Saturday, March 24, 2018 — By Road or Rail

Introduction

For the most part, today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon was completed quickly. However, I was left at the end with a handful of clues that required some intense mental effort to parse.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

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 █ - yet to be solved

Click here for an explanation of conventions and symbols used in explaining the parsing of clues.

The purpose of this article is to explain the conventions and symbols that I use on this blog in explaining the parsing of clues.

Legend: The following symbols are used in reviews: "*" anagram "~" sounds like "<" indicates that the preceding letters are reversed "( )" encloses contained letters "_" replaces letters that have been deleted "†" indicates that the word is present in the clue

The review of a clue takes the following general structure:

#a/d   Clue containing parsing markup (num^*)

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^* num = numeration

Explanations pertaining to the wordplay (or first definition in a double definition)

(Horizontal separator)

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Explanations pertaining to the definition (or second definition in a double definition) and solution.

Explanatory Box

An explanatory box provides additional information about the clue. In most cases this information will not necessarily help in solving the clue but provides information about the clue. In the case of the weekday syndicated Daily Telegraph puzzles, such information is often intended to help the North American solver appreciate how the clue may be perceived by a British solver. These boxes may also provide information on people, places, films, television programmes, works of art and literature, etc. mentioned in the clue. Although the titles of these boxes will usually be drawn from a standard list, I do occasionally throw in a title specifically suggested by the subject at hand. The standard titles include: Scratching the Surface - an explanation of the surface reading of the clue Delving Deeper - in-depth information pertaining to a subject mentioned in an explanation Behind the Picture - for weekday puzzles, information about an illustration found on Big Dave's Crossword Blog What did he/she/they say? - for weekday puzzles, an explanation of a remark made in a review or comment on Big Dave's Crossword Blog What are they talking about? - for weekday puzzles, an explanation of a discussion on Big Dave's Crossword Blog One box that may provide information that could prove helpful in solving the clue is the following: Here and There - for weekday puzzles, discusses words whose British meaning differs from their North American meaning

Note that there are many types of cryptic crossword clue and it is not my intention to exhaustively go through all of them here. I will only deal with clue types to the extent necessary to explain the conventions and symbols used on the blog. Furthermore, be aware that, in the world of cryptic crosswords, there seems to be an exception to every rule.

With one exception that I can think of, cryptic crossword clues provide two routes to the solution. These are commonly referred to as the definition and wordplay. While these terms serve well for most clues, there are some cases where the more formal terms of primary indication and subsidiary indication may be more appropriate.

Most cryptic crossword clues consist of a definition (primary indication) and wordplay (subsidiary indication). The definition may be a "precise definition" (a definition that is either taken straight from a dictionary or at least phrased in a non-misleading fashion) or it may be a "cryptic definition" (a definition misleadingly phrased so as to misdirect the solver either with respect to the meaning of the definition as a whole or to an incorrect sense of a word used in the definition).

The only type of clue that I can think of where there are not two ways of finding the solution are those in which the entire clue is a cryptic definition.

I identify precise definitions by marking them with a solid underline in the clue and cryptic definitions by marking them with a dotted underline.

In clues in which both definition and wordplay are present, the two parts of the clue combine to provide an overall meaningful statement (the surface reading) which usually bears no relationship to the underlying cryptic reading of the clue. In some cases, an extra word or phrase will be inserted into the clue to create a meaningful link between the definition and wordplay. I define clues which contain such a link word or link phrase as having an explicit link and clues which contain no link word or link phrase as having an implicit link.

I mark the existence of an explicit link by enclosing the link word or link phrase between forward slashes (/link/) and mark the existence of an implicit link with double forward slashes (//) positioned between the definition and wordplay.

Examples

A few examples may help to illustrate these points more clearly.

The first example is a clue used by Jay in DT 28573:

• 4d   Fellow left work // a failure (4)

Here the definition is "a failure" which is marked with a solid underline to show that it is a precise definition. The wordplay parses as F (fellow; abbrev.) + L (left; abbrev.) + OP (work; abbrev. used in music) which gives us the solution F|L|OP. The double forward slashes (//) between the definition and wordplay indicate the existence of an "implicit link" between the two parts of the clue (that is, no extra words are inserted into the clue to form the link).

The second example is a clue used by Giovanni in DT 28575:

• 29a   Female going to match // travels with mother in advance (10)

Here the definition "female going to match" is cryptic (the setter is attempting to misdirect our thoughts to a sports event rather than a marriage ceremony) and thus is marked with a a dotted underline. The wordplay is {RIDES (travels) + (with) MA (mother)} contained in (in) BID (advance) giving us the solution B(RIDES|MA)ID. As in the first example, the double forward slashes indicate the presence of an implicit link.

The third example is a clue used by Rufus is DT 28583:

• 18d   Knight caught by misplaced big blow /is/ staggering (8)

Here the definition is "staggering" which is marked with a solid underline to show that it is a precise definition. The wordplay parses as N ([chess symbol for] knight) contained in (caught in) an anagram (misplaced) of BIG BLOW producing the solution WOBBLI(N)G. Finally, forward slashes mark the link word (/is/).

I also use distinctive underlining to mark &lit.^[7] and semi-&lit. clues. Note that the reviewers on Big Dave's Crossword Blog generally prefer to refer to these clue types by the less pretentious names of all-in-one or semi-all-in-one clues respectively.

In an &lit. clue^[7] (or 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 future, I will mark such clues with a combined solid and dashed underline. Although this is a departure from past practice, it would seem to make more sense than using a dotted underline as I have in the past). Henceforth, the dotted underline will be reserved for cryptic definitions.

In a semi-&lit. clue (or semi-all-in-one clue), either:

• the entire clue acts as the definition while a portion of the clue provides the wordplay; or
• the entire clue acts as the wordplay while a portion of the clue provides the definition.

For these clues, I will mark the definition with a solid underline and the wordplay with a  dashed underline. This means that a portion of the clue may have a solid underline, a portion of the clue may have a dashed underline and a portion of the clue may have a combined solid and dashed underline.

One final clue type is what I characterize as a cryptic definition comprised of a precise definition combined with cryptic elaboration. For example, in DT 28560 (setter unknown) the following clue appears:

•  26d   Heroic exploit, whichever way you look at it (4)

As the entire clue is a cryptic definition, it is marked with a dotted underline. The 'precise definition' is "heroic exploit" and is indicated by a solid underline.

Given the numeration, the precise definition could give rise to at least two solutions, DEED or FEAT. However, the 'cryptic elaboration' ("whichever way you look at it") indicates that the solution is a palindrome thereby immediately eliminating one of the two obvious choices.

Note that the part of the clue that I have called 'cryptic elaboration' does not provide a second independent route to the solution (as the wordplay would do in most other types of clue). Rather it merely provides a piece of additional information (elaboration) related to the 'precise definition'.

Again, this approach is a departure from past practice, but like the other changes mentioned previously is intended to remove inconsistencies in the way that I have been applying parsing markup to clues. The markup rules that I have been using until now evolved bit-by-bit over a long period of time resulting in some degree of internal inconsistency.

hide explanation

Across

1a   Sedan, if convertible, // gradually appears (5,2)

{FADES IN}* — anagram (convertible) of SEDAN IF

5a   A road trip’s beginning in spring /for/ non-convertible (7)

H(A|RD|T)OP — {A (†) + RD (road; abbrev.) + T (Trip's beginning [initial letter]) contained in (in) HOP (spring)

9a   Mark catches corner “T” // trolley (9)

S(TREE|T)CAR — SCAR (mark) containing (catches) {TREE (corner; verb meaning to force into a difficult situation) + T (†)}

10a   Jalopy/’s/ average speed (5)

C|RATE — C (average [academic rating]) + RATE (speed)

11a   Crumpled bag containing poem /in/ wine shop (6)

B(ODE)GA* — anagram (crumpled) of BAG containing (†) ODE (poem)

A bodega^[5] is a cellar or shop selling wine and food, especially in a Spanish-speaking country or area.

12a   Continues on // both sides of personnel lists (8)

PERS_ISTS — the initial four letters and the final four letters of (both sides of) PERSonnel lISTS

14a   Pine products destined for Georgia sway back and forth on // old vehicle (9,5)

CONES|TO|GA| WAG|ON — CONES (pine products) + TO (destined for) + GA (Georgia; abbrev.) + WAG (sway back and forth) + ON (†)

The Conestoga wagon^[7] is a heavy, covered wagon that was used extensively during the late eighteenth century, and the nineteenth century, in the eastern United States and Canada.

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Origin: The Conestoga wagon^[5] takes its name from the town of Conestoga in Pennsylvania.

Delving Deeper

The Conestoga wagon was large enough to transport loads up to 6 tons (5.4 metric tons), and was drawn by horses, mules, or oxen. It was designed to help keep its contents from moving about when in motion and to aid it in crossing rivers and streams, though it sometimes leaked unless caulked. The term Conestoga wagon refers specifically to this type of vehicle; it is not a generic term for "covered wagon". The wagons used in the westward expansion of the United States were, for the most part, ordinary farm wagons fitted with canvas covers. A true Conestoga wagon was too heavy for use on the prairies.

17a   Truck // locator taking wrong form of transportation (7-7)

TRAC(TOR T|RAIL)ER — TRACER (locator) containing (taking) {TORT (wrong) + RAIL (form of transportation)}

21a   Come across // Vera in orchestra (8)

O(VERA)RCH — VERA (†) contained in (in) ORCH (orchestra; abbrev.)

22a   Correct // cord held by pair (6)

P(ROPE)R — ROPE (cord) contained in (held by) PR (pair; abbrev.)

25a   Trolleys // hurt when put in reverse (5)

TRAMS< — reversal (when put in reverse) of SMART (hurt)

Trolleys also make a mark when crashed (4)

26a   Murmurs about illicit whisky // trains (4-5)

C(HOOCH)OOS — COOS (murmurs) containing (about) HOOCH (illicit whisky)

Nice to see the Canadian spelling of whisky respected by the setters — if not by the Google spellchecker.

27a   Jellyfish // made Sue mad (7)

MEDUSAE — anagram (mad) of MADE SUE

The long answer is that a medusa^[5] (plural medusas or medusae) is a free-swimming sexual form of a coelenterate such as a jellyfish, typically having an umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles around the edge. In some species, medusae are a phase in the life cycle which alternates with a polypoid phase.

The short answer is that a medusa^[5] is a jellyfish.

28a   Souped-up racers // walked, amid laughs (3,4)

HO(T ROD)S — TROD (walked) contained in (amid) HOS (laughs)

Down

1d   Hog cut around small, // aerodynamic auto (8)

FA(S)TBACK — FATBACK (hog cut; cut of meat from a hog) containing (around) S (small; abbrev. found on clothing labels)

Fatback is a US^[12] or North American^[5] term for fat from the upper part of a side of pork, especially when dried and salted in strips.

2d   Initially determined a signal to stop // was bold enough (5)

D|A|RED — D (initially determined; initial letter of Determined) + A (†) + RED (signal to stop)

3d   So to speak, cracks up // vehicles in snow (7)

SLEIGHS~ — sounds like (so to speak) SLAYS (cracks up; causes an audience to laugh uproariously)

4d   Faldo/’s/ scratch (4)

NICK — double definition; the first being English professional golfer Nick Faldo^[7]

5d   Orchestras playing /for/ buggies, perhaps (5,5)

{HORSE CARTS}* — anagram (playing) of ORCHESTRAS

6d   Passenger of Patrick’s has // human-powered vehicle (7)

_RICKS|HA_ — hidden in (passenger of) PatRICKS HAs

Ricksha is an alternate spelling of rickshaw^[5].

7d   Fungal growth // drifting to old oats (9)

TOADSTOOL* — anagram (drifting) of TO OLD OATS

8d   Kindly // pass rental agreement (6)

P|LEASE — P (pass; academic result in a pass/fail grading system) + LEASE (rental agreement)

13d   Upset, come to cry about girl’s last // bike (10)

MOTORCYC(L)E* — anagram (upset) of COME TO CRY containing (about) L (girL's last [final letter])

15d   Ladies hurry back, including one // nanny (9)

{NUR|SEMA(I)D}< — reversal (back) of {DAMES (ladies) + RUN (hurry)} containing (including) I ([Roman numeral for] one)

16d   1000 in checks /for/ some supporters (8)

AR(M)RESTS — M ([Roman numeral for] 1000) contained in (in) ARRESTS (checks)

Scratching the Surface

The surface reading works better for a US audience as it uses the US spelling for what I presume is intended to be a financial instrument instructing a bank to pay a stated amount from the drawer's bank account. Were one to use the proper Canadian spelling, the surface reading of the clue would become 1000 in cheques for some supporters and the clue would simply not work. Of course, Canadians are so inundated with US media that most of us are not likely to have any trouble understanding the surface reading.

18d   Pursuits involving island/’s/ carriages (7)

CHA(I)SES — CHASES (pursuits) containing (involving) I (island; abbrev. found on maps)

Historically, a chaise^[5] was a horse-drawn carriage for one or two people, typically one with an open top and two wheels.

19d   Orange-yellow, // mostly tropical bananas (7)

APRICOT* — anagram (bananas) of TROPICA[L] (mostly; all but the final letter)

20d   Seat // two tenors amid thunderous noise (6)

BO(T|T)OM — {T + T} (two tenors) contained in (amid) BOOM (thunderous noise)

23d   Hype // dance band? (5)

PROM|O — PROM (dance) + O (band; letter that looks like a [wedding] band)

Here and There

For the benefit of any British readers who might be reading this, prom[5] is a North American term for a ball or formal dance at a school or college, especially one held at the end of the academic year for students who are in their final year. For North American readers, in Britain, prom[5] (short for promenade) might mean either: a paved* public walk, typically one along the seafront at a resort a concert of classical music at which part of the audience stands, in particular one of a series of concerts performed annually at the Royal Albert Hall in London * in the UK, paved[5] denotes surfaced with paving stones or bricks — not asphalt

24d   Heartless trap /for/ insect (4)

MO_TH — MO[U]TH (trap; slang) with the middle letter (heart) removed

Epilogue

Today's puzzle features many forms of transportation that have been in use at various times over the last few centuries.

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)
^[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)

Signing off for today — Falcon