Monday, November 19, 2018 — DT 28773 (Published Saturday, November 17, 2018)

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28773
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Monday, June 25, 2018
Setter Dada (John Halpern)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28774]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Miffypops
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

As someone commented on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the west went in well before the east — with the exception of 26a which held out to the very end. For it, by employing some very creative thinking, a rather incorrect path led me to the correct solution.

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   Party splits on script being manipulated -- who's responsible? (4,6)

I see the entire clue as a cryptic definition with embedded wordplay. The portion of the clue marked with a dashed underline is not only the wordplay but also provides cryptic elaboration establishing a context for the definition.

6a   Smile // that's supportive (4)

9a   Stop claiming rotten giblets // okay to eat (10)

I thought of "stop" in the context of a motor stalling — a rather different association than that suggested by Miffypops in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.

10a   Helpful // type (4)

12a   Palm // beginning to sway in the past (4)

The sago^[10,12] (also sago palm) is a palm that yields an edible starch used for puddings and as a thickening agent as well as being used in sizing textiles.

13a   Church // dealt with arch in disrepair (9)

The Story Behind the Picture
Miffypops illustrates his review with a picture of the Cathedral Church of St Michael, commonly known as Coventry Cathedral[7], the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England.

15a   Sceptical, // a number turning back on little jerk (8)

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops describes the "number" in the clue as one such as Ed Sheeran might croon. Ed Sheeran[7] is an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actor. Sheeran has sold more than 38 million albums and 100 million singles worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. A single from his second studio album, x (pronounced "multiply"), "Thinking Out Loud", earned him two Grammy Awards at the 2016 ceremony: Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

16a   Protected by faith, a Catholic // Greek island (6)

Ithaca^[5] is an island off the western coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea, the legendary home of Odysseus.

18a   Head's part /in/ place of worship (6)

20a   Media reporting // finished in prison (8)

23a   Constellation // wonderful and simple, did you say? (5,4)

Great Bear^[5] is the anglicized name for the constellation Ursa Major.

Here and There
The Big Dipper[10] (known in the UK as the Plough[10]) is the US and Canadian name for the group of the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major. Judging by the picture that Miffypops has chosen to illustrate his review, the North American name is not entirely unknown to Brits.

The Story Behind the Picture
Miffypops illustrates his review with a photo showing signage for the Big Dipper[7], a wooden out and back roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, England.

24a   Country // in Vanuatu reported back (4)

Scratching the Surface
Vanuatu[5] is a country consisting of a group of islands in the south-western Pacific. (show more ) The islands were administered jointly by Britain and France as the New Hebrides. Vanuatu became an independent republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1980. hide

The Story Behind the Picture

Miffypops illustrates his review with a photo of the statue of Paddington Bear at Paddington Station in London, England. Paddington Bear[7], a polite immigrant bear from Deepest, Darkest Peru, with his old hat, battered suitcase, duffle coat and love of marmalade sandwiches, has become a classic character from English children's literature. In the first story, Paddington is found at Paddington railway station in London by the Brown family, sitting on his suitcase (bearing the label "WANTED ON VOYAGE") with a note attached to his coat which reads, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Author Michael Bond has said that his memories of newsreels showing trainloads of child evacuees leaving London during the war, with labels around their necks and their possessions in small suitcases, prompted him to do the same for Paddington.

26a   River // course has eighteen of these (4)

The Tees^[5] is a river of northeastern England which rises in Cumbria and flows 128 km (80 miles) generally south-eastwards to the North Sea at Middlesbrough.

Post Mortem
I arrived at the correct answer — for all the wrong reasons. I surmised that this might be a cryptic definition alluding to the annual Boat Race[7] on the River Thames between Oxford and Cambridge universities. The race involves two teams of eight rowers and a cox for a total of eighteen athletes, each of whom I guessed might be wearing a "tee" (T-shirt). Do I get marks for ingenuity?

27a   Conductor // hearing German songs that are forbidden? (10)

A lied^[5] (plural lieder) is a type of German song, especially of the Romantic period, typically for solo voice with piano accompaniment.

28a   Take out // fruit (4)

29a   Unpopular // day, interminable (10)

Down

1d   Team // sounded exasperated in report? (4)

"team" = SIDE (show explanation )

Side^[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒ there was a mixture of old and young players in^* their side.

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^* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.

In North America, the term side^[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side^[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i) Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii) They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.

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2d   Fix // every second of six 'Nigeria' signs (7)

3d   Sad // record on well past midnight? (12)

4d   Repeated feature // cheers (4-4)

In Crosswordland, the word "feature" quite often refers to a facial feature.

Chin-chin^[5] is a dated, informal British expression used to express good wishes before drinking ⇒ ‘Chin-chin,’ he said, and drank.

5d   Nothing boring ending on plate // recently (2,4)

7d   Nation // tearier after collapse? (7)

Eritrea^[5] is an independent state in north-eastern Africa, on the Red Sea. (show more )

Eritrea was an Italian colony from 1890 to 1952, when it became part of Ethiopia. After a long guerrilla war it became internally self-governing in 1991 and fully independent in 1993.

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8d   Lead shot penetrating those causing irritation /in/ medieval times (6,4)

11d   Prominent image // screened, part blurred (6,6)

A centre spread^[10] is the pair of two facing pages in the middle of a magazine, newspaper, etc, often illustrated. An illustration (or other material) larger than a centre spread which is folded so that it forms the central spread of a magazine is known as a centrefold^[10] (US centerfold).

14d   List of actors I shut up, // reprimanded (10)

Gate^[5,10] is a British term meaning to confine or restrict (a pupil or student) to the school or college grounds as a punishment ⇒ he was gated for the rest of term.

17d   Breakfast // that's served inside? (8)

Porridge is an informal British expression^* for either:

• jail^[1]
• time spent in prison^[5] ⇒ I’m sweating it out doing porridge

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^* The expression apparently derives from porridge once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons.

19d   Actress /using/ post to tether sheep (3,4)

Mae West^[5] (1892–1980) was an American actress and dramatist. She made her name on Broadway in her own comedies Sex (1926) and Diamond Lil (1928), memorable for their spirited approach to sexual matters, before embarking on her successful Hollywood career in the 1930s.

21d   Shorten // a violin part (7)

22d   Regarding couple, // make good (6)

25d   Flower // from Dublin possibly, cut (4)

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