Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29245 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, December 28, 2019 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29245 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29245 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
crypticsue (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. | |
Introduction
I have often heard it said — and even dispensed this advice myself — that when one hits a brick wall with a puzzle, one should set it aside for a bit (or even sleep on it overnight) and all will become clear. Never was this more true than with this puzzle. I abandoned the puzzle last night with three clues defying all attempts to vanquish them. When I picked up the puzzle today, the answers to these three clues virtually wrote themselves into the grid.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 | Surly, // moderated after being unwell (3-8) |
| 9a | Learn dances // relating to a type of organ (5) |
| 10a | Listen in on // first lady's reported decline (9) |
"first lady " = EVE
In the Bible, Eve[5,10] is the first woman, mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel* [Gen 2:18-25].
* not to mention Seth and her other sons and daughters [Gen 5:4]
Disobeying God, Eve[7] succumbs to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and shares the fruit with Adam. As a result, the first humans are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
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In the Bible, Eve[5,10] is the first woman, mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel* [Gen 2:18-25].
* not to mention Seth and her other sons and daughters [Gen 5:4]
Disobeying God, Eve[7] succumbs to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and shares the fruit with Adam. As a result, the first humans are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
hide
| 11a | A good deal // of French on board coach (5-2) |
I suppose the answer is "a good deal" — at least, a better deal than paying full price.
| 12a | Urges one to become // bountiful (8) |
| 14a | Rest period // midway through sentence? (4-4) |
| 15a | Friend // friendly starting late (4) |
Pally[12] is an informal British term meaning of or like a pal; in other words, intimate or chummy.
| 17a | Key // London line? (7) |
The Central line[7] is a London Underground [subway] line that runs through central London, from Epping, Essex, in the north-east to Ealing Broadway and West Ruislip in the west.
| 19a | 20 // apes tried clothes (4) |
The
numeral "20" is a cross
reference indicator to clue 20a (show more ).
To complete the clue, a solver must replace the cross reference indicator with the solution to the clue starting in the light* identified by the cross reference indicator.
The cross reference indicator may include a directional indicator but this is customarily done only in situations where there are both Across and Down clues originating in the light that is being referenced.
* light-coloured cell in the grid
hide
To complete the clue, a solver must replace the cross reference indicator with the solution to the clue starting in the light* identified by the cross reference indicator.
The cross reference indicator may include a directional indicator but this is customarily done only in situations where there are both Across and Down clues originating in the light that is being referenced.
* light-coloured cell in the grid
hide
| 20a | Troublesome person// is found resting in shade (8) |
| 21a | Practise // on late vehicle? (8) |
| 23a | Chastisement: // why? (4,3) |
What for[10] (also what-for[10]) is an informal term for a punishment or reprimand (especially in the phrase give (a person) what for) ⇒
She'll give him what-for if she finds out!
| 25a | Turned out unusually // ignorant (9) |
| 26a | Wife dressed in very continental // clothes (5) |
In French, très[8] is an adverb meaning 'very'.
Trews[5] is a British term for trousers.
| 27a | Sign of nerves, // establishing a connection? (11) |
Down
| 2d | Moderate in support of student // contract (5) |
"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.
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| Automobile displaying an L-plate |
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| 3d | As a result, // the byre collapsed (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Byre[5] is a British name for a cowshed. |
| 4d | I will leave young lady building // asylum (8) |
| 5d | Spellbound // artist exercises (4) |
Initially opting for the wrong "exercises" produced a jaw-dropping result.
"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.
hide
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.
hide
PT[10] is the abbreviation for physical training[10], an old-fashioned term for training and practice in sports, gymnastics, etc, as in schools and colleges.
| 6d | Drive feudal changes? /That's/ very bad (8) |
Dr[5] (in street names) is the abbreviation for Drive.
| 7d | Fast // food shop feeding trendy belle on a regular basis (9) |
| 8d | Cotton fabric /in/ small facecloth? (11) |
Flannel[10] is a British* term for a face cloth, a small piece of cloth used to wash the face and hands.
* According to Collins English Dictionary the equivalent US and Canadian term is washcloth (although I would personally be far more apt to use the 'British' term face cloth)
| 12d | Agree to // accompany (2,5,4) |
| 13d | Dash to pieces /with/ wild threats (7) |
| 16d | Metal Dan and I arranged /to have/ separated into layers (9) |
| 17d | Crustacean // caught by skate and another aquatic creature (8) |
"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).
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[5] or c.[2,10] denotes caught (by).
hide
| 18d | In spite of that, // nearly everything was considered endlessly (8) |
| 19d | Bird // seed on pile of hay (7) |
Cock[5] is a dated term for a small pile of hay, straw, or other material, with vertical sides and a rounded top.
| 22d | Lustre /of/ Japanese money the man included (5) |
The sen[5] is a former* monetary unit in Japan, equal to one hundredth of a yen.
* Like the Canadian penny, the Japanese sen and rin (a coin worth one thousandth of a yen) are no more. These Japanese coins were taken out of circulation[7] at the end of 1953.
| 24d | Downfall /of/ bear losing its head (4) |
Key to Reference Sources:
[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[3] - TheFreeDictionary.com (American Heritage Dictionary)
[4] - TheFreeDictionarycom (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)
Signing off for today — Falcon
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