Puzzle at a Glance
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Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29701 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, June 14, 2021 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29701]
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Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
pommers | |
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
This puzzle may not reach quite the level of difficulty that pommers attributes to it in his review—at least that would appear to be the consensus opinion of visitors to 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 | To retaliate, // take industrial action second (6,4) |
| 6a | Wintry weather /in/ south at the moment (4) |
| 9a | Protection /provided by/ extremely dependable guard (7) |
| 10a | Casual // worker, unwell earlier (7) |
| 12a | Grasps the wise crafty // asides (5,8) |
A stage whisper[5] is a loud whisper uttered by an actor on stage, intended to be heard by the audience but supposedly unheard by other characters in the play.
| 14a | Tabloid // reportedly studied first (3-3) |
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.
Origin: from the red background on which the titles of these newspapers are customarily printed
| 15a | Flask /of/ cold wine knocked over (8) |
Retsina[5] is a Greek white or rosé wine flavoured with resin.
| 17a | Start working /in/ exchange with old name (6,2) |
"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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| 19a | Grow old and supply // to-do list (6) |
As an anagram indicator, supply[5] is a variant spelling of supplely[5], an adverb meaning 'in a supple manner'.
| 22a | Photograph friend in front of superb // cinema (7,6) |
Cinema[5] is the British name for a movie theatre.
Picture palace[5] is a dated British term* for a cinema.
* This being a term with which I am very familiar, I am surprised to see it labelled as British; however, its total absence from US dictionaries would seem to confirm its British pedigree.
| 24a | National emblem // in the list reviewed (7) |
The Scotch thistle[5] is the national emblem of Scotland.
| 25a | Like mad, tucked into favourite // kind of teacake (7) |
Teacake[5] is a British term for a light yeast-based sweet bun with dried fruit, typically served toasted and buttered.
A pikelet[5] is a thin kind of crumpet* ⇒
There has always been some confusion between muffins, crumpets, and pikelets, both in recipes and in name.
* A crumpet[5] is a thick, flat, savoury cake with a soft, porous texture, made from a yeast mixture cooked on a griddle and eaten toasted and buttered.
| 26a | Pay attention to // the man with press chief (4) |
| 27a | Female swan protected by one, as so flustered // when hunting is allowed (4,6) |
A female swan is called a pen[5].
Down
| 1d | Border // team (4) |
"team " = SIDE
Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
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Side[5] is a British term for a sports team ⇒
there was a mixture of old and young players in* their side.
* Note that, in Britain, a player is said to be "in a side" or "in a team" rather than "on a team" as one would say in North America.
In North America, the term side[3] is used in a very general fashion that can denote one of two or more opposing individuals, groups, teams, or sets of opinions. While this same general usage is also found in the UK, the term side[5] is also used there in a much more specific sense to mean a sports team, as we can clearly see from the following usage examples ⇒ (i)
Previous England rugby sides, and England teams in many other sports, would have crumbled under the weight of such errors.; (ii)
They'll face better sides than this Monaco team, but you can only beat what's put in front of you.
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| 2d | Turned down // scrap dealer at first (7) |
| 3d | At which skipper is likely to be judged unfairly? (8,5) |
This is not the first time I have seen the word "skipper" used in puzzles to denote a kangaroo. However, I have been unable to find any evidence of this being a common term for a kangaroo. In fact, I only found a couple of references suggestive of kangaroos skipping. The registered trademark (1892) of Australian company Arnold V. Henn "showed a family of kangaroos playing with a skipping rope"[7]. Skippy the Bush Kangaroo[7] was a popular 1960s Australian children's television series about the adventures of a young boy and his highly intelligent pet kangaroo. Perhaps the act of skipping is considered to be synonymous with hopping and "skipper" is merely being used generically to denote one who skips.
A kangaroo court[5,12] is an unofficial, irregular court usually disregarding normal legal procedure held by a group of people in order to try someone regarded, especially without good evidence, as guilty of a crime or misdemeanour.
Origin: Said to be so named because its justice progresses by leaps and bounds.
| 4d | Empty beer jug? // Guinness, maybe, /required/ (6) |
Despite being positioned at the end of the clue, the word "required" is playing a role not unlike that of a link word.
Arthur Guinness[7] (1725–1803) was an Irish brewer and the founder of the Guinness brewery business.
Thinking Ahead!
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| In 1759, Arthur Guinness took a 9,000-year lease on the company's 4-acre (16,000 m2) brewery at St. James's Gate in Dublin for an annual rent of £45.[7] |
Scratching the Surface
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| Jug[10] is an informal British term for a glass of alcoholic drink, especially beer. |
| 5d | Hat // material, international (5,3) |
International[5] (noun) is a British term for a player who has taken part in an international game or contest ⇒
Two senior Leeds players - both internationals - are known to have squared up to each other in the dressing room and had to be separated before the row escalated into an exchange of punches.
Cap[5] is a British term for a player to whom a cap is awarded ⇒
a former naval officer and rugby cap.
* Cap[5] is a British term denoting a cap awarded as a sign of membership of a particular sports team, especially a national team [a team representing a country in international competition] ⇒
he has won three caps for Scotland.
| 7d | Most close by // are in eyrie? (7) |
Eyrie[5] is the British spelling of aerie, a large nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built high in a tree or on a cliff.
| 8d | Extra marmalade, perhaps, /for/ general (10) |
In cricket, an extra[5] is a run scored other than from a hit with the bat, credited (in most cases) to the batting side rather than to a batsman. The types of extra[7] are no ball, wide, bye, leg-bye, and penalty runs.
| 11d | Capricious about initially spending a night dancing // reels, etc. (7,6) |
| 13d | Go over way to entertain constant // moaner (10) |
In mathematics, C[5] (or c) is a symbol used to represent either the third fixed constant to appear in an algebraic expression, or a known constant. (show more ) Specifically in physics, c[5] is the symbol for the speed of light in a vacuum (which is a constant).
In mathematics, a constant[5] is a quantity or parameter that does not change its value whatever the value of the variables, under a given set of conditions.
In physics, a constant[5] is a number expressing a relation or property which remains the same in all circumstances, or for the same substance under the same conditions.
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In mathematics, a constant[5] is a quantity or parameter that does not change its value whatever the value of the variables, under a given set of conditions.
In physics, a constant[5] is a number expressing a relation or property which remains the same in all circumstances, or for the same substance under the same conditions.
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Crosspatch[5] is an informal, derogatory term for a bad-tempered person ⇒
York is bulging at the walls with Scrooges, Grinches, crotchety crosspatches and other assorted bah humbuggers.
| 16d | In service // daily (4,4) |
Service[10] is used in the sense of an act of help or assistance. As an oft seen example, help for stranded motorists is commonly referred to as either emergency road service (breakdown service[10] in the UK) or roadside assistance.
Daily[5] (noun) is a dated British term for a woman who is employed to clean someone else’s house each day.
Home help[5] is a British term for a person employed, especially by a local authority [local government], to help in another's home.
| 18d | List // incorporated field of business (7) |
| 20d | Styluses // unnecessary, mostly (7) |
Stylus[5] is used in the sense of a phonograph needle, a hard point, typically of diamond or sapphire, following a groove in a record and transmitting the recorded sound* for reproduction.
*It is a gross over simplification—at best—to say that the stylus "transmits sound"; it transfers motion to the cartridge which transforms it to an electrical signal that is amplified and sent to the speakers which convert it to sound waves.
The Story Behind the Picture
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| The Needles[7] (pictured in the photo illustrating pommers' review on Big Dave's Crossword Blog) is a row of three stacks of chalk that rise about 30m out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, United Kingdom. Origin of the name: The formation takes its name from a fourth needle-shaped pillar called Lot's Wife, which collapsed in a storm in 1764. The remaining rocks are not at all needle-like, but the name has stuck. |
| 21d | Take place /of/ some chap penalised (6) |
| 23d | Enthusiasts rising /in/ shock (4) |
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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