing the split on its website.

"Do-Re-Mi"[7] is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Within the story, it is used by Maria to teach the notes of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children who learn to sing for the first time, even though their father has disallowed frivolity after their mother's death. The song is notable in that each syllable of the musical solfège system appears in its lyrics, sung on the pitch it names.

11a   Arranged to repeat G&S work, maybe (8)

G&S refers to Gilbert and Sullivan[7], the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900). The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado are among the best known.

12a   Not able to be fixed on the other side of resort (6,6)

This clue invokes rarely encountered meanings for two common words.

In the cryptic reading, resort[5] is used as a verb in the formal sense of to go often or in large numbers to local authorities have a duty to provide adequate sites for gypsies ‘residing in or resorting to’ their areas.

Repair[5] is used in the formal or humorous sense of to go to (a place), especially in company we repaired to the tranquillity of a nearby cafe.

15a   Pseudonym I left out, unfortunately (4)

17a   Crowe, acting badly, could make one cringe (5)

The phrase "could make one" provides a link between the wordplay and the definition. The phrase should be read as "could make [for] one". The idea conveyed by the clue is 'If one were to execute the wordplay (an anagram), one could make a word which is a synonym of "cringe"'.

Russell Crowe[7] is a New Zealand actor, film producer and musician based in Australia and the United States. He came to international attention for his role as the Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as a number of other nominations and awards.

18a   Sexually attractive man initially cheated out of significant amount (4)

19a   Become emotionally upset, in a state of collapse following onset of fire (4,2,6)

22a   Deserter, say, found by a river in southern Europe (8)

I was focused on a deserter from the military — not one from a religion.

The Po[7] is a river that arises in the Cottian Alps and flows eastward across northern Italy entering the Adriatic Sea through a delta near Venice.

24a   A prosecutor has to digest information, items for discussion (6)

This clue contains a mixture of British and US terms.

Gen[5] is British slang for information ⇒ you’ve got more gen on him than we have.

In the US, a district attorney[5] (abbreviation DA) is a public official who acts as prosecutor for the state in a particular district.

25a   Notice, on inlet, a large number of ships (6)

26a   Groom gaining silver medal's second in equestrian event (8)

The symbol for the chemical element silver is Ag[5] from Latin argentum.

Dressage[5] is the art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility, and balance.

Down


1d   Look, with bishop, round garden pavilion (6)

B[5] is an abbreviation for bishop that is used in recording moves in chess.

2d   Publication -- stop one produced by small state (10)

Stop[2] is a shortened form of full stop[5], the British name for the punctuation mark known in North America as a period.

3d   Top expert banking millions (4)

4d   Scare her running investigation (8)


6d   Especially  like the CEO? (5,3)

7d   I sat down, tense, confused, utterly at a loss (2,4,4,3)

9d   Place rest on end of table (4)

13d   Jets, for example, flying near a Pole (South) (10)

Aeroplane[5] is a chiefly British variant spelling of airplane.

14d   Outsider grounded, prepared (8)

16d   Modelled around a review of fees, this may not be contested politically (4,4)

20d   Very much demonstrated by some underachievers' objectives (4,2)

21d   Box old Bob on equal footing? (4)

Bob[2] is an informal name for shilling[2] (abbreviation s[2]), a former monetary unit and coin of the UK, in use prior to the introduction of decimal currency in 1971, worth one twentieth of a pound or 12 old pence (12d).

23d   Partly open a grate (4)
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

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 — DT 27326

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27326
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, November 4, 2013
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27326]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog 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
- solved but without fully parsing the clue
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- yet to be solved

Introduction

Today we have another fine puzzle from Rufus. As I've commented in the past, his clues are by far the most difficult to categorize of any setter that I have encountered. The reason being his liberal use of cryptic definitions, of which he is the acknowledged master.

Reflections on Cryptic Definitions

Since adopting the practice of underlining the definition in clues, I have struggled with how to properly markup cryptic definition type clues. I now believe that I may have come up with a workable approach which I will explain below with the aid of several examples from today's puzzle.

Cryptic crossword clues can be looked at as occupying a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, one finds the regular cryptic crossword clue which has a definition and wordplay and a surface reading that bears no relation to the definition. An example of such a clue is 19a in today's puzzle:
  • 19a   Accompanying a student, nevertheless (6)
where the definition is "nevertheless" and the wordplay is WITH (accompanying) + A (from the clue) + L (student; learner [driver]).

At the other end of the spectrum, one finds what I think of as a pure cryptic definition — a clue which relies on a play on words and cannot be broken down into sub-components. In today's puzzle, prime examples of this type of clue would be 13d and 14d:
  • 13d   Yet it's likely to be a slender hope (3,6)
This clue relies on the irony that two words that are antonyms (slender and fat) when paired with words that are roughly synonymous (hope and chance) produce terms that are synonymous.
  • 14d   It needs a good wind before it moves (9)
This clue is premised on the reader misinterpreting wind as a movement of air rather than activating a mechanical device.

In such clues, no subsidiary indication (wordplay or qualifying statement) is present. There is simply an element of irony or a right way and a wrong way — or, sometimes, more than one wrong way — to read the clue. For such clues, I will use solid underlining for the entire clue.

Between these extremes is a grey zone where —  positioned along a continuum — one finds clues whose characteristics are not so black and white.

For instance, 23a is a semi-& lit. (semi-all-in-one) clue in which the entire clue can be considered to be the definition. However, the clue can be decomposed into a vague definition ("what may be served") and wordplay — in this case, a charade:
  • 23a   What may be served in porcelain at meal-time (5,3)
As a definition, the entire clue denotes CHINA TEA (what [something that] may be served in porcelain [cups] at meal-time). The wordplay is CHINA (porcelain) + (at; situated next to) TEA (meal-time; in Britain). For such clues, I will use solid underlining for the quasi-definition (the vague partial definition) and dashed underlining for the wordplay.

As another example, one finds clues such as 10a where the entire clue could be considered to be the definition, but which can be decomposed into a primary indication (frequently a very vague definition) and a subsidiary indication (a qualifying statement that narrows the scope of the definition, often in a whimsical manner):
  • 10a   A race of more than local interest (8)
While the entire clue is a cryptic definition, the clue can be broken down into a general definition (a race) which refers to the National (a British horse race) and the qualifying phrase "of more than local interest" which provides the subsidiary indication to distinguish the particular race of interest from any of a number of other races. For cases such as this, where it is possible to decompose a cryptic definition into a definition and qualifying phrase, I will use solid underlining for the primary indication (definition) and dashed underlining for the subsidiary indication (qualifying phrase).

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


1a   Having for sale  item put up for the present time (8)

"The present time" is a whimsical way to say 'the time of year when presents are exchanged'.

6a   Unveil the ultimate sex-op surgery (6)

9a   Opinion to contradict loudly (6)

Forte[5] (abbreviation f[5]) is a musical direction meaning (as an adjective) loud or (as an adverb) loudly.

10a   A race of more than local interest (8)

The National[5] is another name for the Grand National[5], an annual horse race established in 1839, a steeplechase run over a course of 4 miles 856 yards (about 7,200 metres) with thirty jumps, at Aintree, Liverpool, in late March or early April.

11a   Spot of colour trouble in America (8)

The fact that the "spot" specified by the definition just happens to be "in America" is likely a coincidence. I have seen many clues where the place called for by the definition is in a totally different part of the world from what is indicated in the wordplay.

12a   On winding road it's showing skill (6)

13a   It's the done thing in France (4,8)

Fait accompli[5], a phrase adopted from French, means a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it. In French, it literally means 'accomplished fact' (or, a bit more colloquially, 'done thing').

16a   Bound, but also not bound, to be unreliable (4,3,5)

19a   Accompanying a student, nevertheless (6)

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.

21a   Right  to succeed (4,4)

"Right" is used as a verb in the sense of to set right.

23a   What may be served in porcelain at meal-time (5,3)

China tea[5] is tea made from a small-leaved type of tea plant grown in China, typically flavoured by smoke curing or the addition of flower petals.

The British distinguish between afternoon tea and high tea, although both may be referred to simply as tea[10]. Afternoon tea[2,5,7,10] (or Low Tea) is a light afternoon meal, typically eaten between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, at which tea, sandwiches, biscuits [British term for cookies or crackers] and cakes are served.

High tea[7] (also known as meat tea) is the evening meal or dinner of the working class, typically eaten between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. It typically consists of a hot dish such as fish and chips, shepherd's pie, or macaroni cheese [macaroni and cheese to North Americans], followed by cakes and bread, butter and jam. Occasionally there would be cold cuts of meat, such as ham salad. Traditionally high tea was eaten by middle to upper class children (whose parents would have a more formal dinner later) or by labourers, miners and the like when they came home from work. The term was first used around 1825 and high is used in the sense of well-advanced (like high noon, for example) to signify that it was taken later in the day.

24a   Kiss in love story said to make a neat ending (6)

In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒ love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.

Neat[5] is an archaic term for a bovine animal or, as a mass noun, cattle.

25a   Farewell words to the French about to meet death (6)

Adieu[5] [a word adopted from French] means (1) as an exclamation, goodbye and (2) as a noun (plural adieus or adieux), a goodbye ⇒ he whispered a fond adieu.

In French, the combination of à (to) and les (plural form of the definite article) becomes aux (to the).

26a   Resented  becoming unwell? (5,3)

Down


2d   Quake in the centre, more or less (6)

3d   Company about to broadcast somewhere in Egypt (5)

Cairo[5] is the capital of Egypt, a port on the Nile near the head of its delta; population 6,758,600 (est. 2006).

4d   Result of a big blow to the economy? (9)


5d   Canal boat almost departed with wrong load (7)

6d   Not a hit certainly, but he plays his part (5)

In cricket, an extra[5] is a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited to the batting side rather than to a batsman. Examples (of which the first two are mentioned by Libellule in his review) include:
  • a leg bye[5] - a run scored from a ball that has touched part of the batsman’s body (apart from the hand) without touching the bat, the batsman having made an attempt to hit it;
  • a no ball[5] - an unlawfully delivered ball, counting one as an extra to the batting side if not otherwise scored from; and
  • a wide[5] (or wide ball) - a ball that is judged to be too wide of the stumps for the batsman to play, for which an extra is awarded to the batting side.
In the theatre, an actor with a walk-on part is commonly referred to as a spear carrier[5].

7d   Favouring lightweight in list of bouts (9)

Gramme[3,11] is a chiefly British variant spelling of gram.

Programme[3] is a chiefly British variant spelling of program.

8d   Painless exercising for dogs (8)

13d   Yet it's likely to be a slender hope (3,6)

14d   It needs a good wind before it moves (9)

15d   Made fish pie for the hungry (8)

As an anagram indicator, pie[10] is a variant spelling of pi[10], a printing term meaning, as a noun, (1) a jumbled pile of printer's type or (2) a jumbled mixture or, as a verb, (1) to spill and mix (set type) indiscriminately or (2) to mix up.

17d   Beat a doctor in final (7)

In Britain, the degree required to practice medicine is a Bachelor of Medicine[7] (MB, from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus), which is equivalent to a North American Doctor of Medicine (MD, from Latin Medicinae Doctor). The degree of Doctor of Medicine also exists in Britain, but it is an advanced degree pursued by those who wish to go into medical research. Physicians in Britain are still addressed as Dr. despite not having a doctoral degree.

18d   State one is found in after very good neighbourly party (6)

The expression very good[5] (a dated variant of very well) is used to express agreement or consent very good, sir, will that be all?.

So[5] is a conjunction that can be used to introduce a question (so, what did you do today?) especially one following on from what was said previously (so what did he do about it?).


One can certainly imagine an English butler saying Very good, sir, will that be all?. Someone a bit less refined might express this same idea as "So, will that be all?".

20d   Rubber solution from past times (5)

22d   Make progress in friendly relations (3,2)

Although Libellule indicates in his review that this is a double definition, I do not see how that can be so — and I did try hard to justify his conclusion. The solution, GET ON, is a verb whereas "friendly relations" is a nounal phrase and "in friendly relations" is (I believe) an adjectival phrase. As a result, I will deem this to be a cryptic definition which can be decomposed into a definition (make progress) and a qualifying phrase (in friendly relations).
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

Monday, February 24, 2014

Monday, February 24, 2014 — DT 27325

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27325
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27325- Hints]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27325 - Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Big Dave (Hints)
gnomethang (Review)
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 parsing the clue
- unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
- yet to be solved
Notes
As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review.

Introduction

I thought that the review of today's puzzle would be easy to write. However, I got sidetracked investigating model railway gauges and spent far more time than I expected.

While today's puzzle was not overly difficult, I initially had an incorrect solution for 23d. Since the only intersecting clue affected by this error was 26a, this did not have a major impact on my ability to solve the puzzle. Not knowing the British term at 26a meant that I would have had to use my electronic assistants on that clue in any event. When I failed to find anything to match the checking letters for 26a, I suspected that there must be an error somewhere — and there was really only one place it could be.

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


1a   Final stage of house extension (4,7)

7a   Carts I'd overturned -- that's radical (7)

8a   Don't go on to break one's journey (4,3)

Surely, one need not look to cricket to justify "off" being the opposite of "on". However, for those who may be puzzled by the cricket-related comment in gnomethang's review, the following may be helpful.

In cricket, the on and the off are the two sides of a cricket field, as divided lengthways through the pitch. The on[5] (also known as the on side), which is another name for the leg side[5] (also called simply the leg), is the half of the field away from which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. Naturally, the other side of the field is called the off[5] (also known as the off side).

10a   Peer is number five to start (8)

A peer[5] is a member of the nobility in Britain or Ireland, comprising the ranks of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.

11a   I had to break up row, being smarter (6)

Smart[4] is used in the sense of well-kept or neat.

13a   Some estaminet takings may be after tax (4)

An estaminet[3,4,11] is a small café, bar, or bistro, especially a shabby one. The word — which comes from Walloon, a French dialect spoken in southern and eastern Belgium and neighbouring parts of France — is derived from a word meaning 'cowshed'.

Nett[5] is an alternative British spelling of net.

14a   Primitive plants developed from a large gene (5,5)

16a   Making one more time for fun (10)

18a   Clear off, having mislaid right racket (4)

21a   Mark's kind of music? (6)

In the Bible, the Gospel According to Mark[7] is the second book of the New Testament.

22a   Better fiddle gas meter! (8)

A gamester[3,4,11] is a person who habitually plays games for money; in other words, a gambler.

24a   Person seeking fur -- salesman getting some returned (7)

25a   Shark needs to follow trawl (7)

The dogfish[5] (Scyliorhinus canicula) is a small sand-coloured bottom-dwelling shark with a long tail, common on European coasts.

26a   Risk capital (6,5)

Danger money[7] is the British name for danger pay.

Down



1d   Receiver's needed for dates he organised (7)

2d   Mongrel will get no flipping meat (6)

In British English, flipping[5] is an informal term used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance (i) are you out of your flipping mind?; (ii) it’s flipping cold today.

3d   Mediocre time comes with cost (6-4)

4d   Run  on the bank, that's growing (4)

The second definition is merely a convoluted way of saying "[something] that's growing on the bank".

5d   Current flowing across river near equator (8)

6d   Another thing about this gauge of model railway is sounding the horn (7)

The most popular model railway scale in the United Kingdom is OO gauge[7] (or OO scale), in which 4 mm represents 1 foot (a scale ratio of 1:76.2). The most popular scale in North America is HO scale, in which 3.5 mm represents 1 foot (a scale ratio of 1:87).

A model built to the British OO scale is larger than one built to HO scale. This is actually the basis for the existence of the OO scale. British locomotives were generally smaller than those used in North America and models built to HO scale were not large enough to accommodate the clockwork drive mechanisms that were then available. Thus British modellers adopted a scale that would produce larger models. However, they retained HO gauge track — and, as a result, the tracks in OO model railways are not properly scaled.

7d   Deduce side from which kings took authority (6,5)

The divine right of kings[5] is the doctrine that kings derive their authority from God not their subjects, from which it follows that rebellion is the worst of political crimes. It was enunciated in Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries under the Stuarts and is also associated with the absolutism of Louis XIV of France.

9d   One has to take hurried steps in it (6,5)

A forced march[5] is a fast march by soldiers, typically over a long distance.

12d   Brief note written out in full (10)

15d   Pantomime involved notepaper -- nothing was left out (5,3)

A pantomime[5] is a traditional British theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, which involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nursery story, usually produced around Christmas.

17d   Way amateur infuses part of milk to produce sauce (7)

The Chambers Dictionary includes amateur in a long list of words for which A[1] can be the abbreviation.

19d   Hun cut short invading borders of Cathay, with a show of spite (7)

Attila[5] (406–53) was king of the Huns 434–53. He ravaged vast areas between the Rhine and the Caspian Sea before being defeated by the joint forces of the Roman army and the Visigoths at Châlons in 451.

Cathay[5] is the name by which China was known to medieval Europe.

20d   Ice in French or Norwegian port (6)

In French, en[8] is a preposition meaning 'in'.

23d   Real torture at intervals (4)

I conjectured that the solution might be an anagram (torture) of REAL. The only conceivable word that I could construct was ERAL which I reasoned might be an adjective meaning related to eras. Since eras are periods of time, then eral — should it exist — might possibly denote "at intervals".

As I was to discover, there seems to be no such word as eral. [Such a pity!]

The phrase "at intervals" is actually an indicator that directs us to select a regular sequence of letters from "torture". Since there are many possible "regular sequences" that we could choose (odd letters, even letters, every third letter, etc.), we must keep trying various sequences until we find one that produces a valid result.
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