Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29222 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, November 30, 2019 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29222 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29222 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Big Dave (Hints)crypticsue (Review) | |
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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As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review.
This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, July 4, 2020 edition of the National Post.
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Introduction
In Comment #7 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Rabbit Dave comments on the US "flavor" of this puzzle, something that I also noted. Perhaps it is appropriate that it was published by the National Post in its July 4 edition.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 | New York borough substitutes // top judges (6,5) |
Queens[5] is a borough of New York City, at the western end of Long Island.
Methinks the New York borough is not the only American aspect in play here. In the wordplay, the setter has used the word bench in an apparently North American* sense as a metonym for the players sitting there.
* According to American dictionaries, bench denotes the reserve players on a team[3] or the players of a team who are usually used only as substitutes[11]. Judging by both Big Dave's and crypticsue's explanation of this clue on Big Dave's Crossword Blog as well as by the absence of this sense of the term from British dictionaries, Brits would appear not to use the word bench in this way. This is rather interesting because, when it comes to the law courts, Brits do use bench as a metonym for the judges sitting there (as seen in the solution to this clue).
In the UK, Queen's Bench[5] is a division of the High Court of Justice[7], one of the three Senior Courts of England and Wales.
* the others being the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court
| 7a | On level terms, // move slowly to secure victory (7) |
| 8a | False rumours // an eccentric's spreading around (7) |
| 10a | Most important // officer in uniform I beat at chess (8) |
"uniform " = U [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Uniform[5] is a code word representing the letter U.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
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In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Uniform[5] is a code word representing the letter U.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
hide
In chess, mate[5] is short for checkmate as either a noun or a verb. As a noun, checkmate[5] is a position in which a player’s king is directly attacked by an opponent’s piece or pawn and has no possible move to escape the check. The attacking player thus wins the game. As a verb (the usage here), checkmate means to put (an opponent) into checkmate.
| 11a | Assistant welcoming a deity /in/ temple (6) |
PA[5] is an abbreviation used in Britain* for personal assistant.
* It is the abbreviation that is considered to be British, not the term itself. Even in North America, I would think that the use of the abbreviation may not be entirely unheard of.
In India and East Asia, a pagoda[5] is a Hindu or Buddhist temple, typically in the form of a many-tiered tower.
| 13a | Dido? // Singer producing high notes (4) |
From a British perspective, dido[5] is an informal North American* term for a mischievous trick or prank.
* as crypticsue's comment in her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog would attest
| 14a | I found clue confused // a small amount (5,5) |
| 16a | Issue /containing/ commemoration of late princess (10) |
The "commemoration of late princess" would be DI'S TRIBUTE [Note: crypticsue has omitted the 'S in her explanation on Big Dave's Crossword Blog].
Diana, Princess of Wales[5] (1961–1997), the former wife of Prince Charles, is often referred to as Princess Di. (show more )
The daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer, she married Prince Charles in 1981; the couple were divorced in 1996. She became a popular figure through her charity work and glamorous media appearances, and her death in a car crash in Paris gave rise to intense national mourning.
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The daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer, she married Prince Charles in 1981; the couple were divorced in 1996. She became a popular figure through her charity work and glamorous media appearances, and her death in a car crash in Paris gave rise to intense national mourning.
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| 18a | Worry // about breaking foot (4) |
| 21a | Divine being with weapon cut down // chest (6) |
In this clue, it is vitally important to use the British spelling of the weapon ("axe") rather than the US spelling ("ax").
In Scandinavian mythology, Thor[5], the son of Odin and Freya (Frigga), is the god of thunder, the weather, agriculture, and the home. Thursday is named after him.
| 22a | Standard lyricist // who produces satire (8) |
| 24a | Means to communicate urgently // what's selling out (7) |
| 25a | Band // is led by Kelly and Hackman perhaps (7) |
Gene Kelly[5] (1912–1996) was an American dancer and choreographer. He performed in and choreographed many film musicals, including An American in Paris (1951) and Singin' in the Rain (1952).
Gene Hackman[7] is a retired American actor with two Academy Awards to his credit — Best Actor in The French Connection (1971) and Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven (1992).
Genesis[7] are an English rock band formed in 1967 that has undergone many changes in both membership and musical style over the course of its existence.
* The most commercially successful and longest-lasting line-up consisted of keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford and drummer/singer Phil Collins. Former members include original lead singer Peter Gabriel and guitarists Anthony Phillips and Steve Hackett. The band underwent many changes in musical style over its career, from folk music to progressive rock in the 1970s, before moving towards pop at the end of the decade.
| 26a | Bleeper acts to disguise something that's not so? (11) |
The entire clue is the definition in which the wordplay is embedded. The part of the clue with the double underline both provides the wordplay as well as being part of the definition.
It took me a long time to see the light here. I initially thought that "so" was being used in the sense of 'true' and that the definition was merely the last four words of the clue. Therefore, I was looking for a solution meaning lie or untruth. I eventually twigged to the fact that "so" is being used to mean 'in the manner specified (by the solution)'.
Down
| 1d | Coin /made with/ craft having queen on both sides (7) |
"queen " (on one side) = QU
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina 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.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution.
hide
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina 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.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution.
"queen " (on the other side) = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
| 2d | A sports car in Spain raised // problem (6) |
MG[5] is a British automobile brand primarily known for its open two-seater sports cars. Since 2007, the brand has been owned by Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturers.
I believe that enigma[1] is being used in the sense of a statement with a hidden meaning to be guessed.
| 3d | Entertainment venues // suit going after drunken thing (10) |
| 4d | Composer/'s/ Welsh address (4) |
Johann Sebastian Bach[5] (1685–1750)
was a German composer. An exceptional and prolific baroque composer, he
produced a massive body of work — not to mention twenty children. (show more )
Bach produced works ranging from violin concertos, suites, and the six Brandenburg Concertos (1720–1) to clavier works and sacred cantatas. Large-scale choral works include The Passion according to St John (1723), The Passion according to St Matthew (1729), and the Mass in B minor (1733–8). He had twenty children: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–88) wrote church music, keyboard sonatas, and a celebrated treatise on clavier playing, and Johann Christian Bach (1735–82) became music master to the British royal family and composed thirteen operas.
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Bach produced works ranging from violin concertos, suites, and the six Brandenburg Concertos (1720–1) to clavier works and sacred cantatas. Large-scale choral works include The Passion according to St John (1723), The Passion according to St Matthew (1729), and the Mass in B minor (1733–8). He had twenty children: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–88) wrote church music, keyboard sonatas, and a celebrated treatise on clavier playing, and Johann Christian Bach (1735–82) became music master to the British royal family and composed thirteen operas.
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In Welsh, bach[10] (literally, little one) is a term of friendly address, used especially after a person's name.
| 5d | Midland town // with a lot on its plate by the sound of it (8) |
The Midlands[7] is the central part of England* and a cultural area that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. The Midlands region is bordered by Northern England and Southern England.
* Roughly, the Midlands comprises the counties of Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.
Nuneaton[7] is the largest town in the county of Warwickshire, England.
| 6d | Talk show hostess upset about // threat to whales (7) |
Oprah Winfrey[7] (born Orpah Gail Winfrey) is an American talk show host, actress, television producer, media executive, and philanthropist.
| 7d | What Cockney bigamist has /is/ incomprehensible (6,5) |
Dutch[5] (usually one's old dutch) is an informal British term (especially among cockneys) meaning one's wife.
* Origin: Cockney rhyming slang. Dutch, an abbreviation for duchess, is believed to come from the phrase "Duchess of Fife". Thus "wife" rhymes with "Duchess of Fife", drop "Fife" leaving "duchess" which is abbreviated to "dutch".
Here and There
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| In Britain, double Dutch[5] is an informal term for language that is impossible to understand; in other words, gibberish. In North America, double Dutch[5] is a jumping game played with two skipping ropes swung in opposite directions so that they cross rhythmically. |
| 9d | Lincoln beat these // East European cars (5,6) |
A Slav[5] is a member of a group of peoples in central and eastern Europe speaking Slavic languages.
In the UK, estate[5] is short for estate car[5], the British name for a station wagon[5].
Abraham Lincoln[5,7] (1809–1865) was an American Republican statesman, 16th President of the US 1861-5. His election as President on an anti-slavery platform helped precipitate the American Civil War; he was assassinated as the war was drawing to a close. The assassination occurred five days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
Delving Deeper
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| Abraham Lincoln[7] was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth
on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, while attending a play at Ford's
Theatre. Lincoln was shot during an intermission while sitting unguarded in his box, his bodyguard having left Ford's Theater during intermission to drink at the saloon next door. The bodyguard was not a member of the Secret Service[7] which was not created until July 5, 1865 as a division of the Department of the Treasury with the mission of suppressing counterfeiting. The legislation creating the agency was on Abraham Lincoln's desk the night he was assassinated. The Secret Service only assumed responsibility for presidential protection after the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. |
The Slave States[5] are the southern states of the US in which slavery was legal before the American Civil War.
| 12d | One on street beset by drink, // driven mad (10) |
| 15d | Religious institutions /needing/ sign after yesterday (8) |
In astrology, Aries[10] (also called the Ram) is the first sign of the zodiac, symbol ♈, having a cardinal fire classification, ruled by the planet Mars. The sun is in this sign between about March 21 and April 19.
To understand the significance of the word "yesterday", note carefully that this puzzle appeared in The Daily Telegraph on a Saturday.
A friary[5] is a building or community occupied by or consisting of friars[5], members of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four mendicant orders (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans).
| 17d | Lookout // that could follow train? (7) |
Trainspotter*[5] is a British term for a person who collects train or locomotive numbers as a hobby.
* The name is also often used in a derogatory sense to refer to a person who obsessively studies the minutiae of any minority interest or specialized hobby ⇒
the idea is to make the music really really collectable so the trainspotters will buy it in their pathetic thousands.
What did she say?
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In her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue writesIn Britain, anorak[5] is an informal, derogatory term for a studious or obsessive person with unfashionable and largely solitary interests ⇒Except that these days we call them anoraks!. with his thick specs, shabby shoes, and grey suit, he looks a bit of an anorak. The term derives from the anoraks* worn by trainspotters, regarded as typifying this kind of person. * An anorak[5] is a waterproof jacket, typically with a hood, of a kind originally used in polar regions. Although the terms anorak and parka[7] are sometimes used interchangeably, they are actually quite different garments. Strictly speaking, an anorak is a waterproof, hooded, pull-over jacket without a front opening, and sometimes drawstrings at the waist and cuffs, and a parka is a hip-length cold-weather coat, typically stuffed with down or very warm synthetic fiber, and with a fur-lined hood. |
| 19d | Again bring out // freebies regularly provided by girl (7) |
| 20d | Socialise /with/ top-of-the-range plutocrat (6) |
Hob[10] is a British term for the flat top part of a cooking stove, or a separate flat surface, containing hotplates [electrical heating elements] or burners [gas heating elements].
Plutocrat[5] is a derogatory term for a person whose power derives from their wealth.
Nob[5] is an informal British term for a person of wealth or high social position ⇒
it was quite a do—all the nobs were there.
| 23d | Nothing more than a // lake (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)
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