Wednesday, June 25, 2019 — DT 28934

Puzzle at a Glance

Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph DT 28934
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, December 29, 2018
Setter Unknown
Link to Full Review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28934 – Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 28934 – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By Big Dave (Hints) crypticsue (Review)
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
Notes
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.

Introduction

After having been called into service the last couple of days, my electronic assistants enjoyed a day off today. Also, for the first time in several days, there are no Wise Men in today's puzzle.

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^*)

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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 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	Insect: it's problematic /for/ one in the laboratory (9)

8a	Stewards badly organising // plant (5,8)

Lady's bedstraw^[5] (Galium verum) is a yellow-flowered Eurasian bedstraw which smells of hay when dried and was formerly used to make a mattress for sleeping on.

11a	Work // that might be dangerous for trapeze artist? (5)

A nonet^[5] is:

• a group of nine people or things, especially musicians
• a musical composition for nine voices or instruments

12a	Appreciate something // that's on hand (5)

I see this clue a bit differently than Big Dave and crypticsue and include the word "something" in the wordplay since I feel that if you "appreciate something", you "dig it". In fact, we can parse the wordplay as DIG (appreciate) + IT (something).

Dig^[5] is an informal term meaning to like, appreciate, or understand ⇒ I really dig heavy rock.

To my mind, there is a subtle point at play here. It is certainly not uncommon to encounter definitions starting with the word "that" in which it is necessary — or, at least, helpful — to infer the presence of the word "something" (or equivalent). Thus, in this case, we can interpret the definition to be "[something] that's on hand". However, the "something" in the definition is implied and not the "something" that appears explicitly in the wordplay.

13a	A doctor about to turn // a yellowish colour (5)

"doctor" = MB (show explanation )

In Britain, the degree required to practice medicine is a Bachelor of Medicine^[7] (MB, from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus), which is equivalent to a North American Doctor of Medicine (MD, from Latin Medicinae Doctor). The degree of Doctor of Medicine also exists in Britain, but it is an advanced degree pursued by those who wish to go into medical research. Physicians in Britain are still addressed as Dr. despite not having a doctoral degree. 

Historically, Bachelor of Medicine was also the primary medical degree conferred by institutions in the United States and Canada. Throughout the 19th century, North American medical schools switched to the tradition of the ancient universities of Scotland and began conferring Doctor of Medicine rather than Bachelor of Medicine.

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16a	Market // means of escape (6)

An outlet^[5] is:

• a point from which goods are sold or distributed ⇒ a fast-food outlet
• a market for goods ⇒ the state system provided an outlet for farm produce
• a shop that sells goods made by a particular manufacturer at discounted prices ⇒ (i) a designer outlet; (ii) [as modifier] an outlet store

17a	In a frenzy, melted // protein (6)

18a	Shed // light (5)

Shed^[5] is used in a British sense meaning to to accidentally allow (something) to fall off or spill ⇒ a lorry shed its load of steel bars.

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A spill^[5] is a thin strip of wood or paper used for lighting a fire, candle, pipe, etc. ⇒ In front of us stood a low oaken table on which there was more mead and wine, and, appropriately for the room, a collection of long clay pipes, loose tobacco and spills.

19a	Where those who seek amusement find it under cover (6)

Architecturally, an arcade^[5] is a covered passage with arches along one or both sides.

20a	One is unenthused to show this (6)

21a	Join // female in a predicament (5)

24a	Ascent /of/ 100ft (and what's above it)? (5)

The wordplay parses as C ([Roman numeral for] 100) + LIMB {foot (ft) and leg (what's above it)}

Note: It is not uncommon for words to take on different roles in the surface and cryptic readings. Here, in the surface reading, "ft" is the abbreviation for 'feet'; however, it becomes the abbreviation for 'foot' in the cryptic reading.

26a	This has a disheartening effect on apples, for example (5)

27a	Brief success for chef? (5,2,3,3)

In this clue, the entire clue is a cryptic definition in which a precise definition is embedded. The words "for chef" are neither wordplay providing an independent route to the solution nor a second definition. Rather they provide cryptic elaboration in relation to the precise definition — suggesting that the idiom would be especially appropriate in the case of a chef as he or she would employ pans in the course of their work.

The phrase flash in the pan^[5] denotes a thing or person whose sudden but brief success is not repeated or repeatable ⇒ our start to the season was just a flash in the pan.

28a	Baby girl might be found here // enjoying perfect health (2,3,4)

In this double definition, the second is a precise definition of a common idiomatic expression while the first is what I like to think of as a descriptive definition based on a literal interpretation of the idiom.

The phrase in the pink^[5] is an informal expression denoting in extremely good health and spirits.

Down

2d	Weep taking small part /in/ vault (5)

3d	Resemble motif containing // symbol (6)

4d	Before now // Dorothy gets up, having had some food (2,4)

Dot^[7] is a given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the female name Dorothy, and a nickname.

5d	Located by eye -- by ear? (5)

Here the entire clue provides the wordplay in which the precise definition is embedded. The solution is SITED and the wordplay is sounds like (by ear) SIGHTED (located by eye).

6d	Attractive area // I am deflecting, possibly? (8,5)

7d	Suspend heady brat about // to be precariously placed (4,2,1,6)

The phrase hang by a thread^[5] means to be in a highly precarious state ⇒ their lives were hanging by a thread.

9d	Vexation /from/ a canny one when dancing (9)

10d	Weighing machine // somewhere next to foundry? (9)

A steelyard^[5] is an apparatus for weighing that has a short arm taking the item to be weighed and a long graduated arm along which a weight is moved until it balances.

13d	A time on the water // confused (2,3)

14d	Case /of/ cheese, feta initially (5)

Brie^[5] is a kind of soft, mild, creamy cheese with a firm white skin.

Scratching the Surface
Feta[5] is a white salty Greek cheese made from the milk of ewes or goats.

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In British legal practice, a brief^[5] is a summary of the facts and legal points in a case given to a barrister to argue in court^*.

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^* Under the UK legal system, there are two classes of lawyers — barristers and solicitors. Solicitors are attorneys which means they can act in the place of their client for legal purposes. However, a solicitor is not a member of the bar and therefore (with the possible exception of certain lower courts) cannot speak on behalf of a client in court. A barrister is not an attorney and is usually forbidden, either by law or professional rules or both, from "conducting" litigation. This means that while the barrister speaks on the client's behalf in court, he or she can do so only when instructed by a solicitor or certain other qualified professional clients, such as patent agents.

15d	Take it easy /while/ king embraces the French female (5)

"king" = REX [abbreviation for Rex] (show explanation )

In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms^*, Rex^[5] (abbreviation R^[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).

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^* A Commonwealth realm^[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.

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"the French female" = LA (show explanation )

In French, the feminine singular form of the definite article is la^[8].

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22d	Polish /or/ another language that's heard (6)

Although it cannot be indicated by the markup applied to the clue, a second meaning of the word "Polish" is incorporated into the wordplay (indirectly) by implication. From the overall context of the clue, one can easily see that the phrase "another language" implies "a language other than Polish". Thus the solution is FINISH and the wordplay is sounds like (that's heard) FINNISH (another language).

A Trap Avoided

Although I failed to even recognize the trap, several of those writing in the thread at Comment #20 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog report having initially entered the incorrect solution FRENCH for this clue. Despite not fully satisfying the wordplay, it does fit until one tries to enter the solution to 27a. French polish[5] (also french-polish) is a shellac polish that produces a high gloss on wood ⇒ a coat of French polish was brushed over the repair.

23d	I spent out /getting/ part of a shoe (6)

25d	Bachelors in // dock, maybe (5)

BA^[5] is the abbreviation for Bachelor of Arts.

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A basin^[5] is an enclosed area of water where boats can be moored ⇒ the gravel pit is to be used as a yacht basin.

26d	How one comes to confess? (5)

Come clean^[5] means to be completely honest; keep nothing hidden ⇒ the Chancellor must come clean about his plans for increasing taxation.

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