Puzzle at a Glance
| |
---|---|
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29713 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Monday, June 28, 2021 | |
Setter
Campbell (Allan Scott) | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29713]
| |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Big Dave | |
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
|
Introduction
One usually gets a consistently good puzzle from Campbell. There are a few easy clues to allow one to get started and draw one into the puzzle and a few to make the brain work (or as the Brits like to say "it carries a sting in the tail"). These serve as bookends to a lot of solid enjoyable clues.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 | |
|
|
Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. |
Across
1a | Work inside cold American // plant (6) |
5a | Dean at bizarre church // social event (3,5) |
A tea dance[5] is an occasion consisting of afternoon tea with dancing, originating in 19th-century society.
Scratching the Surface
| |
---|---|
A dean[2] is a senior clergyman* in an Anglican cathedral. * in rank, below a bishop and above a canon |
9a | Flattering remark /made by/ companion, we hear (10) |
10a | Member of the clergy heading off // shortly (4) |
A canon[2] is a member of the clergy* attached to a cathedral.
* in rank, below a dean
11a | Everyone taken in by half of hoofer/'s/ sensational advertising (8) |
12a | Salad ingredient // consumed by undergrad is healthy (6) |
13a | Royal // family associated with Germany originally (4) |
A royal[5] is a member of the royal family ⇒
the royals are coming under the TV microscope.
Scratching the Surface
| |
---|---|
The British royal family has deep German roots. From 1714 to the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the crown was held by the House of Hanover[5]. When her son Edward VII acceded to the throne, the name changed to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as his father Prince Albert was a prince of the German duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha[5]. In 1917, the name was changed to Windsor[5] in response to anti-German feeling in the First World War. So, for over 400 years Britain has been ruled by "Germans". |
15a | Answer/'s/ way out (8) |
There may be two definitions—but I would say there's little to choose between them.
18a | Smoked beef // over rye, initially given to French friend (8) |
Ami[8] is the masculine form of the French word meaning 'friend'.
Pastrami[5] is highly seasoned smoked beef, typically served in thin slices. The recipe for pastrami[7] as we know it today was developed in the latter half of the 19th century in New York by Jewish immigrants from Romania.
Origin: Despite appearances, the word pastrami[7] is not—as I had always supposed—of Italian origin. Rather the word comes from Yiddish pastrame which in turn derives from Romanian pastrama. The modified “pastrami” spelling was probably introduced in imitation of the American English salami (a word which is of Italian lineage).
19a | Fizzy drink // accordingly put next to prosecutor (4) |
"prosecutor " = DA [US district attorney]
21a | Lots /of/ strips of pasta needing no introduction (6) |
23a | Best player/'s/ back (8) |
25a | Piano tune /for/ two (4) |
26a | The head after tongue -- // what to put it on, once sliced? (6,4) |
You need to replace the pronoun "it" in the definition with its antecedent "tongue".
Loaf[2,5,10] is an informal British term meaning the head, brains, or common sense. It is found, for instance, in the informal British expression use one's loaf[5] meaning to use one's common sense ⇒
Origin: Cockney rhyming slang (show more ) from loaf of bread.
A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church).
The cockney[5] dialect is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang[5].
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
hide
But we would urge people to use their loaf when parking and make sure they don't leave anything of value on display.
Origin: Cockney rhyming slang (show more ) from loaf of bread.
A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church).
The cockney[5] dialect is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang[5].
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
hide
27a | One who's never met his match? (8) |
28a | Stop working /in/ retreat (6) |
Down
2d | Member describing old article/'s/ distinctive smell (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.
hide
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.
hide
3d | First-class // spinner having fine match (3-6) |
4d | Reticent engaging with German // forger? (6) |
Mit[8] is the German word for 'with'.
5d | With good visibility in seaside resorts, // there's no apparent danger (3,5,2,5) |
The first part of the clue is a literal interpretation of the idiom that is the solution to the clue.
6d | Following each one, // despite everything (5,3) |
7d | Prize /in/ American lottery raised (5) |
8d | Angry over promise /to supply/ puzzle (9) |
14d | Female lover // over in Rabat, a Romanian (9) |
An inamorata[5] is a person's female lover.
Scratching the Surface
| |
---|---|
Rabat[5] is the capital of Morocco, an industrial port on the Atlantic Coast. It was founded as a military fort in the 12th century by the Almohads. |
16d | Under strain, guide // high-flier up for trial? (4,5) |
17d | Opera // fairs badly in China? (8) |
China[5] is an informal British term for a friend (or, as the Brits would say, a mate*).
Origin: Cockney rhyming slang (show more ) from china plate (rhymes with 'mate').
A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church).
The cockney[5] dialect is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang[5].
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
hide
* In Britain, mate[5]—in addition to being a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner—is an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒
Origin: Cockney rhyming slang (show more ) from china plate (rhymes with 'mate').
A cockney[5,10] is a native of East London [specifically that part of East London known as the East End[5]], traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells (the bells of St Mary-le-Bow[7] church).
The cockney[5] dialect is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang[5].
Rhyming slang[5] is a type of slang that replaces words with rhyming words or phrases, typically with the rhyming element omitted. For example, butcher’s, short for butcher’s hook, means ‘look’ in cockney rhyming slang.
hide
* In Britain, mate[5]—in addition to being a person’s husband, wife, or other sexual partner—is an informal term for a friend or companion ⇒
my best mate Steve.
Parsifal[5] is an opera by German composer Richard Wagner. Twenty-five years in the writing, it was first performed in 1882. It is loosely based on Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach, a 13th-century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival (Percival) and his quest for the Holy Grail (12th century).
20d | Relish (foremost of relishes) /in/ small dish (6) |
22d | Tree /with/ large span (5) |
The larch[5] is a coniferous tree with bunches of deciduous bright green needles, found in cool regions of the northern hemisphere. It is grown for its tough timber and its resin (which yields turpentine).
24d | Love new tune // being broadcast (2,3) |
"love " = O [nil score in tennis]
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
hide
In tennis, squash, and some other sports, love[5] is a score of zero or nil ⇒
love fifteen. The resemblance of a zero written as a numeral (0) to the letter O leads to the cryptic crossword convention of the word "love" being used to clue this letter.
Although folk etymology has connected the word with French l'oeuf 'egg', from the resemblance in shape between an egg and a zero, the term apparently comes from the phrase play for love (i.e. the love of the game, not for money).
hide
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
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.