Puzzle at a Glance
|
|---|
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29011 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, March 29, 2019 | |
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29011] | |
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
Today we have a gentle puzzle from Giovanni to end the week.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 | Activists /making/ gain excitedly embraced by people in tents (11) |
| 7a | Concise // treaty (7) |
| 8a | Changed, /being/ dull, given a time inside (7) |
| 10a | Flow of water // unfortunate, river infiltrating club (8) |
| 11a | Little dogs outside home? // They may be very pretty (3-3) |
| 13a | One who entertains // a lot of people (4) |
| 14a | I half-read a little, sadly // lacking education? (10) |
| 16a | Agent has a share /in/ process of putting things right again (10) |
| 18a | Second letter to the Corinthians (4) |
A Corinthian[5] is a native of Corinth[5], a city on the northern coast of the Peloponnese, in Greece. The modern city, built in 1858, is slightly north-east of the site of an ancient city of the same name that was a prominent city state in ancient Greece.
Beta[5] is the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β).
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| Corinth[10] was a region of ancient Greece, occupying most of the Isthmus of Corinth and part of the northeastern Peloponnese. Ancient Corinth was an early center of Christianity[7]. St. Paul, who visited and preached at Corinth on several occasions, wrote two letters (and likely more that have been lost) to the church there which form part of the New Testament. Corinthians[10] is the short name for either of two books of the New Testament (in full The First and Second Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians). |
| 21a | Offer // to look after Her Majesty (6) |
"Her Majesty" = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth] (show more )
| 22a | Mushroom -- // I will have it dunked in milky drink! (8) |
The shiitake[5] (also shitake, shiitake mushroom) is an edible mushroom which grows on fallen timber, cultivated in Japan and China.
| 24a | Fault admitted by the German // fellow lacking direction (7) |
"the German" = DER (show explanation )
| 25a | Usefulness /or/ uselessness with leader absent? (7) |
| 26a | Big bird /in/ Donegal flying with glee (6,5) |
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| Donegal[5] is a county in the extreme north-west of the Republic of Ireland, part of the old province of Ulster. |
Down
| 1d | Copper not entirely cross with you and me -- // a fluffy wet type? (7) |
"copper" = CU (show explanation )
A mule[5] is the offspring of [or cross between] a donkey and a horse (strictly, a male donkey and a female horse), typically sterile and used as a beast of burden.
You be the judge
| |
|---|---|
On Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Angellov writes at Comment #6Cumulus[12] is a type of bright, billowy cloud with a dark, flat base, that develops vertically through all cloud levels and consists mostly of water droplets.I would question ‘wet’ being a feature of 1d, to which Stephen Lord adds at Comment #8I’ve always associated 1d with fluffy and dry. |
| 2d | Characters inside home agreed /to be/ miserly (6) |
| 3d | Like some lorries lacking rear piece, // say (10) |
Lorry[5] is the common name in the UK* for the vehicle known in North America as a truck[5].
* The word truck would also seem to be well known to the Brits. In fact, Oxford Dictionaries Online rather circularly defines a lorry[5] as being a truck and a truck[5] as being a lorry.
Articulated[5] means having two or more sections connected by a flexible joint ⇒ (i)
an articulated lorry [truck]; (ii)
the trilobite's thorax has a number of articulated segments.
| 4d | Lark, // partridge, pheasant ...? (4) |
Lark[5] is an informal British term for an activity regarded as foolish or a waste of time ⇒
he's serious about this music lark.
Game[10] is used in the sense of an activity undertaken in a spirit of levity; in other words a joke ⇒
marriage is just a game to him.
Double or Triple
| |
|---|---|
| In his review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat identifies this clue as a triple definition. I have chosen to call it a double definition — the reason being that "partridge" and "pheasant" are both defining the same thing, a game bird. My understanding is that, in a multiple definition, each definition must define the solution in a different sense. Therefore, I see "partridge, pheasant, ..." (the ellipsis being equivalent to etc.) as defining game (birds). |
| 5d | Needed // hospital facility, wasn't well (8) |
"hospital facility" = ENT (show explanation )
| 6d | End of week with tot being given a // fruit (7) |
Satsuma[5] is a tangerine of a hardy loose-skinned variety, originally grown in Japan.
| 7d | A politician in church preached, /becoming/ oily (11) |
"politician" = MP (show explanation )
In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament[10] (abbreviation MP[5]) or, informally, as a member[5].
hide
In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament[10] (abbreviation MP[5]) or, informally, as a member[5].
hide
Explanation of "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. (show explanation )
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 March 2019 are no longer supported, thus causing the error message to be displayed. hide |
| 9d | Leader's type to writhe // in anguish (11) |
| 12d | Very good having miss to entertain you /in/ ship's compartment (5,5) |
Pi[5] is an informal British short form for pious.
Pilot house[5] is another term for wheelhouse[5], a part of a boat or ship serving as a shelter for the person at the wheel.
| 15d | Eastern // relation going potty (8) |
| 17d | Out of breath // decorating? Not I! (7) |
| 19d | Look at // dictator submerged in river (7) |
Idi Amin Dada[7] (c.
1925–2003) was the third President of Uganda, ruling from 1971 to 1979.
As commander of the Ugandan Army, he led a military coup in January
1971 that deposed Milton Obote. (show more )
In 1977, when Britain broke diplomatic relations with Uganda, Amin declared he had defeated the British and added "CBE", for "Conqueror of the British Empire", to his title.
Amin's rule was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extrajudicial killings, nepotism, corruption, and gross economic mismanagement. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated by international observers and human rights groups to range from 100,000 to 500,000.
hide
In 1977, when Britain broke diplomatic relations with Uganda, Amin declared he had defeated the British and added "CBE", for "Conqueror of the British Empire", to his title.
Amin's rule was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extrajudicial killings, nepotism, corruption, and gross economic mismanagement. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated by international observers and human rights groups to range from 100,000 to 500,000.
hide
The River Exe[7] rises on Exmoor in Somerset, 8.4 kilometres (5 mi) from the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south (English Channel) coast of Devon.
| 20d | Greeting given to ruler // on a walk (6) |
| 23d | What's served up in their breakfast? // Cheese (4) |
Brie[5] is a kind of soft, mild, creamy cheese with a firm white skin.
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 Advanced 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.