Saturday, December 22, 2018 — White Out

Introduction

Following a rainy day yesterday, the temperature in Ottawa has dropped a few degrees and the precipitation has changed to snow. Today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon appears to augur a White Christmas.

I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.

Solution to Today's Puzzle

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 █ - yet to be solved

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.

hide explanation

Across

1a   White // piece of cake the guy covered with vanilla (8)

BLAN(C|HE)D — {C (piece [initial letter] of Cake) + HE (that guy)} contained in (covered with) BLAND (vanilla)

5a   Snowman // tailored for pigpen (6)

FRO*|STY — anagram (tailored) of FOR + STY (pigpen)

"Frosty the Snowman"^[7] (or "Frosty the Snow Man") is a popular Christmas song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950 and later recorded by Jimmy Durante, releasing it as a single. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the new song to Autry, who recorded "Frosty" in search of another seasonal hit. Like "Rudolph", "Frosty" was subsequently adapted to other media including a popular television special by Rankin/Bass Productions, Frosty the Snowman.

10a   Slice outside of doughnut with Italian // white candy filling (7)

C(O|CON)UT — CUT (slice) containing (outside of) {O ([letter that looks like a] doughnut) + CON (with Italian; Italian word meaning 'with')}

11a   Returned thick white cheese /in/ silky material (7)

TAF<|FETA — reversal (returned) of FAT (thick) + FETA (white cheese)

12a   Polar ice refreshed with new // white stuff (9)

PORCELAI*|N — anagram (refreshed) of POLAR ICE + (with) N (new; abbrev.)

13a   Booth/’s/ play for time (5)

STALL — double definition

14a   Employer // sure restructured (4)

USER* — anagram (restructured) of SURE

15a   Tramping about carrying a // white-feathered bird (9)

{PT(A)RMIGAN}* or {PTARMIG(A)N}* — anagram (about) of TRAMPING containing (carrying) A (†)

Rock Ptarmigan

The ptarmigan^[5] is a northern grouse of mountainous and Arctic regions, with feathered legs and feet and plumage that typically changes to white in winter.

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Origin: Late 16th century: from Scottish Gaelic tàrmachan. The spelling with p- was introduced later, suggested by Greek words starting with pt-.

18a   Hearing something shot, pull // plant with white berries (9)

{MISTLE|TOE}~ — sounds like (hearing) {MISSILE (something shot) + TOW (pull)}

Mistletoe Infestation

Mistletoe^[5] is a leathery-leaved parasitic plant which grows on apple, oak, and other broadleaf trees and bears white glutinous berries in winter.

20a   Small, pale // white bird (4)

S|WAN — S (small; abbrev.) + WAN (pale)

23a   White mineral/’s/ rich alkaline content? (5)

_CH|ALK_ —  hidden in (content) riCH ALKaline

25a   White // flower behind a research site (9)

A|LAB|ASTER — ASTER (flower) following (behind) {A (†) + LAB (research site)}

27a   In hotel, a stickler/’s/ flexible (7)

_EL|A|STIC_ — hidden in (in) hotEL A STICkler

28a   Funny decal in // northern country (7)

ICELAND* — anagram (funny) of DECAL IN

29a   Look at the // stew (6)

SEE|THE — SEE (look at) + THE (†)

30a   Pale hue, // for example green, signals primarily misery (8)

EGGSHELL — EG (for example) + G (green; abbrev. found on video connectors, for instance) +S (Signals primarily [initial letter]) + HELL (misery)

Down

1d   Bulging at the start, I flexed pecs /and/ arm muscles (6)

B|I|CEPS* — B (Bulging at the start [initial letter]) + I (†) + anagram (flexed) of PECS

2d   Listened to a chord’s // harmonies (7)

ACCORDS~ — sounds like (listened to) { A (†) + CHORD'S (†)}

3d   Prisoner restricted in wild discussion (9)

CON|FE(R)RAL or CON|FER(R)AL — CON (prisoner) + {R (restricted; motion picture classification) contained in (in) FERAL (wild)}

4d   Additional // period includes variable time (5)

E(X|T)RA — ERA (period) containing (includes) {X ([algebraic] variable) + T (time; abbrev.)}

6d   Articulated hoods /and/ frilly collars (5)

RUFFS~ — sounds like (articulated) ROUGHS (hoods)

7d   Report trailing that lady /for/ nine yards? (7)

SHE|BANG — BANG (report [of a rifle, for instance]) following (trailing) SHE (that lady)

The whole nine yards^[5] is an informal North American expression denoting everything possible or available ⇒ send in the troops, aircraft, nuclear submarine experts, the whole nine yards.

Shebang^[10] is slang for a situation, matter, or affair (especially in the phrase the whole shebang).

8d   Relaying changes /for/ youngster (8)

YEARLING* — anagram (changes) of RELAYING

9d   Period encompassing single // division of prehistory (5,3)

ST(ONE) AGE — STAGE (period) containing (encompassing) ONE (single)

15d   Wrong chapter about right // Italian poet (8)

{PET(R)ARCH}* or {PETRA(R)CH}* — anagram (wrong) of CHAPTER containing (about) R (right; abbrev.)

Petrarch^[5] (1304–1374) was an Italian poet; Italian name Francesco Petrarca. His reputation is chiefly based on the Canzoniere (c.1351–3), a sonnet sequence in praise of a woman he calls Laura.

16d   Stale scum corrupted // white wines (9)

MUSCATELS* — anagram (corrupted) of STALE SCUM

Muscatel^[5] (also muscadel) denotes a wine or raisin made from muscatel grapes^*.

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^* A muscatel grape^[5] (also muscadel grape) is a muscat grape, especially as grown for drying to make raisins. A muscat grape^[5] is a variety of white, red, or black grape with a musky scent, grown in warm climates for wine or raisins or as table grapes.

17d   Salt manufacturers pocketing 100 // dollars (8)

S|MA(C)KERS — S (salt; abbrev. found on a salt shaker) + MAKERS (manufacturers) containing (pocketing) C ([Roman numeral for] 100)

In North America, a smacker^[5] (also smackeroo) is an inform term for one dollar; in Britain it is an informal term for one pound sterling.

19d   Wise about wood // wetting (7)

S(OAK)AGE — SAGE (wise) containing (about) OAK (wood)

Soakage^[3] is the process of soaking or the condition of being soaked.

21d   Expert, gaining tense backing, // put in motion (7)

AC(TUAT<)E — ACE (expert) containing (gaining) a reversal (backing) of TAUT (tense)

22d   Dictated restraint // for one getting married (6)

BRIDAL~ — sounds like (dictated) BRIDLE (restraint)

24d   Draw behind the first // boat (5)

_KETCH — [S]KETCH (draw) with the initial letter deleted (behind the first; i.e., the part that comes after the initial letter)

26d   Impressing // a hockey player on the side (5)

A|WING — A (†) + WING (hockey player on the side)

Epilogue

To those who celebrate the festival, I will take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas. To all others, including those of other faiths who may be celebrating their own traditions at this time of year, I extend to you sincere greetings of the season.

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