Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29154 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, September 12, 2019 | |
Setter
RayT (Ray Terrell) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29154] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Kath | |
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
With very few exceptions, solvers reported finding this offering from RayT to be on the decidedly difficult side.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.
| Markup Conventions | |
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| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Memory // concerning small fuss around clubs (12) |
"clubs" = C [card suit] (show reference )
| 8a | Isolated, // practically abuse a Republican (7) |
"Republican" = R [member of US political party] (show more )
A Republican[5] (abbreviation R[5] or Rep.[5]) is a member or supporter of the Republican Party[5], one of the two main US political parties*, favouring a right-wing stance, limited central government, and tough, interventionist foreign policy. It was formed in 1854 in support of the anti-slavery movement preceding the Civil War.
* the other being the Democratic Party
In the UK, republican[5] can refer to an advocate of a united Ireland but the abbreviation does not seem to apply to that usage.
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A Republican[5] (abbreviation R[5] or Rep.[5]) is a member or supporter of the Republican Party[5], one of the two main US political parties*, favouring a right-wing stance, limited central government, and tough, interventionist foreign policy. It was formed in 1854 in support of the anti-slavery movement preceding the Civil War.
* the other being the Democratic Party
In the UK, republican[5] can refer to an advocate of a united Ireland but the abbreviation does not seem to apply to that usage.
hide
| 9a | Possibly fast // opening to accident black spot (7) |
"black" = B [pencil lead] (show reference )
| 11a | Gentleman sent back German // dish (7) |
Otto[7] is a masculine German given name. German men encountered in Crosswordland are almost invariably named either Otto or Hans.
Risotto[5] is an Italian dish of rice cooked in stock with ingredients such as vegetables and meat or seafood.
| 12a | Damage with ruler // leaving bruise? (7) |
| 13a | Dish /is/ gone before end of tea (5) |
| 14a | Former sweetheart purchases sink with new // device (9) |
As a containment indicator, think of purchases as meaning acquires or gets hold of.
Sink[5] is used in the sense of approach death ⇒
the doctor concluded that the lad was sinking fast.
What are they talking about?
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On Big Dave's Crossword Blog, there is considerable questioning of the equivalence of the definition "device" and the solution "expedient".As is often the case in RayT puzzles, this is a case where the words — when stripped down to the bare essentials — do seem to bear a certain similarity. However, when dressed up with all their respective connotations, it becomes very difficult to perceive a resemblance. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a device[5] as "A thing made or adapted for a particular purpose ..." and an expedient[5] as "A means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but possibly improper or immoral". |
| 16a | Clash /of/ European knight facing noble Queen (9) |
"European" = E [E number] (show explanation )
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
"knight" = N [chess notation] (show explanation )
A knight[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a horse’s head, that moves by jumping to the opposite corner of a rectangle two squares by three. Each player starts the game with two knights.
N[5] is the abbreviation for knight used in recording moves in chess [representing the pronunciation of kn-, since the initial letter k- represents 'king'].
As an aside, it is interesting to note that the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines:
On the other hand, both The Chambers Dictionary and the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary list K or K.[1,11] as an abbreviation for knight without specifying the specific context in which this abbreviation is used. However, the context may well be in an honours list rather than in a game of chess. In the UK, for instance, KBE[5] stands for Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
hide
A knight[5] is a chess piece, typically with its top shaped like a horse’s head, that moves by jumping to the opposite corner of a rectangle two squares by three. Each player starts the game with two knights.
N[5] is the abbreviation for knight used in recording moves in chess [representing the pronunciation of kn-, since the initial letter k- represents 'king'].
As an aside, it is interesting to note that the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines:
- K[2] as an abbreviation used in chess for knight.
- K[2] is a symbol used in chess to represent a king.
- N[2] is a symbol used in chess to represent a knight.
On the other hand, both The Chambers Dictionary and the Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary list K or K.[1,11] as an abbreviation for knight without specifying the specific context in which this abbreviation is used. However, the context may well be in an honours list rather than in a game of chess. In the UK, for instance, KBE[5] stands for Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
hide
A count[5] is a foreign [from a British perspective] nobleman whose rank corresponds to that of a British earl.
"Queen" = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth] (show more )
| 19a | Coarse fibre // backing left unaltered (5) |
Sisal[5] is the fibre (used especially for ropes or matting) made from the sisal plant, a Mexican agave with large fleshy leaves.
| 21a | Displays // English plants round front of church (7) |
| 23a | Move from seat catching play about // pariah (7) |
Post Mortem
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| Once the solution to 15d fell into place, the solution to this clue became obvious. |
| 24a | Pentagon losing power prepared /for/ duty (7) |
"power" = P [symbol used in physics] (show reference )
Tonnage[10] is a duty on ships based either on their capacity or their register tonnage.
| 25a | Sailor only eats American // seafood (7) |
"sailor" = AB [able seaman] (show explanation )
In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.
hide
In the Royal Navy, according to Oxford Dictionaries, able seaman[5] (abbreviation AB[5]), is a rank of sailor above ordinary seaman and below leading seaman. On the other hand, Collins English Dictionary tells us that an able seaman[10] (also called able-bodied seaman) is an ordinary seaman, especially one in the merchant navy, who has been trained in certain skills.
hide
"American" = A (show reference )
| 26a | Moving // camp with enlisted moving (12) |
Take your pick; the definition and anagram indicator are interchangeable.
Down
| 1d | Supports taking lives /in/ battles (7) |
| 2d | Dad's Army // idiot initially fired into raised target (7) |
Dad's Army[7] is a BBC television sitcom about the British Home Guard during the Second World War that was broadcast on the BBC from 1968 to 1977.
The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service, either because of age or by being in professions exempt from conscription. Dad's Army deals almost exclusively with men over military age (hence the nickname "Dad's Army").
| 3d | Retreat admitting quarrel /is/ most biased (9) |
Quarrel[5] is a historical term for a short, heavy, square-headed arrow or bolt used in a crossbow or arbalest*.
* Arbalest[5] (also arblast) is a historical term denoting a crossbow with a special mechanism for drawing back and releasing the string.
| 4d | Army /in/ battle covered by sergeant-major (5) |
SM[5] is the abbreviation for Sergeant Major[5], a warrant officer in the British army whose job is to assist the adjutant* of a regiment or battalion (regimental sergeant major) or a subunit commander (company sergeant major, battery sergeant major, etc.).
* an adjutant[5] is a military officer who acts as an administrative assistant to a senior officer [thereby making the Sergeant Major an assistant to an assistant].
| 5d | Guaranteed // king will get followed around (7) |
"king" = R [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).
* 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.
hide
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).
* 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.
hide
| 6d | Moan, article examined reportedly /for/ poison (7) |
| 7d | Perhaps spin // doctor Premier's dispatched (12) |
| 10d | Caught with the lights on changing outside // attire (12) |
"caught" = C [cricket notation] (show explanation )
In cricket, one way for a batsman to be dismissed is to be caught out[5], that is for a player on the opposing team to catch a ball that has been hit by the batsman before it touches the ground.
On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation c.[2,10] or c[5] denotes caught (by).
hide
In cricket, one way for a batsman to be dismissed is to be caught out[5], that is for a player on the opposing team to catch a ball that has been hit by the batsman before it touches the ground.
On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation c.[2,10] or c[5] denotes caught (by).
hide
| 15d | Punch // from barkeeper for a teetotaller (9) |
If you are trying to locate the lurker by following Kath's directions on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, you will encounter some difficulty — the lurker is actually found in the third through sixth words of the clue.
Post Mortem
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| Even after having identifed the correct solution using a wordfinder, it seemed like an eternity before I finally spotted the lurker here. |
| 17d | Wine // consumed by Bacchian tippler (7) |
Chianti[5] is a dry red Italian wine produced in Tuscany named after the Chianti Mountains, Italy.
Scratching the Surface
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| Bacchian[1] (or Bacchic) means relating to Bacchus*; it can also denote (often without capital) jovial or drunken. * In Greek mythology, Bacchus[5] (another name for Dionysus) is a god, son of Zeus and Semele; his worship entered Greece from Thrace c.1000 BC. Originally a god of the fertility of nature, associated with wild and ecstatic religious rites, in later traditions he is a god of wine who loosens inhibitions and inspires creativity in music and poetry. |
| 18d | Open // can's pull almost broken (7) |
| 19d | Sweetheart anxious with one's elevated // position (7) |
"sweetheart" = E (show explanation )
A common cryptic crossword construct is to use the word "sweetheart" to clue the letter 'E', the middle letter (heart) of swEet.
hide
A common cryptic crossword construct is to use the word "sweetheart" to clue the letter 'E', the middle letter (heart) of swEet.
hide
| 20d | Deal maybe once // each in game (7) |
Deal[7] is a town in Kent, England which lies on the English Channel, eight miles northeast of Dover. The coast of France is approximately twenty-five miles from the town and is visible on clear days. Close to Deal is Walmer, a possible location for Julius Caesar's first arrival in Britain.
Deal is a former fishing, mining and garrison town. It became a 'limb port' of the Cinque Ports in 1278 and grew into the busiest port in England; today it is a seaside resort, its quaint streets and houses are a reminder of its history along with many ancient buildings and monuments.. The anchorage is still used today by international and regional shipping, though on a scale far smaller than in former times.
| 22d | Originally stone tablet erected, looking ancient (5) |
This initialism (or acrostic) clue is a hallmark of a RayT puzzle. The entire clue serves as the wordplay and directs the solver to use the initial letters (originally) of the final five words in the clue.
In these type of clues, it is often difficult to decide what actually constitutes the definition. One could narrow it down to the very precise and concise "stone tablet" or espand it to also include the final three words of the clue as these stone tablets were erected (as opposed to being natural formations) and they do now look ancient. Indeed, one could well include the word "originally" in the definition as many may now have toppled or been toppled and thereby no longer erect.
The double underline indicates that the clue is both wordplay and definition. I leave it to you to decide how much of the clue you consider to be definition.
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)
A Ray T classic -- almost three-fourths legos, and the usual obscure synonyms. Challenging (I needed a crossword solver for two clues, so three stars for difficulty) but not much humour.
ReplyDeleteAgree, it was lacking his customary risqué flavour.
Delete