Tuesday, September 12, 2017 — DT 28459

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28459
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Setter Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28459]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By ShropshireLad
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

Today, we are served up yet another fairly gentle puzzle — this time by Jay.

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 semi-all-in-one (semi-&lit.) clues. All-in-one (&lit.) clues and cryptic definitions are marked with a dotted underline. Explicit link words and phrases are enclosed in forward slashes (/link/) and implicit links are shown as double forward slashes (//).

Across

1a   Our president's first to get in newly-developed softer // bed (4-6)

6a   Clear // duck enclosure (4)

"duck" = O (show explanation )

In cricket, a duck^[5] is a batsman’s score of nought [zero] ⇒ he was out for a duck. This is similar to the North American expression goose egg^[5] meaning a zero score in a game.

In British puzzles, "duck" is used to indicate the letter "O" based on the resemblance of the digit "0" to this letter.

hide explanation

9a   Take court action before defence's case /becomes/ material (5)

10a   People who chase // English partygoers? (9)

Chase^[5] (usually seen as an adjective chased) means to engrave (metal, or a design on metal) ⇒ a miniature container with a delicately chased floral design.

12a   Second snare set after bear /gets/ part of bag (8,5)

14a   European sailor welcomes bearing from this guide (4,4)

The European national to which the clue refers is without doubt the most popular denizen of the Continent to be found in Crosswordland.

I initially marked the definition as merely "this guide" (as I see that ShropshireLad has done in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog). However, on further reflection, I conclude that the entire clue serves as the definition for a guide that would be of no use to an Australian sailor in his or her home waters.

15a   Key needed with complete // part of drainage system (6)

17a   Energy shown by two sons after playground // break (6)

"energy" = E (show explanation )

In physics, E^[5] is a symbol used to represent energy in mathematical formulae.

hide explanation

Rec^[5] is an informal British term for a recreation ground whereas in North America it is used as a short form for recreation ⇒ the rec centre. Thus Brits may conduct their sporting activities at the rec while North Americans would pursue theirs at the rec centre.

19a   Stick out // for diamonds in genuine setting (8)

"diamonds" = D (show explanation )

Diamonds^[2] (abbreviation D^[2]) is one of the four suits of playing-cards.

hide explanation

21a   Sought approval /from/ copper -- then four arrived drunk! (7,6)

"copper" = CU (show explanation )

The symbol for the chemical element copper is Cu^[5] (from late Latin cuprum).

hide explanation

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, ShropshireLad writes The ‘copper’ here is not PC Plod. Mr. Plod[7] is a fictional character in the Noddy children's series by English writer Enid Blyton (1897–1968). He is a forthright police officer who never lets Toyland's crooks (especially Sly and Gobbo, the two goblins) escape from the "long arm of the law". He always pretends to know the problem, but can never quite figure it out. His catchphrase is "Halt, in the name of Plod!" In later adaptations he is also known as P.C.* Plod or Officer Plod. The terms "Plod" and "PC Plod" have become slang terms – usually jocular or derogatory – for a policeman, or the police in general. * PC[5] is a British designation for a police constable ⇒ PC Bartholomew made his report.

24a   Next to // a feature of a right-angled triangle (9)

A right-angled triangle has "a long side" (the hypotenuse) and two other two sides which are shorter.

25a   Turn back in regret /for/ likeable villain (5)

26a   Regularly repressed // language (4)

Erse^[5] is a dated term for the Scottish or Irish Gaelic language.

27a   View American // college brochure (10)

A prospectus^[5] is a printed booklet advertising a school or university to potential parents or students or giving details of a share offer for the benefit of investors.

Down

1d   Quick // meal with no break (4)

2d   Implement // sort of strength mostly in support of university (7)

3d   Winning, // before bands break into song (13)

4d   Lose cargo, // large amount (8)

Shedload^*[5] is an informal British term for a large amount or number ⇒ had she decided to join a rival, she would doubtless be earning a shedload of money.

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^* a euphemism for 'shitload'.

5d   Symbol of America that could divide and occupy Goldeneye (5)

The clue would seem to suggest the existence of a word "goldeneagleeye". Thus it is not surprising to discover that, on online platforms in the UK, the clue was changed to read:

• Symbol of America with links to either part of Goldeneye (5)

As is typically the case, the syndicated puzzle published today in the National Post is the version which appeared in the print edition of The Daily Telegraph in the UK (show explanation ).

The reason why errors that get corrected in the UK still show up months later in the puzzle in Canada can be understood if one looks at what I believe to be the life cycle of a puzzle:

1. The setter creates the puzzle and submits it to the puzzle editor.
2. The puzzle editor and setter refine the puzzle.
3. The puzzle is distributed in syndication. (Some papers print the puzzle on or close to the date it appears in the UK. Other papers, such as the National Post, print the puzzle weeks or months later.)
4. The puzzle editor may make changes to the puzzle (with or without consulting the setter) after it has been distributed in syndication. These (and subsequent) changes do not appear in the syndicated puzzle (which has already been distributed).
5. The puzzle is prepared for print publication. Errors may be introduced during the production process. These errors sometimes also carry forward to the online version of the puzzle.
6. The puzzle is prepared for online publication. Additional errors may be introduced during this production process but affect only the online version of the puzzle. Complicating matters even further, there are apparently multiple online platforms on which the puzzle appears — namely, the online edition of The Daily Telegraph as well as Apple and Android apps in addition to the Telegraph Puzzles website.
7. The online version of the puzzle is posted to the website.
8. Errors in the online version of the puzzle (regardless of at what stage they were introduced) are often corrected at some point during the day of publication. Of course, errors in the print edition cannot be corrected.

hide explanation

7d   Clown // leaving rubbish under jetty (7)

Rubbish^[3] is used in the sense of foolish discourse or nonsense.

Rot^[3] is used in the sense of pointless talk or nonsense ⇒ She always talks such rot.

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

8d   Inquisitive type // runs to support Korean spy in trouble (4,6)

Nosy parker^{* [5]} is an informal British term for an overly inquisitive person.

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^* The expression comes from an early 20th century postcard caption ‘The Adventures of Nosey Parker’, referring to a peeping Tom in London's Hyde Park.

11d   Set about studies /as/ part of military training (7,6)

Assault course^*[5] is a British term for a course through which the participants must run, negotiating obstacles to be climbed, crawled under, crossed on suspended ropes, etc., as used for training soldiers.

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^* known in North America as an 'obstacle course'^[10]

13d   Recognise // increase in worth (10)

16d   Waves /from/ mugs drinking last of beer (8)

It would seem that a beaker differs from a mug in that it lacks one defining feature — namely, a handle.

A beaker^{[2,3,4,5*,10,11]} is a large drinking-glass, or a large cup (often a plastic one) with (usually) a wide mouth and (usually) without a handle.

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^* according to Oxford Dictionaries — and Oxford Dictionaries alone — the term is archaic or literary

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, ShropshireLad tells us to Start with cup normally associated with babies. Beaker[5] is a British term for a drinking container, typically made of plastic, often with a lid for use by children.

18d   Asking questions, /seeing/ scoundrels covering evidence of debt (7)

20d   Leading Conservative /may be/ standing (7)

22d   Chauffeur ignoring volume /for/ this appliance (5)

"volume" = V (show explanation )

In physics and chemistry, V^[5] is a symbol used to represent volume in mathematical formulae ⇒ pV = nRT.

hide explanation

23d   Releases, lacking right // charges (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)
^[12] - CollinsDictionary.com (Webster’s New World College Dictionary)
^[13] - MacmillanDictionary.com (Macmillan Dictionary)

Signing off for today — Falcon