Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29399 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, June 25, 2020 | |
Setter
RayT (Ray Terrell) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29399]
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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
After several days of needing a bit of electronic help to finish the puzzle, I managed to complete this one unaided — despite it being rated more difficult than those for which I had to resort to seeking help. Perhaps my former assignment reviewing RayT puzzles for Big Dave's Crossword Blog helps me tune in to his wavelength.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 | Order inflicted on a // private (12) |
| 8a | Old politician // understood America (7) |
Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus[7] (c. AD 56 – c. 120) was a Roman historian and politician.
| 9a | Passion /is/ more extreme in EastEnders (7) |
EastEnders[7] is a British soap opera set in the East End of London, an area whose natives (known as Cockneys) speak a distinctive dialect. One characteristic of the Cockney dialect is pronouncing certain instances of "th"* as "v" (except when it comes at the start of a word). Thus Cockneys pronounce further (fɜːʳðəʳ)** as fervour (fɜːʳvəʳ)**.
* The instances of "th" in question are those whose pronunciation is represented by the symbol "ð" in the International Phonetic Alphabet[7].
** The symbols in parentheses show the spelling of the words in the International Phonetic Alphabet[7] — "ð" being the symbol representing the sound of "th" in the word "further".
| 11a | One is agile on top of Cairngorms? (7) |
The entire clue provides a descriptive definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
The Cairngorm Mountains[5] (also the Cairngorms) are a mountain range in northern Scotland.
As an initial letter indicator in the wordplay, top[10] is used in the sense of beginning ⇒ (i)
the top of the hour; (ii)
at the top of the programme; (iii)
let's run through this piece one more time from the top.
| 12a | Approaching // north-east, approaching a group (7) |
| 13a | Initially lord is entitled governing enslaved // subject (5) |
The term liege[10] can mean either a liege lord* or a liegeman** — in this clue, it is the latter.
* Liege lord[10] is a historical term for a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service.
** Liegeman[5] is a historical term for a vassal [holder of land by feudal tenure] who owed feudal service or allegiance to a nobleman.
| 14a | English appear revolutionary, blocking scheme /for/ workers (9) |
| 16a | Soil /is/ improving containing mineral spring (9) |
| 19a | It's tossed // about, about bowled over (5) |
A caber[5] is a roughly trimmed tree trunk used in the Scottish Highland sport of tossing the caber. This involves holding the caber upright and running forward to toss it so that it lands on the opposite end.
Close But No Cigar
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I'm afraid I must take issue with Kath's parsing of the clue on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. I would say she has mixed up the second 'about' and the 'over' and should have written:"begin with the two letter Latin abbreviation for ‘about’ and follow that with a reversal ([indicated by] the over from the clue) of another abbreviation that means about or concerning ([given by] the second about from the clue) and the ‘crickety’ abbreviation for B[owled]". |
| 21a | Indignation /seeing/ cleaner at home pocketing grand (7) |
Char[5] is an informal British term for charwoman[5] (or charlady[5]), a dated British name for a woman employed as a cleaner in a house or office.
G as an abbreviation for grand is one North American usage that the Brits would appear to have embraced (show more ).
While the abbreviation G for "grand" is deemed by British dictionaries to be an Americanism, it seems to be one that is well known to Brits — undoubtedly from American gangster films. It is frequently seen in British crossword puzzles and never seems to garner the abuse that usually greets the appearance of American terms.
Grand[5] is an informal term for a thousand dollars or pounds ⇒
G is defined in various British dictionaries as follows:
While the abbreviation G for "grand" is deemed by British dictionaries to be an Americanism, it seems to be one that is well known to Brits — undoubtedly from American gangster films. It is frequently seen in British crossword puzzles and never seems to garner the abuse that usually greets the appearance of American terms.
Grand[5] is an informal term for a thousand dollars or pounds ⇒
he gets thirty-five grand a year. While the term "grand" itself would seem to be commonly used in the UK, the informal abbreviation G[5] meaning grand appears to be regarded as a North American usage ⇒
I was up nine Gs on the blackjack tables.
G is defined in various British dictionaries as follows:
- Oxford Dictionaries: (North American informal) abbreviation for grand, a thousand dollars)[5].
- Chambers 21st Century Dictionary: (North American slang) abbreviation for a grand, 1000 dollars[2].
- Collins English Dictionary: (mainly US slang) a symbol for grand (a thousand dollars or pounds)[4,10].
| 23a | Smoke /getting/ fag out (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| In the surface reading, fag[5]
is an informal British term for a cigarette. |
| 24a | Hearing // sounds echoing, circling valleys finally (7) |
| 25a | Problem bar got overwhelming // prohibition (7) |
| 26a | Listless // setter in nude, unusually (12) |
Down
| 1d | Drug // company staff keeping current (7) |
| 2d | Celebrity, // possibly impotent (7) |
| 3d | Partisan /from/ Gunners it turned out (9) |
Scratching the Surface
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| The Gunners is a nickname for The Arsenal Football Club[7], a professional football club based in Islington, London, England that plays in the Premier League (the top level in the English football league system). |
| 4d | Small // river rises around France (5) |
The Nile[5] is a river in eastern Africa, [disputably (show more
)] the longest river in the world, which rises in east central Africa
near Lake Victoria and flows 6,695 km (4,160 miles) generally northwards
through Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt to empty through a large
delta into the Mediterranean.
There are many factors, such as the source, the identification or the definition of the mouth, and the scale of measurement of the river length between source and mouth, that determine the precise meaning of "river length"[7]. As a result, the length measurements of many rivers are only approximations. In particular, there has long been disagreement as to whether the Nile or the Amazon is the world's longest river. The Nile has traditionally been considered longer, but in recent years some Brazilian and Peruvian studies have suggested that the Amazon is longer by measuring the river plus the adjacent Pará estuary and the longest connecting tidal canal.
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There are many factors, such as the source, the identification or the definition of the mouth, and the scale of measurement of the river length between source and mouth, that determine the precise meaning of "river length"[7]. As a result, the length measurements of many rivers are only approximations. In particular, there has long been disagreement as to whether the Nile or the Amazon is the world's longest river. The Nile has traditionally been considered longer, but in recent years some Brazilian and Peruvian studies have suggested that the Amazon is longer by measuring the river plus the adjacent Pará estuary and the longest connecting tidal canal.
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| 5d | Rent trouble /for/ twister (7) |
| 6d | Worry // since immorality brought up by sweetheart (7) |
"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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| 7d | Rod needs to catch live rising // fish (12) |
The stickleback[5] is a small fish with sharp spines along its back, able to live in both salt and fresh water and found in both Eurasia and North America.
Scratching the Surface
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In the surface reading, rod[5] is used in the sense of an angler ⇒ over a hundred rods turned out for the day, including some famous names. |
| 10d | Record /is/ arresting to criminal, arresting one (12) |
| 15d | Go on // exercise with engineers taking part (9) |
| 17d | Finish off final performance /for/ old actress (7) |
Gloria Swanson[5] (1899–1983) was an American actress; born Gloria May Josephine Svensson. She was a major star of silent films such as Sadie Thompson (1928) but is now chiefly known for her performance as the fading movie star in Sunset Boulevard (1950).
| 18d | Impeach // a government, reportedly (7) |
In criminal law, impeach[10] means to to bring a charge or accusation against (someone*).
* This is an action not applicable solely to US presidents.
| 19d | Live together /in/ cold house, upset slightly (7) |
| 20d | Vague // British tempted to welcome Queen (7) |
"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].
hide
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].
hide
| 22d | For now, // nobody accepts the speed of light (5) |
In physics, c[5] is the symbol for the speed of light in a vacuum ⇒
E = mc2.
Nonce[5], as an adjective, denotes (said of a word or expression) coined for one occasion ⇒
a nonce word.
In Modern (British) Usage
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| In a number of comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the authors report that they are unfamiliar with this meaning of nonce used in the puzzle but know another. The meaning used in the puzzle dates from the time of Chaucer and is little used today. In its modern incarnation, nonce[5,10] is a derogatory, informal British term (originally prison slang) for a person convicted of a sexual offence, especially against a child. |
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)
[15] - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )
Signing off for today — Falcon
Very tough. Convincing myself that 1d was “codeine” didn’t help. Missed a couple and needed help with parsing on a few.
ReplyDeleteYou will see from the comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog that you had lots of company with CODEINE on 1d.
DeleteI joined you on Ray T's wavelength today. A rare occurrence. His oblique synonyms often stump me.
ReplyDeleteYour site seems to be getting more ads than previously -- strung through the commentary. Kind of annoying for readers, so I hope it's earning your a little revenue.
Hi Richard,
DeleteYou're not the first to make that observation (about the ads).
With regard to revenue, "little" is the operative word! I made some changes to the ad settings -- do you notice any difference?
Hi Falcon,
DeleteYes, the ads are not longer embedded in your commentary, which improves the readability. Well done and thank you !
Stay healthy, brother.