Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29282 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, February 10, 2020 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29282]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Miffypops | |
BD rating
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| Difficulty - ★ / ★★ | Enjoyment - ★★★ |
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ | |
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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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This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, September 26, 2020 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
Today's review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog is written by Miffypops under the pseudonym Elsie Longstaff who is a character from the The Good Companions, a 1929 novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. The book has had numerous stage, film, radio and television adaptations.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 | Which frames work /for/ picture? (3,3) |
Top Hat[7] is a 1935 screwball musical comedy film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and featuring songs written by Irving Berlin. The songs "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" and "Cheek to Cheek" have become American classics. Top Hat — Astaire's second most successful picture after Easter Parade — was the most successful picture of Astaire and Rogers' partnership and remains, to this day, the partnership's best-known work.
| 4a | Modern // refurbishment of auto dept (2-2-4) |
| 10a | Vindictive // correspondent scrapping second page (5) |
| 11a | Be ready to attack // untrue statement during delay (3,2,4) |
I would modify Miffypops hint on Big Dave's Crossword Blog to read "A falsehood is followed by a preposition denoting during and a word that signifies a delay".
| 12a | Lively tot in pen /in/ rural dwelling (7) |
Cottage[10] is used in the general sense of a small, simple house, especially in a rural area, rather than in the more specific North American sense of a vacation home.
| 13a | Godparent /may bring/ fancy spoons, right? (7) |
Sponsor[5] is used in the sense of a godparent at a child's baptism.
| 14a | Former PM with detailed scheme involving one // military training area (9,5) |
The Marquess of Salisbury[7] (1830–1903) was a British statesman. He served as prime minister three times (1885-1886, 1886-1892, 1895-1902) for a total of over thirteen years.
Salisbury Plain[7] is a chalk plateau in southern England. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known landmarks. Large areas are also given over to military training.
| 17a | Play // with great guy on island (3,3,8) |
The Isle of Man[5]
(abbreviation IOM[5])
is an island in the Irish Sea (show more ).
The island is a British Crown dependency having home rule, with its own legislature (the Tynwald) and judicial system. It was part of the Norse kingdom of the Hebrides in the Middle Ages, passing into Scottish hands in 1266 for a time, until the English gained control in the early 15th century. Its ancient language, Manx, is still occasionally used for ceremonial purposes.
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The island is a British Crown dependency having home rule, with its own legislature (the Tynwald) and judicial system. It was part of the Norse kingdom of the Hebrides in the Middle Ages, passing into Scottish hands in 1266 for a time, until the English gained control in the early 15th century. Its ancient language, Manx, is still occasionally used for ceremonial purposes.
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Man and Superman[7] is a drama written by Irish Playwright George Bernard Shaw in 1903 and first performed in 1905.
| 21a | Power /of/ politician installed in fancy suite (7) |
"politician " = MP
In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament[10] (abbreviation MP[5]) or, informally, as a member[5].
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In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament[10] (abbreviation MP[5]) or, informally, as a member[5].
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| 23a | Hold water /for/ comedian (5-2) |
I have not marked this as a double definition because the numeration of the first part does not match that given in the clue.
The phrase hold water[5] (often used with negative) denotes (of a statement, theory, or line of reasoning) appear to be valid, sound, or reasonable ⇒
this argument just does not hold water.
| 24a | Fungus // frog-like creatures also left (9) |
| 25a | Runt finally spots // litter (5) |
| 26a | Musician /given/ awful roasting (8) |
| 27a | Bill, having little money, /shows/ stress (6) |
The cent[5] is a monetary unit in various countries*,
equal to one hundredth of a dollar, euro, or other decimal currency
unit. However, in Britain — despite having adopted a decimal currency
system — one hundredth of a pound is known as a penny rather than a cent.
* Collins English Dictionary lists some 85 jurisdictions having the cent[10] as a monetary unit worth one hundredth of their respective standard units (show list ).
American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Brunei, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United States, the Vatican City, the Virgin Islands, and Zimbabwe.
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* Collins English Dictionary lists some 85 jurisdictions having the cent[10] as a monetary unit worth one hundredth of their respective standard units (show list ).
American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Brunei, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United States, the Vatican City, the Virgin Islands, and Zimbabwe.
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Down
| 1d | Class actors // always given similar roles? (8) |
| 2d | The old man accepting an order, and a // cigar! (9) |
A panatella[5] (also panatela) is a long thin cigar.
| 3d | Listening intently, // a student attached to King's (3,4) |
"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.
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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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King Lear[7]* is a tragedy written in 1605 or 1606 by English playwright William Shakespeare (1564–1616).
* Lear[5], a legendary early king of Britain, is mentioned by the 12th century Welsh chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (circa 1139; first printed in 1508), an account of the kings of Britain.
| 5d | Worrying profusely about rent? // I don't care! (6,8) |
| 6d | Action that backfired? // Individual shot a line (3,4) |
Own goal[10] is an informal term for any action that results in disadvantage to the person who took it or to a party, group, etc with which that person is associated.
Origin: In soccer, an own goal[10] is a goal scored by a player accidentally playing the ball into his or her own team's net.
| 7d | Accumulate // a large amount (5) |
| 8d | Complete // collection of religious books discovered in Ireland (6) |
"collection of religious books " = NT [New Testament]
In Crosswordland, the term "books" — or related phrases such as today's "collection of religious books" — is commonly used to clue either the Old Testament (OT) or the New Testament (NT).
Today, as is often the case, the clue provides no indication whether the reference is to the former or the latter.
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In Crosswordland, the term "books" — or related phrases such as today's "collection of religious books" — is commonly used to clue either the Old Testament (OT) or the New Testament (NT).
Today, as is often the case, the clue provides no indication whether the reference is to the former or the latter.
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Éire[5] is the Gaelic name for Ireland and was the official name of the Republic of Ireland from 1937 to 1949.
| 9d | Sad material, female's arresting love // song (4,5,5) |
"love " = O [nil score in tennis]
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
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In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
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"Blue Suede Shoes"[7] is a rock-and-roll standard written and first recorded by American singer-songwriter Carl Perkins in 1955.
| 15d | I'm to intercede // without delay (9) |
| 16d | Photograph // crack after crack (8) |
| 18d | Skilled worker // from Stuttgart is a nurseryman (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Stuttgart[5] is an industrial city in western Germany, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, on the Neckar River. |
| 19d | Flexible // European to carry on in charge (7) |
"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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| 20d | Restaurant /in/ street covered by writer (6) |
Biro[5] is a British trademark for a ballpoint pen. In Britain, the name is used generically for a ballpoint pen (in the same way that kleenex has become a generic term for facial tissue).
Origin: named after László József Bíró (1899–1985), the Hungarian inventor of the ballpoint pen
Bistro[5] — a word which comes from French — denotes a small bar or informal restaurant.
| 22d | Phoned following parking // accident (5) |
Here and There
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Ring[5] is an informal — more or less British (show more ) — term for:
In North America, the word would seem to be more accepted as a noun ( I'll give you a ring) than as a verb ( I'll ring you). According to various dictionaries, the word ring used in this sense is:
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Prang[5] is an informal British term meaning:
- (verb) to crash (a motor vehicle or aircraft) ⇒
Ernie pranged his sports car last month
- (noun) a crash involving a motor vehicle or aircraft ⇒
he had numerous prangs and near misses in his motoring life
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] - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (Oxford Dictionary of English)
[6] - Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) (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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