Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle Number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29274 | |
Publication Date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, January 31, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to Full Review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29274] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog Review Written By
Deep Threat | |
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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Introduction
This is certainly one of the most difficult puzzles I have ever encountered. It has been a very long time since I have had to use so much electronic assistance to complete a puzzle.The appearance of this puzzle in the UK coincided with the consummation of Brexit with a few glasses being raised.
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 | They turn up orating -- // flashy Uber customers? (11) |
The definition is expressed in a rather whimsical fashion.
Loudhailer[5] is a British term for a bullhorn[10] or electric megaphone, an electronic device used to amplify the sound of a person's voice so that it can be heard at a distance.
| 7a | Fool's hoarding high-explosive // gear (7) |
Clot[5] is an informal British term for a foolish or clumsy person ⇒
Watch where you’re going, you clot!.
HE[5] is the abbreviation for high explosive.
| 8a | Vocally cool one from Cats -- // Lloyd Webber's work? (7) |
The Phantom of the Opera[7] is a 1986 musical with music by English composer and musical theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, and a book by Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe. It is based on the 1910 French novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux.
Scratching the Surface
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| CATS[7] is a musical by English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by American-born British writer T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) and produced by British theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh. It premiered in London in 1981 and on Broadway in 1982. |
| 10a | Young // son and cook going round arcade (5,3) |
| 11a | Singer /that's/ rejected Christmas -- gripping news! (6) |
John Lennon[5] (1940–1980) was an English pop and rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. A founder member of the Beatles, he wrote most of their songs in collaboration with Paul McCartney. He was assassinated outside his home in New York.
| 13a | Was the creator of // cheese from the East? (4) |
Edam[5] is a round Dutch cheese, typically pale yellow with a red wax coating.
| 14a | My lead-free scooter managed around 150 -- // fast vehicle (10) |
| 16a | Pitch tent while taking in river /and/ towers (10) |
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.
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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.
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A campanile[5] is an Italian bell tower, especially a free-standing one.
| 18a | Tramp /makes/ dogs etc recoil (4) |
| 21a | After eating duck, diner's fancy // decreased? (6) |
Decreased is used in the whimsical cryptic crossword sense of removed the creases from.
| 22a | Cool shade keeps chap // cold inside (8) |
"chap " = MAN
Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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One who is described thus might also be said to have a cold heart.
| 24a | Personal account that gets carved up when one's dead? (7) |
Cryptic definition of a message inscribed on one's tombstone.
| 25a | Piggott on nag, evidently concealing // weight (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Lester Piggott[7] is a retired English professional jockey. With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest flat racing jockeys of all time. |
| 26a | Big wave -- something in the sea // that is ridden precariously? (6,5) |
Down
| 1d | Spotted cat with snapping canines (7) |
Like Deep Threat, I spent a great deal of time fruitlessly looking for non-existent wordplay. The clue is merely a cryptic definition of a spotted cat with teeth to beware of.
| 2d | University philosophy student // inclined to be hard going (6) |
"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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| 3d | Theatrical // cast sit in choir (10) |
As an anagram indicator, cast[5] is used in the sense of to shape (metal or other material) by pouring it into a mould while molten ⇒
when hammered or cast, bronze could be made into tools.
| 4d | More than one mischief-maker // is ringing politician (4) |
"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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| 5d | Adjacent parts of steeple vane scenically // fade (8) |
| 6d | Like a devil /or/ a saint gone astray, getting caught (7) |
"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).
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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).
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| 7d | One gets ready to come out on the street? (4,7) |
Ready[5,10] or the ready[10] (also called readies or the readies) is an informal British term for ready money[5,10] (also called ready cash), funds for immediate use or, in other words, available money or cash ⇒
Because I haven't got the readies to hand, I could offer a pittance now and promise to pay the rest at a date more to my convenience.
| 9d | Soldier authorised to raise gun /offers/ top covering fire (11) |
| 12d | Short-term policies /involving/ sheet music? (5,5) |
Cover note is a British term for a temporary certificate showing that a person has a current insurance policy ⇒
The text of the cover note showed that the policy wording was at that time still to be agreed.
Here and There
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| When it comes to describing insurance protection, while the same verb form is used in Britain and North America, we
use a different form of the noun on this side of the pond. As a verb, cover[5] means to protect against a liability, loss, or accident involving financial consequences ⇒ your contents are now covered against accidental loss or damage in transit. However, in the UK, the word cover[5] is also used as a noun to denote protection by insurance against a liability, loss, or accident ⇒ your policy provides cover against damage by subsidence. This is equivalent to the North American term coverage[5] meaning the amount of protection given by an insurance policy ⇒ your policy provides coverage against damage by subsidence. |
| 15d | Disreputable dance // action Americans like to watch (8) |
| 17d | Peter out in Ilkley, maybe // more miserable (7) |
Ilkley Moor[7] is part of Rombalds Moor, the moorland* between Ilkley and Keighley (pronounced Keethly) in West Yorkshire, England.
* Moor[5] is a chiefly British term for a tract of open uncultivated upland, typically covered with heather.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Deep Threat writes that we needIlkley Moor[7] is well known — at least in England — as the inspiration for the Yorkshire "county anthem" On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at (Yorkshie dialect for 'on Ilkley Moor without a hat').something for which Ilkley is known in song. |
| 19d | Bear consuming almost every // bun? (7) |
Bun[5] is used in the sense of a small cake, typically containing dried fruit, rather than in the sense of a bread roll.
Teacake[5] is a British term for a light yeast-based sweet bun with dried fruit, typically served toasted and buttered.
| 20d | New Age gathering united in // country (6) |
Guinea[5] is a country on the west coast of Africa. Part of a feudal Fulani empire from the 16th century, Guinea was colonized by France, becoming part of French West Africa. It became an independent republic in 1958.
| 23d | Note about that fellow // you employed in the past (4) |
"note " = TE [in tonic sol-fa, the seventh note of a major scale]
From a perusal of entries in American and British dictionaries, I gather that the only recognized spelling of this musical note in the US would be ti[3,11] while British dictionaries are split into two camps. On one side, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and Collins English Dictionary give the principal spelling as te[2,4,10] with ti[2,4,10] being an alternative spelling. The Chambers Dictionary and Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) take the contrary position, giving the spelling as ti[1,5] with te[1,5] shown as an alternative spelling.
Note that the sister publications, The Chambers Dictionary and Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, are diametrically opposed on the issue and Oxford Dictionaries has done a complete about face as I have notes in my files from a previous review showing that "Oxford Dictionaries decrees that te is the British spelling with ti being the North American spelling".
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From a perusal of entries in American and British dictionaries, I gather that the only recognized spelling of this musical note in the US would be ti[3,11] while British dictionaries are split into two camps. On one side, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and Collins English Dictionary give the principal spelling as te[2,4,10] with ti[2,4,10] being an alternative spelling. The Chambers Dictionary and Lexico (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online) take the contrary position, giving the spelling as ti[1,5] with te[1,5] shown as an alternative spelling.
Note that the sister publications, The Chambers Dictionary and Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, are diametrically opposed on the issue and Oxford Dictionaries has done a complete about face as I have notes in my files from a previous review showing that "Oxford Dictionaries decrees that te is the British spelling with ti being the North American spelling".
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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 agree, a real toughie
ReplyDeleteYes, this was 2d all the way through. I also used electronic help to complete, but when my crossword checker came up with "insulate", I bunged that into 22a just to finish and be done with this puzzle. Oh well....
ReplyDelete