Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29286 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, February 14, 2020 | |
Setter
Zandio | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29286]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Deep Threat | |
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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In a comment left on Big Dave's Crossword Blog of April 10, 2020, the setter, Zandio, acknowledged being the setter of this puzzle. | |
Introduction
The feeling among the commenters on Big Dave's Crossword Blog seems to be that this puzzle is more difficult than the two-to-three star rating awarded it by Deep Threat in his review. The puzzle appeared in the UK on Valentine's Day but that knowledge is not of much help as it has little — if any — content related to the occasion.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 | Knocked off game, having urge /for/ food (7,3) |
Knock something off[5] (or knock off something) is an informal British expression meaning to steal something.
| 6a | Burlesque // outfit with small opening (4) |
Kit[5] is a British* term for the clothing used for an activity such as a sport ⇒
a football kit.
* an outfit that would generally be called a uniform on this side of the pond
The clue refers to a style of burlesque that existed in another place and at another time — not to what currently passes for burlesque in North America. Burlesque[7] is a type of theatrical entertainment that began with Victorian burlesque, a genre that originated in London in the middle of the nineteenth century (and shortly thereafter crossed the Atlantic to New York). Victorian burlesque was a comic play that parodied a well-known opera or a piece of classical theatre or ballet. These plays were seldom more than modestly risqué. However, in the US, the form — depending on your point on view — evolved or devolved into American burlesque, a variety show incorporating bawdy skits, songs, and strip-tease. It seems that strip-tease became such a prominent part of such shows that the terms strip-tease and burlesque are now almost synonymous on this side of the pond.
| 9a | Senior officers facing fanatic -- // hairy hard case, soft inside (7) |
CO[5] is the abbreviation for Commanding Officer.
| 10a | Dump // where 4x4's taken, changing directions (7) |
| 12a | Treatment // misrepresented as hippy theory (13) |
| 14a | Strong drink // from Spain with pretty wrapping papers (8) |
| 15a | The woman with no ring in love /gets/ put off (6) |
| 17a | Upper-class, boarding public transport? A // shock (6) |
"upper-class " = U
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
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In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
U manners.
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
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Tram[5] (also tramcar) is a British term for streetcar[5].
| 19a | Row initiated by father on // edge (8) |
| 21a | Informed /of/ weekend ball, go crazy (13) |
| 24a | Nature // scenes, peculiarly English (7) |
| 25a | Vow the Parisian frames is // love (7) |
"the Parisian " = LE [French definite article]
| 26a | Miss // ending after missing beginning (4) |
| 27a | Party host's timely order /to give/ guests present? (10) |
Down
| 1d | Best // tool (4) |
| 2d | Officer in police operation undercuts Capone, /offering/ diluted booze (7) |
The parsing of the wordplay — which only dawned on me after a long period of cogitation — is {COP (officer in police) + OP (operation)} following (undercuts [in a down clue]) AL (Capone). I initially tried to have "officer" = COP and "police operation" = OP; while I think this can be made to work, it is a far less elegant solution.
Op[2] is an informal term for a military or surgical operation.
"Capone " = AL [Al Capone]
Al Capone[5] (1899–1947), nicknamed Scarface, was an American gangster of Italian descent. He dominated organized crime in Chicago in the 1920s and was indirectly responsible for many murders, including the St Valentine’s Day Massacre* .
* The St Valentine's Day Massacre[5] was the shooting on 14th February 1929 of seven members of the rival ‘Bugsy’ Moran's gang by some of Al Capone's men disguised as policemen.
Capone[7] was born in Brooklyn (New York) and began his life of crime in New York City before moving to Chicago. Capone inadvertently insulted a woman while working the door at a Brooklyn night club and was slashed by her brother Frank Gallucio. The wounds led to the nickname that Capone loathed: "Scarface". Capone's boss, racketeer Frankie Yale, insisted that Capone apologize to Gallucio, and later Capone hired him as a bodyguard. When photographed, Capone hid the scarred left side of his face, saying that the injuries were war wounds. Capone was called "Snorky", a term for a sharp dresser, by his closest friends.
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Al Capone[5] (1899–1947), nicknamed Scarface, was an American gangster of Italian descent. He dominated organized crime in Chicago in the 1920s and was indirectly responsible for many murders, including the St Valentine’s Day Massacre* .
* The St Valentine's Day Massacre[5] was the shooting on 14th February 1929 of seven members of the rival ‘Bugsy’ Moran's gang by some of Al Capone's men disguised as policemen.
Capone[7] was born in Brooklyn (New York) and began his life of crime in New York City before moving to Chicago. Capone inadvertently insulted a woman while working the door at a Brooklyn night club and was slashed by her brother Frank Gallucio. The wounds led to the nickname that Capone loathed: "Scarface". Capone's boss, racketeer Frankie Yale, insisted that Capone apologize to Gallucio, and later Capone hired him as a bodyguard. When photographed, Capone hid the scarred left side of his face, saying that the injuries were war wounds. Capone was called "Snorky", a term for a sharp dresser, by his closest friends.
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Alcopop[5] is an informal British term for a ready-mixed drink that resembles a soft drink but contains alcohol. In Canada, such a beverage is known as a cooler[7].
| 3d | Sweet thing but thick-skinned for starters (8,5) |
Cryptic definition of a fruit that might be served as an appetizer.
Starter[3,5] is another name* for an appetizer or the first course of a meal.
* although British dictionaries consider this term to be British[5] (or chiefly or mainly British[4,10,14]), this usage of the word would seem to have become well established in North America and is found in some American dictionaries[3,12]
| 4d | Spot check about the compiler? // Most ridiculous (8) |
"the compiler " = 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.
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Dotty is an informal British[5] or mainly British[10] term meaning eccentric or slightly crazy or mad ⇒
a dotty old lady.
| 5d | Golf disaster, // filling in the holes? (5) |
"Golf " = G [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Golf[5] is a code word representing the letter G.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
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In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Golf[5] is a code word representing the letter G.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
hide
In the definition, "filling" is a noun (i.e., [the] filling [that is found] in the holes).
| 7d | Stuffing for tortilla won kudos -- that's upset // pedant (4-3) |
Know-all[5] is an informal British* term for a person who behaves as if they know everything ⇒ (i)
you're a bumptious little know-all at times; (ii) [as modifier]
a know-all panellist.*
* The equivalent term in North America, which may[5] — or may not[10,14] — be an alternative term in the UK, is know-it-all.
| 8d | Cuddlesome companions // turn stomachs after time (5,5) |
| 11d | Family // butcher's business? (5,3,5) |
| 13d | Exit toll (5,5) |
| 16d | Realistic // fertile blossoms covering uniform (4-4) |
"uniform " = U [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Uniform[5] is a code word representing the letter U.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
hide
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Uniform[5] is a code word representing the letter U.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
hide
| 18d | Spurs // soar after developing boxing exercise (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Tottenham Hotspur Football Club[7] commonly referred to as the Spurs, is an English professional football [soccer] club located in Tottenham, London, that plays in the Premier League (the top level in the English football league system). |
| 20d | Certain kind of Russian should avoid south // of Portugal? (7) |
A Siberian is a native or inhabitant of Siberia[5], a vast region of Russia, extending from the Urals to the Pacific and from the Arctic coast to the northern borders of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China.
Iberian[5] is an adjective meaning relating to or denoting Iberia, or the countries of Spain and Portugal.
| 22d | Lived /and/ died on ridge as result of assault (5) |
| 23d | Simple /to be/ married before, in an old-fashioned way (4) |
As a preposition, ere[5] is an archaic or literary term meaning before (a specified time) ⇒
we hope you will return ere long.
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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