Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29624 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29624]
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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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Introduction
A gentle and enjoyable puzzle this morning.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 | Serviceman // flogged, one hears, on a regular basis (7) |
| 5a | Relating to a low point in the main? (4-3) |
This clue is not very cryptic if the sea is the first thing you think of on seeing the phrase "the main".
| 9a | Penny is after china // mug (5) |
In Britain, china[5] is an informal term for a friend (or, as the Brits would say, a mate*). This meaning comes from cockney rhyming slang (show explanation ), where china is the shortened form of china plate which rhymes with 'mate'.
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
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* In Britain, mate[5] — in addition to being a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner — is an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
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* In Britain, mate[5] — in addition to being a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner — is an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒
my best mate Steve.
Mug[5] is an informal British term for a stupid or gullible person ⇒
they were no mugs where finance was concerned.
| 10a | Experience the French ship // with no relish? (9) |
"the French " = LE [French definite article]
| 11a | Usual // cat charged around person? On the contrary (10) |
The phrase "on the contrary" tells the solver to reverse the logic or meaning of the statement immediately preceding it. Doing so leads one to reinterpret the wordplay as "person charged around cat".
| 12a | Certainly not working /when it's/ lunchtime? (4) |
On a number of occasions in the past, I have remarked on the lateness of the Crosswordland lunchtime which customarily seems to be one o'clock. Today, however, the setter has us take an early lunch.
| 14a | Uniform features /of/ missile with air moving across it (12) |
| 18a | Send me vet and lop off // growths (12) |
| 21a | On the way back, teen carefully squeezes // spots (4) |
| 22a | Now in drag, ultimately // acting as host (10) |
Present[10] (verb) is a British term meaning to introduce and compere* (a radio or television show).
* As a verb, compere[10] (also compère) is a British term meaning to act as a master of ceremonies who introduces cabaret, television acts, etc.
| 25a | After church eat cool, fresh // food (9) |
| 26a | Military volunteers man // captured (5) |
"military volunteers " = TA [Territorial Army]
| 27a | Son, for example, intended to cut out a // piece (7) |
| 28a | Friend following leaders in London obstinately, yet // in a faithful manner (7) |
Down
| 1d | Is tense leaving communist // party (6) |
| 2d | Begin // meal gobbling starter in anger (6) |
| 3d | Sob implies travelling /is/ out of the question (10) |
| 4d | In dire trouble, // like in the past (5) |
| 5d | Rash // itching (9) |
| 6d | Reportedly exercise // farm animals (4) |
| 7d | What arachnophobe might do when encountering a spider? // Make haste! (4,2,2) |
The first part of the clue is a sort of descriptive definition.
| 8d | Shivering on stairs, // one starts a fire (8) |
| 13d | Criminal isn't idly crossing court, // clearly (10) |
| 15d | Critical // time to support one chap swallowing alcohol (9) |
"chap " = MAN
Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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Chap[3,4,11] is an informal British[5] or chiefly British[3] term for a man or boy — although a term that is certainly not uncommon in Canada. It is a shortened form of chapman[3,4,11], an archaic term for a trader, especially an itinerant pedlar[a,b].
[a] Pedlar is the modern British spelling of peddler[14] which, in most senses, is considered by the Brits to be a US or old-fashioned British spelling. The exception is in the sense of a dealer in illegal drugs which the Brits spell as drug peddler.
[b] The current meaning of chap[2] dates from the 18th century. In the 16th century, chap meant 'a customer'. The dictionaries do not explain how a shortened form of 'chapman' (pedlar) came to mean 'customer'.
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| 16d | Approaches // adult very entertained by balls (8) |
"adult " = A [former British film classification]
The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
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The A (Adult) certificate is a former film certificate[7] issued by the British Board of Film Classification. This certificate existed in various forms from 1912 to 1985, when it was replaced by the PG (Parental Guidance) certificate. [Despite its demise in the real world, it continues to find widespread use in Crosswordland.]
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"very " = V [context uncertain]
The abbreviation* v (or v.)[1,2,5,10] stands for very.
* Although this abbreviation is found in most of my British dictionaries, it does not appear in any of my American dictionaries. Unfortunately no explanation is given as to the specific context in which one might encounter this usage. The only possibility that I can imagine is when combined with G as a grade of VG (very good) on school tests or assignments.
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The abbreviation* v (or v.)[1,2,5,10] stands for very.
* Although this abbreviation is found in most of my British dictionaries, it does not appear in any of my American dictionaries. Unfortunately no explanation is given as to the specific context in which one might encounter this usage. The only possibility that I can imagine is when combined with G as a grade of VG (very good) on school tests or assignments.
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| 17d | Calm relative with good // prayers (8) |
Even[5] is used in the sense (said of a person's temper or disposition) equable or calm.
In the Christian Church, evensong[5] is a service of evening prayers, psalms, and canticles, conducted according to a set form, especially that of the Anglican Church ⇒
choral evensong.
| 19d | Pinch the Spanish // coin (6) |
Nick[5] is an informal British term meaning to steal ⇒
he'd had his car nicked by joyriders.
"the Spanish " = EL [Spanish definite article]
From a British perspective, nickel[5] is a North American term for a five-cent coin or five cents.
| 20d | Become old, caught in New York // office (6) |
"caught " = C [cricket notation]
| 23d | Take // small bird (5) |
The teal[5] is a small freshwater duck, typically with a greenish band on the wing that is most prominent in flight.
| 24d | Angry // Greek god turned up (4) |
In Greek mythology, Eros[5] is the god of love, son of Aphrodite — the equivalent in Roman mythology being Cupid[5].
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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