Wednesday, January 18, 2017 — DT 28260

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28260
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28260]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Mr Kitty
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 has skipped DT 28256 through DT 28259 which were published in The Daily Telegraph from Thursday, October 27, 2016 to Monday, October 31, 2016.

Introduction

A new blogger makes his appearance on Big Dave's Crossword Blog today. Mr Kitty is the husband of regular commenter and sometime blogger, Kitty.

The puzzle was certainly not overly difficult but I did have to call on my electronic reinforcements for help on one clue.

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

7a   Joyous // experience lying back with seabird endlessly crossing (7)

8a   Figure // over hundred with name attached? (7)

"over" = O (show explanation )

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation O^[5] denotes over(s), an over^[5] being 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.

hide explanation

10a   Point of story I found in pub // regarding men's movement? (10)

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

Logistics^[5] — for the purposes of this clue — is the activity of organizing the movement, equipment, and accommodation of troops.

11a   Club // that's used in a decreasing way (4)

This is a double definition in which the second definition is cryptic. The word "decreasing" is used in a whimsical sense meaning to remove creases from. We are looking for [something] that's used to remove creases from one's shirt, for example.

12a   Pass large recess /in/ ruin (8)

A col^[5] is the lowest point of a ridge or saddle between two peaks, typically providing a pass from one side of a mountain range to another.

14a   Neighbour/'s/ pupil away from home, we hear (6)

15a   Replacement of landing in Sussex town // characterising close co-operation (4,2,5)

Diverging from what is shown in Mr Kitty's review, I would include the word "characterising" in the definition.

19a   Placate // inspectors accompanied by a Marine (6)

"inspector" = DI (show explanation )

A detective inspector (DI^[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector^[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

hide explanation

"Marine" = RM (show explanation )

The Royal Marines^[5] (abbreviation RM)^[5] is a British armed service (part of the Royal Navy) founded in 1664, trained for service at sea, or on land under specific circumstances.

hide explanation

20a   Separate // summary (8)

22a   Worry // where guitarist places his hand? (4)

23a   Peculiar talent in EU // officer (10)

25a   See number mobbing vehicle /in/ Swiss resort (7)

"see" = 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

Locarno^[5] is a resort in southern Switzerland, at the northern end of Lake Maggiore; population 14,909 (2007).

26a   Comic actor entertaining journalist /is/ holiday host (7)

Holiday here has nothing to do with the recently observed Christmas and New Year's.

The British use the word holiday(s) where North Americans might say vacation^[5].

Delving Deeper

Holiday[5,10] (often holidays) is a chiefly British term for a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreation ⇒ (i) I spent my summer holidays on a farm; (ii) Fred was on holiday in Spain. According to the British dictionaries, the usual US and Canadian term for such a break is vacation. However, I am accustomed to hearing the two terms used almost interchangeably — in much the same manner as the terms fall and autumn are used in Canada. This may not be the case in all parts of Canada, but I grew up in the Maritimes and have lived in Eastern Ontario for most of my life, both areas where British influence is particularly strong. In Britain, the word vacation[5] has a very specific meaning, a fixed holiday period between terms in universities and law courts ⇒ the Easter vacation. In North America, such a period might be called a break[7].

Redcoat^[5] is a British term for an organizer and entertainer at a Butlin's holiday camp^*.

Butlins^[7] (also Butlin's) is a chain of large holiday camps^* in the United Kingdom.

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^* Holiday camp^[5] is a British term for a site for holidaymakers [vacationers] with accommodation, entertainment, and leisure facilities.

Down

1d   A Liberal attempt to limit company /producing/ intoxicating drink (7)

"Liberal" = L (show explanation )

The Liberal Party^[5] (abbreviation Lib.^[5] or L^[2])^* in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats. However, a small Liberal Party still exists although it has no representation in the UK Parliament, no Members of the European Parliament (MEP), no members of the Scottish Parliament, nor any members of the National Assembly for Wales.^[7]

Although Lib.^[5] may be the more common abbreviation for the Liberal Party in Britain—likely to distinguish it from the the Labour Party^[5] (abbreviation Lab.^[5])—Chambers 21st Century Dictionary indicates that L^[2] may also be used.

hide explanation

Alcopop^[5] is an informal British term for a ready-mixed drink that resembles a soft drink but contains alcohol. In Canada, such a beverage is known as a cooler^[7].

2d   Food outlet // in grandstand eliminated (4)

3d   Disruption /with/ statue overturned? (4-2)

Bust-up^[5] is an informal British term for:

1. a serious quarrel ⇒ the diplomatic bust-up with Germany;
2. a fight or brawl ⇒ a touchline bust-up.

4d   Local bee could provide // notice of environmental impact (3-5)

Eco-labelling^[5] is the practice of marking products with a distinctive label (an eco-label) so that consumers know that their manufacture conforms to recognized environmental standards ⇒ the launch of a nationwide eco-labelling scheme.

5d   One whose business originates from rank? (4,6)

Rank^[5] (short for taxi rank^[5]) is a British term^* for a place where taxis park while waiting to be hired.

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^* the equivalent North American term is taxi stand

Behind the Picture
Mr Kitty illustrates his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog with a photo of Robert De Niro, as Travis Bickle, in the 1976 American film Taxi Driver[7].

6d   Gracious individual getting time /in/ ornamental headwear (7)

Cor^[5] is an informal British exclamation expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm ⇒ Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!.

A coronet^[5] is a small or relatively simple crown, especially as worn by lesser royalty and peers or peeresses.

9d   Vets rave about // computer image (6-5)

13d   Corrupt // deal could be the outcome of this? (4,6)

The wordplay in this clue is a reverse anagram (show explanation ). The solution (LEAD ASTRAY) can be viewed as an anagram (ASTRAY) of LEAD producing the result (or "outcome") "deal" which appears in the clue.

In a 'normal' clue, the wordplay appears in the clue and the result arising from the execution of the wordplay is found in the solution. For instance, in a clue of the anagram type, the anagram indicator (operator) and anagram fodder (the material on which the indicator operates) would appear in the clue and the result of performing the anagram operation would be found in the solution.

On the other hand, in a 'reverse anagram', this situation is reversed. The anagram indicator and fodder are found in the solution and the result of executing the anagram operation appears in the clue. This is not unlike the premise of the TV game show Jeopardy — where contestants are given the answer and must respond with a question. Here the solver is given the result of the anagram operation and must find the anagram indicator and fodder which would produce it.

Personally, I would much prefer to use the term 'inverse anagram' rather than 'reverse anagram' as this type of construct is analogous to the concept of inverse functions in mathematics. However, I realize that my point of view is unlikely to find traction.

hide explanation

16d   Illegally getting rid of items -- around 50 - - /to get/ some dough? (8)

17d   Clown /that shows/ seaside venue's decline? (7)

Pierrot^[5] is a stock male character in French pantomime, with a sad white-painted face, a loose white costume, and a pointed hat.

18d   Examine US prosecutor left /in/ disgrace (7)

In the US, a district attorney^[5] (abbreviation DA) is a public official who acts as prosecutor for the state in a particular district.

21d   Elements of tennis and golf /in/ part of suite (6)

In tennis, darts, and other games, a set^[5] is a group of games counting as a unit towards a match ⇒ he took the first set 6-3.

24d   Prison // lift (4)

The nick^[5] is an informal British term for prison ⇒ he’ll end up in the nick for the rest of his life.

Nick^[5] is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒ she nicked fivers from the till.

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