Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28899 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, November 17, 2018 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28899 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28899 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Big Dave (Hints)gnomethang (Review) | |
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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Notes
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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.
This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, May 11, 2019 edition of the National Post.
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Introduction
I got off to a fast start and then slowed to a crawl, but managed to cross the finish line eventually. I even recognized the bit of Yorkshire dialect at 20d. This clue generated a mixed reaction from those who commented at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. However the clue seems to have been liked by many, especially those from Northern England such as John Bee at Comment #5 who describes himself asa Geordie* ex pat who has lived in Yorkshire for 52 of my 56 years.
* Geordie[5] is an informal British term for a person from Tyneside[5], an industrial conurbation on the banks of the River Tyne, in northeastern England, stretching from Newcastle upon Tyne to the coast. Tyneside is north of Yorkshire.
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 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:
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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 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).
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.
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 Magistrates push /for/ weightlifting exercise (5,5)
The bench press[5] is a bodybuilding and weightlifting exercise in which a lifter lies on a bench with the feet on the floor and raises a weight with both arms.
6a Could they be evens? Yes and no (4)
Evens[5] is a British term meaning even money[5], viz. odds offering an equal chance of winning or losing, with the amount won being the same as the stake* ⇒
the colt was 4-6 favourite after opening at evens.
* If the odds are evens[7], the payout will be equal to the amount wagered plus the original stake, that is, "double-your-money".
What did say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, gnomethang refers to the solution as theStarting price[7] denotes the odds prevailing on a particular horse in the on-course fixed-odds* betting market at the time a race begins.Starting Price that paradoxically might be evens. * To the best of my limited knowledge in this field, this term would not be encountered in North America as betting on horse racing here is based on parimutuel betting rather than fixed-odds betting. |
9a One unearthing facts // about brand used by singer/actress (10)
Cher[7] (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Known for her distinctive contralto singing voice, she has been nicknamed the Goddess of Pop.
Not Latin! Really?
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In his hint on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Big Dave tells us to start withHowever, re[5] is most definitely Latin being the ablative form of res 'thing'.A two-letter word meaning about (not the Latin one!) .... |
10a Dance /needs/ bouncer, possibly (4)
A double definition with the second being a definition by example of a sort.
12a Actor Stephen receiving East German // with hostile demeanour (6)
Stephen Fry[7] is an English comedian, actor and writer.
The German word for 'east' is Ost[8].
13a Big party /or/, put another way, major bee (8)
15a Deem fit for work // of some importance (12)
Considerable[5] is used in a sense (said of a person) which denotes having merit or distinction ⇒
Snow was a limited, but still considerable, novelist.
18a Worrying // about son is what could make one even happier (12)
21a Speculate -- /that makes/ the euro finally increase in value (8)
22a Fish // both ways in sea (6)
The main[5] is an archaic or literary term for the open ocean.
The marlin[2] (also called spearfish) is a large fish found in warm and tropical seas which has a long spear-like upper jaw.
24a A hospital rejected // rocket scientists (4)
San[5] is an informal term for a sanatorium[5] (also called, especially in the US, sanitarium[5]), an establishment for the medical treatment of people who are convalescing or have a chronic illness.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration[7] (NASA) is the United States government agency responsible for the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
25a High spirits // belie uncle being distressed (10)
26a Stumble // knocking back lager (4)
Pils[5] is a type of lager beer similar to Pilsner[5] (also Pilsener), a lager beer with a strong hop flavour, originally brewed at Pilsen in the Czech Republic.
27a Know someone without a partner spurning the French // area of London (10)
In Scottish and Northern English dialect, ken[5] (verb) denotes:
- know [in the sense of to be aware of] ⇒
d’ye ken anyone who can boast of that?
- recognize or identify ⇒
that’s him—d’ye ken him?
"the French" = LE (show explanation )
Kensington[5] is a fashionable residential district in central London. Part of the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, it contains Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, and Science Museum.
Down
1d Wager about official // having suffered loss (6)
2d One's failed to turn up /with/ food -- that hurts! (2-4)
Here and There
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In Britain, nosh[5] is an informal term for food in general ⇒ filling the freezer with all kinds of noshwhereas in North America it denotes a snack or small item of food ⇒ have plenty of noshes and nibbles conveniently placed. |
3d Frank talking /with/ Heather excitedly about paintings etc nearby (5-2-5)
To[10] is used in the sense of against, upon, or onto ⇒ (i)
put your ear to the wall; (ii)
shoulder to the wheel; (iii)
nose to the grindstone.
4d Support // act at Glastonbury may play this (4)
I parsed this as a double definition and was glad when I saw that Gazza and gnomethang concur (see Comment #1 by Gazza and the reply by gnomethang on the review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog). Note that the underlining for this hint in gnomethang's review is incorrect.
A rock[10] is a person or thing suggesting a rock, especially in being dependable, unchanging, or providing firm foundation.
Glastonbury Festival[7] is a quasi-annual* five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. Starting in 1970 as a music festival, the event now includes dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts. Leading pop and rock artists have headlined Glastonbury which is the largest greenfield festival in the world, now attended by around 175,000 people.
* The festival is held every year, except for "fallow years" taken mostly at five year intervals, intended to give the land, local population, and organisers a break.
5d Woman waiting up? (10)
A server with altitude!
7d Strong words // help upcoming set of people (8)
8d Was in the forces, losing heart, /having/ joined up (8)
11d RAF perhaps // flying around Belgium and Borneo occasionally (12)
The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for Belgium is B[5].
14d Noise belts out /that's/ apparent (10)
16d Detective's assistant // has to capture cheat (8)
Arthur Hastings[7] is a fictional character created by Agatha Christie as the companion-chronicler and best friend of the Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.
17d A smooth telemark, ultimately -- one // that's found in Chamonix? (5-3)
Chamonix[5] is a ski resort at the foot of Mont Blanc, in the Alps of eastern France. Full name Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.
Après-ski[5] denotes the social activities and entertainment following a day's skiing ⇒ (i)
the après-ski disco; (ii)
après-ski activities.
Origin: 1950s: from French, literally ‘after skiing’.
19d Space-traveller/'s/ aircraft on time (6)
20d Trainee // told where to find tea in Yorkshire? (6)
In dialects spoken in Northern England (including Yorkshire*), the word the is commonly shortened to t'.
* An old Yorkshire saying goes "The only good thing to come out of Lancashire is t’road back to Yorkshire". Rivalry between these two northern counties dates back at least to the Wars of the Roses[5], the 15th-century English civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster, represented by white and red roses respectively, during the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV, and Richard III.
Thus, were you to ask a Yorkshireman where to find the tea, he might reply
in t'urn.
23d Regularly applauds // good point (4)
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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