Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28856 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, September 28, 2018 | |
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28856] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Deep Threat | |
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
Giovanni gives those of us who are partial to cryptic definitions a real treat today. Not since Rufus retired have we seen such a fine collection of this clue type.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.
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Across
1a New limo to be given gold front -- special example of this! (10)
The entire clue is a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded — a new limo with a gold front definitely being a special example of the solution.
"gold" = AU [chemistry symbol] (show explanation )
6a Old boy may be given it -- but not while still alive! (4)
Once again, the entire clue is a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
"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.
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9a Sixty minutes with one // alluring female (5)
A houri[5] is a beautiful young woman, especially one of the virgin companions of the faithful in the Muslim Paradise.
10a Crumbling terrain around Western Australia -- does it need this? (9)
And yet another time, the entire clue is a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded — the implication being that the land is crumbling due to drought.
Western Australia[5] (abbreviation WA[5]) is a state comprising the western part of Australia. It was colonized by the British in 1826, and was federated with the other states of Australia in 1901.
12a Rod may go along with me to the river (7,6)
This time, it is just a plain, ordinary cryptic definition.
14a Go right back around rocks /to find/ amphibian (4,4)
15a Part of county in south-east -- // it's not this around north-east! (6)
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| Thanet shown within Kent |
Thanet[7] is a local government district in Kent, a county in southeast England. On the north eastern tip of Kent, it is predominantly coastal, with north, east and southeast facing coastlines. The main towns are Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs — all major English seaside resorts.
17a Skin preparation? // Simpleton absorbs it the wrong way (6)
19a Personal appeal /of/ woman who does and is attached to mum (8)
Do[5] is an informal British expression meaning to do the cleaning for a person or household ⇒
Florrie usually did for the Shermans in the mornings.
Char[5] is an informal British term for charwoman[5] (or charlady[5]), a dated British name for a woman employed as a cleaner in a house or office.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat describes the lady in question asIt's That Man Again[7] (or, commonly, ITMA) was a BBC radio comedy programme which ran from 1939 to 1949. It featured popular characters such as Colonel Chinstrap and Mrs. Mopp in comic situations often related to current war news. ITMA was credited with sustaining wartime morale.a ‘woman who does’ like Mrs Mopp. The programme generated certain catchphrases that long outlived the series — among them being cleaning lady Mrs Mopp's query "Can I Do You Now, Sir?". The title ITMA refers to a contemporary phrase concerning the ever more frequent news-stories about Nazi leader Adolph Hitler in the lead-up to the Second World War. |
21a They may need to get the political landscape mapped out afresh (13)
A cryptic definition of those who redraw the maps when electoral boundaries change.
24a A new Conservative in very bad // breakaway movement (9)
"Conservative" = C [member of British political party] (show more )
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.
* 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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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.
* 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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25a Rubbish // food from the butcher? (5)
* 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 it is used as an adjective or verb.
Tripe[5] is an informal term meaning nonsense or rubbish ⇒
you do talk tripe sometimes.
Tripe[5] is the first or second stomach of a cow or other ruminant used as food. [Does the question mark merely indicate that this is but one example of a product that can be obtained from a butcher or does it suggest that the setter may be unsure whether this substance really qualifies as food?]
26a Mark/'s/ violent movement (4)
27a Physicist of principle // begins here to be disturbed (10)
Werner Karl Heisenberg[5] (1901–1976) was a German mathematical physicist and philosopher. He developed a system of quantum mechanics based on matrix algebra in which he stated his famous uncertainty principle (1927). For this and his discovery of the allotropic forms of hydrogen he was awarded the 1932 Nobel Prize for Physics.
In quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle[12] states that that it is impossible to measure simultaneously and exactly two related quantities, such as both the position and the momentum of an electron.
Down
1d Star taken round hospital, being // hurt (4)
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| "hospital" = H |
2d Pig out getting this food? (7)
A cryptic definition of a type of food which pigs are often employed to root out.
3d Women at matches taking a leading role? (5,2,6)
A cryptic definition of women who walk down the aisle ahead of their respective brides.
4d Rough sound with one drunk turning up /for/ Mexican food (8)
5d Not up /for/ deceitful action (5)
7d Indicate // something risky -- zero range of knowledge! (7)
Ken[5] denotes one's range of knowledge or understanding ⇒
politics are beyond my ken.
8d Like violent 10, changing terrain to lake? (10)
The numeral "10" is a cross reference indicator to clue 10a (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.
* light-coloured cell in the grid
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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.
* light-coloured cell in the grid
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I see this as another case where the entire clue is a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded. We need an adjective that would describe violent 10a causing flooding.
11d Hit by hostile elements (7-6)
One plain vanilla cryptic definition ...
13d Inclined to give a special emphasis (10)
... closely followed by another.
16d Store's top jumpers? They may be looking for them (8)
Another instance where the entire clue is a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded. The clue alludes to people who may be looking to acquire some upscale items of clothing.
Here and There
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| A jumper is quite a different item of clothing on the other side of the pond. In Britain, a jumper[5] is a knitted garment typically with long sleeves, worn over the upper body (in other words, a sweater). The dress that North Americans call a jumper[5] is known to the Brits as a pinafore[5] — defined in British dictionaries as a collarless sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or jumper [sweater]. Thus, if a British lass were to wear a pinafore over her jumper and a North American gal were to wear a jumper over her sweater, they would be dressed identically. |
18d This Rev. spouting // does well (7)
20d Little girl has point /to make/ about a particular pope (7)
Sistine[5] is a adjective that denotes relating to any of the popes called Sixtus, especially Sixtus IV.
22d Indian female // managed to keep English in tow repeatedly (5)
Ranee is an alternate spelling of rani[10] which, in oriental countries, especially India, is a queen or princess; the wife of a rajah.
23d Request around start of recital /for/ a particular composer (4)
Alban Berg[5] (1885–1935) was an Austrian composer, a leading exponent of twelve-note composition. Notable works: the operas Wozzeck (1914–21) and Lulu (1928–35) and his violin concerto (1935).
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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