Monday, February 6, 2017 — DT 28275

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28275
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, November 18, 2016
Setter Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28275]
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 may have been only a two-star challenge for Deep Threat but it pushed me well into three-star territory. A couple of unfamiliar words were assembled from the instructions and their existence subsequently verified in the dictionary.

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   Rough handling /that is/ deliberate is being covered up (6)

Read the wordplay as a series of steps "deliberate; is being covered up". In step 1, start with a synonym for "deliberate" or ponder. In step 2, use the result of step 1 to contain (cover up) IS.

4a   Notice project worker, // one assisting senior officer (8)

"worker" = ANT (show explanation )

The word "worker" and the phrase "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.

A worker^[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.

In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.

hide explanation

An adjutant^[5] is a military officer who acts as an administrative assistant to a senior officer.

9a   Healthy food /for/ party people (6)

The term green^[5] (usually Green) denotes a member or supporter of an environmentalist group or party ⇒ the Greens' remarkable 15 per cent vote. (show more )

A Green party^[7] is a formally organised political party based on the principles of Green politics, such as social justice, grassroots democracy, nonviolence, and environmentalism. Green parties exist in nearly 90 countries around the world; many are members of Global Greens, an international network of Green parties and political movements that works to implement the Global Green Charter. In the UK, there are separate Green parties for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England and Wales.

hide explanation

10a   One present // late in the morning or evening by river (8)

The Dee^[5] is either of at least two rivers in the UK:

1. a river in northeastern Scotland, which rises in the Grampian Mountains and flows eastwards past Balmoral Castle to the North Sea at Aberdeen;
2. a river that rises in North Wales and flows past Chester and on into the Irish Sea.

11a   Vehicle, // say, in City area -- area half destroyed (6,3)

The setter uses "City" as a surrogate for for the EC postcode^* which serves the City of London — which is not to be confused with the city of London (show explanation ). The EC (Eastern Central) postcode area^[7] (also known as the London EC postcode area) is a group of postcode districts in central London, England. It includes almost all of the City of London as well as parts of several other London boroughs.

---

^* postcode being the British counterpart of the Canadian postal code or American zip code

The City of London^[7] is a city and ceremonial county within London. It constituted most of London from its settlement by the Romans in the 1st century AD to the Middle Ages, but the conurbation has since grown far beyond the City's borders. The City of London is now only a tiny part of the metropolis of London, though it remains a notable part of central London. It is one of two districts of London to hold city status, the other being the adjacent City of Westminster.

The City of London is widely referred to simply as the City (often written as just "City" and differentiated from the phrase "the city of London" by capitalising "City") and is also colloquially known as the Square Mile, as it is 1.12 sq mi (2.90 km²), in area. Both of these terms are also often used as metonyms for the United Kingdom's trading and financial services industries, which continue a notable history of being largely based in the City. This is analogous to the use of the terms Wall Street and Bay Street to refer to the financial institutions located in New York and Toronto respectively.

hide explanation

13a   Street with strange // sort of sound (5)

Rum^[5] is a dated informal British term meaning odd or peculiar ⇒ it’s a rum business, certainly.

14a   Leaders won't stay in position -- // expect people to get sacked (5,4,4)

17a   Church leader // like me will get involved with psalter (13)

In German-speaking countries, a kapellmeister^[5] is the leader or conductor of an orchestra or choir.

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat writes think of Haydn and Prince Esterhazy, for example. Historically, a kapellmeister[5] was a leader of a chamber ensemble or orchestra attached to a German court. Esterházy[7] (also spelled Eszterházy) is a Hungarian noble family with origins in the Middle Ages. Since the 17th century, they were among the great landowner magnates of the Kingdom of Hungary during the time it was part of the Habsburg Empire and later Austria-Hungary. The Esterházy family is known for its association with the composer Joseph Haydn[7] (1732-1809), who served as their Kapellmeister. Haydn was hired by Prince Paul Anton in 1761, and from 1762 to 1790 served under Paul Anton's successor Nikolaus. During the following reign, that of Prince Anton (1790–1794), the Esterházy family mostly did without the services of musicians, and Haydn, retained on a nominal appointment, spent most of this time in trips to England. Finally, during the reign of Nikolaus II, Haydn worked for the family on a part-time basis. He spent his summers in Eisenstadt and annually composed a mass for the name day of the Prince's wife (and Haydn's friend), Princess Maria Josepha Hermenegild (1768–1845). Haydn continued to perform these duties until his health failed in 1802.

Scratching the Surface
The psalter[5] is another name for The Book of Psalms. A psalter is a copy of the biblical Psalms, especially for liturgical use :⇒ psalters and hymn books.

21a   Nuisances /in/ religious instruction thrown out by clergy (5)

The abbreviation for religious instruction is RI^[10]. In England, unlike the rest of the world, the term religious instruction refers to the teaching of a particular religion, with religious education referring to teaching about religions in general.^[7]

Delving Deeper

According to Wikipedia: In secular usage, religious education[7] is the teaching of a particular religion (although in England the term religious instruction would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with religious education referring to teaching about religions in general) and its varied aspects: its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles. In Western and secular culture, religious education implies a type of education which is largely separate from academia, and which (generally) regards religious belief as a fundamental tenet and operating modality, as well as a prerequisite for attendance. The secular concept is substantially different from societies that adhere to religious law, wherein "religious education" connotes the dominant academic study, and in typically religious terms, teaches doctrines which define social customs as "laws" and the violations thereof as "crimes", or else misdemeanors requiring punitive correction.

23a   You finally react with law being broken /and/ howl (9)

24a   Obsessional state // that could make us nosier (8)

25a   Ways to hide love -- // such will evoke sadness (6)

I believe that Deep Threat has shortchanged the definition in his review. Pathos^[5] is not sadness per se but a quality that evokes pity or sadness.

26a   More than one drink // that is brought by deck worker aboard ship (8)

"aboard ship" = 'contained in SS' (show explanation )

In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is almost invariably a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS^[10]. Thus phrases such as "aboard ship" or "on board ship" (or sometimes merely "on board") are Crosswordland code for 'contained in SS'.

hide explanation

Shandy^[5] is a British term for beer mixed with a non-alcoholic drink (typically lemonade).

27a   Island/'s/ tree featured in speech (6)

The cypress^[5] (also cypress tree) is any of many species of evergreen coniferous tree with small rounded woody cones and flattened shoots bearing small scale-like leaves.

Cyprus^[5] is an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean about 80 km (50 miles) south of the Turkish coast; population 1,084,700 (est. 2009); official languages, Greek and Turkish; capital, Nicosia.

Down

1d   Periodical not gross -- // something that can be attractive (6)

2d   Pots he was getting knocked out /in/ a factory of exploitation (5,4)

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, knock out[3] is used in the sense of to produce in abundance ⇒ The workers knocked out 500 parts in one hour.

3d   Singer // to get some ladies in a trance (7)

Frank Sinatra^[5] (1915–1998) was an American singer and actor. His many hits include ‘Night and Day’ and ‘My Way’. He won an Oscar for his role in the film From Here to Eternity (1953).

5d   Put off skimpy attire, good person // who has a resigned outlook? (11)

A determinist is an adherent of determinism^[5], the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes regarded as external to the will. Some philosophers have taken determinism to imply that individual human beings have no free will and cannot be held morally responsible for their actions.

Geraldine Jones — Determinist Extraordinaire
Geraldine Jones, a character created by American comedian Flip Wilson[7] (1933–1998), is surely a determinist nonpareil with her stock excuse The devil made me do it! which became an international catchphrase in the 1970s.

6d   Nut is left only half fixed -- / tool / needed (7)

Despite being positioned at the end of the clue, the word "needed" is effectively a link word.

7d   Tree // person once on the council, man made redundant (5)

The term alderman — although still in common use in North America and Australia — apparently has not been used in Britain in more than forty years. In England and Wales until 1974, an alderman^[10] was one of the senior members of a local council, elected by other councillors.

8d   Winds coming up? /Get/ some warm clothes (8)

I will vote for this being a double definition.

12d   Unusual chasm, a ravine // that needs special card to gain access (4,7)

In the Isle of Wight^* or Dorset^**, a chine^[5] is a deep narrow ravine.

---

^* The Isle of Wight^[5] (abbreviation IOW^[5]) is an island off the south coast of England, a county since 1974; population 131,700 (est. 2009); administrative centre, Newport.
^** Dorset^[5] is a county of southwestern England; county town, Dorchester.

15d   Prayer /bringing/ love with hurt and fear dissipating (3,6)

"love" = O (show explanation )

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.

Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).

hide explanation

Our Father^[5] is another name for the Lord's Prayer^[5], the prayer taught by Christ to his disciples, beginning ‘Our Father’.

16d   Steer clear of workers /in/ special trousers (3,5)

You can't steer clear of these insects which first appeared in 4a and possibly again (although disguised) in 21a.

18d   Girl with big dictionary /getting/ tied up somehow (7)

OED^[5] is the abbreviation for the Oxford English Dictionary.

Delving Deeper

The Oxford English Dictionary[7] (OED), published by the Oxford University Press, is a descriptive (as opposed to prescriptive) dictionary of the English language. As well as describing English usage in its many variations throughout the world, it traces the historical development of the language, providing a comprehensive resource to scholars and academic researchers. The second edition, published in 1989, came to 21,728 pages in 20 volumes. The OED should not be confused with the Oxford Dictionary of English (ODE). In 1998 the New Oxford Dictionary of English (NODE) was published. Having as its aim to cover current English only, without the historical focus, NODE was not based on the OED. Instead, it was an entirely new dictionary produced with the aid of corpus linguistics [the study of language as expressed in corpora (samples) of "real world" text]. NODE (under the new title of the Oxford Dictionary of English, or ODE) continues to be the principal source for Oxford's product line of current-English dictionaries, including the Concise Oxford Dictionary and New Oxford American Dictionary, with the OED now only serving as the basis for scholarly historical dictionaries. The online version of Oxford Dictionaries on which I rely heavily is based on the ODE.

19d   Sailor to loiter, having lost heart /in/ historical region (7)

"sailor" = TAR (show explanation )

Tar^[5] is an informal, dated nickname for a sailor. The term came into use in the mid 17th century and is perhaps an abbreviation of tarpaulin, also used as a nickname for a sailor at this time.

hide explanation

Tartary^[5] is a historical region of Asia and eastern Europe, especially the high plateau of central Asia and its northwestern slopes, which formed part of the Tartar empire in the Middle Ages.

20d   Conservative fails /and/ goes out of business (6)

"Conservative" = C (show explanation )

The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.^[10] or Con.^[10].

A Tory^[10] is a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in Great Britain or Canada.

Historically, a Tory^[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.

The Conservative Party^[5] is a a major British political party that emerged from the old Tory Party under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s. Since the Second World War, it has been in power 1951–64, 1970-74, and 1979–97. It governed in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats from 2010 until the general election of May 2015, in which it was returned with a majority.

hide explanation

22d   Thus America /presents/ one of its composers (5)

John Philip Sousa^[5] (1854–1932) was an American composer and conductor. His works include more than a hundred marches, for example The Stars and Stripes.

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