Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29437 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, August 8, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29437 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29437 – Review] | |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Tilsit (Hints)crypticsue (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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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.
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Introduction
It was rather disheartening to see crypticsue rate the difficulty level of this puzzle as **/***. I found it to be among the most difficult puzzles I've tackled in ages.Note: For those trying to reach Big Dave's Crossword Blog, I notice his site has been offline for a period of time this morning (as of 10:30 AM EST).
Update: It appears that Big Dave's Crossword Blog came back online shortly before 1:00 PM EST).
Update: It appears that Big Dave's Crossword Blog came back online shortly before 1:00 PM EST).
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 | Talk loudly about ship /that's/ vulgarly ostentatious (6) |
Bray[5] (said of a person) means to speak or laugh loudly and harshly [in allusion to the sound made by a donkey].
Brassy[5] means tastelessly showy or loud in appearance or manner (typically used of a woman) ⇒
her brassy, audacious exterior.
| 4a | Keeping supply /of/ hosiery (8) |
| 10a | Woman // caught West Indian batsman (5) |
"caught " = C [cricket notation]
Brian Lara[7] is a Trinidadian former international cricketer, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.
| 11a | Lamenting bungling // order (9) |
| 12a | Like simple creatures // I exist in unconscious state on reflection (7) |
| 13a | Reel engaging tip of dancer/'s/ foot (7) |
Trotter[5] is a humorous term for a human foot [in allusion to a pig's foot*].
* A trotter[5] is a pig's foot used as food ⇒
Food like pigs trotters, tripe [stomach of a cow] and chitterlings [smaller intestines of a pig] are all foods which we tried to avoid eating, but now they are being served up at some of the trendiest restaurants in London.
| 14a | Harry Hole author -- thin, // extremely patronising (6-4-4) |
As an anagram indicator, harry[2t] is used in the sense of to disturb*.
* This usage may be somewhat whimsical (fair enough in cryptic crosswords) being a case where the meaning of a word gets stretched through a series of associations. That is, harry means annoy; annoy means disturb; disturb can mean to upset the arrangement or order of something.
Scratching the Surface
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| Harry Hole[7] (pronounced HOO-leh) is the main character in a series of crime novels written by Norwegian author Jo Nesbø. Hole is a brilliant and obsessively driven detective who uses unorthodox and sometimes illegal methods in his investigations. |
| 17a | Cat fish biting a // cheeky young chap (14) |
Cat[5] is short for cat-o'-nine-tails[5], a rope whip with nine knotted cords, formerly used (especially at sea) to flog offenders.
The snapper[5] is a marine fish that is typically reddish and is valued as food.
| 21a | Chemical // engineers needing salesperson (7) |
| 23a | A new cricket ball's right to the front /for/ sport (7) |
Post Mortem
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| This was a case of deducing the solution from the definition and checking letters and then reverse engineering the wordplay. |
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| Cricket ball |
* Presumably, due to its shiny red colour before becoming scuffed up during play. Cricket balls are traditionally red, although white or pink balls are sometimes used for day-night matches as they provide better visibility under floodlights.
| 24a | Got better of // fool whose cover is exposed (9) |
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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Post Mortem
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The correct parsing of the wordplay is:
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| 25a | Publication // is to launch litigation (5) |
| 26a | Key jargon /for/ gourmet food (8) |
| 27a | System taking of vassal a due fraction in return (6) |
The definition (worded a bit cryptically) is given by the entire clue in which the wordplay is embedded.
Feudalism[5] (otherwise known as the feudal system) was the dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord's land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, notionally in exchange for military protection.
Down
| 1d | Support expert going round hospital /in/ pain (8) |
| 2d | Returning greeting by Scottish runner, a // religious leader (9) |
British[1,2,4,5,10,14] and US[11,12] dictionaries all define hallo as a cry to encourage hunting dogs or a call for attention. British dictionaries also define hallo as an alternate spelling of hello, a sense of the word that is absent from US dictionaries.
The setter uses the word "runner" in the whimsical sense of something that runs or flows — in other words, a river.
The Tay[5] is the longest river in Scotland, flowing 192 km (120 miles) eastwards through Loch Tay, entering the North Sea through the Firth of Tay.
An ayatollah[5] is a high-ranking religious leader among Shiite Muslims, especially in Iran.
| 3d | That woman gets minced lamb /in/ butcher's stall (7) |
In British dialect, shamble[1,15] means a butcher's shop or stall.
* Ironically, this meaning is absent from most of my British dictionaries; the first source in which I found it was a US dictionary.
| 5d | Broadcast transmits Hardy // novel (8,6) |
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman[7], also known as just Tristram Shandy, is a novel by Anglo-Irish novelist and Anglican cleric Laurence Sterne (1713–1768). It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others following over the next seven years.
Scratching the Surface
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| Thomas Hardy[5] (1840–1928) was an English novelist and poet. Much of his work deals with the struggle against the indifferent force that inflicts the sufferings and ironies of life. Notable novels: The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1896). |
Note: In her review at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, crypticsue has inadvertently dropped an S from the anagram fodder which should be TRANSMITS HARDY.
| 6d | Defraud kind // husband? (7) |
| 7d | Failing // in record time (5) |
| 8d | Soldiers packing guns -- // they're dangerous (6) |
Gat[10] is mainly US slang for a pistol or revolver.
Origin: The expression derives — directly, or indirectly — from Gatling gun[5] (the first practical machine gun which was developed during the US Civil War). (show more )
Most sources seem to suggest that the term arose as gangster slang and dates from the prohibition era (the 1920s and early 1930s) in the United States. Wiktionary claims that gat is additionally an archaic slang term for a Gatling gun which was used in old westerns. However, that may simply be a case of early 20th century screenwriters misapplying what was then current-day lingo to a past period of history.
The American Heritage Dictionary, Lexico (Oxford Dictionaries). and Collins English Dictionary all define gat[3,5,10] as meaning a pistol or revolver (despite its etymology) while Wiktionary says a gat is "Any type of gun; usually a pistol".
The Online Etymology Dictionary perhaps gives a hint as to the evolution of the word gat which it defines as a revolver, and dates the usage to 1904 (pre-prohibition). It also says that the etymology is a "slang shortening of Gatling (gun)". Furthermore, it goes on to say that "by 1880, gatlin was slang for a gun of any sort".
So, one can surmise that the word Gatling meaning a specific type of machine gun (from the 1860s) might first have been shortened to 'gatlin' which came to mean a gun of any sort (by the 1880s), and — in a second stage of evolution — was further shortened to 'gat' in the early 1900s. The word would now seem to have largely lost its sense of a gun of any sort and refer almost exclusively to a pistol or revolver.
hide
Origin: The expression derives — directly, or indirectly — from Gatling gun[5] (the first practical machine gun which was developed during the US Civil War). (show more )
Most sources seem to suggest that the term arose as gangster slang and dates from the prohibition era (the 1920s and early 1930s) in the United States. Wiktionary claims that gat is additionally an archaic slang term for a Gatling gun which was used in old westerns. However, that may simply be a case of early 20th century screenwriters misapplying what was then current-day lingo to a past period of history.
The American Heritage Dictionary, Lexico (Oxford Dictionaries). and Collins English Dictionary all define gat[3,5,10] as meaning a pistol or revolver (despite its etymology) while Wiktionary says a gat is "Any type of gun; usually a pistol".
The Online Etymology Dictionary perhaps gives a hint as to the evolution of the word gat which it defines as a revolver, and dates the usage to 1904 (pre-prohibition). It also says that the etymology is a "slang shortening of Gatling (gun)". Furthermore, it goes on to say that "by 1880, gatlin was slang for a gun of any sort".
So, one can surmise that the word Gatling meaning a specific type of machine gun (from the 1860s) might first have been shortened to 'gatlin' which came to mean a gun of any sort (by the 1880s), and — in a second stage of evolution — was further shortened to 'gat' in the early 1900s. The word would now seem to have largely lost its sense of a gun of any sort and refer almost exclusively to a pistol or revolver.
hide
Packing is used in the sense of completely occupying a space.
From a British perspective, gator[5] is an informal North American term* for an alligator.
* a fact which the Brits are quick to point out in their comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog (perhaps they are commenting on the guns rather than — or in addition to — the reptiles).
| 9d | Book // two football teams following dismissal (5,6-3) |
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.
Double that for two teams.
In cricket, one way for a batsman to be dismissed is for a player on the opposing team to make a catch, that is to catch a ball that has been hit by the batsman before it touches the ground. In such a situation, the batsman is said to be caught out[5].
Catch-22[7] is a satirical novel by American author Joseph Heller (1923–1999) that was first published in 1961. It is frequently cited as one of the greatest literary works of the twentieth century.
Delving Deeper
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| The novel is set during World War
II, from 1942 to 1944. It follows the life of Captain John Yossarian, a
U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier, and other airmen of the fictional
256th Squadron based on the island of Pianosa, in the Mediterranean Sea,
west of Italy. The novel's title refers to a plot device that is repeatedly invoked in the story. Catch-22 starts as a set of paradoxical requirements whereby airmen mentally unfit to fly did not have to do so, but could not actually be excused. By the end of the novel it is invoked as the explanation for many unreasonable restrictions. The phrase "Catch-22" has since entered the English language, referring to a type of unsolvable logic puzzle sometimes called a double bind. According to the novel, people who were crazy were not obliged to fly missions; but anyone who applied to stop flying was showing a rational concern for his safety and, therefore, was sane. |
| 15d | Put burden on // newspapers blocking article expressing opinion (9) |
Blocking is used in the sense of plugging.
Op-ed[10,12] denotes a page of a newspaper — or an article, column, etc. appearing on such a page — where varying opinions are expressed by columnists, commentators, etc. It is so-named as it is customarily the page OPposite the EDitorial page.
| 16d | Reportedly favour marine creature -- /or/ another? (4,4) |
Grace[5] is the the condition or fact of being favoured by someone ⇒
he fell from grace with the tabloids after he was sent off for swearing.
The grey seal[5] (also called Atlantic seal) is a large seal with a spotted greyish coat and a convex profile, found commonly in the North Atlantic.
| 18d | Leading politician /has/ popular group in support (7) |
R.E.M.[7] was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. The group disbanded amicably in September 2011.
Outside Australia and Canada, the term premier[5] refers to a prime minister or other head of government. In Australia and Canada, a premier is the chief minister of a government of a state or province respectively.
| 19d | Record // verse penned by young prince (7) |
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor[7] (born 6 May 2019) is the son of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. He is seventh in the line of succession to the British throne.
As pointed out in several comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, young Archie is not a prince.
| 20d | Track // rhino finally entering wood (6) |
| 22d | Early American // map followed by sleuth (5) |
A-Z Maps is a British publisher of street maps, atlases, visitors’ guides, road atlases and maps for hikers. Its flagship product is the London A-Z Street Atlas.
Tec[5] is a dated informal term* for a detective.
* Given its absence from American dictionaries, it would appear to be a British term.
The Aztec[5] were the indigenous people dominant in Mexico before the Spanish conquest of the 16th century.
Key to Reference Sources:
[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[2] - Search Chambers - (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
[2t] - Search Chambers - (Chambers Thesaurus)
[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
I agree, very tough. I think the comments in “hints” link are more in tune with the level of difficulty.
ReplyDeleteTook some time, but completed without help. I guessed (correctly) at the cricket clues and couldn't quite parse a couple of others. So, I'd say 2 1/2 stars.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the level of difficulty was greater than **/***, and for me it was ***/****. I solved it all without help except having to search for the name of a WI batsman, as my knowledge of cricket is very spotty and based almost entirely on what I have gleaned from doing British cryptics. Despite having solved all the clues, there were more than a few that I couldn’t parse, so thanks for your comment.
ReplyDelete