Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29426 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, July 27, 2020 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29426]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
pommers | |
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 Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, April 3, 2021 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
Today's puzzle is pretty much the fairly gentle but highly enjoyable solve that we have come to expect from Campbell in a 'Monday' puzzle (which just happens to also appear in Canada on a Monday).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 | Sound off, right away, after one tucked into crusty // roll (9) |
| 6a | Crack /in/ rig initially overlooked (4) |
| 10a | Wild dog // daughter shot protecting home (5) |
A dingo[5] is a wild or half-domesticated dog with a sandy-coloured coat, found in Australia.
| 11a | Head describing Scottish town // preacher (3,6) |
The word ''describing" is used as a containment indicator. (show more )
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate ⇒
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
hide
The use of the word "describe(s)" (or variations thereof such as "describing" or "described by") as either a containment indicator or a hidden word indicator is a common cryptic crossword device which relies on describe[1,2,12] being used in the sense of to trace out or delineate ⇒
skaters describing circles on the ice*.
* Although, to be precise, it is the tracks left by the skaters' blades that describe the circles.
hide
Ayr[5] is a port in southwestern Scotland, on the Firth of Clyde.
In the Anglican Church, a lay reader[5] is a layperson licensed to preach and to conduct some religious services, but not licensed to celebrate the Eucharist.
| 12a | Call to mind // first half of authentic prayer (9) |
In church* use, collect[5] denotes a a short prayer, especially one assigned to a particular day or season.
* Collects[7] appear in the liturgies of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian churches, among others.
Origin: Medieval Latin collecta (from the phrase oratio ad collectam 'prayer at the (people's) assembly')
| 14a | Sudden quick movements /in/ game (5) |
| 15a | Be tense suppressing awful urge /for/ pot (4,3) |
| 16a | Wild, // as is // to be expected (7) |
Although no one on Big Dave's Crossword Blog raises the point, I think this clue could well be considered to be a triple definition.
| 18a | Dicky writes about onset of tragic // tornado (7) |
As an anagram indicator, dicky[5] is used in an informal British sense meaning in bad condition, shaky, unsteady, or unreliable ⇒
I feel a bit dicky today.
| 20a | Part /of/ series involving Federal agents (7) |
G-man[2] (likely short for Government man) is US slang for an agent of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). In Ireland (where its use predates* that in the US), a G-man is a political detective (probably originally denoting an officer in the G division of the Dublin Police[10]).
* The term dates to 1917 in Ireland and the 1930s in the US.
| 21a | Small border // plant (5) |
Sedge[5] is a grass-like plant with triangular stems and inconspicuous flowers, growing typically in wet ground. Sedges are widely distributed throughout temperate and cold regions.
| 23a | Let go, // student I rebuked (9) |
"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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| 25a | Way of living /in/ Ely itself changed (9) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Ely[5] (pronounced EE-lee) is a cathedral city in the fenland of Cambridgeshire, eastern England, on the River Ouse. |
| 26a | Love huge // Greek character (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
Mega[5] is an informal term that would seem to see more use and have a broader range of meanings in the UK than in North America:
- (adjective) very large or huge ⇒
he has signed a mega deal to make five movies
- (adjective) excellent ⇒
it will be a mega film
- (adverb) extremely ⇒
they are mega rich
Omega[5] is the last letter of the Greek alphabet (Ω, ω).
| 28a | Angry /and/ very rude on vacation (4) |
| 29a | Farm building /may make/ wife and child disheartened (5,4) |
Dutch[5] (usually one's old dutch) is an informal British term (especially among cockneys) meaning one's wife.
Origin: This is an example of Cockney rhyming slang. Dutch, an abbreviation for duchess, is believed to come from the phrase "Duchess of Fife". Thus "wife" rhymes with "Duchess of Fife", drop "Fife" leaving "duchess" which is abbreviated to "dutch".
Bairn[5] is a chiefly Scottish and Northern English term for a child.
I have my doubts whether the building in the illustration used by pommers is really a dutch barn. Dutch barn is the name given to markedly different types of barns in the United States and Canada, and in the United Kingdom.
Down
| 1d | Cried out /for/ a drink (5) |
| 2d | Possess // dress, not grand (3) |
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].
| 3d | Focus attention on // minor securing trophy (9) |
Pot[5] is an informal [seemingly British*] term for a prize in a sporting contest, especially a silver cup.
* based on the absence of the term from American dictionaries
| 4d | Complaint /of/ menial working on top of tower (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Menial[5] is a dated term for a domestic servant. |
| 5d | Sea god assuming tail of ray /in/ attempt to deceive (3,2,2) |
In Greek mythology, Triton[5] is a minor sea god usually represented as a man with a fish's tail and carrying a trident and shell-trumpet.
As a containment indicator assume[5] is used in the sense of don or put on. While the word can be a synonym for don in a figurative sense meaning to take on or adopt (a manner or identity), sometimes falsely ⇒ (i)
Oliver assumed an expression of penitence; (ii)
she puts on a disguise, assumes a different persona, and cruises the squalid bars on the bad side of town, assume[3] can also literally mean* to clothe oneself in or don ⇒
The queen assumed a velvet robe.
* I found this meaning only in the American Heritage Dictionary and, although not identified as such, I suspect it may be an archaic usage
Try it on[5] is an informal British expression meaning:
- to attempt to deceive or seduce someone ⇒
he was trying it on with my wife
- to deliberately test someone’s patience to see how much one can get away with
| 7d | Held in custody // below, a leader of ring and others (5,6) |
| 8d | Cheese /and/ wine welcome when lacking energy (4,5) |
Port Salut[5] is a pale, mild type of cheese named after the Trappist monastery in France where it was first produced.
| 9d | Soldiers, last in ward, // get better (4) |
| 13d | Gambling game: // clubs delay introducing limit (6,2,3) |
Chemin de fer[5] is a card game which is a variety of baccarat.
Origin: French, literally 'railway'
| 15d | Scented stuff /from/ spa lasts, if sprinkled (4,5) |
| 17d | Plane, // one with brightly coloured wings (5,4) |
Tiger Moth is the name of two planes produced by the British aircraft maker de Havilland.
The tiger moth[5] is a stout moth which has boldly spotted and streaked wings and a hairy caterpillar (woolly bear).
| 19d | Ivy League university raised in revolutionary // broadcast (7) |
Ivy League[5] refers to a group of long-established universities in the eastern US having high academic and social prestige. It includes Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia.
Origin: in reference to the ivy traditionally growing over the walls of the university buildings
Yale University[5] is a university at New Haven, Connecticut, one of the most prestigious in the US. It was founded in 1701.
| 20d | National // topic (7) |
| 22d | Presenting few difficulties // in store, as yet (4) |
| 24d | Sketch rear of wagon // pulled along (5) |
| 27d | English artist /shows/ age (3) |
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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