Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29176 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29176] | |
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 is a wide diversity of opinion on Big Dave's Crossword Blog regarding the difficulty of this puzzle — some finding it difficult, others easy. I find myself in both camps. I started the puzzle last evening and worked my way through the top half but found myself unable to make headway in the bottom half. When I awoke this morning, I breezed through the remainder of the puzzle.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 | Carpeted // under the table (8) |
Carpet[5] is an informal British* term meaning to reprimand severely ⇒
the Chancellor of the Exchequer carpeted the bank bosses.
* Although we do not use this expression in North America, we certainly use the possibly related expression to be called on the carpet[5].
| 5a | Busts -- // they slow you down, we hear (6) |
| 10a | Naive // doctor enthusiastic about operation day (15) |
| 11a | Dangers /from/ cures limiting hospital (7) |
In the wordplay, cure[5] is used not in the medical sense but, rather, in the sense of to preserve (meat, fish, tobacco, or an animal skin) by salting, drying, or smoking.
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| "hospital" = H |
| 12a | Complaint /made by/ artist embraced by every European (7) |
In Crosswordland, complaints often prove to be medical in nature.
"artist " = RA
A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.
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A Royal Academician (abbreviation RA[10]) is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts[5] (also Royal Academy; abbreviation also RA[10]), an institution established in London in 1768, whose purpose is to cultivate painting, sculpture, and architecture in Britain.
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"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.
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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.
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| 13a | Associates // Charlie with leg caught in fishing equipment (8) |
"Charlie " = C [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Charlie[5] is a code word representing the letter C.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
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In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Charlie[5] is a code word representing the letter C.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
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"leg " = ON [cricket term]
In cricket, the leg[5] (also called leg side) is another name for the on[5] (also known as on side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
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In cricket, the leg[5] (also called leg side) is another name for the on[5] (also known as on side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒
he played a lucky stroke to leg.
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
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"caught " = C [cricket notation]
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[5] or c.[2,10] denotes caught (by).
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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[5] or c.[2,10] denotes caught (by).
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| 15a | Hold up // pen (5) |
| 18a | Unhappy // at university clique (5) |
In British English, up[5] means at or to a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge ⇒
they were up at Cambridge about the same time.
| 20a | Out of date // medicine that is valued 50% off (8) |
These meds are obviously well beyond their best before date!
| 23a | Tramp // stumbles around atomic base (7) |
A[1] is the abbreviation for atomic, as in A-bomb.
In mathematics, e[5] is the transcendental* number that is the base of Napierian or natural logarithms, approximately equal to 2.71828.
* A transcendental number[5] is a number such as e or π that is real but not a root of an algebraic equation with rational coefficients.
| 25a | Honourably // short time to recover (7) |
"short time " = MO
Mo (abbreviation for moment) is an informal term* for a short period of time ⇒
* Identified by several British dictionaries as being a British[5,14], chiefly British[2,4], or mainly British[10] term. However, one British and two US dictionaries do not specify it as being a British[1,11,12] term. This meaning of the word "mo" is not found in my third US dictionary, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language[3].
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Mo (abbreviation for moment) is an informal term* for a short period of time ⇒
hang on a mo!.
* Identified by several British dictionaries as being a British[5,14], chiefly British[2,4], or mainly British[10] term. However, one British and two US dictionaries do not specify it as being a British[1,11,12] term. This meaning of the word "mo" is not found in my third US dictionary, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language[3].
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| 26a | Open basic cell to criminal? One might (6,9) |
A cryptic definition with embedded wordplay. The entire clue is the definition with the portion of the clue with the double underline also being wordplay.
| 27a | Simply // starts to eat alternative snack items -- like yoghurt (6) |
| 28a | Dessert // came with rice, strangely (3,5) |
Down
| 1d | Regularly visits // relatives to support husband (6) |
| 2d | Quiet after Greek character digs /for/ fungi (9) |
Mu[5] is the twelfth letter of the Greek alphabet (Μ, μ).
| 3d | Describe // former lover? Unattractive (7) |
| 4d | Leaves // site to work around ten (5) |
| 6d | Indicates // the Queen's pulled up trousers (7) |
"the Queen " = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
| 7d | Greek // somewhat ticklish? Somewhat (5) |
Attic[5] is the dialect of Greek used by the ancient Athenians. It was the chief literary form of classical Greek.
| 8d | Naughty nude lady's wanting adult // at once (8) |
"adult " = A [former British film certificate]
The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
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The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
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| 9d | Hair in two different directions -- daughter/'s/ worried (8) |
| 14d | Move closer with Mercedes stuck in // traffic (8) |
In the UK, Merc[5] is an informal term for a Mercedes car* .
* I would say that North Americans would apply the name Merc to a different automobile, the Mercury — even though this brand has been defunct since 2010 (show more ).
Mercury[7] is a defunct division of the American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Marketed as an entry-level premium brand for nearly its entire existence, Mercury was created in 1938 by Edsel Ford. Forming half of the Lincoln-Mercury Division, the brand was intended to bridge the price gap between the Ford and Lincoln vehicle lines. In a similar context, Buick and Oldsmobile played the same role within General Motors while the Chrysler Division did so within Chrysler Corporation (following the end of DeSoto and the creation of Imperial).
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* I would say that North Americans would apply the name Merc to a different automobile, the Mercury — even though this brand has been defunct since 2010 (show more ).
Mercury[7] is a defunct division of the American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Marketed as an entry-level premium brand for nearly its entire existence, Mercury was created in 1938 by Edsel Ford. Forming half of the Lincoln-Mercury Division, the brand was intended to bridge the price gap between the Ford and Lincoln vehicle lines. In a similar context, Buick and Oldsmobile played the same role within General Motors while the Chrysler Division did so within Chrysler Corporation (following the end of DeSoto and the creation of Imperial).
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| 16d | Benefit expert // at one's disposal (9) |
| 17d | Many // pull item out (8) |
| 19d | Steaming out of river/'s/ current (7) |
| 21d | Volatile // rodent found in Morecambe, perhaps (7) |
The British comic duo Morecambe and Wise[7] (also known as Eric and Ernie), comprised of Eric Morecambe (1926-1984) and Ernie Wise (1925–1999), were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984. They have been described as "the most illustrious, and the best-loved, double-act that Britain has ever produced".
Scratching the Surface
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| Born John Eric Bartholomew, Morecambe[7] took his stage name from his home town, the seaside resort of Morecambe in Lancashire, England [where,according to the setter, a rat is found]. |
| 22d | College // cracked my clue (6) |
A lyceum[1] is a college*.
* Good luck finding it defined as such anywhere other than The Chambers Dictionary.
In ancient Greece, The Lyceum was a gymnasium and grove beside the temple of Apollo at Athens, in whose walks Aristotle taught.
| 24d | Book // ultimately missing conclusion (5) |
| 25d | Ludicrously busy // chap in charge (5) |
"chap " = MAN
Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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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)
23a is a word associated with my childhood. Although our generation benefited from free-range parenting, our mothers had an entire vocabulary with which to express their disapproval of children who roamed too far from the nest. This including gadding, gallivanting and traipsing. As in, "I won't have you traipsing all over town!"
ReplyDeleteYes, those three terms figured prominently in my mother's vocabulary as well, usually in combination with the word 'about' -- gadding about, gallivanting about, and traipsing about.
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