Saturday, May 12, 2018 — Spending Money We Don't Got

Introduction

I made rapid progress with today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon until I was left with only two clues remaining — the interlinked pair of 4d and 10a. I must admit that it took an incredibly long period of time for the solutions to those clues to become apparent.

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.

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Across

1a   Tragically // Hip, lately, act strange (12)

PATHETICALLY* — anagram (strange) of HIP LATELY ACT

Given the circumstances, I cannot but wonder about the appropriateness of this clue.

The Tragically Hip^[7], often referred to simply as The Hip, are a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario. Following lead singer Gord Downie's diagnosis with terminal brain cancer in 2015, the band undertook a tour of Canada in support of their thirteenth album Man Machine Poem. The tour's final concert, which would ultimately be the band's last show with Downie, was held at the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston on August 20, 2016, and broadcast globally by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a cross-platform television, radio and internet streaming special. Downie died on October 17, 2017.

9a   Large stinging insect going after a // playwright (5)

A|L|BEE — {L (large; abbrev.) + BEE (stinging insect)} following (going after) A (†)

"large" = L (show explanation )

L^[5] is the abbreviation for large (as a clothes size).

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Edward Albee^[5], (1928–2016) was an American playwright. He was initially associated with the Theatre of the Absurd, but Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) marked a more naturalistic departure.

10a   Breaking // string with metallic sound (9)

VIOLA|TING — VIOLA (string [instrument]) + (with) TING (metallic sound)

11a   Stringing // object around study (9)

TH(READ)ING — THING (object) containing (around) READ (study)

Here and There

Read[3] could be considered to be a synonym for study in a general sense meaning to discern and interpret the nature or significance of through close examination or sensitive observation? ⇒ The tracker read the trail for signs of game. However, in Britain, read[5] specifically means to study (an academic subject) at a university ⇒ (i) I’m reading English at Cambridge; (ii) he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language lists read[3] in this sense as to study or make a study of ⇒ read history as an undergraduate with no indication of it being a British usage. On the other hand, the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary clearly makes note that this is a British usage, defining read[11] as (British) to study (a subject), as at university.

12a   A rebel’s first kid/’s/ burning desire? (5)

A|R|SON — A (†) + R (Rebel's first [initial letter]) + SON (kid)

A cryptic definition ...

13a   When overheard, cluster of notes // disheartened? (5)

CORED~ — sounds like (when overheard) CHORD (cluster of notes)

... followed closely by a second.

15a   Border shrubs // where dogs snarled (9)

HEDGEROWS* — anagram (snarled) of WHERE DOGS

17a   100 active suggestions about 500 // finishes (9)

C|ON|CLU(D)ES — C ([Roman numeral for] 100) + ON (active) + CLUES (suggestions) containing (about) D ([Roman numeral for] 500)

19a   Fold // left in gardening material (5)

P(L)EAT — L (left) contained in (in) PEAT (gardening material)

21a   Deserter and I with love // relationship (5)

RAT|I|O — RAT (deserter) + (and) I (†) + (with) O (love; nil score in tennis)

22a   Nova Scotia island // goons invested in TV medium (4,5)

C(APE S)ABLE — APES (goons) contained in (invested in) CABLE (TV medium)

Cape Sable Island^[7], locally referred to as Cape Island, is a small Canadian island at the southernmost point of the Nova Scotia peninsula. The island is situated in Shelburne County south of Barrington Head, separated from the mainland by the narrow strait of Barrington Passage, but has been connected since 1949 by a causeway.

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Note: Cape Sable Island should not to be confused with Sable Island^[7], a small Canadian island situated 300 km (190 mi) southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and about 175 km (109 mi) southeast of the closest point of mainland Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Ocean. Notable for the Sable Island horse, the island is protected and managed by Parks Canada, which must first grant permission before anyone may visit.

24a   Wild fiesta can // be engrossing (9)

FASCINATE* — anagram (wild) of FIESTA CAN

25a   Buckwheat stuff // in Luka’s hamburger (5)

_KAS|HA_ — hidden in (in) LuKAS HAmburger

In the English language, kasha^[7] is a term for buckwheat^*. In Central and Eastern Europe, kasha^** is a dish made of any kind of grains boiled in water or milk, i.e. a porridge.

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^* The word generally refers to roasted whole-grain buckwheat or buckwheat groats (kernals that have been either hulled or hulled and coarsely crushed).
^** The plural is kashi which. although often treated in English as a singular form, literally means 'porridges'.

26a   Star Trek actor // cracked, “I’m only a drone” (7,5)

{LEONARD NIMOY}* — anagram (cracked) of IM ONLY A DRONE

Leonard Nimoy^[7] (1931–2015) was an American actor known for his role as Mr. Spock of the Star Trek franchise, a character he portrayed in television and film from a pilot episode shot in late 1964 to his final film performance released in 2013.

Down

1d   Artificial and insincere // movie about the Spanish saint (7)

P(LA|ST)IC — PIC (movie) containing (about) {LA (the Spanish; feminine form of the Spanish definite article) + ST (saint; abbrev.)}

2d   Root /for/ brute, oddly (5)

TUBER* — anagram (oddly) of BRUTE

3d   Something precious // in ephemeral designs (7)

_EMERAL|D_ — hidden in (in) ephEMERAL Designs

4d   Oral attack // was reproaching (9)

INVEIGHED~ — sounds like (oral) INVADE (attack)

5d   Next to // a pine (5)

A|LONG — A (†) + LONG (pine; yearn)

6d   Damaged ale keg: a /result of/ a spill? (7)

LEAKAGE* — anagram (damaged) ALE KEG A

Is leakage defined by "a spill" or the "result of a spill"? After reflection, I have chosen the former which means that "result of" must be a link phrase joining the wordplay to the definition.

7d   Before jab, young lady // said the wrong thing (8)

MISS|POKE — MISS (young lady) preceding (before) POKE (jab)

8d   Representatives, // while occupied by fellow (6)

A(GENT)S — AS (while) containing (occupied by) GENT (fellow)

14d   Radical is strong /and/ game (4,4)

{RING TOSS}* — anagram (radical) of IS STRONG

16d   Dee and I drain fruit, /and/ leave (9)

D|I|SAP|PEAR — D (dee) + (and) I (†) +SAP (drain) + PEAR (fruit)

17d   Worry about a false // vessel on the dinner table (6)

CAR(A|F)E — CARE (worry) containing (about) {A (†) + F (false)}

18d   Remark about long span // of some cats (7)

L(EON)INE — LINE (remark) containing (about) EON (long span)

19d   Aggressively encourage family // writer (7)

PUSH|KIN — PUSH (aggressively encourage) + KIN (family)

Aleksandr Pushkin^[5] (1799–1837) was a Russian poet, novelist, and playwright. He wrote prolifically in many genres; his first success was the romantic narrative poem Ruslan and Ludmilla (1820). Other notable works include the verse novel Eugene Onegin (1833) and the blank-verse historical drama Boris Godunov (1831).

20d   Treatment // talk taken in by those folks (7)

THE(RAP)Y — RAP (talk) contained in (taken by) THEY (those folk)

22d   Broken china // pieces linked together (5)

CHAIN* — anagram (broken) of CHINA

23d   Piece of silver in kind of box /or/ chest (5)

BO(S)OM — S (piece [initial letter] of Silver) contained in (in) BOOM (kind of box)

A boom box^[5] is a large portable radio and cassette player capable of powerful sound.

Epilogue

It was difficult to find a theme in today's puzzle. After weighing the options, I settled on the (1d, 20d) symmetric pairing, imagining that "plastic therapy" (the phrase that this clue pairing generates) might denote "retail therapy" on credit.

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