Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29183 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, October 16, 2019 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29183] | |
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
While much of this puzzle may not have been overly taxing, there were a few real head scratchers buried in it.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 | Independent young reporter in state /should see/ development (10) |
"Independent " = I [politician with no party affiliation]
I[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the sense of a politician with no party affiliation.
hide explanation
I[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the sense of a politician with no party affiliation.
hide explanation
| 6a | Group offering advice after son /shows/ evidence of healing (4) |
CAB[5] stands for Citizen Advice Bureau[5] (trademark in UK), an organization that provides members of the public with free advice and information on matters relating to civil law and rights.
| 10a | Reputation /of/ old party sure to be exposed (5) |
"old " = O [linguistics]
In linguistics, O[12] is the abbreviation for Old ⇒ (i)
However, a second entry from this same source shows o (lower case) meaning old (not capitalized) suggesting that the use of this abbreviation may not necessarily be confined to the field of linguistics.
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In linguistics, O[12] is the abbreviation for Old ⇒ (i)
OFr[Old French]; (ii)
OE[Old English].
However, a second entry from this same source shows o (lower case) meaning old (not capitalized) suggesting that the use of this abbreviation may not necessarily be confined to the field of linguistics.
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"party " = DO
Do[5,12] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[12] term* for a party or other social event ⇒
* although Webster’s New World College Dictionary[12] supports the contention by Oxford Dictionaries Online[5] that this usage is British, two other US dictionaries do not characterize do[3,11] used in this sense as a British term
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Do[5,12] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[12] term* for a party or other social event ⇒
the soccer club Christmas do.
* although Webster’s New World College Dictionary[12] supports the contention by Oxford Dictionaries Online[5] that this usage is British, two other US dictionaries do not characterize do[3,11] used in this sense as a British term
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Odour[5] is used in the sense of a lingering quality or impression attaching to something ⇒
an odour of suspicion.
| 11a | Soldiers will be this // ignorant having lost one source of news (9) |
| 12a | Old // account describing renovation of chair (7) |
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or "describing") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which seems to rely on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate ⇒
skaters describing circles on the ice*.
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks made by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
| 13a | Treat with contempt /as/ showing signs of exhaustion (3,4) |
Diverging from the approach taken by the 2Kiwis on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I have not marked this as a double definition as the numeration of the second part of the clue would be either (7) or (3-4).
| 14a | Imaginative // log quietly growing (12) |
| 18a | Plant that's traditionally seen at breakfast? (5-3-4) |
I see this clue as a cryptic definition with a very general precise definition "plant" with the rest of clue being an allusion to a breakfast dish that is numerated (5,3,4). Similar to the situation in 13a, the failure of the numeration in the second part of the clue to match that specified in the clue rules out a double definition.
Bacon-and-eggs is a variant spelling of bacon and eggs[5], an Australian term for eggs and bacon[5]*, a name given to any of a number of plants that have yellow flowers with orange, red, or brown markings, supposedly suggestive of eggs and bacon.
* Note that the order of the ingredients is reversed in the Australian version of the name explaining why, in the thread arising from Comment #8 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Ape and Angellov report they "Thought 18a should be the other way round".
| 21a | Help for newsreader // reporting traffic congestion? (7) |
Queue[5] is a chiefly British term meaning a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed. As Collins English Dictionary states, the usual US and Canadian term is line[10] (in this sense of the word).
Delving Deeper
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The American Heritage Dictionary has the following to say about the history of the word queue[3]:When the British stand in queues (as they have been doing at least since 1837, when this meaning of the word is first recorded in English), they may not realize they form a tail. The French word queue from which the English word is borrowed is a descendant of Latin co-da, meaning "tail." French queue appeared in 1748 in English, referring to a plait of hair hanging down the back of the neck. By 1802 wearing a queue was a regulation in the British army, but by the mid-19th century queues had disappeared along with cocked hats. Latin co-da is also the source of Italian coda, which was adopted into English as a musical term (like so many other English musical terms that come from Italian). A coda is thus literally the "tail end" of a movement or composition. |
Autocue[5] (British trademark) is the British name for a teleprompter[5].
| 23a | European /setting/ one boxer in bronze (7) |
Muhammad Ali[5] is an American boxer; born Cassius Marcellus Clay. He won the world heavyweight title in 1964, 1974, and 1978, becoming the only boxer to be world champion three times.
| 24a | Popular accountant stifled by banal // complex (9) |
"accountant " = CA
The official designation CA[5] for Chartered Accountant is used in Scotland — and was formerly employed in Canada. However, Canadian CAs — together with CGAs (Certified General Accountants) and CMAs (Certified Management Accountants) — have adopted the CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) designation.
Outside Scotland, the term "chartered accountant" is used by members of the accounting profession in the UK who belong to certain professional bodies.
In the UK (apart from Scotland) the designatory letters are ACA[10] (Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants) or FCA[10] (Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants). The designatory letters ACA and FCA are also employed in the Republic of Ireland although there I would presume that they stand for Associate of Chartered Accountants Ireland and Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland respectively — Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) being the Irish counterpart to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).[7]
In addition to the organizations already mentioned there are a plethora of other bodies representing accountants in the UK. In fact, in the UK there are no licence requirements for individuals to describe themselves or to practise as accountants. However, those who use the description "chartered accountant" must be members of one of the organisations mentioned above or a recognised equivalent body in another Commonwealth country.
hide
The official designation CA[5] for Chartered Accountant is used in Scotland — and was formerly employed in Canada. However, Canadian CAs — together with CGAs (Certified General Accountants) and CMAs (Certified Management Accountants) — have adopted the CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) designation.
Outside Scotland, the term "chartered accountant" is used by members of the accounting profession in the UK who belong to certain professional bodies.
In the UK (apart from Scotland) the designatory letters are ACA[10] (Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants) or FCA[10] (Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants). The designatory letters ACA and FCA are also employed in the Republic of Ireland although there I would presume that they stand for Associate of Chartered Accountants Ireland and Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland respectively — Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) being the Irish counterpart to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).[7]
In addition to the organizations already mentioned there are a plethora of other bodies representing accountants in the UK. In fact, in the UK there are no licence requirements for individuals to describe themselves or to practise as accountants. However, those who use the description "chartered accountant" must be members of one of the organisations mentioned above or a recognised equivalent body in another Commonwealth country.
hide
| 25a | Joint covering end of ski // lift (5) |
The hock[10] is the joint at the tarsus of a horse or similar animal, pointing backwards and corresponding to the human ankle.
Hoick[5] is an informal British term meaning to lift or pull abruptly or with effort ⇒
she hoicked her bag on to the desk.
| 26a | Prison // lift (4) |
The nick[5] is an informal British term for prison ⇒
he’ll end up in the nick for the rest of his life.
Nick[5] is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒
she nicked fivers from the till.
What did they say?
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In their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the 2Kiwis inform us that the second definitionHalf-inch[5] (verb) is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒could also be to ‘half inch’. she had her handbag half-inched. I would venture a guess that this may be rhyming slang for 'pinched'. |
| 27a | Where you may find children with no class? (10) |
Down
| 1d | Line /offered by/ Boris, panicked about answer? (6) |
In meteorology, an isobar[5] is a line on a map connecting points having the same atmospheric pressure at a given time or on average over a given period.
Scratching the Surface
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| Boris Johnson[7] is a British politician, author, and former journalist who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2019. |
| 2d | First-class // option (6) |
| 3d | Disallow winning golf shot, /getting/ concession (10,4) |
| 4d | Law enforcement staff? (9) |
| 5d | Coppice material /seeing/ boost in Eire regularly (5) |
A coppice[5] (noun) is an area of woodland in which the trees or shrubs are periodically cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber.
The osier[5] is a small Eurasian willow which grows mostly in wet habitats. It is usually coppiced*, being a major source of the long flexible shoots (withies) used in basketwork. Osier is also a dated term for any willow tree.
* Coppice[5] (verb) means to cut back (a tree or shrub) to ground level periodically to stimulate growth.
| 7d | State // agents must arrest a married bloke (8) |
"agents " = CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency[5] (abbreviation CIA) is a federal agency in the US responsible for coordinating government intelligence activities. Established in 1947 and originally intended to operate only overseas, it has since also operated in the US.
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The Central Intelligence Agency[5] (abbreviation CIA) is a federal agency in the US responsible for coordinating government intelligence activities. Established in 1947 and originally intended to operate only overseas, it has since also operated in the US.
hide
Bloke[5] is an informal British* term for a man ⇒
he’s a nice bloke.
* Very British, but certainly also very familiar to anyone on this side of the pond who has ever watched a British film or television programme
Bod[5] is an informal British term for a person ⇒
some clever bod wrote a song about them.
| 8d | Repartee /may be/ poor -- at home with a case of gangrene! (8) |
| 9d | Establishment figure // discovered in the RAF upset about head of government (8,6) |
The definition is a play on the words 'establish' and 'found' being synonyms.
Scratching the Surface
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| The Royal Air Force[5] (abbreviation RAF) is the British air force, formed in 1918 by amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (founded 1912) and the Royal Naval Air Service (founded 1914). |
| 15d | Summary with bank opening late /must be/ just so (9) |
| 16d | Slight injury /of/ a supporter is no different (8) |
| 17d | Delighted, /seeing/ European Commission interference (8) |
The European Commission[5] (abbreviation EC[5]) is a group, appointed by agreement among the governments of the European Union, which initiates Union action and safeguards its treaties. It meets in Brussels.
| 19d | Note story with universal // setting (6) |
British
dictionaries are split on whether the musical note
should be spelled mi or me. On the other hand, American dictionaries come down
firmly on the side of mi. (show more )
In sol-fa notation, me*[1,2,5,10] (or mi*[1,2,3,5,10,11]) is the third note of a major scale.
* With respect to spelling, two British dictionaries show me[2,5] as the principal spelling with mi as a variant[2] or US[5] spelling. However, two other British dictionaries take the contrary position, listing mi[1,10] as the principal spelling with me as a variant[10] or anglicized[1] spelling. Two US dictionaries list only one spelling — mi[3,11].
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In sol-fa notation, me*[1,2,5,10] (or mi*[1,2,3,5,10,11]) is the third note of a major scale.
* With respect to spelling, two British dictionaries show me[2,5] as the principal spelling with mi as a variant[2] or US[5] spelling. However, two other British dictionaries take the contrary position, listing mi[1,10] as the principal spelling with me as a variant[10] or anglicized[1] spelling. Two US dictionaries list only one spelling — mi[3,11].
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"universal " = U [film rating]
Under the British system of film classification[7] a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" — or, at any rate, for those members over 4 years of age.
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Under the British system of film classification[7] a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" — or, at any rate, for those members over 4 years of age.
hide
| 20d | Last of casualties has bare // wound (6) |
| 22d | Half of them will have trouble /getting/ message (5) |
Is the word "will" not superfluous?
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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