Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28117 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28117] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
2Kiwis | |
BD Rating
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| 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
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Notes
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The National Post has skipped DT 28114 through DT 28116 which were published in The Daily Telegraph from Saturday, May 14, 2016 to Tuesday, May 17, 2016.
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Introduction
I am a day late with this review as I struggle to catch up following an extended long weekend camping expedition.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.
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
7a Serving American in pub /is/ reasonable (7)
"serving American" = GI (show explanation )
A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒
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).
hide explanation
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).
hide explanation
Local[5] is an informal British term for a pub convenient to a person’s home ⇒
a pint in the local.
10a Importance /of/ report (7)
Account[5] can mean importance ⇒
money was of no account to her.
11a Open in case of pecuniary // hardship (7)
12a Sample to include old // domestic appliance (7)
Taster[5] is a British term for a small quantity or brief experience of something, intended as a sample ⇒
the song is a taster for the band’s new LP.
13a Warning // heavy drinker after detailed damage (9)
The setter uses "detailed" in a whimsical cryptic crossword sense meaning having the tail removed — based on an analogy with words such as deflowered or defrocked.
15a Score century from the start in miserable // game (5)
Score[5] (usually score out or score through) means to delete text by drawing a line through it.
Scratching the Surface
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The surface reading of the clue is designed to evoke thoughts of cricket. A century[5] is a score of a hundred in a sporting event, especially a batsman’s score of a hundred runs in cricket ⇒ he scored the only century of the tour. This usage may not be entirely British as the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary defines century[11] as any group or collection of 100. |
16a Raise the bar twice as high -- /that's/ hypocrisy (6,9)
The 2Kiwis consider the first part of the clue to be a second definition. I'm not entirely convinced — thus the dotted underline.
21a Do // talk about source of energy (5)
Do[5] is an informal British term meaning to swindle ⇒
a thousand pounds for one set of photos — Jacqui had been done.
23a Criminal syndicate has priority // to protect funds (4-5)
Although I deduced the correct solution, it took me forever to parse this clue — even after reading (and rereading) the 2Kiwis' review. I had interpreted "criminal syndicate" to be clueing RING. However, the wordplay actually parses as FENCE (criminal; receiver of stolen goods) preceded by (has priority) RING (syndicate).
Ring-fence[5] is a verb meaning to enclose (a piece of land) with a ring fence[5] — a fence completely enclosing a farm or piece of land. Ring-fence[5] is also a British term meaning to guarantee that (funds allocated for a particular purpose) will not be spent on anything else ⇒
the government failed to ring-fence the money provided to schools.
25a Stuffy /and/ bald, according to East Enders (7)
An East Ender[5,10] (or Eastender[2]) is a native or inhabitant of the East End of London, an area whose residents are also referred to as cockneys.
A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church). Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the H from the beginning of words and the use of rhyming slang[5].
26a Allure /of/ girl disheartened with love for Paris (7)
The French word for 'love' is amour[8].
27a Student in booze-up /is/ a good mixer (7)
"student" = L (show explanation )
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
hide explanation
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
hide explanation
Booze-up[10] is British, Australian and New Zealand slang for a drinking spree. However, on occasion, I do seem to recall having heard this term used in Canada.
28a Sales spiel used with northern // model (7)
Down
1d Edges in wearing shoes -- // careless! (8)
2d Work on stage /where there's/ room to manoeuvre (4)
3d Person stopping /for/ a lady's top? (6)
4d Delicacy /of/ European Community retreat (6)
"European Community" = EC (show explanation )
The European Community was the predecessor of the European Union.
Achieving European Union occurred in three stages.
Stage 1: The European Economic Community[5] (abbreviation EEC), an institution of the European Union, is an economic association of western European countries set up by the Treaty of Rome (1957). The original members were France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Stage 2: The European Community[5] (abbreviation EC) is an economic and political association of certain European countries, incorporated since 1993 in the European Union. The European Community was formed in 1967 from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom); it comprises also the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice. Until 1987 it was still commonly known as the EEC. The name ‘European Communities’ is still used in legal contexts where the three distinct organizations are recognized.
Stage 3: The European Union[5] (abbreviation EU) is an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs. The European Union was created on 1 November 1993, with the coming into force of the Maastricht Treaty. It encompasses the old European Community (EC) together with two intergovernmental ‘pillars’ for dealing with foreign affairs and with immigration and justice. The terms European Economic Community (EEC) and European Community (EC) continue to be used loosely to refer to what is now the European Union. The European Union consists of 28 member states, 16 of which use the common currency unit, the euro.
hide explanation
The European Community was the predecessor of the European Union.
Achieving European Union occurred in three stages.
Stage 1: The European Economic Community[5] (abbreviation EEC), an institution of the European Union, is an economic association of western European countries set up by the Treaty of Rome (1957). The original members were France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
Stage 2: The European Community[5] (abbreviation EC) is an economic and political association of certain European countries, incorporated since 1993 in the European Union. The European Community was formed in 1967 from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom); it comprises also the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice. Until 1987 it was still commonly known as the EEC. The name ‘European Communities’ is still used in legal contexts where the three distinct organizations are recognized.
Stage 3: The European Union[5] (abbreviation EU) is an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs. The European Union was created on 1 November 1993, with the coming into force of the Maastricht Treaty. It encompasses the old European Community (EC) together with two intergovernmental ‘pillars’ for dealing with foreign affairs and with immigration and justice. The terms European Economic Community (EEC) and European Community (EC) continue to be used loosely to refer to what is now the European Union. The European Union consists of 28 member states, 16 of which use the common currency unit, the euro.
hide explanation
An eclair[10] is a finger-shaped pastry filled with cream and covered with chocolate or, as The Chambers Dictionary — the BRB (or Big Red Book) referred to by the 2Kiwis in their review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog — phrases it, an éclair[1] is a cake, long in shape and short in duration, with cream filling and usually chocolate icing. However, at Comment #31 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, French chef jean-luc cheval informs us that
Éclairs in France are usually filled with a vanilla, chocolate or coffee flavoured crème pâtissière with matching topping.
5d Patron // saint Rome stupidly covered with copper (8)
The symbol for the chemical element copper is Cu[5] (from late Latin cuprum).
6d Wild // tale about Frenchman (6)
In French, monsieur[8] (abbreviation M[8]) means 'gentleman' or 'man'.
Behind the Picture
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| In Comment #4 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Beaver asks if the painting used by the 2Kiwis in their hint is by British artist J. M. W. Turner[5]. It is not; rather the painting is an 1873 work entitled Rainbow by Russian romantic painter Ivan Aivazovsky[7](1817–1900). |
8d Person who presents // in here vigorously upended (5)
Scratching the Surface
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| The surface reading is likely intended to evoke the British term presenter[5], a person who introduces and appears in a television or radio programme. In North America, terms such as host, announcer or anchor might be used for such a person. |
9d My face /is/ fairly friendly (7)
My[5] is used in various phrases—or even on its own—as an expression of surprise ⇒ (i)
my goodness!; (ii)
oh my!.
Cor[5] is an informal British exclamation expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm ⇒
Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!.
14d Fuel /for/ American state leader of Senate (3)
In official postal use, the abbreviation for Georgia is GA[5].
Gas[5] here would almost certainly be a flammable gas (such as natural gas or propane) used as a fuel ⇒
cooking is done by bottled gasas the British term for gasoline[5] is petrol.
17d Sort of income // a Parisian made? (8)
"a Parisian" = UN (show explanation )
Unearned income[5,10] is income from property, investment, etc, comprising rent, interest, and dividends rather than from work.
18d Girl /needs/ a new name (3)
19d Expert must accept Botham, for example, /being/ intransigent (7)
Sir Ian Botham[7] is a former England Test* cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator.
* A Test[5] (short for Test match)[5] is an international cricket or rugby match, typically one of a series, played between teams representing two different countries ⇒the Test match between Pakistan and the West Indies.
20d Bad language /from/ son? Exhausting (8)
21d Driver crossing river // in a foul mood (6)
22d Finish in effort /to be/ with it (6)
23d Pairs regularly wearing pink // beads (6)
A rosary[5] is a string of beads for keeping count in a rosary* or in the devotions of some other religions, in Roman Catholic use 55 or 165 in number.
* In the Roman Catholic Church, a rosary[5] is a form of devotion in which five (or fifteen) decades of Hail Marys are repeated, each decade preceded by an Our Father and followed by a Glory Be.
Behind the Picture
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| In Comment #8 and Comment #23 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Heinz and sabrinastar respectively claim that the beads in the illustration are not rosary beads. However, in Comment #35 the 2Kiwis respond that the beads shown are Buddhist rosary beads, rather than the more familiar Roman Catholic ones. |
24d Shortly put up with last of wire // rope (5)
26d Look amazed /as/ fruit runs out (4)
"runs" = R (show explanation )
On cricket scorecards [not to mention baseball scoreboards], the abbreviation R[5] denotes run(s).
In cricket, a run[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.
hide explanation
On cricket scorecards [not to mention baseball scoreboards], the abbreviation R[5] denotes run(s).
In cricket, a run[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.
hide explanation
Key to Reference Sources:Signing off for today — Falcon
[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)
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