Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29635 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, March 29, 2021 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29635]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Falcon | |
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
Now that puzzles are appearing in the National Post less than three months following their publication in The Daily Telegraph, I am actually starting to quickly recognize puzzles that I reviewed on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.
Solution to Tuesday's Puzzle
The solution for Tuesday's puzzle published in today's edition of the National Post is incorrect. The correct solution can be found on Page A2 of the Friday, June 11, 2021 edition of the National Post.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 | "Sexy // Sadie"'s opening -- group unknown (6) |
"unknown " = Y [algebraic notation]
In mathematics (algebra, in particular), an unknown[10] is a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation ⇒
In mathematical formulae, unknowns are typically represented symbolically by the letters x, y and z.
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In mathematics (algebra, in particular), an unknown[10] is a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation ⇒
3y = 4x + 5 is an equation in two unknowns.
In mathematical formulae, unknowns are typically represented symbolically by the letters x, y and z.
hide
Scratching the Surface
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| "Sexy Sadie"[7] is a song by the English rock group the Beatles from their 1968 double album The Beatles (also known as "the White Album"). The song was written by John Lennon during the Beatles' stay in India in response to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's alleged sexual advance* on actress Mia Farrow. * The song was originally titled "Maharishi" and began "Maharishi what have you done ...". George Harrison insisted that "Maharishi" be changed to "Sexy Sadie" when the Beatles recorded the track. Although, when he wrote the song, Lennon apparently believed the alleged sexual advance had occurred, the incident may have actually been a fabrication by another attendee at the retreat. |
| 4a | Study held by agents backing // agricultural machine (8) |
Read[5] is a British term meaning to study (an academic subject) at a university ⇒ (i)
I’m reading English at Cambridge; (ii)
he went to Manchester to read for a BA in Economics.
| 9a | Regret // about writer, bankrupt, ultimately (6) |
"writer " = PEN
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.
In addition to defining pen[3,11] as a writing implement, North American dictionaries also define it as a writer or an author ⇒
hide
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.
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
| 10a | Less breeze, /so/ relax? (4,4) |
The first part of the clue is a literal interpretation of the solution.
| 11a | Criticise Americans accepting order /for/ cigar (9) |
A panatella[5] (also panatela) is a long thin cigar.
| 13a | The French following Rugby Union // laws (5) |
"the French " = LES [plural French definite article]
Scratching the Surface
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| While most sports merely have rules, Rugby Union is governed by the Laws of the Rugby Football Union[7]. |
| 14a | Met rep in des res unfortunately // portrayed inaccurately (14) |
Scratching the Surface
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Des res[5]
is an informal British term for a desirable residence (used as a
humorous allusion to the language used in housing advertisements) ⇒ they are converting a Victorian schoolhouse into a des res. |
| 17a | Term of excellence // article applied to jazz fan's night attire? (3,4,7) |
Cat[5] is an informal North American term (especially among jazz enthusiasts) for a man* ⇒ (i)
this West Coast cat had managed him since the early 80s; (ii)
the cat went crazy on the horn.
* As can be seen from the usage examples, the term cat does not apply solely to jazz fans, but to performers and others associated with jazz as well. In fact, none of the nine usage examples provided by Lexico (Oxford Dictionaries) specifically relates to fans and almost all specifically mention performers.
Pyjamas[5] is the British spelling of the night attire that would be spelled pajamas in the US.
See my comment on Big Dave's Crossword Blog for more on the cat's pyjamas.
The Canine Alternative
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Several comments on Big Dave's Crossword Blog report the writer thought of a rude, alternative expression. For instance, at Comment #13, Young Salopian writesThe dog's bollocks* is vulgar British slang meaning a person or thing that is the best of its kind.My immediate thought in seeing 17a involved parts of our canine friends until I realised that The Telegraph would not entertain such a phrase. * testicles Later in the blog, Miffypops responds I can’t see the dogs whotsits making it as an answer but Silvanus did give us this wonderful but risqué anagram in a Toughie last year..
Later in the blog, Miffypops responds
I can’t see the dogs whotsits making it as an answer but Silvanus did give us this wonderful but risqué anagram in a Toughie last year.
"Habit" is used in the sense of dress or attire. Budgie smugglers[5] is an informal Australian and New Zealand term for men's brief, tight-fitting swimming trunks (also known as speedos). hide |
| 21a | Gather // popular umpire retired (5) |
| 23a | Like one on the wagon // missing having can inside (9) |
| 24a | Compassionate? // Lucifer, surprisingly, after mass! (8) |
| 25a | European associated with staggering space // flight (6) |
"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
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
| 26a | Visionary /having/ short time in charge after Vespasian? (8) |
Vespasian[5] (AD 9–79) was Roman emperor 69–79 and founder of the Flavian dynasty. (show more )
He was acclaimed emperor by the legions in Egypt during the civil wars following the death of Nero and gained control of Italy after the defeat of Vitellius. His reign saw the restoration of financial and military order and the initiation of a public building programme.
Latin name Titus Flavius Vespasianus.
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He was acclaimed emperor by the legions in Egypt during the civil wars following the death of Nero and gained control of Italy after the defeat of Vitellius. His reign saw the restoration of financial and military order and the initiation of a public building programme.
Latin name Titus Flavius Vespasianus.
hide
| 27a | Useless person wearing // sleeveless jacket (6) |
In modern usage, a jerkin[10] is a sleeveless and collarless short jacket worn by men or women.
* Historically, a jerkin[10] was a man's sleeveless and collarless fitted jacket, often made of leather, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Down
| 1d | Waste energy /in/ awkward situation (6) |
| 2d | Dear // old partner, deeply thoughtful (9) |
| 3d | Track // large lizard (7) |
A monitor[5] (also called monitor lizard) is a large tropical Old World lizard with a long neck, narrow head, forked tongue, strong claws, and a short body. Monitors were formerly believed to give warning of crocodiles.
| 5d | Tommy watches // detectives (7,4) |
In the UK, tommy[5,10] (also Tommy or Tommy Atkins) is an informal term for a private in the British Army.
Origin: 19th Century: originally Thomas Atkins, a fictitious name representing a typical private in British Army specimen forms.
| 6d | Back // last nag, not the first (7) |
| 7d | Funny // turn after onset of dizziness (5) |
| 8d | Row of seats /in/ circle section (8) |
Side[10] denotes either of two parts [or sections] into which an object, surface, area, etc. can be divided, especially by a line, median, space, etc.
Ringside[10] denotes the area immediately surrounding an arena, especially the row of seats nearest a boxing or wrestling ring.
| 12d | Stone // is left in Bolivian city university --large one (5,6) |
La Paz[5] is the capital of Bolivia, in the north-west of the country near the border with Peru. (The judicial capital is Sucre.) Situated in the Andes at an altitude of 3,660 m (12,000 ft), La Paz is the highest capital city in the world.
Lapis lazuli[5] (also lapis) is a bright blue metamorphic rock consisting largely of lazurite, used for decoration and in jewellery.
| 15d | First of them comment having taken in ad/'s/ distinguishing characteristic (9) |
| 16d | Be enraged about brief attempt /to obtain/ gardening implement (8) |
Strimmer[5] (likely a blend of string and trimmer) is a British trademark for a powered grass trimmer with a nylon cutting cord which rotates rapidly on a spindle.
North American equivalent: whipper-snipper[7]
| 18d | Charge // American soldier up in Scottish island (7) |
"American soldier " = GI
A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒
Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).
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A GI[5] is a private soldier in the US army ⇒
she went off with a GI during the war.
Origin: Contrary to popular belief, the term apparently is not an abbreviation for general infantryman, but rather derives from the term government (or general) issue (originally denoting equipment supplied to US forces).
hide
Arran[5] is an island in the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland.
Déjà vu all over again!
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| When did we last see this clue? Might it have been yesterday? |
| 19d | A series // under discussion (2,5) |
I thought the synonym used in the wordplay to be a bit stretched.
Tissue[5] is used in the sense of an intricate structure or network made from a number of connected items ⇒
such scandalous stories are a tissue of lies.
Synonyms: web, network, nexus, maze, tangle, knot, complex, mass, conglomeration, set, series, chain
Yes, one can also speak of a
a series of liesbut is that really the same thing as
a tissue of lies? After all, a tissue is a web and a series is a chain. As you can see, while series is listed as a synonym for tissue, it is far down the list (barely making the cut).
| 20d | Scattered // drives, at the end, on Scottish Open golf course, we hear (6) |
While there is a Scottish Open[7] golf tournament (a premier event on the European Tour), the reference in the clue is actually to 'a Scottish golf course where The Open is held'.
The Open Championship[7], often referred to as The Open or the British Open [especially—and, more likely, only—outside the UK], is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious.
The Open is rotated between a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom, one of which is the Royal Troon Golf Club located in Troon, South Ayrshire, southwest of Glasgow, Scotland.
| 22d | Meeting // female over drink (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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