Monday, October 22, 2018 — DT 28754 (Published Saturday, October 20, 2018)

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28754
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, June 1, 2018
Setter Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28754]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Kitty
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

Giovanni has set a stern mental workout today. The discussion on Big Dave's Crossword Blog seems to have become rather edgy — to the extent that Big Dave deemed it necessary to not only cut off comments but remove some postings.

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   Turns up /in/ headgear held together by glue (8)

Although the solution was quite evident and I knew the headgear and the glue, my failure to take into account that "headgear" can denote multiple items led me to try to parse the clue as a charade rather than a containment clue. This resulted in the wordplay producing a past tense while the definition demanded a present tense.

5a   Failing to act /or/ lying (6)

In the first definition, supine^[5] means failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence ⇒ the government was supine in the face of racial injustice.

9a   Handsome chaps crossing ring road /to get/ wine (8)

Beau^[5,10] (plural beaux or beaus) is a dated term for:

• a boyfriend or male admirer
• a rich, fashionable young man; a dandy

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Origin: French: literally 'handsome'

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Bordeaux^[5] is a red, white, or rosé wine from the district of Bordeaux in southwestern France.

10a   Colours // used in painting especially (6)

12a   Firm suffering setback in dead // place (6)

13a   A Conservative minister's office? Watch out if you don't get this! (8)

"Conservative" = C (show explanation )

The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.^[10] or Con.^[10].

The Conservative Party^[5] is a a major British political party that emerged from the old Tory Party^* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s. Since the Second World War, it has been in power 1951–64, 1970-74, and 1979–97. It governed in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats from 2010 until the general election of May 2015, in which it was returned with a majority.

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^* Historically, a Tory^[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.

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A curacy^[5] is the office of a curate^*, or the tenure of this ⇒ he served his curacy in Northampton.

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^* Curate^[5] can denote:

• (also assistant curate) a member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest
• (archaic) a minister with pastoral responsibility

15a   Military leader // left with lower ranks inside castle courtyard? (7)

"lower ranks" = OR (show explanation )

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks^[5] (abbreviation OR^[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

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In historical terms, a ward^[5] was an area of ground enclosed by the encircling walls of a fortress or castle.

16a   Material // girl /getting/ man across the Channel? (4)

Jean^[5] is a heavy twilled cotton cloth, especially denim ⇒ a jean jacket.

Jean^[7] is a common female given name in English-speaking countries. It is the Scottish form of Jane (and is sometimes pronounced that way). It is sometimes spelled Jeaine. It is the equivalent of Johanna, Joanna, Joanne, Jeanne, Jana, and Joan.

On the European continent and in all French-speaking countries, Jean^[7], is a male name derived from the Old French^* Jehan. The female equivalent is Jeanne and derives from the Old French Jehanne.

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^* Old French^[7] was the language spoken in Northern France from the 8th century to the 14th century.

20a   Female impertinence /making one/ lose the plot (4)

Lose the plot^[5] is an informal British phrase meaning to lose one's ability to understand or cope with what is happening ⇒ many people believe that he is feeling the strain or has lost the plot.

Flip^[5] is an informal term meaning to suddenly lose control or become very angry ⇒ (i) he had clearly flipped under the pressure; (ii) she would have flipped out if someone had done this to her.

21a   Woman's collecting information, /making/ lists for meetings (7)

Gen^[5] is an informal British term for information ⇒ you’ve got more gen on him than we have.

25a   People coming in? // Part of hospital goes mad (8)

"part of hospital" = ENT (show explanation )

Should you not have noticed, the ear, nose and throat (ENT^[2]) department is the most visited section, by far, in the Crosswordland Hospital.

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26a   Fellows, mature // members of household (6)

Ménage^[5] denotes the members of a household ⇒ the Clelland ménage (perhaps best known in the phrase ménage à trois^[5]).

28a   Civil Service filled with utter // weirdos (6)

CS^[5] is an abbreviation for Civil Service^[10], the British term for the service responsible for the public administration of the government of a country. It excludes the legislative, judicial, and military branches. Members of the civil service have no official political allegiance and are not generally affected by changes of governments. In Australia and New Zealand — not to mention Canada — the term public service^[10] is used.

29a   /See/ me on road, wandering around, // abandoned (8)

The word "see" (although positioned at the beginning of the clue) fills a role very similar to that of a link word, providing overall framework or structure to the clue by tying together the wordplay and definition in a meaningful way. One could state the wordplay more verbosely as "the solution can be seen to be an anagram (wandering around) of ME ON ROAD".

30a   Individual // transgression leads to joy being curtailed (6)

31a   Keep // quiet when given book (8)

"piano" = 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.

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Down

1d   A commissioned officer briefly trampled on by horse /becomes/ blue (6)

A cob^[5] is a powerfully built, short-legged horse ⇒ he’s got a nice young bay cob if you want to hack^*.

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^* hack^[10] is a British term meaning to ride (a horse) cross-country for pleasure

2d   Greek character, spirited, // stealing ideas? (6)

Pi^[5] is the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Π, π).

Racy^[5] is used in the [less commonly encountered] sense of showing vigour or spirit.

3d   One doesn't react, /being/ troubled by 7 (5,3)

In order to create a smooth surface reading, the setter has (in my opinion) produced a rather clunky anagram indicator ("troubled by"). Even if you take the anagram indicator to be "being troubled by" (as Kitty does on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, it is still clunky. "Troubled" would be a fine anagram indicator but the inclusion of the word "by" grates on my sensibilities.

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In chemistry, an inert gas^[5] (also called noble gas^[5]) is any of the gaseous elements helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, occupying Group 0 (18) of the periodic table. They were long believed to be totally unreactive but compounds of xenon, krypton, and radon are now known.

4d   Birds /with/ little energy having problem getting up (4)

"energy" = E (show explanation )

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

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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.

6d   HE institution, which in Paris, /is/ unlike any other (6)

HE is being used as an abbreviation for Higher Education (although I am unable to find it listed in any of my dictionaries).

Uni^[5] is an informal term (originally Australian) for university ⇒ he planned to go to uni.

In French, que^[8] can be an interrogative pronoun meaning 'what', a conjunction meaning 'that', or a relative pronoun meaning 'that', 'whom', or 'which.

7d   Those showing no appreciation // could make one angriest (8)

8d   Leaders of English society with wise words /can be/ trying (8)

11d   Orchestration // achieving a success (7)

14d   British land army member's missing? (7)

The entire clue serves as a (cryptic) definition as well as providing the wordplay.

Blighty^[5] is an informal term for Britain or England, used by soldiers of the First and Second World Wars.

17d   Crimes // associated with those receiving swag? (8)

18d   Legally get hold of // little boy upset over school (8)

I was on roughly the right track, but it turned out that the "little boy" is not Tiny Tim.

Distrain^[5] means to seize (someone's property) in order to obtain payment of rent or other money owed ⇒ legislation has restricted the right to distrain goods found upon the premises.

19d   Poor people /in/ shelters receiving old books (4-4)

In Crosswordland, the term "books" — or phrases such as "collection of books" or "religious books" — are commonly used to clue either the Old Testament (OT) or the New Testament (NT). Often the clue does not specify whether the reference is to the former or the latter. However, today's setter is very precise.

22d   Knave joining gangster, // a beast (6)

Knave^[5] is another name for a jack in a deck of cards.

Al Capone^[5] (1899–1947), nicknamed  Scarface (show more ), was an American gangster of Italian descent. He dominated organized crime in Chicago in the 1920s and was indirectly responsible for many murders, including the St Valentine’s Day Massacre.

Capone^[7] was born in Brooklyn (New York) and began his life of crime in New York City before moving to Chicago. Capone inadvertently insulted a woman while working the door at a Brooklyn night club and was slashed by her brother Frank Gallucio. The wounds led to the nickname that Capone loathed: "Scarface". Capone's boss, racketeer Frankie Yale, insisted that Capone apologize to Gallucio, and later Capone hired him as a bodyguard. When photographed, Capone hid the scarred left side of his face, saying that the injuries were war wounds. Capone was called "Snorky", a term for a sharp dresser, by his closest friends.

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A jackal^[5] is a slender long-legged wild dog that feeds on carrion, game, and fruit and often hunts cooperatively, found in Africa and southern Asia.

23d   Famous German // upset English in conflict (6)

Richard Wagner^[5] (1813–1883) was a German composer who developed an operatic genre which he called music drama, synthesizing music, drama, verse, legend, and spectacle. Notable works: The Flying Dutchman (opera, 1841), Der Ring des Nibelungen (a cycle of four operas, 1847–74), Tristan and Isolde (music drama, 1859), and the Siegfried Idyll (1870).

24d   One who should be recipient /of/ the last bit in Exeter, say (6)

A see^[10] is the diocese (show more ) of a bishop, or the place within it where his cathedral (show more ) or procathedral (show more ) is situated.

A diocese^[5] is a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church — or, more precisely, episcopal churches.

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A cathedral^[5] is the principal church of a diocese, with which the bishop is officially associated.

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A pro-cathedral^[5] (or procathedral^[10]) is a church used as a substitute for a cathedral.

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Exeter Cathedral^[7], properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England.

27d   Salmon // -- what you expect on river (4)

A parr^[5] is a young salmon (or trout) between the stages of fry and smolt, distinguished by dark rounded patches evenly spaced along its sides.

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