Wednesday, May 23, 2018 — DT 28642

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28642
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, January 22, 2018
Setter Mister Ron (Chris Lancaster)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28642]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Miffypops
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

Today's puzzle from Mister Ron definitely has a different flavour than a Rufus puzzle.

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.

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   The old man's fur /is/ okay (8)

Sable^[5] is the fur of a marten with a short tail and dark brown fur, native to Japan and Siberia and valued for its fur.

6a   Surprise // a married former President (6)

This clue could refer to either of two former US Presidents:

• George Bush^[5] was the 41st President of the US, serving one term from 1989–93.
• His son, George W. Bush^[5] was the 43rd President of the US, serving two terms from 2001–09.

9a   Little woman on the bottle /is/ cheerful (6)

Little Women^[7] is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), which was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. The novel follows the lives of four sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March—detailing their passage from childhood to womanhood, and is loosely based on the author and her three sisters. Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts.

10a   Actor in a play /getting/ protection from cats and dogs? (8)

An allusion to the expression "rain cats and dogs"^[5].

11a   If this rule is transgressed, it's the player's fault (8)

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops gives no evidence that he twigged to the significance of the word "rule".

A rule^[3] is a thin straight line — customarily found on paper but here on a tennis court.

In tennis, volleyball, and other games, a baseline^[5] is the line marking each end of a court.

In tennis, squash, and similar games, a foot fault^[5] is an infringement of the rules made by overstepping the baseline when serving.

12a   You look, we hear, /for/ African country (6)

The word "gander" (), when pronounced in a non-rhotic (show explanation ) accent typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain, sounds like "ganda".

Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.

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Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa.

13a   After setback, setter perhaps grasps anagram of pedometer /as/ easy to get on with (4-8)

16a   My // incendiary instruction (6,1,5)

Strike a light^[5] is a dated informal British expression of surprise, dismay, or alarm ⇒ cor^*, strike a light, he's a crazy geezer and no mistake!.

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^* Cor^[5] is an informal British exclamation expressing surprise, excitement, admiration, or alarm ⇒ Cor! That‘s a beautiful black eye you’ve got!.

19a   Reluctant to put on church // robe (6)

Loth is a variant spelling of loath^[5].

"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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21a   Track // force (8)

From a British^* perspective, railroad^[5] is a North American term for railway.

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^* From a Canadian perspective, one could say that railroad is a US term for railway. Canada's major rail companies are Canadian Pacific Railway^[7] (CPR) and Canadian National Railway^[7] (CNR). I grew up in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia which was served by the Dominion Atlantic Railway^[7] (DAR). Nevertheless, due to the persuasive influence of US media in Canada, Canadians are likely to use the terms "railway" and "railroad" virtually interchangeably.

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As a verb, railroad^[5] is an informal term^* meaning to rush or coerce (someone) into doing something ⇒ she hesitated, unwilling to be railroaded into a decision.

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^* I note with interest that while the noun is considered by Brits to be a North American term, that does not seem to be the case for the verb.

23a   Flamboyant performer must have time for clubs, /being/ free (8)

Liberace^[5] (1919–1987) was an American pianist and entertainer; full name Wladziu Valentino Liberace. He was known for his romantic arrangements of popular piano classics and for his flamboyant costumes.

"clubs" = C (show explanation )

Clubs^[2] (abbreviation C^[1]) is one of the four suits of playing-cards.

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24a   Revise /and/ rearrange a duet to include piano (6)

"piano" = P (show explanation )

Piano^[3,5] (abbreviation p^[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

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25a   New // journalist follows posh students (6)

"posh" = 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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The National Union of Students^[7] (NUS) is a confederation of students’ unions in the United Kingdom.

26a   On the course, it's 18 /and/ dry (8)

Down

2d   Left bouquet upside-down? /That's/ wrong! (6)

3d   Meet about trendy // French banker (5)

Banker is a whimsical Crosswordland term for a river — something that has banks. After all, if a tanker has tanks then does it not logically follow that a banker has banks.

The Seine^[5] is a river of northern France. Rising north of Dijon, it flows north-westwards for 761 km (473 miles), through the cities of Troyes and Paris to the English Channel near Le Havre.

4d   Aggressive // black beagle finally upset collies (9)

"black" = B (show explanation )

B^[5] is an abbreviation for black used in describing grades of pencil lead ⇒ 2B pencils.

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5d   Sincere // answer received by Hemingway? (7)

Ernest Hemingway^[5] (1899–1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist (show more ).

Hemingway achieved success with The Sun Also Rises (1926), which reflected the disillusionment of the post-war ‘lost generation’. Other notable works: A Farewell to Arms (1929), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), and The Old Man and the Sea (1952, Pulitzer Prize 1953). He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.

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6d   'Farewell' // bill island's presented by Brussels (5)

Brussels^[5] (the capital of Belgium) is also considered the de facto capital of the European Union^[7], having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union within its European Quarter. The EU has no official capital, and no plans to declare one, but Brussels hosts the official seats of the European Commission, Council of the European Union, and European Council, as well as a seat (officially the second seat but de facto the most important one) of the European Parliament.

Just as Ottawa, Washington, and London are used as metonyms for the Canadian, US, and UK governments respectively, Brussels serves as a metonym for the EU.

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Adieu^[5] (from French: 'goodbye' or 'farewell') is a chiefly literary term that means:

• (exclamation) goodbye
• (noun) a goodbye ⇒ he whispered a fond adieu

Scratching the Surface
The surface reading of the clue alludes to the penalty incurred by Britain (an island) to exit the EU.

7d   Work as butcher /in/ city (9)

Bucharest^[5] is the capital of Romania. It was founded in the 14th century on the trade route between Europe and Constantinople.

8d   Covered // seat occupied by wife and daughter (8)

"daughter" = D (show explanation )

In genealogies, d^[5] is the abbreviation for daughter ⇒ Henry m. Georgina 1957, 1s 2d^*.

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^* Henry married Georgina in 1957. Their marriage produced 1 son and 2 daughters.

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13d   One student wearing yellow /is/ innocent (9)

"student" = L (show explanation )

The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate^[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.

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14d   Model tug made in // scale (9)

15d   Hold up what might be charged /for/ ride (8)

17d   Most enormous // rat's leg, broken (7)

18d   Phrase repeated again and again // in Roman tragedy (6)

Originally in Hinduism and Buddhism, a mantra^[5] was a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation ⇒ a mantra is given to a trainee meditator when his teacher initiates him. The word has come to mean a statement or slogan repeated frequently ⇒ the environmental mantra that energy has for too long been too cheap.

20d   Animal from Africa /seen in/ European region (5)

The eland^[5] is a large spiral-horned African antelope which lives in open woodland and grassland.

22d   Set that's home to 1, 2, 3 and 4? (5)

BBC Radio^[7] 1, 2, 3, and 4 are national radio stations of the British Broadcasting Corporation. In addition to these, the BBC operates a number of other local, regional and specialty stations as well as the BBC World Service.

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