Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29403 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29403]
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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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Introduction
Another gentle challenge which even includes a shout out to solvers in this country.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 | Changed // modus operandi and failed to protect single female (8) |
MO[5] (abbreviation for the Latin phrase modus operandi) is the way a particular person tends to do things ⇒ (i)
his MO isn’t prescribing the solution but sparking more questions; (ii)
Connor can’t figure out the killer’s MO.
| 5a | Punched, // as criminal might be (6) |
The latter part of the clue is what I think of as a descriptive definition. Rather than being a precise definition as one would find in a dictionary, it describes a situation or condition that a criminal might find themselves in.
| 9a | Government intended to dismiss a // financial report? (9) |
The question mark indicates that a financial report is an example of the solution.
| 11a | In favour of wearing an // item of protective clothing (5) |
| 12a | Approximately nothing /for/ a country (6) |
From a British perspective, nada[5] (from Spanish) is an informal North American term meaning nothing.
| 13a | Teapots damaged with hole in -- // they could be chipped (8) |
| 15a | Support // PM at once with manic reforms (13) |
| 18a | Cross-country // running finally leaving Nina tolerating exercising (13) |
| 22a | First // novel (8) |
| 23a | Race // to tee off before work (6) |
From a British perspective, tee someone off[5] (or tee off someone) is an informal North American expression meaning to make someone angry or annoyed.
"work " = OP [opus]
In music, an opus[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.
The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..
Opus[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒
hide
In music, an opus[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.
The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..
Opus[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒
he was writing an opus on Mexico.
hide
| 26a | Head // working and working to take over Independent (5) |
"Independent " = I [politician with no party affiliation]
I[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the sense of a politician with no party affiliation.
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I[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the sense of a politician with no party affiliation.
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Scratching the Surface
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| The Independent [7] (nicknamed the Indy) is a British online newspaper. Established in 1986 as an independent national morning newspaper published in London, it was sold to Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev in 2010. It began as a broadsheet, but changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition of The Independent was published in March 2016, leaving only its digital editions. |
Onion[1] is slang for the head.
* Among the dictionaries that I regularly consult — both British and US — I found this meaning only in The Chambers Dictionary.
| 27a | Get rid of // characters in hotel -- I'm in a temper (9) |
| 28a | Observe // religious education with biblical book (6) |
In the UK, religious education[10] (abbreviation RE[5]) is a subject taught in schools which educates about the different religions of the world.
Mark[5] is the second Gospel in the Christian Bible, traditionally ascribed to St Mark*, an Apostle, companion of St Peter and St Paul.
* Most scholars now regard the Gospel According to Mark as the earliest written gospel and also reject the tradition which ascribes it to Mark the Evangelist and regard it as the work of an unknown author[7].
| 29a | Handlers of matches // concerned with fire -- see rioting after one's dropped (8) |
Down
| 1d | One blowing their own trumpet? (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Blow one's own trumpet[5] (also blow one's trumpet) is a British expression meaning to talk boastfully about one's achievements. Equivalent North American Term: toot one's own horn (also blow one's own horn) |
| 2d | Doctor at home following adult/'s/ bleed (5) |
"adult " = A [former British film certificate]
The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
hide
The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
hide
| 3d | Delivery // at no charge does often matter initially (7) |
| 4d | Flat // race possibly unfinished (4) |
Scratching the Surface
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| A flat race[5] is a horse race over a course with no jumps, as opposed to a steeplechase or hurdles. |
| 6d | A Parisian welcoming a fight // in the dark (7) |
"a Parisian " = UNE
| 7d | Often got upset about king // left behind (9) |
"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.
hide
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.
hide
| 8d | Is husband following desperate character /to get/ pastry? (6) |
Desperate Dan[7] is a wild west character in the British comic The Dandy*. He first appeared in its first issue, dated 4 December 1937. He is reputed to be the world's strongest man, able to lift a cow with one hand. Even his beard is so tough he has to shave with a blowtorch. Among his favourite foods is "cow pie" — which apparently is a whole cow baked in a pie, and not a "meadow muffin".
* The Dandy[7] no longer exists. The final printed edition was issued in December 2012, the comic's 75th anniversary. It was replaced by an online comic, The Digital Dandy, which was not successful and the comic ended just six months later.
| 10d | Very hot // drink picked up -- I cry out, almost (8) |
| 14d | Horror film includes a good // trap? (8) |
Carrie[7] is a 1976 American supernatural horror film starring Sissy Spacek adapted from Stephen King's 1974 epistolary novel of the same name.
A trap[5] a light, two-wheeled carriage pulled by a horse or pony.
| 16d | Opinions // stick (9) |
Stick[5] is an informal British term denoting severe criticism or treatment ⇒
I took a lot of stick from the press.
| 17d | Fast boats // caught by ripples at sea (8) |
"caught " = C [cricket notation]
| 19d | Pub in the right /to get/ less stout (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Stout[5] (noun) is a kind of strong, dark beer brewed with roasted malt or barley. |
| 20d | Picture // that is about mother on alcohol (7) |
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mr K informs us that the alcohol isMother's ruin[5]is British slang for gin. The name may derive from the reputed ability of gin, if consumed in large quantity, to induce abortion in pregnant women. An eye-opening account of the effects of gin-drinking on English society in the mid-eighteenth century can be found here.known informally as mother's ruin. |
| 21d | Integrity /from/ working within specific time (6) |
| 24d | Holiday? // Pack one's bags (5) |
The phrase pack one's bags[5] means to prepare for one's imminent departure ⇒
he might hand in his resignation, pack his bags, and go to Tahiti.
Maybe the action of packing one's bags doesn't exactly mean leave, but it certainly puts one well on the way to leaving.
| 25d | Awful // person staining cloth, by the sound of it (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)
[15] - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )
Signing off for today — Falcon
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