Tuesday, November 28, 2017 — DT 28514

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28514
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, August 24, 2017
Setter RayT (Ray Terrell)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28514]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Falcon
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

I was halfway through this puzzle before it dawned on me that there was something vaguely familiar about it.

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   Met with certain changes /making/ payment (10)

6a   Destruction /of/ atmosphere reversed (4)

9a   Old man's grateful expression /seeing/ dish (5)

Ta^[5] is an informal British exclamation signifying thank you ⇒‘Ta,’ said Willie gratefully.

10a   Concerned about sweetheart // dressing down (9)

Carpet^[5] is British^* slang meaning to reprimand severely ⇒ the Chancellor of the Exchequer carpeted the bank bosses.

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^* Although we do not use this expression in North America, we certainly use the presumably related expression to be called on the carpet^[5].

12a   Copy /of/ Queen record left around including single (7)

"Queen" = R (show explanation )

Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.

Q^[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.

Qu.^[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.

In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms^*, Regina^[5] (abbreviation R^[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

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^* A Commonwealth realm^[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.

Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution.

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"record" = EP (show explanation )

EP^[10] (abbreviation for extended-play) is one of the formats in which music is sold, usually comprising four or five tracks.

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13a   Birds /giving/ performances for audience (5)

A turn^[5] is a short performance, especially one of a number given by different performers in succession ⇒ (i) Lewis gave her best ever comic turn; (ii) he was asked to do a turn at a children’s party.

15a   Stone // jar with popular content from the East (7)

17a   Snake /is/ supple wearing skin of silver (7)

19a   Rougher // sailor twisting knot faces resistance (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 that time.

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"resistance" = R (show explanation )

In physics, R^[5] is a symbol used to represent electrical resistance in mathematical formulae.

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The setter is likely using rough^[10] in the sense (said of behaviour or character) of rude, coarse, ill mannered, inconsiderate, or violent.

Ratty^[5] is an informal British term meaning bad-tempered and irritable ⇒ I was a bit ratty with the children.

On the other hand ...

In my initial attempt to explain the definition, I focussed on a different sense of the words "rough" and "ratty". However, in the case of the former word the definition seems a bit iffy (you might even say 'rough') and this sense of the latter word may be a North American usage. Rough[2], according to Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, can mean not well-kept ⇒ lives in a really rough area*. * Oxford Dictionaries, on the other hand, tells us that a ''rough[5] area" is one characterized by violent behaviour. Ratty[5], according to Oxford Dictionaries, can be used in an informal sense* meaning in bad condition; in other words, shabby or ramshackle ⇒ a ratty old armchair. * However, Collins English Dictionary characterizes ratty[10] used in this sense as US and Canadian slang.

21a   Offensive, // like sailor embracing superior (7)

Salt^[3] is an informal term for a sailor, especially when old or experienced.

"superior" = U (show explanation )

In Britain, U^[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒ U manners.

The term, an abbreviation of  upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).

In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable). 

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22a   Space accommodating usually naked aficionados initially (5)

The initialism or acrostic style clue has become a hallmark of RayT puzzles. Such a clue is a special case of semi-&lit. (or semi-all-in-one) clue (show explanation ) in which the entire clue constitutes the wordplay and the definition (marked by the solid underline) is embedded in the clue. A clue of this type where one could justify including the word "initially" in the definition could be considered to be a full-fledged &lit. (or all-in-one) clue (show explanation ).

In an &lit. clue^[7] (or, as some prefer to call it, all-in-one clue) the entire clue provides not only the definition (when read one way), but under a different interpretation also serves as the wordplay.

In a semi-&lit. clue (or, as some prefer to call it, semi-all-in-one clue), either (1) the entire clue acts as the definition while a portion of the clue provides the wordplay or (2) the entire clue acts as the wordplay while a portion of the clue provides the definition.

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Only In Quebec

Perhaps circumstances justify declaring this clue to be a true &lit. clue in the province of Quebec where authorities have been banning nudity in locker rooms (and presumably saunas). So what was once (initially) usual behaviour has now been outlawed. This move made the news around the world including India. First a dress code for Muslim women. Now one for locker rooms. What's next? A state approved uniform for all Quebecers? Anyone remember Communist China under Mao Tse-Tung?

24a   See // old church is in decline (7)

The wordplay is {O (old; abbrev.) + CE (church; abbreviation for Church of England) + S ('s; contraction of "is")} contained in (in) DIE (decline).

"church" = CE (show explanation )

The Church of England^[10] (abbreviation CE^[10]) is the reformed established state Church in England, Catholic in order and basic doctrine, with the Sovereign as its temporal head.

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A see^[10] is the diocese^* of a bishop, or the place within it where his cathedral^** or procathedral^*** is situated.

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^* A diocese^[5] is a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church — or, more precisely, episcopal churches.
^** A cathedral^[5] is the principal church of a diocese, with which the bishop is officially associated.
^*** A pro-cathedral^[5] (or procathedral^[10])  is a church used as a substitute for a cathedral.

27a   One can time railway // route (9)

28a   Stone /in/ front of arched door (5)

29a   Reportedly recognises // smell (4)

30a   Vote // about loud European split faces empty ultimatum (10)

"loud" = F (show explanation )

Forte^[5] (abbreviation f^[5]) is a musical direction meaning (as an adjective) loud or (as an adverb) loudly.

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Scratching the Surface

At the time this puzzle appeared in the UK, the British House of Commons had recently begun considering the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill[7], legislation to effect Britain's exit (Brexit) from the European Union. It would appear that that the negotiations between Britain and the European Union have been punctuated by a series of ultimatums (ultimata) from one side or the other. One of these was an ultimatum delivered by EU negotiator Guy Verhofstadt in early August — about the time that RayT might have been compiling this puzzle.

Down

1d   Artist performs without heart /and/ sings? (4)

"artist" = RA (show explanation )

A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA^[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts^[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA^[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain. 

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The question mark in the clue is an integral part of the definition, denoting the questionable nature of the definition in that many would not consider this style of vocalizing to constitute 'singing'.

2d   Crime's unravelled by Arnott oddly /finding/ criminal (9)

Scratching the Surface
Steve Arnott is a fictional police officer in the popular BBC police procedural television series Line of Duty[7]. Arnott is a detective sergeant assigned to AC-12, the anti-corruption unit within Central Police.

3d   Slope takes time on // hike (5)

Behind the Picture
The photo used to illustrate my review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog obviously was not taken in a Quebec locker room.

4d   Vault this compiler has /for/ old records (7)

"this compiler has" = IVE (show explanation )

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or me) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

Today, the setter has made the scenario slightly more complicated by combining "this compiler" with the verb "to have" producing "this compiler has" which must be replaced by "I've" (a contraction of "I have").

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5d   Motor about to be put on ship/'s/ framework (7)

Motor^[5] is an informal British term for a car ⇒ we drove out in my motor.

In Crosswordland, a ship is rarely anything other than a steamship (abbreviation SS^[5]).

7d   Willow /is/ comparatively blooming having been polled (5)

The setter has used blooming^[5] in an adjectival sense to describe a youthful or healthy glow in a person's complexion.

Poll^[5] is an archaic term meaning to cut off the top^* of (a tree or plant), typically to encourage further growth; in other words, pollard ⇒ there were some beautiful willows, and now the idiot Parson has polled them into wretched stumps.

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^* polling would seem to be a less drastic form of pruning than coppicing (see below) — but perhaps not when executed by the afore-referenced Parson

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The osier^[5] is a small Eurasian willow which grows mostly in wet habitats. It is usually coppiced^*, being a major source of the long flexible shoots (withies) used in basketwork.  Osier is also a dated term for any willow tree.

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^* Coppice^[5] means to cut back (a tree or shrub) to ground level periodically to stimulate growth.

8d   Judge // artist performing in silly game (10)

11d   Guards missing first // openings (7)

14d   Unruly gang rises accepting zero // violence (10)

16d   Some proclaim it a terrible // copy (7)

18d   Mother involved in hideous revolting // 'domestic' (9)

Domestic^[5] (noun) is an informal British term for a violent quarrel between family members, especially a couple ⇒ they are often called to sort out a domestic.

20d   Value securing help lifting // beam (7)

Alter Ego

The appearance of the word "beam" in a puzzle compiled by today's setter will usually elicit a comment or two on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. Beam is the pseudonym used by crossword compiler Ray Terrell (whom we know as RayT) for his Toughie* puzzles. You may have noticed the theme here, a beam being a ray of light. * In addition to the Cryptic Crossword (the crossword which is carried in syndication by the National Post), The Daily Telegraph also publishes the Toughie Crossword. The former appears in The Daily Telegraph from Monday to Saturday — customarily on the back page of the paper (and thus is commonly referred to on Big Dave's Crossword Blog as the 'back-pager'). The latter is published from Tuesday to Friday and is found in the middle of the paper. A separate series of Cryptic Crossword puzzles appears in The Sunday Telegraph.

21d   Neutral // element deny Donald's holding back (7)

Does "The Donald" ever hold back?

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It would appear that I may have marked the definition incorrectly on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.

As I recall, my thought at the time was that anodyne^[5] is being as a noun meaning a painkilling drug or medicine — although to describe such a substance as a neutral element does seem to be a bit of a stretch.

I now believe that anodyne^[5] is being used as an adjective meaning not likely to cause offence or disagreement and somewhat dull (in other words, neutral).

That makes the wordplay "element [that] dENY DONAd is ('s) holding back"; in other words, a word (element) that is contained (holding) and reversed (back) in 'deny Donald'.

23d   Items /from/ Sun, beginning to end about sex (5)

It^[2,5] (usually written in quotation marks, "it") is an informal term for sexual intercourse or sex appeal ⇒ (i) the only thing I knew nothing about was ‘it’; (ii) they were caught doing ‘it’ in the back seat of his car.

Scratching the Surface

The Sun[7] is a daily tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by a division of News UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian-born American publisher and media entrepreneur Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. The Sun was once known for its Page 3[7] feature,  a large photograph of a topless, bare-breasted female glamour model which was usually published on the print edition's third page. The Page 3 feature first appeared in the newspaper on 17 November 1970 and on the official Page 3 website since June 1999, where it still continues. The terms "Page 3" and "Page Three" are registered trademarks of News UK, parent company of The Sun, although the feature has been imitated in Britain's other 'red top' tabloids and by newspapers internationally. Page 3 was popular with Sun readers, but it also attracted sustained controversy. Critics argued that Page 3 objectifies and demeans women, while others believe that it should not appear in a generally circulated national newspaper. Some campaigners advocated for legislation to ban Page 3, while others tried to convince newspaper editors to voluntarily drop the feature or modify it so that models no longer appear topless. The No More Page 3 campaign was launched in 2012. The Irish edition of The Sun dropped topless Page 3 models in August 2013. After several days of non-appearance, an article appeared in sister newspaper The Times on 19 January 2015 indicating that the UK editions were dropping the feature too. The 22 January 2015 edition, in what became a one-off revival, was the last to include the feature.

25d   Cancel // Times before end of issue (5)

Scratching the Surface
The Times[7] is a British daily national newspaper based in London. The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers, since 1981 a division of News UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian-born American publisher and media entrepreneur Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

26d   Periodically they arm // squad (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