Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29165 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, September 25, 2019 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29165] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
2Kiwis | |
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
Jay shows us his gentler side today — but he doesn't turn down the enjoyment level.I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.
Abbreviations — Part X
Yesterday, we looked at abbreviations arising from the political world — politicians, political parties, political action groups, and political processes. Today, I thought we would continue by exploring a related field, namely government organizations. Here is what my archives yielded:| Abbreviation | Stands for | Additional Information |
| CD | corps diplomatique | Diplomatic corps |
| CS | Civil Service | British term for the Public Service |
| CSA | Child Support Agency | UK government agency that polices child maintenance payments |
| DE | Department for Employment | Former UK government department (1970-95) |
| E | European | In uses such as E-number[5] |
| EEC | European Economic Community | Predecessor to the European Community |
| EC | European Community | Predecessor to the European Union |
| EU | European Union | Economic and political association of certain European states |
| EC | European Commission | European Union body that polices treaties |
| FO | Foreign Office | UK ministry of foreign affairs |
| HO | Home Office | UK ministry of domestic affairs |
| IR | Inland Revenue | UK tax department |
| IRS | Internal Revenue Service | US tax department |
| MOD | Ministry of Defence | UK defence department |
| UN | United Nations | International organization of countries |
| UNO | United Nations Organization | Another name for United Nations |
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
| 1a | Conservative must have consent to hoard silver /for/ separation (8) |
"Conservative " = C [member of British political party]
The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.[10] or Con.[10].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* 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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The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.[10] or Con.[10].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* 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.
hide
| 5a | Millions invested in bags /for/ fishing vessels (6) |
Smack[5] is a British term for a single-masted sailing boat used for coasting* or fishing ⇒
the village still harbours a few fishing smacks.
* Coast[5] means to sail along the coast, especially in order to carry cargo ⇒
he coasted down the eastern shore.
| 9a | Include // case for European navigation device (9) |
| 11a | Discover // King John's end (5) |
King Lear[7]* is a tragedy written in 1605 or 1606 by English playwright William Shakespeare.
* Lear[5], a legendary early king of Britain, is mentioned by the 12th century Welsh chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (circa 1139; first printed in 1508), an account of the kings of Britain.
Scratching the Surface
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| John[7] (1166–1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. The son of Henry II and brother of Richard the Lionheart, he is probably best known as the villainous king in the legend of Robin Hood. |
| 12a | Sickly aspect /of/ everybody into mostly fortified wine (6) |
"fortified wine " = PORT
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
hide 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
hide explanation
| 13a | This offers protection /from/ developing rubella with the onset of measles (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Rubella[5] is the medical term for German measles. |
| 15a | Current level of technology /required by/ country frequently needing courage (5,2,3,3) |
| 18a | Equipment // Cameron set cut out (13) |
| 22a | Brave going topless with swim /being/ a chancy affair (5,3) |
Lucky dip[2,10] is a British term for a game in which participants (typically children) are given a chance to rummage around in a tub or container full of shredded paper, sawdust, etc in which prizes have been hidden, and to draw out a prize at random. The name also denotes the the tub or container in which this goes on and, additionally, has come to be an informal term for any undertaking of uncertain outcome.
| 23a | The colour /of/ one doing wrong? (6) |
| 26a | Joint // legal document protecting son (5) |
| 27a | Particles /of/ stone ruin at sea (9) |
A neutrino[5] is a neutral subatomic particle with a mass close to zero and half-integral spin, which rarely reacts with normal matter. Three kinds of neutrinos are known, associated with the electron, muon, and tau particle.
| 28a | Agree // to put down roots (6) |
| 29a | Tense examination // of the countryside (8) |
Down
| 1d | Parrot kept in container /that's/ most tacky (8) |
| 2d | Better // church line supporting European vote (5) |
"church " = CE [Church of England]
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.
hide
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.
hide
"European " = E [as in E-number]
E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).
* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.
hide
E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).
* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.
hide
| 3d | Elk to the south of Virginia // leave in a hurry (7) |
In Britain, elk[5] is another name for the moose* (Alces alces). The animal (Cervus canadensis) known to North Americans as an elk is generally called a wapiti[3,4,11] in the UK, although it may also be referred to as the American elk or Canadian elk.
* While I think of moose and deer as different animals, virtually all dictionaries describe the moose[2,3,4,5,10,11] as a large deer.
Vamoose[5] is an informal term meaning to depart hurriedly ⇒
we'd better vamoose before we're caught.
Origin: Mid 19th century from Spanish vamos ‘let us go’.
| 4d | Nanny perhaps // understood about area (4) |
| 6d | Disease /of/ higher degree student on song (7) |
"student " = L [driver under instruction]
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing 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.
hide
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing 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.
hide
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| Automobile displaying an L-plate |
An aria[5] is a long accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio.
| 7d | West coast city featuring in map and article /is/ a cheat (9) |
Today, unlike yesterday, I recognized the west coast city.
| 8d | Muslim ruler has name for student /and/ effect of exposure (6) |
The student from 6d reprises their role.
A sultan[10] is the sovereign of a Muslim country, especially of the former Ottoman Empire.
| 10d | Plant // a politician in county (8) |
Shire[5] is a British term for a county, especially in England.
Samphire[5] (Crithmum maritimum, also called rock samphire) is a European plant of the parsley family, which grows on rocks and cliffs by the sea. Its aromatic fleshy leaves are sometimes eaten as a vegetable.
| 14d | Flipping racket about very loud university // outflow (8) |
"very loud " = FF [musical direction]
Fortissimo[5] (abbreviation ff[5]) is a direction used in music to mean either (as an adjective) very loud or (as an adverb) very loudly.
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Fortissimo[5] (abbreviation ff[5]) is a direction used in music to mean either (as an adjective) very loud or (as an adverb) very loudly.
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Scratching the Surface
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Flipping[5] is an informal British term used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance ⇒ (i) are you out of your flipping mind?; (ii) it’s flipping cold today. |
| 16d | Revolutionary // shifting cash in art (9) |
| 17d | Adoption /of/ America splitting poor Poles (8) |
| 19d | Stop short after shout /for/ such glass (7) |
| 20d | Tower /needing/ airmen to be trained on time (7) |
A minaret[5] is a slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin* calls Muslims to prayer.
| 21d | Fools /from/ summits changing sides (6) |
| 24d | Begin, nervously keeping // secret (5) |
| 25d | Reporter potentially has answer /for/ nation (4) |
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)
I happily tolerate all manner of linguistic foibles from our British cousins, but confusing a moose with an elk is unforgivable.
ReplyDeleteI believe that moose exist in Europe but not elk. If one were to look into the matter, I suspect one might find that both names were used for the same animal in the UK prior to the discovery of the New World. When settlers came to North America, they may have used one name for the animal with which they were familiar and the other name for the new animal. The Brits use the name wapiti for the elk (which I believe is a North American Indian name for this animal).
ReplyDeleteSo, I cut the Brits some slack on this one. However, I do draw the line at them referring to a sled as a toboggan.