Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29673 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 | |
Setter
Jay (Jeremy Mutch) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29673]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
2Kiwis | |
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
People seem to be getting more confident in attributing "Wednesday" puzzles to Jay. For the last few weeks, there has been some hesitation to do so following one instance where Jay took a day off. However, I assume if this puzzle were not one of his, either he or Chris Lancaster (The Daily Telegraph Puzzles Editor) would drop by Big Dave's Crossword Blog to say so.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 | Animal // doctor tense after sheep rejected (6) |
A marmot[5] is a heavily built, gregarious burrowing rodent of mountainous country in both Eurasia and North America.
| 5a | Minister /sees/ train regularly taken by nuisance (6) |
| 10a | Level, // yet still at the start (5) |
Level[10] is used in the sense of equal to or even with (something or someone else).
Evens[1] is used in the sense of quits[5], meaning (of two people) on even terms, especially because a debt or score has been settled ⇒
I think we’re just about evens now, don’t you?.
Hedging My Bet
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| While I think the context I have shown above provides the better explanation, I believe some of those commenting on Big Dave's Crossword Blog may have taken evens in a gambling context. Evens[5] is a British term meaning even money[5], viz. odds offering an equal chance of winning or losing, with the amount won being the same as the stake* ⇒ the colt was 4-6 favourite after opening at evens. * If the odds are evens[7], the payout will be equal to the amount wagered plus the original stake, that is, "double-your-money". |
| 11a | Robust // binding (9) |
| 12a | Perform better, /needing/ expenditure to cover parking (7) |
| 13a | Macho guards fighting // source of cyber invasion? (7) |
Malware[5] is software that is specifically designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.
| 14a | Drink // mint tea, we hear -- right with vichy water (9) |
Vichy[5] is a town in south central France. A noted spa town, it is the source of an effervescent mineral water. (show more )
During the Second World War the town was the headquarters of the regime that was set up after the German occupation of northern France, to administer unoccupied France and the colonies. Never recognized by the Allies, the regime functioned as a puppet government for the Nazis.
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During the Second World War the town was the headquarters of the regime that was set up after the German occupation of northern France, to administer unoccupied France and the colonies. Never recognized by the Allies, the regime functioned as a puppet government for the Nazis.
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The French word for 'water' is eau[8].
Cointreau[5] (Trademark) is a colourless orange-flavoured liqueur.
| 17a | Boasts /of/ loads welcoming Republican (5) |
Bags (of)[5] is an informal British expression meaning plenty (of) ⇒
I had bags of energy.
"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.
hide
| 18a | Runs for son in selected // task (5) |
"runs " = R [cricket notation]
| 19a | Speak on British fruit // tree (9) |
The butternut[5] is a North American walnut tree which—in addition to being the source of an edible oily nut—is cultivated as an ornamental and also for its quality timber.
| 21a | Raging fire following a question /getting/ source of water (7) |
| 23a | Vegetable /that's/ a hot pick cooked with no end of effort (3,4) |
Pak choi[5] is the British name for bok choy, a Chinese cabbage of a variety with smooth-edged tapering leaves.
| 25a | Need Juliet in support /for/ game (9) |
† the official NATO spelling is Juliett[7] (to facilitate use by speakers of languages other than English), an inconvenient fact that setters choose to ignore
From a British perspective, blackjack[5] is the North American name for the card game they call pontoon or vingt-et-un.
| 26a | Oil producer/'s/ old tale about volume (5) |
"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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| 27a | Tries tucking in top of trouser // suit (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| Trouser suit[5] is the British name for a pantsuit[5] (or pants suit), a pair of trousers and a matching jacket worn by women. |
| 28a | European // province involved in strike (6) |
"province " = NI [Northern Ireland]
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.
hide
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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Down
| 2d | Distant relation needs to be up, keeping // on the ball (5) |
| 3d | Lost time moving on English // parasite (9) |
Mistletoe[5] is a leathery-leaved parasitic plant which grows on apple, oak, and other broadleaf trees and bears white glutinous berries in winter.
| 4d | Attractive // old volunteers remain without answer (5) |
"old volunteers " = TA [Territorial Army, "old" name for the Army Reserve]
| 5d | Principal // lover cut knot occasionally (9) |
| 6d | Urge // Independent politician to oppress the Spanish (5) |
"Independent " = I [politician with no party affiliation]
I[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the sense of a politician with no party affiliation.
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I[1] is the abbreviation for independent, in all likelihood in the sense of a politician with no party affiliation.
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"politician " = MP
"the Spanish " = EL [Spanish definite article]
| 7d | Tell story /and/ turn on article about fish rising (4,1,4) |
| 8d | Undaunted, // the girl's voice is without limits (6) |
| 9d | Birds, // for example, rest in flight (6) |
| 15d | Inject // iodine and clean out after surgery (9) |
The symbol for the chemical element iodine is I[5].
What is he talking about?
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In Comment #42 on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, RobinNewman write(s)Surgery[5] is the British name for a place where a doctor, dentist, or other medical practitioner treats or advises patients. Thus any procedure performed in a doctor's office, dentist's office, or the office of any other medical practitioner would be considered a "surgical procedure".topical surgical procedure in 15D. |
| 16d | Humiliate Hebridean island in terrible mess (9) |
Barra[5] is a small island towards the southern end of the Outer Hebrides, to the south of South Uist, from which it is separated by the Sound of Barra.
| 17d | Analyse // nervous collapse (9) |
| 18d | Ill-tempered // taxi driver having to cross river (6) |
| 20d | Worked endlessly needing time /for/ facilities (6) |
| 22d | Holy man /seeing/ a king hiding in tree (5) |
| 23d | Fine during exercise on day, /getting/ jabbed (5) |
| 24d | People who succeed /in getting/ tunes broadcast (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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