Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29380 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, June 3, 2020 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29380]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
2Kiwis | |
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
Like many others, I was fooled by the mischievous wording of 2d. Perhaps taking a page out of the RayT songbook, Jay has used a lot of terms in ways that are not top of mind.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 | Event /that sees/ people on fire? (4,4) |
The wordplay parses as RACE (people) following (on; in an across clue) SACK (fire; dismiss from employment).
Following Convention
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The
setter has observed what many consider to be a cryptic crossword convention that the word "on"
— when used as a positional indicator in an across clue — signifies
'following' (show explanation )
This supposed convention provides that, in an across clue, the construction "A on B" is used to clue B + A. The rationale for this idea is that in order for A to be placed on B, B must already have been positioned (i.e., already have been written). Since the English language is written from left to right, this means that B must come first and A is then appended to it. It is apparent that not all setters subscribe to this convention — or, at least, they do not adhere to it religiously. Perhaps, they rely on the convention when it suits their purpose and ignore it when it becomes an inconvenience. [On second thought, perhaps that is true of religious observance in general.] In any event, a solver must always be vigilant for instances where setters do not observe this convention. hide explanation |
| 5a | Province /of/ person elected in Ireland (6) |
"person elected " = MP
In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament[10] (abbreviation MP[5]) or, informally, as a member[5].
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In Britain (as in Canada), a politician elected to the House of Commons is known as a Member of Parliament[10] (abbreviation MP[5]) or, informally, as a member[5].
hide
Éire[5] is the Gaelic name for Ireland and was the official name of the Republic of Ireland from 1937 to 1949.
The clue makes sense once one realizes that both the definition and solution take meanings that are likely not the first to come to mind.
Province[2] is used in the sense of someone's allotted range of duties or field of knowledge or experience, etc.
Empire[2,5] is used in the often facetious sense of that sphere of activity or that part of an organization or company, etc under the control or management of a particular person or group ⇒
each ministry, each department had its own empire, its own agenda and worked to protect its turf.
| 9a | Nameless // doctor noticing ring (9) |
| 11a | Saddle // hybrid gelding must carry (5) |
A saddle[5] is a low part of a ridge between two higher points or peaks ⇒
follow the road which goes across the saddle between two tors [rocky peaks].
| 12a | In truth, // bank will be occupied by a student (6) |
"student " = 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.
hide
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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| 13a | Philosophical character lying in grass (8) |
Philosophical[5] is used in the sense of having or showing a calm attitude towards disappointments or difficulties ⇒
he was philosophical about losing the contract.
| 15a | Dad/'s/ film as a pirate in trouble (13) |
| 18a | Thug with cash /will be/ crude but effective (5-3-5) |
Rough[5] (noun) is a British term meaning a disreputable and violent person ⇒
the rear of the column was attacked by roughs.
Ready*[5,10] is an informal British term for ready money*[5,10], funds for immediate use or, in other words, available money or cash ⇒
Because I haven't got the readies to hand, I could offer a pittance now and promise to pay the rest at a date more to my convenience.
* Ready[5,10] (also called readies) is also known as the ready[10] (also called the readies); ready money[5,10] is also goes by the term ready cash
| 22a | Singular sort of English // disease (8) |
| 23a | Rubbish found in South American // station (6) |
Tat[5] is an informal British term for tasteless or shoddy clothes, jewellery, or ornaments ⇒
the place was decorated with all manner of gaudy tat.
| 26a | Speak, /and/ put a value on love (5) |
"love " = O [nil score in tennis]
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
hide
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
hide
| 27a | Initially expecting a more serious // person from Boston, say (9) |
| 28a | Number // left in case of therapy ... (6) |
| 29a | ... uneasy // -- others not so much (8) |
Down
| 1d | Revolutionary incentive after prison // support for rider (8) |
Stir[5] is an informal term for prison [on both sides of the Atlantic] ⇒
I’ve spent twenty-eight years in stir.
| 2d | Drink // firms on either side of America (5) |
I have to admit to failing to fully grasp the wordplay here until seeing the explanation from the 2Kiwis in their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
The wordplay parses as {CO + CO} (firms; two instances of the abbreviation for company) + (on) A (either side of America; i.e., either the initial or final letter of AmericA).
Just as the setter had likely intended, I misinterpreted the devious wordplay to be instructing one to sandwich A(merica) between the two instances of CO.
"A on B" (continued)
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| If you recall, in 1a "A on B" signifies "A following B" as it is an across clue. In the present clue, which is a down clue, "A on B" signifies "A preceding B" because A is deemed to sit on top of B. |
| 3d | Such a customer /may be/ right, and argue about protecting Left (7) |
| 4d | Cold joint /and/ a bit of fried potato (4) |
When we order fish and chips, the chips are usually nothing other than French fries. In the UK, chips[2]are strips of deep-fried potato, similar to but usually shorter and thicker than French fries[2].*
* I may be mistaken, but the illustration in the 2Kiwis review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog would appear to show French fries rather than English chips.
| 6d | Swallow one // cocktail (7) |
The martin[5] is a swift-flying insectivorous songbird of the swallow family, typically having a less strongly forked tail than a swallow.
| 7d | State // one's trapped in the subcontinent (9) |
| 8d | Improves // objectives to support half of them (6) |
| 10d | Compliant, /seeing/ nothing crooked about finish (8) |
In Britain, the word bent[5] has the same connotation (dishonest or corrupt) as does the word crooked[5] in North America.
* It would appear that Brits use both crooked and bent in this sense.
| 14d | Worry about frayed hems /and/ material (8) |
| 16d | Close // call at home -- hates to lose cover (9) |
In the wordplay, "call" is used as a verb.
Term[5] is used in the sense of give a descriptive name to or call by a specified term ⇒
he has been termed the father of modern theology.
| 17d | Monstrosities // seeing English rose upset after word of agreement (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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| An English rose[5] is an attractive English woman or girl with a delicate, fair-skinned complexion regarded as typically English. |
| 19d | A European chap importing universal // balm (7) |
"a European " = UN [masculine singular form of the indefinite article in French, Italian and Spanish]
"universal " = U [British film classification]
Under the British system of film classification[7] a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" — or, at any rate, for those members over 4 years of age.
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Under the British system of film classification[7] a U (for 'universal') rating indicates that a film is suitable "for all the family" — or, at any rate, for those members over 4 years of age.
hide
| 20d | Withdraw /from/ race, disheartened with deal (7) |
| 21d | Coaster in trouble without a // convoy (6) |
As the definition, convoy[5] is used as a verb meaning (of a warship or armed troops) to accompany (a group of ships or vehicles) for protection ⇒
These campaigns were narrowly defeated using a balanced force of Allied fleets, with opposing submarines, merchant ships convoyed by surface ships (primarily destroyers), and sea and land-based aviation.
Scratching the Surface
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| Coaster[10] is a British term for a vessel or trader engaged in coastal commerce. |
| 24d | Trace // container for example, on the way up (5) |
| 25d | One's levy halved /for/ land offshore (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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