Prologue
Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29461 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, September 5, 2020 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29461 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29461 – 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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The National Post skipped this puzzle on May 20, 2021.
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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
On the day this puzzle appeared in Britain, many solvers were deprived of their Saturday morning entertainment as environmental activists disrupted the production and distribution of the print editions of several newspapers in the UK including The Daily Telegraph.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 | Rehearse // murder with sword (3,7) |
| 6a | Touch on // a doubt (4) |
| 9a | Experiencing charm /of/ spring after short time (10) |
| 10a | A male excited about // big cat (4) |
| 12a | Circling a lake with my // waterproof footwear (6) |
My[5] is used as an expression of surprise ⇒
'Oh my, what big teeth you have!' said Little Red Riding Hood.
| 13a | What could be integral // part of percussion section (8) |
| 15a | Tome annalist edited /as/ part of the bible (12) |
Lamentations[10] is a book of the Old Testament, traditionally ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah, lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem.
| 18a | Unruly children trade // in fear (6-6) |
| 21a | Garden feature takes time, // it's supposed to be difficult (8) |
Rockery[3,4,11] is another name for rock garden, a garden constructed with rocks, especially one where alpine plants are grown.
The definition is an allusion to rocket science[5] (usually used with a negative), a humorous expression denoting something very difficult to understand ⇒
we want you to get out and vote—it’s not exactly rocket science.
You might enjoy the following encounter between brain surgeon and rocket scientist.
| 22a | Hide /in/ church after escape (6) |
As for a fleece being a hide, all I can say is that this sheep seems to have received an exceptionally close shave!
| 24a | Piece of equipment /needed/ in campsite mainly (4) |
| 25a | Starter // motor finally found in quarry, apparently (10) |
Quarry is used as a verb meaning somewhat loosely to "MINE STONE".
Starter[3,5] is another name* for an appetizer or the first course of a meal.
* although British dictionaries consider this term to be British[5] (or chiefly or mainly British[4,10,14]), this usage of the word would seem to be well established in North America and is found in some US dictionaries[3,12]
| 26a | Sharp intake of breath /from/ rabbit punch initially (4) |
Rabbit[5] is an informal British term meaning:
- (noun) a conversation ⇒
we had quite a heated rabbit about it
- (verb) to talk at length, especially about trivial matters ⇒
stop rabbiting on, will you, and go to bed!
Delving Deeper
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| The term rabbit[5] (meaning talk) is Cockney* rhyming slang arising from the expression
"rabbit and pork"[5].
In Cockney rhyming slang, a
word (in this case, "talk") is replaced by a phrase with which it rhymes
(in this
case, "rabbit
and pork"). Although the entire rhyming phrase may sometimes be used, it
is more often the case that the rhyming word (in this case, "pork"**) is dropped leaving the slang word (in this
case, "rabbit"). Thus, through
this process, "talk" becomes "rabbit".
* Cockneys[5,10], the natives of that part of East London known as the East End[5], speak a dialect (also known as cockney) that is
characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as
well as the use of rhyming slang
** The word "pork" , when pronounced in a non-rhotic accent (show explanation ) typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially southeastern England), more or less rhymes with "talk" . Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalisation, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English. hide As for the expression "rabbit and pork", apparently it is common practice to combine these two meats in a dish (as a Google search for 'rabbit and pork recipe' will quickly prove). One recipe I found sheds some light on why these meats often appear together: "Rabbit can be dry some times so here it is cooked with belly pork and cyder to create a warming substantial casserole". |
| 27a | A time to give // such as Rudolph 'orse food (3,4,3) |
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer[7] is a fictional male reindeer with a glowing red nose, popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer". When depicted, he is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through inclement winter weather.
Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May and published by Montgomery Ward, a now defunct American mail order and department store retailer.
When an H is dropped in the clue, the solver is expected to drop a corresponding H in the solution. As Tilsit alludes in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, H-dropping is another characteristic of Cockney speech (see 26a).
In the UK, Red Nose Day[5] is a day of events and activities organized to raise money for the charity Comic Relief.
Origin: (1980s) the name derives from the red plastic noses sold as part of the fundraising effort.
Down
| 1d | Abdicate, // installing son in rule as monarch (6) |
| 2d | Wind-up // gramophone requires it (6) |
As I see it, if the first word were a verb, this clue would work; but if it were a verb, it would be spelled without a hyphen.
As a phrasal verb, wind (someone) up or wind up (someone)[5] is an informal British term meaning to tease or irritate someone.
Needle[5] (verb) means to provoke or annoy (someone) by continual criticism or questioning.
As a noun, wind-up[5] (with a hyphen) is an informal British term for an attempt to tease or irritate (someone). However, would its synonym not be needling rather than needle.
As a noun, needle[5] is an informal British term for hostility or antagonism provoked by rivalry.
Even though the rule in cryptic crosswords is to ignore punctuation, I don't believe that dictum extends to hyphens within words—in particular, when those words are a definition. In the event that it did, we could interpret "wind-up" (noun) as "wind up" (verb) which is synonymous with "needle" (verb). However, I really don't think that is accepted practice.
| 3d | Control // such as Nelson far too much (4,4,4) |
The nelson[5] is a wrestling hold in which one arm is passed under the opponent's arm from behind and the hand is applied to the neck (half nelson), or both arms and hands are applied (full nelson).
While the nelson is a hold, (things) such as (the) nelson would be holds.
| 4d | Old tenor/'s/ music producer (4) |
"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.
hide
When I solved the puzzle, I filled in OBOE based on the checking letters and definition and supposed there must be a tenor named Boe. As I composed the blog, I was listening to a recording of Les Misérables: The Staged Concert and happened to glance at the CD cover where I saw that English tenor Alfie Boe[7] was performing the role of Jean Valjean. How weird is that!
| 5d | Parents perhaps // creating greater son (10) |
I initially thought the definition in this clue to be a bit far-fetched, but The Chambers Dictionary contains the following entries which seem to support it:
- generate[1] - to bring into life or being
- generator[1] - a begetter
| 7d | BBC chief detained by adult working /for/ club (8) |
Director general[5] (abbreviation DG[5]) is a British term* for the chief executive of a large organization.
* It is also an upper mid-level (or lower upper-level) position in the Canadian public service.
The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation[7] is chief executive and (from 1994) editor-in-chief of the BBC.
Adult[5] is an adjective used euphemistically to refer to sexually explicit material.
| 8d | Oblique // note about illegal party goers? (8) |
Depending on which British dictionary you happen to consult, you will
find that the principal spelling of the name of the seventh note of a
major scale in tonic sol-fa is either te or ti (with the other version listed as a variant spelling). On the other hand, US dictionaries show ti as being the one and only spelling. (show more )
From a perusal of entries in American and British dictionaries, I gather that the only recognized spelling of this musical note in the US would be ti[3,11,12] while British dictionaries split into two camps. Two British dictionaries give the principal spelling as te[2,4,10] with ti[2,4,10] as an alternative spelling while two others take the contrary position, giving the spelling as ti[1,5] with te[1,5] as an alternative spelling.
Note that the sister publications, The Chambers Dictionary[1] and Chambers 21st Century Dictionary[2], are diametrically opposed on the issue and Lexico[5] (Oxford Dictionaries) has done a complete about face as I have notes in my files from a previous review showing that "Oxford Dictionaries decrees that te is the British spelling with ti being the North American spelling".
hide
From a perusal of entries in American and British dictionaries, I gather that the only recognized spelling of this musical note in the US would be ti[3,11,12] while British dictionaries split into two camps. Two British dictionaries give the principal spelling as te[2,4,10] with ti[2,4,10] as an alternative spelling while two others take the contrary position, giving the spelling as ti[1,5] with te[1,5] as an alternative spelling.
Note that the sister publications, The Chambers Dictionary[1] and Chambers 21st Century Dictionary[2], are diametrically opposed on the issue and Lexico[5] (Oxford Dictionaries) has done a complete about face as I have notes in my files from a previous review showing that "Oxford Dictionaries decrees that te is the British spelling with ti being the North American spelling".
hide
Although many British dictionaries consider the term 'rave' to be British slang, the term has clearly crossed the pond to North America. One American dictionary puts it best, defining a rave[12] as a kind of loosely organized dance party, lasting through the night, that originated in Britain in the 1980s: a rave features techno music and typically includes the use of psychedelic drugs.
Delving Deeper
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| Raves[7] are often associated with the early 90s dance music scene when DJs played at illegal events in musical styles dominated by electronic dance music from a wide range of sub-genres. Law enforcement raids and anti-rave laws have presented a challenge to the rave scene in many countries. This is due to the association of illegal drugs with these events. In addition to drugs, raves often make use of non-authorized, secret venues, such as squat parties at unoccupied homes, unused warehouses, or aircraft hangars. |
Oblique[1] (noun) denotes an oblique movement or advance, especially one about 45° from the original direction.
A traverse[1] (noun) is a straight length in a zigzag course.
| 11d | Stipulate car's given out // form of pollution (12) |
| 14d | China /has/ big problem with crime (3,7) |
| 16d | Nick fish in Scottish city (8) |
The nick[5] is an informal British term for prison ⇒
he’ll end up in the nick for the rest of his life.
Stir[5] is an informal term for prison [on both sides of the Atlantic] ⇒
I’ve spent twenty-eight years in stir.
Ling[5] is the name of a number of long-bodied edible marine fishes including a large eastern Atlantic fish of the genus Molva related to the cod, in particular Molva molva, which is of commercial importance.
Stirling[5] is a city in central Scotland, on the River Forth.
| 17d | Nuts -- // something we associate with Christmas (8) |
Crackers[5] is an informal British term meaning insane or extremely angry.
A cracker[5] is a party toy—associated, in particular, with Christmas celebrations—in the form of a decorated paper cylinder which, when pulled apart, makes a sharp noise and releases a small toy or other novelty.
| 19d | One who's taken silver // back (6) |
| 20d | Just // count on supporting me (6) |
| 23d | Plant /that's/ right in marshy ground (4) |
A fen[5] is a low and marshy or frequently flooded area of land.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Tilsit suggests that, for an example of the "marshy ground" in question, weEast Anglia[5] is a region of eastern England consisting of the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and parts of Essex and Cambridgeshire. An area of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and neighbouring Lincolnshire is known as the Fens[7] (also the Fenlands). Most of this marshy region was drained centuries ago by a system of dykes and drainage channels and is now used for agricultural purposes.think East Anglia. |
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
I’m afraid all your work on the parsing is in vain. NP seem to have published a different puzzle.
ReplyDeleteThanks Puzzler,
DeleteI try to make a point of checking every morning to verify what puzzle has been published. Seems I slipped up today -- which, of course, is the very day the editors at the National Post decide to skip a puzzle.