Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Tuesday, September 15, 2020 — DT 29273

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29273
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Setter
Unknown
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29273]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
pommers
BD Rating
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

Introduction

Given I had to resort to a fair bit of electronic help to complete this puzzle, I was relieved to see that pommers awarded it four stars for difficulty in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.

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
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "double underline" - both wordplay and definition
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a   Bill is welcome? Do this to show it! (4,2,3,3)

I agree with pommers' suggestion in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog that this clue is likely intended to be a cryptic definition. The attempted misdirection probably lies in the fact that we are expected to see Bill as being a man's name. However, if — as was my case — one's mind fails to go there immediately, the cryptic effect is lost.

9a   Work at back of company /in/ small enclosure (4)

"work " = OP [opus]

In music, an opus[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.

The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..

Opus[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒ he was writing an opus on Mexico.

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10a   What may help little person to see // fairy's garment (9)

In Persian mythology, a peri[5] is a mythical superhuman being, originally represented as evil but subsequently as a good or graceful genie or fairy.

A cope[5] a long, loose cloak worn by a priest or bishop on ceremonial occasions.

12a   Like some verse /coming from/ this writer's biro? (6)

"this writer's " = I AM

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (the or this) speaker, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or ME) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

Today, the the creator of the puzzle has made the scenario more complicated by combining "this writer" with the verb "to be"* producing "this writer's" (a contraction of "this writer is") which must be replaced — not by the usual contraction "I'm" — but by "I am" in full.

* Although in the surface reading "this writer's" is showing possession, in the wordplay it is interpreted as a contraction of "this writer is".

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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

The Bic pen[5], an inexpensive disposable ballpoint pen manufactured by the French company Société Bic, is the best-selling pen in the world.

13a   Bird // hard for country person to bag (8)

"hard " = H [grade of pencil lead]

H[2,5] is an abbreviation for hard, as used in describing grades of pencil lead ⇒ a 2H pencil.

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15a   'Common' // Arabs maybe seen wandering about (5,5)

Common[5] is an informal British term for common sense ⇒ (i) Have a bit of common; (ii) It comes down to being sage, and using a bit of common, really.

16a   Issue // of the day, say, being gone over (4)

18a   State of irritation? // Blow! (4)

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading,  blow[5] is a British euphemism for damn ⇒ (i) ‘Well, blow me’, he said, ‘I never knew that.’; (ii) I'm blowed if I want to see him again.

20a   Celebrity's vehicle /makes one/ deeply impressed (4-6)

23a   A ranter's ridiculous // reports (8)

24a   Hostile // African country with guns regularly seen (6)

Mali[5] is a landlocked country in West Africa, south of Algeria. Former name (until 1958) French Sudan. (show more )

Conquered by the French in the late 19th century, Mali became part of French West Africa. It became a partner with Senegal in the Federation of Mali in 1959 and achieved full independence a year later, on the withdrawal of Senegal.

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Malign[5,10] — as well as being a verb — is also an adjective meaning evil in influence, intention, nature or effect ⇒ Racism of some kind is just about universal but some forms are much more malign than others.

26a   What comes out /from/ English master meeting people (9)

27a   Someone leaving /is/ energetic type (4)

28a   Helpful folk // reforming parish system (12)

Down

2d   One fairly quietly spoken /may be/ spoilt (8)

Mezzo piano[5] (abbreviation mp[5]) is a music term (used especially as a direction) meaning moderately softly this is a soft and gentle song and should be played mezzo piano.

3d   Military item of clothing? // Some fake piece (4)

A kepi[5] is a French military cap with a horizontal peak.

4d   Chaps surer to go wrong /as/ those looking for a deal maybe (10)

5d   Soldier /is/ impetuous, turning up to entertain us (6)

Historically, the term hussar[5,10] refers to a member of any of various light cavalry regiments in European armies, renowned for their elegant dress which was modelled on that of the Hungarian hussars (a 15th century Hungarian light cavalry regiment).

6d   Excessively keen initially, excellent leader of men // prepared to shoot (4,3)

"excellent " = AI [ship classification (A1)]

A1[4][5] or A-one[3] meaning first class or excellent comes from a classification for ships in The Lloyd's Register of Shipping where it means equipped to the highest standard or first-class.

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7d   Amazing // function of device used by suspicious police (12)

8d   Yesteryear's // class meeting important lady (6)

In Britain, a form[5] is [or, perhaps more correctly,was] a class or year in a school, usually given a specifying number. This is similar to the North America concept of a grade although the numbering system for forms and grades are vastly different. (show more )

The term "form" seems to have become passé as Miffypops in his review of DT 28163 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog refers to "sixth-former" as "What a schoolchild would be during the year before university back in the old days. This would now be known as year 13 or 14." Furthermore, Wikipedia (see table below) characterizes the term "form" as an "alternative/old name".

A form[7] is a class or grouping of students in a school. The term is used predominantly in the United Kingdom, although some schools, mostly private, in other countries also use the title. Pupils are usually grouped in forms according to age and will remain with the same group for a number of years, or sometimes their entire school career.

Forms are normally identified by a number such as "first form" or "sixth form". A form number may be used for two year groups and differentiated by the terms upper and lower [in general, this would seem to apply primarily for the sixth form]. Usually the sixth form is the senior form of a school [although this apparently does not hold true for New Zealand where they would appear to have a seventh form]. In England, the sixth form is usually divided into two year groups, the lower sixth and upper sixth, owing to the 3-year English college/university system. In Scotland or North America, the 6th form is usually a single year, owing to the 4-year college/university system. If there is more than one form for each year group they will normally be differentiated by letters, e.g., "upper four B", "lower two Y". Schools do not follow a consistent pattern in naming forms [in the foregoing quotation witness Miffypops' reference to "year 14",  a term which does not appear in the table below].

Wikipedia would appear to be at best ambiguous and at worst inconsistent on the relationship between the British and American systems of naming school years. The article from which the table below is excerpted shows that the British first form is equivalent to the American 6th grade. On the other hand, the article cited above states "In North America, the 1st Form (or sometimes 'Form I') is equivalent to 7th Grade." However, this latter statement may in fact be a comparison between the few North American schools to use the form system and the vast majority of North American schools that don't rather than a comparison between British and American schools.

 Age RangeBritish SystemAmerican System
NameAlternative/Old NameName
11-12Year 7First form6th grade
12-13Year 8Second form7th grade
13-14Year 9Third form8th grade
14-15Year 10Fourth form9th grade
15-16Year 11Fifth form10th grade
16-17Year 12Lower sixth form11th grade
17-18Year 13Upper sixth form12th grade

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The phrase "important lady" is a reference to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and is being used to clue her regnal cipher "ER" (show explanation ).

The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER

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11d  Pianists ignoring the bass clef? (5-7)

Piano music[*] is written in the bass and treble clefs. The treble clef, or G clef, is used for the higher sounding notes, usually played with the right hand. The bass clef, or F clef, is used for the lower sounding notes, usually played with the left hand.

[*] Wikibooks, Piano/Treble Clef and Bass Clef

14d   Ungodly /and/ faint-hearted person is buried in barren land (10)

According to The Chambers Dictionary, a hen[1] is a faint-hearted person.

Heath[5] is a British term for an area of open uncultivated land, typically on acid sandy soil, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse grasses.

17d   More peculiar // person children are taught to avoid? (8)

19d   Anger in agricultural business -- // one gets fired (7)

21d   One person supervising journalists /in/ team? (6)

Manchester United Football Club[7], commonly known as Man United or simply United*, is an English professional football [soccer] club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League (the top level in the English football league system).

* Although, in Britain, the word United[5] is commonly used in the names of soccer and other sports teams formed by amalgamation, it would seem that the name United in the absence of other context would customarily be assumed to be a reference to Manchester United.

22d   Expression of surprise about a vehicle /seen/ in the capital (6)

Havana[5] is the the capital of Cuba, situated on the north coast.

25d   Aims // to finish before start of supper (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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