Monday, June 23, 2014 — DT 27412

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27412
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, February 13, 2014
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27412]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By archy and mehitabel
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

I worked steadily through this puzzle although the production error at 17a/19a [what our British colleagues would undoubtedly refer to as a "cockup"] did significantly impede progress.

Errors in Today's Puzzle

In today's puzzle, two clues are run together with a portion of the text for one of the clues missing. The clues should be:

• 17a   Raise part of a suit (4)
• 19a   Invention by Swiss hero that’s gossip (8)

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.

Primary indications (definitions) are marked with a solid underline in the clue; subsidiary indications (be they wordplay or other) are marked with a dashed underline in all-in-one (& lit.) clues, semi-all-in-one (semi-& lit.) clues and cryptic definitions.

Across

1a   Model cut short crooner once in TV programme (6)

Perry Como^[7] (1912–2001) was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he sold millions of records and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show, which set the standards for the genre and proved to be one of the most successful in television history. His combined success on television and popular recordings was not matched by any other artist of the time.

5a   Colts might have a role in such an exchange? (8)

Colt^[5] is a trademark for a type of revolver — from the name of the US inventor and firearms manufacturer Samuel Colt (1814–1862).

9a   Work time on island left down to choice (8)

In music, Op.^[5] (also op.) is an abbreviation meaning opus (work). It is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication.

Iona^[5] is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Mull. It is the site of a monastery founded by St Columba in about 563.

10a   Arty venue covered by critic in e-mail (6)

11a   Friend touring German river kept within bounds (8)

This "German river" is found almost entirely within Poland and merely borders Germany for part of its length..

The Oder^[5] is a river of central Europe which rises in the mountains in the east of the Czech Republic and flows northwards through western Poland to meet the River Neisse, then continues northwards forming the northern part of the border between Poland and Germany before flowing into the Baltic Sea.

In Britain, mate^[5] is an informal term (1) for a friend or companion ⇒ my best mate Steve or (2) used as a friendly form of address between men or boys ⇒ ‘See you then, mate.’.

12a   Pupil in short summer period starts to impress other residents (6)

13a   Devoted woman to get tired trailing island swamp (8)

Date^[10] is used in the sense of to make or become old-fashioned [get tired] ⇒  some good films hardly date at all.

15a   American Revolutionary song? An operatic one (4)

In music, an aria^[5] is a long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio.

17a   Raise part of a suit (4)

19a   Invention by Swiss hero that’s gossip (8)

William Tell^[5] was a legendary hero of the liberation of Switzerland from Austrian oppression. He was required to hit with an arrow an apple placed on the head of his son, which he did successfully. The events are placed in the 14th century, but there is no evidence for a historical person of this name, and similar legends are of widespread occurrence.

20a   Roland, maybe, attracted to a single short cut (3,3)

Roland Rat^[7] is a puppet character that has appeared widely on British television.

As archy and mehitabel state in their review, the setter likely envisioned the second part of the charade to be "a single in cricket" — although it could just as well be a single in baseball.

Rat run^[5] is an informal British term for a minor, typically residential street used by drivers during peak periods to avoid congestion on main roads ⇒ our road was used as a rat run between two main roads.

21a   Cheap container holding bit of tasty food (3-5)

22a   Popular nationalist with energy that’s not learned (6)

Nat^[10] is an informal name for a member or supporter of the Scottish National Party^[5](abbreviation SNP), a political party formed in 1934, which seeks autonomous government for Scotland. It won its first parliamentary seat in 1945, and has since maintained a small group of MPs.

23a   Official musician’s name might be displayed so? (2,6)

24a   Greek character facing element on river largely in rebellion (8)

Mu^[5] is the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet (Μ, μ).

As an example, archy and mehitabel make reference to the symbol for the chemical element tin, which is Sn^[5].

The River Ouse^[5] is a river of northeastern England, formed at the confluence of the Ure and Swale in North Yorkshire and flowing 92 km (57 miles) south-eastwards through York to the Humber estuary. There are also several other rivers in England having that name (or minor variations thereof).

In archy and mehitabel's review, the comment "I don't think there's one in China" is a dig at gnomethang who, in a review, once placed the River Po in China (Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 26437]). Although this slip occurred in December 2010, it still gets regular mention on Big Dave's site.

25a   A service on border in Dutch city (6)

The Royal Navy^[5] (abbreviation RN) is the British navy. It was the most powerful navy in the world from the 17th century until the Second World War.

Arnhem^[5] is a town in the eastern Netherlands, situated on the River Rhine, capital of the province of Gelderland; population 143,582 (2008). During the Second World War, in September 1944, Allied airborne troops made a landing nearby but were overwhelmed by German forces.

A Bridge Too Far^[7] (referred to by archy and mehitabel in their review) is a 1977 epic war film based on the 1974 book of the same name by Irish author Cornelius Ryan (1920–1974). The film tells the story of the failure of Operation Market Garden during World War II, the Allied attempt to break through German lines and seize several bridges in the occupied Netherlands, including one at Arnhem, with the main objective of outflanking German defences.The name for the film comes from an unconfirmed comment attributed to British Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning, deputy commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, who told Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the operation's architect, before the operation: "I think we may be going a bridge too far."

Down

2d   Inappropriate rugby player wearing timeless watch (8)

In rugby, a prop^[5] (also called prop forward) is a forward at either end of the front row of a scrum.

3d   Standards of observance with religious instruction in California (8)

The abbreviation for religious instruction is RI^[10]. According to Wikipedia, "In secular usage, religious education^[7] is the teaching of a particular religion (although in England the term religious instruction would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with religious education referring to teaching about religions in general) and its varied aspects — its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles."

The US Postal Service abbreviation for the state of California^[7] is CA.

4d   Twice I run team, after corruption on a small scale (9)

I interpret the definition to be "on a small scale". For instance, miniature golf is golf on a small scale.

5d   Leave food shop, tucking in free includes eating old variety of apple (6,9)

It seemingly took forever to parse this clue, as there is more than ample opportunity for misdirection. The wordplay is GO (leave) + {DELI (food shop) contained in (tucking in) an anagram (free) of INCLUDES containing (eating) O (old)}.

On first sight, thinking in terms of putting a child to bed, the use of "tucking in" as a containment indicator in this clue didn't quite work for me. However, upon reflection, I conclude that tuck^[10] is used in the sense of to push or fold into a small confined space or concealed place or between two surfaces ⇒ to tuck a letter into an envelope. Thus, I interpret the first portion of the wordplay as if it were written "food shop, tucking [itself] in free includes".

6d   Fellow having trouble on Yorkshire river is a loser (7)

F^[2] is the abbreviation for Fellow (of a society, etc). For instance, it is found in professional designations such as FRAIC (Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada).

The River Ure^[7] is a stream in North Yorkshire, England, approximately 74 miles (119 km) long from its source to the point where it changes name to the River Ouse [see 24a].

7d   Good university with time suppressing trouble that’s irregular (8)

The abbreviation G^[10] for good may relate to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

8d   Place for drivers to stop, we hear, getting rest? (3,5)

In Britain, a tea break^[5] is a short rest period during the working day, in which people typically drink a cup of tea or coffee ⇒ the men were on a tea break. On the other hand, according to the same source, a coffee break^[5] is a short break during the working day, during which people typically drink a cup of coffee or tea.

14d   Tart a tiro cooked in eating venue (9)

Tiro is an alternative spelling of tyro^[5], that is, a beginner or novice.

A trattoria^[2] is a restaurant, especially an informal one that serves Italian food.

15d   A liberal section of party is beginning to misjudge scaremongering (8)

The Liberal Party^[5] in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats; a small Liberal Party still exists. Although Lib.^[5] may be the more common abbreviation for the party, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary indicates that L^[2] may also be used.

16d   Favoured session of work to restrain cold natural impulse (8)

17d   Mouse seen by short stick and container for oil (8)

Tom and Jerry^[7] is a series of theatrical animated cartoon films created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, centering on a never-ending rivalry between a cat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases and battles often involved comic violence (despite this they sometimes become allies to defeat a 'greater enemy' such as Spike the dog).

18d   What might be pulled in shape for plane (8)

The Concorde^[5] was a supersonic airliner able to cruise at twice the speed of sound. Produced through Anglo-French cooperation, it made its maiden flight in 1969 and was taken out of service in 2003.

19d   Relative putting on weight in Somerset town (7)

Taunton^[5] is the county town of Somerset, in southwestern England; population 61,000 (est. 2009).

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