Friday, May 10, 2019

Friday, May 16, 2019 — DT 28898

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28898
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, November 16, 2018
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley)
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28898]
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

An enjoyable puzzle from Giovanni in which he employs a cryptic device that I don't recall having seen before.

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*)
* num = numeration

Explanations pertaining to the wordplay (or first definition in a double definition)

(Horizontal separator)

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 program, 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 directly from a dictionary or at least phrased in a non-misleading fashion similar to one that would be found in a dictionary
  • 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 (for example, defining topiary as "clip art")
  • a "whimsical definition": a definition "invented" by the setter often by extrapolating a non-existent meaning for a word from a similar word (for example, defining a bird as a "winger" [something possessing wings] or a river as a ''flower" [something that flows] or to extrapolate that, since disembowel means 'to remove the innards of ', that discontent must mean 'to remove the contents of')
  • a "definition by example": the presence of one of these is often flagged with a question mark (for example, defining atoll as "coral?" where an atoll is but one form that coral may take).
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 other varieties of definition (such as cryptic definitions, whimsical definitions, definitions by example, etc.) 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   Painter manages to capture one // foreign city (6)

Edvard Munch[5] (1863–1944) was a Norwegian painter and engraver. He infused his subjects with an intense emotionalism, exploring the use of vivid colour and linear distortion to express feelings about life and death. Notable works: the Frieze of Life sequence, incorporating The Scream (1893).


Munich[5] is a city in southeastern Germany and capital of the German state of Bavaria.

4a   Shocked, /being/ exposed outside student event (8)

In Britain, rag[5] (usually used as a modifier) denotes a programme of stunts, parades, and other entertainments organized by students to raise money for charity ⇒ rag week.

What did he say?
In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat writes with respect to rags, whether they still exist in these politically correct times I don’t know.
Deep Threat seems to suggest that such events may push the boundaries. One can imagine this to be the case given that the name seems to have originated from the following meaning of the word:
  • Rag[5] is a dated, informal British term for a boisterous prank or practical joke ⇒ the college is preparing for a good old rag tonight.

9a   Indulgent, /allowing/ bit of noise after party (6)

10a   Square contains a // flowering plant (8)

I spent considerable time trying to understand — or, more precisely, reverse engineer — the wordplay here. I did toy for a bit with a military connotation:
  • square[5] (historical) a body of infantry drawn up in rectangular form
  • century[5] a company in the ancient Roman army, originally of a hundred men
Eventually, I discounted that approach and concluded that "square" merely relates to century being a hundred or ten squared.

A century[5] is a score of a hundred in a sporting event, especially a batsman’s score of a hundred runs in cricket ⇒ he scored the only century of the tour.
Usage: While this usage may not be exclusively British — the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary defines century[11] as any group or collection of 100 — it would certainly appear to be far more common on the other side of the Atlantic.

Nevertheless, while I was close to being on the right track, I failed to notice a key element that Gazza points out in his response to Comment #8 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I think you need to take account of the clue number prior to ‘square’. That is, one needs to read the wordplay as:
  • 10 square [or 10²] contains a
I believe this may well be the first time that I have encountered this particular cryptic device!


The centaury[5] is a widely distributed herbaceous plant of the gentian family, typically having pink flowers.
Origin: so-named because its medicinal properties were said to have been discovered by the learned centaur Chiron[5], who acted as teacher to Jason, Achilles, and many other heroes in Greek mythology

11a   Traveller /in/ company game faced with ruin (5,4)

Marco Polo[5] (c.1254–c.1324) was an Italian traveller. With his father and uncle he travelled to China and the court of Kublai Khan via central Asia (1271–5). He eventually returned home (1292–5) via Sumatra, India, and Persia.

13a   Accepted /with/ thanks by little fellow (5)

Ta[5] is an informal British exclamation signifying thank you ⇒‘Ta,’ said Willie gratefully.


As a link word, I would imagine that with[5,10] is being used in the sense of caused by or prompted by ⇒ (i) shaking with rage; (ii) trembling with fear.

14a   Maybe port /is/ given extra defence before victory against foe finally (9,4)

Port[5] (also port wine) is a strong, sweet dark red (occasionally brown or white) fortified* wine, originally from Portugal, typically drunk as a dessert wine. The name is a shortened form of Oporto, a major port from which the wine is shipped.
* having had spirits added

17a   They want us to take things in properly (13)

A cryptic definition of a dietary advisor.

21a   Admit // personal period of good fortune (3,2)

23a   Temper /shown when/ gangster, priest and troublemaker meet (9)

"gangster" = AL [1920s Chicago mobster Al Capone] (show more )

Al Capone[5] (1899–1947), nicknamed Scarface, was an American gangster of Italian descent. He dominated organized crime in Chicago in the 1920s and was indirectly responsible for many murders, including the St Valentine’s Day Massacre* .
* The St Valentine's Day Massacre[5] was the shooting on 14th February 1929 of seven members of the rival ‘Bugsy’ Moran's gang by some of Al Capone's men disguised as policemen.

Capone[7] was born in Brooklyn (New York) and began his life of crime in New York City before moving to Chicago. Capone inadvertently insulted a woman while working the door at a Brooklyn night club and was slashed by her brother Frank Gallucio. The wounds led to the nickname that Capone loathed: "Scarface". Capone's boss, racketeer Frankie Yale, insisted that Capone apologize to Gallucio, and later Capone hired him as a bodyguard. When photographed, Capone hid the scarred left side of his face, saying that the injuries were war wounds. Capone was called "Snorky", a term for a sharp dresser, by his closest friends.

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In the Old Testament, Levi[10] denotes:
  • the third son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of the tribe of Levi (Genesis 29:34)
  • the priestly tribe descended from this patriarch (Numbers 18:21–24)
In Greek mythology, Ate[10] is a goddess who makes men blind so that they will blunder into guilty acts.

24a   Laughing when touched /may be/ difficult (8)

25a   Germanic folk? // They could be obtuse (6)

The Angles[5] were a Germanic people, originally inhabitants of what is now Schleswig-Holstein, who came to England in the 5th century AD. The Angles founded kingdoms in Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia and gave their name to England and the English.


An obtuse angle[5] is one that is more than 90° and less than 180°.

26a   One may provide cover-up after accident (8)

27a   President /making/ a mark in print (6)

Emmanuel Macron[5] is a French statesman, president of France since 2017.


A macron[5] is a written or printed mark (¯) used to indicate a long vowel in some languages, or a stressed vowel in verse.

Down

1d   Woman // crazy in the morning, beginning to erupt (6)

2d   FT pointer could show // money made (3,6)

Scratching the Surface
The Financial Times[7] (abbreviation FT) is a British international business newspaper that is printed on conspicuous salmon pink newsprint.

3d   Study journey -- // see it on a map? (7)

"study"= CON (show explanation )

Con[5] is an archaic term meaning to study attentively or learn by heart (a piece of writing)  ⇒ the girls conned their pages with a great show of industry.

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5d   Cold // man, i.e. no lout becoming excited (11)

6d   Went around // gallery protected by staff (7)

"gallery" = TATE (show more )

7d   Composer /needs/ good fortune (5)

"good" = G [academic result] (show reference )

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

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Christoph Willibald Gluck[5] (1714–1787) was a German composer; full name Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck. He is noted for operas in which he sought a balance of music and drama and reduced the emphasis on the star singer. Examples are Orfeo ed Euridice (1762) and Iphigénie en Aulide (1774).

What is an "ARVE Error"?
Those who visit Big Dave's Crossword Blog will see an "ARVE Error" message in place of the video that Deep Threat presumably included in his review.

ARVE (Advanced Responsive Video Embedder) is a plugin for the WordPress content management system — the platform on which Big Dave's Crossword Blog operates.

I would guess that parameter values that were valid at the time that Deep Threat's review was written in November 2018 are no longer supported, thus causing the error message to be displayed.

8d   Senior ladies // performed start of song with inner longing (8)

12d   Individualists in // a state of wickedness? (8,3)

In Christian theology, original sin[5,10,12] denotes a state of sin or tendency to evil supposedly innate in all human beings, held to be inherited from Adam. According to this believe, the sin of disobedience committed by Adam and Eve is viewed as transmitted in its essential guilt and consequent penalties from Adam as head of the human race to all unredeemed humanity. The concept of original sin was established by the writings of St Augustine.

15d   Setter-up /of/ home to delay, having hesitation (9)

16d   Strange // nude wandering about town freely (8)

Unwonted[5] is an adjective meaning unaccustomed or unusual ⇒ there was an unwonted gaiety in her manner.

18d   This writer's joining chum, because /they are/ beasts (7)

"this writer's" = IM (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.

Today, the setter has made the scenario slightly more complicated by combining "this writer" with the verb "to be"* producing "this writer's" (a contraction of "this writer is") which must be replaced by "I'm" (a contraction of "I am").

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19d   Plain // little son and a very little girl (7)

Here the word "little" appears twice to indicate an abbreviation — the first time prepositively and the second time postpositively.

"little son" [abbreviation for son] = S [genealogy] (show explanation )

In genealogies, s[5] is the abbreviation for son(s) ⇒ m 1991; one s one d*.
* married in 1991; one son and one daughter.

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"very little" [abbreviation for very] = V (show explanation )

The abbreviation v (or v.)[1,2,5,10] stands for very. Although this definition is found in most of my British dictionaries, it does not appear in any of my American dictionaries. Unfortunately no explanation is given as to the specific context in which one might encounter this usage. The only possibility that I can imagine is when combined with G as a grade of VG (very good) on school tests or assignments.

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Savanna[5] (alternative spelling of savannah) denotes a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.

20d   A boy /as/ an individual (6)

22d   Shiny substance /with/ nitrogen put over area of land (5)

The symbol for the chemical element nitrogen is N[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
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