Thursday, February 19, 2015 — DT 27589

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 27589
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, September 8, 2014
Setter Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27589]
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

In this puzzle, which appeared on a late summer Monday in the UK. Rufus — the acknowledged master of the cryptic definition — is performing at the top of his form.

I did stumble over one clue. Setting it aside to come back to later, I inadvertently saw Miffypops' hint which then led me to the solution.

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   'Ask me out to party', /so/ gets along (5,2)

5a   Flashing lights bringing movement to a stop? (7)

No, these "flashing lights" are not traffic lights nor are they to be found on emergency vehicles.

Miffypops has marked merely "flashing lights" as the definition. However, I would say that the entire clue is a cryptic definition. The portion of the clue with the solid underline is a broad definition while the portion with the dashed underline provides cryptic elaboration to enable the solver to zero in on the correct solution.

9a   A classic hat worn by Americans (5)

A second cryptic definition follows close on the heels of the previous one.

Here, the broad definition is "hat" and there are two bits of cryptic elaboration to help you, the solver, get to the finish line.

In horse racing in Great Britain, the British Classics^[7] are a series of five horse races run over the flat (i.e., without jumps) for three year old thoroughbreds. Among these is the Derby Stakes^[7] (popularly known as The Derby and in North America as the Epsom Derby), a race for colts and fillies run at Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey in early June each year.

Delving Deeper
The Epsom Derby is Britain's richest horse race, and the most prestigious of the country's five Classics. The name "Derby" has become synonymous with great races all over the world, and as such has been borrowed many times, notably by the Kentucky Derby. However, the Epsom Derby is the original. In Great Britain, the name "Derby" is pronounced as though it were spelled 'Darby'.

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.

10a   Non-stop passenger-carrying flight (9)

The third consecutive cryptic definition — but one that differs in style from the previous two. This one is more of a "pure" cryptic definition rather than being a broad general definition with cryptic elaboration.

11a   Claim tax in crooked // endeavour that ends in disappointment (10)

12a   Luggage /in/ hold? (4)

14a   Local // place for refreshing game (8,4)

Although it may not appear so, Miffypops has actually underlined the clue in the same manner as have I. It is an idiosyncrasy of the WordPress software used by Big Dave's blog that — if one is not especially careful — two adjacent sections of underlined text will appear to merge into a single entity.

Local^[5] is an informal British term for a pub convenient to a person’s home ⇒ a pint in the local.

18a   Unusual controversy about a // school of music (12)

Pulling Back the Curtain
In a reply to comment #21 at Big Dave's blog, Steve M informs us "Just in case people don’t realise, the music video is animated, and became quite a well-known internet hoax. None of the institutions mentioned (Sharon Wick School of Engineering etc) actually exist. It is a nice piece of animation though."

21a   Observers usually working in pairs (4)

Another cryptic definition. Although I don't think the argument is as clearcut as it is in the case of 5a and 9a, I have opted to also place this clue in the category of "broad general definition with cryptic elaboration".

22a   Worker who is constantly striking (10)

... and yet another.

25a   School rejected exam questions /and/ corresponding material (9)

The definition is a cryptic way of indicating "material on which correspondence would be written".

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

Paper^[5], is a British term for (1) a set of examination questions to be answered at one session ⇒ we had to sit a three-hour paper or (2) the written answers to examination questions ⇒ you need to test your students, mark their papers, and place them in the right class.

26a   Children /may be/ a contentious point (5)

27a   Lined up in uniform? (7)

I debated marking this as a double definition:

• 27a   Lined up // in uniform? (7)

 where the first definition is used in the military sense and the second denotes not being naked.

However, after due consideration, I opted for a cryptic definition.

Dress^[5] is a military term meaning (1) to draw up (troops) in the proper alignment or (2) (of troops) to come into proper alignment.

28a   General protection // away from the wind (7)

Robert E. Lee^[5] (1807–1870) was an American general; full name Robert Edward Lee. He was the commander of the Confederate army of Northern Virginia for most of the American Civil War. His invasion of the North was repulsed at the Battle of Gettysburg (1863) and he surrendered in 1865.

Ward^[5] is an archaic term denoting the state of being in the care of a guardian ⇒ the ward and care of the Crown.

Down

1d   Reckless // general's assistant involved in plan (6)

An aide-de-camp^[5] (abbreviation ADC^[5]) is a military officer acting as a confidential assistant to a senior officer.

2d   Take ground with artilleryman entering // unarmed combat (6)

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

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery^[5] (RA), is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.

3d   Its constructors must meet high conditions (10)

4d   Samuel's teacher is after old boy /with/ daggers drawn (5)

In the Bible, Eli^[5] is a priest who acted as a teacher to the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 1-3).

In Britain, an old boy^[5] (abbreviation OB^[2])  is (1) a former male student of a school or college ⇒an old boy of Banbury County School or (2) a former male member of a sports team or company ⇒the White Hart Lane old boy squared the ball to present an easy chance from 12 yards. It is also a chiefly British affectionate form of address to a boy or man ⇒ ‘Look here, old boy,’ he said.

An obelus^[5] (plural obeli) is a symbol (†) used as a reference mark in printed matter, or to indicate that a person is deceased.

Answering the Call

In his review, Miffypops states "[An obelus] looks like a dagger so I suppose this is the visual equivalent of a homophone – now what is one of those called." The term "visual clue" does come to mind although this term is normally applied to constructions is which a word such as "glasses" or "spectacles" is used to clue OO — a sequence of letters that looks like spectacles. In this case, the clue "daggers drawn" indicates not a sequence of letters that looks like a dagger but the name of an object that looks like a dagger.

5d   One with a political belief that's not right (9)

6d   One may call it // a breakfast stand-by (4)

7d   Barely used part of the house (8)

Doing One's Business

It seems that North Americans just can't seem to admit that certain bodily functions exist. In North America, somewhat bizarrely, a bathroom[5] is a room containing a toilet and washbasin which may or may not also contain a bathtub or shower. A room containing just a toilet and washbasin might be referred to as a half bath (generally when enumerating the total number of rooms in a dwelling, such as in a real estate listing ⇒ a split-level with two and a half baths). In Britain, on the other hand, a bathroom[5] is a room containing a bathtub or shower which may or may not also contain a washbasin and a toilet. Pity the poor North American visiting the UK who asks to use the bathroom and is handed a towel and a bar of soap and directed to a room without a toilet. Other North American euphemisms for a toilet are washroom[5] and restroom[5]. The former term may well not be used by Brits and the latter has quite a different meaning in the U.K.

8d   Had a fight, /getting/ thrown out (8)

I would say that "getting" is a link word in this clue. "Getting thrown out" (as Miffypops shows the second definition in his review) would be equivalent to "being scrapped".

13d   Crashing gears gives // feeling full of hostility (10)

15d   Wrapped up /in/ unusually deep novel (9)

16d   Filmed // under cover (8)

My first reaction — as I am sure it was for many — was that screen means to exhibit a motion picture and not to produce a motion picture. This is also the way that Miffypops explains the clue even though his explanation fails to jive with the clue.

However, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines screen^[2] as to make a motion picture or film of something while The Chambers Dictionary defines screen^[1] essentially the same as to make a motion picture of. The Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary defines screen^[11] in a somewhat similar manner as to adapt (a story, play, etc.) for presentation as a motion picture.

17d   Trouble // international group has to resolve (8)

19d   Feast set out around Italian capital /for/ religious celebration (6)

In Spanish-speaking countries, a fiesta^[5] is a religious festival.

20d   Fly // spitfire by day (6)

Following in Miffypops' footsteps, I also recognized that SHIELD would fit the checking letters. A fly (as is found on a tent) might also be considered to be a shield. That meant that the wordplay had to a charade of SHIEL (?) +D (day). Shiel^[10] (or shieling) is a mainly Scottish word meaning (1) a rough, sometimes temporary, hut or shelter used by people tending cattle on high or remote ground or (2) pasture land for the grazing of cattle in summer. However, it quickly became apparent that there was no way that I was about to shoehorn this into the wordplay.

I had intended to pursue the explanation a bit further on my own, but accidentally saw Miffypops hint — which set me on the right path — before I could do so.

Fly^[5] is an informal British term meaning knowing and clever ⇒ she’s fly enough not to get tricked out of it.

A spitfire^[5] is a person with a fierce temper.

The Taming of the Shrew^[7] is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio and Katherina [Kate], the headstrong, obdurate shrew. Initially, Katherina is an unwilling participant in the relationship, but Petruchio tempers her with various psychological torments—the "taming"—until she becomes a compliant and obedient bride. Cole Porter's musical Kiss Me, Kate is an adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

23d   Fifty or a hundred will come up // to sing (5)

24d   Pass taken out /for/ health resorts (4)

To be precise, the anagram indicator is actually "taken out" rather than merely "out" (as Miffypops indicates in his review).

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