Saturday, July 28, 2018 — Speaking of Coffee

Introduction

You would be hard pressed to resist brewing a pot of coffee — or perhaps a cup of tea — to get you through today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon. I hope you are not easily distracted as — somewhat like sitting in a noisy coffee shop — there seems to be a lot of talking going on in the puzzle.

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   Drawing attention to // coffee container, slipped into insulting (12)

S(POT)LIGHTING — POT (coffee container) contained in (slipped into) SLIGHTING (insulting)

9a   Collect // through Google Analytics (5)

_GLE|AN_ — hidden in (through) GooGLE ANalytics

Scratching the Surface
Google Analytics[7] is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. Google Analytics is now the most widely used web analytics service on the Internet. Google Analytics also provides a product that allows gathering usage data from iOS (Apple) and Android Apps, known as Google Analytics for Mobile Apps.

10a   GI enters around here, // making sense (9)

LO(GI)CALLY — GI (†) contained in (enters) LOCALLY (around here)

Scratching the Surface
A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒ she went off with a GI during the war. Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).

11a   Moving legal U.S. // coastal inhabitant (7)

SEAGULL* — anagram (moving) of LEGAL US

12a   Olympian put back // tile (7)

{TES|SERA}< — reversal (back) of {ARES (Olympian; Greek god of war) + SET (put)}

A tessera^[5] is a small block of stone, tile, glass, or other material used in the construction of a mosaic.

13a   Place for fun /and/ decent coffee material (11)

FAIR|GROUNDS — FAIR (decent) + GROUNDS (coffee material)

15a   Chai with a missing // “X” (3)

CHI — CH[A]I (†) with the letter A deleted (with A missing)

Chi^[5] is the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet (Χ, χ).

Scratching the Surface
Chai[5] is a term of Indian origin for tea made by boiling tea leaves with milk, sugar, and sometimes spices.

16a   Reportedly deserve /to get/ coffee container for the office (3)

URN~ — sounds like (reportedly) EARN (deserve)

17a   Messily spilling // coffee with milk when entering vault (11)

SP(LATTE)RING — LATTE (coffee with milk) contained in (when entering) SPRING (vault; to jump)

20a   Neat old convertible // from a Spanish city (7)

TOLEDAN* — anagram (convertible) of NEAT OLD

Toledo^[5] is a city in central Spain on the River Tagus, capital of Castilla-La Mancha region. It was a pre-eminent city and cultural centre of Castile. Toledan steel and sword blades have been famous since the first century BC.

23a   Troubles // or bargains (7)

OR|DEALS — OR (†) + DEALS (bargains)

25a   Albert and I, nuts // about nutrition (9)

AL|I|MENTAL — AL ([diminutive for] Albert) + (and) I (†) + MENTAL (nuts)

26a   Family gathering’s ending // bell sound (5)

CLAN|G — CLAN (family) + G (gatherinG's ending [final letter])

27a   Fool with amount of coffee I smell that’s hot? (12)

CON|CUP|I|SCENT — CON (fool; deceive) + (with) CUP (amount of coffee) + I (†) + SCENT (smell; aroma)

Concupiscent^[5] is a formal term denoting filled with sexual desire or lustful ⇒ concupiscent dreams.

Down

1d   Voiced small, medium, or large // sounds of resignation (5)

SIGHS~ — sounds like (voiced) SIZE (small, medium, or large; definition by example)

2d   Function /of/ physical education in speech (9)

O(PE)RATION — PE (physical education; abbrev.) contained in (in) ORATION (speech)

Hands up! Who initially thought this might be another homophone clue?

3d   Shifting gag, unseal // tongues (9)

LANGUAGES* — anagram (shifting) of GAG UNSEAL

4d   Astronomer // lass associated with one zodiac constellation (7)

GAL|I|LEO — GAL (lass) + (associated with) I ([Roman numeral for] one) + LEO (zodiac constellation)

Galileo Galilei^[5] (1564–1642) was an Italian astronomer and physicist. He discovered the constancy of a pendulum's swing, formulated the law of uniform acceleration of falling bodies, and described the parabolic trajectory of projectiles. He applied the telescope to astronomy and observed craters on the moon, sunspots, Jupiter's moons, and the phases of Venus.

5d   Constrict // giant in conversation (7)

TIGHTEN~ — sounds like (in conversation) TITAN (giant)

In modern usage, a titan^[5] is a person or thing of very great strength, intellect, or importance^* ⇒ a titan of American industry.

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^* In Classical Greek mythology, the Titans and Titanesses^[7] were members of the second order of divine beings, descending from the primordial deities and preceding the Olympian deities. Based on Mount Othrys, the Titans most famously included the first twelve children of the primordial Gaia (Mother Earth) and Uranus (Father Heaven). They were giant deities of incredible strength, who ruled during the legendary Golden Age, and also composed the first pantheon of Greek deities.

6d   Said, “No // cuts” (5)

NICKS — sounds like (said) NIX (no)

Here nix^[3] is used as an adverb meaning not so or no.

7d   Audibly exhaled, /being/ sad (4)

BLUE~ — sounds like (audibly) BLEW (exhaled)

8d   Turning // yellow in grille (8)

G(Y)RATING — Y (yellow; abbrev.) contained in (in) GRATING (grille)

13d   Crazy aunt, as if // like a friend of the Devil? (8)

FAUSTIAN* — anagram (crazy) of AUNT AS IF

Faust^[5] (also Faustus) (died circa 1540) was a German astronomer and necromancer^*. Reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil, he became the subject of a drama by German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, an opera by French composer Charles Gounod, and a novel by German writer Thomas Mann.

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^* Necromancy^[5] is the supposed practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to predict the future.

14d   Fowl // kept inside is inspiring? (9)

S(HELD)UCKS — HELD (kept) contained in (inside) SUCKS (is inspiring)

I hope you were taking notes last week!

The shelduck^[5] (also called sheldrake) is a large goose-like Old World duck with brightly coloured plumage, typically showing black and white wings in flight.

15d   Vandyke’s place, knowing // some porcelain objects (9)

CHIN|AWARE — CHIN (Vandyke's place; a Vandyke is a style of beard) + AWARE (knowing)

18d   Psycho // in a cult busted (7)

LUNATIC* — anagram (busted) of IN A CULT

19d   Turn into number-one // tramp (7)

T(ROLL)OP — ROLL (turn) contained in (into) TOP (number-one)

21d   Put // dashboard indicator back (4)

LAID< — reversal (back) of DIAL (dashboard indicator)

22d   Because of // two musicians, love (3,2)

DUE T|O — DUET (two musicians) + O (love; nil score in tennis)

24d   Verbally allude to // vision (5)

SIGHT~ — sounds like (verbally) CITE (allude to)

Epilogue

After all that coffee, you should now be wide awake and ready to face the day.

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