Wednesday, May 9, 2018 — DT 28632

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28632
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Setter Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28632]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By 2Kiwis
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

Another fairly gentle puzzle, although perhaps a notch up in difficulty from the first two days of the week. After three days of a light workouts, methinks we may be due for sterner stuff.

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^*)

---

^* num = numeration

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

(Horizontal separator)

---

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   Confirmation // pleasure's no good? (12)

"good" = G (show explanation )

The abbreviation G^[10] for good likely relates to its use in grading school assignments or tests.

hide explanation

9a   Candidate for admission // put on last in error (9)

A postulant^[5] is a candidate, especially one seeking admission into a religious order.

10a   Use // a cover for the audience (5)

11a   Sort of job behind bars? (6)

This is a cryptic definition with an embedded precise definition — but one with a twist. In this case, it is the precise definition that supplies the cryptic elaboration that enables us to identify the "sort of job" we are looking for.

"Behind bars" and "inside" are each terms denoting jailed or imprisoned.

12a   Famous person's heartless // haste (8)

13a   A source of friction --just // business (6)

15a   Experienced // a bit of abuse, as one does (8)

18a   At home and tense, big returns /being/ essential (8)

19a   Look // one gets in a gaggle (6)

21a   /It's/ clear // the man is protected by company lease (8)

The word "it's" is merely infrastructure — something to hang the definition on — and is essentially shorthand for "the solution to this clue is given by the definition". The most commonly encountered pieces of infrastructure in clues are 'link words' or 'link phrases' positioned between the wordplay and definition. However, we occasionally see situations, such as today, where the infrastructure word(s) appear at the beginning of the clue. I can't think of a case where the infrastructure word(s) might appear at the end of the clue but I am always on the lookout for an example.

23a   Puts // steps across lake (6)

26a   Flash American/'s/ disadvantage (5)

27a   Ring off -- /that's/ a lucky escape (5,4)

To a Brit, "ring off" means to CLOSE (terminate) [a] CALL (ring).

Ring off^[10] is a mainly British term^* meaning to terminate a telephone conversation by replacing the receiver; in other words, to hang up. 

---

^* Ring^[5] is an informal British term for:

• (noun) a telephone call ⇒ I'd better give her a ring tomorrow.
• (verb) to call by telephone ⇒ (i) I rang her this morning; (ii) Harriet rang Dorothy up next day; (iii) she rang to tell him the good news.

28a   Bit sticking out // on pub terrace needs fixing (12)

Down

1d   Quietly sneaked into saint's memorial, a //  copy (7)

"quietly" = 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.

hide explanation

A relic^[5] is a part of a deceased holy person’s body or belongings kept as an object of reverence ⇒ miracles wrought by the relics of St Stephen.

2d   Checks // jokes, having time for intro (5)

3d   Baby // left in establishment (9)

I parsed the clue as shown above, but I do rather like the parsing given by the 2Kiwis in the their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog:

• Baby left in establishment (9)

in which they treat the entire clue as a definition which contains embedded wordplay.

A foundling^[5] is an infant that has been abandoned — left on the steps of an orphanage, perhaps — by its parents and is discovered and cared for by others.

4d   Talk // about bowler, say (4)

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

5d   Restrained /and/ lookinq embarrassed after breaking teeth (8)

6d   Love and admire // discourse (5)

"love" = O (show explanation )

In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love^[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒ love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.

Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).

hide explanation

Rate^[5,10] is an informal [almost certainly British^*] term meaning to have a high opinion of ⇒ (i) Mike certainly rated her, goodness knows why; (ii) the clients do not rate the new system.

---

^* at least when used as in the cited examples

7d   Spoke badly of // head of Mafia dealing crookedly (8)

8d   Gambolled /or/ gambled on (6)

14d   Going to get // attractive? (8)

16d   Short busy worker on bottom of ladder /is/ of no importance (5,4)

Small beer^[5] is a British expression denoting a thing that is considered unimportant ⇒ even with £10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most stockbrokers.

17d   Panel /of/ women popular within racecourse (8)

Ascot Racecourse^[7] is a British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing — both flat racing (show more ) and National Hunt Racing (show more ). It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 13 of Britain's 36 annual Group 1 horse races^*. The course enjoys close associations with the British Royal Family, being approximately six miles from Windsor Castle. 

---

^* including the Gold Cup^[7] (a flat race) but not the Grand National^[7] (a steeplechase) which is held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England (see the 2Kiwis review and comments relating to it at Big Dave's Crossword Blog)

A flat race^[5] is a horse race over a course with no jumps, as opposed to a steeplechase or hurdles.

hide

National Hunt racing^[7] is the official name given to that form of the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is divided into two major distinct branches: hurdles and steeplechases. Alongside these there are "bumpers", which are National Hunt flat races. In a hurdles race, the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles; in a steeplechase the horses jump over a variety of obstacles that can include plain fences, water jump or an open ditch.

hide

---

Wainscot^[5] is an area of wooden panelling on the lower part of the walls of a room.

18d   Immigrant losing right /to get/ revenue (6)

20d   Decide // to work out the answer again (7)

A double definition, the second being whimsical.

Dictionaries will tell you that resolve^[10] means to find the answer or solution to; in other words, to solve [for the first time]. In this sense, the word would be pronounced re-SOLVE with the emphasis on the last syllable. However, were one to pronounce it RE-solve (with the emphasis on the first syllable) it would presumably mean to solve for the second time — although I was unable to find this meaning in the dictionary.

22d   A step up // from manager is error (5)

A riser^[5] is a low platform on a stage or in an auditorium, used to give greater prominence to a speaker or performer ⇒ (i) he fell backwards off the riser; (ii) half a drum riser collapsed during my solo.

24d   Feature running across a // mountain range (5)

This "feature" is found on a person's face.

25d   Company doctor/'s/ groom (4)

"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

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