Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29696 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, June 8, 2021 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29696]
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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
Under the pressure of a looming blogging deadline, I broke down and resorted to a bit of electronic help in the northeast. Given more time, I might have solved at least a couple of those on my own.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 | Steel badly forged -- // after this it shouldn't be purchased (4-2,4) |
Sell-by date[5] is a British term for a date marked on a perishable product indicating the recommended time by which it should be sold.
| 6a | Floor // initially scraped with large cask (4) |
| 9a | Drunk adapted bowl, wanting whiskey // vessel (6,4) |
| 10a | Argument after Conservative/'s/ boast (4) |
"Conservative " = C | CON [member of British political party]
The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.[10] or Con.[10].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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The abbreviation for Conservative may be either C.[10] or Con.[10].
The Conservative Party[5] is a major right of centre British political party promoting free enterprise and private ownership that emerged from the old Tory Party* under Sir Robert Peel in the 1830s and 1840s.
* Historically, a Tory[10] was a member of the English political party that opposed the exclusion of James, Duke of York from the royal succession (1679–80). Tory remained the label for subsequent major conservative interests until they gave birth to the Conservative Party in the 1830s.
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| 12a | Crocodile yesterday returned holding // body part (6) |
Scratching the Surface
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| It would appear there was not much left of the body! |
| 13a | A place for drinking // milk? Hotel by river (8) |
Milk[5] is used as a verb meaning to extract sap, venom, or other substances from. ⇒
scientists have found a new way of producing an anti-clotting agent—by milking a leech.
Tap[5] is used in the sense of to draw sap from (a tree) by cutting into it.
The River Ouse[5] (rhymes with booze rather than mouse)
is a river of northeastern England, formed at the confluence of the Ure
and Swale in North Yorkshire and flowing 92 km (57 miles)
south-eastwards through York to the Humber estuary. There are also
severalother rivers in England having the same or similar name.
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- a river of southeastern England, which rises in the Weald of West Sussex and flows 48 km (30 miles) south-eastwards to the English Channel
- (also Great Ouse) a river of eastern England, which rises in Northamptonshire and flows 257 km (160 miles) eastwards then northwards through East Anglia to the Wash near King’s Lynn
- (also Little Ouse) a river of East Anglia, which forms a tributary of the Great Ouse
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Taphouse[5] is an old-fashioned term for a place where alcoholic drinks, especially beer, are available on tap; in other words, another name for a public house[5] or pub.
| 15a | Leap forward // to hug her -- bark's out of place (12) |
| 18a | I did obscene dancing with European, /displaying/ bad behaviour (12) |
"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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| 21a | The French head of air force permits // flyers (8) |
You might be tempted to think the "AF" in the solution is an abbreviation for Air Force. However, the parsing is actually a little more complex than that—as Mr K describes in his review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog.
"the French " = LE [French definite article]
| 22a | Threaten // chaps with magic (6) |
"chaps " = MEN
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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Magic[2,5] (adjective, also used as an exclamation) is a colloquial British* term denoting excellent, marvellous, great, wonderful, or exciting ⇒
Make it easy on yourself — enjoy the magic moments in life — they are too few and far between.
* I must say that after reading the usage example, this usage hardly seems foreign at all.
Ace[5] is used informally as an adjective to mean very good ⇒
an ace swimmer.
| 24a | Smile as you're swallowing // a piece of cake (4) |
| 25a | Study in university, talented // beyond question (10) |
Uni[5] is an informal (originally Australian) short form for university ⇒
he planned to go to uni.
| 26a | Certainly concealing new // desires (4) |
| 27a | Career going downhill? This might save you (6,4) |
Escape road[5] is a British term for a a slip road*, especially on a racing circuit, for a vehicle to turn into if the driver is unable to negotiate a bend or slope safely.
* Slip road[5] [entrance or exit ramp] is a British term for a road entering or leaving a motorway [high speed, controlled access divided highway] or dual carriageway [divided highway].
Down
| 1d | Drink for each // meal (6) |
"drink " = SUP
As a verb, sup[5] is a dated or Northern English term meaning to take (drink or liquid food) by sips or spoonfuls ⇒ (i)
As a noun, sup[5] means
As a verb, sup[5] is a dated or Northern English term meaning to take (drink or liquid food) by sips or spoonfuls ⇒ (i)
she supped up her soup delightedly; (ii)
he was supping straight from the bottle.
As a noun, sup[5] means
- a sip of liquid ⇒
he took another sup of wine
- (in Northern England or Ireland) an alcoholic drink ⇒
the latest sup from those blokes at the brewery
| 2d | Large snake -- // not something one wants to find in one's tights (6) |
The adder[5] (also called viper) is a small venomous Eurasian snake which has a dark zigzag pattern on its back and bears live young. It is the only poisonous snake in Britain.
In Britain, ladder[5] denotes:
- (noun) a vertical strip of unravelled fabric in tights or stockings ⇒
one of Sally’s stockings developed a ladder
- (verb) with reference to tights or stockings, to develop or cause to develop a ladder ⇒ (i)
her tights were always laddered
; (ii)they laddered the minute I put them on
| 3d | This could be part of a plant, or potted (8,4) |
In snooker, a plant[5] is shot in which the cue ball is made to strike one of two touching or nearly touching balls with the result that the second is potted.
In billiards and snooker, pot[5] means to strike (a ball) into a pocket ⇒
he failed to pot a red at close range.
| 4d | Editor upset by telecom company/'s/ bill (4) |
"telecom company " = BT [British Telecom]
BT[5] (the abbreviation for British Telecom) is a trade name of BT Group plc[7] (trading as BT and formerly known as British Telecom), a British multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in around 180 countries and is the largest provider of fixed-line, broadband and mobile services in the UK, and also provides subscription television and IT services.
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BT[5] (the abbreviation for British Telecom) is a trade name of BT Group plc[7] (trading as BT and formerly known as British Telecom), a British multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in around 180 countries and is the largest provider of fixed-line, broadband and mobile services in the UK, and also provides subscription television and IT services.
* the designation plc stands for public limited company[7] (show more )
The designation plc (standing for public limited company[7]) is used in the UK, some Commonwealth jurisdictions, and the Republic of Ireland. The term "public limited company" and the "PLC"/"plc" suffix were introduced in 1981; prior to this, all limited companies bore the suffix "Limited" ("Ltd."), which is still used by private limited companies.
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The designation plc (standing for public limited company[7]) is used in the UK, some Commonwealth jurisdictions, and the Republic of Ireland. The term "public limited company" and the "PLC"/"plc" suffix were introduced in 1981; prior to this, all limited companies bore the suffix "Limited" ("Ltd."), which is still used by private limited companies.
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| 5d | A priest ate spreads here? (3,7) |
The entire clue provides the definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
| 7d | Rambling/'s/ harrowing the second Romeo leaves (8) |
Torturous[5] means characterized by, involving, or causing pain or suffering.
Tortuous[5] means full of twists and turns.
| 8d | Fresh food shop enthralling husband // somewhere in India (3,5) |
New Delhi[5], the capital of India, is a city in north central India built 1912–29 to replace Calcutta (now Kolkata) as the capital of British India.
| 11d | Cold air teacher's struggling // to describe (12) |
| 14d | Worker tolerates // elevated positions? (10) |
| 16d | Blue livery with top half removed -- /that's/ cheating (8) |
Scratching the Surface
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Livery[5] is a special uniform worn by a servant, an official, or a member of a City Company* ⇒ (i) yeomen of the guard wearing a royal red and gold livery; (ii) pageboys in scarlet and green livery. * City Company[5] is a British term for a corporation descended from an ancient trade guild of London |
| 17d | One's paid to kill // two animals at home (8) |
| 19d | Graduate male -- coarse, ill-mannered person -- cut // grass (6) |
| 20d | Celebrity // on target (6) |
"on " = LEG [cricket term]
In cricket, the on[5] (also known as on side) is another name for the leg[5] (also called leg side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
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In cricket, the on[5] (also known as on side) is another name for the leg[5] (also called leg side), the half of the field (as divided lengthways through the pitch) away from which the batsman’s feet are pointed when standing to receive the ball ⇒
he played a lucky stroke to leg.
The other half of the field is known as the off[5] (also called off side).
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| 23d | Female gobbled up // cheese (4) |
Feta[5] is a white salty Greek cheese made from the milk of ewes or goats.
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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