Thursday, March 31, 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016 — DT 27955

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27955
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27955]
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

After yesterday's uncharacteristically stiff workout from Rufus, we are given a very gentle test today from one of the "Tuesday" mystery setters.

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   A listening device brought into school /in/ sling (8)

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Gazza characterizes the listening device as illegally attached.
I might add that this description would not apply were the said listening device to be installed by the police pursuant to a court order.

5a   Fleet // member with palindromic name (6)

10a   They had significant effect, benefiting Kingsley's Tom? (8,7)

Charles Kingsley[5] (1819–1875) was an English novelist and clergyman. He is remembered for his historical novel Westward Ho! (1855) and for his classic children’s story The Water-Babies (1863).

The Water-Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby[7] is a children's novel by the Reverend Charles Kingsley. Written in 1862–63 as a serial for Macmillan's Magazine, it was first published in its entirety in 1863. It was written as part satire in support of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. The book was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades, but eventually fell out of favour in part due to its prejudices (common at the time) against Irish, Jews, Americans, and the poor.

The protagonist of the story is Tom, a young chimney sweep, who falls into a river after encountering an upper-class girl named Ellie and being chased out of her house. There he drowns and is transformed into a "water-baby", as he is told by a caddisfly—an insect that sheds its skin—and begins his moral education. The story is thematically concerned with Christian redemption, though Kingsley also uses the book to argue that England treats its poor badly, and to question child labour, among other themes.

11a   Seaman, unaccompanied, /finds/ shellfish (7)

"seaman" = AB (show explanation )

In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.

hide explanation

12a   Finished ride /in/ storm (7)

... as in storm the barricades.

13a   Cheerful working /in/ coastal resort (8)

Brighton[5] is a resort on the south coast of England, in East Sussex; population 127,700 (est. 2009).

15a   Band receiving millions /for/ very successful hit (5)

18a   Plus point // when fixed (5)

20a   Shield // quickly attached to vehicle (8)

23a   Not on strike? /That's/ unusual! (7)

25a   Offer // in favour of model (7)

26a   Follower of news? (7,8)

27a   Go round // gallery after run out (6)

"gallery" = TATE (show explanation )

In cricket, run out[7] (abbreviation ro[2]) denotes the dismissal of a batsman by hitting a wicket with the ball while the batsman is out of his ground* while running. Should this occur while the batsman is out of his ground for any reason other than running, the batsman would be said to have been stumped rather than run out.
* Ground[10] denotes the area of the cricket pitch from the popping crease back past the stumps, in which a batsman may legally stand.
28a   Try to listen to // words of approval (4,4)

Down

1d   One about to leave Central American country // to top the bill with someone else (2-4)

2d   Reference book // he's taken into house (9)

In astrology, a house[10] is any any of the 12 divisions of the zodiac.

In astrology, Taurus[10] (also called the Bull) is the second sign of the zodiac, symbol , having a fixed earth classification and ruled by the planet Venus. The sun is in this sign between about April 20 and May 20.

3d   The old man's performing -– good // hit record, perhaps (3,4)

"good" = G (show explanation )

The abbreviation G[10] for good likely relates to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

hide explanation

4d   Fabric wrapped round knight/'s/ weapon (5)

"knight" = N (show explanation )

A knight[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a horse’s head, that moves by jumping to the opposite corner of a rectangle two squares by three. Each player starts the game with two knights.

N[5] is the abbreviation for knight used in recording moves in chess [representing the pronunciation of kn-, since the initial letter k- represents 'king'].

As an aside, it is interesting to note that the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines: 
  • K[2] as an abbreviation used in chess for knight. 
  • K[2] is a symbol used in chess to represent a king. 
  • N[2] is a symbol used in chess to represent a knight.
The dictionary fails to specify how one differentiates an abbreviation from a symbol.

On the other hand, both The Chambers Dictionary and the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary list K or K.[1,11] as an abbreviation for knight without specifying the specific context in which this abbreviation is used. However, the context may well be in an honours list rather than in a game of chess. In the UK, for instance, KBE[5] stands for Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

hide explanation

6d   Lecturer's // books (7)

I hate to quibble with Gazza, but I would argue that — technically speaking — the first part of the clue is a charade rather than a definition; the wordplay being READER (lecturer) + S ('s).

Reader[5] is a British term for a university lecturer of the highest grade below professor ⇒ Dr Gardiner is Reader in Mathematics.

7d   Park officer blowing top /in/ rage (5)

8d   Article supporting a bishop's popular // drink (8)

"bishop" = B (show explanation )

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

hide explanation

Absinthe[5,7,10] (also absinth) is a potent green aniseed-flavoured alcoholic drink, technically a gin, originally made with the shrub wormwood. For most of the twentieth century, absinthe was banned in the United States and much of Europe.

9d   Glass // sailing ship (8)

14d   Unforthcoming, // soldiers about one revolution (8)

"soldiers" = TA (show explanation )

In the UK, Territorial Army[5] (abbreviation TA[5]) was, at one time, the name of a volunteer force founded in 1908 to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency. Since 2013, this organization has been called the Army Reserve.

hide explanation

16d   A new job, loading a galleon initially, /in/ port (9)

17d   Armed vessel /from/ afar, now scuttled after onset of mutiny (3-2-3)

19d   Small house in River Terrace, originally // Drive? (3,4)

"small house" = HO (show explanation )

Although not found in most of the dictionaries that I consulted, ho.[10] is the abbreviation (indicated by the word "small") for house.

hide explanation

The Tees[5] is a river of northeastern England which rises in Cumbria and flows 128 km (80 miles) generally south-eastwards to the North Sea at Middlesbrough.

21d   One ushered in support /for/ early settler (7)

22d   Stagger up gripping teetotal // character (6)

"teetotal" = TT (show explanation )

Teetotal[5] (abbreviation TT[5]) means choosing or characterized by abstinence from alcohol ⇒ a teetotal lifestyle.

A teetotaller[5] (US teetotalerabbreviation TT[5]) is a person who never drinks alcohol.

The term teetotal is an emphatic extension of total, apparently first used by Richard Turner, a worker from Preston [England], in a speech (1833) urging total abstinence from all alcohol, rather than mere abstinence from spirits, as advocated by some early temperance reformers.

hide explanation

24d   Fine quarter /for/ banquet (5)

"fine" = F (show explanation )

F[5] is an abbreviation for fine, as used in describing grades of pencil lead [a usage that Oxford Dictionaries surprisingly characterizes as British].

hide explanation

25d   Examine // advertising order (5)

"order" = OBE (show explanation )

OBE[5] is the abbreviation for Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

The Order of the British Empire[5] is an order of knighthood applicable to the United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth realms which was instituted in 1917 and is divided into five classes, each with military and civilian divisions. The classes are: Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE/DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE). The two highest classes entail the awarding of a knighthood.

hide explanation
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, March 30, 2016

Wednesday, March 30, 2016 — DT 27954

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27954
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, November 9, 2015
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27954]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Miffypops
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

There is an old saying Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true. In Monday's Bonus Edition of the Blog, I wrote It's been quite a while since we've seen a Rufus puzzle .... Well, lo and behold, here we have one — and one that I found very challenging indeed. In fact, not even my usually highly reliable electronic assistants were able to help me complete the puzzle and I was forced to seek enlightenment from Miffypops' review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog

While I do enjoy solving Rufus' puzzles, I find them difficult to explain — and trying to sort out Miffypops' explanations of them further compounds the challenge.

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   Didn't succeed in crossing the ice? (4,7)

According to Miffypops, this is a double definition — although that is not necessarily the terminology that I would use. I would say that the entire clue is a cryptic definition which has a straight definition (marked with a solid underline) embedded within it. The solution is a figure of speech that means (with respect to plans, for instance) didn't succeed. The entire clue describes what might have happened to someone who attempted to cross thin ice.

9a   Exact money? (9)

10a   To save /s /difficult with nothing coming in (5)

11a   Available // with deferred payment (2,4)

This is a double definition — although Miffypops has not marked it as such.

In hand (in the sense of available) is a [seemingly British] alternative term to on hand.

In hand[5] means ready for use if required; in reserve ⇒ he had £1,000 of borrowed cash in hand.

On hand[5] means readily available ⇒ she kept stocks of delicacies on hand.

In hand[10] also means with deferred payment ⇒ he works a week in hand.

12a   He's smart to order // pets (8)

13a   One's in charge but sometimes has a leader (6)

Leader[10] (also called leading article) is a mainly British term for the leading editorial in a newspaper.

15a   Salad item -- you can add it /in/ haste (8)

18a   Provides soft soap /and/ cloths for the cricket team? (8)

Soft soap[3,4,11] denotes flattering, persuasive, or cajoling talk.

Flannel[10] is an informal British term meaning to to talk evasively to or to flatter in order to mislead.

Cricket whites[10], also known as flannels, is the term used for the kit or uniform worn by most cricketers, and usually consists of trousers, shirt, jumper [pullover] and a jockstrap with cup pocket and "box", or protective cup.

My initial thought was that flannels are clothes for the cricket team — not cloths for the cricket team. However, after a bit of contemplation, I realized that Rufus is doing what he does in 1a and 13a — i.e., providing a cryptic definition consisting of a straight definition "cloths" (which could be flannels or any other fabrics) accompanied by a cryptic allusion "for the cricket team" (whose uniforms are known as flannels).

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, I took "cloths" to possibly be referring to facecloths.

19a   He goes to clinic initially, twitching /and/ feverish (6)

I had supposed that "feverish" was merely being used in a figurative sense ⇒ on election night, the studio was a hive of feverish activity.

However, I discover that hectic[5] is an archaic medical term meaning relating to or affected by a regularly recurrent fever typically accompanying tuberculosis, with flushed cheeks and hot, dry skin.

21a   It is backed in race /to be/ beat (8)

Chase[5] is short for steeplechase[5], a horse race run on a racecourse having ditches and hedges as jumps.

Chastise[5] is a dated term meaning to punish, especially by beating ⇒ her mistress chastised her with a whip for blasphemy.

23a   Parliamentary official rising // to arouse the House? (4,2)

A whip[5] is an official of a political party appointed to maintain parliamentary discipline among its members, especially so as to ensure attendance and voting in debates.

House[5] is another term for a theatre a hundred musicians performed in front of a full house.

Whip up means to arouse; the question mark indicates that a theatre (house) is but a typical example of where such action might take place.

26a   Landowner /has/ to ring back about river (5)

In Scotland, a laird[5] is a person who owns a large estate.

27a   /Either/ rise quickly /or/ don't budge (5,4)

Contrary to Miffypops, I see the first part of the clue as a charade rather than a second definition.

28a   Small 'w' on sign? /That's/ novel (6,5)

Little Women[7] is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The novel follows the lives of four sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March—detailing their passage from childhood to womanhood, and is loosely based on the author and her three sisters.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops would seem to refer to the novel as The Little House on the Prairie.
Little House on the Prairie[7] is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957) based on her childhood in the northern Midwest during the 1870s and 1880s.

Presumably this is an inadvertent mistyping (or auto-correct gone berserk). Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts — hardly an area known for its expanses of prairie!

Down

1d   Having broken rib, feel // delirious (7)

2d   Three animals /in/ the lead (5)

Leash[5] is a rare hunting term for a group of three animals such as hounds, hawks, or foxes I saw a leash of foxes killed without a run.

Lead[5] is a British term for a strap or cord for restraining and guiding a dog or other domestic animal ⇒ the dog is our constant walking companion and is always kept on a lead. Despite being characterized as a British term by Oxford Dictionaries, the word lead[3] is found in The American Heritage Dictionary as another name for a leash.

3d   Recorded /as/ having been dismantled (5,4)

4d   Note in the morning // papers (4)

In music — specifically, in tonic sol-fa — re is the second note of a major scale. In Britain, where the more common spelling is ray[5], re[5] is seen as a variant [or even worse, American] spelling.

5d   Lacking weight, // emptied the Chamber (8)

6d   You could make a hash /of/ onomatopoeic sounds of laughter (2-3)

Behind the Picture
A ha-ha[5] is a ditch with a wall on its inner side below ground level, forming a boundary to a park or garden without interrupting the view.

7d   Reserve // enclosure, after a fashion (7)

8d   Brave pirate/'s/ superficial improvement (8)

14d   Very frightened, // I take a short rest before I can set off (2,1,5)

16d   Cosmetic // watch-dog? (9)

17d   Tightly packed // Wimbledon crowd may well enjoy it (5-3)

Split (5,3), the solution is an entertaining event at Wimbledon.

Wimbledon[5] is an annual international tennis championship on grass for individual players and pairs, held at the headquarters of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in the London suburb of Wimbledon. Now one of the world’s major tennis championships, it has been played since 1877.

18d   Power /is/ off -- cold inside (7)

20d   Catnaps -- possibly // that provides energy for the sailor (7)

A capstan[10] is a machine with a drum that rotates round a vertical spindle and is turned by a motor or lever, used for hauling in heavy ropes, etc.

22d   Moon-affected, in the main (5)

The main[5] is an archaic or literary term for the open ocean.

24d   New lamps // that will be put into service (5)

A psalm[5] is a sacred song or hymn, in particular any of those contained in the biblical Book of Psalms and used in Christian and Jewish worship.

In his review, Miffypops includes a lovely version of Psalm 23 — apparently transcribed by Yoda.

25d   Follow, /in/ the end (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, March 29, 2016

Tuesday, March 29, 2016 — DT 27953

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27953
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27953 – Hints]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27953 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Big Dave (Hints)
gnomethang (Review)
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
Notes
The National Post has skipped DT 27950 through DT 27952 which were published in The Daily Telegraph from Wednesday, November 4, 2015 to Friday, November 6, 2015.
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

Did the editors at the National Post return from their long weekend and forget where they left off? In any event, they have skipped ahead four puzzles.

Fortunately, today's puzzle is not too difficult and I was able to knock it off fairly quickly. Unfortunately, I had a lot on my plate today causing the appearance of the blog to delayed far later than usual.

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   Settles business promptly /and/ honestly, a pain to administer (4,2,3,4)

On the nail[10] [a British expression, it would seem, based on the dictionaries in which it is found]  means (with respect to payments) at once (especially in the phrase pay on the nail).

Delving Deeper
Four bronze tables — called nails — are located outside The Exchange in Bristol, England. These were probably modelled after mobile tables which were taken to trade fairs and markets. The bronze nails, with their flat tops and raised edges which prevent coins from tumbling onto the pavement, were made as convenient tables at which merchants could carry out their business. The oldest of the four is undated but believed to be from late Elizabethan times while the newest is dated 1631.

Deals could be closed by payment on the nails—the popularly supposed origin of the saying "pay on the nail" or "cash on the nail". However, this origin of the term is disputed.

9a   I have to follow dreadful court // order (9)

"court" = CT (show explanation )

Ct[2] is the abbreviation for Court in street addresses — and possibly in other contexts as well.

hide explanation

10a   Happened upon old // carving (5)

The wordplay is CAME (happened) + (upon) O (old; abbrev.) making the word "upon" a charade indicator. This clue would work much better as a down clue. As an across clue, it contravenes the convention that A on (or upon B) is BA — not AB as we have here.

11a   Publication /for/ children (5)

12a   Insect // bite's upset (4)

13a   Flag // from European country cut down (4)

A flag[5] is any of various plants that have long swordlike leaves, especially the iris Iris pseudacorus (yellow flag).

15a   Good youngsters // sparkle (7)

"good" = G (show explanation )

The abbreviation G[10] for good likely relates to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

hide explanation

17a   American explorer brought back to company ... this! (7)

I would say that the entire clue provides the definition with the portion marked with the dashed underline also supplying the wordplay. In other words, the clue is a semi-all-in-one. Should you disagree, I defy you to solve the clue based solely on the single word "this".

John Cabot[5] (circa 1450-circa 1498) was an Italian explorer and navigator; Italian name Giovanni Caboto. He sailed from Bristol in 1497 in search of Asia, but in fact landed on the mainland of North America, the first European to do so.

Sebastian Cabot[5] (circa 1475–1557) was the son of John Cabot. Sebastian accompanied his father on his voyage in 1497 and made further voyages after the latter’s death, most notably to Brazil and the River Plate (1526).

18a   Individual entertains male party // before audience (2-5)

20a   Cutter // was returning after mist at sea (7)

Fret[5] is a Northern English term for a mist coming in off the sea; a sea fog.

A fretsaw[2] is a narrow-bladed saw for cutting designs in wood or metal.

21a   Small ship /in/ bay (4)

Bark[10] is a variant spelling (especially US) of barque, which is:
  1. a sailing ship of three or more masts having the foremasts rigged square and the aftermast rigged fore-and-aft; or
  2. a poetic term for any boat, especially a small sailing vessel.
22a   Feel the loss of // girl (4)

23a   Taken in // school's report (5)

"school" = ETON (show explanation )

Eton College[7], often informally referred to simply as Eton, is an English independent [private] boarding school for boys located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor". It is one of ten English schools, commonly referred to as "public schools*", regulated by the Public Schools Act of 1868.

* 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.

hide explanation

26a   Change /in/ Germany meeting approval (5)

"Germany" = D (show explanation )

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for Germany is D[5] [from German Deutschland].

hide explanation

27a   Old Lib-Dem leader tucks into lean bit of steak /and/ sauces etc (9)

Sir Walter Menzies Campbell[7], often known as Ming Campbell, is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1987 to 2015 and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.

The Scottish name Menzies is correctly pronounced /ˈmɪŋɪs/ MING-iss, and a shortened form is "Ming" (because the letter typed 'z' is actually the letter yogh (Ȝ ȝ), which is still used in the 27-letter Scottish alphabet; but typewriters throughout the UK only use 26).[7]

28a   Arrange other matter in // Arnie's vehicle (3,10)

The Terminator[7] is a 1984 American science fiction action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Down

1d   Visitor from Peru // abandoned trip having got lost round centre of Chingford (10,4)

Paddington Bear[7], a polite immigrant bear from Deepest, Darkest Peru, with his old hat, battered suitcase, duffle coat and love of marmalade sandwiches, has become a classic character from English children's literature. In the first story, Paddington is found at Paddington railway station in London by the Brown family, sitting on his suitcase (bearing the label "WANTED ON VOYAGE") with a note attached to his coat which reads, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Author Michael Bond has said that his memories of newsreels showing trainloads of child evacuees leaving London during the war, with labels around their necks and their possessions in small suitcases, prompted him to do the same for Paddington.

Scratching the Surface
Chingford[7] is a suburban area in east London, situated 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Charing Cross [considered to mark the centre of London].

2d   Stories // for instance set up to entertain the Navy (5)

"sailors" = RN (show explanation )

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.

hide explanation

3d   Like some music // Clare Short arranged (10)

Scratching the Surface
Clare Short[7] is a British politician, and a member of the Labour Party. She was a Member of Parliament from 1983 to 2010; for most of this period she was a Labour Party MP, but she resigned the party whip in 2006 and served the remainder of her term as an Independent. She stood down as a member of parliament at the 2010 general election.

Short was Secretary of State for International Development in the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair from May 1997 until her resignation from that post in May 2003. Shortly before her retirement from Parliament in 2010, she was strongly rebuked by her own party when she announced her support for a hung parliament, a situation which subsequently occurred at the 2010 General Election.

4d   Set off /with/ Pooh's friend round river (7)

Tigger[7] is a fictional tiger character — and friend of Winnie-the-Pooh — originally introduced in English author A. A. Milne's book. The House at Pooh Corner. Like other Pooh characters, Tigger is based on one of Christopher Robin Milne's stuffed animals. Nowadays he is also widely recognized as reinterpreted by the Disney studios, with distinctive orange and black stripes, large eyes, a long chin, a springy tail, and (the one detail originating from A. A. Milne) his love of bouncing. As he says himself, "Bouncing is what Tiggers do best."

5d   Fancy // a gentle rambling (7)

Rather bizarrely, the numeration was shown on The Telegraph website as (0,7). Since the numeration is correct in the version published in the National Post, I would guess that the error in the numeration was introduced during the production process at The Daily Telegraph after the puzzle had been distributed in syndication.

6d   Main // section of bridge (4)

Contrary to gnomethang's assertion, I would say that the first definition is a straight definition — not a cryptic definition.

Arch[10] is an adjective meaning chief; principal; leading his arch rival.

7d   Strains bearing fruit /in/ verses (9)

8d   Royal family // habit to be protected by foot soldiers following Tornados (5,2,7)

"soldiers" = OR (show explanation )

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

hide explanation

The House of Windsor[7] is the royal house of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of the British Royal Family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (a branch of the House of Wettin) to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment in the British Empire during World War I. The most prominent member of the House of Windsor is its head, Queen Elizabeth II.

Scratching the Surface
The deceptive capitalization of "Tornados" is likely meant to direct our attention to some meaning of the word other than a strong wind. Perhaps it is intended to suggest the Hawker Tornado[7], a British single-seat fighter aircraft design of World War II for the Royal Air Force as a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane. The planned production of Tornados was cancelled after the engine it was designed to use—the Rolls-Royce Vulture—proved unreliable in service. Only a single production model of the plane was ever built (in addition to three prototypes).

14d   Member of crew /with/ muscle, skinny, casing joint (4,6)

In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.

16d   Rebel // is pressing to capture north (9)

19d   Religious instruction // Eastern sanctimonious saint let out (7)

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

"saint" = S (show explanation )

S[5] (chiefly in Catholic use) is an abbreviation for SaintS Ignatius Loyola.

hide explanation

20d   Authoritarian rule /of/ football administrators split when Hearts leaves (7)

The Football Association[7], also known simply as the FA, is the governing body of football [soccer] in England. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest football association in the world and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the amateur and professional game in England.

"hearts" = H (show explanation )

Hearts[2] (abbreviation H) is one of the four suits of playing-cards.

hide explanation

24d   Opinion that can be reversed (5)

25d   Python // at rest (4)

Eric Idle[7] is an English comedian, actor, voice actor, author, singer-songwriter, musician, writer and comedic composer. Idle is a member of the English surreal comedy group Monty Python, a member of The Rutles on Saturday Night Live, and the author of the Broadway musical Spamalot.

Note: I would say that the mention of Saturday Night Live in the above citation would seem to be nothing short of  ridiculous — not unlike a Monty Python sketch. The Rutles[7] association with Saturday Night Live extends to two guest appearances on the American television program (in 1976 and 1977). This is like saying that John Lennon was a member of the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.
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, March 28, 2016

Monday, March 28, 2016 — DT 27918 (Bonus Puzzle)

Prologue

It being Easter Monday, the National Post has not published an edition today. However, here is a little something (DT 27918) for those of you suffering from an overdose of chocolate and a lack of crosswords.

It being Monday, what could be more appropriate than a puzzle from Rufus whose puzzles appear in the UK on Mondays. This puzzle was skipped by the National Post on February 24, 2016.

It's been quite a while since we've seen a Rufus puzzle in the National Post. In fact, the previous one appeared on December 7, 2015 (although I did manage to sneak one into the blog on Christmas Day as a bonus puzzle). This one is not very difficult, and I always get a great deal of enjoyment from his puzzles.

By the way, Roger Squires (aka Rufus) is recognized by Guinness World Records as being the compiler having set  the "most crosswords in a lifetime".
Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 27918
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, September 28, 2015
Setter
Rufus (Roger Squires)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 27918]
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
Notes
The National Post skipped this puzzle on Wednesday, February 24, 2016.

Introduction


In the closing remarks to his review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops writes "The hurt of Saturday night will surely pass". He is referring to England's 28-25 loss to Wales in a 2015 Rugby World Cup match. He goes on to say "On the plus side, we are still in The Rugby World Cup". Yes, but a fateful match with Australia is looming.

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   Sit and canoodle, forming // bond together (11)

As an anagram indicator, the word forming[5] could be used in a the sense of gradually appearing or developing ⇒ a thick mist was forming all around.

9a   Such trees are barely recognisable in winter (9)

10a   Indeed, all the odd bits /will be/ perfect (5)

11a   High-spirited child? (6)

A spirit[3] is a supernatural being which, according to The American Heritage Dictionary, can be an angel or demon.

12a   A fashion editor's // heavenly body (8)

13a   Deposit covers new bid /that's/ reserved (4,2)

Lay by[1] (past laid by) means to keep for future use.

Mentioned in Passing
In Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, lay-by[1,5,10] is a system of payment whereby a buyer pays a deposit on an article, which is reserved until he or she has paid the full price(i) you could secure it by lay-by; (ii) they take credit cards and lay-bys. The equivalent North American term is layaway[5].

15a   I was told off /for/ youthful indiscretions (4,4)

18a   Not the same // as put into proper order (8)

19a   Bids /for/ chests without a number (6)

"a number" = C (show explanation )

In cryptic crosswords,  "a number" is very often a Roman numeral and, in particular, terms such as "a large number", "many" or "a great many" are frequently used  to indicate that a large Roman numeral — generally C (100), D (500), or M (1000) — is required.

hide explanation

21a   Theatre attendant (4-4)

Scratching the Surface
I had supposed that the misdirection in this clue involved the solver being expected to think of an usher in a theatre. However, the Brits gravitated to a medical scenario — an operating theatre. British and American dictionaries both define an orderly[1,2,3,4,5,10,11] along the lines of an attendant, usually without medical training, who performs various routine, nonmedical duties in a hospital, such as moving patients. Britain's National Health Service publishes a pamphlet entitled Training and duties of operating theatre attendants.

23a   Where most are bent on entering? (6)

In Britain, the word bent[5] has the same connotation (dishonest or corrupt) as does the word crooked[5] in North America. [It would appear that the British use both bent and crooked in this sense].

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops refers to British prisons as one of Her Majesties three star hotels.
Her Majesty's Prison Service[7] is a part of the National Offender Management Service of Her Majesty's Government tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales. (Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own prison services: the Scottish Prison Service and the Northern Ireland Prison Service, respectively.)

The names of British prisons begin with the prefix HMP (Her Majesty's Prison) in a manner similar to the names of ships in the British navy which begin with the prefix HMS (Her Majesty's Ship). For example, HMP Dartmoor[7] is is a men's prison, located in Princetown, high on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon.

26a   Fashionable racecourse /for/ a northerner (5)

In England, even those from Lancashire and Yorkshire are considered to be northerners. Thus today's northerners are truly from the far north.

Ascot Racecourse[7] is a British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting nine of the Britain's 32* annual Group 1 horse races. The course enjoys close associations with the British Royal Family, being approximately six miles from Windsor Castle.

* In another article, Wikipedia lists 35 Group 1 races in Great Britain[7].

The Royal Ascot[7], held each year in June at Ascot Racecourse in England, comprises a series of horse races spread over a period of five days. Dating back to 1711 when it was founded by Queen Anne, it is a major event in the British social calendar, and press coverage of the attendees and what they are wearing often exceeds coverage of the actual racing. Day three (Thursday) is known colloquially (but not officially) as Ladies' Day.

The most prestigious viewing area is the Royal Enclosure which has a strictly enforced dress code. For women, only a day dress with a hat is acceptable, with rules applying to the length and style of the dress. In addition, women must not show bare midriffs or shoulders. For men, black or grey morning dress with top hat is required.

27a   Chant // a simple ditty (9)

Plainsong[7] (also known as plainchant) is a body of chants used in the liturgies of the Western Church.

Delving Deeper
Though the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Western Church did not split until long after the origin of plainsong, Byzantine chants are generally not classified as plainsong.

Plainsong is monophonic, consisting of a single, unaccompanied melodic line. Its rhythm is generally freer than the metered rhythm of later Western music.

Plainsong developed during the earliest centuries of Christianity, influenced possibly by the music of the Jewish synagogue and certainly by the Greek modal system. It has its own system of notation, employing a stave of four lines instead of five.

Gregorian chant is a variety of plainsong named after Pope Gregory I (6th century A.D.). For several centuries, different plainchant styles existed concurrently. Standardization on Gregorian chant was not completed, even in Italy, until the 12th century.

In the late 1980s, plainchant achieved a certain vogue as music for relaxation, and several recordings of plainchant became "classical-chart hits".

28a   Merit good treatment, // as hard-working oil-drillers do? (7,4)

The phrase deserve well of[5] (or deserve ill of) means to be worthy of good (or bad) treatment at the hands of.

Down

1d   A willing rider (7)

2d   Panic, heading round // concealed corner (5)

I think the definition includes a bit more than what Miffypops has indicated in his review.

3d   It's not even considered mathematically (3,6)

4d   I'd look up /to/ this hero (4)

"look" = LO (show explanation )

Lo[5] is an archaic exclamation used to draw attention to an interesting or amazing event and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them.

hide explanation

5d   He'll kill // animals in the end (8)

6d   No longer lie about /being/ an outcast (5)

7d   Deceives // daughter and flees (7)

Although I don't consider elude and flee to be synonymous, Collins English Dictionary does. Well, to be precise, it shows flee to be a synonym of elude[10] but not elude as a synonym of flee[10]. Go figure.

8d   Go off, // taking girlfriend around school (8)

"school" = ETON (show explanation )

Eton College[7], often informally referred to simply as Eton, is an English independent [private] boarding school for boys located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor". It is one of ten English schools, commonly referred to as "public schools", regulated by the Public Schools Act of 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.]

hide explanation

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops asksIs Berkshire Crosswordland?.
I presume the question is prompted by the appearance of two institutions from Berkshire in the puzzle — Eton College and Ascot Racecourse (26a).

14d   Dissect an insect, /for/ example (8)

16d   Respect // some hesitation in one's excuses, perhaps ... (9)

17d   ... respect I fancy // they will show one's paid (8)

18d   A couple of pages to praise /and/ praise (7)

20d   Country // seen differently by upset convict (7)

Lag[5] is an informal British term for a person who has been frequently convicted and sent to prison ⇒ both old lags were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.

Senegal[5] is a country on the coast of West Africa; population 13,711,600 (est. 2009); languages, French (official), Wolof, and other West African languages; capital, Dakar.

22d   Attendance down, at first, // restricted to college (5)

Gate[5,10] is a British term meaning to confine or restrict (a pupil or student) to the school or college grounds as a punishment he was gated for the rest of term.

24d   An account to settle? (5)

Some of the Brits seemed to have a hard time getting their heads around this clue.

I see it as a cryptic definition (the entire clue) in which a straight definition is embedded (the portion with the solid underline).

Historically, a score[5] was a running account kept by marks against a customer’s name, typically in a public house.

The entire clue alludes to the expression "a score to settle". To settle a score[5] (or pay a score) is to take revenge on someone for something damaging that they have done in the past ⇒ his 957-page book also appears to be a chance to settle old scores.

25d   Lovely // article in wood (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