Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Wednesday, June 30, 2021 — DT 29650


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29650
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Setter
RayT (Ray Terrell)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29650]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Kath
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

Introduction

I thought this puzzle was a fairly typical example of a RayT creation, although comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog indicate many felt it to be more difficult than usual.

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
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a Has his order changed /for/ condiment? (11)

10aSat on back of bronco here? (5)

The entire clue is the definition in which the wordplay is embedded. Perhaps the definition is not as precise as it might be but, if not, it is as close to the target as one can come without actually striking it.

11a Dirty // look threatening after nightclub (9)

12a Hideaway /in/ Channel Island, period without technology (9)

Herm[7] is one of the Channel Islands. It is located in the English Channel, north-west of France and south of England. It is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and under 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide and lies between the larger islands of Guernsey and Sark.

IT[5] is the abbreviation for information technology.

13a Small instrument /for/ cutting (5)

"small " = S [clothing size]

S[5] is the abbreviation for small (as a clothing size).

hide

14aSomething tasteless or dull getting eaten initially (6)

Stodge[2,5] is an informal British term for either (1) food that is heavy, filling, high in carbohydrates and, usually, fairly tasteless or (2) dull and uninspired material or work.

I'm going to unequivocally declare this a true &lit. clue[7] (or, as they prefer to say on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, all-in-one clue). The entire clue is both wordplay and definition. The wordplay involves the initial letters of the first six words in the clue. As the former usage given in the definition above predates the latter usage, one can clearly ascertain that initially the term meant "something ... getting eaten".

16a More cutting on board /making/ tapas? (8)

"on board " = 'contained in SS' [SS = steamship]

In Crosswordland, you will find that a ship is almost invariably a steamship, the abbreviation for which is SS[5], Thus phrases such as "aboard ship" or "on board ship" (or sometimes merely "aboard" or "on board") are Crosswordland code for 'contained in SS'.

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A tapa[3,11] (often tapas, especially in British dictionaries where the singular is rarely found [show more ]) is any of various small, savory Spanish dishes, often served as a snack or appetizer (typically with wine or beer) or with other tapas as a meal.

Among my regular online reference sources, the singular version (tapa[3,11]) is found in the two American dictionaries, but not in the three British dictionaries (which list the word only in the plural, tapas[2,4,5,10]). However, the singular version tapa[1] is found in my hard-copy edition of The Chambers Dictionary.

hide

Origin: Spanish tapa, literally 'cover, lid' (because the dishes were given free with the drink, served on a dish balanced on, therefore ‘covering’, the glass).[5]

18a Queen maybe describes this compiler's // band (8)

"this compiler's " = IM

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (the or this) speaker, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or ME) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

Today, the the creator of the puzzle has made the scenario more complicated by combining "this compiler" with the verb "to be"* producing "this compiler's" (a contraction of "this compiler is") which must be replaced by "I'm" (a contraction of "I am").

* Although in the surface reading "this compiler's" is showing possession, in the wordplay it is interpreted as a contraction of "this compiler is".

hide

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, RayT is attesting to the already well-known fact that the British rock group Queen is his favourite band. It is rare for there not to be a direct or indirect reference (in the form of "Her Majesty" for instance) to Queen in a RayT puzzle.

Queen[5] is a British rock group that in its heyday featured camp vocalist Freddie Mercury (1946–1991). Queen are known for their extravagant, almost operatic brand of rock, as exemplified by the hugely successful ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (1975).

20a Fly // in jet set section (6)

The tsetse[5] (also tsetse fly) is an African bloodsucking fly which bites humans and other mammals, transmitting sleeping sickness and nagana*.

* Nagana[5] is a disease of cattle, antelope, and other livestock in southern Africa, characterized by fever, lethargy, and oedema, and caused by trypanosome parasites transmitted by the tsetse fly.

23a Singer/'s/ note for the audience (5)

Tenner[5] is an informal British name for a ten-pound note.

24a Sense // a battle with European head (9)

"European " = E [as in E number]

E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).

* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.

hide

"head " = NESS

Ness[5] (a term usually found in place names) means a headland or promontory Orford Ness.

hide

26a Millions laugh, talking about // Blitz (9)

In general, a blitz[5] is an intensive or sudden military attack; specifically, the Blitz refers to the German air raids on Britain in 1940–1.

27a Old actress // learning name (5)

"name " = N [context unknown]

According to The Chambers Dictionary n or n.[1] is an abbreviation for 'name'. However, no specific context is provided.

Two American dictionaries also list n[12] or n.[11] as an abbreviation for 'name', again with no specific context given.

hide



Sophia Loren[5] is an Italian actress; born Sofia Scicolone. She has starred in both Italian and US films, including the slapstick comedy The Millionairess (1960) and the wartime drama La Ciociara (1961), for which she won an Oscar.

28a Unusually a pretty cold // old reptile (11)

Strictly speaking, a pterodactyl[5] is a pterosaur* of the late Jurassic period, with a long slender head and neck and a very short tail; however, in general use, the term is used for any pterosaur.

* A pterosaur[5] is a fossil flying reptile of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, with membranous wings supported by a greatly lengthened fourth finger.

Down

2d Frontier without British // arrangement (5)

3d Loading // goods finally using tug (7)

4d Perhaps Titian nude /for/ sketch again (6)

Titian red[10] (adjective) denotes reddish-gold, like the hair colour used in many of the works of Titian*.

* Titian[10], original name Tiziano Vecellio, (?1490–1576) was an Italian painter of the Venetian school, noted for his religious and mythological works, such as Bacchus and Ariadne (1523), and his portraits.

5d Cobblers possibly // tense standing up (8)

What did she say?
In her review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Kath describes "cobblers" as puds or 'afters'.
Afters[5] is an informal British term for the dessert course of a meal ⇒ there was apple pie for afters.

Pud[5] is an informal British short form for pudding[5] which, in the UK, is another name for the dessert course of a meal. Although it would sound bizarre to a North American ear, if a Brit were to ask What’s for pudding?, the response might well be Apple pie.

In the UK, meals begin with starters and finish with afters. While the former term has taken root on this side of the pond, the latter term has not.

Scratching the Surface
I could not help but notice the comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog from many Brits who were not familiar with cobbler[5] as a dessert. Checking the dictionary, I discover it defined as a North American term for a dessert consisting of fruit baked in a deep dish with a thick, cake-like crust on top.

Several of the Brits think of cobbler[7] as a savoury dish rather than a dessert. This version (which is not mentioned in any of the dictionaries that I consulted but is included in the Wikipedia article although rather strangely described as a "dessert") is made with meat rather than fruit.

As several also allude to the fact that cobblers[5] is an informal British term for rubbish (in the sense of nonsense) I don't think that I have read such a load of cobblers in my life.

However, no one mentions the sense of the word that is surely the most apropos to the surface reading (given the setter was RayT). Cobblers[5] is an informal British term for a man's testicles ⇒ I've been kicked in the cobblers a few times.

By the way, the name of the dessert apparently may have come from the fact that, in the original version of the dish, the filling was covered with biscuits (scones to the Brits) and thus resembled a surface paved with cobble stones.

6d Sopranos broadcast missing a // 'godfather' (7)

A godfather[10] is a male godparent, a person who stands sponsor to another at baptism.

Scratching the Surface
The Sopranos[7] is an American crime drama television series that revolves around Tony Soprano, a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying the difficulties that he faces as he tries to balance his family life with his role as the leader of a criminal organization.

7d Score // with men helping around box (13)

"men " = OR [other ranks]

In the British armed forces, the term other ranks[5] (abbreviation OR[5]) refers to all those who are not commissioned officers.

hide

8d Most faithful // perplexed about lock (8)

Yale[5] is a trademark for a type of lock with a latch bolt and a flat key with a serrated edge.

Origin: named after Linus Yale Jr (1821–1868), the American locksmith who invented the mechanism it uses.

9d /It's/ vital to keep team // winning (13)

Despite being placed at the beginning of the clue, the word "it's" effectively plays the role of a link word. From a cryptic perspective, the clue could be rephrased as:
  • Winning /is/ vital to keep team (23)
Posse[3,4] (short for posse comitatus*) is a US term for a group of civilians called upon by a sheriff or other law enforcement official to assist temporarily in preserving the peace or pursuing and arresting a fugitive. In modern day use, posse is slang for a group of friends or associates.

* Posse comitatus[a] is a term dating from the 13th century which originally denoted the body of men over the age of fifteen which the sheriff of an English county could raise as a force in a crisis.

[a] Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms

15d Found // Iron Age building employing spades (8)

"spades " = S [card suit]

Spades[2] (abbreviation S[1]) is one of the four suits of playing-cards.

hide

17d Risk // tip on needle (8)

19d Waspish // matron fussing round head of department (7)

Waspish[2,14] (with respect to a remark or humour) denotes sharp-tongued; caustic or venomous ⇒ a lawyer with an inventive mind and a waspish sense of humour.

Mordant[5] is an adjective denoting (especially of humour) having or showing a sharp or critical quality; in other words, biting ⇒ a mordant sense of humour.

21d Varnish // the woman will put on account (7)

22d Starved, // destined to eat last of scraps (6)

25d Almost doesn't start // in good time (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

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Tuesday, June 29, 2021 — DT 29649


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29649
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch)
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29649]
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

Introduction

As several on Big Dave's Crossword Blog report was their experience, I solved virtually none of the across clues on first pass and then worked my way up the down clues.

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
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a Electronic device // filling nurse with fear? (4,6)

6a Reject, lacking new // incentive (4)

"new " = N [abbreviation used on maps]

N[5] is an abbreviation (chiefly in place names) for New ⇒ N Zealand.

hide

10a Mature // writer on the teaching of religion (5)

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. (show more )

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).

hide

RI[10] is the abbreviation for religious instruction which in England refers to the teaching of a particular religion*.

* According to Wikipedia, "In secular usage, religious education[7] is the teaching of a particular religion (although in England the term religious instruction would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with religious education referring to teaching about religions in general) ...", specifically religious education[10] (abbreviation RE[5]) being a subject taught in schools which educates about the different religions of the world.

11a Adopt a defensive stance /as/ traditionalist away (6,3)

12aAccommodating type /from/ the Loire in trouble (8)

Scratching the Surface
Loire[7,10] is a department of east central France, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region occupying the upper reaches of the River Loire.

13a Type of diet // perhaps in forefront (5)

15a Securely wrap // son before walk like this (7)

"son " = S [genealogy]

In genealogies, s[5] is the abbreviation for son(s) m 1991; one s one d*.

* married in 1991; one son and one daughter.

hide

17a My radar must be off // this beam (7)

Yardarm[10] is a nautical term for either of the two tapering outer ends of a ship's yard.

* A yard[10] is a cylindrical wooden or hollow metal spar, tapered at the ends, slung from a mast of a square-rigged or lateen-rigged vessel and used for suspending a sail.

19a Two features of cricket // go too far (7)

In cricket, 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.

In cricket, a run[5] is a unit of scoring achieved by hitting the ball so that both batsmen are able to run between the wickets, or awarded in some other circumstances.

21a Rest /may be/ depressed by tall tale (3-4)

Lie-down[5] is a British term for a short rest in which one lies down on a bed, sofa, etc.

What did they say?
In their review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, the 2Kiwis describe the "tall tale" as a porky.

Pork pie[10] (often shortened to porky) is mainly British and Australian rhyming slang (show explanation ) for a lie [in the sense of an untruth].

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.

* A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church). Cockney is also the name of the dialect or accent typical of cockneys, which is characterised by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.

While one commonly sees only the shortened form of rhyming slang, pork pie is one of those cases where both the full expression and the shortened version seem to be in general use.

hide explanation

22a A bit of bacon, as always /possessing/ such sound quality (5)

24a Resolve // mainly intact, yet must be broken (8)

27a Quick-tempered -- // bails out, catching cold, consumed by anger (9)

28a Attacks // answer found in run-down area making a comeback (5)

29a Willing /to see/ golf celebrity losing first (4)

"golf " = G [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]

In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Golf[5] is a code word representing the letter G.

* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet

hide

Either of two different synonyms of celebrity work equally well in this clue.

30a Be quiet about temperature after exercise, /seeing/ contagion (10)

"exercise " = PE [physical education]

PE[5] is an abbreviation* for physical education.

* In my experience, phys ed[3][11][12][14] is the more common shortened form in North America.

hide

Down

1d Short cut on // course of healing (4)

2d Copy of will must support oddly free // criminal (9)

A probate[5] is a verified copy of a will with a certificate as handed to the executors.

I see that I am not alone in questioning "oddly" being used to indicate the even letters in the fodder. This issue is discussed in the thread arising from Comment #19 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog where LetterboxRoy provides an explanation.

3d Reach // end of session consumed by fury (5)

4d Sign /of/ a posh zip (7)

"posh " = U [upper class]

In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒ U manners.

The term, an abbreviation of  upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).

In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).

hide

5d English raise a doubt about right /for/ royal attendant (7)

An equerry[5] is* an officer of the British royal household who attends or assists members of the royal family.

* Historically, an equerry[5] was an officer of the household of a prince or noble who had charge over the stables.

7d Pointed projection /could be/ mistaken with Portugal replacing leader (5)

"Portugal " = P [IVR code]

The International Vehicle Registration (IVR) code for Portugal is P[5].

Portuguese Licence Plate Format
(The IVR code is on the left below the EU flag emblem)

hide

8d Polish // engineers penalise workers on time (10)

"engineers " = RE [Royal Engineers]

The Corps of Royal Engineers[7], usually just called the Royal Engineers (abbreviation RE), and commonly known as the Sappers[7], is a corps of the British Army that provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces.

hide

9d Cross /as/ partygoers seen in outskirts of Tonbridge (8)

Although many British dictionaries still 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.

Scratching the Surface
Tonbridge[7] is a market town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, 29 miles (47 km) south east of London.

14d Article with sample of opinions about tango? // Staggering! (10)

"tango " = T [NATO Phonetic Alphabet]

In what is commonly known as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet[7]*, Tango[5] is a code word representing the letter T.

* officially the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet

hide

16d Abandoned // deceit, cunningly taking in both sides separately (8)

18d A session performance /is/ a change of direction (5-4)

A turn[5] is a short performance, especially one of a number given by different performers in succession ⇒ (i) Lewis gave her best ever comic turn; (ii) he was asked to do a turn at a children’s party.

20d VIP // without somewhere to eat? (7)

21d Soft // sanction includes lifting of Merkel's refusal (7)

Sanction[5] is an interesting word, effectively being almost its own antonym. It can mean either official permission or approval for an action or a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule.

Angela Merkel[5] is a German Christian Democratic Union stateswoman, Chancellor of Germany since 2005.

The German word for 'no' is nein[8].

23d Mob on move // did crawl across river? (5)

25d Part of problem accommodating // beast // from the east? (5)

Although the 2Kiwis mark this as an "all in one clue", I do not see it that way. In my mind, there is clearly differentiated wordplay and definition. However, the clue does have an unusual structure where the definition is placed in the middle of the wordplay.

26dLand in water (4)



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

Monday, June 28, 2021

Monday, June 28, 2021 — DT 29648 (Published Saturday, June 26, 2021)


Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29648
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Setter
Unknown
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29648]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Mr K
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, June 26, 2021 edition of the National Post.

Introduction

This puzzle has a couple of lovely cryptic definitions—a clue type I find especially appealing.

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
  • "//" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when no link word or link phrase is present
  • "/[link word or phrase]/" - marks the boundary between wordplay and definition when a link word or link phrase is present
  • "solid underline" - precise definition
  • "dotted underline" - cryptic definition
  • "dashed underline" - wordplay
  • "wavy underline" - whimsical and inferred definitions
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog.

Across

1a One might give money for canine // toy for Thai mongrel (5,5)

6a River following low // ground covered with heath? (4)

Heath[5] is a British term for an area of open uncultivated land, typically on acid sandy soil, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse, and coarse grasses.



Moor[5] is a chiefly British term for a tract of open uncultivated upland, typically covered with heather.

No objections raised
I wondered if the clue should have read "ground covered with heather" as this is the definition of both heath and moor. However, no objections were voiced across the pond so I guess the clue must be okay.

9a A dream Sue reconstructed about queen/'s/ fancy-dress party (10)

10a 'Relacher' primarily is French /for/ 'relax' (4)

"is French " = EST

In French, est[8] is the third person singular of the present indicative of the verb être (to be). In other words, it means 'is'.

hide

Scratching the Surface
Relâcher[8] really is a French word meaning relax (in the sense of loosen or release) as in  relax one's grip.

12a In school, is tending // to pay attention (6)

13a Boris Johnson captivates everyone with a couple of lines // somewhere in London (4,4)

Boris Johnson[5] is a British Conservative statesman, prime minister of the United Kingdom since 2019. (show more )

A former journalist, Johnson was Mayor of London 2008–16 and Foreign Secretary 2016–18.

hide

"line " = L [textual references]

In textual references, the abbreviation for line [of written matter] is l.[5] l. 648.

hide



Pall Mall[10] is a street in central London, noted for its many [gentlemen's] clubs.

15a Introduction to sport: it enables us to develop // fitness (12)

18a Telling-off good for one daughter /making/ loose garment (8-4)

"good " = G [academic result]

The abbreviation G[a] for good comes from its use in education as a grade awarded on school assignments or tests.

[a] Collins English to Spanish Dictionary

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"daughter " = D [genealogy]

In genealogies, d[5] is the abbreviation for daughter Henry m. Georgina 1957, 1s 2d*.

* Henry married Georgina in 1957. Their marriage produced 1 son and 2 daughters.

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21a Endlessly cut and cut small // food items (8)

"small " = S [clothing size]

S[5] is the abbreviation for small (as a clothing size).

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22a Opening // a chapter in deep affection (6)

"chapter " = C [textual references]

The abbreviation for chapter (likely in textual references) is c.[2]

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24a I bumped into flipping // object (4)

Scratching the Surface
In the surface reading, flipping[5] is an informal British term used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance ⇒ (i) are you out of your flipping mind?; (ii) it’s flipping cold today.

25a Six municipalities including Northern Ireland/'s/ surrounding areas (10)

"Northern Ireland " = NI

Northern Ireland[5] (abbreviation NI[5]) is a province of the United Kingdom occupying the northeast part of Ireland.

According to Lexico (Oxford Dictionaries), Northern Ireland[5] is the only major division of the United Kingdom to hold the status of province, with England[5], Scotland[5] and Wales[5] considered to be countries.

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26a Talk then quietly // catch one's breath (4)

"quietly " = P [music notation (piano)]

Piano[3,5] (abbreviation p[5]), is a musical direction meaning either (as an adjective) soft or quiet or (as an adverb) softly or quietly.

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27a Drunk gets thinner -- not one // to beef up (10)

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1d Part-time worker left eastern // place of worship (6)

2d Control // rebellious bosses (6)

3d Inuit sauce he mixed, /producing/ top-quality cooking (5,7)

4d Displays // locks in the East End? (4)

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 (show explanation ).

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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5d Vegetable // greed -- madly purchasing one hundred and four Swedes? (3,7)

ABBA[7] are a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names.

7d Ran // over and talked foolishly about European (8)

"over " = O [cricket term]

On cricket scorecards, the abbreviation O[5] denotes over(s), an over[5] being 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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"European " = E [as in E number]

E[1,2] is the abbreviation for European (as in E number*).

* An E number[1,4,10,14] (or E-number[2,5]) is any of various identification codes required by EU law, consisting of the letter E (for European) followed by a number, that are used to denote food additives such as colourings and preservatives (but excluding flavourings) that have been approved by the European Union.

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8d Book of the Bible with reduced // description of Herod? (8)

Ruth[5] is a book of the Bible telling the story of Ruth, a Moabite woman, who married her deceased husband's kinsman Boaz and bore a son who became grandfather to King David.



Herod the Great[5,7] (circa 74-4 BC) was Roman client king of Judea who ruled 37-4 BC. According to the New Testament, Jesus was born during his reign, and he ordered the massacre of the innocents (Matt. 2:16).

11dWandering, having gone off? (12)

14d Put up with stage/'s/ position (10)

16d Changing // a pillow on rising can end in suffering (8)

17d Incomparable // description of the House of Lords at the end of the day? (8)

The latter part of the clue is a whimsical literal interpretation of the solution.

The House of Lords[5,10] is the upper chamber of the British Parliament, composed of the peers* and bishops.

* A peer[5] is a member of the nobility in Britain or Ireland, comprising the ranks of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.

When all the members have left for the day, the House of Lords is not only peerless but bishopless as well.

19d Rub smooth // tongue (6)

20d Think rationally // about a relative (6)

23d Small portion -- // this writer eats it (4)

"this writer " = ME

It is a common cryptic crossword convention for the creator of the puzzle to use terms such as (the or this) compiler, (the or this) setter, (the or this) speaker, (this) author, (this) writer, or this person to refer to himself or herself. To solve such a clue, one must generally substitute a first person pronoun (I or ME) for whichever of these terms has been used in the clue.

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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