Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29287 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, February 15, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29287 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29287 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Big Dave (Hints)crypticsue (Review) | |
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, October 3, 2020 edition of the National Post. As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review. | |
Introduction
It may have been an easy puzzle but that doesn't mean that it is impossible to stumble — which I managed to do on 19d. Fortunately, the slip didn't affect any of the intersecting clues and I was able to recover having recognized that my solution might be wrong when I was unable to parse it.For a change, I recognized that the puzzle is a pangram (a puzzle in which every letter of the alphabet appears at least once in the solution). Nevertheless, this knowledge was of no avail in my solving efforts.
It is interesting to see that Cephas (pseudonym of cryptic crossword setter Peter Chamberlain) leaves a comment on crypticsue's review of the puzzle at Big Dave's Crossword Blog. I wonder if he might have set this puzzle.
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
| 6a | Greatest ever intoxicated state, // this level has never been reached before (3-4,4) |
| 9a | Cunning but not to start with having information on // gas (6) |
Gen[5] is an informal British term for information ⇒
you’ve got more gen on him than we have.
| 10a | Urges one to become // bountiful (8) |
| 11a | Avert filly travelling /in/ depressed area in Africa (4,6) |
A rift valley[10] is a long narrow valley resulting from the subsidence of land between two parallel faults, often associated with volcanism. The East African Rift Valley is an example. Also known as the Great Rift Valley[10], it is the most extensive rift in the earth's surface, extending from the Jordan valley in Syria to Mozambique; marked by a chain of steep-sided lakes, volcanoes, and escarpments.
| 14a | Cut // out of wet chalk (4) |
| 15a | Supposed // to have done some magic round European court (11) |
"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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| 21a | Symbol /of/ Conservative and most of opposition? (4) |
"Conservative " = C [member of British political party]
The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.[10] or Con.[10].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.[10] or Con.[10].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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| 22a | Finished week taking on number // too heavy (10) |
| 25a | Advance // in French vehicle going round centre of Bourges (8) |
In French, en[8] is a preposition denoting 'in'.
Scratching the Surface
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| Bourges[7] is a commune* in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department** of Cher, and also was the capital of the former province of Berry. * a commune[10] is the smallest administrative unit in Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland, governed by a mayor and council ** a department[10] is a territorial and administrative division in several countries, such as France
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| 27a | Puzzle // that might be draining (6) |
A riddle[5] is a large coarse sieve, especially one used for separating ashes from cinders or sand from gravel.
| 28a | Jack perhaps clearer /as/ a cheat (4-7) |
Card-sharper[2] (also card-sharp) is a derogatory term for someone who makes a business out of cheating at card games played for money.
Down
| 1d | It may come before and after landing (6) |
What did she say?
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In her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue writesThis thought did cross my mind. However, I quickly realized that the only flight one is likely to encounter after landing at an airport is the flight of stairs one must use to exit the aircraft if a suitable gate is not available.can relate to either stairs or travelling by aeroplane. |
| 2d | Good person has articles about New Zealand // verse (6) |
"good person " = ST [saint]
| 3d | Second simpleton // self-satisfied (4) |
Mug[5] is an informal British term for a stupid or gullible person ⇒
they were no mugs where finance was concerned.
| 4d | One might say this very much as an expression of gratefulness (5,3) |
In her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue treats the first part of the clue as wordplay. However, it does not provide an independent second route to the solution; it merely provides elaboration related to the precise definition (viz., that the precise definition is often followed by the words 'very much'). Therefore, I have marked the entire clue as a cryptic definition with embedded precise definition.
| 5d | Give rage in order // to afflict (8) |
| 7d | Bloomer /having/ neat edge (5) |
Neat[5] is an archaic term for a bovine animal ⇒
I had a pretty dinner for them, viz. a brace of stewed carp, six roast chickens and a jowl of hot salmon for the first course; a tanzy and two neats' tongues and cheese second.
Unlike other similar constructions encountered in Crosswordland, the cryptic crossword convention whereby a bloomer is a flowering plant is not entirely whimsical. By dictionary definition, a bloomer[5] is a plant that produces flowers at a specified time ⇒
fragrant night-bloomers such as nicotiana.
Oxlip[5] can refer to either of two flowering plants:
- a woodland Eurasian primula with yellow flowers that hang down one side of the stem ⇒
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet grows…
. - a natural hybrid between a primrose and a cowslip ⇒
The Cowslip Count took place in the spring of 2000 and we received data on over 2,000 places around the UK where cowslips, primroses and false oxlips are growing.
| 8d | Painfully sensitive flesh // lasting a short time (5) |
| 12d | I will leave Russian // front (3) |
Ivan[7] is a Slavic male given name, a variant of the Greek name Iōánnēs (English: John) from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן Yôḥānnān meaning 'God is gracious'. It is worldwide associated with Russia and it's culture and is very popular in that country. It is also extremely popular in Crosswordland.
| 13d | Endless good fortune concerning // money (5) |
| 16d | Baker upset after cancelled // delivery (3,5) |
A delivery[5] is an act of throwing, bowling, or kicking a ball, especially a cricket ball.
In cricket, an off break[5] is a ball which deviates from the off side towards the leg side (show explanation ) after pitching — the opposite of a leg break[5].
In cricket, the off[5] (also called off side) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) towards which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. The other half of the field is known as either the leg[5] (also called leg side) or on[5] (also called on side) ⇒
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In cricket, the off[5] (also called off side) is the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) towards which the batsman's feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball. The other half of the field is known as either the leg[5] (also called leg side) or on[5] (also called on side) ⇒
he played a lucky stroke to leg.
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| 17d | Jo prayed about // hazard (8) |
| 18d | Soldiers drinking unknown // whisky (3) |
"soldiers " = RE [Royal Engineers]
The Corps of Royal Engineers[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.
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The Corps of Royal Engineers[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.
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"unknown " = Y [algebraic notation]
| 19d | Smooth // learner in orchestra (5) |
"learner " = 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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Post Mortem
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| I initially had a word that I think may match the definition better than the "correct" solution. However, when I could not parse it, I had to look for an alternative. As for the "correct" solution, I hardly think of it as a good match to the definition. My "incorrect" solution was PLANE which, as a verb, is an action that, although primarily undertaken to change the dimensions of wood, can also have the result of smoothing wood. |
| 20d | Quiet and mischievous being /in/ part of library? (5) |
| 23d | Careful to adopt Catholic // slogan (3,3) |
War cry[5] is used in the figurative sense of a cry, slogan, etc, used to rally support for a cause.
| 24d | In action? // Certainly (6) |
| 26d | Had old money dropped repeatedly /in/ ditch (2-2) |
In the British currency system used prior to the introduction of the current decimal currency system in 1971, a penny[5] (abbreviation d[5] [for denarius]) was a coin or monetary unit equal to one twelfth of a shilling or 240th of a pound.
A ha-ha[5] is a ditch with a wall on its inner side below ground level, forming a boundary to a park or garden without interrupting the view.
Origin: Early 18th century: from French, said to be from the cry of surprise on suddenly encountering such an obstacle.
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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