Saturday, December 29, 2018 — Late Change of Mind

Happy New Year

Introduction

I found today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon a little more tricky than usual. It not only took me a while to get started but the last few holdouts put up a valiant fight.

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^*)

---

^* num = numeration

Explanations pertaining to the wordplay (or first definition in a double definition)

(Horizontal separator)

---

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

9a   Reconsidering the matter, // cut the Don Ho song loose (2,6,7)

{ON SECOND THOUGHT}* — anagram of (loose) CUT THE DON HO SONG

Scratching the Surface
Don Ho[7] (1930–2007) was an American traditional pop musician, singer and entertainer from Hawaii. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the album of the same name.

10a   Roman magistrate/’s/ kid in song (7)

T(RIB)UNE — RIB (kid; tease) contained in (in) TUNE (song)

11a   Sales pitch on new // model (7)

PATTER|N — PATTER (sales pitch) + (on) N (new)

12a   In jungle, I carry // camera (5)

_LE|I|CA_ — hidden in (in) jungLE I CArry

Leica Camera AG^[7] is a German company that manufactures cameras, lenses, binoculars, rifle scopes and ophthalmic lenses. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1914.

---

Origin: The name Leica is derived from the first three letters of the founder's surname (Leitz) and the first two of the word camera: lei-ca.

13a   Reds // baseball team back in place for a tournament (9)

L(ENIN<)ISTS — reversal of (back) NINE (baseball team) contained in (in) LISTS (place for a [jousting] tournament)

A Leninist^[2] is an adherent of Leninism, the political, economic and social principles and practices of the Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin, especially his theory of government by the proletariat, based on his interpretation of Marxism.

15a   Just before finishing, // the ultimate tan’s ruined (2,3,4,6)

{AT THE LAST MINUTE}* — anagram of (ruined) THE ULTIMATE TANS

19a   Comedy featuring Bill Murray /and/ me at dances (9)

ME|AT|BALLS — ME (†) + AT (†) BALLS (dances)

Meatballs^[7] is a 1979 Canadian comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman. It is noted for Bill Murray's first film appearance in a starring role and for launching the directing career of Reitman whose later comedies included Stripes (1981) and Ghostbusters (1984), both starring Murray.

22a   Pass // salt, and await approval (5)

S|PEND — S (salt; abbrev. found on a salt shaker) + (and) PEND (await approval)

23a   Talk nonchalantly /and/ quickly (7)

RAP|IDLY — RAP (talk) + IDLY (nonchalantly)

25a   Exercised by jogging, adopting a crazy // period of fasting (7)

R(A|MAD)AN — RAN (exercised by jogging) containing (adopting) { A (†) + MAD (crazy)|

Ramadan^[5] (also Ramadhan) is the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from dawn to sunset.

---

Origin: From Arabic ramaḍān, from ramaḍa ‘be hot’. The lunar reckoning of the Muslim calendar brings the fast eleven days earlier each year, eventually causing Ramadan to occur in any season; originally it was supposed to be in one of the hot months.

26a   Ideal looks // possibly assure girl of hug (9,6)

{HOURGLASS FIGURE}* — anagram of (possibly) ASSURE GIRL OF HUG

Down

1d   Run into child indisposed by a // Mexican snack (8)

TO(R)T|ILL|A — {R (run; abbrev. used in baseball — or cricket) contained in (into) TOT (child)} + ILL (indisposed) + A (†)

2d   Houseplant // improved a sad spirit (10)

ASPIDISTRA* — anagram of (improved) A SAD SPIRIT

The aspidistra^[5] is a bulbous plant of the lily family with broad tapering leaves, native to eastern Asia and widely grown as a houseplant.

3d   A Catholic priest // right on the money (8)

A|C|CURATE — A (†) + C (Catholic; abbrev.) + CURATE (priest)

I found C.^[1,4,10,11] is listed as an abbreviation for Catholic in several dictionaries.

In the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, a curate^[5,7] is member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest.

4d   Strange // article in Quebec about a Liberal (6)

UN|RE|A|L — UN (article in Quebec; French indefinite article) + RE (about) + A (†) + L (Liberal; abbrev. for political party affiliation)

Setting the Scene

For visitors from abroad who may not be familiar with things Canadian: The official language of the Canadian province of Quebec[7] is French. Quebec is the only province whose population is mainly Francophone; 6,102,210 people (78.1 percent of the population) recorded it as their sole native language in the 2011 Census, and 6,249,085 (80.0%) recorded that they spoke it most often at home. Knowledge of French is widespread even among those who do not speak it natively; in 2011, about 94.4 percent of the total population reported being able to speak French, alone or in combination with other languages, while 47.3% reported being able to speak English. The Liberal Party of Canada[7] is the longest serving federal political party in Canada. The party has dominated federal politics for much of Canada's history, holding power for almost 69 years in the 20th century—more than any other party in a developed country—and as a result, it is sometimes referred to as Canada's "natural governing party".

5d   Hurry up, // playing set point (4,2,2)

{STEP ON IT}* — anagram of (playing) SET POINT

Scratching the Surface
In tennis and other sports, a set point[5] is a point which if won by one of the players or sides will also win them a set ⇒ his brilliant ace denied Sampras the set point.

6d   Quiet // soprano again and again (6)

S|OFTEN — S (soprano; abbrev.) + OFTEN (again and again)

7d   Horrible creature // in progress (4)

_OGRE_ — hidden in (in) prOGREss

8d   Makes amends // while maintaining mood (6)

A(TONE)S — AS (while) containing (maintaining) TONE (mood)

14d   You say Stuart wrote us? // Great (10)

{STU|PEND|OUS}~ — sounds like (you say) {STU ([diminutive for] Stuart) + PENNED (wrote) + US (†)}

16d   “Twist and Shout”: a retro // passage (8)

{A|LLEY|WAY}< — reversal of (retro) {YAW (twist) + (and) YELL (shout) + A (†)}

Scratching the Surface

"Twist and Shout"[7] is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). The song was originally recorded by the Top Notes. It first became a chart hit as a single by the Isley Brothers in 1962. The song has since been covered by several artists, including the Beatles on their first album Please Please Me (1963), as well as the Tremeloes in 1962 and the Who in 1970 and 1984.

17d   Difficulty dozing // mansion I destroyed (8)

INSOMNIA* — anagram (destroyed) of MANSION I

18d   Risk // passion after finale (8)

END|ANGER — ANGER (passion) following (after) END (finale)

19d   Like a swamp/’s/ damage: modest (6)

MAR|SHY — MAR (damage) + SHY (modest)

20d   Urban grocery/’s/ bad smell turned old (6)

BO|DEGA< — BO (bad smell; abbrev. for body odour) + reversal of (turned) AGED (old)

While I know the word as meaning a wineshop, among Spanish-speaking Americans bodega^[11] also denotes a grocery store.

21d   Pressure // lock after safe’s opening (6)

S|TRESS — TRESS (lock [of hair]) following (after) S (Safe's opening [initial letter])

24d   Promote // quaff the wrong way (4)

PLUG< — reversal of (the wrong way) GULP (quaff)

Epilogue

The title of today's review is inspired by the long anagrams at 9a and 15a.

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