Friday, December 29, 2017 — DT 28539

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28539
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, September 22, 2017
Setter Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28539]
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

As is the case more often than not, the fact that this puzzle is a pangram^* completely escaped my notice.

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^* a puzzle in which the solutions to the clues include at least one occurrence of every letter of the alphabet

In the UK, a different version of clue 16a appeared on the Telegraph Puzzles website replacing the version which appeared in the printed edition of the paper. On Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Giovanni (the setter of the puzzle) explains in a response to Comment #14 why clues sometime differ on the various platforms on which a puzzle appears.

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   Author /has/ dreamy eye movements, taken aback by little sparrow? (8)

This clue proved to be a tour de force of deduction in that I managed to come up with the correct solution despite being unfamiliar with the British writer and not knowing the origin of the name of the French singer.

Rapid eye movement^[10] (abbreviation REM) is the movement of the eyeballs under closed eyelids during paradoxical sleep^*, which occurs while the sleeper is dreaming.

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^* Paradoxical sleep^[10] is sleep that appears to be deep but that is characterized by a brain wave pattern similar to that of wakefulness, rapid eye movements, and heavier breathing.

Édith Piaf^[7] (1915–1963) was a French cabaret singer, songwriter, and actress who became widely regarded as France's national chanteuse, as well as being one of France's greatest international stars. Her songs included ‘La Vie en rose’ and ‘Je ne regrette rien’.

Piaf was born Édith Giovanna Gassion. In 1935, she was discovered by nightclub owner Louis Leplée who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness, which, combined with her height of only 142 centimetres (4 ft 8 in), inspired him to give her the nickname that would stay with her for the rest of her life and serve as her stage name, La Môme Piaf (Paris slang meaning "The Waif Sparrow" or "The Little Sparrow").

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^* môme^[8] and piaf^[8] are the French words for 'waif (kid, tyke, gamin)' and 'sparrow' respectively

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George Meredith^[7] (1828– 1909) was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times.

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The question mark in the clue is likely an indication that we are not literally looking for a bird.

5a   British party-goer // taking more risks? (6)

The question mark denotes that "taking more risks" might indicate this quality. On the other hand, it could just show that the individual is more foolish.

9a   To attract support /is/ a problem (8)

10a   This as PM begins /to make/ changes (6)

The first part of the clue is a cryptic definition of what happens at noon. (show explanation )

At noon, AM ends and PM begins.

hide explanation

12a   Army officer comes to old American city // where people have settled (6)

13a   Petitions // regarding hunts (8)

15a   Powerfully persuasive // wife just into ninth decade (7)

When one turns eighty, they complete their eighth decade and begin their ninth.

16a   Man of paradox /seen as/ some brazen opportunist (4)

Zeno^[5] (fl. 5th century BC) was a Greek philosopher. A member of the Eleatic school, he defended Parmenides' theories by formulating paradoxes which appeared to demonstrate the impossibility of motion, one of which shows that once Achilles has given a tortoise a start he can never overtake it, since each time he arrives where it was, it has already moved on.

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This version of the clue was replaced on the Telegraph Puzzles website with the following:

• Buddhist school backed by old // philosopher (4)

Zen^[10] is a Japanese school of Buddhism, of 12th-century Chinese origin, teaching that contemplation of one's essential nature to the exclusion of all else is the only way of achieving pure enlightenment.

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat informs us that this school of Buddhism is sometimes linked with the art of motorcycle maintenance. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values[7] (ZAMM), by American writer and philosopher Robert M. Pirsig (1928–2017), is a book that was first published in 1974. It is a work of fictionalized autobiography, and is the first of Pirsig's texts in which he explores his Metaphysics of Quality. The title is an apparent play on the title of the book Zen in the Art of Archery by German philosopher Eugen Herrigel (1884–1955). In its introduction, Pirsig explains that, despite its title, "it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It's not very factual on motorcycles, either."

20a   Unopened Hungarian wine /gets/ an endorsement (4)

Tokay^[5] is a sweet aromatic wine, originally made near Tokaj in Hungary.

21a   Front of cathedral has gold -- pleasant // architectural feature (7)

"gold" = OR (show explanation )

Or^[5] is gold or yellow, as a heraldic tincture.

In heraldry, a tincture^[5] is any of the conventional colours (including the metals and stains, and often the furs) used in coats of arms.

hide explanation

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A cornice^[5] is:

• an ornamental moulding round the wall of a room just below the ceiling
• a horizontal moulded projection crowning a building or structure, especially the uppermost member of the entablature of an order, surmounting the frieze

25a   Poor /and/ holy, albeit dancing around (8)

Pi^[5] is an informal British short form for pious.

26a   Republic/'s/ old coin (6)

Guinea^[5] is a country on the west coast of Africa. Part of a feudal Fulani empire from the 16th century, Guinea was colonized by France, becoming part of French West Africa. It became an independent republic in 1958.

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Historically, the guinea^[5] was a former British gold coin that was first minted in 1663 from gold imported from West Africa, with a value that was later fixed at 21 shillings. It was replaced by the sovereign from 1817.

28a   A drink for you and your companions // in the vicinity (6)

29a   Embarrassed performer /gets/ one to change script (8)

30a   Settle comfortably /in/ Swiss company (6)

Nestlé S.A.^[5] is a Swiss transnational food and drink company headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. Since 2014, it has been the largest food company in the world, measured by revenues and other metrics.

31a   Products from sewers (8)

Down

1d   Famous family /producing/ two-thirds of pharmaceutical products (6)

Medici^[5] (also de' Medici) is the name of a powerful Italian family of bankers and merchants whose members effectively ruled Florence for much of the 15th century and from 1569 were grand dukes of Tuscany. Cosimo and Lorenzo de’ Medici were notable rulers and patrons of the arts in Florence; the family also provided four popes (including Leo X) and two queens of France (Catherine de’ Medici and Marie de Médicis).

2d   Drug smuggled into meeting? // That surprises me! (6)

Ecstasy = "E" (show explanation )

E^[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy^* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i) people have died after taking E; (ii) being busted with three Es can lead to stiff penalties.

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^* Ecstasy^[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).

hide explanation

While one might infer the the question mark signals that an example of a drug is needed, its might merely be included to enhance the surface reading of the clue. The exclamation mark indicates that he the solution is, in fact, an exclamation.

3d   Exposed, /being/ removed from bed? (8)

The cryptic nature of the second definition is flagged by the question mark.

4d   Food parcel // that a company wraps (4)

6d   Strengthen // little dog after appearance of aggressive male beast? (4,2)

7d   One hiding in front building // disappeared (8)

8d   Group of stores is to retail // electrical component (8)

A resistor^[5] is a device having resistance to the passage of an electric current.

11d   In Paris the first person with smart // ridicule? (7)

Je^[8] is a French pronoun meaning 'I'.

The question may indicate that jesting could — but does not necessarily — constitute ridicule.

14d   One French city with soldiers leaving // base (7)

My deductive skills failed me here even though one might think that this would be an easier solve than 1a. Although I had identified the correct soldiers, for some reason I became hung up on the bizarre notion that the French city must begin with the letters "Ag...". However, it took merely a gentle nudge from my electronic assistants to set me back on the right track.

Grenoble^[7] is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. It was the site of the 1968 Winter Olympic Games.

"soldiers" = OR (show explanation )

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks^[5] (abbreviation OR^[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

hide explanation

17d   Grumble // when evening service is cut short, penning article (8)

Compline^[5] is a service of evening prayers forming part of the Divine Office of the Western Christian Church, traditionally said (or chanted) before retiring for the night.

18d   Warring groups maybe /in/ loud battles (8)

"loud" = F (show explanation )

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

hide explanation

The word "maybe" is included in the definition as factions may — or may not — be "warring groups". They may merely be groups holding different points of view without feeling the need to resort to physical violence to impose those views on others.

19d   Resident /giving/ muddled account about parking (8)

"parking" = P

22d   Sensual // dipper's bottom visible in waterway (6)

This, I thought, is a clue worthy of RayT.

Scratching the Surface
The dipper[5] is a short-tailed songbird related to the wrens, frequenting fast-flowing streams and able to swim, dive, and walk under water to feed.

23d   Bit /of/ a lift (6)

A snatch^[5] is a fragment of song or talk ⇒ picking up snatches of conversation.

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In weightlifting, snatch^[5] denotes the the rapid raising of a weight from the floor to above the head in one movement.

24d   Mum needing doctor when /in/ Indian city (6)

Madras^[5] is the former name (until 1995) for Chennai^[5], a seaport on the eastern coast of India and capital of the state of Tamil Nadu.

27d   Modern message // that is extracted from the Bible? (4)

A text^[5] is a passage from the Bible or other religious work, especially when used as the subject of a sermon.

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