Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29425 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, July 25, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29425 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29425 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Tilsit (Hints)gnomethang (Review) | |
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 Friday Diversions page in the Thursday, April 1, 2021 edition of the National Post. As this was a Saturday "Prize Puzzle" in Britain, there are two entries related to it on Big Dave's Crossword Blog — the first, posted on the date of publication, contains hints for selected clues while the second is a full review issued following the entry deadline for the contest. The vast majority of reader comments will generally be found attached to the "hints" posting with a minimal number — if any — accompanying the full review. | |
Introduction
A not overly taxing start to the Easter Weekend. After somewhat of a slow start, the puzzle eventually came together nicely.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
| 7a | Sit with Queen on // carthorse (9) |
"Queen " = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
hide
The percheron[5] is a powerful draught horse of a grey or black breed, originally from France.
| 8a | Sierra exactly right /for/ carnivore (5) |
The stoat[5] (also known as the ermine, especially when in its white winter coat) is a small carnivorous mammal of the weasel family which has chestnut fur with white underparts and a black-tipped tail. It is native to both Eurasia and North America* and in northern areas the coat turns white in winter.
* North American Name: short-tailed weasel
| 10a | Clandestine romance // just beyond a female (6) |
| 11a | Kill many /among/ rodents going back in time (8) |
| 12a | Sloshed son /in/ women's clothing? (6) |
| 14a | Servant -- // need you back! (6) |
| 16a | Endless crack /in/ part of mug (4) |
| 17a | Fish // starters in top restaurant forbidden (5) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Starter[3,5] is another name* for an appetizer or the first course of a meal. |
| 18a | Excise duty applied to one // vehicle (4) |
| 19a | Seafood -- // have most of mine (6) |
Have[10,12] is used in the sense of to deceive, take in, cheat, or outwit ⇒
he was had by a dishonest salesman.
| 21a | Disheartened Euell quits // team (6) |
Quits[5] is an adjective meaning (of two people) on even terms, especially because a debt or score has been settled ⇒
I think we’re just about quits now, don’t you?.
Eleven[5] (often appearing as a Roman numeral XI) is the number of players in* a cricket[7] side [team] or an Association football[7] [soccer] team — and is frequently used as a metonym for such a team ⇒
at cricket I played in the first eleven.
* Note that, in Britain, the words "side" and "team" are synonymous and a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
Scratching the Surface
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| Jason Euell[7] is a former British footballer [soccer player] who is now a first-team coach at Charlton Athletic*. During the early part of his career (1995-2007), he spent all but one season in the Premier League (the top flight of English football) playing with Wimbledon*, Charlton Athletic and Middlesborough*. He also played on both the England (4 times) and Jamaica (3 times) national teams. * Charlton Athletic, Wimbledon (relocated to Milton Keynes in 2004), and Middlesborough are English football clubs. Since Euell's playing days with the clubs, Middlesborough has been relegated to the EFL Championship (tier 2) while Charlton Athletic and Milton Keynes have both dropped to League One (tier 3). |
| 24a | A way to enter hotel and club /in/ Aspen? (8) |
| 26a | Posh leaving desirable // London area (6) |
"posh " = U [upper class]
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
hide
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
U manners.
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
hide
Poplar[7] is a historic, mainly residential area of East London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
| 27a | Beginning to suppress cough /in/ hovel (5) |
| 28a | Witness // protects a suspect (9) |
Down
| 1d | Pottery // expert invests pound (5) |
"pound " = L [British monetary unit]
The pound[5] (also pound sterling) is the basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence. While the symbol for pound is £, it is often written as L[10].
The Chambers Dictionary defines the upper case L[1] as the abbreviation for pound sterling (usually written £) and the lower case l[1] as the abbreviation for pound weight (usually written lb) — both deriving from the Latin word libra* .
* In ancient Rome, the libra[5] was a unit of weight, equivalent to 12 ounces (0.34 kg). It was the forerunner of the pound.
hide
The pound[5] (also pound sterling) is the basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence. While the symbol for pound is £, it is often written as L[10].
The Chambers Dictionary defines the upper case L[1] as the abbreviation for pound sterling (usually written £) and the lower case l[1] as the abbreviation for pound weight (usually written lb) — both deriving from the Latin word libra* .
* In ancient Rome, the libra[5] was a unit of weight, equivalent to 12 ounces (0.34 kg). It was the forerunner of the pound.
hide
Delft[10] (also called delftware) is tin-glazed earthenware made in Delft (a town in the southwestern Netherlands) since the 17th century, typically having blue decoration on a white ground or a similar earthenware made in England.
| 2d | Do // call (8) |
In the second definition, occasion[5] is used in the sense of reason or cause ⇒
it's the first time that I've had occasion to complain.
| 3d | Diamonds on ground /in/ shortage (6) |
| 4d | Stick /with/ 007 (4) |
James Bond[5] (known also by his code name 007) is a fictional British secret agent in the spy novels of English author Ian Fleming (1908–1964).
| 5d | Alpha male in charge /for/ minute (6) |
* although the official NATO spelling is apparently Alfa[7]
| 6d | Domineering person /in/ fight getting cut (6-3) |
| 9d | Old twit injecting drug // spotted cat (6) |
"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.
hide
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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Here and There
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Judging by dictionary entries, the word "twit" may
have a somewhat different connotation in the UK than it does in North
America. US dictionaries, for the most part, focus on the fact that such a person is a
pest whereas British dictionaries stress the person's lack of intellectual
capacity. (show more )
British dictionaries define variously
US dictionaries, on the other hand, define twit as an informal term for:
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Clot[5] is an informal British term for a foolish or clumsy person ⇒
Watch where you’re going, you clot!.
"drug " = E [the illicit drug Ecstasy]
E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i)
* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
hide
E[5] is an abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy* or a tablet of Ecstasy ⇒ (i)
people have died after taking E; (ii)
being busted with three Es can lead to stiff penalties.
* Ecstasy[5] is an illegal amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric effects, originally produced as an appetite suppressant. Also called MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
hide
| 13d | Plain cake // small once cooked (5) |
A scone[5] is a small unsweetened or lightly sweetened cake made from flour, fat, and milk and sometimes having added fruit*.
* Although the term scone is in common use in Canada (and likely also in the US), such an item might be better known throughout North America as a biscuit[5]. In Britain, the term biscuit refers to foods that are known in North America as either cookies or crackers.
How Do You Say That?
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| There are two possible pronunciations of the word scone[5]: the first rhymes with gone and the second rhymes with tone. In US English the pronunciation rhyming with tone is more common. In British English the two pronunciations traditionally have different regional and class associations, with the first pronunciation associated with the north of England and the northern working class, while the second is associated with the south and the middle class. |
What are they talking about?
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At Comment #11 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, John Bee asksHe is alluding to a longstanding debate in Britain over the proper way to serve a cream tea.Cream or jam first anyone?. 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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| 15d | Dance // series, repeated twice, never popular (3-3-3) |
| 17d | Clothier /in/ Rialto ruined (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Rialto[5] is an island in Venice, containing the old mercantile quarter of medieval Venice. The Rialto Bridge, completed in 1591, crosses the Grand Canal between Rialto and San Marco islands. |
| 18d | RADA graduate // loathes piano frames (8) |
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art[7] (abbreviation RADA) is a drama school located in London, England. It is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, founded in 1904.
| 20d | Short pronouncement welcomed by second // doctor (6) |
"second " = MO
Mo[5] (abbreviation for moment) is an informal term* for a short period of time ⇒
* Identified by several British dictionaries as being a British[5][14], chiefly British[2][4], or mainly British[10] term. However, one British[1] and two US dictionaries[11][12] do not specify that it is British. This meaning of the word "mo" is not found in a third US dictionary[3].
hide
Mo[5] (abbreviation for moment) is an informal term* for a short period of time ⇒
hang on a mo!.
* Identified by several British dictionaries as being a British[5][14], chiefly British[2][4], or mainly British[10] term. However, one British[1] and two US dictionaries[11][12] do not specify that it is British. This meaning of the word "mo" is not found in a third US dictionary[3].
hide
Medico[3,5] is an informal term* for a medical practitioner or student.
* seemingly on both sides of the pond, although not a term with which I am familiar
| 22d | Await // former favourite, catching cold (6) |
| 23d | Salted meat /for/ artist (5) |
Francis Bacon[5] (1909–1992) was a British painter, born in Ireland. His work chiefly depicts human figures in grotesquely distorted postures, set in confined interior spaces.
| 25d | Chump // scheduled to seize power (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
**/**** for me. Needed help to parse 15D. Very clever.
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