Saturday, April 6, 2019 — Under the Big Top

Introduction

Today's puzzle from Cox & Rathvon takes us on an excursion to the Greatest Show on Earth^[7] — interspersed with a dollop of the classics.

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

Solution to Today's Puzzle

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 █ - yet to be solved

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

8a   Kill // show’s opening sound of merriment (9)

S|LAUGHTER — S (Show's opening [initial letter]) + LAUGHTER (sound of merriment)

9a   Beginning of drum roll /is/ amusing (5)

D|ROLL — D (beginning [initial letter] of Drum) + ROLL (†)

10a   Song finale brought back // “Spider Woman”? (7)

ARIA|DNE< — ARIA ([operatic] song) + reversal (brought back) of END (finale)

Myth-taken Identity!

Oops! There would appear to be a case of mixed-up myths here! Ariadna[7] (not to be confused with Ariadne) is is a genus of tube-dwelling spider (family Segestriidae). In Greek mythology, Ariadne[5] was the daughter of King Minos of Crete and Pasiphaë. She helped Theseus to escape from the Minotaur’s labyrinth by giving him a ball of thread, which he unravelled as he went in and used to trace his way out again after killing the Minotaur. In Greek mythology, Arachne[5] was a woman of Colophon in Lydia, a skilful weaver who challenged the goddess Athene to a contest. Athene destroyed Arachne's work and Arachne tried to hang herself, but Athene changed her into a spider.

11a   She swallows weapon // put in a sword’s case (7)

S(HEAT)HE — SHE (†) containing (swallows) HEAT (weapon; gangland slang packin' heat)

In order to make use of all the words in the clue, the solution must be a verb.

12a   Tricks // US soldier wearing raincoat (5)

MA(GI)C — GI (US soldier) contained in (wearing) MAC (raincoat)

Mac^[3] is an informal short form for mackintosh^[3], a chiefly British name for a raincoat.

14a   Like a clown carried by more // fabulous beast (9)

M(ANTIC)ORE — ANTIC (like a clown) contained in (carried by) MORE (†)

The manticore^[5] is a mythical animal typically depicted as having the body of a lion, the head of a man, and the sting of a scorpion.

16a   Rich, green, rustic ground /for/ a big show (5-4,6)

{THREE-RING CIRCUS}* — anagram of (ground) RICH GREEN RUSTIC

Put Through the Mill
As an anagram indicator, ground is used as the past tense or past participle of the verb grind[5]. An anagram indicator is typically a word that denotes movement or transformation. Grind denotes transformation, for example, in the sense of grain being ground into flour.

18a   Qualified /for/ free ticket at front of elephant tent (9)

COMP|E|TENT — COMP (free ticket; short for 'complimentary ticket') + (at) E (front [initial letter] of Elephant) + TENT (†)

20a   Risk taken by an aerial act/’s/ ninesome (5)

NO|NET — split the solution (2,3) to obtain a risk assumed by trapeze or tightrope performers

22a   First of ten playful animals // walks precariously (7)

T|OTTERS — T (first [initial letter] of Ten) + OTTERS (playful animals)

24a   Mounted on // a pair of steeds, get carried about (7)

A|ST|RIDE — A (†) + ST (a pair [initial two letters] of STeeds) + RIDE (get carried about)

26a   Cheer about soprano/’s/ perch (5)

ROO(S)T — ROOT (cheer) containing (about) S(oprano)

27a   Acrobats at times // learn ABCs after juggling (9)

BALANCERS* — anagram of (after juggling) LEARN ABCS

Down

1d   Crawling, // for example, with upper limb (6)

AS|W|ARM — AS (for example) + W(ith) + ARM (upper limb)

2d   Reclusive novelist /and/ vocalist embracing a Liberal (8)

S(A|L)INGER — SINGER (vocalist) containing (embracing) {A (†) + L(iberal)}

The Liberal Party of Canada^[7] is the longest serving federal political party in Canada. The party has dominated federal politics for much of Canada's history, holding power for almost 69 years in the 20th century—more than any other party in a developed country—and as a result, it is sometimes referred to as Canada's "natural governing party".

Liberal Cut Down to Size

How does one abbreviate the word "Liberal"? In the UK, where the Liberal Party[5] is virtually extinct, Liberal can be abbreviated as either Lib.[5] or L[2]. The former is likely more commonly used to avoid confusion with the Labour Party[5] (abbreviation Lab.[5]). (show more ) The Liberal Party[5] (abbreviation Lib.[5] or L[2])* in Britain emerged in the 1860s from the old Whig Party and until the First World War was one of the two major parties in Britain. In 1988 the party regrouped with elements of the Social Democratic Party to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, now known as the Liberal Democrats. However, a small Liberal Party still exists (founded in 1989 by members of the original Liberal Party opposed to its merger with the Social Democratic Party) although it has no representation in the UK Parliament, no Members of the European Parliament (MEP), no members of the Scottish Parliament, nor any members of the National Assembly for Wales. Today, the party holds only a handful of seats at the local government level.[7] * Although Lib.[5] may be the more common abbreviation for the Liberal Party in Britain — likely to distinguish it from the the Labour Party[5] (abbreviation Lab.[5]) — Chambers 21st Century Dictionary indicates that L[2] may also be used. show less In Canada, I would think that Liberal is also generally abbreviated as Lib. (it certainly is on the House of Commons website). However, the logo of the Liberal Party of Canada does incorporate a stylized letter "L". It is interesting to note how the style — of typography, among other things — has changed since Trudeau père was in power.

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J. D. Salinger^[5] (1919–2010) was an American novelist and short-story writer. He is best known for his novel of adolescence The Catcher in the Rye (1951). Following his early success publishing short stories and The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger led a very private life for more than a half-century.^[7]

3d   Old // advertisement about General Electric (4)

A(GE)D — AD(vertisement) containing (about) GE (General Electric)

General Electric Company^[7], or GE [not to be confused with the former British company General Electric Company^[7] or GEC], is an American multinational conglomerate incorporated in New York and headquartered in Boston.

4d   Simplify // mixed-up mineral set (10)

STREAMLINE* — anagram of (mixed-up) MINERAL SET

5d   Love deity/’s/ aching back (4)

EROS< — reversal (back) of SORE (aching)

In Greek mythology, Eros^[5] is the god of love, son of Aphrodite — the Roman equivalent being Cupid. The name Eros is synonymous with sexual love or desire ⇒ Eros drives us to transcend ourselves through desire.

6d   For the audience, ballerina’s dress /is/ extreme (3-3)

{TOO-TOO}~ — sounds like (for the audience) TUTU (ballerina's dress)

7d   Peerless new // pyjamas for kids (8)

SLEEPERS* — anagram of (new) PEERLESS

9d   Stop working with Venetian painter /and/ nutritionist (9)

DIE|TITIAN — DIE (stop working) + (with) TITIAN (Venetian painter)

Titian^[5] (circa 1488–1576) was an Italian painter. The most important painter of the Venetian school, he experimented with vivid colours and often broke conventions of composition. He painted many sensual mythological works, including Bacchus and Ariadne (circa 1518–23) [where have we seen her before].

Bacchus and Ariadne

13d   Smartest // pair of climbers on highest mountain (9)

CL|EVEREST — pair [initial two letters] of CLimbers + (on) EVEREST (highest mountain)

Mount Everest^[5] is a mountain in the Himalayas, on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Rising to 8,848 m (29,028 ft), it is the highest mountain in the world; it was first climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

15d   Let a big one loose /(that’s/ open to discussion) (10)

NEGOTIABLE* — anagram of (loose) LET A BIG ONE

16d   In revolution, I act strangely // silent (8)

T(ACIT*)URN — anagram of (strangely) I ACT contained in (in) TURN (revolution)

17d   Scams involving good // pens (8)

CON(FINE)S — CONS (scams) containing (involving) FINE (good)

19d   Mongrel working /for/ some meat (6)

MUTT|ON — MUTT (mongrel) + ON (working; operating or functioning)

The definition "some meat" indicates that a particular type of meat is required rather than just any meat.

21d   Small // adolescent’s gym club (6)

TEEN|S|Y — TEEN (adolescent) + S ('s) + Y (gym club; YMCA/YWCA)

23d   Starts from scratch, unless buying some // replacements (4)

S|U|B|S — starts [initial letters] from Scratch Unless Buying Some

25d   Somewhat fortunate // angler’s catch (4)

_TUNA_ — hidden in (somewhat) forTUNAte

Epilogue

Today's puzzle is a rather odd amalgam of Barnum and Bailey meet Homer (not Simpson).

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