Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28660 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, February 12, 2018 | |
Setter
Dada (John Halpern) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28660] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Miffypops | |
BD Rating
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| 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
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Notes
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This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, June 16, 2018 edition of the National Post.
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Introduction
You will see some comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog referring to today's setter, John Halpern, as Dada — his alias when setting The Toughie in The Daily Telegraph — while to others he is Paul — his nom de plume when compiling puzzles for the British newspaper The Guardian. If you would like to learn more about this setter, you can check out an interesting profile of John Halpern on The Guardian Crossword Blog.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:
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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)
Explanatory Box
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| 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:
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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.
ExamplesI 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.
A few examples may help to illustrate these points more clearly.
The first example is a clue used by Jay in DT 28573:
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).
- 4d Fellow left work // a failure (4)
The second example is a clue used by Giovanni in DT 28575:
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.
- 29a Female going to match // travels with mother in advance (10)
The third example is a clue used by Rufus is DT 28583:
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/).
- 18d Knight caught by misplaced big blow /is/ staggering (8)
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)
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
6a Conservative // footballer? (5-6)
Footballer[5] is a British term for a soccer player.
A right-winger[5] is an attacking player on the right side of a team on the field in soccer, rugby, and field hockey ⇒
he switched from right-winger to centre-forward.
Miffypops appears to have illustrated his review with a video of a right-winger who is a rugby player rather than a footballer. Although rugby[5] is also known as rugby football, the term footballer would seem to apply only to soccer players.
What are they talking about?
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In the thread arising from Comment #6 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Beaver and Ray S engage in some repartee concerningThey are alluding to use of the expression "right whinger" with the H removed.miserable footballeras a potential cryptic crossword clue. Whinge[5] is an informal British term that means pretty much the same as whine. Right[5] is an informal British intensifier meaning complete or absolute ⇒ I felt a right idiot. |
9a Unfashionable // deerstalker, perhaps (3,3)
A deerstalker[5] is a soft cloth cap, originally worn for hunting, with peaks in front and behind and ear flaps which can be tied together over the top.
The most famous wearer of a deerstalker is undoubtedly the fictional character Sherlock Holmes[7]. Although Holmes is never actually described as wearing a deerstalker by name in Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, he is portrayed as wearing caps whose descriptions closely match that style of cap. It is not surprising that illustrators of the period depicted Holmes wearing a deerstalker, which then became the popular perception of him.
10a Treading falteringly, // something to climb? (8)
11a Keen on the triple jump /but/ very sore (7,3)
Is this another North American expression that has insinuated itself into the British consciousness? According to Oxford Dictionaries, sore[5] is an informal North American term meaning upset and angry ⇒
I didn't even know they were sore at us.
The triple jump[2,5,10] is an athletic event that involves competitors trying to cover the greatest distance with a hop, followed by a skip (or step) and then a jump.
14a Data // within government department (4)
Yesterday, we had the State Department. Today, its British counterpart appears.
Foreign Office[5] (abbreviation FO[5]) is short for Foreign and Commonwealth Office[5], the British government department dealing with foreign affairs.
15a Difficult situation // upsetting medic and parent (11)
21a Kitchen items // break when knocked over (4)
I was held up by initially entering POTS here. Reversed, it gives a verb meaning to cease or discontinue ⇒
Let's break for lunch. This certainly hampered my efforts at 19d.
22a Reveal top // horse (10)
In Britain, a jumper[5] is a knitted garment typically with long sleeves, worn over the upper body (in North American parlance, a sweater — in particular, a pullover).
The dress that we in North America call a jumper is known to the Brits as a pinafore[5] (a collarless sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or [British] jumper [i.e., North American sweater]).
Thus, if a British lass were to wear a pinafore over her jumper and a North American gal were to wear a jumper over her sweater, they would be dressed identically.
* Showjumping[5] is the competitive sport of riding horses over a course of fences and other obstacles in an arena, with penalty points for errors.
25a Lead dealer // set off (5,3)
A tout[10] is a person who solicits business in a brazen way.
27a Fake coin as /used in/ place of betting? (6)
Behind the Picture
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| Miffypops illustrates his review with a nighttime view of the Casino de Monte-Carlo[7] in Monaco. |
28a Ship // belonging to this person, back (11)
A back[5] is a player in a team game who plays in a defensive position* behind the forwards ⇒
their backs showed some impressive running and passing.
* except, of course, in North American football where there are both offensive backs and defensive backs.
In soccer [football to Miffypops and other Brits], a sweeper[5] is a player stationed behind the other defenders, free to defend at any point across the field and sometimes initiating and supporting attacks.
Down
1d Man /is/ hot during dance (6)
Here and There
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| It is likely that bop was originally a jazz term that later became associated with pop music. Bop[10] (originally called bebop) is a form of jazz originating in the 1940s, characterized by rhythmic and harmonic complexity and instrumental virtuosity. As a verb, American dictionaries define bop[3,11] as an informal term meaning to dance to this music. British dictionaries, on the other hand, while they include the jazz reference, define bop[2,5,10] as:
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A bishop[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a mitre, that can move any number of spaces in any direction along a diagonal on which it stands. Each player starts the game with two bishops, one moving on white squares and the other on black.
2d Country // shed swiped by outlaw (6)
Bhutan[5] is a small independent kingdom in southern Asia, on the south-eastern slopes of the Himalayas, north of India.
3d Money stolen -- part of workers' wage-packets (4)
4d Neat mind, arranged // as a file (2,6)
5d Encouraging rebellion // ending in contentious issue (8)
7d A dummy upside down, // detached (5)
8d Odd bits in sink, one very strong // smell! (5)
In his review, Miffypops tells us to complete the charade with "a double (very) letter that represents strong. Musically it represents loud."
Close but hardly precise. Of course, with Miffypops, one never knows when his tongue is firmly planted in his cheek.
Forte[5] (abbreviation f[5]) is a musical direction meaning (as an adjective) loud or (as an adverb) loudly.
Fortissimo[5] (abbreviation ff[5]) is a direction used in music to mean either (as an adjective) very loud or (as an adverb) very loudly.
12d Irish meeting English // displeasure (3)
13d Manly // coat how short? (5)
Mac[5] is an informal name for a mackintosh[5], a British term for a full-length waterproof coat.
16d Limit // holiday over wet weather (8)
17d Find // something round on top (8)
18d Bird // in poem, unusual (3)
The emu[5] is a large flightless fast-running Australian bird resembling the ostrich, with shaggy gray or brown plumage, bare blue skin on the head and neck, and three-toed feet with a propensity for attacking television hosts.
19d Do // go doolally, finally (5)
Scratching the Surface
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Doolally[5]
is an informal British term meaning:
Origin: originally doolally tap, Indian army slang, from Deolali (the name of a town with a military sanatorium and a transit camp) + Urdu tap ‘fever’ |
20d French writer, // never translated (5)
Jules Verne[5] ( 1828–1905) was a French novelist. One of the first writers of science fiction, he often anticipated later scientific and technological developments, as in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea (1870). Other novels include Around the World in Eighty Days (1873).
23d Garment that's worn by King Edward? (6)
A cryptic definition with embedded precise definition.
King Edward[5] is the name of an oval potato of a variety with a white skin mottled with red.
Origin: named after King Edward VII
Jacket potato[5] is a British term for a baked potato served with the skin on.
24d Form stream /for/ teacher (6)
Master[5] is a British term for a male schoolteacher.
26d Capital of Turkey, individual // urban area (4)
In the wordplay, "individual" is used as an adjective.
Key to Reference Sources:Signing off for today — Falcon
[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)
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