Saturday, February 28, 2015 — Play Ball!

Introduction

With spring training underway, it is appropriate that a couple of baseball related clues take to the field in today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

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 █ - yet to be solved

Legend:	"*" anagram; "~" sounds like; "<" letters reversed
	"( )" letters inserted; "_" letters deleted; "†" explicit in the clue
	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. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

1a   Prisoner obtaining press // card (8)

CO(MEDIA)N — CON (prisoner) containing (obtaining) MEDIA (press)

5a   Students sent back /for/ mistake (4-2)

{SLIP-UP}< — reversal (sent back) of PUPILS (students)

10a   A-B-C is ridiculously // elementary (5)

BASIC* — anagram (ridiculously) of ABC IS

11a   Sleepiest // promise withdrawn before nap cut short (9)

DROW<|SIEST_ — reversal (withdrawn) of WORD (promise) + SIEST[A] (nap) with the final letter removed (cut short)

12a   In a cell, a new // bond (8)

ALLIANCE* — anagram (new) of IN A CELL A

13a   Slimy crawlers /in/ socks (5)

SLUGS — double definition

15a   Love poetry by one // across the ocean (7)

O|VERSE|A — O (love; nil score in tennis) + VERSE (poetry) + A (one)

I cannot recall ever having seen the solution without a final S. However, the word oversea^[3] is found in the American Heritage Dictionary, listed as meaning overseas. Oxford Dictionaries Online characterizes oversea as an alternative British term for overseas^[5].

16a   Full // agent left before summer in Quebec (7)

REP|L|ETE — REP (agent) + L (left) +ETE (summer in Quebec)

The French word for summer is été^[8].

18a   Dirty, /or/ fresh instead (7)

STAINED* — anagram (fresh) of INSTEAD

21a   Middle Easterner // is one taking in king from the East (7)

IS(RAEL<)I —  {IS (†) + I ([Roman numeral for] one)} containing (taking in) a reversal (from the East) of LEAR (king)

Lear^[5] was a legendary early king of Britain, the central figure in Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. He is mentioned by the 12th century Welsh chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (circa 1139; first printed in 1508), an account of the kings of Britain.

23a   Writer // missing the mark about lake (5)

WI(L)DE — WIDE (missing the mark) containing (about) L (lake)

Oscar Wilde^[5] (1854–1900) was an Irish dramatist, novelist, poet, and wit; full name Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde. His advocacy of ‘art for art’s sake’ is evident in his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). As a dramatist he achieved success with the comedies Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). Wilde was imprisoned (1895-7) for homosexual offences and died in exile.

25a   Pale hue, // for example green, associated with second nightmare (8)

EG|G|S|HELL — EG (for example) + G (green) + (associated with) S (second) + HELL (nightmare)

27a   Kid I found in lists // does some groundbreaking work (9)

RO(TOT|I)LLS — {TOT (kid) + I (†)} contained in (found in) ROLLS (lists)

Note to overseas readers: Rototiller^[5] is the North American name for a rotovator.

28a   My pet ape /is/ hungry (5)

EMPTY* — anagram (ape; berserk) of MY PET

29a   Street baseball team in Tampa // wanders (6)

ST|RAYS — ST (street) + RAYS (baseball team in Tampa)

This team is actually not based in Tampa but in St. Petersburg.

The Tampa Bay Rays^[7] (formerly the Tampa Bay Devil Rays) are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida, that competes in Major League Baseball (MLB). They are currently a member of the East Division of the American League.

Tampa Bay^[7] is a large, natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida. "Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality. This misconception may stem from the names of several local professional sports franchises which seek to draw support from the entire Tampa Bay Area, the hub of which is the city of Tampa, Florida. St. Petersburg^[7] is the second largest city in the Tampa Bay Area.

30a   Brilliance in idiot/’s/ lack of colour (8)

A(SHINE)SS — SHINE (brilliance) contained in (in) ASS (idiot)

Down

1d   Die /from/ Chicago player error (4)

CUB|E — CUB (Chicago [baseball] player) + E (error; baseball term)

Chicago Cubs^[7] are an American professional baseball franchise located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

2d   Homer’s bartender getting deal /in/ white wine (7)

MO(SELL)E — MOE (Homer's bartender) containing (getting) SELL (deal)

Morris "Moe" Szyslak^[7] is a fictional character from the American animated television series, The Simpsons. He is the proprietor and bartender of Moe's Tavern, a Springfield bar frequented by Homer Simpson.

Moselle^[5] (also Mosel) is a light medium-dry white wine produced in the valley of the River Moselle. The Mosel^[5] (also Moselle) is a river of western Europe, which rises in the Vosges mountains of northeastern France and flows 550 km (346 miles) north-east through Luxembourg and Germany to meet the Rhine at Koblenz.

3d   Poet // spilled ink on disc (9)

DICKINSON* — anagram (spilled) of INK ON DISC

Emily Dickinson^[5] (1830–1886) was an American poet. Her poems use an elliptical language, emphasizing assonance and alliteration rather than rhyme, reflecting the struggles of her reclusive life.

4d   Riders // notice lair by day, mostly (7)

AD|DEN|DA_ — AD ([commercial] notice) + DEN (lair) + (by) DA[Y] with the final letter removed (mostly)

6d   Cobbler’s equipment // endures (5)

LASTS — double definition

7d   Suppose // program’s beginning with applicant’s submission (7)

P|RESUME — P {initial letter of (beginning of; 's beginning) Program} + (with) RESUME (applicant's submission; résumé)

8d   Asperities ruined // bakery (10)

PATISSERIE* — anagram (ruined) of ASPERITIES

9d   Party outfit/’s/ place marker (3-3)

DO|G-EAR — DO (party) + GEAR (outfit)

14d   Exercise conflict dividing garden tools /and/ domestic items (10)

HO(USE|WAR)ES — {USE (exercise) + WAR (conflict)} contained in (dividing) HOES (garden tools)

17d   Pierce has changed // game (9)

PARCHEESI* — anagram (changed) of PIERCE HAS

19d   Select athlete // fifty-second in place for sacrifices (3-4)

AL(L|-S)TAR — {L ([Roman numeral for] fifty) + S (second)} contained in (in) ALTAR (place for sacrifice)

20d   Lives // down by water sources (6)

D|WELLS — D (down) + (by) WELLS (water sources)

21d   Room renter gags out loud /and/ swallows (7)

{IN|GESTS}~ — sounds like (out loud) {INN (room renter) + JESTS (gags)}

22d   Feel lip’s edge partially // curve (7)

_EL|LIPS|E_ — hidden in (partially) feEL LIPS Edge

24d   Guard behind the foremost // competitor (5)

_ENTRY — [S]ENTRY with the initial letter removed ([portion of the word found] behind the foremost [initial letter])

26d   Some breads // react to yeast, reportedly (4)

RYES~ — sounds like (reportedly) RISE (react to yeast)

Epilogue

The title of today's blog is inspired by 29a and 1d.

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

Friday, February 27, 2015 — DT 27595

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27595
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, September 15, 2014
Setter Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27595]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Miffypops
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

This offering from Rufus should get your Friday off to a pleasant start. I think I was lulled into a state of inattention and carelessly missed a key element of the wordplay in one clue. As for the solution that I had "incorrect", my answer was probably equally valid — or nearly so.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Cracked up, oddly enough (6,4)

I'm afraid I must take issue with Miffypops on two points. First, I would not call this an all-in-one clue. Rather I see it as a cryptic definition.

Second, I think the clue is to be read in the context of mental health rather than disabled equipment. If it were the latter, to me "cracked up" would signify having been involved in an accident, whereas "broken down" would indicate a mechanical failure.

Crack up^[5] is an informal term meaning to suffer an emotional breakdown under pressure ⇒ I feel I’m cracking up, always on the verge of tears.

6a   Lower // piece of iceberg? (4)

Lower is used in the whimsical cryptic crossword sense of something that lows (moos) — in other words, a bovine animal.

A calf^[5] is a floating piece of ice detached from an iceberg.

10a   Works /and/ plays to music (5)

An opus^[10] (plural opuses or opera) is an artistic composition, especially a musical work.

In the second definition, opera is used as a collective noun denoting a musical genre rather than an individual work ⇒ Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition.

11a   Achievement of one who doesn't miss a trick (5,4)

In the game of bridge, a grand slam^[5] is the bidding and winning of all thirteen tricks.

12a   Cause amazement /to/ a holy man on his mobile (8)

Although Miffypops includes the ON as part of the anagram fodder, it can actually stand on its own with the wordplay being A + ST + ON + an anagram (mobile) of HIS.

Scratching the Surface
Mobile[5] is a British term for a mobile phone [North American cell phone[5]] ⇒ we telephoned from our mobile to theirs.

13a   Unfinished picture frame (5)

15a   Regard Shaw plays /as/ utter nonsense (7)

Eyewash^[2] [found in American as well as British dictionaries] is a colloquial, derogatory term for (1) nonsense or (2) insincere or deceptive talk.

Scratching the Surface
George Bernard Shaw[5] (1856–1950) was an Irish dramatist and writer. His best-known plays combine comedy with a questioning of conventional morality and thought; they include Man and Superman (1903), Pygmalion (1913), and St Joan (1923). A socialist, he became an active member of the Fabian Society. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925.

17a   Say something quickly /and/ stagger away (4,3)

19a   Relationship // hit by drink (7)

21a   A muscle unaffected by being retracted (7)

I found the correct solution but I confess failing to realize that "unaffected by being retracted" is indicating a palindrome.

I had presumed that the setter must be implying that since the muscle is a rotator it does not extend and contract — although I would find such a contention difficult to accept. I think that a rotator must extend and contract, albeit about an axis. Consequently, I think the phrase "unaffected by being retracted" actually has nothing to do with the movement of the muscle.

I debated whether to include a dashed underline below the latter part of the clue. In the end, I decided that the phrase "unaffected by being retracted" does provide elaboration that helps to narrow the scope of the definition. In this case, the elaboration concerns the structure of the word rather than the meaning of word.

22a   Conservative-Labour // rift (5)

The Labour Party^[5] in Britain is a left-of-centre political party formed to represent the interests of ordinary working people that since the Second World War has been in power 1945–51, 1964–70, 1974-9, and 1997–2010. Arising from the trade union movement at the end of the 19th century, it replaced the Liberals as the country’s second party after the First World War.

24a   Loudmouthed female // union member to use the rod first (8)

A fishwife^[5] [found in American as well as British dictionaries] is a coarse-mannered woman who is prone to shouting ⇒ the screech of a fishwife.

27a   Hate waiting? // I'm open about one (9)

Behind the Picture

The illustration in Miffypops' review comes from one of his favourite reference soures, My First Dictionary, a blog which evolved into a book. Here is how a review in the Boston Globe described the book: In his new book “My First Dictionary: Corrupting Young Minds One Word at a Time’’ (It Books), Ross Horsley, a British librarian with a wicked sense of humor, skewers the adult world of lies and secrets, infidelities, and overindulgences. He accomplishes this by pairing cheery illustrations based on a children’s dictionary from the 1970s with his own twisted and irreverent definitions. Each word, from “abandon’’ to “zoo,’’ is used in a simply stated vignette involving adult subject matter, running the gamut from sexually transmitted diseases, pedophilia, and adultery to alcoholism, suicide, and murder. Horsley is an equal opportunity offender. © Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.

28a   Appearance /of/ men, it is said (5)

29a   Flower /that's/ 18 Down (4)

The numeral "18" combined with the directional indicator "Down" is a cross reference indicator directing the solver to insert the solution to clue 18d in its place to complete the clue. The directional indicator is often omitted in situations like this where only a single clue starts in square 18.

Flower is used in the whimsical cryptic crossword sense of something that flows — in other words, a river.

30a   What travellers, soldiers and clerics do (4,6)

This was my last one solved and I pondered over it for a long time before the penny dropped.

The phrase take holy orders^[5] means to become an ordained member of the clergy ⇒ his first ambition was to take holy orders.

Down

1d   Hollow sound of success in business (4)

2d   Fail to turn out as intended (9)

Like Miffypops, I initially took this to be a driving reference, writing in OVERSTEER — meaning to have a tendency to turn more sharply than intended. Fortunately, this error did not create a serious impediment to reaching my destination.

3d   Muse // a long time on uplifting part of the Bible (5)

In Greek and Roman mythology, Erato^[5] was the Muse of lyric poetry and hymns. The Muses^[5] are nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.

4d   Trouble with fog in vessel /seeking/ shark (7)

5d   Come safely through // the elements (7)

7d   Collected maps /of/ African mountains (5)

The Atlas Mountains^[5] are a range of mountains in North Africa extending from Morocco to Tunisia in a series of chains.

8d   It could be the concern of several generations (6,4)

I had FAMILY FARM. It does fit and is almost as equally a valid answer.

9d   He will be embraced by wildly ardent // fan (8)

14d   Not a direct criminal // slander (10)

Detraction^[10] is (1) the act of discrediting or detracting from another's reputation, especially by slander; or (2) disparagement.

16d   He no longer believes /in/ a teapot's brewing (8)

An apostate^[5] is a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle ⇒ after fifty years as an apostate he returned to the faith.

18d   Behaving badly, // ejected from queue? (3,2,4)

While I suppose the second part of the clue might be considered to be a definition (as Miffypops shows it), I lean toward it being a charade in which the wordplay is OUT (ejected) + OF (from) + LINE (queue).

20d   Staff head's missed tea breaks /to obtain/ material (7)

Taffeta^[5] is a fine lustrous silk or similar synthetic fabric with a crisp texture.

21d   Favour shown to electorate (7)

A favour^[2] is a knot of ribbons worn as a badge of support for a particular team, political party, etc., although Oxford Dictionaries Online characterises this usage of favour^[5] as archaic.

A rosette^[5] is a rose-shaped decoration, typically made of ribbon, worn by supporters of a sports team or political party or awarded as a prize ⇒ the showjumping rosettes Samantha had accumulated.

In Britain, it is a common practice to wear a rosette to show one's allegiance to a sports team or political party.

23d   One way to apply a finish to education (5)

Students at Everest College recently had another method thrust upon them.

25d   It's laid down by our betters (5)

26d   Leonard's // telescope will have one (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

Thursday, February 26, 2015 — DT 27594

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27594
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, September 13, 2014
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27594 – Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27594 – 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

Having been a Saturday puzzle in the UK, today's offering is rather gentle. Even without knowing the British cooking celebrity or the English children's author, I was able to solve the clues and correctly guess their names.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Exuberant actors recoiled /in/ false show of emotion (9,5)

Crocodile tears^[5] are tears or expressions of sorrow that are insincere ⇒ they weep crocodile tears for the poor and disadvantaged, but are basically happy with things as they are. The expression dates from the mid-16th century and derives from a belief that crocodiles wept while devouring or luring their prey.

Behind the Picture
In the illustration accompanying Big Dave's Hints, the gentleman dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief is South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius, during the second day of his trial for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

10a   Criticise Mary who cooks on TV, receiving small // sound of disapproval (9)

I have never heard of this cook — but, then again, neither had gnomethang. Fortunately, her name was not too difficult to decipher.

Mary Berry^[7] is an English food writer and television presenter [host]. She has published more than seventy cookery books and hosted several television series for the BBC and Thames Television.

11a   Policeman getting tip off on Her Majesty -- a // work for the Met? (5)

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.

In the definition, the Met^[5] refers to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, the Met[5] refers to the Metropolitan Police in London — otherwise known as Scotland Yard.

12a   Get keen on messy place // coming clean (7)

13a   Advertising European TV // with channel already selected? (6)

When I sat down to write the blog, I failed to notice that this clue had not yet been solved. I then inadvertently saw the solution in gnomethang's review. Consequently, I will never know if additional effort might have produced a result.

I think the word "with" is — or at least can be — part of the definition. If a device comes preset, it comes "with the channel already selected".

15a   Polish // expert (4)

17a and 18a:   Toast in base tent, foolishly -- // take precautions! (6,4)

18a   See 17a (3,7)

20a   Leave out // captain? (4)

I'm not sure why gnomethang refers to "captain" as a cryptic definition for SKIP. It seems like a pretty straight forward definition to me (either in a nautical or a curling context).

22a   Diffuse // through cosmos eerily (6)

23a   Unnerves // retired lieutenant, restrained by judges (7)

26a   'Railway Children' author endlessly recalled // playwright (5)

The Railway Children^[7] is a children's book by English writer Edith Nesbit (1858–1924), originally serialised in The London Magazine during 1905 and first published in book form in 1906. It has been adapted for the screen several times.

Henrik Ibsen^[5] (1828–1906) was a Norwegian dramatist. He is credited with being the first major dramatist to write tragedy about ordinary people in prose. Ibsen’s later works, such as The Master Builder (1892), deal increasingly with the forces of the unconscious and were admired by Sigmund Freud. Other notable works: Peer Gynt (1867), A Doll’s House (1879), Ghosts (1881).

27a   It's a grand sight in Venice and in France to // this artist (9)

The Grand Canal^[5] is the main waterway of Venice in Italy, lined on each side by fine palazzos and spanned by the Rialto Bridge.

In French, et^[8]is a conjunction meaning 'and''.

Canaletto^[5] (1697–1768) was an Italian painter; born Giovanni Antonio Canal. He is famous for his paintings of Venetian festivals and scenery.

28a   Dirty tricks // investing thousand in finance company (6,8)

What did he say?

In his review, gnomethang says: Anyone who thought that a Monkey was a grand go to the foot of the Bow Bells. He is alluding to monkey being an informal British term (and, in particular, a cockney expression) for a sum of £500 — thus only half a grand. A cockney[5] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church). Thus, were you to be under the misconception that a monkey is the same as a grand, a visit to the vicinity of the Bow Bells should quickly dispel that notion. The terms monkey, meaning £500, and pony, meaning £25, are believed by some to have come from old Indian rupee banknotes, which it is asserted used to feature images of those animals.[7]

Down

2d   Sticky stuff // keeps son in check (5)

3d   Picasso, for instance, // succeeded in old measure (6)

The abbreviation s^[5] stands for succeeded, in the sense of to have become the new rightful holder of an office, title, or property ⇒ he succeeded to his father’s kingdom. It might be seen, for instance, it charts of royal lineages.

The cubit^[5] was an ancient measure of length, approximately equal to the length of a forearm. It was typically about 18 inches or 44 cm, though there was a long cubit of about 21 inches or 52 cm.

Pablo Picasso^[5] (1881–1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, and graphic artist, resident in France from 1904. Picasso’s prolific inventiveness and technical versatility made him the dominant figure in avant-garde art in the first half of the 20th century. Following his Blue Period (1901-4) and Rose Period (1905-6), Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) signalled his development of cubism (1908–14). In the 1920s and 1930s he adopted a neoclassical figurative style and produced semi-surrealist paintings using increasingly violent imagery, notably The Three Dancers (1935) and Guernica (1937).

4d   Bowler's tally /in/ local contest (5,5)

Derby^[5] is the North American name for a bowler hat — bowler^[5] (also bowler hat) being a chiefly British name for a man’s hard felt hat with a round dome-shaped crown. The North American name is said to arise from American demand for a hat of the type worn at the Epsom Derby [a British horse racing event].

Tally^[5] is used as a verb meaning to agree or correspond ⇒ (i) their signatures should tally with their names on the register; (ii) their books never tallied.

Derby^[5] (or local derby) is a British term for a sports match between two rival teams from the same area. Presumably such a contest might also be known as a derby match, although I failed to find this term in my reference sources.

5d   Sets down // poems (4)

6d   Troon WI misused // golf club (3,4)

Scratching the Surface

Troon[5] is a town on the west coast of Scotland, in South Ayrshire; population 14,100 (est. 2009). It is noted for its championship golf course. Royal Troon Golf Club[7] is a links golf course founded in 1878. Its Old Course is now one of the host courses for The Open Championship [known outside Britain as the British Open], one of the major championships on the PGA Tour and European Tour. The Club has hosted the Open eight times, most recently in 2004. It is scheduled to host again in 2016. The Women's Institute[5] (abbreviation WI[5]) is an organization of women, especially in rural areas, who meet regularly and participate in crafts, cultural activities, and social work. Now worldwide, it was first set up in Ontario, Canada, in 1897, and in Britain in 1915.

An iron^[7] is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. The irons numbered from 2 to 4 are typically called the "long irons"; they have the lowest lofts and the longest shafts, and are designed to hit the ball long distances with a low launch angle. Long irons are traditionally regarded as the most difficult to hit, because their low loft gives them a very small striking face and "sweet spot" compared to higher-lofted irons. As such, they are less commonly seen in players' bags, usually replaced with higher-lofted fairway woods like the 5 and 7, or with hybrid clubs that have similar overall performance but are easier to hit. The 2-iron, like the driving iron, is virtually never seen in modern sets, due to both its difficulty and to a "de-lofting" of modern cavity-backed irons which increases the average distance of shorter irons.

7d   Australian landmark // broadcasts on radio with popular music (5,4)

Uluru^[7], also known as Ayers Rock and officially gazetted as Uluru / Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs, 450 km (280 mi) by road. Uluru is sacred to the Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

8d   Reporter at Olympics, perhaps, // could make last sprint go with it (8,6)

9d   Mini riot breaking out with bishop // banning alcohol (14)

It is a rare day indeed when "bishop" is not clueing the abbreviation for a chess piece.

14d   Soldiers /taking/ German gentleman in old military vehicles (5,5)

Herr^[5] (plural Herren) is (1) a title or form of address used of or to a German-speaking man, corresponding to Mr and also used before a rank or occupation ⇒ (i) good morning, Herr Weber; (ii) my trip with the Herr Doktor was postponed or (2) a German man.

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks^[5] (abbreviation OR^[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

16d   Member of society // that's dispensed with forenames (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.

19d   Want // expert to limit cattle disease heading north (7)

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (abbreviation BSE^[5]) is a disease of cattle which affects the central nervous system, causing agitation and staggering, and is usually fatal. It is believed to be caused by an agent such as a prion or a virino, and to be related to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Also (popularly) called mad cow disease.

21d   Scarf on top of neck /is/ hot (6)

24d   Place fortune on American // sports car (5)

Lotus Cars^[7] is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars, famous for its Esprit, Elan, Europa and Elise sports cars and for the highly successful Team Lotus in Formula 1.

25d   Second taxi // to refuse to come out (4)

In other words, to refuse to down tools.

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 25, 2015 — DT 27593

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27593
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, September 12, 2014
Setter Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27593]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Deep Threat
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

This puzzle has some quite tricky clues — not to mention a sprinkling of additions to my vocabulary — and I needed to use a bit of electronic help to complete it. Opinions were widely divergent on Big Dave's blog with some holding the view that the puzzle was quite difficult while others thought it to be on the easy side.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

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. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//). Definitions presented in blue text are for terms that appear frequently.

Across

1a   Principal holding school activity // in a bit of a mountain? (6)

In Britain, head^[5] is short for short for headmaster^[5] (a man who is the head teacher in a school), headmistress^[5] (a woman who is the head teacher in a school), or head teacher^[5] (the teacher in charge of a school).

PE^[5] is the abbreviation for physical education (or Phys Ed, as it was known in my school days). 

The question mark is a flag that the definition is a bit off the wall. Think of the solution being used in the context of dirty clothes heaped on the bed.

5a   Gets in touch with // prisoners, understanding being in confinement (8)

9a   Meat // bear rips into bits (5,3)

10a   Dead Queen's inscription on either side of that // old coin (6)

There were far too many unknowns in this clue for me to be able to solve it without a lot of help from my electronic assistants — and even then, I failed to fully decipher the wordplay.

Start with T (either side of that; either the initial letter or the final letter of ThaT). Then append ANNE R (the signature of Queen Anne).

Anne^[7] (1665–1714) became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union, two of her realms, the kingdoms of England and Scotland, united as a single sovereign state, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. She continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death.

"Queen Anne is dead" is sarcastic way of saying: ‘That’s old news. I heard that weeks ago.’

Delving Deeper
The death of Queen Anne was officially hushed up for a while. News had leaked out, so when at last there was an official announcement of the Queen’s death, the crowd chanted in derision “Queen Anne is dead – didn’t you know?” and to this day “And Queen Anne is dead” is a standard rejoinder to somebody who bears stale news or states the obvious.

Regina^[5] (abbreviation R^[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution.

Historically, tanner^[5] was an informal British name for a sixpence ⇒ a tanner for a packet of ten cigarettes.

11a   Poisonous type /offering/ holy love held in derision (8)

Pi^[5] is an informal British short form for pious.

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.

12a   Soldier 'done wrong' /according to/ judge (6)

A GI^[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒ she went off with a GI during the war. Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).

A judge^[5] was a leader having temporary authority in ancient Israel in the period between Joshua and the kings.

In the Bible, Gideon^[5] is an Israelite leader, described in Judges 6:11 ff.

Delving Deeper
Judges[5] is the seventh book of the Bible, describing the conquest of Canaan under the leaders called ‘judges’ in an account that is parallel to that of the Book of Joshua and is probably more accurate historically. The book includes the stories of Deborah, Jael, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson.

13a   /It's/ most mean /to be/ stricter than the rest? (8)

15a   Fruit // not ripening quickly, we hear? (4)

Sloe^[5] is another name for the blackthorn^[5], a thorny Eurasian shrub (Prunus spinosa) which bears white flowers before the leaves appear, as well as being the name of the small bluish-black fruit of this plant, with a sharp sour taste.

17a   Carry // little one home finally (4)

19a   Menace // spelt out in dire omen (8)

20a   Old country // hospital that has trail around it (6)

Thrace^[5] was an ancient country lying west of the Black Sea and north of the Aegean. It is now divided between Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece.

21a   One maiden given job to lead men /is/ a fraud (8)

In cricket, a maiden^[5], also known as a maiden over, (abbreviation M)^[5] is an over in which no runs are scored. An over^[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks^[5] (abbreviation OR^[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

22a   Beginner // recognised insect's sound (6)

23a   Peg has hesitation stabling horse, // one not fully mature (8)

24a   Risk // death confronting sin (8)

In theology, the seven deadly sins^[10] are the sins of pride, covetousness, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth.

25a   Relation // is turning severe, almost totally (6)

Down

2d   Particular // sort of perception to get Alice perplexed (8)

Say Again!
In his review, Deep Threat alludes to ESP being "a sort of perception outside the normal six senses". Surely, he meant 'the normal five senses'.

3d   Spout // as star losing head, interrupting chatter (8)

Perorate^[5] [a word I've not previously encountered] means to speak at length ⇒ he perorated against his colleague.

4d   Bold act /of/ sinning admitted by divine circle (7-2)

Divine^[5] is a dated term for a cleric or theologian.

Doctor of Divinity^[7] (abbreviation D.D. or DD, Divinitatis Doctor in Latin) is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects. In the United Kingdom, Doctor of Divinity has traditionally been the highest doctorate granted by universities, usually conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction. In the United States, the Doctor of Divinity is usually awarded as an honorary degree.

5d   Government member -- // see me involved with sect in Britain (7,8)

6d   Like Russia once -- // in dire straits (7)

7d   Study something sure to be a winner -- old // piece of music (8)

Con^[5] is an archaic term meaning to study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing)  ⇒ the girls conned their pages with a great show of industry.

Cert^[5] is an informal British term for (1) an event regarded as inevitable ⇒ of course Mum would cry, it was a dead cert; (2) a racehorse strongly favoured to win a race; or (3) a person regarded as certain to do something ⇒ the Scottish [goal]keeper was a cert to play.

8d   Stop flow /in/ street right on corner (8)

14d   Shelter quiet little man needed aboard ship, // not getting off (9)

Piano^[3,5] (abbreviation p^[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

 In Crosswordland, you'll rarely go wrong by assuming that a ship is a steamship (abbreviation SS^[5]).

15d   Ruling /given in/ a few words? (8)

The question mark indicates that the second definition is but an example.

16d   Disconcerted // about a short working day? (8)

"About" is used in the sense of 'concerning'.

17d   Sin // very French to go unnoticed (8)

In French, très^[8] is an adverb meaning 'very'.

18d   In mountainous area /it can be/ sleety or windy (8)

As an anagram indicator, windy^[5] is likely used in the sense (of a road or river) following a curving or twisting course ⇒ the long windy path.

Tyrol^[5] is an Alpine state of western Austria; capital, Innsbruck. The southern part was ceded to Italy after the First World War.

19d   Speech /using/ 70 per cent of total vocabulary? (7)

What did he say?
In his review, Deep Threat mentions "the BRB". The BRB (Big Red Book) is a term frequently used on Big Dave's site to refer to The Chambers Dictionary.

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