Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29688 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Saturday, May 29, 2021 | |
Setter
chalicea (Shirley Curran) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29688 – Hints]Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29688 – 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 has skipped DT 29682 through DT 29687 which were published in The Daily Telegraph from Saturday, May 22, 2021 through Friday, May 28, 2021 respectively.
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. | |
Introduction
Today the National Post took a fairly big jump ahead. It was no where near the massive leap earlier this year as this time they only managed to clear six puzzles. I had intended to get an early start on Monday's review today but instead had to allocate that time to this review. As a result, reviews may be a bit delayed for the next few days as I will be away for the weekend and it is my turn to do the review on Monday for Big Dave's Crossword Blog.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 | More appealing // modelled attires (7) |
| 5a | Drop // police force by choice (7) |
The Met[5] is the common name for the Metropolitan Police in London — otherwise known as Scotland Yard (show more ).
The Metropolitan Police Service[7] (widely known informally as the Met[5]) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police. The Met also has significant national responsibilities such as co-ordinating and leading on counter-terrorism matters and protection of the British Royal Family and certain members of Her Majesty's Government and others as deemed appropriate. The Met is also referred to by the metonym Scotland Yard after the location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The Met's current headquarters is New Scotland Yard, in Victoria.
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The Metropolitan Police Service[7] (widely known informally as the Met[5]) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police. The Met also has significant national responsibilities such as co-ordinating and leading on counter-terrorism matters and protection of the British Royal Family and certain members of Her Majesty's Government and others as deemed appropriate. The Met is also referred to by the metonym Scotland Yard after the location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The Met's current headquarters is New Scotland Yard, in Victoria.
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| 9a | Inexperienced // peacekeepers put to the test (7) |
"peacekeepers " = UN
The United Nations[5] (abbreviation UN) is an international organization of countries set up in 1945, in succession to the League of Nations, to promote international peace, security, and cooperation.
The UN Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security, and may call on members to take action, chiefly peacekeeping action, to enforce its decisions.
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The United Nations[5] (abbreviation UN) is an international organization of countries set up in 1945, in succession to the League of Nations, to promote international peace, security, and cooperation.
The UN Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security, and may call on members to take action, chiefly peacekeeping action, to enforce its decisions.
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| 10a | Cancel a Republican // circular (7) |
"Republican " = R [member or supporter of US political party]
A Republican[5] (abbreviation R[5] or Rep.[5]) is a member or supporter of the Republican Party[5], one of the two main US political parties*, favouring a right-wing stance, limited central government, and tough, interventionist foreign policy. It was formed in 1854 in support of the anti-slavery movement preceding the Civil War.
* the other being the Democratic Party
Although, in the UK, republican[5] can refer to an advocate of a united Ireland, the abbreviation does not appear to apply to that usage.
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A Republican[5] (abbreviation R[5] or Rep.[5]) is a member or supporter of the Republican Party[5], one of the two main US political parties*, favouring a right-wing stance, limited central government, and tough, interventionist foreign policy. It was formed in 1854 in support of the anti-slavery movement preceding the Civil War.
* the other being the Democratic Party
Although, in the UK, republican[5] can refer to an advocate of a united Ireland, the abbreviation does not appear to apply to that usage.
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| 11a | Echo of past /of/ showy defence player (9) |
Personally, I would say flashy; however, dictionaries do list flash[3,4,11] as an adjective meaning showy or ostentatious ⇒
a flash car.
A back[5] is a player in a team game who plays in a defensive position* behind the forwards ⇒
their backs showed some impressive running and passing.
* except, of course, in North American football where there are both offensive backs and defensive backs
| 12a | Some magnate's latest // electric vehicle (5) |
Tesla is a brand of electric vehicle manufactured by the American electric vehicle and clean energy company Tesla, Inc.[7]
| 13a | Social occasion /of/ first lady and gentry essentially (5) |
"first lady " = EVE
In the Bible, Eve[5,10] is the first woman, mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel* [Gen 2:18-25].
* not to mention Seth and her other sons and daughters [Gen 5:4]
Disobeying God, Eve[7] succumbs to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and shares the fruit with Adam. As a result, the first humans are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
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In the Bible, Eve[5,10] is the first woman, mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam, companion of Adam and mother of Cain and Abel* [Gen 2:18-25].
* not to mention Seth and her other sons and daughters [Gen 5:4]
Disobeying God, Eve[7] succumbs to the serpent's temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and shares the fruit with Adam. As a result, the first humans are expelled from the Garden of Eden.
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The indicator "essentially" denotes the letters that form the essence or core of the fodder.
| 15a | Standard of behaviour // head teacher announced (9) |
| 17a | Promise // oddly glum American organised support (9) |
| 19a | Challenged // on interrupting father (5) |
| 22a | Gala perhaps // that's big in New York? (5) |
Gala[7] is a clonally propagated apple cultivar with a mild and sweet flavour.
Did you know: In 2018, Gala surpassed Red Delicious as the apple cultivar with the highest production in the United States, according to the US Apple Association. It was the first time in over 50 years that any cultivar was produced more than Red Delicious.
The Big Apple[5] is an informal name for New York City.
| 23a | Exactly the same // in dialect, surprisingly (9) |
| 25a | Puffed up // as two ill men with openings gone (7) |
| 26a | Swedish group half-heartedly perform songs; /it's/ mortifying! (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.
| 27a | Remote // southern bank? (7) |
| 28a | Thing to put in order // this evening (7) |
Down
| 1d | Pig out, finding this food (7) |
The clue is a cryptic definition of a food that is harvested with the aid of pigs.
The truffle[5] is a strong-smelling underground fungus that resembles an irregular, rough-skinned potato, growing chiefly in broadleaved woodland on calcareous soils. It is considered a culinary delicacy and found, especially in France, with the aid of trained dogs or pigs.
| 2d | Locate // model worried about uniform (7) |
| 3d | Flower on top of hill // from Dublin? (5) |
| 4d | Revolutionary vehicle, favourite /for/ special treatment (3,6) |
| 5d | Parking place for taxis to wait /is/ a joke (5) |
Rank[5] is short for taxi rank[5], a British term for a place where taxis park while waiting to be hired.
North American term: taxi stand
| 6d | Continued, strangely // disregarded (9) |
| 7d | Coward // takes advantage of work (7) |
"work " = OP [opus]
In music, an opus[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.
The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..
Opus[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒
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In music, an opus[5] (Latin 'work', plural opuses or opera) is a separate composition or set of compositions.
The abbreviation Op.[5] (also op.), denoting opus, is used before a number given to each work of a particular composer, usually indicating the order of publication. The plural form of Op. is Opp..
Opus[5] can also be used in other contexts to denote an artistic work, especially one on a large scale ⇒
he was writing an opus on Mexico.
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Milksop[5] is an informal term for a person who is indecisive and lacks courage.
| 8d | Track round leading lady/'s/ houses? (7) |
"leading lady " = ER [regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth]
The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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The regnal ciphers (monograms) of British monarchs are initials formed from the Latin version of their first name followed by either Rex or Regina (Latin for king or queen, respectively). Thus, the regnal cipher of Queen Elizabeth is ER[5] — from the Latin Elizabetha Regina.
* A cipher[5] (also cypher) is a monogram[5] or motif of two or more interwoven letters, typically a person's initials, used to identify a personal possession or as a logo.
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Terrace[5] is a British term for a row of houses built in one block in a uniform style.
North American term: row house or town house
| 14d | Moved along a course // initially twisted and tangled (9) |
| 16d | Fashionable English stage worker // lacking in refinement (9) |
"worker " = ANT
The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
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The terms "worker" and "social worker" are commonly used in cryptic crossword puzzles to clue ANT or BEE.
A worker[5] is a neuter or undeveloped female bee, wasp, ant, or other social insect, large numbers of which do the basic work of the colony.
In crossword puzzles, "worker" will most frequently be used to clue ANT and occasionally BEE but I have yet to see it used to clue WASP. Of course, "worker" is sometimes also used to clue HAND or MAN.
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| 17d | Drinks // finally sozzling girls (7) |
| 18d | Think well of // a very quiet ramble (7) |
| 20d | Obstacle in golf, // swaying from side to side (7) |
| 21d | Joy /of/ ultimately untrained boat crew maintaining lead at first (7) |
An eight[5] is an eight-oared rowing boat or its crew.
As a containment indicator, maintain[5] is used in the sense of hold—in any of various contexts, for instance, to keep (something) at the same level or rate ⇒
Companies are either increasing employment or maintaining / holding it at current levels.
| 23d | Offender not primarily // close to centre of power (5) |
| 24d | Exercise // time, then shower? (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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