Puzzle at a Glance
|
|---|
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 28914 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28914] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
2Kiwis | |
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
I would have said that Weekend Wandahit the nail on the headin Comment #30 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog had she not missed the nail entirely by citing incorrect clue numbers. Her observation (substituting the correct clue numbers) was
For me it had a colonial feel especially with 13a and 25d.
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:
|
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
| |
|---|---|
| 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:
|
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.
hide
Across
1a Article twice found among smalls -- /that's/ sick! (5,3,7)
Smalls[5] is an informal British term for small items of clothing, especially underwear.
9a Complained, // provoked by head of government (7)
10a Oatmeal intermittently used by designer /for/ such a picture (7)
Christian Dior[5]
(1905–1957) was a French couturier. (show more )
His first collection (1947) featured narrow-waisted tightly fitted bodices and full pleated skirts; this became known as the New Look. He later created the first A-line garments.
hide
His first collection (1947) featured narrow-waisted tightly fitted bodices and full pleated skirts; this became known as the New Look. He later created the first A-line garments.
hide
Oops!
| |
|---|---|
In their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I am sure that the 2Kiwis intended to say the second, fourth, and sixth letters of oatmeal. |
11a Language // exercises adopted by new senator (9)
Esperanto[5] is an artificial language devised in 1887 as an international medium of communication, based on roots from the chief European languages. It retains the structure of these languages and has the advantage of grammatical regularity and ease of pronunciation.
12a Make changes, /having/ rejected link across Germany (4)
13a Light lunch // at home following quarrel (6)
Tiffin[2,5] is a dated Anglo-Indian term for a light midday meal, especially as taken by members of the British Raj in India ⇒ (i)
tiffin has been ready for some time; (ii)
I made sure they have not forgotten their tiffins; (iii) [as modifier]
a tiffin carrier.
15a Sort of apparel /that makes/ people curse? (8)
18a Jump in hunt /for/ work-related conversation (4,4)
19a Puzzle // understood after dance (6)
22a Repeat // part of speech officially (4)
23a Sections must include a short lament /for/ fliers (9)
26a Framework // for each goal converted (7)
27a Extend // argument for name to be inscribed in record (7)
28a Offence of 'Time Bandits' /is/ overcharging (8,7)
Daylight robbery[5] is an informal British term for blatant and unfair overcharging ⇒
Do you know how much he charges? It's daylight robbery.
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| Time Bandits[7] is a 1981 British fantasy film co-written, produced, and directed by Terry Gilliam*. * Terry Gilliam[7] is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor, comedian and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. |
Down
1d A French chap will welcome universal // balm (7)
"chap" = GENT (show explanation )
Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
hide
Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
hide
"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.
hide
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.
hide
2d Flag // impoverished Democrat raised? (5)
"Democrat" = D (show explanation )
A Democrat[5] (abbreviation D[5]) is a member or supporter of the Democratic Party[5], one of the two main US political parties (the other being the Republican Party), which follows a broadly liberal programme, tending to support social reform and minority rights.
hide
A Democrat[5] (abbreviation D[5]) is a member or supporter of the Democratic Party[5], one of the two main US political parties (the other being the Republican Party), which follows a broadly liberal programme, tending to support social reform and minority rights.
hide
3d Rehearse during break, /showing/ control (9)
4d Beating // under cover (6)
5d Exposed to attack // with an uncertain outcome (4,4)
6d Shred // a short volume (4)
7d Speech in support of ambassador/'s/ high-level cover (9)
HE[2] is the abbreviation for His or Her Excellency, where Excellency[2] (usually His, Her or Your Excellency or Your or Their Excellencies) is a title of honour given to certain people of high rank, e.g. ambassadors.
8d Minister covering area /is/ a source of power (7)
A rector[5] is a member of the clergy, although the meaning of the term varies
among religious denominations (show more ):
- in the the Church of England, an incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent
- in other Anglican Churches, a member of the clergy who has charge of a parish
-
in the Roman Catholic Church, a priest in charge of a church or of a religious institution
14d Reckless // kid has difficult year (9)
16d Furore over fortune /seeing/ one with a nasty smell (5,4)
Bomb[5] is an informal British term for a large sum of money ⇒
that silk must have cost a bomb.
17d Careless // mates put up ruin (8)
In Britain, the word "mate"[5] — in addition to meaning a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner — can also be an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒
my best mate Steve.
18d Hurried across area for driving, // soaked (7)
A tee[5] is a cleared space on a golf course from which the ball is struck at the beginning of play for each hole.
20d Know-all // wife is, for example, regularly busy (4,3)
Know-all[5] is an informal British* term for a person who behaves as if they know everything ⇒ (i)
you're a bumptious little know-all at times; (ii) [as modifier]
a know-all panellist.
* The equivalent term in North America, which may[5] — or may not[10,14] — be an alternative term in the UK, is know-it-all.
21d Rugby player with ear gouged out, // as it should be (6)
In rugby, a prop[5] (also called prop forward) is a forward at either end of the front row of a scrum (show more ).
In rugby, a scrum[5] is an ordered formation of players, used to restart play, in which the forwards of a team form up with arms interlocked and heads down, and push forward against a similar group from the opposing side. The ball is thrown into the scrum and the players try to gain possession of it by kicking it backwards towards their own side.
The front row of the scrum is comprised of three players — a hooker[5] in the middle with a prop[5] on either side.
hide
In rugby, a scrum[5] is an ordered formation of players, used to restart play, in which the forwards of a team form up with arms interlocked and heads down, and push forward against a similar group from the opposing side. The ball is thrown into the scrum and the players try to gain possession of it by kicking it backwards towards their own side.
The front row of the scrum is comprised of three players — a hooker[5] in the middle with a prop[5] on either side.
hide
24d Call to mind /being/ fine during the previous day (5)
25d Hat /that's/ best on international (4)
"international" = I (show explanation )
A topi[5] (short for sola topi[5]) is a sun hat made from the pith of the stems of sola plants, formerly worn in India*.
* Topi[5] (also topee) is an Indian word meaning hat or cap ⇒
her goal was to knit Masroor a woollen topi before the winter set in[British soldiers and colonial administrators brought a lot of Indian words back to the UK].
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)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.