Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29451 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29451]
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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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Notes
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This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, May 8, 2021 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
Aside from a few stretched synonyms, this puzzle provided a fairly gentle workout.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 | Saved // communist, securing plaudits finally -- and Trump's stick? (7) |
Judd Trump[7] is an English professional snooker player from Bristol who is currently ranked world number one.
| 5a | Put down // skip oddly in warehouse (7) |
Scratching the Surface
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Skip[5] is the British name for a dumpster[14], a large transportable open-topped container for building and other refuse ⇒ I’ve salvaged a carpet from a skip. |
| 9a | The lady with a fine // bundle of papers (5) |
| 10a | Putting up with // pain (9) |
| 11a | What tea leaves might be // put in the jug? (10) |
Tea leaf[5] is British rhyming slang for thief.
| 12a | Produce // eastern maiden with sex appeal (4) |
"maiden " = M [scoreless over in cricket]
In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.
* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
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In cricket, a maiden[5], also known as a maiden over and denoted on cricket scorecards by the abbreviation m.[10], is an over* in which no runs are scored.
* An over[5] is a division of play consisting of a sequence of six balls bowled by a bowler from one end of the pitch, after which another bowler takes over from the other end.
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"sex appeal " = IT
It[2,5] (usually written in quotation marks, "it") is an informal term for sex appeal* or sexual intercourse ⇒ (i)
* Chambers 21st Century Dictionary considers this sense to be an "old use" (Chambers' terminology for archaic, obsolete or old-fashioned).
"It"[7] (written in quotation marks) is a term that has come to mean sex appeal — although, in its earliest manifestation, it seems that the term pertained more to personality than to glamorous looks. Despite having been used as early as 1904 by Rudyard Kipling, the term was popularized in the 1927 film It starring Clara Bow (who became known as the "It Girl").
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It[2,5] (usually written in quotation marks, "it") is an informal term for sex appeal* or sexual intercourse ⇒ (i)
the only thing I knew nothing about was ‘it’; (ii)
they were caught doing ‘it’ in the back seat of his car.
* Chambers 21st Century Dictionary considers this sense to be an "old use" (Chambers' terminology for archaic, obsolete or old-fashioned).
"It"[7] (written in quotation marks) is a term that has come to mean sex appeal — although, in its earliest manifestation, it seems that the term pertained more to personality than to glamorous looks. Despite having been used as early as 1904 by Rudyard Kipling, the term was popularized in the 1927 film It starring Clara Bow (who became known as the "It Girl").
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| 14a | Ended nice novel welcoming writer/'s/ lack of constraint (12) |
"writer " = PEN
The use of the word "writer" to clue PEN is likely to be slightly more cryptic to the Brits than it is to us on this side of the pond. British solvers will see "pen" as being a writing implement rather than the person wielding that implement.
In addition to defining pen[3,11] as a writing implement, North American dictionaries also define it as a writer or an author ⇒
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The use of the word "writer" to clue PEN is likely to be slightly more cryptic to the Brits than it is to us on this side of the pond. British solvers will see "pen" as being a writing implement rather than the person wielding that implement.
In addition to defining pen[3,11] as a writing implement, North American dictionaries also define it as a writer or an author ⇒
a hired pen, British dictionaries do not list this meaning although they do show pen[2,4] (or the pen[5,10]) as symbolically representing writing as an occupation (a sense of the word not found in US dictionaries).
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| 18a | I list armies fighting, concealing current // resemblances (12) |
| 21a | Fruit /that's/ rotten coming out of one's mouth? (4) |
While one might conceivably find other applicable senses of the words, I offer the following to support rotten and ugly being synonymous:
The ugli or ugli fruit[7] is a Jamaican form of tangelo, a citrus fruit created by hybridizing a grapefruit (or pomelo), an orange and a tangerine. (show more )
UGLI is a registered trademark of Cabel Hall Citrus Limited, under which it markets the fruit. It was discovered growing wild (possibly having developed in the same way grapefruit was created) in Jamaica, where it is mainly grown today.
The name is a variation of the word "ugly", which refers to the fruit's unsightly appearance, with rough, wrinkled, greenish-yellow rind, wrapped loosely around the orange pulpy citrus inside.
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UGLI is a registered trademark of Cabel Hall Citrus Limited, under which it markets the fruit. It was discovered growing wild (possibly having developed in the same way grapefruit was created) in Jamaica, where it is mainly grown today.
The name is a variation of the word "ugly", which refers to the fruit's unsightly appearance, with rough, wrinkled, greenish-yellow rind, wrapped loosely around the orange pulpy citrus inside.
hide
| 22a | Businesses // are about to be cutting choices (10) |
| 25a | Vast liner at sea // breaks (9) |
| 26a | Haul up // fish, we're told (5) |
| 27a | Try diamonds with gown? Not right /for/ beautiful woman (7) |
| 28a | Splinter group admitting American power /is/ questionable (7) |
Down
| 1d | Have confidence in removing leader in charge // of the country (6) |
| 2d | Nods off // seconds after Prime Minister's turned up (6) |
Sir Robert Peel[5] (1788–1850) was a British Conservative statesman, Prime Minister 1834-5 and 1841-6. (show more )
As Home Secretary (1828–30) he established the Metropolitan Police (hence the nicknames bobby and peeler for British police officers). His repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 split the Conservatives and forced his resignation.
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As Home Secretary (1828–30) he established the Metropolitan Police (hence the nicknames bobby and peeler for British police officers). His repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 split the Conservatives and forced his resignation.
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| 3d | Hostile // female entering inn, rudely dancing (10) |
| 4d | Record old // dance (5) |
"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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| 5d | Unusual // if Fred's treated by hospital department (9) |
"hospital department " = ENT
| 6d | Nobleman // exercises with the Queen (4) |
"the 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.
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A peer[5] is a member of the nobility in Britain or Ireland, comprising the ranks of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. (show more )
In the British peerage, earldoms and baronies were the earliest to be conferred; dukes were created from 1337, marquesses from the end of the 14th century, and viscounts from 1440. Such peerages are hereditary, although since 1958 there have also been non-hereditary life peerages. All peers were entitled to a seat in the House of Lords until 1999, when their number was restricted to 92 as an interim reform measure.
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In the British peerage, earldoms and baronies were the earliest to be conferred; dukes were created from 1337, marquesses from the end of the 14th century, and viscounts from 1440. Such peerages are hereditary, although since 1958 there have also been non-hereditary life peerages. All peers were entitled to a seat in the House of Lords until 1999, when their number was restricted to 92 as an interim reform measure.
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| 7d | Doing front crawl, perhaps -- length for women // losing weight (8) |
| 8d | Sensible // with each other (8) |
| 13d | Promotion offers // exciting experiences (10) |
| 15d | Poles, say, // are up nose, weirdly (9) |
| 16d | A small quantity of money -- one no good/'s/ taking it (8) |
While one could further decompose the wordplay into N (no) and G (good; for instance, a grade received on a school assignment or test), NG[3,4,10], N.G.[11], ng[1,4,10], and n.g.[11] are listed in several dictionaries as abbreviations for no good.
Take it[5] means to assume ⇒
I take it that someone is coming to meet you. Nevertheless, I would think that one rarely—if ever—encounters the form "taking it" used in this sense.
| 17d | Came close to // bird behind daughter (8) |
According to The Chambers Dictionary, emulate[1] means to try to equal or surpass (especially a person or thing that one admires); to rival successfully; (loosely) to imitate.
"Came close to" would seem to fall within the bounds of "to rival successfully".
| 19d | Bill // polite about set of books (6) |
"set of books " = OT [Old Testament]
In Crosswordland, "books"—or similar expressions such as today's "set of books"—is commonly used to clue either the Old Testament (OT) or the New Testament (NT).
Today, as is often the case, the clue provides no indication whether the reference is to the former or the latter.
hide
In Crosswordland, "books"—or similar expressions such as today's "set of books"—is commonly used to clue either the Old Testament (OT) or the New Testament (NT).
Today, as is often the case, the clue provides no indication whether the reference is to the former or the latter.
hide
| 20d | Her cats regularly departed after snake/'s/ appearance (6) |
Asp is a name given to at least four different species of snakes (show more ):
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- the European asp[7], a small southern European viper (Vipera aspis) with an upturned snout.
- the Egyptian cobra[7] (Naja haje), one of the largest cobra species native to Africa, second to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca).
- the Saharan horned viper[7] (Cerastes cerastes), a venomous viper species native to the deserts of Northern Africa and parts of the Middle East.
- the Saharan sand viper[7] (Cerastes vipera), also known as the Egyptian asp or Cleopatra's asp, a venomous viper species endemic to the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
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| 23d | Flowers // lifted with spades (5) |
| 24d | Plane maybe // rising in sheer trajectory (4) |
The plane[5] (also plane tree) is a tall spreading tree of the genus Platanus of the northern hemisphere, with maple-like leaves and bark which peels in uneven patches.
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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