Thursday, February 7, 2019 — DT 28832

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28832
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Friday, August 31, 2018
Setter Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28832]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Deep Threat
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

Introduction

The general consensus would seem to be that the lower half of the puzzle is considerably more difficult than the upper half.

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

Error in Today's Puzzle

I fully expect the error which appeared in The Daily Telegraph in August to be present in the puzzle published today in the National Post.

The clue we will likely see is:

• 15d   Maybe having bags to reuse -- otherwise not green! (9)

which was later amended on the Telegraph Puzzles website to read:

• 15d   Maybe having bags to reuse, mostly -- otherwise not green! (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: "*" 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   A mistake, /having/ sauce in drink (4-2)

Sauce^[5] is an informal British term for impertinence or cheek ⇒ ‘None of your sauce,’ said Aunt Edie — which, in North America, would be called sass^[5].

"drink" = SUP (show explanation )

As a verb, sup^[5] is a dated or Northern English term meaning to take (drink or liquid food) by sips or spoonfuls ⇒ (i) she supped up her soup delightedly; (ii) he was supping straight from the bottle.

As a noun, sup^[5] means

• a sip of liquid ⇒ he took another sup of wine
• (in Northern England or Ireland) an alcoholic drink ⇒ the latest sup from those blokes at the brewery

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5a   Motorway accident has hospital /in/ confusion (8)

The M1^[7] is a north–south motorway^* in England connecting London to Leeds.

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^* Motorway^[2,5] (abbreviation M^[5]) is a British, Australian, and New Zealand term for a dual-carriageway road [divided highway] designed for fast-moving traffic, especially one with three lanes per carriageway [direction of travel] and limited access and exit points [controlled access].

"hospital" = H

9a   One looking for something cheap, // but unearthing rubbish (7,6)

As an anagram indicator, rubbish^[1] is used as an adjective denoting of or relating to rubbish (nonsense). Nonsense^[12] (adjective) means of or designating verse, poetry, or other literary composition consisting of words or syllables constructed of sounds or symbols arranged arbitrarily so as to convey an absurd meaning or no meaning at all.

Oxford Dictionaries Online considers the word rubbish^[5] (in all senses) to be British — despite it not being characterized as such by American dictionaries. I would think that, as a noun, the word has long ago become accepted in North America. That is not the case, however, when used as an adjective or verb.

10a   Loftiness /of/ silly undergrad Oxford finally got rid of (8)

11a   Plant /in/ trouble had fallen over (6)

Déjà vu
Should you happen to recall, the solution to this clue not only appeared in the puzzle on Tuesday but was positioned in exactly the same location in the grid!

12a   Girl /and/ donkey featured in story (6)

A Wee Bit Scottish

This word may have Scottish roots but I would think it has now spread worldwide. In Scottish and Northern English dialects, lassie[5] is another term for lass* ⇒ I'm going to see a wee lassie tonight. * Lass[5] is a Scottish and Northern English term [although one that is certainly extremely well-known in Canada] for a girl or young woman ⇒ (i) he married a lass from Yorkshire; (ii) village lasses.

14a   Outside that place see boy /being/ thrashed (8)

16a   Bill and Edward crossing Greek island /will get/ waylaid (8)

Ted^[7] is a diminutive form of the given names Edmund, Edward, Edwin, Edwina, Thaddeus, Theodora, and Theodore.

Cos is an alternative spelling of Kos^[5], a Greek island in the southeastern Aegean, one of the Dodecanese group. It is the home of cos lettuce^[5] (known to North Americans as romaine^[5]).

19a   One half of a field -- there's no cover here (6)

This is a cryptic definition of the half of a cricket field on which the cover does not play.

Cricket 101

I thought the numeration was incorrect here — surely, it should be (2,4) — but as there was no mention of this on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I must be mistaken. In cricket, the on[5] (also known as on side) is another name for the leg[5] (also called leg side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒ he played a lucky stroke to leg. The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side). In cricket, cover[5] (short for cover point[5]) denotes a fielding position a little in front of the batsman on the off side and halfway to the boundary [the marked limit of the playing area] or a fielder at cover point ⇒ an easy catch by Hick at cover. As the cover plays on the off side, "there's no cover" on the on side.

21a   Reduces speed /in/ thickets (6)

Brake^[5] is an archaic or literary term for a thicket.

23a   Each, coming in refreshed, // settled in a new place (8)

25a   Is Rev. a control freak? /It's/ debatable (13)

26a   This person getting at leader /is/ a fool (8)

"this person" = ME (show explanation )

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (the or this) speaker, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or ME) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

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The solution is Archie Bunker's customary appellation for his son-in-law.

27a   Some French anger /and/ longing (6)

In French, des^[8] is a partitive article meaning 'some'.

Down

2d   Country // not entirely generous about immigration originally (7)

Liberia^[5] is a country on the Atlantic coast of West Africa.  (show more )

Liberia was founded in 1822 as a settlement for freed slaves from the US, and was proclaimed independent in 1847. Indigenous peoples, however, form the majority of the population. In 1980 a coup overthrew the predominant Liberian–American elite, and a civil war began in 1990, ending with a ceasefire in 1996.

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3d   Revolutionary material about // Argentinian leader (5)

Rep^[5] (also repp) is a fabric with a ribbed surface, used in curtains and upholstery.

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Juan Perón^[5] (1895–1974) was an Argentinian soldier and statesman, president 1946–55 and 1973–4. He participated in the 1943 military coup, and was later elected president, winning popular support with his social reforms. The faltering economy and conflict with the Church led to his removal and exile.

4d   Location /of/ silly pal sitting on glue (9)

5d   Among relations? Find // the dog  // hiding here (7)

The setter has used a rather convoluted clue structure which places the definition in the middle of the clue. The clue could have been written in a more pedestrian fashion as:

• The dog /is found/ hiding among relations (7)

6d   Reliable // output from loudspeaker (5)

On first read. I will admit to thinking this might be a homophone clue.

7d   Supreme, /but/ lacking chance to compete against opposition (9)

8d   Gentleman being heard, nasty /and/ obsequious (7)

13d   Store at home with film // material (9)

"film" = ET (show explanation )

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial^[7] (often referred to simply as E.T.) is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of a lonely boy who befriends an extraterrestrial, dubbed "E.T.", who is stranded on Earth. He and his siblings help the extraterrestrial return home while attempting to keep it hidden from their mother and the government.

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Stockinet (an alternative spelling of stockinette^[5]) is a soft, loosely knitted stretch fabric, formerly used for making underwear and now used for cleaning, wrapping, or bandaging.

15d   Maybe having bags // to reuse, mostly -- otherwise not green! (9)

As mentioned above (see Error in Today's Puzzle), the word "mostly" will almost certainly be missing from the clue published in the National Post.

Bags^[5] is a dated British term for loose-fitting trousers ⇒ a pair of flannel bags.

17d   Craft /of/ Conservative, one to be consulted? (7)

"Conservative" = C [British political party] (show explanation )

The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.^[10] or Con.^[10].

The Conservative Party^[5] is a a major British political party that emerged from the old Tory Party^* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s. Since the Second World War, it has been in power 1951–64, 1970-74, and 1979–97. It governed in a coalition with the Liberal Democrats from 2010 until the general election of May 2015, in which it was returned with a majority.

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^* Historically, a Tory^[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.

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In modern usage^*, an oracle^[5] is a person or thing regarded as an infallible authority on something ⇒ he reigned supreme as the Colonial Office's oracle on Africa.

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^* In classical antiquity, an oracle^[5] was a priest or priestess acting as a medium through whom advice or prophecy was sought from the gods.

Delving Deeper

In classical antiquity, an oracle[5] was a priest or priestess acting as a medium through whom advice or prophecy was sought from the gods. Delphi[5] was one of the most important religious sanctuaries of the ancient Greek world, dedicated to Apollo and situated on the lower southern slopes of Mount Parnassus above the Gulf of Corinth. It was the seat of the Delphic Oracle, whose riddling responses to a wide range of questions were delivered by the Pythia.

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Coracle^[5] (a term used especially in Wales and Ireland) denotes a small round boat made of wickerwork covered with a watertight material, propelled with a paddle.

18d   Obtained // legal document to restrict half the competitors (7)

What did he say?

In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat hints that the contained entity is a word for ‘competitors’ (Sheridan wrote a play about them). Richard Brinsley Sheridan[5] (1751–1816) was an Irish playwright and politician. His plays are comedies of manners and include The Rivals (1775) and The School for Scandal (1777). In 1780, he entered Parliament, became a celebrated orator, and held senior government posts.

20d   Resident // the German entertains abundantly (7)

"the German" = DER (show explanation )

In German, der^[8] is one of the several forms that the definite article may assume.

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22d   Sudden movement /of/ operator not getting on (5)

24d   Another identity // unfortunately trapping one (5)

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