Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29014 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29014] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Mr K | |
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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Introduction
There's a bit of a musical theme today, with British musical groups being mentioned in the clues at 1a and 5a and in the solution at 9a. Then there is a North American group as the solution to 12a. Finally, for good measure, we finish with a dollop of opera at 24d.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 | Dire Straits: // music performers? (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Dire Straits[7] were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1995. |
| 5a | Perhaps help // the Queen with transport in street (7) |
"the Queen" = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth] (show more )
Just as the solution to 1a is something that music performers are an example of (indicated by the ?), the solution to 5a is something that is an example of help (indicated by the word 'perhaps').
| 9a | Elite // middle-distance runner having secured first in Edinburgh (5) |
Steve Cram[7] is a retired British track and field athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s.
| 10a | Being // sixteen involved acne on a regular basis (9) |
| 11a | Yorkshire town intended to avoid a // deal (10) |
Settle[7] is a small* market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England.
* population approximately 2500
| 12a | Group of musicians // prohibited on the radio (4) |
| 14a | Need friend // every now and then (12) |
Occasion[5] is used in the sense of reason or cause ⇒
it's the first time that I've had occasion to complain.
| 18a | State of health/'s/ contentious -- it alters when losing energy (12) |
"energy" = E [symbol used in physics] (show reference )
| 21a | Nothing to write? /That's/ clear (4) |
| 22a | In favour of drink before start of inspection, on // balance (10) |
"drink" = PORT (show explanation )
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
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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
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| 25a | Amuse // nurse (9) |
| 26a | Foreman ignoring last // mistake (5) |
Gaffer[5] is an informal British term for a person in charge of others; in other words, a boss ⇒
street cleaners stopping for a smoke when their gaffer isn’t in the vicinity.
| 27a | Chap making a comeback in certain // title inherited from parent (7) |
| 28a | Pampers // Charlie with strange French article (7) |
Charlie[5] is a code word representing the letter C, used in radio communication.
"French article" = LES (show explanation )
Down
| 1d | Approach // cold church to pinch animal? On the contrary (6) |
"church" = CE [Church of England] (show reference )
The Church of England[10] (abbreviation CE[10]) is the reformed established state Church in England, Catholic in order and basic doctrine, with the Sovereign as its temporal head.
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The Church of England[10] (abbreviation CE[10]) is the reformed established state Church in England, Catholic in order and basic doctrine, with the Sovereign as its temporal head.
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The phrase "on the contrary" tells the solver to reverse the logic or meaning of the statement immediately preceding it. Doing so causes the wordplay to be restated to read "animal to pinch cold church".
| 2d | Have a meal in attempt /to get/ agreement (6) |
| 3d | Clarity /from/ Sicily -- it condemned imprisoning politician (10) |
"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].
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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].
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| 4d | It could emanate from his tea, maybe (5) |
In this semi-all-in-one clue, the definition is provided by the entire clue in which the wordplay is embedded.
| 5d | One surrounded by smell is beginning to tell // someone in laboratory? (9) |
| 6d | Think highly of // judge (4) |
Rate[5,10] is an informal [almost certainly British*] term meaning to have a high opinion of ⇒ (i)
Mike certainly rated her, goodness knows why; (ii)
the clients do not rate the new system.
* at least when used as in the cited examples
| 7d | Every year // abolish almost everything by end of January (8) |
| 8d | Doctor stayed with us /for/ 24-hour periods? (8) |
| 13d | Urged // bravery in final (10) |
| 15d | [These characters in books could be ok (9) |
| 16d | Cost rose dreadfully /for/ children's toys (8) |
| 17d | Popular undergarment with gold // angel (8) |
In Britain, a vest[5] is an undergarment worn on the upper part of the body, typically having no sleeves. The garment forming part of a three-piece suit that North Americans (as well as Australians) call a vest is known in the UK as a waistcoat.
"gold" = OR [heraldic term] (show explanation )
An angel[5] can be either a person (also called angel investor or business angel) who supports a business financially, typically one who invests private capital in a small or newly established enterprise or a financial backer of a theatrical production.
| 19d | Is upset with National Farmers' Union? Student/'s/ wicked (6) |
The National Farmers' Union[7] (NFU) is a member organisation/industry association for farmers in England and Wales. There are separate organizations representing farmers in Scotland (National Farmers' Union of Scotland[7]) and Northern Ireland (Ulster Farmers' Union[7]).
"student" = L [driver under instruction] (show more )
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate earing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
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The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate earing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
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| Automobile displaying an L-plate |
| 20d | Goes in // two hospital departments with son (6) |
The ear, nose and throat (ENT[2]) department is, by far, the most visited section in the Crosswordland Hospital. However, today we also get to visit the emergency room*[5] (ER[5]).
* From a British perspective, emergency room[5] (abbreviation ER[5]) is a North American term. The equivalent British term would be either accident and emergency[5] (abbreviation A & E[5]) or casualty department[5] (also casualty ward).
| 23d | Some music in a pub's turned up, /creating/ alarm (5) |
| 24d | American broadcast flipping // song (4) |
An aria[5] is a long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio.
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)
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