Puzzle at a Glance
|
|---|
Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29268 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, January 24, 2020 | |
Setter
proXimal (Steve Bartlett) | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29268] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Deep Threat | |
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
A nicely pitched puzzle (in terms of both difficulty and enjoyment) from an X-less proXimal including a rarely seen triple definition.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 | |
|
|
| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Hot spice // sick one quietly put in soup (6,6) |
| 9a | Blunder /of/ six deliveries location reported (9) |
A delivery[5] is an act of throwing, bowling, or kicking a ball, especially a cricket ball.
In cricket, an over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled [delivered] by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
| 10a | Look to secure universal // thin fabric (5) |
"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.
hide
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
| 11a | Awkward // throw returned by another (6) |
Shy[5] is a dated term meaning:
- (noun) an act of flinging or throwing something at a target
- (verb) to fling or throw (something) at a
target ⇒
he tore the spectacles off and shied them at her
Awkward[5] is used in the sense of deliberately unreasonable or uncooperative ⇒
you're being damned awkward!.
Bolshy (a variant spelling of bolshie[2,5,10]; sometimes spelled with a capital) is a derogatory informal British expression denoting (of a person or attitude) deliberately combative or bad-tempered, uncooperative, difficult to manage or rebellious ⇒
I was a bolshie teenager, full of argument.
| 12a | Article about this writer and really // criminal act (8) |
"this writer " = I
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.
hide
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.
hide
| 13a | Again, go over // adult's tips on two school subjects (6) |
In the UK, religious education[10] (abbreviation RE[5]) is a subject taught in schools which educates about the different religions of the world.
| 15a | Notice for travellers // at sea: boarding's not starting (4,4) |
| 18a | Number /in/ St Kitts regularly filling wharf (8) |
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
St Kitts is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean which together
with the neighbouring island of Nevis forms the country of St Kitts and Nevis[5] (official name Federation of St Christopher and Nevis). (show more )
St Kitts was visited in 1493 by Christopher Columbus. The islands were colonized by English settlers from 1623, becoming the first successful English colony in the West Indies. A self-governing union between St Kitts and Nevis (and briefly Anguilla) was created in 1967 and became a fully independent member of the Commonwealth in 1983. hide |
| 19a | Value // eastern links to the west (6) |
| 21a | Ecstasy developed in happy // realisation (8) |
"Ecstasy " = E [the illicit drug Ecstasy]
E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i)
* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
hide
E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i)
people have died after taking E; (ii)
being busted with three Es can lead to stiff penalties.
* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
hide
| 23a | Pitched // support for monarch on the radio (6) |
| 26a | It's unacceptable either way (3,2) |
This clue is a cryptic definition consisting of a precise definition together with cryptic elaboration indicating that the solution is a palindrome.
| 27a | Seriously // close to home on island (2,7) |
| 28a | Lion // feasting after playing with boks (4,2,6) |
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| Although I found no evidence that the term "bok" is used in relation to the animal as well as the rugby player, the surface reading of the clue might suggest that it is — at least in the mind of the setter. The South Africa national rugby union team[7] is known as the Springboks* (colloquially the Boks). In South Africa, Bok[10] is short for Springbok, a person who has represented South Africa at rugby union. * The springbok[10] (or, less commonly, springbuck) is an antelope of semidesert regions of southern Africa, which moves in leaps exposing a patch of white erectile hairs on the rump that are usually covered by a fold of skin. The British and Irish Lions[7] is a rugby union team that participates in international competitions the members of which are selected from players eligible for any of the Home Nations – the national sides of the British Isles; England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. |
Down
| 1d | Pry // about argument with lawyers (7) |
| 2d | Current agreement /is/ unsurpassed (5) |
| 3d | Despair // at roles he messed up (4,5) |
| 4d | Send message to // part of website (4) |
| 5d | Who'd act barking? Guard, primarily (8) |
The entire clue is both cryptic definition and wordplay. The double underline is meant to convey this dual role.
As an anagram indicator, barking[5] is used in an informal British sense meaning completely mad or demented ⇒ (i)
we are all a bit barking; (ii) [as submodifier]
has she gone completely barking mad?.
| 6d | Bird // repeatedly shaking wings in heat, ugly hen (5) |
| 7d | Young // Jack starts to use vessel on European river (8) |
"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.
hide
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.
hide
Size Seems to Matter
| |
|---|---|
The Nile[5] is a river in eastern Africa, [disputably (show more
)] the longest river in the world, which rises in east central Africa
near Lake Victoria and flows 6,695 km (4,160 miles) generally northwards
through Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt to empty through a large
delta into the Mediterranean.
There are many factors, such as the source, the identification or the definition of the mouth, and the scale of measurement of the river length between source and mouth, that determine the precise meaning of "river length"[7]. As a result, the length measurements of many rivers are only approximations. In particular, there has long been disagreement as to whether the Nile or the Amazon is the world's longest river. The Nile has traditionally been considered longer, but in recent years some Brazilian and Peruvian studies have suggested that the Amazon is longer by measuring the river plus the adjacent Pará estuary and the longest connecting tidal canal. hide |
| 8d | Know no uprising /in/ African land (6) |
In Scottish and Northern English dialect, ken[5] is a verb denoting:
- know [in the sense of to be aware of] ⇒
d’ye ken anyone who can boast of that?
- recognize or identify ⇒
that’s him—d’ye ken him?
.
Kenya[5] is an equatorial country in East Africa, on the Indian Ocean.
| 14d | Performer // in part, thespian is terrible (8) |
Entry from The Chambers Dictionary:
- pianist noun a person who plays the piano, especially expertly (also (French) pianiste, sometimes used as feminine)
| 16d | Issue // detective's accusation (9) |
"detective " = DI [detective inspector]
A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
hide
A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
hide
| 17d | Fools set up with trap good /for/ robbing (8) |
Nit[5,10] (short for nitwit) is an informal British term for a foolish person ⇒
you stupid nit!.
A gin[2] (also gin trap) is a wire noose laid as a snare or trap for catching game.
| 18d | Cats // playing cards // somewhere in New York (6) |
This is a rarely seen type of clue — a triple definition.
A queen[5] is an adult female cat that has not been spayed.
A queen[5] is a playing card bearing a representation of a queen, normally ranking next below a king and above a jack.
Queens[5] is a borough of New York City, at the western end of Long Island.
| 20d | Notes // explosives around exterior of U-boat (7) |
| 22d | Back international // language (5) |
Hindi[5] is the most widely spoken language of northern India, with over 200 million speakers and one of the official languages of India. It is an Indic language derived from Sanskrit and is written in the Devanagari script.
| 24d | Award Yankee son // accepts (5) |
"award " = OBE
OBE[5] is the abbreviation for Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
The Order of the British Empire[5] is an order of knighthood applicable to the United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth realms which was instituted in 1917 and is divided into five classes, each with military and civilian divisions. The classes are: Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE/DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE). The two highest classes entail the awarding of a knighthood.
hide
OBE[5] is the abbreviation for Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
The Order of the British Empire[5] is an order of knighthood applicable to the United Kingdom and certain Commonwealth realms which was instituted in 1917 and is divided into five classes, each with military and civilian divisions. The classes are: Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE/DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE). The two highest classes entail the awarding of a knighthood.
hide
"Yankee " = Y [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Yankee[5] is a code word representing the letter Y.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
hide
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Yankee[5] is a code word representing the letter Y.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
hide
| 25d | Personality /from/ France, the French revolutionary (4) |
"the French " = LES [plural French definite article]
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
I couldn't find pianiste in Chambers or the other on-line dictionaries I use. It reminds me of the term artiste, with which tax accountants are quite familiar, as it appears in many international tax treaties. An artiste is defined therein as a performing artist. So, in my tiny mind only, a pianiste is someone who performs on the piano.
ReplyDeleteI found the word "pianiste" only in my hardcopy edition of The Chambers Dictionary (the online Chambers dictionary is based on Chambers 21st Century Dictionary which is a vastly different beast). I understand that The Chambers Dictionary is the 'official' reference source for Daily Telegraph puzzles. It is beloved by setters as "it contains many more dialectal, archaic, unconventional and eccentric words than its rivals" [Wikipedia].
ReplyDeleteGood to know. But I still think my definition is better.
ReplyDelete