Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29167 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, September 27, 2019 | |
Setter
Giovanni (Don Manley) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29167] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Deep Threat | |
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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This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, April 18, 2020 edition of the National Post.
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Introduction
Deep Threat reports "Nothing too obscure in today’s Giovanni" — although not everyone leaving comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog agreed with him. There were certainly some new terms for me, like 8a, but nothing that I wasn't able to work out from the wordplay. I did like 5d once the penny finally dropped.I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.
Abbreviations — Part XII
Giovanni begins today's puzzle by lobbing a military abbreviation at us, so that seems like a good topic to tackle today. Here's the spent ammunition that I have collected in my archive over the year's.| Abbreviation | Stands for | Additional Information |
| AC | aircraftman/aircraftwoman (aircraftsman/aircraftswoman) | Lowest rank in the RAF |
| ADC | aide-de-camp | Officer acting as a confidential assistant to a senior officer |
| ATA | Air Transport Auxiliary | Non-combat pilots who repositioned aircraft during the World War II |
| AWOL | Absent Without Leave | |
| BEF | British Expeditionary Force | British forces engaged in overseas service in Word War I and World War II |
| CIC | Commander-in-Chief | |
| GI | US soldier | The term comes from Government Issue (or General Issue) a designation appearing on equipment issued to military personnel (the believe that the term stands for General Infantryman is a widely-held misconception) |
| MC | Military Cross | Military decoration (UK and Commonwealth) |
| NCO | non-commissioned officer | |
| OR | other ranks | Collective term for Bitish NCOs |
| PO | petty officer | A rank of NCO in the navy |
| RA | Royal Artillery | Artillery arm of the British Army |
| RAF | Royal Air Force | British air force |
| RE | Royal Engineers | British Army corps responsible for field engineering and construction |
| REME | Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers | British Army corps responsible for maintenance, servicing, and inspection of equipment |
| RM | Royal Marines | British armed service (part of the Royal Navy) |
| RN | Royal Navy | British navy |
| SAS | Special Air Service | British Army commando regiment |
| SM | Sergeant Major | British Army warrant officer who acts as an assistant to an adjutant or subunit commander |
| SS | German Schutzstaffel 'defence squadron' | Nazi special police force |
| TA | Territorial Army | Former name of British volunteer reserve force (now called Army Reserve) |
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.
| Markup Conventions | |
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| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 8a | Ferry // soldiers back repeatedly (2-2) |
"soldiers " = OR [other ranks]
In the British armed forces, the term other ranks[5] (abbreviation OR[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.
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In the British armed forces, the term other ranks[5] (abbreviation OR[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.
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[Ro-ro[2,5,10] is an acronym for roll-on roll-off[2,5] (also roll-on/roll-off[10]), a British term denoting a passenger ferry with entrances at both the front and back of the ship, so that vehicles can be driven on through one entrance and off through the other.
| 9a | Ellington? Not his first // instrument! (3) |
Duke Ellington[5] (1899–1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader; born Edward Kennedy Ellington. Coming to fame in the early 1930s, Ellington wrote over 900 compositions and was one of the first popular musicians to write extended pieces. Notable works: Mood Indigo (1930).
| 10a | An examination // in a chamber (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Here, I encountered a complete mental block. All I could think of that matched the checking letters was AORTAL but knew that the aorta is not a chamber. Despite being so close, I failed to focus on the correct heart chamber (even though auricle and ventricle did cross my mind). |
| 11a | Problem involving upper-class // person acting insincerely (6) |
"upper class " = U [upper class]
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
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In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
U manners.
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
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| 12a | Mythical daughter, // opponent no longer with us (8) |
In Greek mythology, Antigone[5] was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, the subject of a tragedy by Sophocles. She was sentenced to death for defying her uncle Creon, king of Thebes, but she took her own life before the sentence could be carried out, and Creon's son Haemon, who was engaged to her, killed himself over her body.
| 13a | Fresh thought // about helping to restrict opposing team (15) |
"team " = SIDE
Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
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Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
there was a mixture of old and young players in* their side.
* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii)
They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.
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| 15a | Country // fellows settling in a sort of valley (7) |
A ria[5] is a long, narrow inlet formed by the partial submergence of a river valley.
Armenia[5] is a landlocked country in the Caucasus of southwestern
Asia (show more ).
The Armenian homeland fell under Turkish rule from the 16th century and with the decline of the Ottomans was divided among Turkey, Iran, and Russia. In 1915 the Turks forcibly deported 1,750,000 Armenians to the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia; more than 600,000 were killed or died on forced marches. Russian Armenia was absorbed into the former Soviet Union in 1922 and gained independence as a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1991. Since 1988 there has been conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh (an ethnically Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan) and the predominantly Azerbaijani territory of Naxçivan (an Azerbaijani autonomous republic that is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by a narrow strip of Armenia).
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The Armenian homeland fell under Turkish rule from the 16th century and with the decline of the Ottomans was divided among Turkey, Iran, and Russia. In 1915 the Turks forcibly deported 1,750,000 Armenians to the deserts of Syria and Mesopotamia; more than 600,000 were killed or died on forced marches. Russian Armenia was absorbed into the former Soviet Union in 1922 and gained independence as a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1991. Since 1988 there has been conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh (an ethnically Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan) and the predominantly Azerbaijani territory of Naxçivan (an Azerbaijani autonomous republic that is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by a narrow strip of Armenia).
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| 17a | Eccentric, // like policeman who has finished duty? (7) |
| 20a | Severest edict to upset // employees in shops (5,10) |
| 23a | Game /that gets/ the French going round a monument? (8) |
| 25a | Gas /supplying/ energy to most of Kent region (6) |
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| Thanet shown within Kent |
The Isle of Thanet[7] (to which Deep Threat refers in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog) forms the major part of the district which also includes adjacent areas. As Deep Threat alludes, the one-time island is an island no more. The channel separating it from the mainland gradually narrowed over many centuries and has now disappeared entirely.
| 26a | Scoundrels against Her Majesty -- // one swears (6) |
"Her Majesty " = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
| 27a | Big bird // from Cornwall heading west (3) |
One doesn't often find the hidden element pushing up against the edge of the fodder as we do today. In fact, I'm not sure if I have ever seen this before.
The roc[5] is a gigantic mythological bird described in the Arabian Nights.
Scratching the Surface
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| Cornwall[5] is a county occupying the extreme southwestern peninsula of England. |
| 28a | Secure // hair (4) |
Down
| 1d | Moody // Maureen got out of bed (6) |
Mo[7] is a common diminutive for Maureen.
| 2d | Loose men terribly // in need of company? (8) |
| 3d | Dawn working hard /to bring/ fresh hope for the economy? (7,8) |
Sunrise industry[2,5,10] [a term I found in several British dictionaries but in no US dictionaries] refers to a new and growing industry, especially in electronics or telecommunications.
| 4d | Once again locks up // fellow among left-wingers (7) |
Alone among the many dictionaries that I consulted, Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) defines remand[5] as simply to place (a defendant) on bail or in custody, especially when a trial is adjourned. This would suggest that someone could be remanded without already having been in custody. However, every other dictionary (both British and US) clearly specified that remand means to send (a person accused of a crime) back into custody or place them on bail to await trial, especially to allow more evidence to be collected.
| 5d | Graduate // briefly employed by Birmingham school (6,2,7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Birmingham[5] is an industrial city in west central England. |
| 6d | /It's/ correct to go after loud // alarm (6) |
In constructions such as this, we interpret "it's" to mean 'the solution is'. Despite coming at the beginning of the clue, it plays much the same role as does a link word or phrase.
| 7d | Murderer /in/ hut, concealing body initially (4) |
In the Old Testament, Cain[5] is the eldest son of Adam and Eve and murderer of his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1–8).
| 14d | Cells /seen as/ round with very small area (3) |
The phrase "very small" may indicate that an abbreviation for 'very' is required. On the other hand, perhaps the phrase "small area" indicates that an abbreviation for 'area' is needed.
| 16d | Revolutionary member of political party mostly /offering/ nonsense (3) |
"member of political party " = TORY
A Tory[10] is a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in Great Britain [or, for that matter, in Canada].
Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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A Tory[10] is a member or supporter of the Conservative Party in Great Britain [or, for that matter, in Canada].
Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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| 18d | Bishop came down hard on diocese // with casual attitude? (8) |
"bishop " = B [chess notation]
B[5] is an abbreviation for bishop that is used in recording moves in chess.
A bishop[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a mitre. Unless obstructed by another piece, a bishop can move any number of spaces in any direction along a diagonal on which it stands. Each player starts the game with two bishops, one moving on white squares and the other on black.
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B[5] is an abbreviation for bishop that is used in recording moves in chess.
A bishop[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a mitre. Unless obstructed by another piece, a bishop can move any number of spaces in any direction along a diagonal on which it stands. Each player starts the game with two bishops, one moving on white squares and the other on black.
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The Diocese of Ely[7] is a Church of England diocese in the (ecclesiastical) Province of Canterbury, headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in the city of Ely.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat writes of anFrom a secular perspective, Ely[7] is located in Cambridgeshire[5], a county of eastern England. East Anglia[5] is a region of eastern England consisting of the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and parts of Essex and Cambridgeshire.East Anglian diocese. |
| 19d | Deep down // that somehow engages listener (2,5) |
| 21d | Sartre turned out /to be/ most unusual (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Jean-Paul Sartre[5] (1905–1980) was a French philosopher, novelist, playwright, and critic. A leading existentialist, he dealt in his work with the nature of human life and the structures of consciousness. He refused the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964. Notable works: Nausée (novel, 1938), Being and Nothingness (treatise, 1943), and Huis clos (play, 1944). |
| 22d | Girl /from/ French city undermining continental community (6) |
Nice[5] is a resort city on the French Riviera, near the border with Italy.
"continental community " = EU
The European Union[5] (also EU) is an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs.
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The European Union[5] (also EU) is an economic and political association of certain European countries as a unit with internal free trade and common external tariffs.
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Eunice is a feminine given name that comes from Greek words meaning 'good victory'.
Origin: from the Greek Εὐνίκη, Euníkē, from "eu", good, and "níkē", victory
| 24d | Plant // on a wall pruned and growing upwards (4) |
MURAL, as an adjective, is clued by the phrase "on a wall".
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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