Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28816 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, August 13, 2018 | |
Setter
Dada (John Halpern) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28816] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Miffypops | |
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
I think Gwizz sums up this puzzle very well in Comment #31 on Big Dave's Crossword BlogWell, for a Monday that was quite demanding. Tricky but fair.— although here it is Wednesday.
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:
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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 Bound to break track record /in/ competition (11)
Showjumping[5] is the competitive sport of riding horses over a course of fences and other obstacles in an arena, with penalty points for errors.
10a Cool river /for/ big animal (5)
The Po[7] is a river that arises in the Cottian Alps and flows eastward across northern Italy entering the Adriatic Sea through a delta near Venice.
What is she talking about?
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On Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue (at Comment #2) mentions that this clue includesOn December 31, 2010 in a review of DT 26437, gnomethang (who alternates with crypticsue in reviewing puzzles published on Saturday in the UK) described the Po as a Chinese river—a faux pas that crypticsue will never let him forget.our Gnome’s favourite river. |
11a Feeling -- // touch (9)
12a Juvenile // error loading old weapon (9)
Trip[5] is an archaic term for a mistake ⇒
an occasional trip in the performance.
13a Star sign's last -- // might one go after the fishes? (5)
This star is the leading man in a motion picture.
14a A painful thing admitting hospital // afloat no longer? (6)
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| "hospital" = H |
16a Split by a pass, flankers in live // game (8)
In soccer, a cross[5] is a pass of the ball across the field towards the centre close to one's opponents' goal ⇒
Beckham's low cross was turned into the net by Cole.
Scratching the Surface
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| It seems that when one combines soccer and rugby, the result is lacrosse. In rugby, a flanker[5] (another term for wing forward[5]) is an attacking player positioned near to one of the sidelines. In North American football, a wide receiver[7] who lines up behind the line of scrimmage (and thus counts as a back) is called a "flanker". Perhaps the term is also used in soccer, but I could find no evidence of it. |
18a Witness // old boy with tennis player, perhaps? (8)
"old boy" = OB (show explanation )
In Britain, an old boy[5] (abbreviation OB[2]) is:
hide explanation
In Britain, an old boy[5] (abbreviation OB[2]) is:
- a former male student of a school or college ⇒
an old boy of Banbury County School
; or - a former male member of a sports team or company ⇒
the White Hart Lane old boy squared the ball to present an easy chance from 12 yards
.
‘Look here, old boy,’ he said.
hide explanation
20a Sweet // animal, reportedly (6)
Sweet[5] is a British term for a sweet dish forming a course of a meal; in other words, a dessert.
What on earth did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops tells us thatIn Britain, elk[5] is another name for the moose (Alces alces). The animal (Cervus canadensis) known to North Americans as an elk is generally called a wapiti[3,4,11] in the UK, although it may also be referred to as the American elk or Canadian elk.The animal is an elk. |
23a Topping // in cake is not gooey, initially (5)
24a Scoffing ten, bun eater remarkably // buoyant (9)
26a Dusk // near, female given shelter by giant (9)
27a Story penned by an // outsider (5)
28a Add // one litre, tap turning (11)
The word interpolate[5] means to insert or interject.
I know the word from mathematics where it means to insert (an intermediate value or term) into a series by estimating or calculating it from surrounding known values.
However, it can also mean;
- to insert (something of a different nature) into something else ⇒
illustrations were interpolated in the text
- to insert (words) in a book or other text, especially in order to give a false impression as to its date
- to alter or enlarge (a text) by insertion of new material
- to interject (a remark) in a conversation ⇒
‘I dare say,’ interpolated her employer
Down
2d That woman, employing leaders in youth programme, /becomes/ very excited (5)
3d Monster // fiction? (7)
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops shows this clue as a double definition — and I suppose one may well consider it to be that.
Whopper[5] is an informal term meaning:
- a thing that is extremely or unusually large ⇒
the novel is a 1,079 page whopper
. - a gross or blatant lie ⇒
he's telling whoppers
.
Because the two definitions are so similar, the clue is a rather poor double definition. However, I think it makes quite a clever cryptic definition:
- Monster fiction? (7)
4d Guy loses coat, and is strangely // silent (6)
5d Student // getting good in pub game, operation looking up (8)
"good" = G (show explanation )
The abbreviation G[a] for good comes from its use in education as a mark awarded on scholastic assignments or tests.
[a] Collins English to Spanish Dictionary
hide explanation
The abbreviation G[a] for good comes from its use in education as a mark awarded on scholastic assignments or tests.
[a] Collins English to Spanish Dictionary
hide explanation
Op[5] is an informal term for a surgical operation ⇒
a minor op. In the plural (ops), it can denote military operations ⇒
the ops room.
6d In Brunei, the regime /is/ not one thing nor the other (7)
Scratching the Surface
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Brunei[5] (official name Brunei Darussalam) is a small oil-rich constitutional sultanate on the
north-western coast of Borneo, divided by parts of Malaysia's state of
Sarawak. (show more )
In the 16th century Brunei dominated Borneo and parts of the Philippines, but its power declined as that of the Portuguese and Dutch grew, and in 1888 it was placed under British protection. It became a fully independent Commonwealth state in 1984. hide |
7d Book, // first of several in the hairdressing establishment belonging to Scotsman? (13)
Ian[7] (also Iain) is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, corresponding to English/Hebrew John. It is a common name for a Scotsman — and especially so in Crosswordland.
The Epistles to the Thessalonians[5], of which there are two in the New Testament, are epistles of St Paul to the new Church at Thessalonica*.
* Thessalonica[5] is the Latin name for Thessaloníki[5] (former name Salonica), a seaport in north-eastern Greece, the second largest city in Greece and capital of the Greek region of Macedonia.
8d Terrible joints, we hear, /for/ those writing regularly (8)
The word "dire" , when pronounced in a non-rhotic (show explanation
) accent typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially
southeastern England), sounds like "DI-ah".
Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.
hide explanation
Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.
hide explanation
Because the second part of this homophone starts with an R-sound, the wordplay actually does work relatively well even for those of us with rhotic accents.
By the way, Brits do pronounce the letter "R" in the word "wrists".
Who is he talking about?
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On Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Miffypops suggests — as a hint for the word "terrible" — that weMark Knopfler[7] was the lead guitarist, lead singer, and songwriter for the rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded with his younger brother, David Knopfler, in 1977. The group disbanded in 1995.think Mark Knopfler’s old group. |
9d Various units entering // flat (13)
Scratching the Surface
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| In Britain, the term flat[5] is generally used for what would be called an apartment[5] in North America. The term apartment
is used in Britain, but seemingly in a more restricted sense than in
North America applying to either temporary or upscale accommodation. As Oxford Dictionaries puts it, an apartment[5] is:
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15d Seaside town // is obliged to cover up swindle (8)
Hastings[7] is a town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, 53 mi (85 km) south east of London. It gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place 8 mi (13 km) to the north at Senlac Hill in 1066. The town later became one of the medieval Cinque Ports, and a popular seaside resort in the 19th century with the coming of the railway. Today, Hastings is a fishing port with a beach-based fishing fleet.
17d Make // green tea after brewing (8)
19d Not left off? // Absolutely correct (5-2)
21d Garment // top of the pile? (7)
Overall[4] — not to be confused with overalls (see the "Delving Deeper" box below) — is a British term for a a protective work garment usually worn over ordinary clothes. It would seem to be a general term that encompasses not only garments that the British call dungarees (North American overalls) or boiler suits (North American coveralls) but also coat and smock type garments (such as lab coats perhaps) — and even aprons as well.
Delving Deeper
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| While Brits and North Americans share many of the same names for
articles of clothing, the meaning of those terms is often quite
different on either side of the pond. In North America, overalls[3,11] are loose-fitting trousers, usually of strong fabric, with a bib front and shoulder straps, often worn over regular clothing as protection from dirt. The British definition of overalls[4] is broader, including not only garments with a bib and shoulder straps but also those having a jacket top. These latter garments are also known as boiler suits in the UK and would be called coveralls[3] in North America. Furthermore, whereas the term dungarees[3,4,11] is used in North America to refer to either trousers or North American style overalls, in the UK it is used solely to mean the latter, i.e., a suit of workman's overalls made of dungaree [denim] consisting of trousers with a bib attached. Note that I have carefully avoided using the North American term "pants" in favour of the more universal term "trousers". In Britain, the term "pants" refers to underwear. Thus were I to take off my pants in the UK, I would be far more exposed than if I were to do so in North America! |
22d Stop being palindromic? (4,2)
I consider this clue to be a cryptic definition with an embedded precise definition. As the words "being palindromic" do not provide a second independent route to solving the clue, they are neither wordplay nor a second definition. Rather they provide cryptic elaboration about the nature of the definition — namely, that it is a palindrome.
25d Very famous // fighter on the way (1-4)
Muhammad Ali[5] is an American boxer; born Cassius Marcellus Clay. He won the world heavyweight title in 1964, 1974, and 1978, becoming the only boxer to be world champion three times.
A-list[5] (used here as a modifier) denotes a real or imaginary list of the most celebrated or sought-after individuals, especially in show business ⇒ [as modifier]
an A-list celebrity.
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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