Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29387 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, June 11, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29387]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Kath | |
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
Today's puzzle finds RayT in a fairly benign mood.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 | Rub along, even becoming // difficult (12) |
| 9a | Stress /is/ negligible taking cannabis (9) |
| 10a | Trunk // ultimately cut roughly (5) |
| 11a | Very old can start to guide // election (6) |
"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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"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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| 12a | Permit // secretary's physical activity (8) |
PA[5] is an abbreviation used in Britain* for personal assistant.
* It is the abbreviation that is considered to be British, not the term itself. Even in North America, I would think that the use of the abbreviation may not be entirely unheard of.
| 13a | Perhaps make short // detectives dig endlessly? (6) |
"detective " = DI [detective inspector]
A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
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A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
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I interpreted distil*[5] to be used in the sense of to extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of ⇒
my travel notes were distilled into a book.
* This is the British spelling; in Canada, I expect we might be more apt to use the US spelling distill.
However, in a reply to Comment #9 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog Stephen L. points out that it could also be used in the sense of to make spirits by distilling as short[5] is a British term for a drink of spirits served in a small measure.
| 15a | Pick // fruit with each tart oddly filling (8) |
| 18a | Artist raves, typically about // caricature (8) |
| 19a | Sacked // left-winger receiving support (6) |
| 21a | Intensify /and/ be louder in a frenzy (8) |
| 23a | Female consumed by a fine // romance (6) |
| 26a | Bouquet // thrown outside front of church (5) |
| 27a | Designated facility rejected housing small // retailer? (9) |
Tradesman[10,12] is used not in the sense of a skilled worker but in a chiefly British sense of a person engaged in trade, especially a retail dealer.
| 28a | Performing 'Carmen', tenor's /showing/ grievance (12) |
Scratching the Surface
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Carmen[7]
is an opera by French composer Georges Bizet (1838–1875). (show more )
The opera was first performed in Paris in 1875, where its breaking of conventions shocked and scandalized its first audiences. Bizet died suddenly after the 33rd performance, unaware that the work would achieve international acclaim within the following ten years. Carmen has since become one of the most popular and frequently performed operas in the classical canon. hide |
Down
| 1d | Turned vase with nude almost // lost (7) |
| 2d | Greatest of all time secures large // triumph (5) |
GOAT[10] is an acronym for greatest of all time, an informal term used mainly in US sport.
| 3d | Sweetheart // proud about fast time with sweetheart (9) |
This clue is far more timely today than when it appeared in The Daily Telegraph eight months ago.
In the wordplay, "sweetheart " = E
A common cryptic crossword construct is to use the word "sweetheart" to clue the letter 'E', the middle letter (heart) of the word 'swEet'.
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A common cryptic crossword construct is to use the word "sweetheart" to clue the letter 'E', the middle letter (heart) of the word 'swEet'.
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| 4d | Madness /of/ King over time (4) |
"King " = R [Rex]
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Rex[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex 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.
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In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Rex[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for king] denotes the reigning king, used following a name (e.g. Georgius Rex, King George — often shortened to GR) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Rex 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.
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| 5d | Turn on United supporter // as it happens (8) |
A turn[5] is a short performance, especially one of a number given by different performers in succession ⇒ (i)
Lewis gave her best ever comic turn; (ii)
he was asked to do a turn at a children’s party.
| 6d | Car // plant (5) |
Lotus Cars Limited[7] is a British automotive company headquartered in Norfolk, England. (show more )
It manufactures sports cars and racing cars noted for their light weight and fine handling characteristics. At one time, Lotus was a major force in Formula One racing, via Team Lotus, winning the Formula One World Championship seven times. Following the death of founder Colin Chapman, ownership of the company changed several times. It is currently owned by Chinese multinational Geely.
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It manufactures sports cars and racing cars noted for their light weight and fine handling characteristics. At one time, Lotus was a major force in Formula One racing, via Team Lotus, winning the Formula One World Championship seven times. Following the death of founder Colin Chapman, ownership of the company changed several times. It is currently owned by Chinese multinational Geely.
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Lotus[2,10] is a popular name for a variety of different plants, including several species of water lily as well as a Mediterranean shrub. (show more )
Lotus is the name of several species of water lily:
Lotus is the name of several species of water lily:
- any of several water lilies of tropical Africa and Asia, especially the white lotus, a species of water lily sacred to the ancient Egyptians and often depicted in Egyptian art
- either of two species of water lily belonging to a separate genus, widely cultivated as ornamental plants, one native to Asia, with pink flowers that is the sacred lotus of Buddhism and Hinduism, and the other native to the southern USA, with yellow flowers
Lotus is also another name for the jujube, a shrub native to the Mediterranean region. The lotus
of Greek mythology was the fruit of this
shrub, used by the ancient Greeks to make bread and
wine, consumption of which was thought to produce a state of blissful
and dreamy forgetfulness.
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| 7d | Reinforced // resistance in French love of revolutionary (8) |
"resistance " = R [symbol used in physics]
The French word for 'love' is amour[8].
| 8d | Behind // on the wagon in crash (6) |
"on the wagon " = TT [teetotal]
Teetotal[5] (abbreviation TT[5]) means choosing or characterized by abstinence from alcohol ⇒
A teetotaller[5] (US teetotaler; abbreviation TT[5]) is a person who never drinks alcohol.
The term teetotal is an emphatic extension of total, apparently first used by Richard Turner, a worker from Preston [England], in a speech (1833) urging total abstinence from all alcohol, rather than mere abstinence from spirits, as advocated by some early temperance reformers.
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Teetotal[5] (abbreviation TT[5]) means choosing or characterized by abstinence from alcohol ⇒
a teetotal lifestyle.
A teetotaller[5] (US teetotaler; abbreviation TT[5]) is a person who never drinks alcohol.
The term teetotal is an emphatic extension of total, apparently first used by Richard Turner, a worker from Preston [England], in a speech (1833) urging total abstinence from all alcohol, rather than mere abstinence from spirits, as advocated by some early temperance reformers.
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Here crash and boom are synonyms; it is interesting to note that on Wall Street and Bay Street they are antonyms.
| 14d | Liverish, and I eschew swallowing // drinks (8) |
Shandy[5] (plural shandies) is a British term for beer mixed with a non-alcoholic drink (typically lemonade).
Scratching the Surface
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| One meaning of liverish[5] is slightly ill, as though having a disordered liver. |
| 16d | Joke about uniform on Parisian street upset // driver (9) |
Chaff[5] (verb) is used in the sense of tease ⇒
the pleasures of drinking and betting and chaffing your mates [buddies].
"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
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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
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The French word for 'street' is rue[8].
| 17d | Knife // fight pinching cash box, practically (8) |
| 18d | Put forward // awkward truths (6) |
| 20d | Insanely angered, /leading to/ anger (7) |
| 22d | Beeb, lacking leader, /is/ free (5) |
Beeb[5] and Auntie[10] are informal British names for the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation[5]) (show more
), a
public corporation for radio and television broadcasting in Britain.
The BBC was established in 1927 by royal charter and held a monopoly until the introduction of the first commercial TV station in 1954. It is financed by the sale of television viewing licences rather than by revenue from advertising and has an obligation to remain impartial in its reporting.
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The BBC was established in 1927 by royal charter and held a monopoly until the introduction of the first commercial TV station in 1954. It is financed by the sale of television viewing licences rather than by revenue from advertising and has an obligation to remain impartial in its reporting.
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| 24d | Male embraced by a male? // Capital! (5) |
Amman[5] is the capital of Jordan.
| 25d | Starts to gossip and blather senselessly (4) |
A hallmark RayT acrostic clue in which the entire clue serves as both wordplay and definition.
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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