Friday, October 26, 2018 — DT 28758

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28758
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Setter Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28758]
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

Today's mental workout from Jay is not too taxing.

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   Gamble about way he's changed // paper (10)

Broadsheet^[5] denotes a newspaper with a large format, regarded as more serious and less sensationalist than tabloids ⇒ the tabloidization of the broadsheets.

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I thought this was a common journalism term and was surprised not to find it in many of my American dictionaries.

6a   Incitement // to gush endlessly (4)

10a   Unhappy hour, oddly, /for/ a holy man (5)

Sadhu^[5] (from Sanskrit) is an Indian term for a holy man, sage, or ascetic.

11a   Important // sign to American after end of creationism (9)

12a   Travel permit /for/ a group of three (7)

Triplet^[5] is used in the sense of a set or succession of three similar things ⇒ (i) a triplet of aces; (ii) the boxer's jab came in triplets.

13a   Visibly upset /from/ severe scolding on time (7)

14a   Familiarity /of/ old-fashioned African party welcomed by expert (12)

The African National Congress^[5] (abbreviation ANC) is a South African political party and black nationalist organization. (show more )

Having been banned by the South African government 1960–90, the ANC was victorious in the country’s first democratic elections in 1994 and its leader Nelson Mandela became the country’s President.

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18a   Meticulous with money, wanting a // horse (12)

21a   Look offended, rejected by a // dispenser under pressure (7)

"look" = LO (show explanation )

Lo^[5] is an archaic exclamation used to draw attention to an interesting or amazing event ⇒ and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them.

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23a   People who row // may be married, within reason, when upset (7)

Scratching the Surface

In the surface reading, row[5] (verb) is used in an informal British sense meaning to have a quarrel ⇒ (i) they rowed about who would receive the money from the sale; (ii) she had rowed with her boyfriend the day before. In my opinion, the surface reading sounds more than a bit clunky. It would certainly have made much more sense had it read along the lines of "people who are married may row when upset". Of course, that would fail to provide the necessary wordplay.

24a   Job with South African province // following delivery (9)

Natal^[5] is the former name of a province of South Africa, situated on the east coast. It was renamed KwaZulu-Natal in 1994. (show more )

Having been a Boer republic and then a British colony, Natal acquired internal self-government in 1893 and became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910. It was renamed KwaZulu-Natal in 1994.

The name comes from Latin Terra Natalis 'land of the day of birth', a name given by Vasco da Gama in 1497, because he sighted the entrance to what is now Durban harbour on Christmas Day.

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25a   Switching sides, chap /is/ ruined (5)

"chap" = BLOKE (show explanation )

Chap^[3,4,11], an informal British^[5] or chiefly British^[3] term for a man or boy, is a shortened form of chapman^[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar^[a,b].

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^[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler^[14] which, in most senses, is a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
^[b] The current meaning of chap^[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.

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Bloke^[5] is an informal British^* term for a man ⇒ he’s a nice bloke.

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^* Very British, but certainly also very familiar to anyone on this side of the pond who has ever watched a British film or television programme

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26a   Touch /and/ run (4)

27a   Resolution // strangely met no need outside university (10)

Down

1d   Attacks /and/ defeats, full of energy (6)

"energy" = E (show explanation )

In physics, E^[5] is a symbol used to represent energy in mathematical formulae.

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2d   On air, broadcast covering Democrat/'s/ decree (6)

"Democrat" = D (show explanation )

A Democrat^[5] (abbreviation D^[5]) is a member or supporter of the Democratic Party^[5], one of the two main US political parties (the other being the Republican Party), which follows a broadly liberal programme, tending to support social reform and minority rights.

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3d   Cheating /at/ duplicate bridge? (6-8)

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, duplicate bridge[5] is a competitive form of bridge in which the same hands are played successively by different partnerships.

4d   Radio operator, suspended, /will be/ frustrated (9)

Ham^[5] (also radio ham) is an informal term for an amateur radio operator.

5d   Holidaymaker/'s/ problem -- meticulous clothes (5)

Holidaymaker^[5] is a British term for a person on holiday [vacation] away from home.

Here and There

The British use the word holiday(s) where North Americans might say vacation[5]. (read more ) Holiday[5,10] (often holidays) is a chiefly British term for a period in which a break is taken from work or studies for rest, travel, or recreation ⇒ (i) I spent my summer holidays on a farm; (ii) Fred was on holiday in Spain. According to British dictionaries, the usual US and Canadian term for such a break is vacation. However, I am accustomed to hearing the two terms used almost interchangeably in this sense — in much the same manner that I use fall and autumn interchangeably. This may not be the case in all parts of Canada, but I grew up in the Maritimes and have lived in Eastern Ontario for most of my life, both areas where British influence is particularly strong. In Britain, the word vacation[5] has a very specific meaning, a fixed holiday period between terms in universities and law courts ⇒ the Easter vacation. In North America, such a period might be called a break[7]. hide explanation

In the Cornish dialect of southwest England, emmet^*[7,10] is a derisory nickname for tourists and visitors, or people who have moved to Cornwall from other parts of the UK.

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^* Emmet^[10] is an archaic or dialect British term for ant.

Or as Stephen Lord expresses it in the thread arising from Comment #23 on Big Dave's Crossoword Blog, an emmet is "(apparently ) a derogatory term used by locals to describe the hordes of tourists that used to descend upon their precious resorts before realising foreign getaways were much better value".

7d   Making watertight // tiles, say, under pressure (8)

"pressure" = P (show explanation )

In physics, p^[5] is a symbol used to represent pressure in mathematical formulae.

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Tiles are a common roofing material in the UK, a tile^[5] being a thin rectangular slab of baked clay or other material, used in overlapping rows for covering roofs ⇒ trees shook violently and tiles were dislodged from rooftops.

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Proof^[5,10,12] means to make resistant or impervious to something, especially to waterproof ⇒ if you are using a piece of lightweight canvas it will be necessary to proof the fabric when complete. 

8d   Worked out // commitment on debt initially (8)

9d   Embarrassing type's issue in France? (6,8)

I have marked this clue as a cryptic definition with an embedded precise definition. While the phrase "issue^* in France" can be seen to clue the word "enfant" (French, 'child'), there is nothing to clue the word "terrible". Thus the portion of the clue remaining after accounting for the precise definition does not provide enough information to be considered wordplay. I would therefore consider it to be "cryptic elaboration".

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^* Issue^[5] is a legal term denoting children of one's own ⇒ the earl died without male issue.

An enfant terrible^[5] (French, literally 'terrible child') is a person who behaves in an unconventional or controversial way ⇒ the enfant terrible of contemporary art.

The Story Behind the Picture

The 2Kiwis illustrate their review with a picture of Dennis the Menace. However, I think they have chosen the wrong Dennis. Dennis the Menace[7] is the name of separate US and UK comic strip characters that debuted on the same day in March 1951 in their respective readership areas, and are still published. The American Dennis the Menace[7] is a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip originally created, written, and illustrated by Hank Ketcham. It debuted on March 12, 1951, in 16 newspapers. Now written and drawn by Ketcham's former assistants, Marcus Hamilton and Ron Ferdinand, and son Scott Ketcham, it is distributed to at least 1,000 newspapers in 48 countries and in 19 languages. Coincidentally, a UK comic strip of the same name debuted on the same day, though the issue in question bore the cover date of March 17. The two are not related and change their names subtly in each other's respective home bases to avoid confusion. The UK Dennis[7] is quite different in appearance and character from his American counterpart, characterized by his red-and-black striped jersey, his devilish grin, his scruffy, black (versus straw-coloured) hair, his dog Gnasher, and his gang of friends (known as "The Menaces" who carry on a running feud — that sometimes becomes violent — with a rival gang "The Bash Street Kids"). The British Dennis is an uncontrollable schoolboy who takes pride in causing chaos and mayhem to those around him due to his intolerance for rules and order. Dennis often proves himself to be quite selfish and greedy, often disregarding his friends in favour for treasures. Often equipped with an array of menacing weaponry (such as a catapult [slingshot]), Dennis is considered to be quite the loner, seeking no solace in anyone's company aside from his faithful pet dog Gnasher. The British Dennis would certainly seem to be far more of an enfant terrible than the American one!

15d   Confusing situation /created by/ revolutionary oil rig mob (9)

16d   Wanting money /to be/ beaten (8)

17d   Travellers /or/ ticket sellers accepting endless risk (8)

Tout^[5] (also ticket tout) is the British term for a scalper^[5], a person who buys up tickets for an event to resell them at a profit.

19d   The setter's model /is/ exact (6)

"the setter's" = IM (show explanation )

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (the or this) speaker, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or ME) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

Today, the setter has made the scenario slightly more complicated by combining "the setter" with the verb "to be"^* producing "the setter's" (a contraction of "the setter is") which must be replaced by "I'm" (a contraction of "I am").

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^*Although in the surface reading "the setter's" is showing possession, in the wordplay it is interpreted as a contraction of "the setter is".

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20d   Devise // one new outlet (6)

22d   Move like a snake casting skin, /being/ supple (5)

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