Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28775 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28775] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Mr K | |
BD Rating
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| 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
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Introduction
A wrong solution at 4d — albeit one that satisfied two out of three intersecting clues — really hampered my efforts at 12a. I eventually sorted everything out with the help of a gentle nudge from my electronic assistants.I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.
Error in Tomorrow's Puzzle
Watch out for an error in tomorrow's puzzle.Clue 15d which should read:
- 15d Some win cap -- a bleary-eyed drunk! (9)
- 15d Some win cap -- bleary-eyed and drunk! (9)
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:
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The review of a clue takes the following general structure:
#a/d Clue containing parsing markup (num*)
* num = numeration
Explanations pertaining to the wordplay (or first definition in a double definition)
(Horizontal separator)
Explanatory Box
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| 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:
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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.
ExamplesI 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.
A few examples may help to illustrate these points more clearly.
The first example is a clue used by Jay in DT 28573:
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).
- 4d Fellow left work // a failure (4)
The second example is a clue used by Giovanni in DT 28575:
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.
- 29a Female going to match // travels with mother in advance (10)
The third example is a clue used by Rufus is DT 28583:
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/).
- 18d Knight caught by misplaced big blow /is/ staggering (8)
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)
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 Large vehicle // parking by Irish lake (6)
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"parking" = P |
* having the same pronunciation and meaning as the Scottish word loch[10]
Plough[5] is the British spelling of plow.
5a If in no end of doubt before close of play, // declare! (6)
Scratching the Surface
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| The surface reading refers to a circumstance that can arise during the play of a cricket match. In cricket, a team continues to bat until ten of the eleven players on the team have been dismissed* unless the captain of a batting team declares the innings closed prematurely [the rationale for doing so is explained below]. In the event that the captain declares the innings closed, his team takes the field and the opposing team bats. * batsmen always appear in pairs and once ten players have been dismissed there is no partner available for the lone remaining player The primary objective of each team in cricket[7] is to score more runs than the opposing team. However, in Test cricket (a match between national teams), it is not only necessary to score the most runs but also to dismiss the opposition twice in order to win the match, which would otherwise be drawn. Therefore, the captain of a batting team which has built up a large lead may declare the innings closed prematurely in order to allow the opposition to bat (and thus gain an opportunity to dismiss them). As a captain, the key to victory is picking the right time to declare. Should he declare too early, the other team may score more runs than his team has amassed and thereby win. On the other hand, if he were to declare too late (or not declare at all), the match may end before his team can dismiss the other team (resulting in a draw, even though his team may have a substantial lead in runs). |
10a Therefore, top /must be/ reliable (5)
11a One who keeps records // about substance almost like gold dust (9)
12a Cutting // remarks, primarily in bar (7)
Post Mortem
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| Unable to crack this clue, I resorted to the use of a wordfinder application for assistance. I eventually discovered that an incorrect solution at 4d was stymieing my efforts here. |
The Story Behind the Picture
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| A "pound shop" is the British equivalent to a "dollar store". Poundland[7] is a chain of such shops. |
13a Trendy little drink I had /in/ flat (7)
14a Errand boy committing serious crime /in/ minister's house (9)
As a containment indicator, committing[5] would seem to be used in the sense of transferring (something) to (a state or place where it can be kept or preserved) ⇒ (i)
he composed a letter but didn't commit it to paper; (ii)
she committed each tiny feature to memory.
17a Be uncomfortably hot // right in front of kiln (5)
An oast[2] is:
- a kiln for drying hops or, formerly, malt
- (also oast house) a building, usually with a conical roof, containing such kilns.
18a Opening, // working with group (5)
19a Contest fewer in number, /being/ without equal (9)
21a Rider at races, // delayed (7)
As several people remark on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the word "races" is not a common anagram indicator. In fact, I don't recall having ever seen it used prior to this puzzle. Jose, in the thread at Comment #1, suggests ⇒
The only way I can justify 'races' as an anagram indicator is it’s (sic) use to mean excites/agitates, as in your heart racing. But I may be clutching at straws….
My thought was somewhat different. An anagram indicator is a word that denotes movement or transformation and the word "races" definitely signifies movement — in fact, very swift movement. Moreover, the competitors in a race are highly likely to cross the finish line in a much different order than that in which the lined up in the starting blocks.
23a Gossip // present, reportedly with chance to speak (7)
Say[5] is an opportunity for stating one's opinion or feelings ⇒
she let him have his say.
25a Duck // swimming over shell (9)
A shoveller[2] (or shoveler) is a duck with a long rounded spade-like bill that inhabits marshes and muddy shallows.
26a Type of energy // supply also run (5)
As an anagram indicator, supply[5] is a variant spelling of supplely[5], an adverb meaning 'in a supple[5] manner'.
"run" = R (show explanation )
On cricket scorecards [not to mention baseball scoreboards], the abbreviation R[5] denotes run(s).
In cricket, a run[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.
hide explanation
On cricket scorecards [not to mention baseball scoreboards], the abbreviation R[5] denotes run(s).
In cricket, a run[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.
hide explanation
27a Crossing river, reached // cave (6)
28a Chicken /in/ yard man decapitated (6)
Down
2d Phone up about last of gladioli /in/ bloom (5)
3d Painter's work that's rarely seen? (9)
An undercoat[5] is a layer of paint applied after the primer and before the topcoat ⇒ (i)
the woodwork was primed and had two undercoats; (ii)
these new paints require no undercoat and are quick to dry.
4d World Cup hero // injured netting second (5)
Sir Geoff Hurst[7] is an English former professional footballer [soccer player]. A striker*, he remains the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, when England recorded a 4–2 victory over West Germany at the old Wembley Stadium in 1966.
* Striker[10] is an informal soccer term for an attacking player, especially one who generally positions himself or herself near the opponent's goal in the hope of scoring.
Post Mortem
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| Like Bluebird reports he did in the thread at Comment #6 on Big Dave's site, I initially parsed this clue as an anagram (injured) of HERO containing (netting) S (second; abbrev.) yielding HOR(S)E. I searched in vain for a British equine named World Cup. This proved to be a major handicap at 12a. It was only when the penny finally dropped at 12a, that I abandoned this faulty approach and worked out the correct solution. Of course, I had to turn to Wikipedia to confirm my result — not being familiar with many current British footballers, let alone those from the 1960s. |
5d Nigel, clumsy chap, // careless (9)
6d Jobs -- // first in there enquires (5)
7d Female and I restore // hearth (9)
8d Not awake // when cover pulled up (6)
9d Put down // good name (6)
In the first definition, put down[10] (verb) is used in the sense of to attribute ⇒
On several occasions, the young player was caught out of position which one may put down to inexperience.
In the second definition, credit[5] is used in the sense of good reputation ⇒
John Gilpin was a citizen of credit and renown.
15d Ice, mostly, round Irish // lake (9)
16d Creature /in/ a stream grabbing frantic duck (9)
"duck" = O (show explanation )
In cricket, a duck[5] (short for duck's egg) is a batsman’s score of nought [zero] ⇒
In British puzzles, "duck" is used to indicate the letter "O" based on the resemblance of the digit "0" to this letter.
hide explanation
In cricket, a duck[5] (short for duck's egg) is a batsman’s score of nought [zero] ⇒
he was out for a duck. This is similar to the North American expression goose egg[5] meaning a zero score in a game.
In British puzzles, "duck" is used to indicate the letter "O" based on the resemblance of the digit "0" to this letter.
hide explanation
17d Tries to divide existing // practice (9)
18d Slow on the uptake, // but so excited by note, finally (6)
20d Crime writer // tells about that woman topping husband (6)
As a decapitation indicator, topping[5] is used in the sense of removing the top of (a vegetable or fruit) in preparation for cooking ⇒
I use the sharp edge of an old butcher's knife for topping and the back of the blade for cleaning the roots.
Dorothy L. Sayers[7] (1893–1957) was a renowned English crime writer best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between the First and Second World Wars that feature English aristocrat and amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, which remain popular to this day.
22d Awkward // writer reflected in it (5)
Here and There
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The setter has almost certainly used "writer" as a cryptic allusion to an implement used for writing. While North American dictionaries also define pen[3,11] as a writer or an author ⇒ a hired pen, British dictionaries do not list this meaning although they do show pen[2,4] (or the pen[5,10]) as symbolically denoting writing as an occupation. Thus the use of the word "writer" to clue PEN would likely be slightly more cryptic to the Brits than it is to us on this side of the pond. |
23d Stout, // a novelist (5)
Thomas Hardy[5] (1840–1928) was an English novelist and poet. Much of his work deals with the struggle against the indifferent force that inflicts the sufferings and ironies of life. Notable novels: The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1896).
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mr K tells us thatWessex[5] was the kingdom of the West Saxons, established in Hampshire in the early 6th century and gradually extended by conquest to include much of southern England. The name was revived in the 19th century by English writer Thomas Hardy to designate the south-western counties of England (especially Dorset) in which his novels are set.The novelist wrote The Wessex Novels. |
Scratching the Surface
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At Comment #1 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Rabbit Dave asks Isn’t the ', a' [comma + the letter 'a'] surplus to requirements in 23d?. While the clue could have been constructed without that element, I believe the setter meant the surface reading to be an allusion to Rex Stout[7] (1886–1975), an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and 39 novellas between 1934 and 1975. |
24d Volley /from/ Slav drifting over (5)
"over" = O (show explanation )
On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation O[5] denotes over(s), an over[5] being a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
hide explanation
On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation O[5] denotes over(s), an over[5] being a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
hide explanation
Key to Reference Sources:Signing off for today — Falcon
[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)
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