Thursday, August 16, 2018 — DT 28705

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28705
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Thursday, April 5, 2018
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28705]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By pommers
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 is a gentle diversion from an unknown setter with a refreshing bit of humour in the wordplay. In particular, the actress giving hugs for money (27a), the queen reluctant to support her hubby (2d), fantasies about what others might be doing in bed (8d), and the model baring it all for artists (15d).

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 The Story 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   A dull Common Market leader in Rome -- // one with superficial understanding (7)

According to Oxford Dictionaries, mat^[5] is the US spelling of matt^[5] (or matte^*), an adjective used to describe a surface or colour which is dull and flat or without a shine ⇒ (i) prints are available on matt or glossy paper; (ii) a matt black.

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^* The only spelling with which I am familiar is matte.

The Common Market^[5] is another name for either the European Economic Community (a predecessor to the European Union) or the European Union itself, used especially in the 1960s and 1970s (show more ).

Achieving European Union occurred in three stages.
Stage 1: The European Economic Community^[5] (abbreviation EEC), an institution of the European Union, is an economic association of western European countries set up by the Treaty of Rome (1957). The original members were France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Stage 2: The European Community^[5] (abbreviation EC) is an economic and political association of certain European countries, incorporated since 1993 in the European Union. The European Community was formed in 1967 from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom); it comprises also the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice. Until 1987 it was still commonly known as the EEC. The name ‘European Communities’ is still used in legal contexts where the three distinct organizations are recognized.

Stage 3: The European Union^[5] (abbreviation EU) is an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs. The European Union was created on 1 November 1993, with the coming into force of the Maastricht Treaty. It encompasses the old European Community (EC) together with two intergovernmental ‘pillars’ for dealing with foreign affairs and with immigration and justice. The terms European Economic Community (EEC) and European Community (EC) continue to be used loosely to refer to what is now the European Union. The European Union consists of 28 member states^*, 19 of which use the common currency unit, the euro.^[7]

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^* soon to become 27 when the UK exits

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Amateur^[5] is used in the sense of a person who is contemptibly inept at a particular activity ⇒ that bunch of stumbling amateurs.

5a   Attacked // at home -- very cheesed off, scratching head (7)

Here and There
In North America, cheesed off[12] is a slang term that means simply angry. However, in Britain, cheesed off[10] can also mean bored or disgusted.

9a   Look around centre of Rouen /for/ thin fabric (5)

Scratching the Surface
Rouen[5] is a port on the River Seine in northwestern France, capital of Haute-Normandie. Rouen was in English possession from the time of the Norman Conquest until captured by the French in 1204, and again 1419–49; in 1431 Joan of Arc was tried and burnt at the stake there [thus while the territory was under English rule!].

10a   A large bird had food // every second (9)

11a   They watch // top actress working (10)

12a   Heated // conflict with male (4)

14a   Making // prisoners upset in court? About time (12)

18a   Problems // beginning to double -- if female is embracing religious sect, that is (12)

21a   Greedy, // temperamental woman coming over (4)

A diva^[5] is a self-important person who is temperamental and difficult to please (typically used of a woman) ⇒ she is much more the dedicated maverick than the petulant diva.

22a   Actor is open about losing 100 // jobs in the theatre? (10)

25a   Term for minors? (9)

26a   Set up // game of snooker? (5)

A frame^[5] is a single game of snooker ⇒ Jones won the first four frames.

27a   Diana perhaps hugging everyone in return /for/ money (7)

Diana Dors^[7] (1931–1984), born Diana Mary Fluck, was an English actress. She first came to public notice as a blonde bombshell in the style of Marilyn Monroe, as promoted by her first husband Dennis Hamilton, mostly via sex film-comedies and risqué modelling. When it turned out that Hamilton had been defrauding her for his own benefit, she had little choice but to play up to her established image, and she made tabloid headlines with the adult parties reportedly held at her house. Later she showed a genuine talent for TV and cabaret, and gained new popularity as a regular chat-show guest.

28a   In Germany, I, among others, /should be/ most wealthy (7)

The German personal pronoun meaning I is ich^[8].

Down

1d   Great -- // it lasts for 31 days (6)

This clue is certainly more timely now than when it was first published in the UK in April.

2d   It's said Victoria wasn't so // considered to support Albert at first (6)

The remark "We are not amused"^[7] is attributed to Queen Victoria but there is no direct evidence that she ever said it, and she denied doing so. Contrary to popular belief, her staff and family recorded that Victoria "was immensely amused and roared with laughter" on many occasions.

Scratching the Surface
Prince Albert[5] (1819–1861) was consort to Queen Victoria and prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

3d   Digital // TV one cleric ordered, but no volume (10)

"volume" = V (show explanation )

In physics and chemistry, V^[5] is a symbol used to represent volume in mathematical formulae ⇒ pV = nRT.

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4d   Intensely heat // pan (5)

5d   Bury hamster, maybe keeping right // shed light on (9)

6d   Cover your sandwiches // thoroughly (4)

7d   Doctor on violin about /to be/ sensational (8)

Amati^[5] is the name of a family of Italian violin-makers from Cremona. In the 16th and 17th centuries three generations of the Amatis developed the basic proportions of the violin, viola, and cello.

8d   Imagining // what those who have retired might be doing (8)

13d   Insect flutters if one gets caught // how biologist's described? (10)

"caught" = C (show explanation )

In cricket, one way for a batsman to be dismissed is to be caught out^[5], that is for a player on the opposing team to catch a ball that has been hit by the batsman before it touches the ground.

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation c.^[2,10] or c^[5] denotes caught (by).

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15d   Corset plus buckles -- everything initially removed /for/ artists (9)

16d   State-of-the-art // vehicle -- church splitting total (8)

"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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17d   Authorised // chemical company once to get in waste material (8)

Imperial Chemical Industries^[7] (ICI) was a British chemical company, the subject of a takeover completed in 2008 by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British economy".

19d   Find // old animal let outside with no tail (6)

20d   Expect half to leave after snake/'s/ appearance (6)

Asp is a name applied to at least four different species of snakes:

• the European asp^[7], a small southern European viper (Vipera aspis) with an upturned snout.
• the Egyptian cobra^[7] (Naja haje), one of the largest cobra species native to Africa, second to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca).
• the Saharan horned viper^[7] (Cerastes cerastes), a venomous viper species native to the deserts of Northern Africa and parts of the Middle East.
• the Saharan sand viper^[7] (Cerastes vipera), also known as the Egyptian asp or Cleopatra's asp, a venomous viper species endemic to the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.

23d   It's used to spy planes going up and down (5)

I characterize this as a cryptic definition comprised of a precise definition combined with cryptic elaboration. The cryptic elaboration does not provide an independent route to the solution. Rather, it gives some additional information about the definition; namely, that it is a palindrome.

In the definition, spy^[5] is used in the sense of to discern or make out, especially by careful observation ⇒ he could spy a figure in the distance.

24d   Fancy // a fish for starters? (4)

Ide^[5] is another name for the orfe^[5], a silvery freshwater fish (Leuciscus idus) of the carp family, which is fished commercially in eastern Europe.

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