Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29379 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29379]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Mr K | |
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, January 30, 2021 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
There is not much to say about this puzzle other than, unlike several recent offerings, I was able to complete it without resorting to the use of electronic help.A long discussion in the Comments section of Big Dave's Crossword Blog concerns Marmite™[5], a dark savoury spread made from yeast extract and vegetable extract that is popular in some quarters in the UK. It seems this is a substance about which there are no lukewarm opinions — one is either wildly enthusiastic about it or has an intense loathing for it.
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 | Changing diet, Alec/'s/ fragile (8) |
| 5a | Bank // deputy removing 50% limit (6) |
| 9a | Scone -- it's cut /to make/ slices (8) |
The best rationale* I have found for the use of cut[5] as an anagram indicator is that it is being used in the sense of to mix (an illegal drug) with another substance ⇒
speed cut with rat poison.
* I also considered that cut[2] might be used in any of several senses involving transforming or reshaping: for instance, to prune (flowers or plants); (sometimes cut something out) to make or form it by cutting; to shape the surface of (a gem) into facets, or decorate (glass) by cutting; to shape the pieces of (a garment); or to edit (a film). However, as all of these involve removing and discarding part of the original, they seem poorer choices.
Behind the Picture
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| The picture in Mr Kitty's review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog illustrates regional variations in the preparation of cream tea. A cream tea[7] (also known as a Devon cream tea, Devonshire tea, or Cornish cream tea) is a form of afternoon tea light meal, consisting of tea taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream*, and jam. Traditionally a speciality of Devon and Cornwall, cream teas are offered for sale in tea rooms in those two counties, as well as in other parts of England, and elsewhere in the Commonwealth. * Clotted cream[5] is a chiefly British term for thick cream obtained by heating milk slowly and then allowing it to cool while the cream content rises to the top in coagulated lumps. There are regional variations as to how a cream tea should preferably be eaten.
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| 10a | Still // in charge after endless fluster (6) |
State[5] (usually a state) is being used in the informal sense of an agitated or anxious condition ⇒
don't get into a state.
| 12a | Begin // lies with stab wound in front of hospital (9) |
| 13a | Sweep // called -- he wants husband (5) |
| 14a | Type of bread from the east -- and from the west (4) |
This is a cryptic definition with embedded precise definition. The latter part of the clue elaborates on the precise definition by indicating that it is a palindrome.
| 16a | Underwear -- /and/ where it's kept? (7) |
| 19a | Prime Minister retaining large yen /to be/ fit (7) |
Sir Edward Heath[5] (1916–2005) [commonly known as Ted Heath] was a
British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1970-4. (show more )
He negotiated Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community and faced problems caused by a marked increase in oil prices. Attempts to restrain wage rises [raises] led to widespread strikes and he lost a general election after a second national coal strike.
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He negotiated Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community and faced problems caused by a marked increase in oil prices. Attempts to restrain wage rises [raises] led to widespread strikes and he lost a general election after a second national coal strike.
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| 21a | Teen carefully squeezes returning // spots (4) |
| 24a | Joe wearing raincoat? // Marvellous! (5) |
* It is interesting to note that I found this term in British dictionaries but not in American dictionaries.
A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒
she went off with a GI during the war.
Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).
Mac[5] is an informal name for a mackintosh[5], a British term for a full-length waterproof coat.
Magic[2,5] (adjective, also used as an exclamation) is a colloquial British* term denoting excellent, marvellous, great, wonderful, or exciting ⇒
Make it easy on yourself — enjoy the magic moments in life — they are too few and far between.
* I must say that after reading the usage example, this usage hardly seems foreign at all.
| 25a | Bolt from the blue? (9) |
| 27a | Labour // type (6) |
| 28a | Wrong // maiden is captured (8) |
"maiden " = M [scoreless over in cricket]
In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.
* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
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In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.
* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
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| 29a | Singular niff? English // drunkard (6) |
Niff[5] is an informal British term meaning:
- (noun) an unpleasant smell
- (verb) have an unpleasant smell
- (noun) a strong, unpleasant smell ⇒
corked wine has a powerful pong
- (verb) to smell strongly and unpleasantly ⇒
the place just pongs of dirty clothes
| 30a | Junior to follow // weaker party (8) |
Down
| 1d | Father gathers the woman // bolted (6) |
| 2d | Local tea leaves last characters // find (6) |
| 3d | About 50 before I'm bowled -- // making progress (5) |
| 4d | Numbers working under current // stress (7) |
| 6d | Please // go in that inn regularly (9) |
| 7d | Former lover was inclined /to be/ put out (8) |
| 8d | Drop // Ant's partner and run? No trouble (8) |
Anthony "Ant"* McPartlin[7] is an English television presenter [host], TV producer, rapper, singer, comedian and actor. He is best known for working alongside Declan Donnelly as part of the presenting duo Ant & Dec.
* Ant[7] is an English nickname abbreviated from the given name Anthony/Antony.
"run " = R [cricket notation]
| 11d | Church promotion /for/ African country (4) |
| 15d | Having a go at // taking cat out (9) |
| 17d | Male cutting chest is upset -- // they'll provide medicine (8) |
Here and There
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In Britain, the term chemist[5]
can mean
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| 18d | New anorak covers good old // jumper? (8) |
"old " = O [linguistics]
In linguistics, O[12] is the abbreviation for Old ⇒ (i)
However, a second entry from this same source shows o (lower case) meaning old (not capitalized) suggesting that the use of this abbreviation may not necessarily be confined to the field of linguistics.
Another possibility arises from the British abbreviation OAP[5] standing for old-age pensioner.
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In linguistics, O[12] is the abbreviation for Old ⇒ (i)
OFr[Old French]; (ii)
OE[Old English].
However, a second entry from this same source shows o (lower case) meaning old (not capitalized) suggesting that the use of this abbreviation may not necessarily be confined to the field of linguistics.
Another possibility arises from the British abbreviation OAP[5] standing for old-age pensioner.
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Scratching the Surface
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| The surface reading refers to a couple of articles of clothing. An anorak[5] is a waterproof jacket, typically with a hood, of a kind originally used in polar regions. Although the terms anorak and parka[7] are sometimes used interchangeably, they are actually quite different garments. Strictly speaking, an anorak is a waterproof, hooded, pull-over jacket without a front opening, and sometimes drawstrings at the waist and cuffs, and a parka is a hip-length cold-weather coat [with a front opening], typically stuffed with down or very warm synthetic fiber, and with a fur-lined hood. In Britain, a jumper[5] is a knitted garment typically with long sleeves, worn over the upper body (in other words, a sweater). The dress that North Americans call a jumper[5] is known to the Brits as a pinafore[5] — defined as a collarless sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or jumper [sweater]. Thus, if a British lass were to wear a pinafore over her jumper and a North American gal were to wear a jumper over her sweater, they would be dressed identically. |
| 20d | Shout // cowardly, letting out expression of pain (4) |
| 21d | Old English // cleric leaving clubs (7) |
In the definition, English is an adjective.
Anglian[5] is an adjective meaning relating to the ancient Angles[5], a Germanic people, originally inhabitants of what is now Schleswig-Holstein, who came to England in the 5th century AD. The Angles founded kingdoms in Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia and gave their name to England and the English.
| 22d | Chose // finest editor (6) |
| 23d | Before golf, urge no // drink (6) |
"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
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| 26d | Name // bird by meadow with no tail (5) |
The tits, chickadees, and titmice[7] constitute the Paridae, a large family of small passerine birds which occur in the northern hemisphere and Africa. These birds are called either "chickadees" or "titmice" in North America, and just "tits" in the rest of the English-speaking world.
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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