Tuesday, December 25, 2018 — DT 28800 (Christmas Bonus Puzzle)

Prologue

As my Christmas gift, here is a bonus puzzle (DT 28800) for you in case you find time to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the day's festivities. I am guessing that the National Post will skip this puzzle. If not, you will have an early start on Wednesday's puzzle.

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28800
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Setter Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28800]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By 2Kiwis
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
Notes
The National Post did not publish an edition today and is expected to skip this puzzle tomorrow, Wednesday, December 26, 2018.

Introduction

The puzzle is fairly gentle so should not overly tax brains that may not be performing at their peak level due to overindulgence in Christmas cheer.

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   Extremely short journeys -- // walks! (7)

5a   Promote // more (7)

9a   Depressed by a student // grant (5)

"student" = L (show explanation )

The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate^[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.

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10a   Go too far, /seeing/ 24 in public (9)

The numeral "24" is a cross reference indicator to clue 24d (show more ).

To complete the clue, a solver must replace the cross reference indicator with the solution to the clue starting in the light^* identified by the cross reference indicator.

The cross reference indicator may include a directional indicator but this is customarily done only in situations where there are both Across and Down clues originating in the light that is being referenced.

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^* light-coloured cell in the grid

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11a   Characteristic of a man /to be/ very quiet in water (5,5)

"very quiet" = PP (show explanation )

Pianissimo^[5,10] (abbreviation pp^[5,10]) is a direction used in music to mean either (as an adjective) very soft or very quiet or (as an adverb) very softly or very quietly.

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Adam's ale^[5] is a humorous, dated term for water.

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An Adam's apple^[5] is a projection at the front of the neck formed by the thyroid cartilage of the larynx, often prominent in men.

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Origin: Mid 18th century: so named from the notion that a piece of the forbidden fruit became lodged in Adam's throat.

12a   Plant /seeing/ first of many poorly (4)

Here and There

According to Oxford Dictionaries Online, poorly[5] (adjective) is a British* term meaning unwell ⇒ she looked poorly. * Despite Oxford claiming this to be a British usage, US dictionaries define poorly[3,11] (adjective) as meaning in poor health or somewhat ill ⇒ feeling poorly. In fact, the American Heritage Dictionary characterizes poorly used in this sense as a chiefly Southern US term. This usage may not necessarily be confined entirely to either Britain or the Southern US. Would it be unexpected to hear someone say I am feeling rather poorly today? On the other hand, Oxford Dictionaries provides examples of British usage that I am sure one would never hear in North America: I didn't manage too many lengths today but I haven't been for 2 weeks since being poorly sick. Zoe Bird, 26, was forced to walk for an hour to reach her home with poorly toddler son Ryan after they were forced to leave the car. Jakey on the other hand is poorly due to having an injection.

14a   Seat occupied by a professor of pop? (7,5)

18a   One takes cap off /seeing/ nerve required in front of batsman (6-6)

Bottle^[5] is an informal British term denoting the courage or confidence needed to do something difficult or dangerous ⇒ I lost my bottle completely and ran.

In cricket, an opener^[2] is either of the two^* batsmen who begin the batting for their team.

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^* remember, in cricket, batsmen always bat in pairs

21a   Smoker // invested in inhalant, expecting returns (4)

Mount Etna^[5] is a volcano in eastern Sicily, rising to 3,323 m (10,902 ft). It is the highest and most active volcano in Europe.

22a   Almost missed call, // being captain (10)

25a   Fall in love /and/ despair! (4,5)

26a   Tree // snake seen regularly (5)

Asp is a name applied to at least four different species of snakes (show more ):

• the European asp^[7], a small southern European viper (Vipera aspis) with an upturned snout.
• the Egyptian cobra^[7] (Naja haje), one of the largest cobra species native to Africa, second to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca).
• the Saharan horned viper^[7] (Cerastes cerastes), a venomous viper species native to the deserts of Northern Africa and parts of the Middle East.
• the Saharan sand viper^[7] (Cerastes vipera), also known as the Egyptian asp or Cleopatra's asp, a venomous viper species endemic to the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.

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The aspen^[5] is a poplar tree with small rounded long-stalked leaves that tremble in the breeze.

27a   Ledger /shows/ father with new boy fine (3,4)

Da^[5] is British dialect word denoting one's father ⇒ I learned the songs from my da.

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It would seem that a day book may not be a true ledger — at least not in the eyes of the editors at Oxford Dictionaries Online.

A daybook^[5,10] (or day book^[1,2]) is an account book in which a day's transactions are entered for later transfer to a ledger.

28a   Detectives // run from ruthless criminal (7)

The Story Behind the Picture

The photo illustrating the 2Kiwis review shows British actors John Thaw and Kevin Whately in the roles of Chief Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis from the British television drama series Inspector Morse[7] produced between 1987 and 2000. The show is based on a series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter (1930–2017). The title character, Inspector Endeavour Morse[7], is a senior CID (Criminal Investigation Department) officer with the Thames Valley Police force in Oxford, England.

Down

1d   Compromise a manager securing // rating (6)

Rating^[5] is a British term for a non-commissioned sailor in the navy ⇒ the rest of the new crew was made up of naval ratings.

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Origin: So named from the position or rating held by a sailor, recorded on a ship's books.

2d   Cargo coming after soldiers // charge again (6)

"soldiers" = RE (show explanation )

The Corps of Royal Engineers^[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers^[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.

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3d   Stops working /in/ Irish county seats (5,5)

Down^[5] is one of the Six Counties of Northern Ireland, since 1973 an administrative district; chief town, Downpatrick.

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Down tools^[5] (3rd person singular downs tools) is an informal British term meaning to stop work, especially as a form of industrial action ⇒ the union instructed its members to down tools.

4d   Exclusive // company taken in by concession (5)

5d   Independent // European country importing fish (9)

6d   Regret adopting son/'s/ cunning plan (4)

"son" = S (show explanation )

In genealogies, s^[5] is the abbreviation for son(s) ⇒ m 1991; one s one d^*.

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^* married in 1991; one son and one daughter.

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7d   Troublemaker // in gaol sadly supporting house (8)

"house" = HO (show explanation )

Although not found in most of the dictionaries I consulted, ho.^[10] is the abbreviation for house.

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Scratching the Surface
Gaol[10] is a British variant spelling of jail.

8d   Shakes, coming across river // snakes (8)

13d   Put one's foot down /seeing/ expert cover Electra complex (10)

Scratching the Surface

In psychoanalysis, Electra complex[5] is an old-fashioned term for the Oedipus complex (show explanation ) as manifested in young girls. In psychoanalysis, the term Oedipus complex[5] refers in Freudian theory to the complex of emotions aroused in a young child, typically around the age of four, by an unconscious sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex and wish to exclude the parent of the same sex. (The term was originally applied to boys, the equivalent in girls being called the Electra complex.) hide explanation

15d   Reject // drink (5,4)

Knock back^[10] is slang meaning to reject or refuse ⇒ you cannot possibly knock back such an offer.

16d   A graduate teacher full of inventive lies // went down line (8)

Here and There

Abseil[5] is a British term meaning to descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point ⇒ (i) team members had to abseil down sheer cliffs to reach the couple; (ii) (as noun abseiling) there are facilities for abseiling and rock climbing. The term used in North America is rappel[5], which is also an alternative term in the UK.

17d   Times will support seating areas for spectators /and/ is ready to act (6,2)

Scratching the Surface

The Times[7] is a British daily national newspaper based in London. (show more ) The paper began in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register and became The Times on 1 January 1788. The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times (founded in 1821) are published by Times Newspapers, since 1981 a subsidiary of News UK, itself wholly owned by the News Corp group headed by Australian-born American publisher and media entrepreneur Rupert Murdoch. The Times and The Sunday Times do not share editorial staff, were founded independently and have only had common ownership since 1967. hide

19d   Green fruit mostly going with favourite // shellfish (6)

The limpet^[5] is a marine mollusc which has a shallow conical shell and a broad muscular foot, found clinging tightly to rocks.

20d   A long time entertaining National Trust // representatives (6)

In Britain, the National Trust^[5] (abbreviation NT) is a trust for the preservation of places of historic interest or natural beauty in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, founded in 1895 and supported by endowment and private subscription. The National Trust for Scotland^[7], a separate organization, was founded in 1931.

23d   Heads // eat out in case of parents (5)

Pate^[5] is an archaic or humorous term for a person's head.

24d   Go away /and/ film endlessly (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