Puzzle at a Glance
| |
|---|---|
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29446 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29446]
| |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
2Kiwis | |
BD rating
| |
| Difficulty - ★★ | Enjoyment - ★★★★ |
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ | |
|
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
| |
|
Notes
| |
This puzzle appears on the Monday Diversions page in the Saturday, May 1, 2021 edition of the National Post. | |
Introduction
As many mentioned in comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the southeast corner was the toughest one to crack but I did eventually succeed. However, a couple of clues elsewhere in the puzzle stubbornly continued to hold out and I resorted to a bit of electronic assistance to vanquish them.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 | |
|
|
| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Such muscles /may be/ small in singers (7) |
| 5a | Architect // discovered here undressed (7) |
| 9a | A good area -- and popular // once more (5) |
| 10a | Draw // companion who's out of condition? (9) |
This is close to being a double definition (with the second a bit whimsical). However, I have not marked it as such as the numeration of the second part would not match that given in the clue.
In Britain, mate[5] — in addition to meaning a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner — can also be an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒
my best mate Steve.
In chess, stalemate[5] is a position counting as a draw, in which a player is not in check but cannot move except into check ⇒
last time I played him it ended up in stalemate.
| 11a | Bill firm millions, and the Law loses love /for/ partner in crime (10) |
"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
| 12a | Cry /from/ women in party rejected (4) |
The Labour Party[5] (abbreviation Lab.[5]) is a left-of-centre political party in Britain. (show more )
The party was formed to represent the interests of ordinary working people that since the Second World War has been in power 1945–51, 1964–70, 1974-9, and 1997–2010. Arising from the trade union movement at the end of the 19th century, it replaced the Liberals as the country’s second party after the First World War.
hide
The party was formed to represent the interests of ordinary working people that since the Second World War has been in power 1945–51, 1964–70, 1974-9, and 1997–2010. Arising from the trade union movement at the end of the 19th century, it replaced the Liberals as the country’s second party after the First World War.
hide
| 14a | Ancient -- // and value in it is dubious (12) |
| 18a | Observations about role /creating/ divisions (12) |
| 21a | Bound /to be/ clocked, losing minutes (4) |
| 22a | Speech about racket /of/ admission to ministerial office (10) |
A slightly cryptic definition where words may not mean what first comes to mind.
| 25a | Traveller /needing/ fresh air in tent (9) |
| 26a | Breakfast drink? (5) |
| 27a | Happy // preparing nachos only, with son away (7) |
| 28a | Unusual sort /may find/ angle on love with theologian (3,4) |
The love lost at 11a turns up here.
"theologian " = DD [Doctor of Divinity]
Doctor of Divinity[7] (abbreviation D.D. or DD, Divinitatis Doctor in Latin) is an advanced academic degree in divinity.
Historically, the degree of Doctor of Divinity identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects. In the United Kingdom, Doctor of Divinity has traditionally been the highest doctorate granted by universities, usually conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction. In the United States, the Doctor of Divinity is usually awarded as an honorary degree.
hide
Doctor of Divinity[7] (abbreviation D.D. or DD, Divinitatis Doctor in Latin) is an advanced academic degree in divinity.
Historically, the degree of Doctor of Divinity identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects. In the United Kingdom, Doctor of Divinity has traditionally been the highest doctorate granted by universities, usually conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction. In the United States, the Doctor of Divinity is usually awarded as an honorary degree.
hide
Odd fish[10] is an informal term for a strange or eccentric person.
Down
| 1d | One may go to pot, /seeing/ most of side on reserve (6) |
Another definition displaying an element of whimsy.
"side " = TEAM
Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
* Note that, in Britain, 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.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
hide
Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
there was a mixture of old and young players in* their side.
* Note that, in Britain, 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.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii)
They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.
hide
Bag[5] means to succeed in securing (something) ⇒
get there early to bag a seat in the front row.
* I see that the 2Kiwis in their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog suggest a different meaning for bag.
| 2d | Suggestion /from/ sister outside a church (6) |
| 3d | Decorative -- // possibly late Norman (10) |
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| Norman[5] denotes the style of Romanesque architecture used in Britain under the Normans*. * The Normans[5] were a people of mixed Frankish and Scandinavian origin who settled in Normandy from about AD 912 and became a dominant military power in western Europe and the Mediterranean in the 11th century. They invaded and conquered England in 1066. |
| 4d | Fibre // found in grass is allotropic (5) |
Sisal[5] is the fibre (used especially for ropes or matting) made from the sisal plant, a Mexican agave with large fleshy leaves.
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
| I would think the surface reading to be more than a little divorced from reality (but then this is Crosswordland where real-world scientific principles are not necessarily at play). Allotropic[5] denotes the existence in a chemical element of two or more different physical forms such as graphite and diamond in the case of carbon. |
| 5d | Country welcoming the man's // business concession (9) |
| 6d | Exercises // adopted by licentious escorts (4) |
| 7d | Striking // play needing endless credit (8) |
Tick[5] (used in the phrase on tick) is an informal British term meaning credit ⇒
the printer agreed to send the brochures out on tick.
Origin: The term apparently originates as a short form for ticket in the phrase on the ticket, referring to an IOU or promise to pay.
| 8d | White // lies circulating within gang (8) |
Riesling[5] is a dry white wine made from the Riesling grape, a variety of wine grape grown in Germany, Austria, and elsewhere.
| 13d | Took away // bad cutters for adjustment (10) |
| 15d | Consider // charm (9) |
| 16d | Caledonian // school accepting books it's condemned! (8) |
Caledonian[5] is an adjective that denotes (chiefly in names or geographical terms) relating to Scotland or the Scottish Highlands*.
* Caledonia[10] was the Roman name for Scotland. The term is now used poetically and, sometimes, humorously.
| 17d | Risk adopting American // size of paper (8) |
Imperial[5] is a standard size of paper once used in the UK measuring 30 x 22 inches (762 x 559 mm).
| 19d | Female singer -- one supporting large // festival (6) |
Divali[5] (a variant spelling of Diwali) is a Hindu festival with lights, held in the period October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the financial year in India.
| 20d | Vacant sign seen on long // grass (6) |
Grass[5] is an informal British term meaning:
- (noun) a police informer
- (verb, often grass on or grass up) to inform the police of someone’s criminal activities or plans ⇒ (i)
someone had grassed on the thieves
; (ii)she threatened to grass me up
.
| 23d | Enthusiastic about inviting queen /for/ opening bars (5) |
"queen " = R [regina] }
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina 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.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution[7].
hide
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina 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.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution[7].
hide
A bar[7] (or measure) is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats, each of which are assigned a particular note value. The word bar is more common in British English, and the word measure is more common in American English, although musicians generally understand both usages.
| 24d | Girls gathering /there's/ drink! (4) |
A bevy[2] is a group, especially and originally a group of women or girls.
Bevy[2,5] (a variant spelling of bevvy) is an informal British term for alcoholic drink, or an individual alcoholic drink ⇒
we popped into the Prince of Wales for a few bevvies.
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
Another rainy day in the GTA. Managed to complete with dictionary help for spelling 14a and not parsing 12a until checking the blog. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI finished this without help and enjoyed some excellent and clever clues. The top half went quickly but the bottom less so and as with you, SE corner was last to fall with 20D the last in. **/**** for me.
ReplyDeleteOOPS! I now see that in my haste I incorrectly entered WAIL at 12A without bothering to try to parse it.
ReplyDelete