Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29328 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Friday, April 3, 2020 | |
Setter
proXimal (Steve Bartlett) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29328]
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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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Introduction
Once again, I failed to notice that the puzzle is an X-less near-pangram — the hallmark of proXimal (who reasons that the X in his pseudonym completes the pangram).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 | Small tip: books // tell us lots (5,7) |
| 9a | Broadcast on fine // trade show (4) |
| 10a | Spice Girl content in journey // somewhere in Australia (9) |
The Spice Girls[7] are an English pop girl group formed in 1994. The group comprises Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"), Melanie Chisholm, Mel C ("Sporty Spice"), Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"), Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice") and Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice"). With their "girl power" mantra, the Spice Girls were pop culture icons of the 1990s.
Melbourne[5] is the capital of the Australian state of Victoria, located in the south-eastern part of the country, on the Bass Strait opposite Tasmania. It became state capital in 1851 and was capital of Australia from 1901 until 1927. It is a major port and the second largest city in Australia.
| 12a | Indifference /in/ course in outskirts of Aylesbury (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Aylesbury[5] is a town in south central England, the county town of Buckinghamshire. |
| 13a | Plump guide sadly // exhausted (8) |
| 15a | Again find // sample of Everywhere: disco version (10) |
Scratching the Surface
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| "Everywhere"[7] is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their fourteenth studio album Tango in the Night (1987). |
| 16a | Gamble on a // character from Greece (4) |
Beta[5] is the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β).
| 18a | Reptiles // like empty places (4) |
Asp is a name given to at least four different species of snakes (show more ):
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- the European asp[7], a small southern European viper (Vipera aspis) with an upturned snout.
- the Egyptian cobra[7] (Naja haje), one of the largest cobra species native to Africa, second to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca).
- the Saharan horned viper[7] (Cerastes cerastes), a venomous viper species native to the deserts of Northern Africa and parts of the Middle East.
- the Saharan sand viper[7] (Cerastes vipera), also known as the Egyptian asp or Cleopatra's asp, a venomous viper species endemic to the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
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| 20a | Hell uncovered during show /that's/ unseemly (10) |
| 23a | Delighted to welcome European, very // lofty (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.
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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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"very " = V [context uncertain]
The abbreviation v (or v.)[1,2,5,10] stands for very.
Although this definition is found in most of my British dictionaries, it does not appear in any of my American dictionaries. Unfortunately no explanation is given as to the specific context in which one might encounter this usage. The only possibility that I can imagine is when combined with G as a grade of VG (very good) on school tests or assignments.
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The abbreviation v (or v.)[1,2,5,10] stands for very.
Although this definition is found in most of my British dictionaries, it does not appear in any of my American dictionaries. Unfortunately no explanation is given as to the specific context in which one might encounter this usage. The only possibility that I can imagine is when combined with G as a grade of VG (very good) on school tests or assignments.
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| 24a | Regularly action team attached to a // leisure venue (6) |
Cinema[5] is the British name for a movie theatre.
| 26a | Scout // I note runs, following sport on playing field (9) |
"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[3,11,12] 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[3,11,12] 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".
hide
"runs " = R [cricket notation]
"sport " = RU [rugby union]
Rugby union[10] (abbreviation RU[5]) is a form of rugby football played between teams of 15 players (in contrast to rugby league[5], which is played in teams of thirteen).
Rugby union[7] is the national sport in New Zealand, Wales, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Madagascar.
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Rugby union[10] (abbreviation RU[5]) is a form of rugby football played between teams of 15 players (in contrast to rugby league[5], which is played in teams of thirteen).
Rugby union[7] is the national sport in New Zealand, Wales, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Madagascar.
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Here and There
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Rec[5] is an informal British term for recreation ground whereas in North America it is a short form for the word recreation ⇒ the rec centre. Thus while Brits conduct their recreational activities at the rec, North Americans pursue theirs at the rec centre. |
Scout[5] is short for talent scout ⇒
Mornington were so successful that league clubs sent scouts to watch a number of the players.
| 27a | Burn // boat after king's left (4) |
A ketch[5] is a two-masted, fore-and-aft rigged sailing boat with a mizzenmast stepped forward of the rudder and smaller than its foremast.
| 28a | Send one terms about // driving offence records (12) |
In the UK, a note on a driving licence recording the penalty points incurred for a driving offence is known as an endorsement[5].
Down
| 2d | Buy // tea, going into wallet (8) |
Cha (also chai) is a variant spelling of char[5], an informal British name for tea [in the sense of a drink].
| 3d | A queen, gracious // host (4) |
"Queen " = R [regina]
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).
* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution[7].
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Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).
* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person, currently Elizabeth II, as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch, but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms. There are currently sixteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution[7].
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| 4d | One making choice to keep broken metal // item of circuitry (10) |
Voltameter[10] is another name for coulometer[10], an electrolytic cell for measuring the magnitude of an electric charge by determining the total amount of decomposition resulting from the passage of the charge through the cell.
| 5d | Chance to share // small room with relative (4-2) |
Loo[5] is an informal British term for a toilet [either as a room or a plumbing fixture].
Look-in[5] is an informal British expression denoting a chance to take part or succeed in something ⇒ (i)
Poor old Eighties fashions hardly get a look-in; (ii)
They didn't let Dublin's forwards get a look-in in the last 15 minutes.
| 6d | Damage most of monarch/'s/ tent (7) |
| 7d | Roadside observers // a Merc passed travelling around Spain (5,7) |
Scratching the Surface
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In the UK, Merc[5] is an informal name for a Mercedes car* .
* I would say that North Americans would apply the name Merc to a different automobile, the Mercury — even though this brand has been defunct since 2010 (show more ). Mercury[7] is a defunct division of the American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Marketed as an entry-level premium brand for nearly its entire existence, Mercury was created in 1938 by Edsel Ford. Forming half of the Lincoln-Mercury Division, the brand was intended to bridge the price gap between the Ford and Lincoln vehicle lines. In a similar context, Buick and Oldsmobile played the same role within General Motors while the Chrysler Division did so within Chrysler Corporation (following the end of DeSoto and the creation of Imperial). hide |
| 8d | A Zulu in severe // danger (6) |
"Zulu " = Z [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]
In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Zulu[5] is a code word representing the letter Z.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
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In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Zulu[5] is a code word representing the letter Z.
* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet
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| 11d | Bearing cost about fiver in the end, // without delivery charge (8-4) |
Carriage-free*[1] is a [likely British**] term meaning without charge for transport.
* The Chambers Dictionary is the only source in which I found this term.
** Since the word carriage[5] is a British term for the conveying of goods or passengers from one place to another, a compound formed with it is almost certainly British as well.
Scratching the Surface
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| Fiver[5] is an informal British name for a five-pound note. |
| 14d | Have cold in shelter on // High Street, or thereabouts (4,6) |
In the UK, high street[5] is the term used for the main street of a town, especially as the traditional site for most shops, banks, and other businesses ⇒
the approaching festive season boosted the high street. In the same way that many North American towns have a Main Street, many British towns have a High Street.
Town centre[5] denotes the central part or main business and commercial area of a town ⇒
parking charges in the town centre are putting people off shopping.
| 17d | Studious // learner involved in editing novel (8) |
"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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| 19d | Ran through // coastal structure erected last month (7) |
| 21d | Business /acquiring/ clubs in New York after some time (6) |
| 22d | Big cat/'s/ junior imbibing water in Spain (6) |
The Spanish word for 'water' is agua[8].
| 25d | Real // regret after end of engagement (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] - 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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