Tuesday, August 24, 2021 — DT 29700

Puzzle at a Glance
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph DT 29700
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph Saturday, June 12, 2021
Setter Unknown
Link to full review Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 296xx – Hints] Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 296xx – Review]
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by Senf (Hints) crypticsue (Review)
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
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's setter gives us an extremely light mental workout.

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	Something carried responsibly by exercise // nut (5)

"exercise " = PE [physical education]

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

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

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Carry the can^[5] is an informal British expression meaning to take responsibility for a mistake or misdeed ⇒ The reality is that at this level coaches carry the can when things go wrong.

4a	Best // spinner, neither winner nor loser? (3-6)

9a	Leader // wasting euros, PM (7)

Supremo^[5] is an informal British term for a person in overall charge of an organization or activity ⇒ Instead he will defer to a new supremo who will take charge in the spring.

11a	A matter // to be discussed (2,5)

12a	Bowler possibly ending in ambulance // can't stand (4)

Bowler^[5] (also bowler hat) is the British name for a man’s hard felt hat with a round dome-shaped crown. The North American name for this item of apparel is derby^[5]—said to arise from American demand for a hat of the type worn at the Epsom Derby^*.

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^* a prestigious British horse race—not to mention a major event on the British social calendar

The hat in question was a trademark of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. I wonder, did Brit Stan Laurel wear a bowler while Yank Oliver Hardy wear a derby?

13a	Southern tour /for/ band (5)

14a	So // immersed in river yesterday (4)

17a	Tool // smearing oil on grinders (9,4)

19a	Simultaneously, // however (2,3,4,4)

21a	Sensitive // god, looking back (4)

In Greek mythology, Eros^[5] is the god of love, son of Aphrodite — the equivalent in Roman mythology being  Cupid^[5].

22a	Glass // wind instrument (5)

23a	Vehicle -- // burden put on one (4)

26a	Charming // pub in annexe (7)

27a	Dropping // place (7)

28a	What cow does // ruins meat, unfortunately (9)

29a	Like a drip, // small and dry -- that's not right (5)

"small " = WEE [Scottish]

Wee^[5] is is an adjective of Scottish origin meaning little ⇒ (i) when I was just a wee bairn; (ii) the lyrics are a wee bit too sweet and sentimental.

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^* The word may be of Scottish origin but, like the Scots themselves, the word has migrated around the world.

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Down

1d	Those taps turned // quickly (9)

2d	Money to invest /in/ a hole in California (7)

3d	Christmas // book lacking heart (4)

5d	Surprisingly, my ant aspiring /to be/ large insect (7,6)

6d	Bar /where/ person telling stories turned up (4)

7d	Peripheral characters in weepie, serious // film (7)

8d	Thin and weak, // wanting lots of food but no starter (5)

10d	Asleep immediately, // switched off? (3,4,1,5)

I see the second part of the clue as a somewhat whimsical literal interpretation of the solution.

15d	Australian city, // bold and hard (5)

"hard " = H [grade of pencil lead]

H^[2,5] is an abbreviation for hard, as used in describing grades of pencil lead ⇒ a 2H pencil.

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Perth^[5] is the capital of the state of Western Australia, on the Indian Ocean. (show more )

Founded by the British in 1829, it developed rapidly after the discovery in 1890 of gold in the region and the opening in 1897 of the harbour at Fremantle.

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16d	Immature // environmentalist (5)

18d	Mutant gene slimy // on the surface (9)

19d	Initial word // a friend mentioned firstly (7)

20d	Picture // old song (7)

"Imagine"^[7] is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon (1940–1980). It was the best-selling single of his solo career.

21d	Drain // small jug (5)

"small " = S [clothing size]

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

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24d	Some stuff in Norway, // northern European (4)

25d	Keep // smiling, though ostensibly weary initially (4)

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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 )

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Signing off for today — Falcon