Thursday, March 14, 2019 — DT 28857

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28857
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, September 29, 2018
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28857 – Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28857 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Tilsit (Hints) crypticsue (Review)
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
As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review.

Introduction

A British pub game employing ancient British currency was my downfall today.

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   Put up arms, /and/ their attachments (8,6)

Anatomy 101
Are the arms really attached to the should blades? Apparently, yes. In anatomy, the scapula[7] (plural scapulae or scapulas), also known as shoulder bone, shoulder blade, wing bone or blade bone, is the bone that connects the humerus (upper arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone).

10a   Without a recipe, cooks // whisper and drink (7,2)

Whisper as a gentle breeze interacting with a leafy tree.

"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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Rustle something up^[5] is an informal expression meaning to produce something quickly when it is needed ⇒ see if you can rustle up a cup of tea for Paula and me, please.

11a   Something Italian chefs make /in/ annoyance, adding nothing (5)

12a   Gong goes about one -- start of crossword-solving // exam? (7)

Diverging from what crypticsue has shown in her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I would say that the definition is merely the word "exam" with the letter "C" being clued by the initial letter of "Crossword-solving".

Gong^[5] is an informal British term for a medal or award.

13a   'Tyger' with a new // spin (6)

Scratching the Surface
Lindzi James Tyger Drew-Honey (known professionally as Tyger Drew-Honey[7]) is an English actor, musician, and television presenter [host]. He is the son of pornographic actors Ben Dover (real name Simon Honey) and Linzi Drew.

15a   Heartless sport // that may be seen in ring (4)

17a   Swimming as vocation, // somewhere beside the Atlantic (4,6)

18a   Sprats at dinner-time -- one's option would be to do this rabbit (4,3,3)

Jack Sprat^[7] is is an English language nursery rhyme. The most common modern version of the rhyme is:

Jack Sprat could eat no fat.

His wife could eat no lean.

And so between the two of them,

They licked the platter clean.

The name Jack Sprat was used of people of small stature in the sixteenth century. A version of the nursery rhyme is first known to have appeared in print in 1639.

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Rabbit^[5] is an informal British term meaning

• (noun) a conversation ⇒ we had quite a heated rabbit about it
• (verb) to talk at length, especially about trivial matters ⇒ stop rabbiting on, will you, and go to bed!

Delving Deeper

The term rabbit (meaning talk) comes from the Cockney rhyming slang "rabbit and pork" meaning "talk" [yes, apparently 'pork'   rhymes with 'talk'   when pronounced in some English accents — although this may not be the best of examples*]. In Cockney rhyming slang, the slang word is obtained by replacing a word (in this case, "talk") by a phrase with which it rhymes ("rabbit and pork") and then dropping the rhyming word from the phrase. Through this process, "talk" becomes "rabbit". * I have heard said that there are as many as fifty or more regional accents in the UK so the similarity in sound is likely true for at least one of them

20a   Insect following // grouse (4)

"following" = F [publishing] (show explanation )

In publishing, the abbreviation f.^[10] (plural ff.) is used to denote following (page).

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22a   Son /gets/ tot up, interrupting rest (6)

Laddie^[5] is an informal, chiefly Scottish term for a boy or young man (often as a form of address) ⇒ he’s just a wee laddie.

23a   Pickled eel sandwiches German city backed /for/ honour (7)

Bonn^[5] is a city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. From 1949 until the reunification of Germany in 1990 Bonn was the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.

26a   Universal smell reservists found over // naval vehicle (1-4)

"universal" = U [film rating] (show explanation )

Under the British system of film classification^[7] a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" — or, at any rate, for those members over 4 years of age.

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"reservists" = TA (show explanation )

In the UK, Territorial Army^[5] (abbreviation TA^[5]) was, at one time, the name of a volunteer force founded in 1908 to provide a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency. Since 2013, this organization has been called the Army Reserve.

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27a   Wreckage /may be/ acceptable in cutting allotment (9)

"acceptable" = U (show explanation )

In Britain, U^[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒ U manners.

The term, an abbreviation of  upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).

In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable). 

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28a   Gas ring let fuel spread, // sticking to its own controls (4-10)

Down

2d   Watered the garden // in tights? (5)

3d   Clue an alternative /for/ 'Loosen' (6)

4d   Saudis all owe debts -- to a large extent /that's/ forbidden (10)

5d   Grave message close to charcuterie: // 'Ready to eat' (4)

Charcuterie^[5] is cold cooked meats — likely what North Americans would call cold cuts^[5].

6d   Learner at first not taking part in developing spicy // mime (3-4)

I would parse this clue somewhat differently than crypticsue does in her review:

• L(earner) + N (at first Not; initial letter of Not) contained in (taking part in) anagram of (developing) SPICY

"learner" = L [driver under instruction] (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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7d   Break down /seeing/ detective's meeting with hood (9)

"detective" = DI (show explanation )

A detective inspector (DI^[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector^[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

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A mantle^[5] is a loose sleeveless cloak or shawl, worn especially by women ⇒ she was wrapped tightly in her mantle.

8d   Battle with copper one might be hardpushed to win? (5-9)

Copper^[5] is a British [or, perhaps, not so British^*] term for brown coins of low value made of copper or bronze.

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^* although the halfpenny (or ha'penny) is certainly British

Shove-halfpenny^[2,10] is a British game, similar to shovelboard [a British name for shuffleboard], in which players try to propel old halfpennies or polished discs with the hand into lined sections of a wooden or slate board.

9d   Green, blue and red // school flag (7,7)

Primary^[5] (adjective) is a British^* term that means relating to or denoting education for children between the ages of about five and eleven ⇒ Most students leaving primary education continue into secondary school.

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^* neither I nor US dictionaries consider this usage to be British

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A primary colour^[5] is any of a group of colours^* from which all other colours can be obtained by mixing.

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^* The primary colours for pigments are red, blue, and yellow. The primary additive colours for light are red, green, and blue; the primary subtractive colours (which give the primary additive colours when subtracted from white light) are magenta, cyan, and yellow.

14d   Bossy // male hack wearing wire for broadcast? (10)

Hack^[5] can mean a horse in any of several senses:

• a horse for ordinary riding
• a good-quality lightweight riding horse, especially one used in the show ring
• a horse let out for hire
• an inferior or worn-out horse

It is the latter meaning that the setter intends here.

Aerial^[5] is a British^* term for a rod, wire, or other structure by which signals are transmitted or received as part of a radio or television transmission or receiving system.

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^* Although neither I nor American dictionaries consider the term to be particularly British

16d   Lolly on list /as/ something that adds to a meal? (5,4)

Lolly^[5] is an informal British term for money ⇒ you’ve done brilliantly raising all that lovely lolly.

Roll^[5] (in reference to a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) means to rock or oscillate round an axis parallel to the direction of motion ⇒ the ship pitched and rolled.

I'm not convinced that list and roll are the same thing. List means to lean to one side whereas roll means to lean from side to side.

19d   Fraud /is/ bit of a blow (7)

Here and There
In Britain, twister[5] is an informal term for a swindler or a dishonest person ⇒ she's a back-stabbing, double-dealing twister. In North America, a twister[5] is a tornado [although the Brits seem to be very familiar with the term].

21d   Young // admirer follows popular character shown by TV before five (6)

24d   One sitting in outbuilding // in Scotland, 21 (5)

The numeral "21" is a cross reference indicator to clue 21d (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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Bairn^[5] is a chiefly Scottish and Northern English term for a child.

25d   Leader to call newspaper/'s/ bluff (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