Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29630 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29630]
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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
We are presented with a relatively gentle nental workout today. Even 28a was easy to solve despite the clue—in the opinion of most observers—not passing muster.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 | Talk about // second copper infiltrating Norfolk town (7) |
Diss[7] is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring county of Suffolk.
| 5a | Garment missing last // pocket (7) |
Trouser[5] is British slang meaning to receive or take (something, especially money) for oneself; in other words, to pocket ⇒
they claimed that he had trousered a £2 million advance.
| 9a | Kept // trimmed? Not husband (5) |
| 10a | Knowledge /of/ mostly easy answer condemned (9) |
| 11a | Observe the French ship // at all events (10) |
"the French " = LE [French definite article]
At all events is a variant of in any event[5,10] denoting regardless of circumstances or in any case ⇒ (i)
in any event, I was not in a position to undertake such a task; (ii)
Lenin may well have found the term in a newspaper, probably in a report of the South African war; the Bolsheviks, at all events, adopted it.
| 12a | Too // advanced group of musicians (4) |
The London Symphony Orchestra[7] (abbreviation LSO), founded in 1904, is the oldest of London's symphony orchestras.
What did he say?
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In his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mr K informs us that this "group of musicians" isThe Barbican Centre[5] is an extensive arts complex in the City of London, opened in 1982.based in the Barbican Centre. |
| 14a | Devon temples demolished /making/ housing estates? (12) |
Estate[5] is a British term meaning an area of land and modern buildings developed for residential, industrial, or commercial purposes ⇒
It is now one of just several residential estates in a suburban village.
Scratching the Surface
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| Devon[5] is a county of southwestern England. |
| 18a | Walk disregarding a learner/'s/ state of health (12) |
"learner " = L [driver under instruction]
The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
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The cryptic crossword convention of L meaning learner or student arises from the L-plate[7], a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in various jurisdictions (including the UK) if its driver is a learner under instruction.
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| Automobile displaying an L-plate |
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| 21a | Detective Inspector goes over each // thought (4) |
"Detective Inspector | detective | inspector | policeman " = DI [detective inspector]
A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
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A detective inspector (abbrevation DI[5]) is a senior police officer in the UK. Within the British police, inspector[7] is the second supervisory rank. It is senior to that of sergeant, but junior to that of chief inspector. Plain-clothes detective inspectors are equal in rank to their uniformed counterparts, the prefix 'detective' identifying them as having been trained in criminal investigation and being part of or attached to their force's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
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| 22a | Manufacturing // trouble east of river (10) |
| 25a | Raving // loony in Ghent hugging American (9) |
Scratching the Surface
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| 26a | Filipinos essentially packing // trunks (5) |
| 27a | Pond-dweller // bit European (7) |
You may well have noticed that a European in Crosswordland is almost invariably a Pole.
| 28a | Doctor, turning sweet, almost // put bandage on (7) |
The Chambers Dictionary does not list D on a standalone basis as an abbreviation for Doctor. However, it is found as such in a number of compound abbreviations, including MD[2] (Medicinae Doctor) and PhD[2] (Philosophiae Doctor).
Sweet[5] is a British term for a sweet dish forming a course of a meal; in other words, a dessert.
Violating Conventions?
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| This clue is discussed in the thread arising from Comment #2 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog. There are several conventions at play here, some pertaining to cryptic crosswords in general and some to The Daily Telegraph Cryptic Crossword in particular. First, abbreviations used in The Daily Telegraph Cryptic Crossword must appear in The Chambers Dictionary. Second, abbreviations must be recognized in their own right and not be part of some compound abbreviation. Third, truncation indicators (such as the word "almost" in the present clue) denote the removal of a single letter unless explicitly indicated otherwise. Some of those commenting on Big Dave's Crossword Blog argue that "doctor" clues DR and "sweet almost" clues DESSE[ Others argue that "doctor" clues D (as per my explanation above). This is not found in The Chambers Dictionary as an abbreviation in its own right but only as part of a compound abbreviation (thereby violating the first and second conventions). |
Down
| 1d | Fancy // gentleman wearing flower (6) |
Flower is being used in the whimsical cryptic crossword sense of something that flows — in other words, a river.
The Dee[5,7] could be any of several rivers in Scotland and England — not to mention Ireland and Australia, the most prominent being:
- a river in northeastern Scotland, which rises in the Grampian Mountains and flows eastwards past Balmoral Castle to the North Sea at Aberdeen
- a river that rises in North Wales and flows into England, past Chester and on into the Irish Sea
| 2d | Wild // herb covering third of valley (6) |
| 3d | Below // a den, hunter shot (10) |
| 4d | Wash unusually large // item of clothing (5) |
| 5d | Ship // aims to leave international harbour (9) |
As a deletion indicator, leave[5] is used in the sense of to abandon (a spouse or partner) ⇒
her boyfriend left her for another woman.
| 6d | Some more volunteers picked up // six balls (4) |
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.
| 7d | Growing // rat eating very much (8) |
Well[5] is used in an informal British sense* meaning very or extremely ⇒ (i)
I asked him a few questions - it became clear that he was well out of his depth; (ii)
I thought it was well dodgy and I hope they get one back against them in Turin.
* I would say this usage is found in Canada to some extent; for instance, the first usage example is definitely something I might say but the second usage example sounds totally bizarre to my ear.
| 8d | Person's worried prior to European // reaction (8) |
"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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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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| 13d | Current chap consuming alcohol before church -- /that's of/ concern (10) |
"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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| 15d | Wide, // costly piano exchanged for tuba, initially (9) |
| 16d | Stress about one day/'s/ mishap (8) |
| 17d | Ten Verdi works // turned up (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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Giuseppe Verdi[5] (1813–1901) was an Italian composer. (show more )
His many operas, such as La Traviata (1853), Aida (1871), and Otello (1887), emphasize the dramatic element, treating personal stories on a heroic scale and often against backgrounds that reflect his political interests. Verdi is also famous for his Requiem (1874). hide |
| 19d | Avoids // girls (6) |
| 20d | Finished // chapter and left, thus upsetting editor (6) |
| 23d | Upper-class rogue I'd regularly // prodded (5) |
"upper-class " = U
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 ⇒
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).
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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).
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| 24d | Practically monstrous old // writer (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.
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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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Victor Hugo[5] (1802–1885) was a
French poet, novelist, and dramatist. (show more )
A leading figure of French romanticism, he brought a new freedom to French poetry, and his belief that theatre should express both the grotesque and the sublime in human existence overturned existing conventions. His political and social concern is shown in his novels. Notable works: Hernani (drama, 1830) and Les Misérables (novel, 1862).
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A leading figure of French romanticism, he brought a new freedom to French poetry, and his belief that theatre should express both the grotesque and the sublime in human existence overturned existing conventions. His political and social concern is shown in his novels. Notable works: Hernani (drama, 1830) and Les Misérables (novel, 1862).
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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
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