Wednesday, January 17, 2018 — DT 28552

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28552
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, October 7, 2017
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28552 – Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28552 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Big Dave (Hints) crypticsue (Review)
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
As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review.

Introduction

Depending on whether you side with crypticsue or with many of those who comment at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, this puzzle may — or may not — be easier than those of the last couple of days. I did think that the setter may, at times, have pushed the boundaries of cryptic licence.

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   Like amateur in church, primarily (4)

This clue is at least a semi-all-in-one — if not a full-fledged all-in-one. There is no doubt that the entire clue provides the wordplay (dashed underline). I have conservatively marked only a portion of the clue as the definition (solid underline) making the clue a semi-all-in-one. However, should one believe the entire clue to be the definition, then the clue would be a true all-in-one.

Laic^[5] (adjective) is a formal term denoting of the laity or secular.

3a   Bar bowler /for/ match between close rivals (5,5)

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

Here and There
Bowler[5] (also bowler hat) is the British name for a man’s hard felt hat with a round dome-shaped crown. The North American name for this item of apparel is derby[5] — said to arise from American demand for a hat of the type worn at the Epsom Derby*. * a prestigious British horse race — not to mention a major event on the British social calendar

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This is a match between rivals who are geographically close.

Derby^[2] (also local derby) is a British term for a race or a sports event or contest, especially a contest between teams from the same area.

Scratching the Surface
The surface reading is an allusion to cricket where a bowler[5] is member of the fielding side who bowls or is bowling — bowling[7] being  the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman.

8a   Someone going mad /put/ butter on signalling device (8)

Butter is a whimsical cryptic crossword term for an uncastrated male sheep.

9a   Friend/'s/ stable occupation (6)

Mucker^[5] is an informal British term for a friend or companion ⇒ we felt like old muckers.

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A mucker^[5] is a person who removes dirt and waste, especially from mines or stables.

10a   Fight against // doctor in Ulster, perhaps (6)

"doctor" = MB (show explanation )

In Britain, the degree required to practice medicine is a Bachelor of Medicine^[7] (MB, from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus), which is equivalent to a North American Doctor of Medicine (MD, from Latin Medicinae Doctor). The degree of Doctor of Medicine also exists in Britain, but it is an advanced degree pursued by those who wish to go into medical research. Physicians in Britain are still addressed as Dr. despite not having a doctoral degree. 

hide explanation

An ulster^[5] is a man’s long, loose overcoat of rough cloth, typically with a belt at the back.

Scratching the Surface

Properly Ulster[10] is an area that was a province and former kingdom of northern Ireland which passed to the English Crown in 1461. Following centuries of conflict, Ulster was partitioned in 1921, with six counties [Antrim, Down, Armagh, Londonderry, Tyrone, and Fermanagh] forming Northern Ireland (a region within the United Kingdom) and three counties [Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan] joining the Republic of Ireland. Despite this, Ulster is a widely-used (albeit inaccurate) name for Northern Ireland.

11a   Jump over insects /in/ tight trousers (3,5)

Ski pants^[5] are:

• trousers worn for skiing
• women's trousers made of stretchy fabric, having tapering legs and an elastic stirrup under each foot

Here and There
I must say that it rather surprised me to find the above usage in a British dictionary. In Britain, the word pants[5] usually does not mean trousers as it does in North America. Rather, it refers to underwear — specifically men's undershorts or women's panties (the latter otherwise known as knickers[5] to the Brits). Could ski pants be an instance of American usage creeping into British English?

13a   Place for hard work /where/ someone having a row's unknown (8)

"unknown" = Y (show explanation )

In mathematics (algebra, in particular), an unknown^[10] is a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation ⇒ 3y = 4x + 5 is an equation in two unknowns. [Unknowns are customarily represented symbolically by the letters x, y and z.]

hide explanation

Although the 's is a contraction for the word 'is' in the surface reading, it assumes a different identity in the cryptic reading where it becomes a contraction for the word 'has' (a charade indicator).

14a   Expression of disgust that man's picked up /as/ Poet Laureate once (6)

Ted Hughes^[5] (1930–1998) was an English poet. His vision of the natural world as a place of violence, terror, and beauty pervades his work. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1984, a post in which he served until his death. Hughes was married to American poet Sylvia Plath.

16a   Not moving? // It's shocking (6)

19a   Fashion designers (not one English) /// supplying outfit (8)

21a   Draws // little man as going after fling, being retired (8)

Tombola^[5] is a British term for a game in which people pick tickets out of a revolving drum and certain tickets win immediate prizes, typically played at a fete^* or fair ⇒ (i) entrance includes a tombola and raffle; (ii) traditional games such as tombola or bingo.

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^* Fete^[5] (also fête) is a British term for a public function, typically held outdoors and organized to raise funds for a charity, including entertainment and the sale of goods and refreshments ⇒ a church fete.

22a   One who is hard up/'s/ written article about uranium (6)

The symbol for the chemical element uranium is U^[5].

23a   Lark about entertaining old // soldiers (6)

In her review, crypticsue — who admits to working under time pressure as a last minute sub as reviewer — manages to use the word "about" twice in her explanation. The first instance (a reversal indicator) is correct. SPORT is clued merely by "lark" rather than "lark about".

24a   Scales, perhaps, // everything back after cut (8)

Prunella Scales^[7] is an English actress perhaps best known on this side of the pond for her role as Basil Fawlty's wife Sybil in the BBC comedy Fawlty Towers. Big Dave illustrates his hint with a picture of John Cleese and Prunella Scales playing these roles.

25a   Observed // in animated dances (10)

There may be several respects in which observe and maintain could by synonymous.

In my view, the best explanation draws on the following senses of the words;

• maintain^[5] is an archaic term meaning to give one's support to or uphold ⇒ the king swears he will maintain the laws of God
• observe^[5] means to fulfil or comply with (a social, legal, ethical, or religious obligation) ⇒ a tribunal must observe the principles of natural justice

At a stretch, one might see the following meanings as being somewhat synonymous, although there would seem to be a significant difference between making a casual observation and stating a strongly-held belief:

• observe^[5] meaning to make a remark ⇒ (i) It's chilly,’ she observed; (ii) a stockbroker once observed that dealers live and work in hell 
• maintain^[5] meaning state something strongly to be the case or assert ⇒ (i) he has always maintained his innocence; (ii) he had persistently maintained that he would not stand against his old friend.

Finally, observe^[5] can mean to maintain (silence) in compliance with a rule or custom, or temporarily as a mark of respect ⇒ a minute's silence will be observed.

26a   Book // dedication of egotist (4)

Down

1d   Songwriters // call up securing one in charts (9)

2d   International sportsman with skill getting bronze -- // he enhanced many grounds (10,5)

Cap^[5] is a British term for:

• a cap awarded as a sign of membership of a particular sports team, especially a national team [a team representing a country in international competition] ⇒ he has won three caps for Scotland; or
• a player to whom a cap is awarded ⇒ a former naval officer and rugby cap.

Capability Brown^[5] (1716–1783) was an English landscape gardener; born Lancelot Brown. He evolved an English style of natural-looking landscape parks. Notable examples of his work are at Blenheim Palace, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, and Kew Gardens.

3d   Someone who's left something // Eastern accepted by ambassador (7)

Legate^[5] is an archaic term for an ambassador or messenger. In modern diplomatic circles, it would appear that a legate^[10] may be a messenger, envoy, or delegate holding less than ambassadorial rank with the possible exception of the Roman Catholic Church where the term denotes an emissary to a foreign state representing the Pope.

4d   Brief agreement raised /as/ gesture of respect (7)

5d   Stolid // politician, one accosted by drunk (7)

"politician" = MP (show explanation )

In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament^[10] (abbreviation MP^[5]) or, informally, as a member^[5].

hide explanation

I really can't see any justification for "accosted by" to be a containment indicator.

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I also find the definition to be quite a stretch.

Stolid^[5] means calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation ⇒ a stolid bourgeois gent.

Lumpish^[5] (said of a person) means stupid and lethargic ⇒ I had really been rather lumpish and dull during the drive.

6d   One being taught abroad // scanned huge text for translation (8,7)

7d   Police HQ's // measures (5)

Despite what crypticsue shows in her review, this is not a double definition but rather a charade of YARD (police HQ) + S ('s).

The Yard^[5] is an informal British term for Scotland Yard^[5], the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police, situated from 1829 to 1890 in Great Scotland Yard off Whitehall, from 1890 until 1967 in New Scotland Yard on the Thames Embankment, and from 1967 in New Scotland Yard, Westminster.

12d   Fix // match (3)

North Americans might see "match" and "tie" to be synonymous as verbs meaning 'to equal' as in In his final run, the driver was able to match the best time posted so far in the competition. However, Brits are almost certainly going to interpret the clue in a different light.

Tie^[5] is a British term meaning a sports match between two or more players or teams in which the winners proceed to the next round of the competition ⇒ Swindon Town have gained themselves a third round tie^* against Oldham.

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^* This does not mean — as a North American might suppose — that Swindon Town and Oldham played to a draw in the third round. Rather, it means that Swindon Town defeated their opponent in the second round and will move on to face Oldham in the third round.

15d   Angus turned up with mysterious // source of sweetness (5,4)

17d   Anything from Yorkshire upset // a couple (3)

In Northern English^* dialect, owt^[5] means anything ⇒ I didn't say owt.

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^* Northern England^[5] is an area that extends from Cheshire and the northern part of Lincolnshire through Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Durham, and Northumberland to the Scottish border. It is roughly that part of England that is located north of the northern coast of Wales.

18d   Ascending selection from Pat's electric // keyboard instrument (7)

A celesta^[5] is a small keyboard instrument in which felted hammers strike a row of steel plates suspended over wooden resonators, giving an ethereal bell-like sound.

19d   Comical stand-up, // collector of dirty material (7)

20d   Talk at length about // old stamp (7)

I have taken a slightly different approach than crypticsue in the way that I have marked the definition. The verb expound can be either transitive (meaning to talk at length about) or intransitive (meaning to talk at length). I would consider it to be the former as otherwise, one would have to classify the word "about" as a link word (which really does not work for me).

21d   Carry on miles -- // something regarded with awe (5)

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